User blog:Joeaikman/Wiki: Apocalypse - Chapter 21 - The Four Stars

Neil is running down a hallway. He looks over his shoulder, but nothing is coming. He hurdles a table and skids around a corner, before arriving at the two doors. He pulls open the one that holds Jack and John, and the two boys rush to hug him.

John: Daddy…

They share a moment, and then Neil grabs them by their hands and turns. They are confronted by Tenton, who is shakily pointing a gun at Neil.

Tenton: You shouldn’t be here.

Neil: I had to save them. Don’t you understand that?

Tenton: You- I-

Tenton lowers his gun and stares at the ground.

Neil: Thank you, Tenton. Thank you so much.

Neil runs off with his boys, and Tenton is left behind, motionless.

-

Tigar, Morty and Joel are walking together. Joel takes a swig of water, and then Morty stops them.

Morty: I want to know more about you before we take a step further. All I know about you is your name, and yet I’m putting my people under your protection.

Tigar nods, and then smiles at Morty, before looking at Joel.

Tigar: I was wondering when you were going to ask. I thought it was weird that you were being so trusting. You don’t seem like the trusting type.

Joel: Trust me. He isn’t.

Tigar: Fine then. Before all this went down I was a farmhand near here. It was a family I worked for. A couple and their two sons. I liked it there. Then the mother and father died, and their sons were left behind. They were too young. We were attacked. I must have been shot pretty bad, but I woke up. They were gone. Dead probably, and then one of the Four Stars saved me, and took me back.

Morty and Joel exchange a look, but Tigar stares hard at the ground.

Tigar: Not a day goes by where I don’t wonder what happened to them. They are both in my prayers every night. Brandon and Kung…

Joel does a double take, and grabs Tigar by the collar.

Joel: What did you say? Their names. What were their names?

Tigar: Brandon and Kung. Do you know them?

Joel: Yes. Yes! I do. They are my friends, or Brandon is at least. I know where they are.

Tigar: Take me to them. Right now.

The two make to turn around, but Morty blocks them off.

Morty: No way. You promised me a community. My people need food, water, and shelter.

Tigar: I want to find my friends.

Tigar and Morty stare intently at each other, both willing the other to back down or draw a weapon.

Joel: hey, hey. Tell you what. I’ll go back, by myself. I’ll get Brandon, and Clyde, Jasper, Gabriel and the rest, too. I’ll bring them here. I know the way.

Tigar nods.

Tigar: Ok. You have a deal.

Morty: Why would you bring them here?

Tigar claps Morty around the shoulder, all trace of the tension between them now gone. He moves some of the branches out of the way, and reveals a factory below them.

Tigar: Welcome to the Four Stars.

-

Gabriel is sweeping the floor of the church. The room is silent. Nobody is around. He gets to the pews and starts to sweep. As he knocks one of them a scrap of paper falls to the floor. Gabriel bends over and picks it up.

Gabriel: What is this? “I forgive you -M”

He drops the paper, and stares at it with wide-eyes.

Gabriel: Morty? It has to be. I- I- I have to go find him. I can’t be a coward here anymore. Morty!

-

Morty and his group come down a hill, now out in the open, and away from the forest. The ground is yellow, with little grass growing around. The factory complex is made up of three buildings. The first is large and open, with stalls and worktables set up outside it. The other two are smaller, and look less occupied. Four or five people are gathered outside the main building. One of them rushes forward, and embraces Tigar.

???: You’re back! We thought you were gone for good.

Tigar: Nah, Sam. You know me. No dead man is stopping me getting back here. It was just a minor inconvenience.

Sam: Who are your friends?

Tigar: The people who saved me from that inconvenience. This is Morty.

Morty steps forward, and shakes hands with Sam. Two of the other Four Stars members step forward.

Tigar: Morty, these are Elvis and Dave. They’re good guys.

Dave: Did anyone send for Alexa? We should send for her.

???: There is no need, Dave.

The groups turn, and four people, dressed in purple robes are stood together, watching them. The one in the middle lowers her hood, and the others do, too. The leader hs purple bangs, and a thin smile. The man on her right has scraggly hair, pale skin, and a pair of round glasses.

???: It is good to see you back, Tigar, and with so many new… Faces.

Tigar: yes, Alexa. They are good people. I thought they would fit in here.

Alexa: And I am sure that they will. The Four Stars welcomes all.

Dev scoffs at that, and Alexa turns to him.

Alexa: Do I recognise you?

Tigar: He was part of the group you turned away a few weeks ago, but he killed the ledaer. The one that you called mad.

Alexa: Ah yes. I recall. He is dead? Good. This world could do with fewer madmen.

Morty: I agree.

Alexa and Morty exchange a look. She licks her lips.

Alexa: You would be the leader of this group, yes?

Morty: That is the case.

Alexa steps forward, and stands in front of Morty.

