Curls (10K fanfic) Z Nation

Chapter Two: Stories

I'd been with Murphy and the others for about a week now and I've learned to appreciate as admire each and every one of these people to a certain extent. Murphy didn't show much of a liking to me, but being the sarcastic little rebel that I often was, he would snicker or occasionally even show a slight smile at my comments. I must admit, his sass was a situation brightener.

Cassandra was healing now, the infection slowly dying away and the color in her cheeks returning to her. I noticed that 10K was the one who tended to her wounds most often and I couldn't help but wonder if they were together.

One day, while Roberta (Warren) was making some lunch for the group, with my assistance, of course, she noticed me watching Cassandra and 10K interacting.

"Something special to be lookin' at or..?" she inquired with a smirk.

"What?" I looked up suddenly.

"You seem a little more than interested in Adam and Eve over there." Roberta spoke with assumption washed over her tone.

"I can't help but think they're gonna get together." I told her simply. "It makes sense, but 10K doesn't really seem like the type to get attached." I shrugged.

"I don't think that'll happen." Roberta said honestly.

"Why not?"

"Because like you said, 10K isn't one to get attached- unless it's to a sniper rifle. He's not exactly the most romantic boy in the world, either." she explained. "Plus Cassandra is 8 years older than him. And she tends to go for guys 8 years older than her. Doesn't add up."

"It sounds like you're trying to reassure me." I raised an eyebrow.

"I'll leave what you think about it up to you." is all she answered.
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Dinner time rolled around and Roberta had us all sit around the cookfire and eat together. Murphy sat in the passenger seat of the van, however, and glared at us as he ate.

"So Dory," Doc started through a mouthful of chilly. "What brings ya'round here?"

"Oh, I'm not local. I grew up in California." I told them.

"That explains your sweatshirt." 10K cut in. I looked down at my brother's old college sweater. "Sac state."

"Yeah. My brother attended that school." I continued quietly.

"How come you didn't go?" Cassandra asked.

"Because I was only fourteen when this all started." I stated.

"Did you have a group before?" Roberta now spoke.

"No." I looked down, my eyes watching the low flames of the fire dance around allusively. "My brother took care of me until 2 A.Z. But then we had a run in with a group of whackos and they shot him."

"Did he turn?" Doc asked excitedly.

"Doc," Roberta warned. "Don't be so rude!"

"It's okay." I assured her. "And yeah, he turned. And they chained him to the wall as a dead one and threw me in the room with him as punishment for not agreeing to be their leader's little servant." I sighed. "But after a week of the torment, he broke off the chain. Now, up until that point I hadn't killed any Z's. He always protected me from them. But I didn't have a choice, did I?" I smiled slightly, the kind of sad smile that was so common nowadays. "There was a metal shelf in the room attached to the wall. It took some prying, but I managed to pull it off." I didn't continue. Everyone was silent, knowing that I had to brutally beat my own brother to death with a shelf in order to save myself.

"I'm sorry." 10K was the first to speak. "Nobody should have to go through that."

"We all go through a lot of things nobody should have to. It happens." I shrugged.