Discernment

Chapter 33

"Liam, Lucas, get in there and tie 'em up.." The woman in the beater tank top says. I get up quickly as the two climbed back, and stood in front of Jess with my bat in my one hand. "Listen, you really don't want to fuck with us. So, I suggest you assholes leave!" I threaten them. "We're not trying to hurt ya'.. Just cooperate with us and you and your friend'll be safe, got it?" One of the men says. "Leave us the fuck alone!" Jess yells and lunges only to be blocked by my arm holding her back. "We're trying to help you.. Just do as we say and it'll work out better for the both of ya'." The woman says. "Just do it, man.. We're seriously trying to help you." The other man says.

It was silent, the two men still slowly headed to the back of the delivery truck, cornering Jess and I. "Just.. Trust us." The man says, and gets a slight grip on my bat, lowering it to the ground. "If you try anything while we're tied up.. Just remember this.. We have people. Dangerous people. Still out there. Returning at any moment. So, if you kill us, you will not make it far." I say to them, and turn away from them, revealing my hands, as well as motioning Jess to do the same. "Kick away their weapons, search them, then let me do my job." The woman orders them.

The two men kicked away Jess' gun and my bat, then patted us down. "My name is Athena, and we have a community. Up north. We were looking to help people. Inviting them in. You bitches up for it?" Athena greets herself. I look to Jess and up at Athena. "We'll come, but you must wait for the rest of my people. If not, then you're going to have to continue without us." I tell her. "That won't be a problem.. That is if they're back by this time tomorrow. If not, it'll be a shame. You bitches look strong." Athena says to us and cuts us loose, then grunts as she says, "But let's hope that doesn't happen."

"I already know you.. But I'm Thomas, this here's Jess." I introduce us. "The girl with the blue hair's name is Alyson, that's Lucas, Liam, and out there looking confused is Theodore. We just picked him up.. He's blind, and he was under attack. Couldn't just leave him there." Athena introduced the rest of her group as Jess and I climbed out.

They had two cars parked around the delivery truck, Theodore, the blind man, was sitting with Alyson, and I move over there. "Hey.. Thomas, was it? Sorry for them tying you two up. It's just how we do things.." Alyson says. "It's not a problem.. So, can you tell me about your home?" I ask her. "Well, it's ran by Athena over there. It's by an active river, so we managed to get running water in the building, which explains my dyed hair.." She replies with a small laugh. "Interesting. How many people do you have?" I ask. "Oh, I'd say about 20? Maybe 30?" She answered. It was quiet again, and I look at her hair. "Where'd you find blue hair dye in these times?" I asked her. "It's not hard.. I went to loot a store with the group, I saw the hair dye and thought it'd be cool. I got permission to use the water supply from Athena and she said it was okay." She replies with a smile. "It looks cool, I like the color of it." I say and then I look over to Theodore, he wasn't doing anything.. Just sitting in the car doing nothing. "He okay?" I ask. "Not sure. I don't know much about him." Alyson says softly. "Should I talk to hi-" I began to ask, but look over to Liam.

"Hey, Thomas? Mind helping us out over here? We need help carrying firewood." Liam asks. "Not a problem, be over there in a second." I call out to the two men at the other car. "See ya' later, Alyson." I say with a slight smile. "You're getting along well with these people. Why's that?" Jess walks up to me and asks. "Well, because these people are giving us a huge opportunity.. You should get to know them too.. Go talk to Alyson first, she's a nice girl." I tell Jess and walk up to the men waiting for me. "You ready?" Lucas asks. "Yeah, let's go." I say, grabbing an empty sack they offered me. "Up that hill into the forest.. I've been here before. I know there's some up there." I tell the two.

"That piece is good.." Liam says, pointing at another since his hands were full. "Hey, there's a deadie over there. Who's got this one?" Lucas asks. "I got it." I say, setting down the sack full of wood, and twist my bat in my hand. I swung ata the biter as if it were a baseball. As I lifted my bat from the biter's head, I saw a couple more, then that number doubled. Tripled. And before I knew it, there was a horde heading right for our camp. I began running, leaving my pack there and ran passed the two men. "We gotta go, there's a horde really close by!" I yelled as I ran. The two men threw their wood at the biters, knocking a couple down, and then ran behind me at a distance. "What's your bitches' problem?" Athena asks, but then looks at the horde tumbling down the hill. "Fuck me.." Athena answered her own question.

Athena then runs over to the car with Theodore in it and drags him out. "Get up in here, hurry bitch!" Athena says, pulling Theodore over into the delivery truck with Jess. "You bitches stay up here, got it?" Athena orders them and pulls out a large knife, one that looks nearly unrealistic. "Prepare your ass, bitches!" Athena yells and takes a couple steps, slicing through the gelatin-like skulls of the biters.

Liam and Lucas are firing their guns upon the crowd from the top of the cars that now formed a barrier around the delivery truck. The horde swarmed around Liam's car, and I rushed over to drag some off. "Fuck!" Liam yells as he was grabbed and bitten on the leg. Athena looks over and shakes her head. "Sorry, bitch. Should've been more careful." She mutters and pulls out a large revolver aiming it at Liam, and fires it right at his forehead.

The powerful gun flings Liam off of the car, and the biters followed, surrounding his now bloody corpse and eating his insides. "Get in the cars, bitches! We gotta go!" Athena calls out. Jess helps down Theodore and they jogged over to one of the cars. Alyson is firing a shotgun at random biters, and I motion her to get in the car I was in. "Did she just fucking shoot Liam?" Alyson questioned me. "I.. I think so.." I say and pull out of the infested area after Athena does. "Hey, pick up on the walkie talkie. It's on the dash board." Athena says from somewhere in the car.

Alyson being in the front seat picks it up for me and holds the button down. "Athena what the fuck was that back there? You just killed Liam!" Alyson says with a worried tone. "The bitch was bitten, there was no saving him. By the way, Thomas, Jess is in here with me." Athena replies. I heard a gunshot just then, it was off in the direction of where the old community would be, and I take an unexpected turn towards it. "Thomas! What are you doing?!" Alyson asks. "Seeing if those are my people." I say, and then stop the car when I see a group of people killing a couple biters.

I get out of the car and smile when I saw Washington, Kiki, Erin, Quinton, Indigo and Fay standing there. "Nice to see you all alive.." I say as I walked towards them. "Thomas, why aren't you back at the lumber factory?" Fay asked. Athena pulls up behind me in her car. "Who the fuck are these people?" Quinton asks as they all raise their guns. "No! Stop.. They're good people. They.. They have a place for us. At their community!" I say to them. Alyson walks up behind me. "Yeah.. It's an old retirement community.. Has walls around it, running water." Alyson smiles. "That's where we're going to stay from now on.. It's better than out here, I guess." Erin says. "Alright bitches, load up. I'll tell you more information on the way. It's going to be a tight squeeze for you folks." Athena says and returns to her car, as we all pile in and drive off.