They'd been traveling for around three weeks. They've made it into Wyoming but they're lost.
"Hey Quinn? We don't have much food left." Parker says from the back of the truck. They were parker on the side of the road and Quinn was getting them gas.
"You can take it. Don't worry." Quinn says as she walks over.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. I'm not hungry." Parker gives her a worried look.
"Quinn you haven't eaten since yesterday. Plus you're tired, the food will help. We'll spilt it okay?"
Quinn sighs, placing the gas can in the back of the truck. "Alright." The two spilt the food and eat the last of it.
Parker looks over at her, swallowing a bite of the food before saying, "Do you think the car will start up?"
"Hopefully if we fill up the tank, I don't really know why the car is breaking so I can't fix it."
"Maybe it's just because the car is old."
"Maybe. It would make sense." Quinn gets up and pops the hood of the truck. "I just don't see any problems with it, I don't know why it's breaking."
Parker gets up and fills the car up with gas. "Try and start it now."
Quinn tries to start the car. It rumbles before it stops, the engine smoking. "Dammit!" She hits the steering wheel with her hands and then gets out. "We'll have to walk."
Parker sighs but nods. They grab their bags and weapons and leave the car behind, walking through the forest.
"So how do we know we've found this settlement?"
"Well I suppose we'll see the walls first. I have no idea though."
The two walk through the forest in silence. Parker is humming along the way and Quinn doesn't seem to mind so he just continues humming.
They walk for what seems hours on end till they stumble across a small cabin in the woods. "I'll go search it, stay out here 'kay?" Quinn says, pulling out her gun and looking down at Parker. Parker nods and holds Quinn's bag. She walks over to the cabin and whistles, trying to lure the infected out if there are any in there in the first place.
Something slams against the door of the cabin and loud ear piercing screaming starts ringing out from the cabin. Quinn pushes open the door and tackles the Screamer, shooting it in the head. She puts her gun back in its holster and throws the Screamer outside.
Parker rushes inside the house and Quinn closes the door. She grabs a shelf and puts it in front of the door.
"Stay quiet. The Screamer could have got some Walker's attention." Quinn mumbles, locking the door. Parker sets down some bags and rushes over, helping Quinn move another shelf in front of the door.
They sit in silence for almost two hours, starting a small fire in the fireplace to keep the cabin warm as it got darker and colder.
"Hey Quinn?" He asks, grabbing one of the only sleeping mats that isn't rotting.
"Yeah?" My voice comes from the living room, a bit hushed.
"There's only one sleeping mat that I can find."
"That's fine. They're big enough to where we can share one."
"Okay, I'll be out in a second."
"Take your time, Parker." He could hear some worry in her voice but he passed it off. He kept searching the bedroom, finding a small note on the bedside table. It looked like it was from a child. He couldn't read the handwriting.
"Does that mean there might be a child walker in here?" The thought crosses his mind before he quickly glances around. "I should tell Quinn."
He takes the note and walks out to where Quinn is. She was squatting by the fireplace, balancing on the front of her feet as she used Parker's knife to open a can of beans she was gonna heat up. "Quinn? I found a note."
"What's it say?"
"Dunno, It's from a kid. I can't read the handwriting." That makes Quinn turn around and stand up. She walks over, glancing at the note from over his shoulder.
"Hm. I can't read much but, It sounds like the kid went to hide in the attic. That Screamer we killed definitely was not the kid. I'll go look." She hands wipes the leftover bean residue off her knife before walking into the hall and jumping up to pull the ladder down for the attic. Parker grabs Quinn's gun which she'd left on the coffee table, just in case, he turns the safety off and loads the gun.
Halfway through climbing the ladder, a Runner launches itself at her. Quinn slams back into the ground, the kid Runner biting at her face. She grabs its jaw, tearing it's bottom jaw off so it can't bite her. As soon as Parker gets the chance, he shoots the Runner.
Quinn pushes the body off of her, wincing as she grabs her shoulder.
"Oh my god did it get you?! Are you okay?!" Parker rushes over.
"No it didn't get me, I just- landed on my bad shoulder. I'm okay, don't worry." She reassured him, stretching her shoulder out. He nods, a worried look on his face. He then looked down at the dead Runner, guilt starting to rise. Quinn grabs his face with her hands, turning his attention away from the Runner.
"Don't look at it. You did good, understand?"
"But- They were just a kid..." He mumbles, looking at Quinn.
"Parker listen, when you turn into one of those things you're already dead. That was not a kid, that was a Walker. Don't feel guilty for it, okay?"
"Okay..."
"I'll get rid of the body, go eat the food by the fire. I heard your stomach growling on the way here."
Parker nods and gives her a smile before sitting by fireplace. He carefully grabs the warm can and starts eating. Quinn opens the kitchen window and grabs the body, tossing it out. She closes the window and boards it back up before grabbing a can of food for herself and sitting by Parker.
After they finished eating, they got the sleeping situation set up. Quinn put her gun by her pillow, turning the safety on. As she laid down Parker held onto her, cuddling next to her.
"Sorry, I just...need this..." He mumbles. Quinn seemed hesitant before she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer.
"It's alright. I'll keep watch, you get some sleep."
"Goodnight..."
"Night."
