Have Mercy {Z Nation AU}

Strangers

"Mum, why wouldn't you let me go back for them? They're my friends, they need food, they'll think I'm gone." I trailed off as I looked out of the window, watching the houses go past until we reached the shop. Mum got out and Dad waited for me to. I grabbed Charlie's bag and followed mum inside. Dad drove the truck around the shop and into the garage, which he hid under a giant hay stack. Mum unlocked the door and I headed down into the basement. The light was on, so I headed over to the shelves stacked with food and emptied the bag into food compartments. Soon after, Dad came down and locked the door behind us.

"We're staying down here." He said as he put the key in his pocket.

"It's safer."

I woke the slam of car doors. Then, footsteps in the shop above.

I rushed up the stairs, grabbing an old hunting knife on my way up, and locked the door. I stood with my back to the door, while more and more voices came into earshot. I couldn't tell how many people there were, I gripped my knife and waited.

I heard light and heavy footsteps going past the door over and over again, things breaking and things falling down, and then I heard someone give an order. I swallowed as my heart sped up.

"Doc, 10k, can you check the basement for Z's? There could be shit loads down there, remember the hospital?"

Shortly after there were two replies, and then they started trying to kick down the door. I hurried down the stairs as silent as I could, and turned off the tiny light I had. I stood in the darkness, and waited at the side foot of the stairs.

A dim light immediate shone through, but the bottom of the stair case was still concealed.

A man with white hair came down the stairs first, I waited.

"Ya know, I can't hear no snarlin' like those shits do," he laughed, as he took the final step of the stairs, I reached up and grabbed his shirt, and forced him backwards. As he fell on his back I put my knees on his chest, pressing the blade against his throat. His eyes went wide as he held his breath. "Whoa there kiddo...I think we got a problem here." The person following him immediately raised his gun, even though he couldn't see where to fire.

"Why are you here? Why are you back?" I gripped his shirt tighter and he raised his hands to protect his face.

"WHY. ARE YOU. HERE." I shouted, I heard more footsteps above, and more people came onto the staircase, I forced my knee further into his chest and sliced a thin cut across his throat.

"We're just looking for food!" The kid on the stairs shouted.

"Please, just let him go! Please." I released my grip on the mans shirt, he stumbled away, gasping for air. I dropped the knife, and took a few steps forward.

My mind flashed between faces. The old man, and the one in front. Was it him? Was it the one with the rotten teeth?

No. It wasn't him. I dropped the blade and fell off the old man, who was holding his hand to his throat, and looked at the people on the stairs, they looked tired and sick.

"I haven't seen people in so long, oh god, I could've killed you, you're not him, holy shit."

I kicked the knife towards my bed. "Did I scratch you? Let me fix it, I have medical supplies." I stood up and started to panic. They looked at me, and I realised Id blown my first chance to get away from here. This hell hole.

I started to hyperventilate, and everything went fuzzy.

I felt my balance go to shit, and stumbled backwards towards my bed. I gripped the sides as I struggled to breathe, my chest got tighter with every breath I took, and I dug around for an inhaler, I vowed to only use it in emergencies. This was definitely an emergency.

Someone - the youngest guy - found the pull switch for my tiny light. The rest of the group slowly walked down stairs, one of the women came over and lightly rubbed my back, until I could breathe again.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Emma, my name is Emma. Oh god I'm so sorry, I could've killed him." I put my head in my hands and tried to calm down.

"How long have you been down here?" I looked up as three people were heading back upstairs, two of the girls, and the man I had the knife to.

"I don't know, since everything started out there, I lost my parents, I lost track of time. I lost everything." I looked at her, then to the other two guys standing in front of us, the younger one still had his gun out, but not pointing directly at me.

"How long has it been?" I looked to the older man, he looked, like, 40? Late 30's? I couldn't tell.

"3 years. We call it Z3, it's hard to keep track though. Especially living underground." He sat down on a wooden crate.

"Oh my god, 3 years?" I started to laugh.

The girl sitting next to me looked sympathetic. "My names Addy. That's Charles, and the one still pointing the gun at you-" the anger in her voice rose.

"- that's 10k. And before you ask, it's his goal, he wants to kill 10,000 zombies, Cassandra and Roberta were the ones who left, and there's Mack and Murphy, they're in the truck. Murphy is 'humanities last hope' for a cure. Charles, do you think you could get 10k to lower the freakin gun?!"

10k turned around and walked straight up the stairs, leaving Charles and Addy behind, and me.

"Why did you try and kill our friend?" He looked cold, but there was kindness in his eyes.

"I didn't want to kill him, it's just that, last time there were strangers here they tried to kill me, and one of them tried to, he tried to do some bad shit to me. They said they would come back, I thought they'd come back. He looked like one of them." He rubbed his hands on his legs, and nodded. "Okay, I get that." He stood up, and walked up the stairs. Addy looked at me. "I'm not sure what we're gonna do." She got up and followed him. I heard shouting above them, and Charles voice shushed them. Everything was muffled, but I knew they were talking about me.

"Are you out of your mind?! She tried to kill Doc, she could kill us all when we're not paying attention!" I didn't recognise the voice. Then Charles, surprisingly defended me.

"Look, she's younger than 10k, she's been through a hell of a lot. I'm not saying we just accept her with no doubts, but we're not leaving her here. She's got supplies, food, water, medicine, everything. I say we vote. Those for, raise your hand." He paused, and I held my breath, I had a chance to get away.

"Those against raise your hand."

I crossed my fingers.

"Alright, I guess we have a decision." I heard lighter footsteps, and walked towards the staircase, Addy was half way down. She smiled.

"Kid, start packin', you're comin' with us."