Even with many doubts about this whole situation, Daryl decided to go along with Jonathan's 'plan', '' Don't die.''

'' Daryl! You can't be serious! He's barely 15 years old!'' Glenn practically yelled at Daryl. He didn't want to have a guilty conscience if Jonathan died.

''Glenn, 15 is the new 30 in this world. Besides, we don't have much of a choice.''

'' But-''

Glenn was interrupted by the sound of footsteps getting closer. It seems Gareth's group finally took the courage to approach the room.

'' Just go. I can handle them.'' Jonathan urged Daryl and Glenn once more.

Daryl looked out the window and saw that the 3 people were now 5, '' Glenn come on! It's getting more dangerous.''

This was a number they could still handle, but if it was more than that...

Glenn finally accepted the situation, '' We'll wait for you in the RV.''

Jonathan nodded, ''See you soon.''

Daryl was the first to go out the window and he wasn't seen by the 5 guys. Glenn followed soon after.

Jonathan waited for a while until he started to hear the gunshots and the screams of people dying, ''They'll take care of it. Now it's my turn!'

Not wanting to leave anything to chance, Jonathan picked up one of the titanium plates and left it on the bedroom door, 'I have two options. Frontal attack or stay here waiting for them. The first is a good option since I can just keep the plate in front of me and I won't get shot. The second option is also good, but I don't know if they have any kind of explosive... I don't know if titanium can handle an explosion.'

Figuring out one more thing to test, Jonathan heard footsteps stop at the door to the room and came to a decision, ' Front attack it is!'

---

 

WITH GARETH FRIEND

Before the world came to an end, we led a normal life. We went to work, took care of our children, and shared our life with our families.

But all this changed when the zombies arrived. Some of us saw our loved ones being eaten alive in front of them and with no way to help. Others saw their own spouse kill their children.

But even after all this, we resisted. We were a group of friends before it all ended and we thought our bonds would stay strong until the end.

Well, it did. Kind of.

You see, we found this hotel. We thought there was enough food for everyone for a long time... We were wrong.

It didn't last more than 1 month. All our food stock ran out and the children started crying for food. Gareth was afraid that the screams would attract the zombies or other humans so... he did the unimaginable.

I can still remember the horror on the child's face and the despair of her father when Gareth strangled her. Three of us held the father down, while the rest of us had no reaction and just let it happen.

After that, Gareth changed. He, together with three others, took the body of the child he had killed somewhere else. The father of the child did not accept this and ran after Gareth.

That was the last time we saw that man.

After a few hours, Gareth and the other three came back to us with food. We were excited about this and forgot what had just happened. Hunger changed us so much we didn't even ask where the meat came from.

''Eat.'' Gareth was the one who brought the food, but he barely ate. Everyone else devoured the food.

After eating, Gareth said, ''We have food for ... 1 week. Let's see if we can get more later.''

Gareth looked at the other children as if he was evaluating them.

A week went by and, just like Gareth said, we ran out of food. When we asked Gareth if there was any more, he just said, "We'll see.''

The next day, a child disappeared. We desperately searched but found no trace of him. It was an orphaned child, so there wasn't much of a commotion.

Just after the disappearance, Gareth showed up with more food.

But some people started to notice the patterns. A child or adult would disappear and the meat would appear the next day. Some of them chose not to believe it and continued to eat, while others started to think of leaving.

After that, some families who noticed what was happening decided to run away. Some of them managed to escape, but others were not so lucky.

And then, we had plenty of meat for a long time. Most of us already accepted what we were doing. It was inhumane but hunger changed us. Or so we told ourselves.

Many of us thought that we were not much different from zombies, the only difference was that we could think.

After the group reached a certain number, we stopped killing each other. Gareth focused on strangers he could catch on the road. He could do this easily with his tactics, like the roadblock and some others things. He even suggested we change places because few people were passing through the area.

We knew what we were doing was wrong, but we knew it was necessary to survive.

One of the times, it was my turn to kill our food. I can remember it as if it were today. The man looked at me with hatred and said slowly, "You will pay for this. Sooner or later, you will get retribution.''

At that moment, I ignored what the man said, but the situation now shows that he was right.

Gareth tried to bite off something he shouldn't have. He was killed and the people who had killed him hid in one of the rooms. Some of us wanted to attack immediately, but we decided to surround them.

They were our food source, and we didn't want to let them get away, so we had some of us go to the part where the windows of the rooms led out.

When we got to the front of the room they went in, we heard screams and gunshots coming from far away and knew that the intruders had escaped through the window and probably killed some of us.

Cursing, I ordered the rest of us to go to the RV and stop them from escaping but exactly at that moment, the door to the room where they were hiding was opened.

I don't know why, but I remembered what that man said as soon as I saw the pistol being aimed in my direction.

Retribution was slow but it had arrived.

BANG.

---

 

WITH JONATHAN

Once I decided to go on the attack, I decided not to put the titanium plate on the front and went with the round titanium shield. It was lighter and works better with a pistol. ' Hurray for money!'

