User blog:Joeaikman/Wiki: Apocalypse - Chapter 22 - Making a Murderer

Sarah and Hacks march Neil, Jack and John into the town square. Justin is already stood there, waiting for them. He has an apple in his right hand, making him look like an asshole. Cam is by his side. Sarah and Hacks force the three prisoners to their knees. Neil tries to reach out and touch John, who is crying. Cam stamps down on his hand.

Justin: I fucking told you, Neil. what did I fucking tell you? I fucking told you to behave and you would get your kids back. Imagine my fucking surprise when my buddy Cam here told me that you were trying to escape. Are you fucking imagining it?

Neil: No.

Justin: Fuking good, because you don’t fucking have to. Are you fucking serious man? You tried to escape through the main gate? How fucking dense are you?

Neil: Just shoot me already.

Justin: Maybe I fucking well should!

Justin turns away and rubs His face in frustration, before stamping on the floor in anger, before turning back to Neil, and brandishing his gun towards him.

Justin: How many fucking chances do you think you get? How many chances did I give your two fucking friends that I murdered? One. Why should you get any more?

Neil: Just fucking shoot me then! Do it now!

Justin: Jesus fucking christ, man. You have kids, you know that? You shouldn’t take that for granted. You should want to live for them!

Neil: You took them away from me!

Justin: Because I know that is the biggest punishment that a father can have! To lose your kids, man. That is the worst. That is the worst feeling you can have. Death is a release compared to living with your kid dead.

Neil: How the fuck would you know? Do you even feel pain?

Justin: Do you? You want me to shoot you? You want me to end this? That’s what we all want. None of us live because we are strong. We live because we are too weak to die! It’s that simple.

Neil: Then end me. I’m not too weak. End me now. End me!

Justin: No. Feel pain, you motherfucker!

Justin turns his gun on John and shoots. The sound cuts out, as we see Justin looking on in shock at his actions, sarah turning away, Neil screaming, Cam looking confused, and then Neil throwing Justin to the ground. Neil scoops up Jack and then runs, tears streaming down his face. Cam shoots at him, but he is gone.

Cam: Motherfucker.

Justin is still staring at the dead body of the child that he just shot. He sinks to his knees in silence.

-

The Drawer is sat in the distance, as Joel walks to the top of the hillock. He looks out at it, and sighs.

Joel: That’s home.

He kneels on the ground, and breaths in the air.

Joel: Clyde… I’m coming for you.

-

Sarah and Hacks are on the wall. Sarah looks pale and unwell. Hacks looks sad, as much as he displays any form of emotion.

Sarah: I can’t believe- Poor Neil.

Hacks: Poor Neil. Agreed.

Just then, Mendes appears behind them. Sarah turns to him.

Mendes: You two not meant to be here. Where Jose?

Sarah: We want to be here. We just watched your boss kill a child. Proud of yourself?

Mendes: Where Jose?

Sarah: He isn’t here. Are you thick? Why do you speak like that? Didn’t you get taught English?

Mendes: Not taught. Grew up on streets. Fighting underground. People bet on me. Me win. Where Jose?

Sarah pushes Mendes in the chest.

Sarah: He isn’t fucking here. Are you telling me that some dumbass street fighter got promoted over me? We’ll soon end that. Grab him Hacks!

Mendes: You not want to do that.

Hacks shrugs and cracks his knuckles, before going for Mendes, who sends him sprawling. Mendes then grabs Sarah, and pushes her against the wall.

Mendes: I did say not do that. You want die?

Sarah: No. No! I’m sorry!

Mendes clearly thinks about throwing her over, but then lets go of her.

Mendes: Good. You better be.

-

Brandon is stood in the churchyard, looking down at the cross bearing Stan’s name upon it. He kneels down before the empty grave. Gabriel approaches him from behind.

Gabriel: You sure spend a lot of time here, friend.

Brandon: Stan was a good man, and he has nobody to mourn him. He deserves to be missed, and to know what is happening. He deserves to know that we are escaping from Justin.

Gabriel: I have seen Dirk down here a few times. I think that he misses him, too.

Brandon: He never liked Stan. I wonder why he was here.

Gabriel: Sometimes death makes us forgive those who we dislike during life. That is just the way that life works. Stan died a hero. Maybe that is why he has forgiven him.

Brandon: Stan didn’t die a hero. He died a nothing. He died being killed by the dead. That is how it will end for all of us.

Gabriel: You are very morbid, aren’t you? Were you with Stan when he died?

Brandon: I- I watched him die. I shot him- Out of mercy. Mercy.

