Apocalypse [Pentatonix AU | Kavi / Scomiche]

Chapter 10 - Fulmination

Mitch Grassi ran the tips of his long fingernails across the rusted metal. Travis was still ranting in his left ear, but at this point Mitch had tuned him out, like he usually did when he went on one of his rants. Mitch understood that he needed someone to vent to, and unfortunately he was the only one left who'd actually listen to him.

They were in the guard tower of the entry hall of the prison, the place they usually went to when arguing, away from the others. And Travis had been angry with Mitch ever since last night, when he'd forgotten to properly lock the front gate.

"...and imagine if there was a herd, a herd with an unlocked gate. We're lucky to be alive right now, Mitchell, because if the odds weren't in our favor all of us would've been killed last night. Eaten alive just because you were too goddamn lazy to-"

The faint sound of a gunshot silenced him. Mitch finally perked back up, looking out the window on the far side of the prison as if to see anything other than sky.

"What was that?" he asked.

"A gunshot, obviously," Travis replied.

Mitch sighed. "I mean who was that, Travis."

"Hell if I know."

The two stood silently in the guard tower, listening wide eyed as numerous more shots sounded outside. They exchanged a worried glance.

"Those are definitely from the yard," Travis muttered.

"We need to warn the others."

"No," Travis said, putting a hand on Mitch's chest to stop him from leaving the tower.

"Trav-"

"Just wait!"

Sure enough, the shots ceased. The two stood in silence for an entire half hour, neither daring to even breath. They strained their ears.

Then suddenly, a final gunshot, blowing out the lock on the main door below them.

Mitch watched as three people, all with guns at the ready, rushed into the prison. The single woman closed the door behind her. She was small, especially compared to the men she was with, her long ebony hair tied into a ponytail. The two men that stood beside her were complete opposites of one another. One was tall, with tousled blonde hair and light features, while the other was shorter, with longer hair and a dark beard.

However they all shared the same expression of desperation.

Additionally, they seemed confused. Mitch only then realized they had expected a confrontation of walkers. They were still looking around in disorientation when Mitch noticed Travis had raised his gun.

Mitch grabbed the barrel, pushing it down, and instead called down loudly before Travis could yell at him not to.

"Lower your weapons!" Mitch shouted, only causing the three to jump in surprise and raise their weapons again, searching for the source of his voice. He understood that both him and Travis were concealed behind the one-way glass of the tower.

"What the hell are you doing?" Travis whispered loudly between clenched teeth.

Mitch ignored him. "I said drop your weapons, or we'll shoot!" This time he noticed the smaller man put a hand on the shoulder of the blonde, giving a nod, and the three slowly placed their guns on the floor beneath their feet, raising their now empty hands above their heads.

"Follow my lead," Mitch said quietly to his glaring boyfriend. The couple raised their guns, pointing the barrels directly toward the group of three as they exited the tower.

The two groups finally locked eyes. Mitch slowly made his way down the metal steps while Travis stayed up top, gun at the ready.

Mitch walked right up to the man in front, gun pointed at his chest. He hoped they couldn't tell how nervous he was, how violently his hands were shaking. Travis was usually the one to handle strangers; he wasn't used to being so close to outsiders.

"Give me one reason not to shoot you," Mitch said, trying to remember how Travis handled these interactions.

The tall man took a step forward, as if oblivious to Mitch's gun. "I can't." Mitch froze, surprised. "We have no hope, and we have no fear. If you feel like we're threatening you by being here, and if you won't feel the guilt of murdering us in cold blood, I can't give you a reason." He lowered his hands. "Do what you need to do."

Mitch could practically hear Travis' voice in his head, urging him to pull the trigger. But for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do it. His eyes darted to each member of the three, noticing the same emptiness in their eyes.

With his gun still raised, Mitch took a deep breath. "Who are you?" Travis sighed audibly in disappointment.

"I'm Scott." He motioned toward the man behind him, who Mitch saw was tightly grasping a bandage on his forearm. "That's Avi, and Kirstin." The woman seemed the most tired of the three.

"How long have you been together?"

"Kirstin I've known for years, Avi I met yesterday. The two of them have known each other for a little less than a month."

"And how'd you find this place?"

"Found it about a week ago, by chance."

Finally Mitch lowered his weapon, hearing Travis come down the stairs behind him.

"Are there any more of you?"

"It's just us. Any more of you?"

"Hey," Travis spat, walking up next to Mitch. "He's asking the questions, not you."

"Just curious," Scott said softly, narrowing his eyes at Travis.

"Look, we've got an empty block in the east wing-"

"Mitch," Travis said, interrupting him. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Travis pulled Mitch away from the group.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"We took Jess and Matt in, how is this any different?"

"We took Jess and Matt in over a year ago, Mitch. How is this different? This is different because for all we know these people are murderers. Who knows how long they've been out there, how desperate they are. What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that we need more people, and that I'm willing to take the risk. We don't even have to interact with them, Travis. But if the prison is ever overrun by a herd, it's three extra sets of hands."

Travis sighed, still tense. "Fine. But if this blows up in our faces, it's on you. My blood, Jessica's blood, Matt's blood? It'll be on your hands." Travis then shoved his gun into Mitch's chest, storming off into their cell block.