Dead city: survival instinct

Chapter/issue 11:Cherokee rose part 1

As the scene cuts to John lying in the bed as he opens his eyes throat dry with cotton mouth as he utters simple words
John: Chloe is she okay? He utters to his his mom and dad
Mason: she's fine.
Laura: rest we'll be right here, okay?
John: okay.
As he shuts his eyes again and falls asleep as Mike comes in the room
Mike: they're here.
Harold: how is he ?
Laura: he'll pull through thanks to Phillip and his people.
Mason: and Matthew we'd have lost John if not for him.
Mary: thank god! As Mary runs over to hug Laura
Harold: how'd it happen?
Mason: it was an accident that's all just a stupid accident, but there was these men bandits I suppose they were gonna try and rob us Otis he saved us from them.
As we cut to Otis's grave
Phillip: blessed be god father of our lord Jesus Christ praise to be him for the gift of our brother Otis, for his span of years for his abundance of character Otis, who gave his life to save a child's now more than ever,our most precious asset we thank you, God, for the peace he enjoys in your embrace he died as he lived in grace, Matthew will you speak for Otis?
Matthew: I'm not good at it I'm sorry.
Patricia: you were the last one with him you shared his final moments please I need to hear I need to know his death had meaning.
Matthew: okay, uhm we were about done almost out of ammo we were down to pistols by then I was limping it was bad ankle all swollen up we've gotta save the boy see,that's what he said he gave me his backpack he shoved me ahead Run he said he said I'll take the rear I'll cover you. As Matthew starts getting flashbacks to when he killed Otis as his screams replay in his head
Matthew: And when I looked back... if not for Otis, I'd never made it out alive and that goes for John too it was Otis he saved us both if any death had meaning, it was his. As he looks at Patricia in guilt as Harold just looks at him all suspiciously knowing he had done something to Otis as Matthew quickly glances back at Otis's grave and lays a rock down
Phillip: how long has this girl been lost ?
Mason: this'll be day three.
Jimmy Blake: county survey map shows terrain and elevations.
Mason: this is perfect we can finally get this thing organized we'll grid search the whole area start searching in teams.
Phillip: not you, not today you have three units of blood you wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out and you your ankle, push it now you'll be laid up a month no hood to anybody.
Deacon: guess it's just me I'm gonna head back to the creek work my way from there.
Richard: I can go with you?
Deacon: nahh I'm better on my own.
Matthew: I can still be useful I'll drive up the interstate see if Chloe wandered back.
Mason: alright tomorrow then we'll start doing this right.
Matthew: that means we can't have our people out there with just knives they need the gun training we've been promising them.
Phillip: I'd prefer you not carrying guns on my property we've managed so far without Turing this into an armed camp.
Matthew: All due respect you get a crowd of those things wandering in here...
Mason: we're guests here this is your property and we will respect that. As mason reaches for his m119 lays on the bed of the truck as Matthew reaches for his Glock 19 and lays it down in frustration and annoyance
Mason: first things first set camp and find Chloe.
Matthew: hate to be the one to ask but somebody's got to what happens if we find her and she's bit? I think we should all be clear on how we handle that.
Mason: you do what has to be done.
Jennifer: and her mother her father what do you tell them?
Anna: the truth.
Matthew: I'll gather and secure the weapons.
Shawn: make sure no one's carrying till were at a practice range off site.
Mason: I do request one rifleman on lookout Harold's got experience our people would feel safer,less inclined to carry a gun.
As Phillip nods
Mason: thank you!
Jennifer: the stuff you brought got more antibiotics bandages anything like that ?
Mason: just what you've seen.
Jennifer: we're running short already I should make a run into town.
Mason: not the place Matthew went?
Jennifer: no there's a pharmacy just a mile down the road I've done it before.
Mason: see our man in the baseball cap That's Noah our go to town expert I'd ask him along just to be cautious.
Matthew: I hear he woke up?
Laura: yeah. He's in and out, but yeah he'll be alright  his brother is keeping an eye on him right now but he's gonna be alright.
Matthew: that's good, did you mean it.
Laura: what ?
Matthew: you said stay did you mean it?
Laura: I meant it.
Matthew: all right then.
Jennifer: I hear you're fast on your feet and know how to get in and out got a pharmacy run you in ?
Noah: uh...
Harold: miss, what's the water situation here?
