fallen | ✓

Chapter 12: "Dumbass"

Still Three Years Ago

Axe's POV (For once)

I slammed the hammer into the last board and glanced at Hazel. She scurried up the ladder and looked out of the top window. "The ones in the forest are coming."

"Great," I growled in anger. "We're dead." She sighed, rubbing her eyes. "No, we're not." I countered, the hairs on my neck standing up. "Then let's kick some ass." She grinned.

I frowned. The thought of Hazel killing Walkers worried me. "I will," I said. "You stay here." I nodded. She spun around and scowled at me. "I can protect myself. Overprotective much?" I grabbed her wrist and she reflexively and easily got out of my grip. "I may be a medic but I learned I can still shoot a gun and fully function."

"Remember when you dropped the gun?" I said in a low and calm voice. "Yes. So?" "That's exactly why I'm worried," I said, touching the side of her face. She touched my hand and sighed. "I can't talk you out of this, can I?" My face softened.

"Nope."

"Hazel..." "Shut up and give me a leg up." She stared at me with a blank expression. "I'll pick them off one by one on the roof."

~~~

The bullet went clean through the hellish thing's head. It dropped on its knees and fell in its own mess. I looked at Hazel and she beamed at me. "Twentieth time's the charm." I prodded her shoulder. She gasped and shoved my own. I laughed as she hissed, "That was my second try."

"Yeah potato potatah." I gave a dismissive wave. She gave me the stink eye, shooting another in the head without looking. I snickered.

"What?" "That was a lucky shot and you know it." I scuffed up her hair. It fell in front of her face. She moved it out of her face like a curtain and peeked at me. "Come on, come on, focus." She sighed, pushing her hair back, loading the pistol. She mumbled something but I acted like I heard it anyway. "Yeah!" I exclaimed, without thinking, pumping my fist. She snickered. "Wait, what?" "I SAID, how about you go as bait so I can shoot the rest? Hmm?" I choked for a second.

"Ah..." "I'll do it then." She went to the window and I grabbed her arm. "No, no. I-I'll do it." I nodded. "How are you going to get far enough not to get bit?" She asked. "I-I'll think of something," I grumbled.

I got to the edge of the window and climbed around to the roof, jumping off the back. Walker-Free. Then I ran around and yelled, "Hey stone heads! Come and get it!" The walkers slowly started making their way around. My stomach tightened. Now I hate this idea.

I ran in front of the barn as Hazel started shooting them. I flipped my knife and backed up a bit as he kept picking them off one by one. I stabbed one in the head as she shot to one to my left. Then it was over. They were all dead. I looked up at Hazel and she gave me a thumbs up, nodding. I wiped my brow and walked into the barn, sighing.

"I should've been the bait." She stared at me. I shook my head and plopped down on the bale of hay. "You're still injured." She grumbled. "Yeah? So?" I looked back at her. "You should've stayed still at my post so I could be the one running my ass off." She scowled.

"Anyway," I said, waving off the topic. "We can't stay here now. Those gun shots probably are attracting more walkers, let alone people." She nodded and grabbed her backpack. She went down the ladder and chased after me. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"Bigspot." I nodded.

~~~

Hazel's POV

I dropped my bag on a shelf, sitting on one of the beds. The roof was caving in but it had been like this for a while. I fell back and let out a huff. I slowly sat up and rubbed my eyes, pacing over to the shelves and grabbing a can of beans, a log of wood, and some matches, taking them outside. I put down the log and swiped the match across the box, setting the flame on top and cracking the can open.

I stuck it on the flames, glancing for Axe. I felt a taze in my side and screamed, backing up against a figure. It picked me up laughing.

"Axe!" I growled, elbowing him in the gut. He laughed into my hair as I attempted to hurt him back. "Are you going to eat or not?"

"I'll eat." He nodded, sitting next to me. I tazed him in his side and he squealed like a little girl. "That was my impression of you." He smirked. I gasped and swatted his arm. "Shut up!" I fumed. "I'm not sure if I want to share my beans now." I poked my tongue at him. "Aw- What??" He said, grabbing for them.

"Nope nope," I said pushing him back. "Find your own." I half hissed. He pouted and put his chin on my shoulder. "I'm not sharing." I stuck my nose in the air. "I know you're not." He started creeping over to me. "You wouldn't dare," I growled, my eyes smoldering. "Watch me." He said, grinning and taking the beans, vaulting over the log and into the store.

I got up and chased after him, swiping his legs and grabbing the beans back, sticking them in my mouth. "Mm," I said, keeping my foot on his back. "These are good," I said swallowing.

"They're beans." He chuckled. "Shut up, they're better than you." I poked back. "Yeah." He rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

~~~

I hiked up my backpack. "I'm bored," I whined. "Of course you are." Axe shook his head. I let out a groan and grabbed some boards, pinning them up. "Can we go to Atlanta?" I asked. "That's way out of the question, Hazel. You know it, too." He scowled. My face softened and I stared at the gate, into the forest. "I want to go somewhere else.."

"Well, we can't always be changing places, Hazel." Axe looked at me and paused sharpening his blade. "We'll lose energy and food." He sighed. "Plus it's a pain in the ass." I stiffened. "We can't go to the barn, or prison now." He explained calmly.

"Or..." I countered. "We can split to get double supplies." I nodded. He stared at me. "Are you serious?" His features softened. Hurt. "Come on, don't give me that." "We'll get more-" "We have a store right there." He said, pointing to it.

"I want adventure," I claimed.

"You have plenty right here." He said, taking my hand and placing it on his chest. "But I know you. I want to see more of the world. We need a car, and we need exercise. Come." I beckoned him. 

It's time to see more.