Wasteland: The Beginning

A Friend or Foe

The camp was a quiet, peaceful but was still tension with the choice leader. Josh had become their leader just because he was apart of the police force, leaving no choice upon the others. Josh was a boastful and selfish character, always had to be his way. The group was it small, there was Amy and Luke Copper, Josh's prized proessions, even though he left his best friend in hospital in knowing he was alive, telling them that he was dead. There were the Winchester brothers, two different brothers and two different attitudes, Scar had left when Josh had pissed him off for not letting him go with his brother. On the quiet site of camp was Thomas 'Tom' Stump, best friends with Jo and Amelia, next him to him chatting away, while keeping watch together, was Richard, an old man aged around 50, his job was to keep an eye out on the group. In the far east of the camp was a small group of people, there was Lana and Laura Snow with Scarlet White by there side, with her little girl, Rose clinging onto to her toy Totoro.

As Tom and Richard kept looking over the camp and far into the distance, the worry of the four missing members will enable returning soon with good new and some resources. Tom was worrying over Jo and Amelia, they were a team and this so called Josh leader guy decides to split them up, Richard looked over at him, seeing his full in the face and beard, shaking with worry. "It's not the first time they've split up is it?" Richards deep voice, an old man voice that all Grandad's had. "Not in this plot, then no. But for other times, yes. They can live without each other, but worry like hell though." a shake in his voice, because of him being the older one of the three, he was their guardian. "They seem like nice girls, what we're you all doing out here?" He asked, his white eye brows moving as he turn to face in the north, eyes peeled at every angle. "We were here for a teaching course for Jo, she didn't want to go alone, after losing her dad last year. There was no one who could go with her. Other than us, we said it would a great idea. Then the whole world went to shit." Tom said modestly. The sky was blue and showed no signs of a bad omen, today seemed like a good day.

"What about you?" Tom asked Richard, Tom turned hid head to the north of the camp, he could see Josh, he was looking at Amy, eyeing her up. Trouble seemed to be brewing in his mind, to him and Richard he was foe, the on coming storm. "Travling with my wife, on our way to New York, she had cancer, she didn't make it to New York with me, thankfully she never did. She was in a good place when the cancer took over, before all of this of course." Richard said, falling silence right after that. Now holding tighter on to the gun, Tom's spirits dampen even more, he was thinking on what to say. "I'm sorry to hear..." Tom muttered out in the end, feeling bad on not knowing what to say. "It's okay if you don't know why to say, it sounds like your second time saying that, maybe due to the fact you lost someone yourself." Richard said comforting, probably thinking on the same lines as Tom. Only Amelia and Jo knew what had happened before all of this, Tom's boyfriend had been killed in a road accident, which couldn't be helped, he had stormed out after an argument about wether or not Tom had cheated on him. The truth was that Tom hadn't cheated, it was a misunderstanding but it was too late. He had rushed out, shaking and tearing apart the front door, in the darkness and twinkle of the golden lights of the street lamps. Tom had no clue on what had happened till there was a loud crash, cars banging to their brakes and huge outbursts of vile language from road raged drivers. That was it, in that heat if the moment with Tom, it had resulted into that. Tom's mind and body when into total shock, Amelia was by his side, Tom had phoned her from the hospital on there expensive, run down payphone. Tears rushing down his face, leaving him scared.

On the other side of camp, there was a whole other plot brewing. The fire wasn't starting and the wood was already low, Amy was the only one who knew how this worked. All she was getting was smoke drifting up into the cloudless sky. "It's not working" came a voice from a 12 year old, it was put very bluntly, his tone gave out a bored instinct. "Luke, don't point the obvious out." A woman this time, sounding Fed up with the pointless fire. Her hair was as red as the fire that would hopefully roar if it wasn't down to wet wood and leaves. "Guess I'm not a fire starter?" She snickered, trying to lift the mood of her 12 year old son. He had forced a quick smile, but it disappeared in seconds. "Amy, what's the problem here?" It was a deep voice, tones of confidant and big headedness, "The fire isn't starting, most likely of the wood and leaves." Amy said, rather annoyed and hot headed it. She got up and hurried off, past the Camper, loomed there for a second, "Richard? Can you watch Luke for me, please?" Amy asked impatiently, tapping her fingers on her hip. "We will, don't worry" Tom voice came, a bit nervous in voice, Tom knew Amy didn't take a liking to Tom, mainly even more because Luke liked Tom's jokes and funny stories with Amelia and Jo. "Thank you." Amy said, trying not to sound bitter, but failing. Then she was gone, Tom and Richard exchanged looks, as a curious Luke came wandering up the ladder.

