Episode 19: The Stranger
I looked out the window in my room. I could see the backyard from here and my mind instantly went back to that day. That horrible night that Grace Wallace met her end. Her screams still echoing in my mind. Screams of agony. Screams of fear. I had only fallen asleep for a few seconds, but that was all that was needed for me to be too late. Too late to save her. Too late to do anything, but yell for help and watch her helplessly. Out this very window.
I had considered laying back in bed for a moment as I sleepily stared at the posters DJ has plastered on the wall, but I forced myself off the bed and stumbled slightly out the door. Staying in bed had made my legs feel like Jell-O, but I pressed on.
I headed down the stairs towards the kitchen. There I found Aaron sitting at the table alone. Only a cup of joe kept his company as he sported a sullen expression on his face.
“Hey,” I said sounding pretty lackluster myself.
I slid down in the chair beside him and he remained staring off in the distance. I looked around for evidence of breakfast, but the table was barren and there seemed to be no signs of breakfast even being prepared anywhere.
“So did I miss breakfast?” I asked genuinely confused.
The doctor chuckled. “No. There is no breakfast. Scraps. We’re low on supplies right now.”
“Well that’s sucks,” I murmured. “Is that’s what wrong with you? Are you hungry like I am?”
“No. Well, I could use a bite, but that’s not what’s wrong with me,” he said. “It’s just I have a bad feeling about today. Your companion Vince, Matthew, DJ, and Nathan went out today and I can’t help but worry. I wanted to express my concerns last night, but no one ever listens to me.”
“Well, I’m sure there be fine.”
“Maybe, but I’m barely ever wrong about these things,” he sighed. He then flashed me a small smile. “Anyway, I can make you some coffee if you like. Do you like coffee?”
“Not really. I sort of hate it.”
He laughed softly lightening the mood. He took a sip of his own coffee cringing a bit. Suddenly, he looked up and gasped. I looked over to see Nathan now standing in the stairwell doorway. The doctor jumped up from his seat, ran over to him, and hugged the statues man.
“You didn’t go? I thought you went. Oh, thank God,” he said deepening the hug.
Nathan didn’t reciprocate though. He seemed distracted. He looked over Aaron’s shoulder as if looking for something.
Aaron immediately looked insulted by the brush off. He frowned and sat down looking downcast. I shook my head no, but Wade then entered the room answering the question immediately.
“Damn Lin ran off with Matthew, DJ, and that delinquent,” he growled walking over to the sink. “Damn woman got me doing dishes.”
Strangely enough, much like Lin most mornings, he had an apron and rubber gloves on. A frilly apron to boot. All three of us couldn’t take our eyes off of him. Any other guy could pull it off maybe, but Wade was a sight to see. He suddenly looked back at us with a wild look in his eye as if he had woken up from a trance. It took everything in me not to laugh at how ridiculous he looked. Even Nathan and Aaron looked amused.
“What you looking at?” he spat in his country accent. “Wipe those smiles off your faces. I know I look stupid.”
“I’m glad you finally admit it,” Aaron said under his breath snickering.
“No. Just Lin,” he huffed. “I told her not to, but does she listen to me? No. Instead, she got me here washing dishes. Doing her job!”
“Anybody can wash dishes, Wade.”
Nathan sighed. “Well, I was supposed to go. She must have slip pass me.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t did you golden boy?” he fumed. “Lazy good for nothing!”
“Wade. Give him a break,” Aaron moaned reverting back to his pitiful state. He then scowled. “I’m sure Ms. Wu can take care of herself if she’s so special.”
Nathan furrowed his brow. “What you mean by that?”
The doc cut his eye at him and rolled his eyes. “Nothing Parker.”
Nathan glared at Aaron and stormed off into the hallway. The doctor’s mood seemed to sour from there and Wade was well Wade. It seemed like it was time for me to go. I got up from the table and went over to Wade who was slaving over dishes now. He glanced over at me as I did.
“Are you going to make something for breakfast? I’m sort of hungry,” I whispered hoping he would offer me a snack before my departure.
He rolled his eyes. “Nope. We’re running low. You can have that can of spam over there.”
