The Two Survivors - Chpt 5 [English - US]
The Two Survivors [English - US]
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The Two Survivors is a fan comic and book series, created by Antony Bindilatti and in suggestion and in partnership with Priscilla2Warrior, also known as Priscilla McGee. The series brings together different stories from the characters from famous series such as Claymore (trademark of Norihiro Yagi and Madhouse Studio) and The Walking Dead (Robert Kirkman and Telltales Games by The Walking Dead: Michonne), all focusing on some journeys, some action. and some fun with your favorite characters (and some less).
The story focuses on two young girls: Priscilla and Paige. Priscilla is a newly formed Organization warrior after taking her place as Number 2, and Paige is one of the survivors after a zombie apocalypse devastated Georgia and turned victims into Walkers.
And when the two survivors meet, a long, tireless journey begins and they will have to fight to survive.
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Chapter 5
Hours passed after the survivors left the Jungle Predators' territory. Priscilla helped Raj carry Alice by the arms while Mark and Andrew's mother was still a little weak from the bullet that went through her chest. Christine, the boys and Paige continued on, with the shooter going ahead of the group.
The area where the survivors found themselves was partially covered in plants, with a few trees scattered around. A mountainous landscape could be seen on the horizon, and a clear, cascading waterfall was visible.
On the way to the cabin, they spotted a stream with a few rocks bathed in its waters and the rays of the sun. Crossing to the other side was easy as the stream was shallow, although the water was a bit chilly.
As the group continued, Alice began to feel a bit tired. “We've been walking for hours. Hey Christine, are you sure this cabin isn't far?” she asked as Priscilla and Raj carried her.
“Not much, Alice.” replied the young blonde nurse. “I remember the cabin is on the other side of this stream.”
The boys' mother was a bit weakened after the emergency surgery. The warrior chose to carry her in her arms to relieve the Indian doctor of a bumpy journey.
////
When the group crossed the stream, they spotted more trees and tall bushes. The journey seemed very exhausting. The boys stopped to rest for a bit. Seeing them tired, Paige and the others did the same. Their feet were red and slightly swollen. Priscilla was the only one in the group who wasn't tired, but she removed her sword from its carrier and stuck it into the ground, resting on the blade.
Raj and Christine were able to examine Alice's bandage. It showed no signs of infection or bleeding, but the long journey to find the cabin had left everyone exhausted. Paige and Priscilla distributed some water bottles to the others. It was enough to replenish their energy and the water they had consumed. The girl with the Marlin rifle approached Alice while handing her the bottle. She was exhausted but conscious.
“Here, Alice. Take some water. It'll help you feel better.” said Paige, handing over the container.
The boys' mother thanked her. “Thank you, Paige.” Then, she drank in small sips.
Paige was a bit worried about Alice's well-being. Even though the danger had passed, Raj and Christine were doing everything they could to monitor her condition. Fortunately, there were no irregularities with her heart rate, and her blood pressure was a bit elevated but not to an extreme level. This indicated that Alice was fine and would live without any problems resulting from the gunshot wound. However, she needed to rest.
The young shooter sat down beside Alice.
“Hey. Are you feeling better now, Alice?” asked Paige.
Mark and Andrew's mother smiled at the girl. “Yes, Paige. I'm fine. Thank you. I'm glad you helped me after we left the Predators' camp.”
Paige smiled in return. “Well, I'm glad you're recovering from the gunshot wound.”
“Yes. Although it will take a long time for me to recover, you've helped me a lot.”
Paige smiled at the boys' mother. She said goodbye to Alice so Raj and Christine could monitor her bandage and treat her in case of an infection. The young shooter spotted Mark and Andrew talking to Priscilla. The warrior was a bit shaken after that moment of retaliation when she killed Marlon and the Jungle Predators, but she recovered emotionally after she helped them calm down afterward. Paige joined the three to keep them company.
