Chapter 12: The Lengths You'll Go To
Rudolph Alinsky
Estimated, May 2025
About 36 months after outbreak
Oregon
Season 1
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I had heard something in the night, something that unsettled me. I didn't bother to wake the children, they needed their rest but I was still uncomfortable with leaving them alone. I wanted to assume it was nothing, hopefully the wind, but it's never just the wind and after what Aubrey said I was sure it wasn't just the wind even more.
If this place really wasn't safe. If we were in danger, running on borrowed time, I would never forgive myself if I allowed us to stay even one second too late. I needed to know the truth, I just didn't think the truth would piss me off as much as it did.
I walked slowly through the halls. I didn't know how tired I was until I finally started moving. I haven't been able to walk this slow in a long time. Something about it gave me comfort but I knew why I was awake, what I was trying to find but hoping I didn't. That made the comfort quickly fade.
I don't remember how long I had been walking without finding anything out of the ordinary. I started to think my paranoia was funny even. I went to turn back, it would be morning soon and I didn't want the kids to get scared. Something very obvious stopped me on my way back however. At first it was the sounds, then I saw the trail of stained dry blood. I felt my heart stop for a moment. My body froze but I knew I had to follow the trail
I don't know if I wish I hadn't followed it or if I'm grateful I did.
It led me to metal doors and I could hear the dead from inside. There were a lot of them. Jayce lied to us. I couldn't let him get away with it and I couldn't expect the others to take my word for it.
I opened the doors.