Vince rummaged through the drugstore, trying to scavenge any worthwhile supplies he could, only finding an energy bar. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Pocketing the bar, Vince stood up as both Layla and Shawn approached...

VINCE: You two find what you were looking for?

SHAWN: (Excitedly) My dad, we found my dad

Vince raised a brow at the morbid implications, then Layla stepped in, chuckling at Vince's reaction before explaining further

LAYLA: We found a recording, and my husband is headed to Savannah. Apparently, he's traveling with a group

VINCE: So we're off to Savannah?

Layla smiled

LAYLA: We're off to Savannah

VINCE: Sounds like a plan. look, this place is starting to give me the creeps, so let's head back to...

Vince stopped mid sentence as what sounded like a helicopter could be heard in the distance. Layla caught Vince's gaze as the former spoke

LAYLA: A helicopter?

VINCE: Could be military

SHAWN: Mom... Vince...

LAYLA: Hmm? What's wrong?

Following where her son was pointing, the woman's blood ran cold. Dozens of walkers began shuffling out from various positions on the street. Near one of the formerly boarded up windows, a skeletal hand of a walker crept onto the window frame, one boney finger at a time

Vince took a couple of steps back as he spoke

VINCE: That sound is waking these things up, Layla, Shawn, we need to move, now!

Walkers began moving down the street in droves. Their blood curdling moans and groans formed into an unsettling cacophony of death as some started stumbling into the store itself in an attempt to follow the loud noise emanating from the helicopter, Layla snatched her son's arm as she followed Vince out of the store and back into the pharmacy...

*SLAM!*

The exit door they'd entered from before slammed open as Vince and the others burst through it. Vince, looking to his left, was met with the very much unwelcome sight of a walker. It tried leaning forward and taking a chunk from the man's flesh...

*BANG!*

But it was stopped as Layla blew its discolored brains out of its head. Once its body hit the ground, multiple walkers marched toward the group as Layla shouted

LAYLA: RUUUUN!

They took off in a dead sprint back the way they came, Vince and Layla shoving and / or killing multiple walkers on the way there...

Meanwhile...

The alleyway was shrouded in an eerie silence, broken only by the distant moans of the undead. Danny sat nervously inside the car, his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. Sweat trickled down his forehead, the weight of his next decision weighing heavily upon him. He glanced at the rearview mirror, his eyes reflecting the fear that consumed him.

DANNY: I-I should have never come here. If we'd have just gone with my Idea, we would be in this situation in the first place

he muttered, his voice trembling. The relentless advance of walkers flooded the narrow alley, their ravenous hunger drawing them closer to the vulnerable vehicle. Danny's heart pounded in his chest as panic threatened to consume him entirely. Suddenly, a voice shattered through the air, piercing the veil of his despair. It was Vince, desperately calling out to him from the distance...

VINCE: Danny, wait! Wait for us! It's not too late!

Danny turned toward the sound of his friends voice, but the sight that greeted him did little in the way of inspiring hope. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, Vince, Layla, and Shawn ran toward him. That however, wasn't what caught his attention, it was the army of the dead that trailed not to far behind them. Varying looks of desperation from his group caused Danny breathe heavily. They were only a few feet away from their only means of escape, but unfortunately for Layla and the other's... it was too late. The overwhelming terror surged within Danny, propelling him to make a fateful decision. With a surge of the engine, he sped away, leaving behind his companions in the desolate alleyway. The sound of the car's tires screeching against the asphalt echoed through the air, mingling with the cries of the undead.

VINCE: N-NO! DANNNNNNNNY!

Vince, Layla, and Shawn watched in disbelief, their hearts sinking as they realized they had been abandoned by someone they considered an ally. Anguish mixed with their fear, as they struggled to comprehend Danny's betrayal, right now however, that was the least of their problems as the dead began closing in

Tears welled up in Danny's eyes, a combination of sorrow and guilt washing over him. He looked into the car's rearview mirror, watching as the horde began pouring into the alleyway. Eventually he made it outside of Macon, now watching as the city became small and smaller. His grip on the steering wheel tightened even further as he cursed his own cowardice...

DANNY: Dear God, I'm so sorry... Please forgive me, Vince

Back with the others...

