The Ruins Part 2 (Sequel to The Ruins)

Chapter 4

Mal was at home in the Ruins. She loved the woods, even as night came cascading down to turn green world into an almost impenetrable black gloom, especially being up in the trees to see many miles away.

She walked lightly, ducking under branches, leaping small gullies. The deer track they were fast, but it left behind distinct striations in the dirt and moss. Mal smiled when she saw it.

The forest was growing quiet, and with her humming a song called Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple. Negan made her listen very interesting music that Mal fell in love, rock and roll, and many songs he listened. She moved faster as she could go silently. It was a tracker's trick: Never make more noise than what you're tracking.

Crack.

There was a sound, soft and close, and within three steps Mal slipped into the shadows between two elms bushes. She listened. Sound was deceptive. Without a second noise it was often difficult to reliably determine from which direction the sound had come. Ahead and to the left? Off the trail?

A rustle. Definitely to the left. Mal peered through the gloom. The second sound had been like a foot moving through stuff bush. A long pause, and then a low groan.

Mal was determined to be an Infected. Judging from the shuffling now coming closer to her left it has to be. She gets up to see a lone Infected, hair mangled in twines and twigs, mouth covered in fresh blood from its feast. As she goes up to the Infected with her machete in her hand, a high-pitched hackle and one turn to the direction the enormous figure lands on top of her.

The Runner just missed as she fell on the ground, and the Runner was pulled off the side. Then the silence was back as Mal laid there when a dark figure emerged on top of her. From the the bat wrapped in chains pointing at her she sighed.

"Well, well, well," called the familiar man. "If it isn't my favorite serial killer."

Mal pushed the bat away from her face. "Hello to you, Negan."

He knelt over as she takes his hand and pulls her up. She shies away her look from the shit-eating smirk of Negan's.

"Got some interesting shit," he concluded. "We've finally found those Shakespearian fuckers for some time. Had information from the Bounty Hunter about the Claimers but still looking."

"Where?" She prompted, wanting to know everything.

"The Shakespearians are living up at Colorndo College which leads to a small town up in the lake. Far away trip but we've got enough gas, shovels and chains and trucks in case of getting stuck in the white shit. It's starting to snow which it's perfect ambush to pull out dicks out. Will be starting to plan out what to attack at."

"How many are there?"

"From all count about thirty of them. Not a lot for a ass-garbage group." He then was about to touch Mal's arm but backed off from what her reaction was.

He cleared his throat. "So, how you've been doing?"

She shrugs. "If we know where they are we should head tomorrow at the Shakespearians then in the next few days rally up our group an head over to the Claimers."

"Mal, I do like your enthusiasm. I'm just saying. The Claimers move around since they were here. That's a long fucking time for shit to happen and find a spot."

Mal nodded like she'd already thought of that. "Yeah, it is. It's also a long time for people to fortify a place." She looked up at Negan, their eyes meeting. "Look, I know it's a long shot. I'm not saying I'm setting my hopes too high that this place is still intact. But we don't have another lead, and we need to take all of them down once and for all."