In Death's Grip

In Death's Grip: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Well, what do you think of this place," I ask Taylor as we walk down the barren street toward the two-story house where I now live.

"It's... interesting. The ration cards are smart. Making sure the food is divided evenly keeps everyone fed and tensions low. It's a good system."

"So are you ready to finally see them again?" I ask, "Your parents I mean."

Taylor answers, "Its been so long. Will they even remember who I am? I've changed so much." He looks at me with a worried expression.

"Your parents will know you. They'll welcome you back with open arms. They never forgot about you. They never gave up on you."

As I finish my sentence, we arrive at the house where our little group is allowed to stay. Alex, a guy that came to the farm early on after the end of the world, greets us at the door. Someone has to stand guard over refuge. Hank doesn't trust my father or Jonny, Taylor's father, very much.

We enter into the living room where Tony and Tusha, my mother, are sitting and talking amongst themselves. Julie, a girl that was with Alex when they came to the farm, is having a conversation with Cho.

Cho is a Chinese girl that joined the farm after we rescued her and her brother from a horde of lurkers. Since then our we became friends. I think now our relationship may be evolving into something more serious.

Taylor's parents are standing in the kitchen which is just across from the living room. They don't seem to notice that their long lost son has returned to them after a year.

Tony clears his throat loud enough for them to hear. "I think there's someone here to see you two," he announces.

Jonny and Amy, Taylor's mother, turn around slowly. Amy looks as if she sees a ghost. After a moment that expression leaves her and she rushes forward to hug her child.

"Um mom, do you think you could let go now?" Taylor asks with a chuckle after his mother has been holding on to him for at least a minute.

"Oh sorry," she says with a light laugh.

"Let me have a look at you," Jonny commands as he walks up to Taylor, inspecting him. A few minutes pass until he exclaims, "You need to shave!"

Taylor laughs as he hugs his father for the first time in almost a year.

"Okay enough with the reunion. We need to get down to business," my father orders.

Taylor and his parents take a seat on a couch opposite the one my parents are sitting. I take a seat in an armchair in between the couches. Cho and Julie lean on the armrests of the chair. Alex stands by the window near the door, still on guard but listening.

"Taylor, I have to tell you thanks for starters. Without you leaving that note at the rest top near the farm, we wouldn't be at Charleston right now," my dad announces.

"What was it like out there?" Julie piques.

Taylor takes a moment to think. "It was awful. We had to keep moving constantly or the biters would have been on us. Nathan tried his best to keep our hope alive but it didn't work. I thought we would never even make it here. There weren't any bandits or thugs that messed with us thankfully. All in all, I'm just glad to be behind those walls."

"Well it might not be safe in here anymore so don't get excited," I say.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

Jonny speaks up, "We're on the verge of war with the man who destroyed the farm. That bastard Nikolai has his base not fifteen miles from Charleston. It's like he craves death and destruction."

"I have a question," Taylor proclaims.

"What is it?" I inquire.

"Did Zach ever make it here? We got separated about halfway to the coast. Nikolai's men stopped chasing us and took off to find him. We have no idea what became of him."

Everyone in the room gives each other a nervous glance. Zach went off on a suicide mission the night before to murder Nikolai. No news of him has reached our group.

"Zach made it here. After a month of training and planning though, he left and went to kill Nikolai. He wanted revenge. He wanted to stop this threat of war. He left just last night but we don't know what happened to him," Tony explains.

"Oh my god," Taylor utters with a shocked expression upon his face.

"Another thing," Tony says, "Nathan and Haven are about to evaluated to see if they can stay. We have to get down to the cells and get them out. If they're found to be mentally unstable, Hank, the leader of Charleston, will have them put down."

"Then what the hell are we waiting for?" Taylor says.