////
Resuming their journey towards the cabin Christine had mentioned, the group continued into a field where vegetation had grown considerably since the first days of the zombie apocalypse. Fortunately, there were no signs of zombies or the raiders who had followed Marlon and Celine to their end. Just a few trees, green bushes, some rocks, and the vastness of the horizon. And in the midst of that vastness was a wooden cabin that the young nurse had mentioned. The survivors smiled at the sight of the building.
Approaching it, it looked quite simple but was large in size, which was enough to accommodate everyone.
“This is it, guys. We can spend the night here.” said Christine.
Priscilla and Paige went over to the nurse. They helped her open the door. Without much effort, and since it wasn't locked, the group unloaded their luggage and settled in different corners of the place. Alice could rest on a double bed, with Raj and Christine accompanying her at set intervals. Mark and Andrew could be near her so their mother wouldn't feel alone.
Priscilla was searching around the cabin while Paige needed to take a shower. Entering the bathroom, she noticed it was narrow, but it was enough to do what she needed to do. Just before continuing, she heard the nurse coming down the stairs. In an instant, Paige called out to her.
“Yes, Paige?” asked the blonde nurse, answering the shooter's call.
“Christine, if it's not too much trouble, could you remove this suture?” asked the young woman, lifting her shirt.
Christine examined the survivor's suture closely. It wasn't infected, although it had some bruises from the blows she had received from Marlon and Celine.
“Of course, Paige. It might take a while, but I'll remove the stitches.”
Christine went upstairs to look for the medical kit and brought it down to treat young Paige.
////
The two girls were in the bathroom. Paige had taken off her shirts, leaving only her pants and bra as Christine removed the surgical stitches with scissors and tweezers. The shooter felt a little pain as the nurse cut the knots and pulled them out slowly with the tweezers.
“Hold on, Paige. I'm almost done.” said Christine, removing the last stitches.
Fortunately, they had locked the bathroom door to have some privacy. Paige groaned a little but was fine having a girl's company. Although she didn't mind the company of others, she felt better with someone of the same gender.
“Hey Paige, what happened to you to get this suture?”
Paige didn't remember much from the night she was shot and rushed to the hospital. She was afraid she couldn't tell Christine the same way she told Priscilla. The nurse was a bit worried by the silence.
“It's okay. If you don't feel comfortable telling me, I won't force you to.”
“It was a long time ago. I don't remember exactly what I was doing in Atlanta, but… I remember there was a guy who was out of his mind and… he started shooting. I'm not sure if he was crazy or if that night there were some people who turned into zombies during the apocalypse and he was trying to protect himself from them.”
Christine was paying attention to the survivor's story. She was about to finish removing the stitches when her conversation with Paige took more of her attention than the small favor.
“That's when I was shot. It felt like my life was over when I passed out. When I woke up, I was alone in a hospital bed with a needle stuck in my vein. Lucky for me, Priscilla came to save me after I went through a lot of trouble with the hospital staff, who were now turned into zombies.”
“Girl, you really went through a lot of trouble.” replied Christine, surprised but smiling. Paige returned the smile.
Just before returning to removing the stitches, the blonde nurse heard the survivor's call.
“Christine. Before the apocalypse, what was your life like before you ended up at the Predators' camp?”
The other was a little speechless. She was hesitant to tell her story. She turned her gaze to the left, but returned to look into the survivor's eyes with the stitches on her chest.
“I was studying nursing at college in Georgia. I used to be one of the most talented and dedicated students. Life was pretty simple. There wasn't much that was so exciting that I would drop out of school and disappoint my parents. I had a few friends who I spent most of my time studying with.”
Paige paid attention to Christine's story. The blonde's face turned for a moment.
“When the apocalypse started, one of my classmates called me saying the college was turned upside down. The teachers, the students, the staff, the guards. Most were killed while some turned into zombies. We both ran to save ourselves. In the middle of the escape, she tripped and fell to the ground.”
