Second {Z Nation}

Chapter 11

Season 2, Episode 3 [Zombie Road]

     We push over the small hill, it takes more effort than it should; given my concussion and that it makes me extremely dizzy at times of high exertion... which is almost 24/7 in the apocalypse. I start to slide down the steep incline but catch myself on the dead, overgrown grass. 10k grabs my arm and helps me to the top of the incline where we all stop to get our bearings.

     "We're going the wrong way- again," Murphy complains.

     "You left us no choice, too much fallout in the west," Warren informs him.

     "Again- that was not my fault," Murphy barks.

     "Murphy, don't make me have to explain the term; 'failsafe doomsday weapon' to you again. Please," Doc sighs, grabbing onto his suspenders.

     "How do you even know California is still there?" Murphy demands.

     "You're looking ripe, you better hope it's still there," Vasquez says before shoving him forward. "Move."

     Murphy stumbles forward and turns to Vasquez who steps up to him. "You are not the boss of me," Murphy snarls before nodding to Warren, "she is." I stifle a laugh which turns into a snort and look over at 10k who smiles back down at me, I bite my lip and turn back to the action. Warren has a hand against Vasquez's chest and she stands between him and Murphy.

     "I can handle this," she tells the Spanish man before turning to Murphy and shoving him. "Move," she says much more elegantly than Vasquez did, sweeping an arm sideways as if offering the option to him. Murphy looks from her to Vasquez before bowing to her, "gladly," he replies with the same sarcastic elegance and marches forward; we follow.

     "You'll get used to him," Warren tells Vasquez as we hike behind Murphy.

     I glance over at Cassandra several times, her white, fur coat has fallen off one of her shoulders and her white boots are covered in mud. Her hair is messy and tangled and her eyes are feral. She looks over at me at one point and tilts her head to the side like a dog, I force myself to look away. That's not Cassandra, she's gone, she's moved on, I repeat to myself. I know it, but that doesn't make it any easier. We make it to a cliff where I can see in the distance a large pillar of smoke. 10k and Warren stop beside me as the others give their feet a break.

     "10k give me your scope," Warren instructs and he hands her his gun without question.

     I lift up my scope to my eye and focus on the smoke, its source is an upturned car that is in flames. I feel 10k settle next to me, arms crossed, eyes lingering on me, but his eyes wander away eventually and I pull away from the scope to see that Warren is still staring at the flaming car. I look around and see Cassandra sitting on a rock above Murphy, giving him a shoulder massage. I turn away hastily and look at Warren.

     "What are we going to do about that," I spit out 'that', jerking my head towards the two.

     Warren and 10k turn to see what I'm talking about, while 10k turns to me with a knowing look on his face, Warren turns back to the scope. "Cassandra?" She queries.

     "That- is not Cassandra. She's been gone since Murphy bit her," I hiss.

     We all turn back to Cassandra, "maybe there's a way back for her- when we get to California," Warren says hopefully, but she seems to be rushing; like she's pushing it out of the way. Almost like she's lying. 

     "Maybe," I repeat quietly as I glance back over at the woman in white and the blue man. Cassandra looks over at me with a dreamy, syrupy look. I turn away abruptly and swallow, hard. That's not Cassandra, she's gone, she is gone. I tell myself. Murphy was making her do it, he was controlling her, that's not Cassandra.