User blog:Joeaikman/Wiki: Apocalypse - Chapter 10 - News Travels

The church is empty, save for Brandon sitting in one of the pews. Gabriel enters from his side room. He looks surprised to see Brandon, but walks over to him anyway, sitting down beside him.

Gabriel: What can I help you with, friend?

Brandon turns to look at him. His face is red and stained with tears.

Brandon: I did something bad. Forgive me father for I have sinned. I seek salvation.

Gabriel: We’ve all had to do morally questionable things to survive this far. Even I, a man of god, have done things that I never thought I could. I often look to the heavens to be forgiven for my sins.

Brandon: It can’t be that easy. What kind of god just forgives sinners for everything? There has to be more. I shouldn’t be allowed to just forget what I’ve done. I shouldn’t be forgiven. You shouldn’t just forgive me, father…

Gabriel: Tell me, friend. What is it that you think is so monstrous? What have you done that you think is that bad?

The doors open, and the sound rings around the church. Brandon turns, and sees Jose stood in the doorway.

Brandon: I- I should go.

He scurries away, past Jose and out of the door. Gabriel gets up and walks to Jose.

Jose: What was that all about, father?

Gabriel: Nothing. Nothing. I should find that man and talk with him later.

Jose: Why? What did he say?

Gabriel looks up at Jose.

Gabriel: That, Jose, is confidential.

-

Judith and Tommy walk into a building, with Tommy holding Judith’s hand. Judith’s face is red, but tear free. She has to be strong for the people around her. A few other people are gathered around. Neil is stood with his sons, talking with a young woman in her mid-twenties. Tedward and Jordan are also present.

Judith: You go on in there and do Daddy proud, Tommy. Don’t let what the other kids say faze you. Stay strong. Stay happy. We have to do that. It’s what he would have wanted.

Jordan and Tedward make their way over to them.

Jordan: Oh, Judith.

Jordan embraces Judith, and the two hug for a few seconds, before breaking up.

Tedward: I am sorry for your loss, Judith. Barry was a fine man.

Judith: Thank you for your condolences, Tedward. What are you two doing here?

Jordan: Well, I’ve decided to help Sierra with looking after the kids when I’m not helping Jasper. It’s a rewarding way to spend the time.

Tedward: I’m just here to wish her luck on her first day. I know she’s gonna be brilliant.

Jordan: Thanks, honey. Do you and Tommy want to come over for dinner tonight, Judith? I can’t guarantee anything special, but it would be nice to have company that isn’t just Teddy or the boys.

Judith: That- That would be nice, Jordan. Thanks. We will be there.

Judith gave Tommy one last hug, and then went to the door. She was then grabbed from behind by the hand. She turns to find that it is Neil stood before her.

Neil: I was wondering if you’d like to talk at some point, Judith. You know I’m here for you if you want it…

Judith: Erm… Thanks, Neil, but I have Jose to talk to… I’d rather just get home and get some sleep. I’ve not been able to get any yet, and I’m very tired…

Neil looks downhearted

Neil: Okay, I guess.

-

Leege is laid out on the bed. Cooper is sat in a chair, his legs crossed, and he is doing some paperwork. Tenton is checking all of the monitors and devices attached to Leege. The hospital was the only building that got constant electricity, if it was needed.

Tenton: Everything is good, Coop.

Cooper: Excellent. Have you-

Just then, Nial steps into the room. Cooper jumps to his feet, and Tenton is surprised, too.

Nial: Sit down. Sit down. You don’t need to get busy just for little old me. I know the kind of work you do here. It’s good work.

Tenton: Thank- Thank you, sir.

Nial: Call me Nial. I wanted to get a look at our new friend. How is he doing?

Cooper: He looks good at times, and at others we just ain’t able to wake him up. He keeps drifting in and out of consciensness.

Nial: will he get better?

Tenton: I hope so.

-

Rob is in the canteen serving food. Jasper is with him, and Grenn is behind them. He is a small man, with uneasy eyes and a nervous expression always upon his face. Kung is at the window, with three people gathered behind him.

Kung: Come on, Rob. I’m fucking hungry. I haven’t eaten proper food since the last day at Dirk’s farm. Man, that Leanne girl could cook. It was like art on a plate. What you got for me?

Rob: Corned beef.

Kung: Fucking what? I ain’t having none of that shit.

???: Then can you please fuck off so some of us can eat, boy.

Kung turns, and finds one of the people behind him in the queue squaring up with him. He’s a lean younger man, with flicked hair. One of his companions is about six and a half feet, with a shaved head and a grizzled beard. The other is a girl, with tattoos on her arms, which show, as her shirt has the sleeves torn off.

???: I have to be on the wall in ten fucking minutes. I ain’t waiting for you to bitch about the food for that.

Jasper: Now, now, Trip. Calm down.

Trip: Don’t you tell me to calm down you fucking food flogger. Go fuck your little weasel boy in the ass.

Jasper sighs.

Jasper: Do I need to report you to Tedward again, Trip?

Trip: You can motherfucking try. If you do, though, dickhead, then I’ll get my boy Hacks on you, and me and Sarah can watch. You want that?

Just then, Morty walks into the canteen.

