𝙰𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝙾𝚏 𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚢 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚝𝚝𝚘 𐂃

Chapter 13

Last chapter reveal. Spoilers for TWD season 1 episode 5. I'll have an explanation for why Cristine has it, but this is the only chapter it will make its appearance in. I just wanted to have the same parallels in TWD and FTWD season 1. 

Tilting his brows with both suspicion and curiosity, Troy watched James his eldest daughter calmly converse with his father and Jake. After the whole debacle with the sick Cameron, people were worried and looked to their family for guidance, especially to big Otto, who owned the place.

The only one not currently present was the woman's father, still recovering from his hangover, Troy inwardly mused. He had to shake his head at the thought of old men who could not hold their liquor and allow themselves to loose control of themselves.

The straightforward and honest answer of the curly haired, young woman sounded across the room. "I can only explain how the infection spreads after a bite. No one knows where it came from... as far as I know the last hope is the CDC in Washington, if they haven't fallen yet."

Leaning against the wall with on foot up, his gaze locked onto the girl as he studied her. "So what you're saying is that a cure is close to zero at this point." Troy more so stated than asked to satiate his own morbid curiosity.

She briefly looked at him, dismayed, before addressing his father and Jake. "Like I said, I can only share what my mentor did and government procedures would be in case of a pandemic." Retelling the story out loud made Cristine realize that she knew nothing at all. Every passing day just a reconfirming that this was the new world now. But she'd go through with this bluff as her safety depended on it.

Jeremiah brought his hands together on his wooden desk and calmly commented, "after Cameron, people are afraid and angry. We need to calm them down instead of making them walk on their toes."

Cristine flattened her lips to suppress a scowl erupting. As if this old cowboy was still mildly blaming her for the things that happened. Would it be too much to ask to be consistency in his decisions?

"I agree." She mocked, "that's why I'm sharing all this."

"What my father means Cristine," the oldest Otto son, Jake, stepped in the conversation. He was more amiable than all these people here and Cristine saw him purposely take a more relaxed posture. "Is that we definitely believe you, but it's created scepticism with the some of the people here and they've come up with crazy conspiracy theories."

Cristine didn't know whether to laugh, cry, scoff or do all at once. She looked at Jake then zeroed her gaze in on the man in charge and shook her head. "If people want me to leave, I can. I hear one of your outposts isn't occupied." Her tone was clipped and decisive and met the wary stare of Jeremiah head on, addressing him as the one making these decisions. "All I ask is for my stuff and I'll be on my way."

"You'd leave your family behind?" A frown settled between the elderly man, a silent judgment to her certain and clear acceptance of the undecided decision. He'd admit, she was sharp and saw reason fairly quick. "James wouldn't be hap-"

"That's between me and my father. I only knew about this place because of letters between you and him. It was a gamble and I don't usually gamble. Look where that brought me now." For her father and sister, she gambled and it was still hell. Cristine smiled – well, as close to one as she could manage to fake.

"I want to show you one last thing, since you have electricity and all. Maybe it'll help your people understand and see the light. It's pretty much useless at this point." Cristine glanced at Jake and the brunette clearly wanted to protest in her stead, but ultimately didn't because of her steadfastness.