The way Christine told her story made Paige immerse herself in that macabre scenario. She saw the scene of the nurse and her friend running away from the zombies until the other one fell.
“When I saw her, the zombies grabbed her by the heels and dragged her towards them. I could hear her screams for help. They were eating her alive. I… I couldn't do anything to help her. I ran away.” she said, crying.
Paige placed her hand on Christine's shoulder.
“I know you couldn't do anything else to help her. When I was in the hospital, a robber who held me hostage was left behind and I had to run from the zombies before I suffered the same fate.”
Christine nodded in agreement with her colleague in the bathroom.
“And what happened after that?”
“I found out that one of my friends had managed to escape with a friend of his. His name was Jackson. I was so happy to see him alive. He was the one I had the most affinity for during my studies. His friend, Caesar, took us to a hotel where we could stay for a long time. The room had a double bed and a single bed for the three of us.” Christine said, smiling briefly as she recalled the time she spent with Jackson.
“And what happened after?”
“Jackson and I were alone in the room while Caesar organized our things and fixed the car. I could feel his body, just as he could feel mine. We both had sex. I was a little silly, but it was with someone I had a very strong affinity for in college.”
Paige smiled. Even though she wasn't very into having a private moment with someone of the opposite sex, she was happy for the piece of the story that had ended well.
“Well, I'm glad you managed to survive with the help of your friends and that you found someone to share your feelings with.” said the survivor with the Marlin rifle.
“Yes. Jackson and I were very close. It's a shame things could have been different if it weren't for the Predators.” said the young nurse, turning her gaze to the right.
Hearing that name, Paige remembered Celine, Marlon, and the henchmen who had dragged her, Priscilla, and the others into a cruel world beyond the zombies.
“Caesar, Jackson, and I left the hotel to look for other survivors. We couldn't find any. We had to go on until we reached the forest. The same one where the Jungle Predators were stationed.”
Paige paid attention to her colleague. The story she was telling was materialized in the brown-haired shooter's mind, right up to the moment when Christine, Caesar, and Jackson entered that place they shouldn't have.
“We heard the sound of motorcycles approaching us. To our surprise, they came to take us away. Since we didn't have any weapons, we ran to the car and left as fast as we could. However, they caught up with us and forced us to stop the car. Jackson tried to take them out. But one of the raiders hit him in the chest, causing him to stop the car. César and I tried to help him, but it was too late. I was devastated. Why? Why him? I loved Jackson.”
Paige noticed tears streaming down Christine's eyes, falling to the floor as she finished her story.
“Then, Caesar tried to escape, only to be killed immediately. I would have a cruel fate at their hands, but their leader, Marlon, said I would be spared if I helped them because I understood medicine and nursing. They dragged me on one of the motorcycles to their camp in the forest. I did everything they asked of me. But at what cost? No friends. No right to go out and see the sun. I would have poor food, but that would be enough. However, everything would change when I met you all that night, when Priscilla, Mark, and the two boys went to the medicine cabin.”
Paige smiled when she mentioned that. Christine wiped her tears and continued working. Even groaning after the nurse pulled the thread with the tweezers and cut it to remove it, the survivor smiled. With the last stitch removed, Christine threw the extracted stitches into the trash can. Although it wasn't a proper disposal, she had to dispose of it with that disposal repository for used toilet paper.
“Very well, Paige. The stitches have been removed. There will be a little mark from the surgery on your chest, but it will heal over time.” replied Christine.
Paige cleaned the area before continuing with her shower. Seeing her colleague going to the door, she called her to thank her.
“Thanks, Christine.” Paige thanked her.
Christine smiled as she looked at the survivor. “You're welcome, Paige.”
The nurse unlocked the door to return to her chores, leaving the young shooter alone as she undressed for the shower, locking the bathroom after the other left.
////
Outside, Priscilla gazed at the horizon. The wind whipped her cloak from right to left. Her gaze was fixed on the location of the Predators' camp. In that instant, she recalled her meeting with the Black Men of the Organization.