Alexa: Then welcome. I am sure that we will be the best of friends.

Morty looks back at his friends, who all look unsure, but he nods, and shakes her hand.

Morty: I hope so too.

-

Neil, Jack and John are running towards the main gate. Neil is shepherding them along. He picks up John and carries him over his back.

Neil: Come on! We’re almost there!

Suddenly, Sarah and Hacks appear, and point their guns at Neil.

Sarah: Hands up! Your escape efforts end here!

Neil: Shit!

He dodges down a backstreet with his kids, and Sarah and Hacks make chase. Neil starts to pull away from them, and then Cam steps out from the shadows and punches him in the face, knocking him to the floor.

-

Leanne and Sierra are sat together, on the porch of Dirk’s house. There is a jug of water between them. Tommy and Davis are playing together nearby. Jose walks up to the house. He nods to Leanne and Sierra as he passes them, and Leanne’s eyes follow him inside. Sierra laughs.

Sierra: You like him?

Leanne: Maybe. I don’t know.

Sierra: Surely a girl as pretty as you has liked a boy before.

Leanne: Well, yes, but this isn’t exactly high school, is it? How can people be in happy couples in thism world? Look what happened to Judith and Barry, or Joel and Clyde.

Sierra: They were happy for the time that they spent together.

Leanne: But it ended badly, didn’t it? I don’t know if I could deal with losing Jose.

Sierra; Dear, that is a surefire way to know that you are in love with him.

Leanne: Maybe. I don’t know.

Sierra: I think you do.

The two of them exchange a look, and then laugh together. The camera then shows Tommy and Davis who are nearby. Tommy stops, and looks at Davis, who stops, and looks back at him.

Tommy: Do you love me?

Davis: No.

Tommy: Oh… Do you love anyone?

Davis: No. Nobody.

Tommy: I don’t believe you.

Davis: Fine.

The two stand awkwardly.

Tommy: I think you love your dad. And Jose.

Davis: Jose is cool. I don’t love him.

Tommy: You have to love someone.

Davis: Why?

Tommy: Everybody loves someone.

Davis: who do you love?

Tommy: Erm. You.

Davis: Oh…

Tommy blushes, and looks to run away, but Davis grabs him and holds his hand. The two exchange a look, and Davis smiles at him. Tommy smiles back.

-

Brandon, Jose and Dirk are all gathered together in the living room of Dirk’s house at the Drawer. Brandon’s bag full of stuff is in the corner.

Dirk: We don’t have any space here. I’m already having to house Leanne and Tommy here. Some of the people here only have one or two people per house.

Brandon: I know that, but you’re the only person here I can trust.

Dirk: I understand that. Most of the good people here are dead, gone, or too cowardly to stand up.

Brandon: Besides that isn’t what I meant. Why do we need to stay?

Dirk: Davis-

Brandon: Would be just as safe on your farm, if you had the support of me and Jose then we could definitely hold it. It would be safe.

Jose: We wouldn’t have to do whatever Justin wanted.

Dirk: Maybe… I don’t know.

Brandon: Morty is gone, Dirk. We don’t know if he is ever coming back. What is stopping us from leaving, too?

Dirk: Your brother-

Brandon: My brother made his choice. He does not make mine.

Jose: It’s a good idea, boss. We could be safe there. Safer than here, anyway.

Brandon: No Justin. No Nial. None of these people trying to control us. You saw what they did with Neil’s kids. What’s to stop them from doing it with Davis? Here isn’t safe.

Jose and Brandon stare at Dirk for a few seconds. He is clearly deep in thought.

Dirk: Okay. We can go.

The sound of the door opening comes from behind them, and the three turn to see Gabriel now in the room.

Gabriel: I want to come too.

-

Justin is sat at a desk. The door to the dark room opens, and then Felco enters with Kung behind him. Felco leaves, and closes the door behind him.

Kung: What is this? Why am I here?

Justin: We need to talk. Take a seat.

Kung frowns, and then sits down. Justin looks at him for a few seconds.

Justin: Your brother is causing a problem. You’ve seen that, right?

Kung: Brandon, I-

Justin: Don’t lie to me to protect him. It won’t end well for either of you if you do.

Kung: okay. Yes. He is associating with the wrong people. What can I do about that?

Justin: Arrest him. We can take out the old man and his Mexican friend. When they are gone then your brother can be released back into the community.

Kung: You think it will be that easy?

Justin: I’ve dealt with people like Dirk before. They are forgotten very quickly. Just like those two cunts I murdered when I got here.

Kung: And Brandon will be safe?

Justin: Oh, I guarantee it.

-

The camera shows a gun lying on the table. A hand grabs it, and it is revealed that it is Jake picking it up. He cocks the gun, and looks down at it, a sobre look on his face. He hands it to someone, and then we see Nial holding it.

Jake: Are you ready?

Nial: Yes.