Low on Time/Issue 47

This is issue forty-seven of Low on Time, entitled: Smith-Franchise.

Issue 47; Smith-Franchise
Ben knocks fiercely on a light red door, Ike over his shoulder, and Kelly standing next to him, nervously. It doesn't take long for the door to swing open, and a half-naked woman to rush outside, hair still a mess.

"Ben-- what the fuck is going on?" she asked, her heart pounding, sweat dripping from her forehead.

It doesn't take long for Ben to push his way inside her, the woman close behind him.

"Can you fix him up?" he asked, lying Ike on the table.

"I--I don't know. I can try... I need my tools though." she said, quickly looking over Ike's chest.

Kelly walks inside the house slowly, watching as Ben hurried out of the room and the woman put a small rag over Ike's chest. The woman turned toward Kelly, seeing her standing their watching them.

"You." she said, motioning to Kelly. "I need your help."

Kelly quickly walked over to the woman, dropping her pistol on the ground. The woman quickly takes Kelly's hands and places them on Ike's chest.

"Keep them there-- what happened?" she asked, feeling Ike's pulse.

"He was stabbed..."

"How long ago?" she quickly asked.

"I don't know-- a few hours ago, I guess."

The woman nodded her head, taking Kelly's hands off of the wound. The way she worked, so calm and collected, provided a sense of relief for Kelly as Ben came back with a first-aid kit.

"Katy," Ben said, looking toward the woman, who just calmly grabbed the kit. "Can you fix him?"

"He lost a lot of blood..." she said, looking over the pale, unconscious Ike, before turning to the nervous Kelly. "I can try though."

Ben quickly pulled Kelly back away from Ike's body. "We'll need some room to work."

Kelly just nodded, and stood back as Katy and Ben started to get to work on fixing Ike. Kelly didn't know what to do. She's feeling the same helpless feeling she felt when Dylan died. When Langston died. When Trevin died. She couldn't do anything but watch as they slowly died. And now Ike, his fate stuck in the hands of two complete strangers... she didn't know what to do... but the feeling in her gut pains her. She just wants Ike to make it.

Sitting inside the living room, head in her lap, Kelly just cried and tried to get the image of Ike out of her head. During the surgery, Katy accidentally cut Ike the wrong way. The blood shot out of his chest before they patched it up-- but Kelly couldn't watch it anymore. As much as she wanted to be there for him, the blood made her sick and she just couldn't handle it.

"Kelly?" the calm voice of Katy asked from the doorway. Kelly lifted her head, looking in her direction, seeing that she was standing there, still half-naked. "We're done with the surgery."

"And?" Kelly asked, rising from the couch.

"It's all a matter of him waking up now."

Kelly simply nodded, hurrying over to Katy, and pushing past her, going to Ike.

"Do you need anything?" Katy asked, as Kelly looked over the unconscious Ike. "I know you were out there-- barely any food. We have pleny here... and I could get you a change of clothes."

Kelly shook her head, grabbing hold of Ike's hand. "No, you've done more than enough... thank you."

"We have more than enough... I'll go grab you something." Katy said, before wandering off, leaving Kelly with Ike.

Kelly held onto Ike's hand tightly, looking over him. His faint breath, his pale skin... it all worried her so much. He promised to protect her, when he could barely protect himself.

"I'm sorry." she whispered to him. "I'm sorry for leaving you..."

"Y'know he can't hear you?" Ben asked, standing behind her.

"I know," she said, not bothering to look back at him. "But it helps... saying things out loud."

"I understand." he said, walking next to her. "He mean a lot to you?"

"He's the only person I have left." she said, looking back at him. "He means the world to me."

"I'm happy we were able to help then." Ben said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you." she silently said.

Kelly sat next to Ike, sleeping. The effects of the day had finally taken the toll on her, and she couldn't help but pass out, head resting on the table Ike lied on. Katy, who had stumbled into the room, exhausted, looked down on the two, shaking her head.

She yawned, walked over to the two, not taking her eyes off of them. Katy woke Kelly up, nudging her back, and Kelly quickly turned toward her, heart beating.

"Go get some sleep." Katy said. "You could use it... I'll watch your friend."

Kelly nodded, taking one last look at Ike, before Katy escorted her into the living room. Kelly simply lied down on the couch, and the warmth and comfort of the couch took her away, and she passed out instantly.

Katy smiled, and turned away, coming face to face with Eli, who had just stumbled into her house.

"What do you want?" she asked, brushing him off, walking to the kitchen where Ike lied, Eli close behind her.

"I just wanted to help." he said, catching her attention. "I feel really bad about what happened here-- and besides that, we don't know these people. They could be dangerous. Do you wanna be stuck here alone with two psychopaths?"

"I appreciate the concern, Eli, I really do. But I have everything settled over here." she said. "Now get out of my house."

"Fine." he simply said, turning around. "But if they really are psycho's, you might wanna put on some pants before they wake up."

"I already have the protection part covered. Ben's upstairs."

"Whatever." he said, leaving the house, shutting the door behind him.

A few hours later, Katy stood in the kitchen still, going through what was left of her food supply. The food she gave to Kelly was almost all of it, but she feels as if she did the right thing, so she can't really complain.

But, the sound of a sudden gasping, made her turn around quickly, ready to fight or run. But, to her surprise and happiness, she sees Ike's mouth moving, and his eyes slowly opening. She quickly walked over to him, looking over him, wiping some of the blood off of his cheek.

Ike just stares in shock at this woman, who, for some reason, is just looking him over. But, he feels so weak-- so tired, to do anything. He can't find the willpower to move or to talk, so he just blankly stares at her as she puts an ice-pack over his forehead.

