found lands → the walking dead ³

[ 006 ] tell a lie once and all your truths become questionable.

FOUND LANDS.

chapter six, tell a lie once and all your
truths become questionable.
[ season five, episode five ]

CRASH.

THE BUS FLIPS. Cole's head slams against the window. His vision fades in and out. The music still plays.

"Cole!" A voice frantically exclaims. He blinks several times until the face is clear.

"Maggie?" He slurs. His vision doesn't stay clear for long because blood drips down his face. He sees red.

Glenn and Maggie help Cole to his feet. He stumbles against the man. "Eugene!" Abraham shouts, desperately making sure the savior of them all is alive.

The scientist is okay, shaken but okay.

Cole is in the worst condition of them all. Glenn and Maggie hand Cole over to Tara. As Maggie and the others exit the bus to fight the walkers outside, Tara and Eugene practically drag Cole from the bus.

They prop him against the bus and Tara tells Eugene, "don't let a walker get to him. Okay? You got this."

Eugene stands in front of Cole with a terrified expression on his face. The small pocket knife is clutched desperately within both hands.

Cole is groggy when his eyes peel open in the light. Eugene is standing in front of him. The others are fighting walkers.

And while Eugene is supposed to be protecting Cole, Cole is the one that does the protecting. Even with a huge cut on the side of his head and blood still pouring, he stands on two wobbly legs and stabs his axe into the skull of an approaching walker.

Eugene whirls around at the sound of the squelching flesh. Cole sends him a sarcastic smile and slurs, "thanks for the help."

Then he collapses.

The walkers are all dead and their only problem is an unconscious Cole Tanner and the bus that is currently on fire.

Abraham carries Cole over his shoulder until they are far enough away from the bus. He crouches and gently sets Cole against a tree.

His eyes are squinted. "Red hair?" He says confusedly.

"Jesus," Rosita runs her hands through her hair.

"I think he has a concussion." Maggie says as she kneels beside her friend. "A pretty bad one."

"We can't let him sleep," Rosita states. "No more passing out, Cole. Unless you want us to water board you."

Glenn's brows shoot upwards at the threat. Cole's hand lifts up with shaky thumbs up. "Let's get him up," Abraham pulls the younger man to his feet.

Cole stumbles into the man. He pulls back and pats Abraham's pecs. Abraham rolls his eyes at Cole actions.

Cole's walk isn't straight. He stumbles and trips into his people who are quick to hold onto him. Maggie and Glenn help him walk a couple times.

As night falls, they find a bookstore in a small town. They make it theirs for the night. They put sheets of paper over the window and Glenn moves bookshelves to keep things outside from seeing inside. Eugene and Maggie make a fire with ripped out book pages. Tara boils toilet water. Abraham sits still as Rosita stitches up his hand.

Cole is put on "bed rest." He rolls his eyes at that. He browses the shelves like he would have years ago. Not that he was a reader back then. He isn't much of one now but what else is there in this world to entertain you?