The Dead World/Issue 75

Walking through the camp now pissed at how she had to invite people that she didn't trust on her run, Angelica tried to be polite to the people who waved at her but it was obvious to them that she was not in the mood.

"Angelica!!" she heard Frank call causing her to sigh as she stopped and turned waiting until he had caught up.

"I wanted to discuss something with you" Frank stated pulling her away from everyone else so they could talk in private.

"what is it?" Angelica asked not bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"well, I notice you don't like our new "community members"?" Frank observed but she just nodded silently so he continued.

"so I came up with an idea, why don't you invite most of them on that little supply run of yours and...get rid of them" Frank said making Angelica a little shocked, she knew Frank was cold but this? he was overstepping the line.

"you know my answer, I may not trust them but I'm not going to kill them because of that fact" Angelica spat at him going to walk away but he put his arms beside each side of her to stop her.

"look we both want them gone so why cant you do this?" Frank asked annoyed at her now but she just glared at him as she leaned in close to him.

"because unlike you, I still have morals" she retorted but he shook his head laughing.

"bullshit, you'd do anything to survive and you already have I'm surprised you haven't killed anyone here to get what you want, oh no that's right you have...what was his name? Grant?" Frank said smirking causing Angelica to push him away roughly before stomping off.

"what's the matter? did I touch a nerve!!" Frank called out to her laughing but she just shook her head and ignored him.

Sighing as she walked away from the fence now her shift had ended, Karen went through her pockets looking for a cigarette and lighter which she quickly found before she got ready to light it walking away from camp.

However as she did she quickly noticed something going on not to far away making her put away the cigarette and lighter. Not that far away she saw a bigger kid bullying a smaller but same age kid as he tried to pick up his things pathetically.

"w-why c-cant you l-leave me a-alone" the smaller one stuttered as he was once again pushed to the floor roughly while the bigger boy laughed, however before the latter could retort with something Karen walked over to them.

"hey!!! leave him alone" Karen shouted pushing away the bigger kid as she got in between them and like she predicted the bully quickly backed down and apologized looking at both her and the bullied kid in disgust but he didn't say anything and just ran away.

"are you ok?" she asked the other teen as she tried to help him up and pick up his stuff but he ignored her help and done it himself quickly before getting up looking at her wary like he was worried she was going to do the same as the bully.

"y-yeh I'm o-ok, t-thank you" the teen stuttered again and it was obvious it wasn't just because he was scared but Karen shrugged it off and held out her hand.

"I'm Karen one of the newbies here, you?" she asked and he shakily took her hand and shook it "J-Jamie..." he responds with and Karen gives him a small smile calming him a little.

"you look a beat up, did you want me to take you to doctor Annie?" Karen asks softly but Jamie shook his head.

"I-its fine, I-I can go m-myself" Jamie said giving her a smile and a nod hoping to be allowed to go now and with one final look over with worry Karen nodded to say he could go.

"alright but i'll be checking with her later and i'll be annoyed if she tells me she aint seen you, ok?" Karen said and Jamie nodded before walking away quickly heading over to the med tent trying not to draw any attention.

Sighing as she watched him walk away, she couldn't help but feel bad for the kid and was disgusted that teens still bullied other teens in a world like this but she soon shook herself out of it and continued towards her and Anthony's tent, she needed to apologize to him.

"so what was the final result?" Annie pressed her brother who sighed as he shifted on his feet slightly. He had only come to his sister to talk but due to her nosiness he had ended up telling all about the meeting he had earlier making him disappointed with himself.

"Angelica is going to take some of the newbies on her run tomorrow, see how it ends up" Ricky answered her and she nodded sitting down in her "thinking pose".

She was beginning to get worried due to fact Frank, Harris's right hand man didn't trust the new group but she was glad that Harris was holding up on his side and letting them stay.

"well I trust them" Annie said smiling which made Ricky smile as well. He couldn't help but smile when she did, she was one of the if not the most happiest and kindest person you would meet, although she could be a bit naïve.

"I know you do and I trust them too, so does Harris but if people do start to complain and dislike them being here, they will have to be kicked out" Ricky stated a little sadly and her happiness soon went as she nodded causing him to mentally kick himself.

"hey" he said softly to her taking her hands in his making her look up at him again "when your shift ends did you want to stay up and look at the stars?" Ricky suggested making Annie smile slightly as she gently pushed him playfully.

However before she could respond, Jamie came into the tent tripping up slightly causing him to drop all his things and him to apologize a few times while they helped him pick up his things, Annie noticing his bruised cheek and a couple of cuts on his hands.

"what happened?" she asked practically shoving him onto a nearby seat as she looked around for a couple of bandages nodding to Ricky as he made his leave from the tent.

"b-bullied ma'-am" Jamie responded looking away from her causing Annie to sigh as she put her hand on his chin and turned his face to look at hers before rubbing the bruise slightly with a cloth.

