The Dead World/Issue 91

Standing around the grave of their beloved leader, the camp residents kept their heads bowed in respect for their fallen friend. It had been one day since Harris had been killed by Riley and they were all still grieving.

They didn't even have any idea what to do next. They didn't know what Frank's group would do next and they were unprepared. They had doubled the guard duty and Will was planning some special missions into the woods to find Frank's camp but apart from that, they had no idea what to do.

After a few respectful words had been said, people began to leave the grave site and headed back to their jobs, they may have lost their leader but they couldn't let that stop them, they had a camp to protect and a life to live.

In a few minutes the only person that was left at the grave was Angelica who brought his coat further against her as she wiped a tear of her face, she was trying a lot to not emotionally break down and thankfully she had managed not to do it in front of everyone.

However that didn't stop her from crying a little bit now she was alone. Ever since the start of all this she had been with Harris....and now he was gone and she didn't know what to do like everyone else, they were lost without their leader.

"its ok just keep this camp running when I'm gone" he had told her to do but how was she meant to keep things running when no one trusted her as a leader, when she didn't even trust herself as a leader.

Sighing she wiped one last tear away before she walked back to her tent, crying over his death wasn't going to help any of them and she needed to be strong for both her and the community....

Sitting in Harris's RV at the man's desk, Ricky looked through the draws trying to find the former leader's diary, he knew that was where the supply run info and stuff like that was kept but he just couldn't find it.

Sighing in frustration, Ricky slammed the draws shut before putting his head in his hands, he didn't know what to do. Without Harris the guards were going to him for help, asking him when the next supply run was, who was going to do guard duty tonight, how the food was going to be given out today etc but he just didn't have any answers.

He wasn't Harris....

However as he sat here trying to work things out he couldn't help but think back to his last proper conversation with Harris, just hours before Frank and his group arrived and killed Harris in that brutal way.

''Knocking on Harris's RV door, Ricky shifted on his feet as he waited for Harris to answer. He was sure why he had been called here but he assumed it was for a good reason as Harris only called for Ricky when they needed to have a talk about something in the community.''

"come in" he heard Harris respond and taking a deep breath, Ricky opened the door before walking in and joining Harris at his desk who smiled up at him when he sat down on a chair, quiet as always.

"sorry for calling you in randomly like this but I needed to ask you something....something that needs to stay between us" Harris stated and Ricky raised an eyebrow at this a little confused as to why this needed to stay between them but soon nodded in response so Harris continued.

"I need to know something, now don't go ahead and tell me that I'm not going to die because at some point I am.... I need to know when I die your going to take over leadership of this camp" Harris stated surprising Ricky completely, Harris wanted Ricky to take over leadership if he died?

''"I know its sudden but I know your the right man for the job so that's why I'm asking you" Harris stated and Ricky took a deep breath closing his eyes in thought. Would he really be ready to take over leadership if Harris suddenly died?''

"ok, i'll try" Ricky said quietly after a few minutes making Harris grin as he got up and patted the man on the back before handing him a spare key to his draws showing that Harris was already going to try and have Ricky be a leader of the community making him sigh again.

He knew when the time came he probably wouldn't be ready to lead so many people but he knew he had no choice, without Harris Ricky was next in line to take over leadership of the camp and protect everyone....

Shaking his head out of these thoughts, Ricky sighed as he sat back in the chair closing his eyes for a few moments until he heard the door open causing him to jump out of the leader's chair instantly and look to see who it was, only to see Angelica who obviously had been crying.

"you ok?" Ricky asked on instinct before mentally slapping himself and having to remind himself that Angelica wasn't one to talk about her feelings, she was probably going to snap at him now.

However surprisingly Angelica just silently shook her head as she walked into the RV, closing the door before going over and taking out some of Harris's wine to drink while Ricky just stood there a little awkwardly.

He didn't know what to do, he was always so used to helping someone who openly talked about their feelings but Angelica? he always felt like he was stepping on dynamite when talking to her, fortunately she just turned to give him a smile as she offered some wine for him to take which he did lightly.

"its ok, you don't need to say anything....although I could use a friend to talk to" she admitted quietly searching his eyes to hope she wasn't over stepping his bounds but as she had hoped he gave her his best smile as he spoke.

"well I do need help finding Harris's diary" Ricky also admitted making the woman laugh a little before she put her drink down and walked over to the desk moving him gently out of the way to help him find it.

"he always was unorganized" she told him making them both laugh as they searched around for the diary, glad to have someone around them that could put a smile on their face.

Sitting in the med tent, David sighed as Annie once again done up the large cut on his arm which he had received during his time being captured by Frank's group although that wasn't what was making him sigh, it was Annie's scolding that had made him sigh.

"I told you not to do anything that could reopen the wound, but of coarse you had to go and do just that" she stated biting her lip in concentration as she sewed the arm, quickly apologizing when he winced in pain.

