The Lone Survivor

Altercation

As Max pulls into the camp, others watch as he's the only one to exit the car. "Where are the others?" Cameron asks. Max shuts the door and approaches the RV, ignoring Cameron's question. He stops. "Charlie's dead." Max replies. The women gasp and the men stand there shocked. "What do you mean?" A woman asks. "We were in the pharmacy, scavenging medicine to bring back home. Jaxxson caused this! He made so much noise that drew the dead on us! The dead came inside from the front and the back. He shot Charlie in the back of the head and left me to fend for myself!" Everyone starts at him. They hear a motorcycle in the distance and turn their heads to wait for Jaxxson pull in. He does so and turns the bike off and kicks the stand, making the bike lean on it. "Well, there's the killer!" Max yells with his arms wide open. Jaxxson approaches him with hostility. "You gonna kill more of us, too?" Max questions. Jaxxson delivers a hard right hook to Max, causing him to fall down on the dirt and gravel below. "Look at this!" Max yells. "Attacking me to finish his dirty deed!" Max sits up and Jaxxson throws another hard punch, making his head shift violently. Jaxxson grabs Max's shirt to sit him up. "You lying sack of shit!" He yells. Everyone stares as they cannot believe what's happening. "YOU were scared and shoved Charlie in that pack of biters! You fled afterwards to save your life, you pathetic piece of shit!" Everyone stares at Max as another hard punch was delivered to Max as he falls back again. Jaxxson sits him up violently. "Go ahead! Do it!" Max yells. Jaxxson grits his teeth with his right hand clenched, ready to strike again. Jaxxson loosens his grip on Max's shirt and removes himself off of Max. Jaxxson walks away as Max sits up and laughs. "That's all you got? You ain't shit!" He calls out from behind. Jaxxson stops and shifts his head to look at Max, who's just now on his feet. Jaxxson faces North and continues to walk to his bike. "Don't you dare walk away from me!" Max yells from behind while drawing his pistol. Jaxxson heard the click of the gun and turns around, approaching Max. "Max, no!" Ariana calls out. "I have to do this! He's gonna get us all killed!" Max exclaims. "Ever since he got here, he's helped us! Fed us when we needed food! Don't do this." Cameron pleads. "This is what Charlie would've wanted-" "Don't you dare speak his name." Jaxxson cuts in. "Fuck you!" Max yells. "Max, all this yelling is just going to attract the dead over here. Calm down." A man steps in. "You just don't get it.." Max says quietly, lowering the gun. "Give me the gun, son." Cameron slowly approaches behind Max. "I'm trying to protect all of you!" Max yells raising his gun, causing Cameron to jump back and make everyone scared. "Pointing a gun at your own people isn't protecting." Jaxxson responds. "What do YOU know about people?! You were always on your own during this!" Max yells pointing the gun at Jaxxson. Jaxxson stares at him with hatred. "I'm saving everyone by me pulling the trigger and killing you." Max replies. Jaxxson steps forward and holds the gun to his forehead. "You don't have the fucking guts." Jaxxson growls. Max places his thumb on the hammer and forces it down, loading a bullet into the chamber. He stands there shaking but gritting his teeth. Jaxxson stares at him and refuses to break contact. "You wanna save your people, right? Pull. The. Damn. Trigger." Jaxxson responds with annoyance. Max shakes as he screams, backing away and losing his grip on the gun. Jaxxson holds the gun and tosses it on the ground, approaching Max. He places his hand on his handle of the knife and inserts the knife into Max's chin, causing the blade to be seen in his mouth as it makes contact with the brain. He stands there and gargles as he reaches out to Jaxxson. "That's for Charlie." He replies as he pulls the knife out of his chin. Everyone stares at him with fear in their eyes. He turns around and notices the expressions on their faces. "What?" He questions. Everyone backs up, scared that Jaxxson will kill them. Jaxxson chuckles and sheathes his knife. "I'm not gonna kill any of you. You can relax." Jaxxson assures but they don't listen. Jaxxson nods and approaches his bike, placing himself on the seat. He inserts the keys in the ignition and starts it up, twisting the throttle twice and backs up. Before he can take off, Ariana approaches behind him and places her hand on his shoulder. "Where are you going?" She asks. "You heard what Max said. I was always on my own during this. Besides, I got my cousins to look out for." Jaxxson answers. Ariana gives him a kiss on his cheek, as she feels his facial hair touch her lips. She pulls away and gets closer to his ear. "Please be safe." She whispers. Jaxxson nods. "You too." He replies. Ariana removes her hand off of his shoulder and backs away and watches as Jaxxson leaves the quarry.