Second {Z Nation}

Chapter 2

Season 1, Episode 7 [Welcome to the Fu-Bar]

     "Good morning people, welcome to the third day of the sixth month of the year 03 A.Z," a voice comes on the radio, I look over at 10k, he's looking at me; but when we make eye contact he looks away. It's awkward in the back with just him since Addy and Mack, the blonde dude took off on a bike we found the other day to scout ahead and Cassandra decided to ride in the truck... Yet I pretend it's not.

     "If you're listening to this that means you're still alive, so congratulations- or condolences, y'know- whatever. If you're noticing more despair in my voice than usual today, it's because we lost someone special. I know we lose people all the time, getting your face chewed off by a Z is more common than making it to your next birthday. But this guy, this one's worth mentioning. Charles Garnett, first sergeant army, national guard re-serviced, was an honest-to-god, real-life, actual good-guy. He fought for other people, not just for his own survival. And he did something that's pretty much impossible these days. He gave people hope. Remember hope? Remember thinking that we might actually come out on the other side of this thing? Yeah, that. Sergeant Garnett died trying to give us a reason to hope, and for that, Sergeant Charles Garnett, on behalf of a grateful nation- or whatever the hell we are now, we salute you," the voice says and I feel my eyes water, but I push the feeling back. Not now, now is not the time to break- not for a man you didn't even know, not in front of a group of people that will think you soft. NO.

     Thank god the pop and snap of something under the truck snaps me to reality. Doc slows to a stop and everyone- save for Warren jumps out of the truck. There's smoke rising from underneath it and it doesn't look or smell too good. Doc pops the hood and a cloud of smoke comes out just as Mack and Addy pull up to us. 

     "Radiator?" Mack asks.

     "Yeah," Doc sighs.

     10k drops to the ground and crawls under the truck.

     "Fixable?" Mack asks.

    "Don't know," Doc replies. 

     "Gee if we only had a mechanic," Z-man, who I now know is named Murphy says sarcastically.

     "You gotta let her deal man, she's got that post-traumatic stress," Doc tells him as Mack dives into the front of the truck, helmet and all.

     "She's got post-traumatic stress? The whole world's got post-traumatic stress. Actually, there isn't anything post about it, we all got plain old, present-tense, all traumatic, all stress, all the time. What makes her so special?" He sneers and goes around to Warren's window, I step in his way.

     "Listen here buddy, she just lost someone- someone she clearly had a thing with. Have you ever loved anyone? A wife, a girlfriend, anyone? Well, she just lost a part of her world and she's dealing with it alright? So I suggest you back off," I tell him.

     "She can't just check-out, we've got a job to do," he tells me.

     I roll my eyes and take a deep breath of air, "oh I really hope you're not allergic to nuts- because I'm about to kick yours into your throat," I glare at him.

     He finally decides to back off, everyone is torn between disappointment and anger towards him or shock towards me. Doc has his hands on his hips in a 'seriously?" manner, but he's looking at me with an amazed expression. Addy has a smirk of approval on her face, but Mack is still buried under the hood, he pulls himself out.

     "Alright, me and Addy will scout ahead, see if we can get some help," he says.

     "We will?" Addy asks, unsure.