Gabriel: I am sure he appreciated it. If he had already been bitten.

Brandon: He- He had been bitten. Yes. He had been.

The two stand in silence for a few seconds.

Brandon: We should be going.

Gabriel: Yes. We don’t want to miss Dirk.

Brandon and Gabriel slip out of the church, and down the street.

-

Justin is still knelt on the ground. John is laid out in front of him. Cam is clearly shouting at him, but nothing can be heard. Then a single word cuts through the silence.

Nial: Murderer!

Jake and Nial rush into the square, their guns drawn. Jake puts Cam on the floor, and aims his gun at his head. Nial points his gun at Justin.

Nial: That boy was only eight! How could you kill him? How?!

Justin: I don’t know…

Jake: Just shoot him, Nial. We don’t have time for this!

Justin: Do what he says, Nial. I’m strong enough to know when my time is up.

Nial looks at Jake questioningly. He falters in shooting Justin.

Nial: You- You want to die?

Justin: Yes. Look what I am capable of. I should have known. I should have seen it. I’m no better than the men who drove me to lead. I’m weak. I have become more a monster than the dead out there. Shoot me.

Nial lowers his gun for a few seconds.

Jake: Just fucking shoot him, Nial! Don’t be played by his mindgames! Shoot him!

Suddenly a gunshot is heard, and Jake drops to the floor, shot from behind by Felco. Nial drops his own gun to the floor as he sees his ally die.

Nial: Jake! No! No!

Nial himself drops to the floor a second later, and Kung is shown with a smoking gun behind him.

Kung: He- He was a traitor.

Justin: You bastards. You should have let it happen.

Felco walks over to Justin, and crouches before him.

Felco: Snap out of this, man. You’re stronger than this. That kid would have died one day anyway. He isn’t her, and you aren’t Rivey.

Justin: I know. I know that. I-

Felco: You did what had to be done, and sometimes that isn’t the easiest thing, but you’re strong enough to do it. That’s why you’re leader.

Justin: Yes. Yes, you’re right. I did what had to be done.

Cam: Should we go after Neil?

Justin: No. He’s gone. Bring me Brandon Crevicees.

-

Tenton looks out of a window and down at the square, where Nial has Justin at gunpoint. He walks across a corridor, and opens the door to Rob’s cell. He find Rob awake, sat in the chair, where he is tied down.

Rob: What’s happening? I heard gunshots.

Tenton: Justin- He killed again.

Rob: And why are you here?

Tenton pulls a knife from his belt.

Tenton: I’m here to set you free

He cuts through the binds that were keeping Rob tied down. Rob shakily gets to uis feet, and winces in pain as he looks down at his missing hand.

Rob: I’m still not used to it. I may never get used to it.

Tenton: we don’t have time. You have to go.

Another gunshot is heard, followed by another.

Tenton: Now!

Rob: What about you? I can’t just leave you here.

Tenton: You have to. Now is my time. Find your friends and get them all out of here. It isn’t safe here. It never has been.

Rob nods and goes to the door. He turns before he leaves.

Rob: Thank you.

Tenton: Don’t mention it. Now go!

Rob runs and Tenton lets out a long breath. He looks up at the solitary light in the room and sighs.

-

Dirk pushes into his house, where he finds Jose, Leanne, Davis and Tommy expectantly waiting. Jose is dressed in his guard outfit. All of them have rucksacks packed and on their backs.

Dirk: Are we ready?

Jose: Yup.

Leanne: As ready as we’ll ever be.

Dirk: Then let’s go.

Leanne: Shouldn’t we wait for Brandon?

Dirk: He’s gone to get the priest. We are meeting them outside the walls. We have to get to the meeting point.

Leanne nods, and the group leaves the house. Dirk turns to look at it as the rest of the group start down the street, before then following them. When they get to the gates, Jose enters the guard’s chambers, where Sarah and Hacks are stood, muttering. He bypasses them, and up to the wheels that opens the gate. He turns it enough so that they can get away, and then closes it, before going to the stairs. He looks out over the walls, and sees Dirk and Tommy waiting for him. Suddenly, Kung appears behind him.

Kung: Hey! Where do you think you’re going?

Jose: I’m on the walls. That’s my job.

Kung: No. I know you. You’re the one who has been corrupting my brother. You aren’t meant to be on duty today, so why are you here?

Jose: Are you objecting me to doing more work than I should be doing, gringo?

Kung: You know, I’m pretty important around here. You don’t want to make an enemy of me.

Jose: How important are you? Just Justin’s little bitch from what I can see.

