Connor, Lisa, Maggy and Earl all stood outside, looking over the gate at the park not too far away.
"What should we do?" Earl asked. "I don't want to kill Children even if they're already dead!"
"Me neither, but going through the Hotel won't be easy" Connor said. "There will definitely be Walkers inside, and not a small amount!"
"We don't know that for sure.. Why don't we confirm before we go smacking kids with an Axe!" Maggy spoke.
"I was thinking that anyways" Connor said, hopping over the fence.
"Wait, now?" Earl said. "Should I come with you?"
"No, I should do it by myself just in case I need to run!" Connor explained.
"Be careful and don't take a risk!" Lisa spoke, her face showing worry.
"I will" And just like that, Connor started walking towards the Hotel as the rest watched.
The path was long with a few Walkers around. Connor managed to pass easily, killing whatever came in his way. The Hotel door was a revolving door that led into the lobby. Connor could easily see through it, and what he saw surprised him.
Inside were a few Walkers, around 6 or so, but what surprised Connor most was the big disfigured corpse as it grabbed a Walker and bit its head off!
'I heard about this in my second run' He thought. 'When Walkers are not exterminated, mutation like this happens. With the lack of food, they started taking bites out of each other that turn into full meals. As that happens they become stronger, categorized as Variants. It differs with each Walker but the one Connor was looking at was a Strength Variant. The guy looked 7 feet at the least with his bulging muscles and large build.
"For fuck sake!" He muttered, hiding away. If that thing saw him and charged towards him. Neither the revolving door nor the VIP gate will be able to stop him. Connor did not hesitate to head back, telling the rest of what he saw.
"What the fuck!" Earl muttered. "So these things mutate or some shit?" The old man lost his cool.
"Dad, calm down!" Maggy spoke, patting Earl's shoulder. "We're safe in here, so why don't we stay for a bit longer or maybe use the boat you two said you used to leave to another place?"
"Maggy, did you forget?" Earl said. "There's a beach festival next to the Hotel. That place must be swarming with Walkers. Plus the boat only carries two people, if we go any further the trips back will take too long"
"Alright, let's calm down and think" Connor continued. "We are safe here as Maggy said, we can stay. Until we figure something out, we won't be making any moves"
"Makes sense, but what if that thing comes here?" Lisa asked.
"The Hotel uses a revolving door and considering its size it won't be able to get in it.. Unless provoked I don't think it'll destroy it to pass either" Connor explained.
"Alright then, I guess this is our new temporary base!" Earl announced.
The day continued with them reinforcing the gate and collecting supplies and necessities from the Bungalows around. The pile of corpses at the other end started to smell which led to Earl and Connor covering it with sheets they put together. It might not have completely removed the smell but it helped prevent it from spreading too much.
Earl and Maggy took the Bungalow next to Connor and Lisa's to sleep in. And just like that, night came and everyone went to sleep.
***
Connor awoke in the worker's lodging and instantly reached underneath the mattress in a hole he poked, grabbing his Crystal.
After making sure everything was there he wore his armor and equipped his weapons (Bastard Sword and Round Shield) before heading out.
Connor went straight to the Worker he spoke with yesterday, the one that told him about the Ruin Creatures in the excavation sites.. His name was Dwight. Connor walked up to him and spoke. "Hey Dwight! You need to start shifting those crates over to Beppo"
"And who are you to tell me what to do? Haven't I already told you about the Creatures?"
"Alright, i'll take care of them, but after i'm done you're getting back to work or i'll put my boot up your arse!"
"I will!"
Connor started walking towards Ricardo. This was his task in the first place so why not get some help from him?
"Hey buddy, missed me?" Connor spoke.
"Argh, what do you want?" Ricardo grunted.
"You're supposed to guard the excavation sites? Now Creatures are running around as they please.. Go do your fucking job before I make you!" Connor threatened.
"Did Brog send you? Alright I'll do it, but I'll need your help!" He said.
"Of course you do!"
Ricardo and Connor started moving towards the excavation sites, weapons ready.
The Swamp fog thickened as they walked deeper and deeper with tall grass and weeds everywhere. As they were walking, Connor suddenly stopped, prompting Ricardo to do the same.
"Who's that?" Connor asked, pointing at a man sitting on a patch of land with crates around him cooking meat on a campfire.
"That's Luis" Ricardo said.
'Luis?' Connor thought. 'He's the guy Oscar the Smith told me about..'
"Hey, are you alone out here?" Connor approached him and spoke.
"What?" Luis spoke. "Y.. Yeah, I am!" He said slurring his words. "Have you seen my..my.. Full of beer.. glass.. thing.. goes smash if you drop it!"
"What?" Connor frowned. "You mean a beer bottle?"
"That's what i said.. you got bad hearing.. you know that?" Luis continued. "The bottle was right.. here.. no here.. Somewhere!"
"You're too drunk" Connor said.
"So? I'd rather be.. dead drunk than dead.. and we're all going to die.. soon anyways!" Luis continued. "You wait.. when the white robes.. show up we'll be dead as.. as.. as dead men!"
"White robes? You mean the inquisition?"
"Yeah! The white robes from the inquish.. inquizz.."
"Inquisition!"
"Yeah! What do white robes want in a swamp? They'll end up.. brown robes. HA! Brown robes!"
"Don't you think you've had enough beer?" Connor said. He could barely make up what the man was saying.
"Nuff? Nuff? HIC! I can't drink enough!" He continued. "Have you been to the Don's camp yet? I can tell you once you've spent a few days there, you'll start on the sauce too, believe me.. If you'd been there.. You'd be me!" He spat "A bunch of ash..ahs.. Bastards! Always screwing each other over. I don't trust a single one of them! And the worst Bastard is Brog. Nasty piece of HIC! Work.. He's a bastard's bastard"