There was no time for them to dwell on Danny's betrayal. The horde of walkers, drawn by the noise and commotion, closed in on them with relentless determination. Their moans and growls echoed through the narrow alley, an ominous symphony of death. Vince's instincts kicked in, snapping him back to the present. He grabbed Layla's arm, urging her into action...

VINCE: There has to be some way out, start looking!

Layla's heart pounded in her chest as she frantically looked around the Ally for any new means of escape. The all to real possibility of her son dying here plagued the woman's mind. She turned to the ground, maybe there was an entrance to the sewer?

Nothing

Maybe, just maybe they could fight their way through? No, all three exits were blocked off. If they attempted something that stupid, they'd surely be met with the gnashing jaws of death. Or what if?

SHAWN: THERE!

Both Layla and Vince turned to where Shawn was pointing, a ladder connecting to the back wall of building next to them. Quickly the three ran over to it, Layla lifting Shawn up at high as she could to get him to safety. Vince tried putting his newfound anger to good use, dispatching multiple walkers, one after the other to buy the pair time. Once both Layla and Shawn were on the roof, the former peered down at Vince and shouted

LAYLA: VINCE! CLIMB UP! HURRY!

Vince fought off the walkers as Layla urged him to climb up the ladder. Adrenaline surged through his veins, fueling his every move as he swiftly dispatched the approaching undead. With each swing and strike, he created a path for himself to reach the ladder. Finally, seizing the opportunity, Vince dashed towards the ladder, his heart pounding in his chest. The walkers lurched and clawed at him, their decaying hands grazing his body, but he managed to evade their deadly grasp. With a burst of strength, he leaped and grabbed onto the ladder, his muscles straining against the weight of his body. Using every ounce of strength and determination, Vince climbed, his hands gripping the rungs tightly. The sounds of moans and growls echoed below him as the walkers tried in vain to reach him.

SHAWN: HURRY!

The ladder swayed under his weight, but he pressed on, his eyes locked on Layla and Shawn waiting for him on the rooftop. After what felt like an eternity, Vince hoisted himself up onto the roof, collapsing onto the solid surface. Everyone took a few minutes to collect themselves, having nearly avoided a gruesome end.

VINCE: *Huff* *Huff* *Huff*

LAYLA: He left us... he really left us

Shawn walked near the edge of the building, peering out over the rest of the overrun city of Macon. Behind him, Vince stood up and began assessing their situation, Layla watched as Vince walked over to the roof entrance and began fiddling with the door...

LAYLA: Vince?

VINCE: This is all my fault, I trusted him with the car and now we're stranded here, in the middle of Macon. The signs were there this entire time, and I chose not to see them. I thought he was a good guy, this is on me

LAYLA: Bullshit! He made his choice, this isn't on you Vince

He shook his head and laughed

VINCE: No, it is, we all make choices Layla, and so far every single one I've made led me to where I'm standing right now

He turned to Layla as he continued

VINCE: I made a choice, I made a choice and I chose to save Danny when this whole thing started, I chose wrong. I thought I was a good judge of character, turns out I was wrong about that too. So don't tell me this isn't my fault Layla, just help me find a way to help you...

After a few minutes of toying around with the lock, Vince was able to successfully open the door. Now with access into the building, Vince had essentially prevented the three of them from having to sleep in the cold night air. He and Layla made sure to clear the top floor of any walkers, eventually dragging the bodies into their own room. For the time being, the three would be taking refuge in a cheap mixed-use apartment building, situated on the top floor. The bottom floor doubling as a bodega and convenience store, though the only real problem was making their way down there...

Later that night...

LAYLA: Here, try wearing this

Layla held up a small baseball jersey that was just about Shawn's size. It was a blue and white jersey that sported the number twenty-five on the back. Shawn squinted at the article of clothing his mother held before him...

SHAWN: What's wrong with my clothes?

The boy held his arms out as he presented himself to his very much unimpressed mother. Currently Shawn was sporting an outfit that was vaguely similar to his fathers. Choosing to wear a t-shirt underneath a blue button up shirt. Finishing his little get up was a pair of beige colored shorts, a pair of white socks, and his black sneakers. Layla rolled her eyes before explaining to her son exactly why a change in wardrobe was needed

LAYLA: Firstly, you've been wearing the same outfit going on nearly three days now. Secondly you've got walker soaked into your shirt and pants, and lastly... because I say so, now c'mere!

