When family is all you have left...how far will you go to protect it? After society was ripped apart by undead hands, pockets of civilization emerge from the chaos. But at what cost? Can the living be trusted on this new frontier? As Javier, a young...
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FLASHBACK
Third POV
Javier, Kate, Esperanza and Chatan walk through their neighborhood; Javi is armed with a wrench and Kate has a hammer while Essie and Chatan have their bow and arrows out. "I hate being out so close to dark. It's harder to see them coming..." Kate said. "We're just gonna get that propane and then come right back." Javier said. "I saw it in that pickup truck parked down the road a little, in front of the Wallaces' house. I just wish there was an easier way to get it. And that we didn't have to risk life and limb. Every damn day. For food, and water, and gas for the stove. Am I babbling? I babble when I'm scared." Kate said. "Nothing's easy anymore, Kate, but that doesn't mean we don't have to try." Javier said. "I know. It's just hard to get used to, that's all." Kate said. "We get over there, we grab the tank, we get the hell back home." Javier said.
"If we're lucky, we won't see a single one of those things." Essie said. "Fingers crossed..." Kate said. They reach the house; a propane canister is in the back of the truck in the driveway. "There it is!" Kate said. "Let's take it and go." Chatan said. Javi picks up the propane canister. "Empty." Javier said. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me! Goddamn it!" Kate said. Kate throws the canister. "Of course it's empty. Why would we get that lucky? I mean, it's not like we needed it or anything." Kate said. "Hey, hey, hey, don't beat yourself up about it. It was worth a shot. It just... didn't work out." Javier said. "I'm sorry. I'm just sick of this shit. I just thought... this one time, we deserved to catch a fucking break." Kate said. A walker child exits the house and jumps onto Javi's back. "Oh, my God, Javi!" Kate and Rani said. Javi throws the walker to the ground and pins it. "Kate! Your hammer, now!" Chatan said. "Oh, God. That's... that's..." Kate said. Javier smashes the walker's head into the ground until it dies. "I'm sorry... I was just so fucking scared..." Kate said. "You froze. It's okay." Javier said. "I wanted to kill it, I really did, but... I know him. That was one of Gabe's friends: Drew. He was so sweet. He always had a smile on his face. Gabe worshipped him." Kate said.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm sure he was a... a good kid." Javier said. "He's not a kid anymore. He's just... one of those things. I don't even know what to call them. If they're not people... If they're just the dead... Muertos." Kate said. "That's what we'll call them." Javier said. "I thought we were gonna die. (hugs Javi) I thought... Gabe and Mariana were just going to wake up and we'd just be gone. When it was on you... Oh, my God." Kaye said. "I'm right here, okay? I'm here, you're here, we're still alive. That's what matters." Javier said. Kate won't forget this. "Can we go back now?" Kate asks. They return home to Gabe and Mariana, who are asleep. "I know we all wanted to stay here, in the house, and wait for David to come back. But it's been three months since he drove away with your mom." Kate said. "What are you saying?" Javier asks. "We're not safe here. Not anymore. You, Esperanza, Chatan and I could have been killed out there, for an empty can! There's gotta be a safer place out there. Somewhere not so isolated." Kate said. "What makes you think it's gonna be better anywhere else? Everything and everyone outside this door is dead!" Javier said. "Exactly! How long until one of those things gets in? We stay, somebody's going to get hurt. Or worse." Kate said.