That was seven months before her first mission with the warrior of rank Number 2: Quicksword Irene. Priscilla stood before a Black Man. He wore black robes, with a kind of cord tied around his waist, and leather boots. His skin was withered, partially gray with some dark spots and bulging veins. It was easy to tell he was an old man. His face could barely be seen due to the black hood but the lines of expression were very visible, and his eyes were white along with the iris.
Priscilla wore the standard warrior uniform, but without pieces of armor and the sword. She kept her gaze fixed on that human figure dressed in black.
“Priscilla, before you take on this mission, I must remind you that you are a warrior of the Organization. Your duty is to protect humans from the Yomas and ensure that the villages are under our protection through payments. One of us will visit the respective village to collect payment for the services we provide for protection. Remember: If the villagers cannot pay for our services, any future requests for help will be denied.” said the Black Man.
The warrior stared fixedly at her instructor, showing no emotion or reaction.
“The Yomas are the mortal enemies of humans. They feed on the viscera and brains of their victims and are able to transform into them to deceive other humans into feeding on new human victims. Only you warriors can distinguish the disguised Yomas from humans.”
Hearing that, Priscilla had a brief memory of her past in Mucha, the place where she was born and had the traumatic experience of her life. It was from this experience that her father was killed by a Yoma. The attacker assumed the form of her father and then killed her mother and older sister. At the time this happened, Priscilla was a small child and was hiding, making no noise so as not to attract Yoma's attention. With the monster devouring the entrails of her older sister, the little girl picked up an ax and cut off the monster's head unnoticed. She struck more blows at it, accompanied by cries of pain for the loss and rage.
Returning to her reality while maintaining her gaze on the Black Man, the warrior remained with her repressed expression as part of her cold nature towards everything and everyone.
“Now, the most sacred rule of the Organization regarding the protection of humans. Under no circumstances you are not allowed to kill other humans.”
The warrior's eyes widened for a moment.
“No matter how much humans wage war with other humans over power struggles and wealth, we cannot interfere in these matters or even protect them from other nations or looters. These conflicts are of little relevance to the Organization. For this reason, your duty is to ensure that the villages prosper under our protection from the Yomas.”
“I understand what you're saying, sir. If it's for the good of humans to prosper and ensure they remain under our protection, I will strictly follow our most sacred rules. Regardless of the dangers and anything that could compromise their safety, I will kill the Yomas who dare to threaten their lives.” Priscilla replied, clenching her right fist tightly.
The Black Man showed no trace of emotion upon hearing Priscilla's fervent devotion. The others remained in their places, quiet and expressionless in that round room. However, the man in the middle, an elderly man with little gray hair and metal shoulder pads, smiled slightly.
“That's exactly what I would expect to hear from you, Priscilla.”
The young warrior was a little surprised. The man in question was Limt. He is the main member and head of the Organization, who commanded the actions of the warriors through the Black Men.
“Your zeal and potential will ensure that humans prosper under our care. Your skills and power can surpass that of many warriors, even reaching those who are among the first.”
With those words spoken by the head of the Organization, Priscilla was surprised. Her power and abilities could surpass those of many warriors, including the strongest in the Organization like Teresa of the Faint Smile, who reached the rank of Number 1 after surpassing her former colleague and rival Rosemary; and Irene, the holder of the Quicksword and ranked as warrior Number 2.
While the words of that man echoed in the young warrior's memory, she closed her eyes and then opened them.
Around her, Priscilla saw that she was no longer in the main hall of the Organization with Limt and the other Black Men. She was in the wooden cabin in Paige's world. The leaves of the trees swayed gently in the breeze. The sound of water could be heard in the distance and the flapping of birds' wings as they flew. The warrior's cloak swayed in the same rhythm as the branches.
