The Rocking Dead: A New Beginning

Chapter 19: The Whisperers

Tom's POV: Once we arrived at the Hilltop we started snooping around to catch up on what's happening. Aaron told us he and some others have to go find Eugene. He and Rosita went out a few days ago and only she came back, said something about him hiding in a barn. Blackie, Eric, Nikki, Vince and I are gonna go with Aaron and Daryl to find him. We need as many eyes out there as possible. We all rode out on horses, except for Daryl. He always goes on his motorcycle. Eric sat behind me as we galloped along.

"So how's your memory coming along?" He asked, "I haven't asked you about it in a few years."

"It's mostly back now." I answered.

"Mostly?" Eric asked. I sighed.

"I still can't remember how we got together." I explained, "It's the only thing I can't remember. No matter what I try, no matter what you do to jog it, I just can't remember it." Eric was quiet.

"I can tell you." He said.

"No. I've gotta try to figure this out myself." I said.

"Tom, it's been six years and you still can't remember it." Eric said, "At this point you're not going to unless I tell you. And I don't want you to forget it."

"No Eric! I can figure this out in my own at some point!" I sternly said, making Blackie look back at us, "Something will jog my memory eventually. It's just a matter of time." Even though I can't see him I know Eric is shaking his head.
•
We finally found Eugene hiding in the barn. It's dark out, foggy, and raining. Not a good sign. He keeps babbling on about how the walkers are following. At first we thought he was paranoid, but after hanging out in the barn for a while longer, we kept seeing the same horde he saw returning. I swear to god I heard them speak too. He seems to think they're evolving. I just think it's a big coincidence.

"We gotta go." Daryl said. He and Aaron helped Eugene up and we all ran out, working on avoiding the horde of walkers. They worked on distracting the walkers while the rest of us made a break for it. We all eventually met up at a graveyard, but the horde followed us.

"Get Eugene outta here. We'll hold them off." I said. Daryl and Aaron worked on getting Eugene over the fence while the rockstars and I fended off the walkers. A few were getting by us and making their way towards those three. Every time I looked back they were struggling. Daryl kept killing the stray walkers while Aaron tried to get Eugene out. It's clearly not working and my nerves shot up.

"We're gonna have to start shooting soon." I said, stabbing another walker.

"Not yet. When we get rid of more we can." Blackie said.

"There's too many!" Vince yelled.

Clanging at the gate behind us caught my attention. When I looked back, I saw Michonne and Magna's group were there, attempting to get the gate open from the other side. Once they got it, Eugene, Daryl, and Aaron ran through.

"Go! This way!" I exclaimed, quickly grabbing Eric's wrist and dragging him with me. Blackie helped thin the horde a bit more before following suit. Nikki came after. Vince was still trying to get rid of walkers. Each move he pulled to kill them was mesmerizing, I must admit. He jumped off ones chest to stab the one behind him.

"Vince! Come on!" Nikki yelled. Vince started making his way towards us, stabbing one walker in his path. As he went to stab another, the walker quickly ducked out of the way. Suddenly, the stabbed Vince in the back. My jaw immediately dropped and my eyes widened as the knife pierced through the front of Vince's chest. He stood there, gasping for air.

"You are where you do not belong." I heard the walker say. He pulled the knife out before Vince dropped to the ground, lifeless.

"NO!" Nikki screamed. We all ran in, only to be ambushed by walkers wielding weapons. Nikki quickly went and killed the one that killed Vince. We fought off the rest of the ambushing walkers.

Nikki collapsed next to Vince's body, crying. He's gone. We've lost another rockstar. I couldn't get anything out as I just stared at Vince's lifeless corpse. Daryl started tugging at the face of the walker who killed Vince. After cutting some strings in the back, he pulled off the face, only to reveal a dead human underneath. Lightning and thunder struck just at that moment, all of us staring in disbelief.

"No. No! I thought I was done with this shit!" I said, gripping my hair.

"What's the matter?" Eric asked.

"My fucking dream. I thought I was done with it!" I exclaimed. "The Whisperers. It's them."

"The Whisperers?" Daryl asked.

"These people. They were walker masks." I said, "That's—that's all I can remember right now."

These people are bad. This is not what we need. Not now, not ever...