Morty: I heard some swearing from outside. Is everything alright in here, boys?

Morty stares down Trip, knowing that he must have been causing the trouble.

Jasper: Nothin’ much, Morty. Mr Staber here was just leavin’, I think.

Trip carries on to stare at Morty, before then sloping off, his friends leaving with him.

-

Mendes and Jacob are stood on the walls, looking out over the world beyond. Jake and Clyde are sat behind them, playing at dice. Mendes and Jacob are silent. The sun is setting. Just then, Neil and Tedward turn up. Clyde quickly pockets the dice, though Neil clearly notices, Tedward is less observant.

Tedward: How goes things, my fellows?

Jake: We don’t have no ammunition, guns, knives or food. Beyond that, things are going swell.

Tedward: Yes, well, Sly and his runners should be dealing with that soon enough. With Barry and Stan gone we have been unable to bring in anything new.

Jake: Sly could get off his fat ass-

Neil: Watch what you say, Jake. We don’t want no problems with Sly up here, no matter how fat his ass is.

That gets a laugh from Clyde, and a snigger from Jake, though Tedward looks confused.

Tedward: Yes, well, it was these two I came here to see. Our new recruits on the walls. I hear that you have settled in well already, Mendes. You are sharing a house with Neil and his boys?

Mendes: Yes.

Tedward: You- You sure don’t talk much, Mendes.

Mendes: No.

Tedward looks awkward as he turns back to Neil, who has a thin smile on his face.

Tedward: Yes, well, I think I am done here, Mr Branwen. Carry on your good job boys.

Jake: We will, sir.

Neil and Tedward leave then, and Clyde pulls his dice back out.

Jake: Prick.

-

Jose, Judith, and Tommy are sat together at the dinner table. There is an empty seat at the end of the table, where Barry would have been. They have baked beans on their plates, and nothing else.

Judith: I hear- I hear Jasper wants to set up some sort of granary with the supplies sent by Dirk. Do you know anything about that?

Jose: Joel mentioned it… Dirk doesn’t like to think that you get more out of this deal than he does.

Judith: Why doesn’t he just come here? It would make his daughter safer, and he could work with Jordan on her farm-

Jose: He ain’t never known anything beyond that farm. He think it’s safe. He’ll realise that it ain’t soon enough.

Judith: Then you think he’ll come? You think he’ll bring Davis with him?

Jose: He isn’t leaving that girl behind in a million years.

Judith: Just think, Tommy. Then you’ll have a new friend besides John and Jack…

Tommy: Don’t want new friends. Want daddy.

Judith went to hold Tommy’s hand, but instead he threw his chair back and ran off, and Judith burst into tears.

Jose: Judith… There’s something I should tell you…

Judith: Y- Yes?

Jose closes his eyes for a few seconds, and breathes in deeply.

Jose: Dirk thinks that the new people killed Barry.

-

Leege is sat up in his sick bed, a bowl of soup sits on a tray in front of him. It’s a sickly green colour. He stares at it, but makes no move to eat. Tenton is fussing around him, but Cooper is absent.

Tenton: You gotta eat if you want to get better. Not eating ain’t good for you.

Leege: Why can’t I eat nicer looking things?

Tenton: Jasper ain’t sent nothing down from the cantina yet. If he does then you can have some of that. You should still eat your soup, though.

Leege tries a spoonful, and then grimaces.

Tenton: It’s that bad, huh? Sorry.

Leege: Did you make it?

Tenton: Yup. I ain’t never been much of a cook. My ma did all the cooking in my family before all this happened.

Leege: Was she a good cook?

Tenton: The best. She- She didn’t make it, though. I was with them when it happened. My da got bitten by one of them, and he bit my ma. Joel saved me just in time, but he wasn’t able to save them.

Leege bows his head, and raises his spoon, full of more soup.

Leege: To your ma.

-

Mendes and Jacob are in the guard changing chambers. Jacob is topless. He turns to Mendes, a quizical look on his face.

Jacob: Is it true? Were you there when Stan died?

Mendes: No.

Jacob: Did you see his body?

Mendes: No.

Jacob: Is that a lie.

Mendes looks up, and stares Jacob down for a few seconds.

Mendes: No.

Jacob shrugs, and pulls on his shirt.

Jacob: So, where were you before here then?

Mendes stares off into the distance.

Mendes: A bad place.

Jacob: Tell me about it.

Mendes: No.

-

Nial is sat at a table. There are three other places set for three other people. He has a notebook in front of him. He is scribbling some notes down in it. Three men then enter. The middle is a tall, thin man. He steps forward first.

???: I pledge myself to you and the community you are building, master.

Nial: Then sit, Killer.

He sat. The second man stood forward. He was black, with a spiked afro, and shades. He was also quite large of stomach, but not fat.

???: I pledge myself to this community, master.

Nial: Then sit, Eyes.

He sat. The last man stepped forwards. He was shorter than the other two, with normal glasses on, and a face covered in acne.

???: To this community I give my life. This I pledge.

Nial: Then sit, Mind.

He sat. The three men stare at Nial, who looks up.

Nial: Well then, gentlemen. Shall we begin?