Despite her scolding he knew she was just being a doctor, really she was just worried about him but she had to play the strict doctor from time to time, he understood that and that's why he wasn't arguing with her, although he probably also didn't so he could save his shouting for Lori.

The two wasn't on very good terms at the moment. Lori was glad that he was alive but also angry that he had gone out in the first place and nearly died, he had just walked out on her and he knew she was probably looking for him right now and as if on cue the tent flap opened and in came Lori with a glare on her face.

"I thought you'd be in here, you cant just walk out on me!!" Lori shouted at him but before he could respond Annie stepped in between the two, hands on hips as she faced Lori face to face.

"I have other patients here you know, I don't need shouting going on, you have problems sort it out elsewhere" Annie stated in her best doctor like voice but Lori just glared as she pushed the doctor aside.

"none of your business" Lori spat before turning her attention back to her husband with a worse glare that before but before she could say anything David stood up instantly towering over her and drawing all the attention in the room.

"STOP your damn shouting, STOP being rude and STOP getting other people hurt, I don't need to deal with your damn shit I have enough on my plate, if you don't like me or our relationship you know where the door is" David shouted at her making her completely shocked as she stared at him before biting her lip as tears formed and ran out of the tent before anyone could say anything else.

Sighing, David ran his hands through his hair before muttering an apology to Annie and walking out of the tent chasing after his wife, he may have needed to shout at her like that but he shouldn't have really, he knew she was just worried....they all were.

Sitting in a circle just outside Karen and Anthony's tent, Emily, Karen and Maria laughed after Anthony had told some joke. It was a rubbish one but it still made them laugh in a situation like this, that's what they liked most about the man.

Soon enough their laughter died down and they went into a comfortable silence again as they sat with each other, Karen cuddling into Anthony due to the cold and Emily holding Maria's hand, to let the little girl know she was still there.

"Emily, what we doing for Christmas?" Maria asked breaking the silence and shocking the adults as they all turned to look at her, biting their lips as they quickly tried to think of something. In a situation like this it was very unlikely they would even have Christmas.

"I mean I know its only 2 days away and I....I was wondering" Maria started trailing off as she noticed there looks and bit her lip in thought before continuing "were not having a Christmas are we?" she asked and they all answered with a small shake of the head and mutters of apologizes.

Meanwhile Jamie shyly came over, being shy because of two reasons, he had heard their conversation and the fact he wasn't good with people anyway but he just wanted to ask Karen something and thankfully said woman took notice of him.

"hey Jamie" she said happily and he gave them all a polite nod as they each said there greeting before he coughed a little awkwardly as he turned to look to Karen and spoke.

"c-can I speak with y-you for a m-moment?" Jamie asked with his usual stutter and Karen nodded giving him a big smile but after a few moments of silence Karen suddenly understood he meant in private before excusing herself from the others and walking away with Jamie with Anthony making some joke about him better bringing her back which made them all laugh.

"so what's up?" Karen asked looking to him as she spoke while he made sure no one else was around which confused her before she understood when he spoke up trying not to let anyone else hear.

"can y-you teach me how t-to shoot?" Jamie asked shifting on his feet as he had his hands in his pockets. The truth was he didn't want to shoot really but he had correctly gathered with a little war on the horizon it was best he learned how to shoot.

"you sure?" she asked looking him in the eyes but he just simply nodded so she gave him a small smile and bumped her shoulder on his "sure, just let me know when you want to do it" she stated but before she said her goodbye's he spoke up again.

"is now good?" he asked and Karen's eyes winded in a little bit of shock that he wanted to do it as soon as this but she shrugged it off, with a fight coming she supposed he wanted to learn how to shoot as soon as possible....

"sure" she answered with a small smile which he returned before they went back to the rest of them to get two guns as well as tell Anthony and the other girls where they were going.

Laying in his tent, Will running his hand through his hair as he listened to people going around camp either doing their jobs or talking/arguing. There was a lot of tension in the air but Will couldn't do anything about that, he just had to be prepared to protect HIS group....

Suddenly he heard his tent flap open and opened his eyes to watch as Bella entered the tent giving him a small smile as she sat down next to him and took out two chocolate bars handing one to him which he took and opened knowing it was the food that they were getting today.

"orange?" he asked playfully before taking a bite while she just smirked and took a bite of hers, shifting a little closer to him which he happily allowed, he liked to have her close....so he could be sure she was still alive. It was stupid he knew but he just liked to have confirmation that she was always ok.

"you on guard duty tonight?" she asked but he shook his head, finishing up on his bar before picking up his crossbow and two arrows, sliding them into their holster at the front of the weapon as he gave her a grin.

"na, going hunting, you?" Will asked and she shook her head giving him a grin throwing her chocolate wrapper aside as she laid her head on his shoulder watching his hands as they slid the arrows into their place.

"can I come?" she asked playfully causing him to chuckle as he nodded getting up carefully before helping her up muttering that she was always welcome to come as he exited the tent making her smile as she followed him, getting ready to head out into the woods again....