"you should really tell other people about these bullies" Annie told him softly but he shook his head, his hands gripping his stuff tighter.

"n-no, its o-ok" Jamie responded nodding to her while giving a small smile but Annie just shook her head and laid a bandage over the most bad cut which was bleeding slightly. She would've pressed further but she knew it would get him to just close up again and eventually even not tell her.

"alright but if it gets worse we're telling Harris, ok?" Annie asked him and he nodded but smiled more now confusing her.

"I-I don't think they'll d-do it any-m-more" Jamie stated happily causing him to raise an eyebrow at him gesturing for him to explain.

"one of t-the n-new girls, K-Karen, s-she helped m-me, scared t-the bully" he said and she smiled softly at him before patting his shoulder nodding.

"alright, why don't you stay here a bit, do your thing" Annie suggested gesturing to the book he was holding and Jamie quickly nodded and thanked her in response as he opened his book, Annie returning to her work to give him privacy.

Entering her and Anthony's tent, Karen saw him laying in his sleeping bag, looking to her when he heard the flap open but she didn't meet his eyes as she laid in her sleeping bag next to his.

"I'm sorry..." Karen whispered after a few moments looking to him but he had his eyes closed but he still nodded silently causing her to sigh as she moved closer to him, laying her head on his chest.

"I shouldn't have been a bitch to you...can you forgive me?" she asked biting her lip worried she had ruined their relationship already but her worries were pushed away when he pulled her closer with a smile.

"I can forgive you" he whispered as he opened his eyes and gave her a quick "peck on the lips" before laying his head back down.

"just don't do something like that again, ok? I've lost enough people to things like that" Anthony asked her and she nodded giving him a smile as she laid her head in his neck, taking in his sent.

"I wont, don't worry" she assured him and soon enough they went back into a comfortable silence as they cuddled. Just enjoying each others company.

Coming back from his hunt a bit later than usual, Will approached the fences greeted by Bella as he quickly jumped over them.

"what ya got?" Bella asked and Will grinned before showing a couple of dead squirrels causing her to sigh and him to shrug before he looked around to make sure no other guards were around and went through his pockets.

"what else you got?" she observed his actions with interest until he finally pulled two chocolate bars out which looked in good condition making her widen her eyes in surprise.

"one each?" he suggested naughtily knowing they should share but neither of them minded as they took one each and enjoyed the taste of chocolate, both practically moaning in pleasure as the chocolate melted in their mouth.

"found them in a car down this road" Will finally said between bites causing her to raise an eyebrow as she swallowed what she had in her mouth shoving the wrapper in her jacket pocket.

"anything else in there?" she asked and Will grinned even more which told her there was in fact something more in the car.

"not much really except rotten food and other crap but in the trunk there was a cooler full of beers, chocolate bars and other stuff as well as a nice full bag of clothes" Will stated and Bella smiled as she looked excited.

"I'm gonna take the truck and get the rest of it, you wanna come?" Will asked and she nodded as they finished both their chocolate bars and headed over to Will's truck to get the rest of the car supplies.

About half an hour later, Will and Bella were sitting on the bed of the truck laughing as they sipped their beers, the cooler and bag of clothes nearby them as they exchanged jokes.

They had decided they wouldn't share ALL the supplies with the rest of the community and instead had decided to have some time alone with each other, mostly since they were the only members of the original group left but also due to them being close friends.

"can I be honest with you?" Bella asked looking at him seriously and he nodded sipping some more of his beer so Bella sighed before sitting closer to him and speaking.

"Will, your one of my closest friends" Bella mumbled while playing with his jacket slightly causing him to raise an eyebrow before he interrupted her speaking a little shocked.

"wait!!! you aint saying you want a relationship are you?" Will asked but she just shook her head laughing as she pushed him playfully.

"GOD NO!!" she exclaimed causing both of them to burst into laughs again until after a few minutes they fell into silence again and things got back to being serious.

"I...I just worry that, you wont be there one day...you know?" Bella told him looking up to Will with a sad look that made him a little sad in turn.

"we've lost everyone else and its only us now...I don't think I'd be able to carry on if I lost you" Bella admitted looking him straight in the eyes but all he did was give her a small smile as he cupped her cheek in his hand.

"Don't worry, I aint going anywhere, ok?" Will asked Bella and she nodded giving him a small smile in return to his and for a few moments they just looked each other in the eyes, just the two of them until Will finally leaned down before Bella could understand what was going on.

Although in the end, Will just kissed her on the forehead in a friendly gesture making her a little confused about her feelings for him but he soon got up and began packing things up.

"I think we've had enough of this for ourselves, lets get back to "our little community" and tell Harris what we found, yeh?" Will asked and she nodded following his lead and getting off the bed of the truck.

"ok but I want to look through them clothes first so I can pick out a few I want" Bella stated and Will agreed with her as they got in the front of the truck, a smile on both their faces.

"yeh see if there's any jumpers in there, winters coming" Will joked causing her to laugh as she began sorting through the bag....