A Lifetime Ago || Javier Garcia

Five | Beginning

They called themselves the new frontier, and after a few weeks of being with them they've already had quite an impressive base. Small, but enough for the few families that were apart of the group. Joan immediately took a liking to David, even asking for recommendations on how to improve with what they have.

You and Ava shared a room inside a housing complex that the new frontier have secured. A fence surrounded the area and it was safe, but only temporarily. The fence definitely wouldn't hold up if a horde came by, and the people here didn't know much about combat.

Joan requested that David help with the people that didn't know how to protect themselves. She wanted them to learn to fight, and David was the perfect teacher. Sadly you were one of those people that weren't too great at combat.

"Are you listening?" David's voice made you jump out of your thoughts.

"Yes?"

He huffed before handing you a screwdriver.

"I know you're smart with a gun but you have to be open to other options."

You nod, eyes examining the item he'd offered you.

"A knife, rock, stick, doesn't matter, they can all do the same thing if you know what you're doing." David approached a walker that had already been lifeless on the ground. He demonstrated by stabbing a sharp stick roughly through its head.

"And when you see dead ones like this, you should double check that they're actually dead. Otherwise they could still be alive and grab at your legs. Joan said that's how she lost a few people."

You nod again. Watching as a walker coincidentally approaches the both of you. David steps aside and gestures for you to handle it.

Taking a deep breath, you fix your grip on the screwdriver and drive it into the walkers skull. It's face not even an inch away from your own as it's features go numb and the body falls to the ground.

"See? It's easy, and you're not making a lot of noise."

"Yeah, I guess so."

David stares at you unimpressed before gesturing with his hand to follow him. The two of you were already about a mile away from the base, he explained that Joan wanted you to learn how to execute quietly so you could help David with scavenging. 

Last time you were assigned to scavenge with a group, you accidentally lured walkers towards you while using your gun. No one got hurt, but in the end you definitely wasted a few bullets.

"Do you like it here?" David asks, leading the way to who knows where.

"There's food, and a place to sleep. Can't really get any better than that can it?" You ask but overall agree that staying with the new frontier was their best choice.

"Joan offered me a position, second in command."

When David looks towards you for a reaction, you really didn't have one.

"So we're staying here? Permanently?" You question.

David turns forward and begins walking again, you following close behind as he speaks.

"If we can grow the new frontier into a decent sized community then word will spread around that we're a safe place. Then if that dumbass is smart enough, he'll find us here."

"Javi?"

"Who else?"

David stops and points forward at a few walkers, distracted by a deceased doe on the ground as they rummaged through and munched on its insides. You cringe at the sight.

"You got it." David encouraged.

You give him a disgusted look before exhaling loudly, slowly sneaking behind the two walkers.

Easily you slide the screwdriver through one of the heads with little effort but lose your footing when the body falls back against your legs.

Sometimes you forgot that they use to be human, and that they were in fact heavy.

You stumble backwards and fall to the ground, grabbing the attention of the second walker. Your heart drops when it lunges at you, you extend your hands out to its shoulders preventing the walker from getting any closer.

You don't think you could ever get use to this. Their gross grey skin that peeled from their bones, the white eyes and rotted teeth, the disgusting smell that lingered in the air ever since they started walking. And blood. Everywhere.

"David!" You called desperately, still struggling to push the walker off of you. You reach for the screwdriver that had slipped out your hand when you fell, your fingers barely grazing the handle as it was out of your reach.

You readjust enough to pry your leg from under the walker and kick it back with all the strength you had left in you. The walker fell backwards onto the doe it was previously feasting on. You finally grab the screwdriver and pierce it through the walkers head. Once wasn't enough, repeatedly you stabbed the head again and again.

When you finally catch your breath you turn to David. Seeing the smile on his face made you want to stab him next.

"What the fuck was that?" You hissed, gesturing to where you'd fallen.

"I knew you could handle it."

"And what if I couldn't?!"

He rolls he eyes. "Then I would've helped. You're out here for a reason, remember? Joan knows your capable and so do I."

You were actually getting so tired of hearing her name.

"Let's head back, I'll tell her you got a A plus."

Killing three walkers completely drained all of your energy, that sounded pretty sad. But you were use to shooting them not sneaking around them, you'll get better.

The walk back to the group felt way longer than the walk into the woods. You hadn't even realized David was talking until he mentioned Kate.

"...I wanted to leave again, go back to the army. Leave Kate and the kids, Javi told me to think about them first."

You give David a sympathetic look, he probably regretted ever thinking of leaving his kids behind because now there was a chance he'd never see them again. You didn't want to think about it.

"He told me whatever happens, he'll watch over Kate and the kids. I'm going to do the same." David looks towards you, for once you didn't see any annoyance or hatred in his eyes, only sincerity.

"I'm going to make sure you're safe because I know that he's looking out for my family. He better be."

"He is. Thank you David. I hope I'm not too much of a burden." You joke but send him a small smile in which he returns.

"Oh you are." He jokes back. You playfully punch his arm, earning a laugh from the both of you.

"I don't think you know how much Javi  loves you and your family David. He really wanted to be home all the time." You reassure. You knew David had doubts about his brother and you hoped that one day he'd see that Javier wasn't ever trying to purposely distance himself from them.

David nods. "We needed him."

"It eats at him everyday." You Look to the ground, remembering when Javier first told you about his fathers cancer. He wanted to be there for his father days prior to his death but his own issues prevented him from doing so.

As the two of you approach the base, you can tell there's more on David's mind. You stay silent hoping he'd speak up but when he does he only tells you to meet him at this spot tomorrow for scavenging.

"Goodnight." You offer as he walked towards the main building. Assuming he was going to speak with Joan and Clint.

You shrug and meet with Ava in your own room.  You tidy yourself up before crashing onto the springy mattress, feeling that tiredness come back to you again after the scares you've had today.