Jennifer: got five wells on our land, house draws directly from number one, number two well is right over there we use it for cattle but it's just as pure take what you need there's a cart and containers in the generator shed behind the house troy and Lenny can help you I'll go saddle your horse then.
Noah: horse?
Anna: give up our guns?
Matthew: you heard mason were guests here.
Anna: and you're okay with it?
Matthew: I don't recall being asked now lay down your weapon.
Anna: you may like rolling over, I don't.
Matthew: look, I have to strip and clean them anyway you still wanna learn?
As she lays down her gun on the table
Matthew: go on all right sit down unload your weapon, now check the chamber now pull it back, that's it push that leaver out pull the slide off you're halfway there.
As Anna smirks
Mason: deacon you okay on your own?
Deacon: I'm better on my own I'll be back before dark.
Mason: hey! We got a base we can get this search properly organized now.
Deacon: you got a point or we just chatting ?
Mason: my point is it lets you off the hook you don't owe us anything thank you for watching over Caleb while we were here.
Deacon: my other plans fell through.
Mason: we could give you more space set up over there by the barn.
Phillip: no, no need for that better you stay close to the house I don't say this easily, mason we don't normally take in strangers I can't have your people thinking this is permanent once you find this girl and your boy's fit for travel I expect you'll move on we need to be clear on that. As mason nods
Noah: hello farmers daughter. As Laura appears outta nowhere spooks Noah as he quickly puts the goggles away
Laura: hi here's your list and there's one item I wrote it down separately it's personal if we could be real discreet about that okay?
Noah: sure.
Laura: thank you.
Noah: what is it?
Laura: kinda missing the point of the whole discreet thing Noah.
Noah: right? I just need to know where to find it.
Laura: try the feminine hygiene section.
Noah: oh enough said consider it done.
Mike: I'm not weak and I'm not a coward.
Harold: never said you were.
Mike: no what I said on the highway I don't know what that was where it came from that wasn't me if it's okay I'd rather you never told anybody about that stuff I said.
Harold: what stuff ? I couldn't get a word outta you all day.
As Mike just chuckles
Mike: say man, you think there's a snowball's chance we'll actually find that little girl ?
Harold: for the first time in my life I'm betting on the snowball.
Mike: yeah me too do whatever we have to I don't care if I have to comb the woods like Rambo or fetch a pail of water everyone kicks in, does their part.
As the water is echoing as Harold hears a noise like growling and moans he looks down the well and sees a swimmer down the well contaminating the water
Mike: do your part don't complain that's what I always...
As Mike tries to drink the water Harold quickly knocks it out of his hands
Harold:. I wouldn't drink that if I were you.
As Mike quickly looks in the well to growling
Harold: looks like we've got us a swimmer.
Noah: how long do you think it's been down there ?
Anna: long enough to grow gills we can't leave it in there god knows what it's doing to the water.
Matthew: we gotta get it out.
Jacob: easy put a bullet in its head.
Mike: I'll get a rope.
Jennifer: whoa, whoa guys no.
Noah: why not it's a good plan.
Anna: it's a stupid plan if that thing hasn't contaminated the water yet blowing it's brains out will finish the job.
Matthew: she's right can't risk it.
Mike: it has to come out alive ?
Matthew: So to speak.
Lenny: how do we do that?
Phillip: the interstate where you broke down is here there's your creek my farm is here we're looking out that way south-southeast.
Mason: we missed this branch of the creek entirely if she went that direction she'd be miles from where we looked.
Phillip: mason take a moment come look that's something, isn't it? As they pause for a moment to admire the view over the hills
Phillip: it's good to pause for an occasional reminder.
Mason: of what?
Phillip: whatever comes to mind for me, it's often god no thoughts on that?
Mason: last time I asked god for a favor and stopped to admire a view, my son got shot I try not to mix up with the almighty anymore best best we stay out of each others way.
Phillip: Laura told me a story how you were shot and made it and you were separated from your family for 5 months for those 5 months you spent paying off a debt to a man that doesn't play by gods rules or anybody's but his yet you found your family you found your way back home you did not feel gods hands in yours?
Mason: at that moment no I did not.
Phillip: in all the chaos you found your wife and kids then your youngest son was shot and he survived that tells you nothing?
Mason: it tells me gods got a strange sense of humor.
As the walker in the well is growling at a hunk of meat dangling from a rope
Harold: he's not going for it?
Mike: maybe cause a canned ham don't kick and scream when you try and eat it.