Kung: That’s it! You asked for it! Kung raises his gun, and shoots twice, one of the bullets hits Jose, and he falls back off the wall. Kung looks on in shock, as if he had not expected this. He looks down at the gun, and then back at where Jose had been, and then gulped.

-

Neil and Jack are running through the trees. Jack is struggling to keep up with his father, who has hold his hand. Eventually they reach a clearing, and Neil stops running, and collapses to the ground. Jack stands over him, as Neil starts to sob.

Jack: Daddy? Daddy, where is John?

Neil: He- He’s gone, Jackie. Just like- Just like your ma. I couldn’t- I couldn’t save you both. I failed him.

Jack: Where has he gone?

Neil: A better place than this, I hope.

Jack: Are we going home soon?

Neil: No, Jackie. We can’t ever go back. Not there. Not to him. He killed your brother, Jack. John is- John is dead.

Jack stares at the ground, and starts to cry, as Neil carries on sobbing.

-

Brandon and Gabriel are running down the streets. Gunshots can be heard behind them. They dodge down a back alley, and carry on running. Suddenly, Gabriel is hit by a running Rob, and the two fall to the ground. Brandon offers both of them a hand, and pullas them up.

Brandon: Rob? Good to see you man. I thought you were dead.

Rob: I nearly was.

More gunshots echo from the street.

Gabriel: We should be running! Quickly!

They set off again, this time with Rob, in tow, until they reach the wall, at it’s lowest point. Gabriel jumps up, and then Brandon follows. They turn, but Rob can’t get up with one of his hands missing. Brandon’s eyes grow wide, but he jumps down and helps his friend up, before getting back up himself.

Brandon: What happened?

Rob: I’ll tell you later. Let’s go!

They drop off the edge of the wall, and start to run, with Cam and Felco shooting at them from the wall. They all get away, and into the forest. They stop when in the forest, and start to pant. Brandon bends double, but gets straight upright when he feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns round to attack, but relaxes when he sees Joel.

Brandon: It’s you. We thought you were gone.

Joel: I was. I came back for you and Clyde.

Gabriel and Brandon exchange a nervous look, and Brandon swallows deeply.

Brandon: Joel… I need to tell you something.

-

The church is empty and undisturbed, and then the door gets kicked in, and Justin, Felco and Cam charge in.

Justin: Fan out! Bring me the priest! I will have him!

Gelco goes left and Cam goes right, as Justin walks to the altar. Justin: Suck me off, God.

Cam and Felco return.

Felco: I couldn’t find him.

Cam: Yeah, he ain’t here, boss.

Justin: Fuck!

He buries his foot through the wooden altar, and then turns to his two lieutenants.

Justin: Then go fucking find him!

-

The cell looks curiously absent without Rob, though Tenton is here, running his fingers along the walls.

Tenton: I hope you get out of here… This community has claimed too many lives already.

He pulls the chair that Rob has been sat in to the centre of the room, and looks up to the light above him.

Tenton: what is a community without people? People kill. Justin. Morty. They are both killers, but so am I. I killed Leege, and I sentenced Cooper to his death. I was weak. I was a coward. I always have been.

He throws a length of rope around the light, and stands up on the chair.

Tenton: At least I can be brave now. Maybe that redeems me some way. I’m sorry.

The camera then pans away from Tenton, and focuses on his shadow as the chair falls way and the life escapes his body.

-

Joel, Brandon, Gabriel, Rob, Dirk, Jose, Leanne, Davis and Tommy (The two groups unite and head into a brighter future.)

Dirk, Jose, Leanne, Davis and Tommy are stood on a hillock, looking out at the Drawer from a distance.

Dirk: Are you sure you saw them get out?

Jose: Positive.

Dirk: We can’t wait here forever. We are at risk in the open. It won’t be long before Justin realises we are missing and sends people out after us.

Leanne: Not to mention the zombies.

Dirk: That goes without saying.

Jose: we have to wait. Brandon would if our roles were reversed.

Dirk: You’re probably right.

Jose: I know I am.

A few more second pass, and Dirk looks even more frustrated.

Dirk: We have to-

Just then Rob and Gabriel appear up the hill. Brandon follows them, and he is supporting Joel. Jose rushes forward to help him.

Brandon: Thanks for waiting. We found two people we weren’t expecting.

Rob: That would be me.

Dirk: Good. The more the merrier.

Davis: That’s what mommy always used to say.

Tommy: Are we going now then? Where are we going.

The sun starts to set behind the group, and Dirk puts his hand on Davis’ shoulder as he looks out into the distance, the rest of the group behind him.

Dirk: Home.