The Dead World/Issue 36

Standing around the grave of their recently lost group member, the group remained in silent. They didnt know what to say....there was only 9 of them left now, one of them barely still alive due to a gunshot they recieved. They were all just staring, minds processing what has happened over the past few days....

They'd lost 5 members of their group and they hadnt even had a chance to properly mourn them, just enough time to bury them and move on. Looking around to the rest of the group, Will took in each of their expressions to try and see what they were thinking.

Elizabeth was staring silently at the grave, not even crying which was making Will curious but he decided that Elizabeth had already used up all her tears. Logan was standing there respectively bowing his head. Aiden was still shaken and upset mostly due to Jethro having landed on Aiden when he died. Anthony was currently crying his eyes out with Karen trying to comfort him, apart from Elizabeth, Anthony had been the closest to Jethro.

Natasha was standing next to Will, her head on his shoulder as she held back the tears. The only people absent from the funeral were Lewis and Bella who were inside the house, Lewis resting and Bella looking after him...

Sighing Will nodded to everyone and they decided it was time they entered the house so one by one they left the grave until only Elizabeth was left standing there looking at it...feeling alone for the first time in years.

Watching from a bedroom window, Bella saw the group begin to enter the house again and felt a little sad. Yet another member of their group had died and she was beginning to think by the time of the week, there wasnt going to be any of them left if they continued like this.

Hearing a groan coming from behind her, Bella turned to see as Lewis reached up to his head obviously due to his headache and continued groaning "what...happened?" Lewis asked her and Bella let out a little laugh as she walked over to him.

"you got shot, again" Bella said sitting next to him and feeling his head to make sure he hadn't got a tempture while he just stared at her waiting for her to explain more so she sighed.

"while you were rescuing Aiden you took a hit on the lower half of your chest, Karen thankfully managed to patch you up" Bella explained looking him over "you feeling good?" Bella asked and Lewis let out a little chuckle but regretted it as his side hurt.

"do I look good?" Lewis jokinly asked and Bella shook her head getting up.

"you look like shit" Bella stated and the two then laughed while Lewis layed back on the bed "your gonna need rest for a while" Bella told him looking down at him as she stood near his head while he looked up at her.

"guess thats no more sex for a while, huh?" Lewis asked playfully but she pushed his shoulder gently giving him a look and a smile.

"i'm sure we can think of some way to do it" Bella said and moved to lay next to him on the bed before cuddling up to his side which he accepted.

"you really have to stop worrying me" Bella whispered and he chuckled before kissing the top of her head.

"I dont exactly plan to get shot at" Lewis replied but Bella shook her head before looking up to him seriously.

"promise me you wont get yourself killed?" Bella asked and Lewis scanned her eyes and sighed before laying his head down.

"you know I cant promise that......." Lewis replied and Bella nodded laying her head down again.

"we didnt lose anyone else did we?" Lewis finally asked after a couple of moments silence and Bella shook her head in a no motion making him happy that no one else had died before he closed his eyes planning to get more rest.

Sighing as he took a drag from his cigarette, Will overlooked the street, there was a couple of zombies stumbling across the road but none posed an immidiate threat to himself or the group. He'd come outside to think about all that had happened so far. Usually he was ok with dealing with things like this but they'd lost 5 people in only 6 days.....

Looking up to the sky, Will noticed how it was starting to get dark signalling that it was nearly time to sleep so he dropped his cigarette to the ground before stomping on it to put it out and walked over to the truck getting his crossbow ready.

A lone zombie turned its head towards him and let out a loud growl beginning to raise its arms to grab Will but he just simply smacked the zombie round the head with his crossbow before stomping on its head to end its life and moving on.

Reaching the vehicles, Will made sure the RV and Van were locked before walking over to the truck and locking it making sure to cover up the weapon bags with a blanket so it wouldnt draw the attention of any living person that might appear.

However he suddenly saw someone coming towards him and looking up properly he was shocked to see his dead wife. Quickly aiming his crossbow, Rebecca raised her hands with a shocked expression on her face.

"Will....are you alright?" Rebecca asked and Will narrowed his eyes, his finger itching to press on the trigger and release the arrow.

"WILL?!!!" Rebecca asked more frantically but Will just ignored the voice and closed his eyes preparing to fire.....

