Don't Be Scared

S2 E3 : 🛑 ZR 🛑 (Ch. 152)

10K knew that it was a fake smile compared to her real smile. He wasn't dumb like Murphy; he knew that she had the prettiest fake smile he had ever seen.

Her real smile showed the teeth behind her canine and some of the bottom row.

Her real smile showed the world how childish she was on the inside, but how tough of a front she could put up on the outside. Her real smile was the reason he decided to stay with this group, rather than taking off once he got where he wanted.

(Y/N) came around to the other, free side of 10K and leaned against the side of the trailer like Doc was doing. 

• (Y/N)'s P.O.V •

"Leader's name is Sam Cluster. Wrecking Ball is his nephew, so try to play nice since we may be heading to Edmonton with them."

"What's there?"

"Cold and a sanctuary, I think."

"Zs don't like the cold." 10K and I said the fact in sync, making us both turn and look at the other in the eyes. 

I smiled up at him while he gave me a small one in return. Hey, at least we're getting somewhere with each other. It's no longer me smiling at him, and him glaring at me. 

"Is there anywhere else you can go?" I heard Murphy's grumpy voice, which broke me from eye contact with 10K.

On my left, the cure of the Z-virus sat on the other side of one of the rig's side tires. 

"Take the damn water." I barked the order, loud and clear for Murphy to obey. 

You can't ask him sweetly. With reluctance and rolling his light blue eyes, he took the damn water like a good guest would do. I rolled my eyes at his turtle actions, not caring if he actually got his pride ruined by me. 

As soon as the water was grabbed, Wrecking Ball took the soft growl Murphy released as the ticket to leave the tense air between us. It's suffocating, don't get me wrong. Maybe I need an apology from Murphy, like an actual apology.

Not one of those half-assed ones. I focused my attention on the dirt path, thinking about if Murphy would actually give me what I need.

"10K, (Y/N)!"

I lifted my head up at the call of my name and 10K's. Warren stood in the center of the little camp, waving her hands towards her. Listening to our leader, 10K and I made our way over to the little herd Warren had formed with Addy and Vasquez included. 

Of course, Warren stood attention in front of us all with her arms crossed over her large bust. The bumps of fat had yet to make her look any thing other than feminine. If anything, they made her look powerful. 

"Kill'em all and take their stuff; I already know what you think." Warren looked directly at Vasquez whenever she spoke about the wrong plan.

It was never going to happen; I wouldn't let that shit fly if she did. We don't play our cards like that. 

"We've got strength in numbers. We've got food, water and shelter." Addy refused to let Vasquez keep the mindset that we didn't need to join a group this big for at least a while. 

He needs to start thinking more like a missionary than a mercenary. 

"And it certainly beats walking." I added into her pros for staying with this group. 

I doubt I could handle walking the rest of the way to California. 

"But," Addy stopped me from adding any more pros of staying with them, "the sick; I highly doubt they're gonna make it to wherever it is that they're going."

Addy must've been in the back, investigating the conditions of the sick. I'm surprise Doc didn't want to take a peep--maybe he just didn't want to get sick from looking at any blood or vomit on them.

"Edmonton." I answered her 'where', even though she didn't ask for it. 

"That medical wagon is a zombie bomb waiting to go off."

Before we could talk more about the cons and pros of this little community, Sam walked over to us.

"We need to get that SUV out of the rig's road so we can continue forward." 

I bet fifty percent of their man power are stuck in the sick wagon. 

"10K," Warren tipped her head wards our sniper, "and Vasquez will help you with that."

I don't know how Vasquez felt about being volunteered to a group he didn't even want to be involved with in the first place, but he showed no objection in front of Warren.

I wonder if he's scared of that 'Warren look' like everyone else. 

"I'll go watch their backs." I offered my own life to make sure 10K was one of the ones to come back into these poorly made walls. 

I've got to watch his back; no matter what. 

"We appreciate it. Two of our strongest are waiting for you by the truck's front." Sam smiled softly at the newbies of his group, wrinkles becoming more prominent than before.

He's seen too much in his years of living. I wonder how long he has until he has a nervous breakdown.

Vasquez, 10K and I made our way over to the wall made by bodies of the community, seeing a tall, muscular black man standing beside a shorter white male. 

The white man was sitting in one of the vehicles resting on the trailer, eavesdropping on everyone's conversation. They did small talk among themselves until we arrived at the destination ordered by Sam. 

"Are we ready?" I asked, smiling at the new partners we were about to make. 

"Did Sam say you could go outside the wall, little one?"

Instead of me protecting my young face and dignity, it was Vasquez that got in front of me and disregarded the insult--with gun in hand, "Sam has no power over her; she does as she pleases since she's not with your little group."

10K's shoulders tensed and he took a step closer to my side, taking precautions in case the men tried to start something out of nothing. These men are big, but I don't think they're dumb enough to start something with Sam's new guests. 

I can do as I please as long as Warren and 10K permit it, anyway.

The five-feet and, at least, nine inches white male dropped his small smile he had plastered on his pale face and walked out of the gates with nothing more to insult with.

The six-feet and something inches black man followed behind his smaller friend. It took us a total of five-minutes to cool down the fire burning on the inside of the vehicle and a total of two-minutes to flip the car in the right position. 

The men pushed it off to the ditch so the semi and other vehicle driver's would have enough room to go beside the wreckage. The two guys and Vasquez walked ahead of 10K and I as we took our sweet time to go back inside the wall.

"Look."

I looked up at 10K's face before following his eyes to the entrance of our new on-the-road friends. Cassandra was squatted down in front of the rig's grill, her eyes never leaving our forms. 

"Why is she being like this?" I questioned any motive she had to staying so close to us.

Why isn't she at Murphy's side?

"I don't know, but you need to be careful around her for now on."

|| I promise I'll never leave your side, you've got me forever ||