AMA-Con: The Compilation

2087

Written by: maidensuperfan 

Prompt: Search for a new energy source 

Prompt by: fantasticmaine

***

It's been three years since The Shutdown happened. One by one, all of earth's energy sources have stopped working, essentially throwing its inhabitants back to the dark ages. There wasn't anything wrong with the machines that generated power or the dams that regulated water supplies; it's just that there was literally nobody to run them.

The world is in a standstill because the people who can run it have either been killed or are too busy killing. Survival has become less about sustenance, shelter and clothing and more about weaponry, fighting skills and nerves of steel.

There is no room for error, no room for pity and in Nicomaine Mendoza's case, absolutely no room for love. Until the walkers killed her hunt partner and they paired her up with the one person she despised the most – Richard Faulkerson, Jr. Her husband.

No, scratch that. Her ex-husband.

The One with the Caveman

"Please tell me you're not going walker hunting with me dressed like that."

The obvious derision in his voice made her stop midway into calibrating her crossbow.

"Alright. I'm not going walker hunting with you dressed like this. Happy now, Rich?"

"You know Nic, if only the Council could find a way to weaponize your acerbic wit or harness it for a possible new source of energy, then ALL of earth's problems will be solved. Could you please, just this once, do as I say and wear something less—"

"Less what? Less comfortable? Less easy to move in? What?"

"Less distracting. If I become walker chum today because I was too busy admiring your cute ass, instead of chopping off those fuckers' heads, it's your fault."

She snorted, rolled her eyes and went back to double-checking her weapons.

"Please?"

She growled low, stood up and stalked back to her quarters.

He could hear her as she angrily banged her drawers and closet doors open and close. Five minutes later, he heard one last loud thud and smiled smugly to himself. That is until he looked up and almost had a heart attack.

"What the actual fuckity fuck are you fucking wearing?"

"Language. Fucker. What's wrong? Isn't this better? More to your liking? Will you fucking shut up about my choice of clothes now so I can go back to what I was doing before you went all Neanderthal on me?"

"I thought you said you burned that... when we.. when the divorce finally went through."

She cringed. All she wanted to do when she put on her wedding gown was to annoy him but it backfired. She took a deep breath and faced him.

"Look, I wanted to. I planned to, but life got in the way. I don't even know why I took it with me when I was moved here. Rich... I don't completely regret being married to you okay? It wasn't all unpleasant. We were good together. Great, even. Just..."

"Just.. what Nic? You couldn't deal with the fact that I signed up for walker hunting duties? You thought you couldn't live with the fear of losing me so you left first? You know, I still don't get it. I don't think I ever will because here you are, doing what basically broke our marriage. Wear what you want, just be ready to leave in ten minutes. Team Delta is on patrol tonight. Don't forget the bug spray."