Peter's Journey/Issue 78

Peter was looking out the bedroom window still just as Henry closed the gate, he looked down to the others who were now waiting for Henry to come back up, Scott looked up to the house and saw Peter looking out, when Peter saw Scott, Scott gave Peter a nod, Peter forced a smile and then walked away from the window, he walked over to the bed and sat on his side of the double bed, he looked to his right where Jess would have slept and began to sob.

Downstairs Scott and the others came back inside, “you lot, go into that room please, we have a lot to talk about” said Scott “sure, is there any baby formula for Kate?” asked Emily “there’s some in the room already” replied Gareth “thanks” said Emily. In the main living area; Scott, Henry, Garry, Gareth, Laura, Shannon, Michael, Bow, Charlie and Olivia are all sitting/standing around the fire “what now?” asked Shannon who was the first to break the silence “they don’t have to go” said Gareth “what?” asked Henry “he’s right” said Scott “one of their group just killed Jess, and technically killed Kal as well” said Henry “you said it, one of their group, none of them knew Niall would have done that” said Scott “they should stay, they’ve got a child for God’s sake” said Charlie “stay out of this” said Olivia “no, everyone’s in on this” said Scott “where’s Peter then?” asked Laura “he’s upstairs, he doesn’t need this, not now” said Scott “he’s one of us, he should be here” said Michael “this isn’t about Peter, this about the group in there” said Shannon as she pointed towards the dining room where the others were being kept “we’ve sent their car away, we don’t have the fuel, or the supplies to give to them” said Scott “plus, if we send them away, they’ll take the guns with them, we’ll be left with a few hand guns, a couple of shotguns and not enough ammo” said Olivia “we have to hold on to whatever humanity we have left” said Scott “what our humanity is, is that we should let them stay here, they didn’t kill anyone” added Scott “yet” interpreted Michael “shut up” said Shannon “as I was saying, we should let them stay here, but if they slip up just a tiny bit, there out” said Scott “I agree” said Gareth “we should vote” said Scott “if you think that they should stay stick your hand up” said Shannon as she raised her hand, and she looked around the room to see a fair amount of people’s hands go up, and then looked behind her and saw Peter now joining in, with his hand up, she smiled over to him and he gave a blank look towards the group “then we have it, they stay” said Shannon “let them out” said Scott, Peter walked over to the door and opened it to see the group in there scattered across the room, with Julie holding Kate in her arms, and T.J and Emily standing up at separate areas. “You can stay” said Peter “thank you” said Emily in relief   “one slight hiccup though, and you’re out of here” said Scott as he came into the room “of course, and really we are sorry about what’s happened” said T.J “yeah, me too” said Peter as he walked off “he’ll come round” said Scott.

Next Morning at seven o’clock Peter’s alarm clock goes off, he eventually wakens up to see his bed empty, and finds strength to get up, he looks out to find a couple of walkers at the gate, Henry then knocks on the door “come in” said Peter as he put on his top “Scott was talking about burying Jess and Kal beside Sinead and Andy this morning” said Henry “I was going to do it now” said Peter as he put his belt on around his trousers “his he up?” asked Peter “yeah, a few others are also up as well” said Henry “I’ll be down in a second” said Peter “sure” replied Henry. Henry then left the room and Peter walked over to his dressing table and opened a drawer to show a small black box, Peter then wiped a some tears away from his eyes and shut the drawer and walked out of the room.

Downstairs Scott was drinking some boiling water, and Olivia was bringing in some firewood from outside “no service” said Peter as he walked past Scott “what?” asked Scott “we can bury them, but with no service or anything” replied Peter “okay, if that’s what you want then” said Scott “it is” said Peter as he took a shovel and walked outside. Peter came to an area on the grass at the back of the house where two mounts where in the ground, “more to come” said Peter as he looked down at one of the mounds, and he then began digging beside them. Back inside Scott was watching Peter from the window “I should go help him” said Scott “I would just leave him” said Henry as he walked over to Scott “he’ll be fine out there, he’ll get it done quicker” said Henry “you think so?” asked Scott “I know so” replied Henry as he walked back to sit down.

Half an hour later T.J came into the living room “morning” he said “sleep well?” asked Scott “no, not at all” replied T.J “nor did I” said Scott “Peter out there?” asked T.J “yep” replied Scott “you need any help with the wall watch?” asked T.J “you can take over Emily and Shannon shift if you want to” said Scott “I’ll go relieve one of them” said T.J “aren’t you on next?” asked Scott “yeah, but it gives me something to do and les to think about” replied T.J “what happened wasn’t your fault, and none of us think that” said Scott, T.J looked over to Henry “oh, no; some of you still think that” said T.J “Us” said Scott “I’m sorry, what?” asked T.J there is no we and them, everyone in this house is a group, a family if you like, we are a team. That’s how it is” said Scott “as Scott said it wasn’t you that killed Jess” said Henry, Scott then gave a faint smile towards Henry as he walked off “see you in a couple of hours” said T.J as he picked up an axe from the table and put his gun around his back “see you later” said Scott. He then looked outside and saw Peter still digging the first grave and waving towards Niall “he’s getting there” he said “who you talking to asked Gareth as he came into the room “myself, problem?” replied Scott laughing “no, you do know that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, don’t you?” asked Gareth “that’s an old wives tale, if you believe that, then you’re the mad one” replied Scott, Gareth went towards the chair and sat down, Scott looked over towards him “you alright?” asked Scott “yeah, it’s strange though” said Gareth “what is?” asked Scott “well you know, it’s like one minute Jess is here then the next she’s not, we’ve been together since the start of this, now all of a sudden she’s gone” said Gareth “we’ve all lost people” said Scott “but can’t just forget about them, not because there dead” said Gareth, “I never said that, but you have to get on with it, that’s what this world is all about now” said Scott “I know, holding a small part of what you where before all this, that’s what’s been keeping me going, and Laura” said Gareth “If I lost Gary, I dunno what I’ll do” said Scott “you’d be able to cope, your strong, and as you said; you gotta get on with life” said Gareth as he walked off.