“Limt, forgive me for breaking the most sacred rule of the Organization. But know that I am no longer in the world in which I was raised.” Priscilla said in her thoughts, staring fixedly at the horizon. “I am in a completely different world. A world where there are no civilizations or laws. There is only the rule that the strongest have to fight to survive. And those who cannot fight to survive will perish in this inhospitable world full of unimaginable dangers.”
The wind whipped around Priscilla with a certain force, but then ceased. She looked toward the horizon with a certain concern for the safety of Paige and the others. In an instant, something caught the warrior's attention. It was her protégé.
“Priscilla. Are you alright?” asked the young girl with brown hair.
“I'm fine, Paige. I appreciate your concern for my well-being.”
Paige was a little surprised but accepted her colleague's answer.
“And the others? How are they?”
“Alice is fine, resting in one of the rooms. Mark and Andrew are setting the table for dinner. Christine is in the kitchen, preparing something with what we have, and Raj is counting our supplies and ammunition.”
“For a doctor, he's very good with a weapon. I'm glad they're okay.” said Priscilla. Paige smiled in response.
“Hey Priscilla, back at the Predators' camp. I was wondering why you decided to break that rule about you not killing humans.”
Hearing that, the swordswoman became serious.
“You want to know why I did that?”
Paige nodded her head forward, requesting an answer from her guardian.
“Where I came from, we warriors were instructed not to kill humans, under no circumstances. The Organization forbids us from doing so, Paige. If one of us violates this rule, the punishment for this act is death.”
“Yes. But, anyway, you did it. Why?”
Priscilla looked to the side. Her eyes were closed. Paige waited for her colleague's answer, even though the silence worried her.
“Because… I care about you.”
Hearing that, the shooter's eyes widened.
“Even though I needed some time to reflect after we were captured by the Jungle Predators, deep in my heart, I realized that I'm in a completely different world from mine and that… I needed to somehow protect you all. Despite the rule, I chose your life and the lives of everyone else over living clinging to it.” the warrior Number 2 replied. Her eyes opened, showing sincerity amidst tears.
Paige took her colleague's hand and pulled her close. Priscilla was startled by the hug.
“It's okay, Priscilla. I know. I'm glad you'll always be on our side and that you'll do everything to protect us.” replied Paige, hugging her friend. The warrior's hands wrapped around the shooter, holding the other in a comforting embrace.
The two girls shared that moment, without anyone or anything to interrupt them. Afterwards, they proceeded to the cabin to help the others with dinner.
////
Hours had passed since the survivors had settled into that cabin. Alice was with her children, Raj, Christine, Paige, and Priscilla. She was feeling better after receiving proper medical care and follow-up treatment after having the bullet removed from her chest.
And now, the survivors were enjoying a meal prepared by the nurse. Breaded chicken with peas, lettuce, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and beans. To drink, they made a fruit juice with what they had available. The boys' mother smiled at the smell and taste of the food prepared by their new friend. Priscilla, even though she ate a small portion of food, felt good about a meal she hadn't had in a while. Paige, Andrew and Mark passed plates of different foods from one side to the other, sharing that meal with the others.
////
After dinner, Alice and the boys took care of the dishes, washing the plates and utensils. It was a meal unlike any they'd had since the zombie apocalypse. Raj and Paige tidied up the table to leave it in order for the following day.
Priscilla walked over to the living room window of the cabin. Looking out, she saw the forest in the middle of the dark horizon, covered by the night. In the midst of the trees, an orange smoke was rising high into the sky. This caught her attention in that place, but not enough to make her call the others or leave the cabin to investigate. The origin of that smoke came from the camp of those men who had held the group under oppressive custody. However, that was far from being something to worry about, as Priscilla felt something else in the middle of the forest that made her uneasy. Even though Marlon and Celine are dead, there could be remnants of the Jungle Predators wanting revenge.
But that matter could be disregarded for now. When Number 2 spotted Christine sitting in the armchair, she thought about keeping her company.
“Priscilla?” said the nurse upon hearing the swordswoman approaching her.