He pointed to the left to a can on the counter and I grimaced. “No thanks.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
“So Madison didn’t go? Where is she?”
“Out front.” He then whispered. “In my opinion, I think she’s lost her marbles. Been out there since last night.”
He went back to washing dishes mumbling to himself. I headed towards the front door and I could hear Nathan arguing with Madison just outside.
“I’m doing your job for you,” Madison snarled. “Go back to sleep.”
“Madison, now we know that’s not how this works. Matthew wouldn’t allow it and I’m here now. Let me take over.”
“Sorry, but you should have been here this morning like you agreed. Not sleeping in!”
He shouted back. "I overslept! It’s not like I meant to!”
“No, but you did and you jeopardized our safety by doing so. Someone could have easily snuck in here while you and Wade got your beauty sleep. Besides I thought you were supposed to go with Matt and DJ this morning. Skip out on that too?”
"Yes, but…!”
She sighed. “I heard enough, Nate. Just go back to bed or something.“
I jumped out the way just in time as Nathan came busting through the door. He looked angry, but soften when he saw me. He gave me a nod and small smile before hurrying away. I then exit out the door and was greeted with the sight of Madison in full camo. She looked like she was ready for battle. She wore camo pants, a black shirt, and face paint with a rifle on her lap.
"Hey, there,” she said greeting me as she looked out a pair of binoculars. “How you feel?”
“Ok, I think. Everyone seems to be acting weird though. Well, weirder than usual.”
“Nevermind.”
“What you doing out here? Isn’t Nathan supposed to be on watch?”
“Yeah, but I fired him. Him and Wade. Lazy bastards.”
“You ‘fired’ them?”
“Yeah. I found Wade sleep last night while he was on watch. Then Nathan was a no show this morning. Decided it was about time I stepped up and do it the right way.”
“So you have been out here all night!”
“So?” she said lowering her binoculars and shrugging. Looking closer I could see bags under her eyes. “I’m fine though.”
“But all night?”
“I’m doing this for our safety. I know it sounds crazy, but something or someone is watching us.”
“Yeah. Zombies or whatever you call them… walkers.”
“No. It’s something more than that. I know it! The message at the gas station said as much. Someone is watching us and we can’t let our guards down,” she exclaimed.
“Ok. Ok. Well, do you mind if I join you?”
I sat down on the bench beside her without hearing her answer. She flashed me a small smile and continued her watch. It almost seemed like she was looking for something specific. I squinted my eyes looking through the shrubbery for any sign of movement, but I saw nothing. Everything seemed to be the same as any other day. I sat there for a while though. Partly watching. Partly daydreaming. Boredom settling in, but a nice soothing calm washed over me. Maybe it had been good to get out. I would probably have nodded off, but then I saw something. I really saw something. I thought I was dreaming, but what I saw was real because Madison saw it too. A woman.
She rushed over to the stairs and Madison aimed at her. She then flung herself on the steps submissively as if holding onto a life raft. She spoke again in the same dry horsed manner, but louder. “Please help me.”
“Who are you? State your name!” Madison shouted looking down at her.
“No. Name first.”
“Please. I just want water. Please,” she moaned. She turned her attention to me. “You. Will you give me water? Please?”
“A sip of water. That all I ask,” she pleaded.
“I can get her a cup,” I said trying to defuse the situation.
“We don’t know this woman!” Madison fumed.“Let’s say we give her water. Then what’s next? Food? Housing? Our deaths?”
“Well, a few weeks ago you didn’t know me either.”
She paused rubbing her temples and then sighed. “Fine. Go ahead. Give her a glass, but then she talks and if she’s lucky she can leave without a bullet wound.”
I ran into the house before she changed her mind, grabbed the nearest cup, filled it up with a bottle of water, and was out the door before Wade or anyone could say a word. When I returned both women were still in their same positions. Madison looked down at the stranger and the woman’s pale anguish face looked up her.
I gave the woman the cup and she took it hungrily. She downed the whole thing without taking a breath and wiped her mouth. Then she suddenly lunged and grabbed my hands. Madison rushed forward and aimed the gun right at her head, but the woman seemed unfazed. She looked up at me and smiled.
