Never Close Your Eyes

DTM 🐊 : C. 28

|| Chapter Twenty-Eight ||

"We take care of each other." Doc took a step forward, making his steps just as stern as his voice.

The tone was meant to take as a challenge to everyone else, daring them to say something off towards his statement. He couldn't count the number of times (Y/N) put her life on the line for Murphy, or for anyone in the group, for that matter.

There was a time where he watched her with admiration put her little body in front of Murphy's much sturdy one when a gun was pointed at him.

He's watched 10K take Z after Z out to save Warren and Vasquez's ass with zero hesitation in his aim.

They held their own in this group when it came to protecting them, which was something irreplaceable in a time like this, in Doc's head.

He knew what was good and what was wrong, and leaving them in Mississippi was wrong.

"That's how we've gotten this far. Without that, or without them, there is no mission!" Doc continued on his rant, still not being able to believe he's having to pound this in their heads.

Without trust, without relying on one person in the apocalypse, what's even the point of living?

The fact he was the only one standing against Vasquez and Murphy about leaving the two, left a bad taste in his mouth and it wasn't from eating canned sardines.

"Tell that to Cassandra, Doc. Or was she the only expendable one?"

"She did what she had to do."

'He did what he had to do.' Doc knew deep down that 10K was only protecting what he loved.

Cassandra was no longer their moody Sunshine. She was a stranger with the same face as someone they once knew. Someone that couldn't be tamed without having control over.

Something in him told him that despite being put in danger, (Y/N) would never have the strength to put Cassandra down. She'd allow Cassandra to rip into her like a pumpkin.

"Bullshit." Murphy sneered, taking a step from Vasquez's shadow to let his voice be heard in a room with no echo, only tone.

"We all know who it was to pull that trigger, and that's why she covered his ass. He kills anything he doesn't understand. And let's not forget, each and every one of you is expendable." Murphy felt the power in his veins and boy, did he enjoy marinating in it.

"There's only one piece of precious cargo on this train."

Vasquez gave the cocky son of a bitch a glare from the side, but deep down, he knew it was the truth. He rather let Warren and Addy take Murphy from his grasp if something were to happen, just so there would be a chance.

Doc's eyes narrowed at how Murphy continuously kept his bias opinions grasping at everyone's throat. He's seen the changes Murphy has gone through to become 'The Murphy', and he's not sure if he even wants to go through them.

He's lost enough hair over the years from stress. A global pandemic that was never suppose to happen erupted out of the blue, taking away great people that deserved to see the new world away like they were nothing but a grain of dirt—that was messed up to Doc.

And here he is, one of the lucky few that has to stand in front of other survivors, preaching about staying together as a group.

The preference to die for people like 10K than live with people like Murphy burned deep within Doc's aging soul.

"Well, brother," Doc started off, knowing there was no more light in these dark clouds, "at least we all know where we stand."

Where 10K and (Y/N) stand with the others, and where Doc stands with Warren. He'd never tell the kids what happened here when he found them, he'd let them see for their own eyes first.