SHAWN: WHA-

Against the boy's protest, Layla would eventually wrestle the child into putting on his new apparel. When the dust settled, Layla stood smiling, victorious over a displeased looking seven-year-old boy. Shawn stood with his arms crossed, muttering to himself...

SHAWN: (Pouting) This doesn't look good on me at all! the Everett swagger just isn't there

LAYLA: The Everett what now?

SHAWN: I'll explain it when you're older

Layla rolled her eyes at her son's goofy behavior...

LAYLA: *Giggle* Yeah, whatever you say little Lee, now where did Vince wander off to?

SHAWN: I say him head up to the roof, he said something about wanting to keep watch

LAYLA: You'll be fine here by yourself for a bit right?

SHAWN: Yup, you can trust me mom, I won't do anything stupid, I promise

Layla nodded, she could tell that this world was already beginning to take hold of her son, causing him to mature far beyond his years. Whether that was a good or bad thing was anyone's guess. However, if Layla had to pinpoint the change in Shawn's overall demeanor, it had to have been what Lee had said previously on the tape recording. Layla closed the apartment door behind her, leaving Shawn to his own devices before heading upstairs to the roof. She opened the door to the roof and was instantly hit by the cool breeze of the night air. She didn't have to search for him too long, since Vince was currently seated on the buildings ledge to her left. Layla could see a trail of smoke wafting into the moonlit sky as Vince took a drag from a cigarette he'd found while scavenging the building earlier

LAYLA: So what's the plan now? kill yourself via cigarettes and come back as a walker?

He laughed softly at the woman's joke before pulling the cigarette from his mouth and looking down at it

VINCE: Honestly, that's not a bad idea. If only I had a whole box of these things. Starting to think the walker version of me would make way better life decisions than I have so far

Layla walked over to Vince, taking a seat near him as they looked over the walker infested city streets. Vince then flicked the cigarette, watching as it bounced off a walker's head, and landed on the ground below...

LAYLA: Can I ask you something?

VINCE: Shoot

LAYLA: Back in Atlanta, when we we're going over our next move, you chose to help me and Shawn, You could have sided with Danny, left us there and been on your way, but you didn't... why? why help someone you don't even know?

VINCE: "You'll never know who the good and bad people are, but you help them as much as you can, and ultimately its them who chooses what type of person they become because of it." at least... that's what my dad used to tell me. It's plain and simple really, I helped you because you needed help.

The two sat in silence for moment before Layla spoke

LAYLA: Nothing you've done up until now makes you a bad person. You made the choices you thought were best, and now you're here, alive. We're here, alive. When most others would have left me and Shawn in the wood to die, you stepped in, I might be a bit biased in saying this but I'd argue that was the right decision. You're a good person Vince, to deny that would mean that my husband is a horrible person. And for the record, your father sounds like wise man. You chose to save Danny, sure, and screw the details, point is, you saved him and he threw that right back in your face. That was HIS choice

Her words actually proved to make Vince feel a bit better. The two sat enjoying the cool breeze before Layla spoke...

LAYLA: I was raped

The words that left her mouth caused a lump to form in Vince's throat as he looked to woman at his side. The tears streaming down her face could be seen as she tried and failed to hold them back. Wiping the tears from her face, Layla continued...

LAYLA: Samson H. Buckingham, that was his name

VINCE: The senator?

She nodded slowly

LAYLA: My husband, Lee. He caught him in the middle of it and...

The implication was enough for Vince to piece together what could have happened next. Layla shook her head in an attempt to control her emotions as she poured her heart out...

LAYLA: Believe it or not, the moment itself wasn't the hardest part, it's what followed that did all the damage. Being put in a box that you never asked to be put in, it's the worst feeling ever. Being called a whore, being shunned by your neighbors, having your own child not talk to you, hating you for months on end *Sniff* H-How Vince? How do you explain, to your seven-year-old CHILD, that you were... *Sniff*

Her face hardened as she wiped away her tears

LAYLA: I couldn't. I couldn't tell him that. So I did what I always do, I tried and push past it, and I still am, because I have to, especially now. Lee is out there, somewhere, all I want right now, more than anything, is to be with him again. Because whenever I stood near him, I felt strong, like I could take on the entire world, but not having him here? makes it feel like I'm standing in the dark, with no flashlight

How Layla was able to put up with all of this alone was a mystery to Vince...