However when he opened his eyes he saw that it wasnt his wife and infact Natasha looking at him shocked and scared and Will quickly put down his crossbow as she walked over him.

"what?....are you ok?" Natasha asked but Will ignored her and quickly locked up the truck before walking back to the house.

"i'm fine" Will told her, lieing to himself and her as he disappeared from her view leaving her to remain standing there confused at his actions.

Looking out the window, Karen watched as a couple of zombies walked around outside the house while she leaned out of the window taking a drag from her cigarette before hearing the door open behind her and she turned to see Anthony walking in.

"oh.my.god, has Anthony actually arrived to be on watch?" Karen asked in a joking tone and Anthony smiled a little as he closed the door.

"yeh, maybe i'll even be able to stay up this time" Anthony stated and Karen scoffed before taking another drag from her cigarette while Anthony sat on the chair near hers, also over looking the window.

"any activity?" Anthony asked more seriously and Karen shook her head as her eyes remained on the outside of the house.

"only a couple of zombies but apart from that nothing" she stated and thought for a moment before turning to him.

"you going to be ok?" she asked with an actual caring tone in her voice causing Anthony to look at her for a moment before sighing and bowing his head.

"i'll live....I guess" Anthony mumbled and Karen moved her hand to his shoulder before giving it a comforting squeeze which he was thankful for.

"want a smoke?" Karen offered but he shook his head causing her to smile as she took a drag "scared?" she asked playfully and Anthony looked up to her smiling a little, she always knew how to cheer him up.

However before he could answer that he suddenly had a feeling between his legs and looked at her guilty while she just raised an eyebrow.

"I forgot to go a piss before I came here" Anthony said and Karen let out a groan before looking at him.

"are you actually serious?" Karen asked but Anthony just gave a grin.

"actually i'm Anthony, nice to meet you" Anthony stated laughing to himself but Karen just narrowed her eyes so he stopped.

"fine...go" Karen said gesturing to the door as she took another drag and he nodded thankfully before exiting the room and heading to the bathroom he had shared with the old couple.

Laying on her bed, Natasha was lost in deep thought until she heard a knock on the door so she got up slowly, moving her muscles before heading over to the door and opening it revealing Will to be standing there.

"are you ok?.......I must've scared you earlier" Will asked and Natasha nodded giving him a small smile as she stood aside so he could enter which he did before she closed the door behind him.

"you wanna talk about it?" Natasha asked but Will just shrugged.

"not sure what to talk about.....I mean all I know is I keep seeing my dead wife, either in nightmares, hallucinations...." Will went on to himself before sitting on her bed head in hands confused with himself.

"I dont know whats up with me Natasha......I really dont" Will stated as she sat next to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder which he accepted.

"maybe its all this death lately.....making you think about her" Natasha suggested and Will nodded moving his head away from his hands in thought.

"maybe" he whispered in reply and she patted his shoulder before speaking again.

"hey, whatever it is, we'll sort it out ok?" Natasha said and Will nodded and the two remained in silence for a few moments before Will spoke up.

"i'm lucky I found you, you know" Will said and Natasha looked at him confused but he just shrugged.

"I dont know how long I would've lasted if I hadnt saved you, I was beginning to go crazy and get risky with the things I did" Will said and Natasha studied him while listening.

"but when I met you.....it felt like I had something worth surviving for, to survive so I could keep you alive" Will whispered lost in his thoughts before Natasha suddenly hugged him tight leaning her head on his chest.

"dont worry, i'll ALWAYS be here" Natasha told him and kissed his cheek but before he could respond they heard Anthony shout out in terror causing Will to instantly go into action and unholster his Colt Official Police before running out of the room and heading down the corridor where the shout had sounded from.

Reaching the area which turned out to be one of the bathrooms, Will saw how Logan, Bella, Karen and Aiden had gathered around Anthony who was in the door way on his knees crying his eyes out.

Slowing his pace, Will gently walked his way through the group who all moved out of the way and at first Will looked down at Anthony before he heard Natasha gasp in shock and poke his shoulder pointing further up and when he looked up he saw what everyone was looking at.

Hanging from the ceiling light by the shower curtians. Elizabeth's life less body just swung back and forth a little, only held up by the curtians around her neck......