the glass and he
sank down to the floor, his back aching so badly as he rolled over
onto his left side. Charles wiped the blood from his nose where Alex
had hit him and he looked at Trevor,” zip tie him too.”
Charles grabbed Avery’s arms while Trevor zip tied Alex’s
wrists now and stood him up. Charles grabbed Alex and shoved Avery
aside, Trevor once again grabbing her arms before she fell over the
coffee table and they watched Charles hit Alex a few times in the
face and then in the ribcage. He watched the young guy double over in
pain and coughing. He picked up his gun while Trevor picked up his
gun and stars.
"You
know you're messing with the wrong group here,” Charles said to
Alex then looked at Avery before they moved out of the building and
went back down the stairs and out into the alley where they saw the
two vehicles still awaiting their arrival. Charles threw Alex inside
the truck while Avery was shoved into the back of the Dodge and both
vehicles left.
Alex,
finally catching his breath, looked out the window then at the two
guys in the front. "Where's our friends at?" Alex asked.
"Why do you have their car?"
"They're
safe and sound, just like the two of you will be here soon," the
guy looked around, seeing the undead in the distance down the street
ahead.
"I
wanted us to ride in the same vehicle if we're going anywhere with
you."
"Look,”
the guy began, looking back at him,” stop worrying, alright.
She’ll be safe with them. Besides, you and she seem to be
putting up a fight like your friends had. Don't need the both of you
teaming up." The guy turned back to look out the front
windshield, Jeff staring ahead, driving them to their hideout.
Charles wiped his nose again to see if it was still bleeding.
Avery
remained silent in the Dodge, still feeling a little weak, but a bit
relaxed after the issues back in the apartment room. Deep down, she
felt thankful for all that ending. She stared out the window and
listened to their plans.
"What
do you think," Nick said to Trevor," think Charles is gonna
kill them?" Trevor was just finishing wrapping his forearm in
gauze where the knife had stabbed him. Finishing up, he glanced at
Nick and questioned in his mind as to why Nick always asks that
question when the response is obvious.
"I
don't know," Trevor responded, looking out the window now.
“I
hope not,” Nick blurted and puffed on the cigarette,” I
know he’s our leader and everything, but we could use the extra
help when we do those supply runs. We need more people to help us. We
even almost lost three people yesterday.”
“It’s
Charles’ job to make the calls,” Trevor said,” so
just let that go. If we die, then we die. He doesn't care and neither
should we.” Avery looked at the two guys and tried holding her
breath each time the cigarette smoke escaped into the back seat. The
car ride began to remind her of the ride earlier that day and she
could picture it now. Keith driving, smoking the Marlboro cigarette,
blowing the smoke out the window but the force of the wind outside
making the smoke join her in the backseat. Alex sitting in the
passenger seat in the front, talking with a bit of order in his tone
while speaking of the plans. Sitting behind Alex was Holly, staring
ahead and off and on talking to the others. Jenny seated in the
middle, only speaking when she felt like it, most of the time she was
messing with that glittered lip gloss she apparently took from a
store. Avery saw no point in fixing yourself up when most of the
world was dead either. Avery inhaled, trying not to smell the smoke
that came into the back seat and she found herself speaking before
thinking.
“…
Since when do you smoke?” Nick and Trevor both ceased their
conversation and they glanced back at her. Nick frowned, still
smoking the cigarette while Trevor looked at her.
“What?”
He asked her, wondering why she said that. Avery looked to her left
and before her eyes, Holly and Jenny vanished like a