It wasn't cheap, but it was exactly what Jonathan needed right now.

Opening the door, I came across 15 people, some were leaving, and others were still near me, ' They must have heard the shots and wanted to go and help the others... Which helped me. Funny thing!'

Not missing the opportunity, Jonathan started shooting.

BANG

With the first shot, a man fell.

BANG BANG

The second shot also killed one person but after the third, the people who were running toward Daryl and Glenn, realized something was wrong and turned back.

BANG BANG

They started shooting at Jonathan, who used his shield to fend off the shots, 'Good thing they don't have a rifle or explosives. I can do this.'

Feeling confident, due to the protective suit and the shield, Jonathan returned fire.

BANG BANG

Since it was an exchange of fire between one person and at least 10, Jonathan's accuracy wasn't that good and he was missing quite a lot.

When he ran out of ammo with the pistol, he simply switched up with another one with ammo from the INVENTORY and continued shooting.

It was a sight to see.

The shots hit Jonathan's shield and legs, but the most he could feel was some pain, but he knew he wasn't seriously hurt. Still, he was no masochist and used one of the titanium plates to protect himself when he saw that it was getting dangerous.

Jonathan heard the members of the other group shout, '' What the hell is this!? Who is this guy!?''

''I don't know! Just keep shooting!''

Even if titanium could withstand a lot of shots, Jonathan didn't want to take any more chances. Looking at his INVENTORY, he saw something that made him smile.

The sound of gunfire stopped. Both sides stopped shooting.

One of Gareth's men asked, '' Is he dead? And how did he put that thing in front of him!!? I never saw something like that.''

'' I don't know if he's dead. Stay alert!''

'' What do you mean he isn't dead!? Look at how -'' FIRE IN THE HOLE!''

After hearing a shout coming from behind the plate, the people from Gareth's group watched in horror as an object came in their direction.

BOOOMMMM

Yes, what Jonathan used was a grenade. For some reason, he can't buy explosive things from the SHOP, like a Rocket launcher or Grenades, just like he can't buy a car and such. But he found those Grenades in the prison Arsenal.

It wasn't much, so he kinda forgot about them.

The shockwave was enough to make Jonathan stumble a bit, but the titanium plate held the majority of the explosion.

Not hearing any more sounds, only groaning, Jonathan put the titanium plate away and approached the others. Arriving there, he saw ... things.

Arms were everywhere, legs blow apart, and heads were not connected with some of the bodies.

Even Jonathan, who was accustomed to killing, flinched a little when he saw the aftermath of the explosion, ' Still, it took care of them.'

While it was gruesome, it did the job. Gareth's little cannibal group was now exterminated.

Some of them were still alive, but barely. Jonathan finished them with a headshot.

BANG BANG

After killing them Jonathan was about to go towards Daryl and Glenn when he heard a shout, '' Help!'' coming from upstairs.

Jonathan paused. He was conflicted about going up or not, ' It could be a trap... but if it was, they would've come down sooner.'

Sighing, Jonathan went upstairs. Arriving on the second floor, he continued hearing, '' Help!''

He tracked the shout into one of the rooms. When he opened it, Jonathan found a horrible sight.

It was a woman missing a leg and an arm. She was tied by her remaining limbs to a bed.

She let out a cry and started bawling when she saw Jonathan, '' Oh my god! Thank God you're not of them!''

Recovering from his shock, Jonathan checked the woman in front of him, confirming she had no weapons. He then untied her, '' Are you alright?''

She looked at her missing limbs, then shook and nodded her head at the same time, '' At least I am alive... Are they all dead?''

Jonathan nodded.

'' Good riddance. My group was passing through the area 2 weeks ago. A roadblock made us come here. Then we found them.''

'' I told them to not trust those strangers, I told them so many times, but they didn't listen. Those monsters gave us a room and food. I didn't eat but I drank one of their 'soda'. When I woke up, I was tied up in this room with another one of my group... He bit his tongue when he saw what they did to him.''

'' After cursing his dead body, they told me to wait my turn. After a few days passed, they came back. True to their words, they cut my arm and leg off. I too tried to end it, but it seems I wasn't courageous enough to go through it...''

The woman looked at Jonathan and smiled, '' Can you-''

'' Kill me?'' Jonathan completed for the woman, '' Is that what you really want?''

Hesitation was plastered on the woman's face, '' I don't know, but I doubt I can live in this world with a body like this.''

Jonathan sighed once more, ' ... Me and my soft heart.'

'' How many walkers have you killed?'' Jonathan asked the woman.

'' What?''

Jonathan asked again, '' How many walkers have you killed?''

Finally, the woman answered the question, '' I don't know. I didn't stop to count.''

'' How many people have you killed.''

After a moment of silence, the woman answered, '' Three.''

'' Why?''

'' They would've killed me if I didn't kill them first.''

