These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

56.

To say that Jake was pissed was an understatement. He blew up at Maddie last night, saying that she had no right in making the call to go to the reservation, that she didn't make calls around here. His father does and he was the one who said that Jake was in charge with this. 

The next morning, he packed up the truck full of bottled water and set off for Black Hat again with Ofelia. 

Before she left, she spoke to me and Alicia saying that we could go with her but, of course, being loyal to Maddison and Nick, we had to refuse. 

What we weren't expecting, however, was for Jake to come back to the ranch with a large gash on his forehead - an attempted scalping.

And we were not expecting for Ofelia to be dumped outside of our gate with cuts and bruises. She was now in the infirmary, where I was visiting her and I stood at the bottom of her bed, arms folded over my chest.

"Why did he turn on you?" 

She sighed and sat up on the mattress, "He knows that I was with you before. He...he thinks that I've told you about the reservation. Where the weak spots are."

"Doesn't he trust you?" I asked and she looked up at me, hurt flickering across her eyes. 

"I thought he did. Clearly, I was wrong. What are they going to do with me? Are they going to kill me?" 

"No," Madison said as she came into the medical tent, "If you're going to stay here, you need to pull your weight. You'll be put to work like the rest of us."

"I worked the kitchen at Black Hat."

"Good," the blonde nodded, "That's good. We'll put you in the kitchens. Taylor helps out there sometimes." 

I nodded, "Mostly I just get in the way." 

"Don't worry," Ofelia smiled, "I can teach you a few things. And Madison? I'm sorry I left you at the hotel. I just had to get away." 

Maddie said nothing but gave the woman a nod before leaving the tent. 

"I think that she means she's okay with you being here." 

**

Nick was on perimeter watch tonight and I was staying with Maddie, Alicia and Ofelia since he didn't want me up in our cabin on my own. 

I was watching Alicia mess with around her knife when Ofelia came back from taking coffee up to the Militia and she gave me a weak smile before easing herself down onto the bed that she had picked.

The nights were the worst. We never had anything to do and while being with the two Clark women was good, there was only so much small talk that I could handle. Clearly, there was still some underlying tension within the family. 

I turned in pretty early, turning to face the wall and I fell asleep to the sound of Alicia humming to herself. 

What woke me up, was screaming, something that seemed to happen a lot here but this screaming, I'd never heard one like it since...since my mom died. It wasn't a scream of terror - it was one of agony.

"Mom," Alicia whispered and we looked to see that her mom wasn't in the cabin, "Taylor, Ofelia, let's go!"

"What the hell is going on?" I gaped as we ran out the door, seeing that the ranch was in complete chaos. 

People were running all over the place, things were burning and the sound of the infected was filling the air. 

"Alicia, Taylor!" Maddie was running towards us, "Have you seen Nick?"

"No," we both shook our heads, "Do you know what's happened?" 

"Some of the guards," she panted, "They've turned." 

"What?" Alicia demanded, "How?" 

"I don't know, Alicia," she muttered, "Just try and find him and then come get me." 

We nodded and split up, her going one way while the two of us went the other. 

"He could be anywhere!" Alicia yelled but I shook my head. 

"No. He was over on the West side of the perimeter. If he's on his way, he'll be coming from there." 

The two of us ran in that direction and as we got closer to the gate, I could see two figures heading our way, one of which was Nick. 

"Taylor, look out!" Alicia called, pointing of the turned guards to me but I quickly put it down, reaching to pick up his gun which was by his side. 

I didn't know how to use it but if needed, I was going to give it a good shot. 

"Taylor!" Nick called, breathing heavily as he reached us "Alicia." 

The two of us let him check us over, a kiss being pressed to both of our foreheads before he was pulling us back into the chaos. 

"How did this happen?" I asked, looking at the many bodies that were scattered around us. 

"Nick!" 

Maddie had rejoined us and our group of four looked around helplessly. 

What were we supposed to do?

"Wait," I breathed, tugging on Nick's arm, "Where's Ofelia? She was...Alicia, did she follow us?"

She either didn't hear me or was ignoring me so I didn't get a reply from her but I did get one from Nick, who called the woman's name. 

"Ofelia!" he waved her over as she emerged from the bunkhouse, "Ofelia, over here!" 

She took one look at us before heading in the opposite direction.

"Where is she going?" 

"Shit," Nick breathed and he started to follow her, "It was her." 

"What?" both Alicia and I asked, "What's going on?" 

"She's put something in the coffee," he mumbled, "It was her. We gotta sto-ah!" 

He doubled over, falling down onto the grass and the three of us quickly surrounded him as he started groaning in pain. 

"Nick," I whispered, kneeling down beside him while Maddie and Alicia spoke quietly, "Hey, what's wrong? Wha-"

I was cut off by him throwing up onto the grass beside us before he was rolling over and clutching his stomach. 

"Stay with him!" Maddie instructed, "Get him to the medical tent. I'll deal with Ofelia." 

"Okay," Alicia nodded and I let out another quiet whimper when Nick gripped my hand tightly as his body began convulsing and I felt her hand come to rest on my shoulder, "Come on. Let's get him some help."