As Amy rushed off, straight into the woods without any protection, not even her son's baseball bat. About two months ago, Amy just got told her husband was dead in the hospital and was properly one of those monsters. She whined just by thinking of him wobbling around with all his guts hanging out and growling, his pale eyes turn into a glowing yellow and with blood for tears at the side of them. She stopped, this was far enough, she dropped to the ground and flopped her hurting back down on to the leafy floor.

There were sounds all around, Amy had taken everything out of her and Nick's house, photos, food, clothes and weapons that were useful. Luke had grabbed a few old comic books and his baseball bat to protect himself. She wasn't happy about him fighting against those monsters, she didn't even like Luke talking to Tom, Jo, Amelia, Ed and Scar, she had no reason to dislike four of them, but was scared of Scar more than his brother. Not even to her knowing that they were being better people, better than her, making him happy and not worrying about how his father just died two months ago. Most probably why Amy didn't like them, or that she wasn't the one making him smile.

A sudden noise, came from the twig and leaf filled ground, crack went another one and then another one again. Amy's delayed reaction was caused by her worrying day dreaming about her problems at this very moments in time, she zoomed up like lightning to her feet and turning around in all angles. No weapons or protection, she was sure this is where and how she would die, being ripped to pieces, guts pulled out and no one around to find her. But then, all went quiet and no movement, the earth was frozen. Amy was breathing harder now and was getting so wound up, then a hand covered her mouth to stop her screams for help. "Shhh, it's okay, it just me..." A tender voice, full of lust and a want for more. Josh had pull Amy back to the cold and dusty ground, everything was leading to the next stage as they moved together, just as in time with a song. Josh and Amy were now making out, unaware of danger of why could happen. As it was lead to another danger. They would be the ones to blame and it would created in prison them in the dilemma.

* * * * * *

Back in the camp, the atmosphere had lifted a hold lot. Jo and Jon had returned from searching the lonely cars for goods worth while, the truck and a new car, that only Jon had wired up to work. The other women in the group came wandering over to observe the joy that had been brought back. "This is amazing, you two found all this?" Said a woman with short grey hair, with a weak smile. "This is it from all the cars we found, we looked in trucks that had no signs of food or refuse. We found this as well" Jo explained to her, handing her the note, as Jon came over to her. "You all doing okay, Scarlet? Where's so called leader dude?" Jon asked in a hushed voice, being funny by using his fingers do the quote marks for 'so called leader dude'. A little girl giggles loudly at this joke, "That's was a good one, Jon!" She said with joy, also keeping her voice low. Jon then glanced at Scarlet, she looked relaxed. "Don't worry, he's not here." she smiled at him, ensuring he didn't awkwardly cause an argument. "Oh, that's great! Where did he go then?" He asked, a little bit confused. "He went to help Amy, said to collect dry wood or something like that." she replied.

"Then we all danced with rubber horse masks on, and the crowd was in fits of laughter." Tom laughed, as Luke and Richard we're beginning to cry with laughter from the story Tom just finished. A smile appeared at the corner of Jo's face, knowing the story all off by heart, as she climbed the ladder of the Camper. She also was carrying a large amount of comic books, Marvel comics mostly. As she poked her head up, they all turn round and greeted her with warm smiles. The relief from Tom's lifted just so much to witness the smile of his best friend. "Hey, Jo!" Luke greeted her, with a large smile. Luke thought Jo was cool and was really funny. "Hello, sweetie" she said, letting go a sigh. Tom got up and gave her a massive hug, just hopping that Amelia would turn now, knowing that they were both safe, together. They broke off, Richard smile at the hug, both him and Tom had become really good friends over the past two months, he was glad that one of his group was back safely. "I found something you're going to like." Jo said, revealing the comic books she had found in a car. "Cool! Thank you." his face lit up with excitement, he was only allowed a certain amount of things to take with him as he was told by his mother. "Is Amelia back yet with Ed?" Asked Jo, they all turned and said "No, just a bit later". Worry filled Jo's mind, hating there leader more than ever.