Anna: He's right there's a reason the dead didn't come back to life and start raiding our cupboards, we need live bait. As they all turn to Noah
Noah: have I mentioned that I really like to it new haircut ? You have a nice shaped head.
Matthew: don't worry about it bud we're gonna get you out in one piece.
Noah: living piece that living part is important nice and slow please?
Anna: we got you.
Jennifer: ohhhh you people are crazy!
Matthew: you want em out of your well or not?
Harold: give us an eye there, Jennifer?
Jennifer: doing okay ?
Noah: yep doing great living the dream. He say's sarcastically
Jennifer: little lower little more.
As the crank they have the rope tied around begins to loosen and breaks as Mike catches it as it prevent from Noah falling all the way down in the well with the bloater
As the yelling continues in the well as they all struggle to keep the crank above ground as Matthew grabs the rope and starts pulling it back up
Anna: get it! Get it! Grab it! Grab it!
Noah: get me out of here!!! Get it off!! Get it off!! Get me out! Get it off me! Oh, god oh god!
Laura: pull! Pull! Pull! Pull him up!
As Noah gets pulled up
Jennifer: are you okay?
Anna: you okay?
Harold: back to the drawing board.
As Noah lightly chuckles
Noah: says you.
As we see deacon out in the middle of the cabin
Deacon: Chloe! Chloe!
We cut back to the farm at the well
Mike: come on, pull!
Matthew: come on y'all,pull now!
Mike: almost there, come on pull, guys come on.
Matthew: come on y'all together.
Mike: almost there come on keep it coming!
Matthew: watch out dawg!
Mike: nice and easy just a little more.
Anna: you've got to pull it guys, it's stuck! Come on!
As they start to pull more as the bottom half of its bottom rips apart and falls in the well and permanently contaminates the water
Harold: we should seal this well off!
Anna: yeah might be a good idea.
Laura: so what do we do about...
As Mike starts to beat in the walkers skull repeatedly
As mike grunts
Mike: good thing we didn't do anything stupid like shoot it.
As Mary,Anna and Matthew head back to the highway to see if Chloe ever came back
Anna: we'll come again tomorrow? You know there's always the chance...
Mary: don't I really don't need to hear it anymore, Anna save the thoughts and prayers.
Matthew: you never know Mary? We can hang your targets along the fence line there that rise it gives a natural backstop.
Anna: it's a good idea.
Matthew: thanks.
Anna: so how long before I can carry ?
Matthew: let's not get ahead of ourselves I'm not in a very patient frame of mind these days.
Anna: well shit.
Matthew: look I see you have the desire for gun work and desire will take you a long way but something you need to know, so file this carefully.
Anna: I'm listening.
Matthew: paper targets are one thing easy to hit ain't moving but taking down an assailant, one's trying to kill you it's different cause they say in that kind of situation things slow down that's crap they speed up adrenaline it'll cripple you if you let it you need to use your instinct you got to rule it out, because somebody is gonna die and you'd better hope that you're the one who's making that decision.
As Anna just looks at his suspiciously
Anna: how? I mean how do you do that ?
Matthew: turn off a switch the switch the one that makes you scared or angry,sympathetic,whatever you don't think you just... you act cause odds are somebody else is counting on you that's your partner your friend there ain't nothing easy about taking a man's life, no matter how little value it may have but when you get it done you have to forget it I guess I haven't got that part down yet.
As Anna looks at him even more suspiciously like he's had experience she thinks to herself maybe he killed Otis to get away as Anna responds
Anna: you're getting there.
Matthew: I hope so, it's a good spot it'll do.
We see Noah and Jennifer on a supply run on horses
Noah: you know,normally this is the kind of thing I'd do on my own solo, it's sort of my thing you know ? I'm a loner you all right?
Jennifer: I'm fine.
Noah: I saw the look on your face back at the well,never seen one killer close up before ? Guess it's kind of a shock you know, being out on the road a lot guess we've gotten numb to it whoa.
Jennifer: I guess so.
Noah: I'll go see what antibiotics are left.
Jennifer: what else is on the list ?
Noah: why don't you get started ?
Jennifer: what about you ?
Noah: I'm gonna look around,see what's worth grabbing just some general stuff.
As Noah is rambling through supplies on the shelves as he comes across a box of condoms as he just glances at it he picks it up just staring as Jennifer walks up behind him startling him
Jennifer: what do you got ?
As Noah is stuttering
Noah: nothing just, like I said general stuff.
Jennifer: condoms ? You got a girlfriend I don't know about ?