“Hey. Everyone enjoyed the meal you made.” the warrior replied to her. Christine smiled at the comment.
“Shortly before we left the Predators' camp, I sensed something that happened to you back there. I wanted to avoid mentioning it to you while the others were around, especially for Alice's and Paige's well-being.”
Christine had imagined she would bring up that subject, which frustrated her. However, since they were alone, she chose to speak about it. The cruel episode she had in the medicine tent. Priscilla sat down to talk.
“When I returned to the cabin I was in, I waited to be sure I could leave after you, without Marlon knowing. However, it didn't go the way I wanted.” she replied, looking down.
Priscilla paid attention to the young nurse. Christine's hands rested on her knees.
“Marlon arrived at the place, asking if I was aware of what had happened. I replied that I wasn't. I added that I never left that place. However, as he was a suspicious person, he asked if I wasn't involved in Paige's recovery. I avoided answering his questions as much as possible, but I was subsequently assaulted.”
The warrior paid attention to the nurse's story. The hands that were on her knees clenched tightly. This made the young warrior lower her eyebrows, emitting a concern for the cruel experience the girl had with Marlon. Then, she saw a tear rolling down her face, surprising the young warrior.
“He… he detained me before I could have a chance to escape and…” as she was about to finish her sentence, the memory of having been raped by the leader of the Predators came to her. “… he abused me. Marlon mounted me, violating my intimacy with his virility and brute strength.” Christine said in tears.
Priscilla was horrified by that. “That bastard!” she said in her thoughts.
“I tried… I tried to recover after that and try to escape. But one of Marlon's men tried to rape me after him.”
Priscilla began to harbor more resentment towards men like Marlon and his henchmen for abusing their strength to subjugate whoever they wanted, especially the weak, women, young people and children. It was this reason that she decided to break the Organization's rules by killing the evildoer and his henchmen.
“However, before I could have another cruel episode at their hands, I was rescued.”
“Rescued? Who rescued you?” asked the young warrior.
In the middle of the two's conversation, Paige noticed her guardian with Christine. Since it was a private matter, she chose not to get involved. Instead, she went to help Alice and the others.
Back to Priscilla and Christine's conversation, the girl's tears stopped flowing. She was slowly regaining her courage and strength to speak.
“A man who didn't dress the same way as the bandits. He wore a soldier's uniform and very old weapons. It seems like he's a time traveler.”
As she described the man a little, the swordswoman laughed lightly at the “time traveler” part. But she imagined who the man Christine was talking about was. “I think I know who he was. He's been watching us since the day we left Richard's inn.”
Christine guessed it was him based on Priscilla's answer.
“And what happened after that?”
“He rescued me by killing the guards and gave me bandages and a clean cloth to clean myself. I left the camp while he stayed to burn down the cabins. After that, I never saw him again. But… I can't accept it after all that happened there.”
Priscilla paid attention to the girl's story, watching her fingers grip the fabric of her pants tightly and her expression changed to nervous and embarrassed.
“Of losing my friends in the apocalypse, my family, my boyfriend Jackson, and of being used and abused by Marlon and his men. How can I hope for a normal future while carrying a child born of such cruelty?”
The nurse heard Number 2 sighing. It was a sigh of not having a comforting answer to give her.
“Look, I know that anger won't be able to bring those we love the most back to life or undo everything that happened. I know what it's like. I had a family before I became a warrior for the Organization.”
“What happened to your family?”
“They… were killed by a monster. My parents, my sister. I was the only one who survived that night.”
Priscilla had a brief memory of the episode she had mentioned to Christine. Of the night in Mucha where she saw the Yoma in the form of her father and who devoured the entrails of her mother and older sister.
“I'm so sorry, Priscilla.”
The young warrior shook her head, accepting the nurse's condolences. “What I can tell you is, if you ever have to carry a child and raise it, regardless of who the parent was, raise it with all the love you received from your parents and those who were part of your life, like Jackson.”