VINCE: I'm going to help you find Lee, no matter how long it takes

LAYLA: You've got family out there too, don't you Vince?

VINCE: A little cousin, grew up right here in Macon actually. His name's Glenn. Probably wishful thinking but maybe our paths will cross one day. He knows his way around, and he's a pretty reliable guy...

LAYLA: Runs in the family?

VINCE *Chuckle* I guess you could say that. Hopefully he's still out there. Anyways, it's getting late, we should probably hit the hay. Once the sun comes up we've got to re-evaluate our options

Layla nodded before standing up and following Vince back to the apartment. Vince took residence on the living room couch as Layla headed toward the bedroom, when she entered, she spotted Shawn fast asleep. Though when she got closer, she also noticed the tears that stained the boy's cheeks as he murmured in his sleep...

SHAWN: (Tiredly) Uncle Bran... don...Grandma... Grandpa...

He stirred a bit before Layla took her spot on the bed, pulling her son in close and placing a kiss on his forehead. Layla rested her head atop Shawn's as he buried his under the crook of her neck. Uncertain of what potential dangers lie ahead, to Layla, it was business as usual, keeping her son safe was her utmost concern...

THREE MONTHS LATER...

On a military encampment settled on the outskirt of Atlanta city Georgia, tensions ran high among the soldiers stationed there. The encampment had become a refuge for survivors, offering protection and a sense of security amidst the chaos of their fallen world. However, supplies were now dwindling, and the constant threat of walkers encroaching upon their territory added to the mounting pressure. The other outpost they'd set up within the cities, courtesy of the national guard, had fallen within mere days of the initial outbreak. Within this volatile environment, a group of soldiers, desperate to secure provisions for their comrades and civilians, devised a risky plan. They would use their helicopters as a primary means of transportation, going on foot or driving proved too dangerous...

SOLDIER #1: Commander, we've combed through the neighboring cities of Athens and Augusta. We lost a few men, but all together, we were able to secure provisions that should last us a few more months

THE COMMANDER: Athens and Augusta? What about Macon?

SOLDIER #1: We're prepared to make a run in that city as well Commander, so far all we've done is a standard sweep. The place is completely overrun...

THE COMMANDER: We can't afford to leave any potential sources of supplies untapped. The situation has only grown more dire, and we need to do whatever it takes to ensure the survival of our people. But remember, safety comes first. I don't want any unnecessary risks taken. The loss of our outpost in Atlanta was a heavy blow, and we can't afford to lose any more lives.

SOLDIER #1: And... if we run into any survivors?

The soldier stood there, awaiting an answer from his superior. The Commander took a deep breath...

THE COMMANDER: We can't afford further infection. If you're to come across any survivors, be they man, woman, or child... lethal force is authorized

SOLDIER #1: I'm sorry sir, but doesn't that seem a bit.. cruel?

The commander turns to his subordinate

COMMANDER: What's your name soldier?

ANTONIO: Antonio Ramirez, sir

THE COMMANDER: Hmm

*Bang!*

Antonio's body then falls to the ground at the man's feet. Smoke wafted from the barrel of the Commanders gun...

THE COMMANDER: There's no such thing as law and order in this world anymore, you call it cruelty? I call it mercy.

The two other soldiers present reeled back in horror as the Commander gave them a menacing glare

THE COMMANDER: The hell are you two dipshits afraid of, huh!? You're soldiers aren't you? what, have you never seen a man lose his life before!? Hurry up and get this useless piece of shit out of my sight before you join him!

Not wanting to end up with a bullet inside their skulls as well, the two did as they were ordered. The commander watched with a hint of disappointment as they carried the corpse out of the tent. He stepped outside and continued watching as they then threw the body over the encampment wall, and into a group of walkers

THE COMMANDER: Such a goddamn waste

A/N: I dunno, Commander seems like a pretty chill guy to me. What's that? You think he might be a piece of shit? yeah, there are a lot of those in this story. Stick around though, see where this goes and how it all plays out. I will see you all in the next one, have fun