The Enemy

[5] Tunnels

Chapter song\\ Birdy - Skinny Love (Vanic remix)

"Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer"

AN: you may have heard this song on video edits on vine or Instagram

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     The truck was dead. Eugene killed it. We were on foot now, instead of walking along the roads, Abraham found a short cut on the map, we were going along the railway tracks. I had to keep my eyes on my feet, knowing my luck, I would trip over one of the tracks and bleed to death.

     The sun glittered off something silver beneath my feet, I picked it up and placed an old bottle cap in the palm of my hand. I studied it, trying to figure out what drink it was from: Coca-cola? Pepsi? Tango? But the writing was all faded and marked with dirt.

"Oh, hell, yeah," Eugene's voice sounded right over my shoulder, his voice was unexpected and cause me to jump out of my skin, "score. A few more of those, a little aluminum foil and some bleach, you got yourself some volts, sister," he had to make himself clearer as I didn't understand what he meant, "Homemade battery."

"Here," I said, tossing him the bottle cap.

"For reals? You don't want it?" He asked surprised as to why I wouldn't want an old dirty bottle cap.

"For reals, you clearly want it more. I wouldn't know how to make a battery anyway."

"Much obliged."

I slowed down my pace to match Glenn's. He dawdled behind everyone.

"Hey," I greeted, "I found this, I meant to give it to you earlier, but everything's been so hectic," I swiped a small Polaroid photograph from my pocket and handed it to him. His hardened face softened as he gazed into the photo, wishing it was real, "it must've fallen out while you and Abe were playing in the dirt."

"Thank you," he breathed, wiping his teary eyes.

"You're welcome."

"Not just for this," he held up the photo, "thank you for coming with me to find her, thank you for helping me."

"It's the least I could do," memories of the prison flashed throughout my mind. The pictures of biters overrunning it, fire consuming it.

"You were on the other side of the gate," he started, "but you didn't want to be there," he paused before continuing, " do you mind if I ask you some questions? Just three," he smiled to himself, most likely remembering something. An inside joke.

"Uh, sure," I hesitated.

"It was a thing my group used to do before we recruited new people. Firstly, how many walkers have you killed?"

"Too many to count," I killed walkers everyday, it was second nature to me now, like riding a bike, or driving a car.

"How many people have you killed?"

"None."

"Why?"

"Because walkers are the enemy and if I kill someone, then I'd lose my humanity. And my humanity is the only thing I have left," I answered truthfully.