'' Look, I can't even begin to comprehend what happened to you, but I can give you something you don't have right now.'' Jonathan said slowly after she answered the 3 questions.

'' Which is?''

'' Hope.'' Jonathan held his hand to the woman, '' I have a place. It's secure and we have a sustainable food income, so we don't eat humans. And, we have many people so your... situation isn't going to be a big burden. You just have to have live.''

The woman saw the stretched hand and hesitated for a few seconds. Just as Jonathan thought she would reject him and ask to kill her, she used her remaining hand to grab Jonathan's, '' My name is Amanda. Yours?''

Helping the woman up and putting her arm around his shoulder, to help carry her, Jonathan responded, '' Jonathan. Let's get you out of here.''

Passing through the corpses of the cannibals, Amanda made sure to spit in everyone she saw. Still, she was surprised and elated by how gruesome their bodies were, '' It was a grenade that did this?''

Jonathan nodded, '' We found some of them in the place we reside.''

'' Good job.''

After getting out of the hotel, Jonathan and Amanda found the RV parked right in front of them. From the inside, both saw Daryl and Glenn.

'' Jonathan!'' Glenn shouted after seeing his friend alive. He paused when he saw the woman and her state, '' She is?''

'' A nem member. Help her get to the RV.'' Jonathan passed Amanda to Glenn.

'' Hi, my name is Amanda.''

'' Glenn.''

While Glenn carried Amanda to the RV, Daryl approached Jonathan, '' Her situation...?''

Daryl didn't need to ask, because Jonathan knew what he was thinking, '' They were cannibals. The meat they gave us probably was her leg or arm.''

That made Daryl pause. He let out some muffled curses.

''Oh, and don't let Glenn take that Soda. It's probably drugged.'' Jonathan reminded Daryl.

'' Will do.''

Glenn got out a few seconds later, '' She is a nice girl. What happened to her though?''

Jonathan explained once more. By the end of it, Glenn threw the Coke far away.

''Absolutely disgusting! How could they do something like that!'' Glenn didn't want to believe someone would fall this low, but Amanda's condition was a reminder some people were crazy.

Jonathan sighed, '' We got lucky. Imagine if someone even crazier and with more numbers attacked the prison. We need to get more people we can trust and protect our home.''

Daryl and Glenn didn't want to imagine what a group of cannibals would do to the prison if they had huge numbers.

'' Let's get the bed and go home.'' Jonathan reminded everyone what they came here to do.

This made Glenn react. '' ... Should we take them?''

'' Yes. It's going to make life easier for us. Besides, this place has no one living in it anymore, so let's not waste the beds.'' Jonathan already entered the hotel once again.

Daryl and Glenn followed soon after.

The trio made a few trips to get 10 beds. On one of those trips, Glenn asked, '' By the way Jonathan, what was that sound we heard earlier?''

'' In the prison arsenal, we found some grenades. I only managed to win the fight because of that.'' Jonathan didn't hide the grenade's existence.

It made sense for Daryl and Glenn. It was almost impossible for Jonathan to win against 10-plus people without something like that.

'' You hid it very well.'' Just like the rifles, but Daryl didn't say that part.

'' Well, it came in handy.''

After finishing everything and getting the beds close to the RV, Jonathan asked Daryl. ''Can you lend me your motorcycle?''

Daryl didn't hesitate and tossed Jonathan the keys, '' Here. Do you know how to ride one?''

Jonathan nodded, '' Yes. And thank you.''

'' Just answer me one thing. Where are you going?'' After getting the motorcycle out of the RV, Daryl asked Jonathan.

Jonathan sat up on the bike and turned it on, '' I'll just visit a church. And maybe find a friend. Take care of Amanda for me, and introduce her to the rest of the people. Give her a cell in my block.''

'' Will do.'' Daryl knew he wouldn't find out much from that. Still, based on everything that happened when today, he trusted Jonathan. ''Take good care of my motorcycle.''

'' Got it. Be careful on your way back.''

Jonathan then left. Daryl followed Jonathan with his gaze until he was out of sight. Glenn asked after seeing Jonathan disappear, ''Are you sure you can trust him with the bike?''

"Yes.'' Daryl waited a few more seconds and then went straight to the RV, '' Let's get out of this horrible place.''

Glenn nodded. He was a little down, knowing that his need for beds had led to his family members being in danger. ' At least both are safe and we managed to save a person. The people inside the hotel were monsters.'

Since Daryl and Glenn were not going to go back to this place at all, due to what had happened and the number of walkers that were coming because of the gunshots and the grenade, they managed to squeeze 10 beds in the RV.

What they did not notice, is that when they left the place, a person came out of a hiding place and ran in one direction, '' I have to follow them!''

This person knew that whoever these people were, they were resourceful. The strange person arrived at his motorcycle, turned it on, and followed the RV at a distance, '' Governor will be pleased!''

Unaware that the wheel of fate already started to turn, Jonathan went towards Gabriel's church.

 

---