“Does that mean that even if the child I carry with me is Marlon's, I would have to raise it anyway?”
“Yes. If you don't like remembering that cruel experience, try thinking of Jackson as the father figure for the child.”
Hearing that, Christine closed her eyes, giving off a calm expression.
“You're right, Priscilla. Maybe I'll start thinking of Jackson as the father of the child, if I have confirmation that I'm really pregnant. Thanks, Priscilla.”
“You're welcome, Christine.” replied the Organization warrior. Then she got up from the armchair to see the others. Just before leaving the room, Christine called her.
“Priscilla, please… don't tell the others about this.” asked the blonde girl sitting in the armchair.
“Don't worry. I won’t tell them about what happened. Nor will I tell Paige.” Priscilla replied. As she said goodbye, she smiled at her colleague.
Priscilla continued to the kitchen to see Raj, Andrew, Mark, Alice and Paige. Christine looked at the floor, thinking about what the warrior had said about raising her son with all the love and affection, regardless of who the father was. Now, she needed to look for a pregnancy test to confirm after been raped by Marlon.
////
Far from the wooden cabin where the survivors were, a human figure watched the wooden and straw huts crumble in the flames. Next to them, there were human bodies piled up in various corners. And they were all on fire. They were the bodies of the Jungle Predators. Some had lost their limbs to sharp weapons, others to rifle or shotgun shells.
The human figure wore the M1 steel helmet and boots, the traditional uniform of the American army in World War II. It was Tony Greenleaf, the war veteran who served from the amphibious landings in Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge. Despite his age, he managed to drag the bodies scattered in the forest to be burned. One of them was Daniel, one of the prisoners who sacrificed himself to buy time for Priscilla, Paige and the rest of the group to escape from Marlon's clutches. Another was Celine, the gang leader's consort. And the last body was that of the wicked man who lay without his hands and his head cut vertically. Killed by Priscilla when she took her sword to save Paige.
Most of the human bodies were recovered and brought to the camp, where they would meet the same fate as the place: incineration. And as a way to ensure that they would not rise up as walking corpses, Tony cut off the heads at the brain level with a machete he carried to clear a path through the thick vegetation. For those who had bullet holes, he chose to leave them as they are. It was a way of conceiving their final resting place without choosing to bury them because of the zombie apocalypse.
He watched those flames of fire rise, consuming the wooden houses and those dead people. The beams and walls fell, collapsing the entire structure on top of the furniture and piles of piles. The smell was not pleasant, but Tony didn't care about that.
“Now that all this is over and the survivors have escaped, I need to make sure this place disappears and is not used by people like the Jungle Predators. People who only know how to inflict pain and death on those who do not deserve that kind of fate.” Tony thought to himself, watching the huts collapse.
Everything around the American soldier seemed quiet, disregarding the fire that consumed the wood, straw and flesh. The sparks rose high, spreading throughout the area until the air stopped and they reached the ground. Fortunately, the flames did not touch the trees surrounding the camp, which would be terrible if it caused an uncontrollable fire and Tony was consumed along with them.
“Whoever comes to this forest, whether bandit or not, will see that there was once a place where evil lived and perpetuated any kind of atrocities that no human being dreams of wanting. And I will not allow another person to suffer because of them.”
Before he could leave, Tony heard a sound. One that wasn't part of the houses collapsing in flames. It was the sound of motorcycles approaching. Tony was startled when he heard it. He hadn't expected someone to come in motorized vehicles towards the ruined camp.
Instead of staying to see who it was, he decided to find shelter. Since there were no more intact houses to take shelter in, Tony ran towards the local vegetation. Fortunately, there were some bushes and tall plants to hide in, blending into the darkness of the night with little lighting to give away his position.