Noah: Me? No no.
Jennifer: then you're a pretty confident guy.
Noah: no. No, no no. I wasn't I would never...
Jennifer: something wrong with me ?
Noah: No. No i... I would never have sex... I'm... I'm lost. As he stammers across his words
Jennifer: I'll have sex with you.
Noah: really? Why?
Jennifer: you're asking questions? Okay, I can't help wondering it's not like our options are vast these days. As she leans in to kiss him he doesn't pull away as he kisses her back
Jennifer: And you're not the only one that's lonely.
Noah: wow.
As we cut back to Phillip and mason
Mason: you need to reconsider.
Phillip: I beg you're pardon?
Mason: asking us to leave you need to reconsider if you saw how it is out there, you wouldn't ask you're a man of belief if you believe anything believe that.
Phillip: you're putting me on the spot.
Mason: well I mean to, those people look to me for answers I wish they didn't but they do but I'm not asking for them or myself I'm asking for my boy, for my sons after the price your friend Otis paid, the least you can do is give it some thought.
Phillip: you're a plain spoken man.
Mason: I'm a father he's the only thing I don't want to fail both of them I feel like I do every day I lied to him this morning it wasn't a big lie but it was enough.
Phillip: my father didn't bother with comforting lies he used his fist he was a loveless violent drunk no good to anybody he drove me from home when I was 15 didn't lay eyes on this place for many years I was not at his deathbed,mason I would not grant him that and to this day I do not regret it, some men do not earn the love of their sons I don't see you having that problem.
Mason: will you consider my request?
Phillip: there are aspects to this,things I can't and won't discuss but if you and your people respect my rules, no promises but I will consider it you have my word.
Mason: you have mine.
We cut back to Noah and Jennifer
Noah: I...
Jennifer: don't spoil it.
Noah: so it was good.
As he smiles
Jennifer: it was a one time thing.
Phillip: everything go okay ?
Jennifer: fine nothing happened.
Laura: did you find it? She asks Noah swiftly
Noah: oh right, yeah I did as he hands her a mysterious item
As we cut to Mary and deacon
Deacon: I cleaned up wanted it to be nice for her, for a second I thought I was in the wrong place.
Mary: a flower?
Deacon: it's a Cherokee rose the story is that when American soldiers were moving indians off their land on the trail of tears the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much cause they were losing their little ones along the way from exposure and disease and starvation, a lot of them disappeared so the elders they said a prayer asked for a sign to uplift the mothers spirit give them strength and hope the next day this rose started to grow right where the mothers tears fell im not fool enough to think there's any flowers blooming for my brother or Francis or any of them but I believe this one bloomed for your little girl she's gonna really like it in here.
As Jonathan awakes
Johnathan: hey,dad.
As mason softly awakes
Mason: hey, Johnathan I told you something earlier today about Chloe...
Johnathan: I know mom told me.
Mason: here I was getting ready to confess I didn't mean to lie I just didn't want you to worry it's a stupid excuse but it's all I got.
Johnathan: it's okay, do you think we'll find her ?
Mason: I know we will.
Johnathan: well, I don't know but I truly believe it you look tired.
Mason: I am tired.
Johnathan: hey I'm like you now we've both been shot, isn't that weird ?
Mason: yeah, I think you're mother would rather hear we have the same eyes so let's keep that between us. As they both chuckle
Mason: since you're in the club now, you get to wear the hat didn't you know? We'll pad the rim tomorrow so it sits better.
Johnathan: won't you miss it ?
Mason: maybe you'll let me borrow from time to time it was my dads sheriff hat.
Johnathan: really? What was your dad like?
Mason: he was the best dad you could ever ask for he took me to baseball games he taught me how to shoot my first rifle, took me go kart racing he was the best man I've ever known.
Johnathan: he sounded awesome.
Mason: he was awesome.
Johnathan: wish I would've met him.
Mason: me too.
Johnathan: is that why you became a cop like you're dad to honor him?
Mason: one of the reasons yeah.
Johnathan: we can share the hat I mean.
Mason: okay, sleep now.
Johnathan: okay, I love you dad.
Mason: I love you.
As Johnathan puts the hat over his head and falls asleep as mason goes into the room he takes his badge and puts it away
Laura: are you putting them away ? Stay with him awhile longer I'll wait up.
As Laura suspiciously goes outside in the middle of the land squats down and pees on a pregnancy test after the results come back it says positive as she just blankly stares at the test and just cries and breaks down.