“None of your business!” Madison spat. “What’s your name?”
“I just wanted to thank my savior,” she said eyeing her. “But since you insist, it’s Gemma. Gemma Ryan. Nice to meet you despite the harsh circumstances.”
“Audrey. It’s Audrey.” I mumbled cutting my eye at Madison expecting her to stare daggers at me.
She looked, but she didn’t seem angry. Instead, she shrugged and stated her name. “Madison. Just Madison for now.”
“Well, thank you, Audrey. Thank you, Madison.”
She turned over on her back and slid down to the ground sitting. She held on to the cup and traced her finger around the rim. Something about her seemed almost childlike now. She peered up at me smiling again. “You got any more water? Still dying of thirst.”
“What do you mean?”
“You couldn’t be traveling alone. You had to come from somewhere. You were also in a hurry. Why?”
She frowned and cocked her head eyeing Madison now. “I was running from what we all run from now. From the rotters.” She fiddled with her fingers. “Thought that was obvious.”
Madison scoffed. “I didn’t see any of the dead after you and you still haven’t told me where you come from.”
The woman rambled on. “I lost them luckily. Seem like they’re getting faster, but I managed to lose em. I had been running from a large pack for a while. Then I saw your house. I was happier than a clam when I saw you living and breathing humans.”
She continued laying her head back on the steps as if sunbathing. “Anyway, me and boyfriend got split up. I lost him a few miles back on the road. We got caught up in a herd of them and he told me to go on while he distracted them. He could be dead for all I know.”
“What you mean by that?” she shot back. She then buried her head in her hands and began whimpering. “Of course I’m worried about him, but I haven’t had time to let it sink in you know? I’ve been running for my life this whole time.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I don’t know where I’m going to even stay,” she cried.
“Where did you stay before this?”
“In a car on the side of the road. I barely slept.”
“Then you should go back there. We can’t you help here,” Madison said coldly watching the woman closely.
“But I can’t go back,” the woman said appearing frantic now as she climbed to her feet. “Those things busted the windows. It’s not safe anymore.”
“Nowhere is safe anymore. I’m sure you’ll find somewhere else to sleep for the night though.” She cocked her gun. “Now please leave the property. We’re done here.”
“Wait! You promised me another glass of water,” she pleaded. She reached out for me again, but I backed away. “And maybe some food.”
“I did no such thing, but we don’t have enough anyway. Now please go away,” Madison growled.
I intervened. “I’ll…I can give her some more water. We did sort of insinuate we were going give her some more.”
Madison was officially irritated by me now. She glared at me as I ran to get more water, but she didn’t stop me. When I returned, Gemma was sitting down again with Madison looming over her menacingly. I quickly gave the woman the cup. She drunk it much slower this time. She glanced up at Madison as she did.
When she finished I took the cup from her and she buried her face in her hands again. Madison came closer and stuck the gun in her face. She looked up with teary eyes.
“You don’t understand. I can’t go back out there. I’m pregnant.”
“You can’t put a pregnant woman out there with rotters can you?” she said staring up at us on all fours now. “I found somewhere safe with real live people and now I have to go out there again? To die? Me and my defenseless baby sent back out there to die.”
Madison looked furious. She grabbed the woman’s arm and forcefully pulled it up on her feet.“You didn’t say anything about being pregnant,” she seethed.
“You’re lying!”
I stood back unsure what to do or what to believe. Then I saw Wade appear on the porch. His eyes widen at the scene.
“What the hell are you doing?! Who the hell is she?!” he roared.
“No one. Dead if it’s up to me,” she fumed.
“Now now, Ms. Madison,” I heard Mr. Jones bellow from the porch now beside Wade. “I think we can handle this without violence.”
“But…!”
“I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but from what I hear we have a new guest and the disagreement you’re having can be discussed in the house.”
“But…!”
“Ms. Madison. Please. Let’s be civil.”
He approached us slowly. Madison let the stranger go and Jones, the calming force had our attention. Even the woman.
“Gemma Ryan. Pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise. Why don’t you come right on in.”
Been waiting to write for this new character for a while. Things about to get real interesting and scary.
P.S. Matthew and co. at the dump next.
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