The place was still orange from the flames. The roar of motorcycles was evident. Tony squinted in the direction where he had been before dashing for natural cover. And suddenly, he saw lights emerging from there. They covered the place, and then several tricycles and motorcycles appeared. About twelve motorcycles and five tricycles were in the yard, with the drivers and passengers getting off to approach the main cabin, which lay in flaming ruins. All were armed with AK rifles and variants, submachine guns, and automatic pistols.
“But what happened here? Why is the camp on fire?!” exclaimed one of the men, carrying a MAT-49 submachine gun in his hand.
“I think one of our own got a little too drunk and must have lost his mind.” replied another man, carrying an AKM rifle.
“Nonsense! None of our men would do such a thing!” denied the brunette with a PP-19.
“But then, what do you think happened here while we were gone?!”
“Where are Marlon and Celine?!” one of the bandits demanded.
Tony remained hidden, avoiding making any noise to reveal his position. His breaths were suspended by closing his mouth, temporarily depriving the air being released. His eyes remained fixed on that scene. Some of the remnants of the gang searched the place for answers and for the boss and enforcer. And most of them had nothing, except the houses and the piles of burned bodies, with some of them partially showing bones and the blackened flesh as if it were burned charcoal.
Some of the bandits searched through the piles, putting out the fire to get a better physical description of those who had been killed. And one of them was the cruel man who commanded the Predators.
“There! We found the boss!”
To the men's horror, Marlon's headless body was partially burned, but they could identify him by what was left of his clothes. Celine, who by now was in one of the cabins that had collapsed, was practically presumed dead.
“The boss… He's dead, man!” said one of the men armed with an AK-47 rifle.
“What are we going to do now?!”
“We don't have a boss anymore! We're done!”
“Not yet! This is not our end yet!” called a voice emerging from behind the bandits.
Tony approached with his head slightly turned to see who it was. The man seemed to be wearing a green shirt with dark stains, beige sweatpants with a tear on the right leg and the hem of the left leg ruined, and gray shoes with white socks. Despite the orange color coming from the fire, the man's skin was partially tanned white. His hair was short, curly, and black. Apparently, he had positioned himself as the new leader of the Predators.
“I'm your new boss! From now on, you're going to follow my orders!” the man said, turning his gaze to everyone around him. His face had a medium-sized mustache, thick eyebrows, and a scar from his chin to his right lip.
Many armed men who had come with him were perplexed, unsure whether they should really follow him even with the deaths of Marlon and Celine. One of them even spoke out, skeptical towards this recent development.
“But Rudolf? How can we be sure that we can count on your leadership so suddenly?” the man asked Rudolf, the self-proclaimed leader of the Predators.
Rudolf turned his gaze to him, approaching with a serious look. “Know that I was close to being named the leader of the Predators. However, Marlon was chosen because he was from the inner circle. And now, with his death, the blame for this mess is on him.”
With that said, the new leader distanced himself from the skeptic. Most of the bandits supported their new leader, without questioning and without expressing any opinion or contrary speech to the point of being targets for execution.
“Very well. We're going after those responsible for the destruction of our camp and the death of our comrades. We're going to make them pay for everything they've done.” Rudolf proclaimed with the first order for the others. “Are you with me?!”
“We're with you, sir!” everyone replied.
The remnants of the Predators headed for the motorcycles and tricycles. Everyone was loading their weapons as they got on. And with the engines running, they headed towards the place where the group of survivors had escaped the atrocities of the former leaders to take shelter: the wooden cabin.
Tony remained in the same place. His eyes were wide with worry for the group's safety. Although he knew that Priscilla and Paige could take care of each other and the others, facing several armed men at once without compromising the lives of Alice, Mark, Andrew, Raj, and Christine would be too risky. He kept the M1 Garand in his hands, but faced with this situation, he chose not to open fire and condemn himself for them.
“There are too many of them. It wouldn't do me any good to risk myself to help them. I need to get out of here as soon as possible.” Tony thought, then got up. With nothing else to do, the American soldier continued into the deep darkness of the forest.
-x-
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