PARADOX ↦ ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

37

Her eyes scanned the camp from the trees. She wanted so badly to get down there and take the gun to their heads. But her name was called from the foot of her tree, causing her to look down at the soldier below.

Honerva slid down the tree before landing on her feet, looking at him as she moved the scarf off of her mouth, her breath visible in the chilly air. "What do you want?" She snapped, a brow raised.

The soldier gestured towards the trees. "Zarkon wished for me to fetch you. We found a survivor, not one of ours." He told her, Honerva nodding in response. "Let's go." She said and turned towards the thicket, leaving Altea behind her again as she went with the soldier. The walk was far, but the soldier had stashed the single horse they had left a bit away. It was safer to travel on horseback after all. They were lucky the outbreak started while they were in the countryside. So many of these animals were either dead or roaming around, waiting to taken.

After the ride, they arrived back at the camp. Everything had been in ruins.

The once glorified Galra camp was now a trench of walkers and remnants of fires. Bodies littered the streets and blood soaked into the dirt. Instead of heading through the gate ruins, she walked around and past them. They couldn't head inside now, the chances of making it in and out with the low amount of weapons they currently possessed.

Honerva sent the horse up the hill, seeing where her husband stood. She slid from the horse and let the soldier take it back. "You called?" She asked, knowing it had been some time since she had returned and since he had though of a plan.

Zarkon kept his back to her for a few moments, his eyes scanning over the camp he once dominated. He turned his head gently. "We have his friend." He mumbled in his deep tone.

Haggar nodded, remembering what the soldier had had told her. "Lotor's? One of the five prisoners or-"

"A soldier we trusted." Zarkon said and turned around to face his wife. "She may know information on Altea's current status sine she was working with them to break out."

"It's better than having to search with binoculars. That's for sure." Haggar agreed before she placed her hand on her holster, containing her ten remaining bullets and gun. "And then once we get the information we need?"

"You may deal with her as you like." He told her and gently wiped his forehead, the spare blood spatters upon it slowly smearing. "She is of no use to use anymore. Not in her current state."

•••

Zethrid took slow and even breaths, her body trembling as she tried to push herself up to sitting position against the tree. She kept her hand on her side, the bloodstain there through her shirt. She winced and kept the applied pressure.

They didn't bother to lock her up, or even tie her to a tree. She couldn't possibly move fast enough to escape anywhere. They surrounded her, the soldiers guns never once going to a holster for rest.

Zethrid didn't want to, but she knew she had to see how much time she had left. Her other hand was directed towards the end of her shirt before she slowly lifted it up to see the wound. The mark was circular, two crescent shaped marks pierced into her dark skin. Her dull eyes scanned it, wiping off some of the blood. The skin was bruised and turning a purplish color, some hues a yellow.

She used her other hand to wipe off the sweat coming from her forehead. It grew hotter in her body, but she had to stay strong for the next few remaining hours she possessed. Zethrid laid her head against the bark, looking up at the branches, bare for the winter.

Her mind went back to the battle, remembering the way she was able to make it out alive. The way the horse fell on her body, Aaron's body as well. She watched the walkers as they slowly tore into his skin, his blood covering her body and masking her own scent. Their bony hands tore the man open like he was nothing, doing the same to the horse after it was officially dead.

She heard his screams while they consumed his body, each one full of so much pain and fear. It took all her courage to take her gun out again, positioning it in a way that gave her an aim through the walker's mass. She waited a few seconds before she got a clear shot to the head and closed her eyes. She pulled the trigger and heard the blast, Aaron's screams stopping immediately. He wouldn't feel pain anymore. Not any more. He was safe, his fight was over.

She knew there was no getting out of this, so she put the gun in her mouth, and pulled the trigger. The click caught her off guard. She had no bullets left. She gave him the last one. She never regretted letting him have it.

The scent of the dead horse masked her body, letting her lay still and stay hidden. This didn't stop the accidental bite from the initial fall though, her side ached like hell, but when the coast was clear, she got up and walked. She hoped the team made it to Altea safely, it was all she wanted.

Now she was captured by the soldiers, her time left dangling in front of a fire. She couldn't do anything now, except wait for them to kill her, or to turn.

Zethrid opening her eyes again after she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, seeing none other than Honerva Haggar walking towards her.

"You've made it a long time. Even with a bite as bad as yours." The older woman chuckled softly.

"So have you. Even with an age as old as yours." Zethrid snapped back, her hand remaining on her side as she winced again.

Haggar only smirked and crouched down next to the younger woman. "You are sure a smart one, shame things had to go this way." She said and went to her holster, pulling the gun from it and loading it. She didn't aim it at he girl, rather held the handle towards her. "Just tell me what I want to hear and I'll let you end your life in a much less painful way than I have planned."

Zethrid just gave her a glare, spitting up at the woman in response.

Haggar flinched slightly before she wiped the saliva off, also giving a glare along with a look of annoyance. "Alright then Zethrid. I guess you aren't gonna help me, huh?" She said while wiping her hand on the side of her pants.

Zethrid once again said nothing but kept the stone look ahead. Her skin was sunken and weak, but the fire still raged in her golden eyes.

"It's rather funny. After your father died, I figured you would take his place as one on my soldiers. But you didn't." Haggar said in a darker tone. "Then again, Sendak most likely didn't think his bastard child would turn on her whole camp like this." She said before finally standing. "And for that..."

Zethrid watched her aim the gun towards her forehead. She felt the cold barrel less than an inch away, between her eyes.

"I, Honerva Haggar, charge you with treason against the Galra camp. And hereby sentence you to death." Honerva' voice grew serious, a smirk remaining.

Zethrid then closed her eyes, exhaling one last time before her mind went to her team. She begged for them to survive. She wanted them to be alright. With a small smirk, she looked up at the gun.

She looked death in the eye,
and she smiled.