"Try not to move." she said, as she pours a little water from the sink into a shot glass. She walks back over to him, lifting his head, and pours some of the water into his mouth.

The water sends a relieving and cooling feeling throught Ike's entire body, and his tense body loosens up. He takes a sudden deep breath, before tensing up again. Where was Kelly?

He lifts his arm up, reaching out to the woman who was getting more water. As she turned back around, she quickly hurried over to him, and put his arm back down on the table.

"Don't strain yourself-- you're far too weak." she said, before turning and leaving the room, leaving Ike there to his own thoughts.

It doesn't take long for the woman to come back with Kelly, who's smiling wildly at the sight of Ike alive and awake. She runs across the room, wrapping Ike in a big hug, to which he grunts in pain.

"I'm sorry." she said, but not releasing her grip on him. "I don't care though, you asshole. Don't ever scare me like that again."

Ike smiled softly as Kelly hugged him, and planted a big kiss on his forehead. "I thought I lost you..." she said quietly.

As Kelly helped Ike off of the table, Ike nearly collapsing as his feet hit the floor, Katy and Ben watched from the front porch.

"So, you gonna tell them?" she asked.

"Tell them what?" Ben asked, looking at her.

"That you're the one who killed their friends."

"I don't plan on it. They seem like good people though, let's just make sure they feel comfortable for now. I feel like we owe it to them." Ben said, turning back toward them, watching as Kelly smiled, helping Ike walk over to them.

"You need to talk to Eli then." Katy quickly said. "He seems really guilty... which might just lead to anger and it coming out unnecesarily."

"I'll talk to him then." Ben said, as Kelly and Ike got to them.

"Thank you so much." Kelly said, shaking hands with Katy, and then with Ben. "We appreciate the hospitality."

"There's more than that came from." Ben said, turning away from them, looking into the streets. "I know you guys didn't have time to check out where you are, or what this place is. So let me be the first to welcome you to our home."

For the first time, Kelly looks out into the street. Across the street, a couple of kids played, and in the streets people walked, laughing, chatting.

"What is this place?" Kelly asked, looking at Katy and Ben.

"This is Smith-Franchise. Weird name, right? Well, we were able to take back the town from the infected. Able to start living again."

"And why the weird name?" Ike asked, the first words he's said to the two.

"Nice to meet you too, Ike." Katy said, extending her arm for a handshake, which he hesitantly took.

"Our guy, the one who issued the attack was a military commander by the name of Henry Smith. He'll want to talk to you."

"About what?" Kelly asked.

"Just to ask you a few questions. He likes to be up-to-date about what's going on inside the zone."

"Where can we find him?" Kelly asked.

"I'll take you there." Katy quickly said, smiling. "Just, follow me."

Kelly nodded, and Katy extends he hand out to help Ike down off the porch.

"I'll catch up with you guys later." Ben said, from the porch. "I'm gonna go meet up with a friend..."

"Ok." Kelly called back. "And thank you again-- for everything."

Ben nodded, smiling, as the three walked off.

Eli stood outside, paroling the town's walls with a few other soldier-like guys. They all stood tall, wielding assault rifles, looking mean and scary.

Ben made his way over toward them, and climbed up the ladder leading to the wall. When he got up, he quickly walked over to Eli, who smiled upon seeing him.

"What's up, man?" Eli asked, still smiling.

"Where's your head at, man?" Ben quickly asked. "About that girl and her friend."

"I don't know... maybe it's best we don't tell them... I don't think they'd handle that well."

"Exactly, man. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page with this."

"We are." Eli quickly said.

"Good to hear." Ben said, before turning back around.

As Katy walked with Kelly and Ike, Kelly couldn't help but feel the stares she was getting from the other survivors.

"They'll warm up to you." Katy said, to which Kelly looked up at her. "Two new guys-- both wearing battle wounds. They'll come to worship you, like everyone else who protects this place."

"Like you?" Ike asked, to which Katy flashed a smile. "I mean, thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, just doing my job." she said. "But, knowing your talents-- two hardened survivors in this shitty world, Smith will want you on the front lines... which reminds me, Kelly, do you need me to take a look at your face? It looks pretty beat up."

"No-- I'm fine." she said, nodding her head.

"Alright, well, I'd still like to take a look if given the chance." she said, as she turned into a driveway, Kelly and Ike close behind her. "Here we are."

As the three walked up to the door, Katy knocked on the door, and looked back at the two. "He'll want to speak with you individually. Ike, if you wouldn't mind just waiting here with me while he speaks with Kelly."

Ike looked at Kelly, who simply nodded her head in reassurance. "It'll be fine."

The door opened, and a man, no older than fifty stood before them, smiling. "I'm guessing these are the new recruits that Eli mentioned." he said, his voice booming.

"Yes sir." Katy said. "Kelly and Ike..."

"I'm Kelly Gay." she said, interrupting Kelly, shaking Henry's hand.

"Ike Dennis." Ike said, shaking his hand too, but weakly.

"Pleasure to meet you two. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to speak with you one at a time..." he said, looking between the two.

"I'll go first." Kelly said quickly, to which Henry smiled, nodding his head.

"Please come in then." he said.

As Kelly walked inside the house, and Henry closed the door behind her, he led her to the dining room, where he took a seat at the far end of the table. He motioned with his hand at Kelly so she could sit.

"First off, I'd love to welcome you to the Smith-Franchise..."

Credits

 * Kelly Gay
 * Ike Dennis
 * Eli
 * Ben
 * Katy
 * Henry Smith

Deaths

 * None