10k sat up front with you as you drove. Doc lay sleeping behind the two of you and Sarge was perched on the edge of the doorway, looking over the horizon for z's. you inhaled deeply and smiled.
"Smell that?! Sweet fresh air! Not a whiff of a apocalypse!" You grinned and glanced over at 10k.
"Must mean we're getting close!" He fought to hold back an excited smile. "Also you sounded a lot like Doc just then" He laughed and you feigned mock offence.
"It's gotta be too cold up here for the z's" You stated shivering slightly. Then 10k pointed out the front window.
"Over there" he said squinting.
"Yeah! I see it!" You bubbled with excited anticipation, and then you saw it properly at the same time 10k's face fell.
"Is that it?" he questioned. Doc had woken up during your conversation and sat up looking as well.
"It's smaller than I expected" He put his shades on as you drove off to the side of the road. It was a small beaten up trailer and truck parked underneath an old billboard that had 'Newmerica' painted on it. You drove to a stop and saw there were two guys sitting outside the trailer on lawn chairs. Doc and Sarge got out first, followed by you and 10k. "Everybody stay out until we check this out" Doc called to the remaining people in the truck. Although they all began getting out anyway. The three of you, Doc, 10k and yourself walked over to the two men in the lawn chairs. Sarge stayed with the truck and the others. As we approached the man on our right pulled something out of his pocket and fed it to the guy on our left.
"Greeting's strangers" The feeder said as the other man munched whatever it was he was fed.
"Peace brother" Doc responded as her dramatically removed his shades and looked around "So, is this Newmerica?"
"Not yet" The feeder said bluntly.
"What do you mean not yet?" You questioned.
"We ain't voted yet..." The man answered.
"Who's we?" 10k asked, he had a suspicious look on face like he wasn't about to believe anything this guy would tell us.
"Anybody still alive and talking..." The man said with a smirk on his face, the other man grinned.
"Well what are you voting for?" Doc questioned.
"Our lives..." The man answered. "Just got here huh? Looks like you've been on the road for a while"
"The whole damn apocalypse" Doc said with cheery tone to his voice.
"BRAAAAAAINS" We heard Mrs McGillicuddy yell as she went running towards one of the women in our group. Sarge managed to grab her, but struggled to wrestle to old lady off the other woman. Mrs McGillicuddy continued to yell as she dug her fingernails into the woman's hair. 10k seized his rifle and he, Doc and you ran to help Sarge. You and 10k seized Mrs McGillicuddy under her arms and restrained her, she continued to snarl and growl and try to wriggle free. Doc and Sarge pulled the other woman away out of the crazy old lady's reach.
"Mrs McGillicuddy! Calm down! What the hell is wrong with you!!" You yelled in frustration, struggling to keep hold of her. The two men in the lawn chairs stood up now and were watching us.
"Look's like somebody didn't get their bizcuits!" The talkative one jeered.
"Bizcuits?!" Doc questioned. Then another person went feral the man ran at quiet guy from the lawn chairs and the talkative one beat him over the head with some kind of blunt object.
"Hey man! Don't him!" Doc protested, then another turned as well running at the talkative guy. He pulled a gun out and aimed at the woman.
"No!" You yelled, trying to stop him, but then his arm was pushed into the air by one person as another person tackled the crazy woman. I sighed relieved. The person who had pushed the mans arm up took his gun from him, she was a tall intimidating woman with shot black hair that was long on top, she wore a white top, black jeans, black boots and a long black leather coat that pushed above her elbows. She clicked her fingers at Mrs McGillicuddy to get her attention then beckoned for her attention. The woman reached into a small pouch on her belt and pulled something out. She approached Mrs McGillicuddy and put something in her mouth. Mrs McGillicuddy ate it greedily. The woman shushed her and held her face in her hand. Then she looked at 10k and then to you.
"You can let her go now" She smiled at us. We slowly released Mrs McGillicuddy's arms as she started to cry then she fell forward and hugged the woman. The woman hugged her back, soothing her. "It's alright" 10k looked at me with a look of disgusted disbelievement? Mrs McGillicuddy's son came forward and took his mother from the woman. "How long has she been dead?" She asked. We all looked at her blankly.
"Dead? We just thought she was sick?" Doc said, confused. "She's talking!"
"No, she's dead" The woman said as if it was normal. "So are those two..." She gestured to the other two people who had gone feral. They were greedily eating something the man who had tackled them had given them. That was tall and built solid, with military khakis and boots on, however he also sported a Hawaiian shirt and aviator sunglasses. "They're talkers"
"Talkers?" Doc said dumbfounded, he looked at you and then to 10k.
"Since the black rain people don't just die and turn like before. Their bodies are dead but their souls remain conscious." She looked over her shoulder at the man with the Hawaiian shirt. "The dead don't just walk... now they talk..."
