The dining room hummed with the echoes of the last story, Daniels' words still lingering like a shadow over the group. Each person sat lost in thought, the weight of their shared experiences weaving an invisible thread of solidarity through the room. At the head of the table, Kate leaned back in her chair, her gaze drifting toward Marcus, seated at the far end. His usual stoic demeanor hadn't faltered, though the atmosphere seemed to press on him as much as it did the others.
Kate cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Well, Marcus," she said with a small, teasing smile, "I think it's your turn. We've all spilled our guts. Time to even the playing field."
All eyes turned toward Marcus, who remained stone-faced. He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms over his chest, and let out a slow, deliberate sigh.
"I don't have much to say," he muttered, his voice as steady as ever, though there was a hint of reluctance behind his words.
"Oh, come on!" Daniels leaned forward, her smile growing. "Everyone else shared. We deserve to know the legendary Marcus' origin story."
Her exaggerated tone earned a chuckle from Victor and a small smile from Chris, but Marcus remained unmoved. Instead, he focused on the table as if the grains of wood held more importance than the expectant faces staring at him.
"Yeah, Marcus," Amelia chimed in, her voice carrying a lightness that had been absent during her own story. "You can't let me outdo you."
Marcus shifted in his seat, his jaw tightening. Finally, he let out another sigh and sat up straighter. "Alright," he said gruffly. "If you're all so damn curious, here it is."
The group leaned in, their collective curiosity palpable. Even Amelia, who typically avoided the spotlight, looked intrigued.
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable, before beginning. "When everything went to hell, I was... on vacation."
A beat of silence followed his words before Amelia tilted her head, her brows furrowing. "Vacation? Like, a real vacation?"
"Yes, Amelia," Marcus replied dryly. "A real vacation. Even military trainers get time off occasionally."
"Wait, military trainer?" Lily perked up, her interest evident. "So you're not just some guy who knows how to shoot?"
Marcus gave her a brief nod but didn't elaborate. "I was up in the mountains, camping alone. It was supposed to be a break from everything—work, people, noise." He paused, his jaw clenching briefly. "But that break didn't last long. I came back down to civilization, and... well, you all know what I found."
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Walkers everywhere?"
Marcus nodded. "Walkers. Chaos. People turning on each other. I didn't stick around long enough to see how bad it got. I started moving, keeping to backroads and staying away from the cities. That's when I met Eva and Matthew."
"Where?" Victor asked, his voice breaking the growing tension.
"At a repair shop," Marcus replied after a pause. "I was looking for a vehicle that could take me farther out, and they were there. Turned out the shop belonged to Matthew." A faint smile flickered across his face, though it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared. "We decided to stick together after that."
And just like that, he stopped. Leaning back in his chair, arms crossed once more, Marcus looked at the group as if daring them to press him for more.
The silence stretched for a moment before Daniels groaned dramatically. "That's it? That's your story?"
"What?" Marcus asked, his tone defensive.
"That's barely a story!" Maya exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "You were on vacation, you met some people at a repair shop, and now you're here? That's the great Marcus origin story?"
The group erupted into laughter, the tension breaking instantly. Even Amelia, usually reserved, let out a soft chuckle.
"Man of mystery, huh?" Chris said with a smirk. "I was expecting something epic. Like, you single-handedly took down a horde of walkers or something."
"Yeah," Victor chimed in, grinning. "Or saved a bus full of orphans while wrestling a walker with your bare hands."
Marcus rolled his eyes but didn't respond.
"Come on, Marcus," Daniels teased, leaning forward on the table. "You've got to give us more than that. Don't make us start embellishing your story ourselves."
Marcus sighed again, his irritation tempered by a faint glimmer of amusement. "What do you all want from me?" he grumbled. "I'm not much of a storyteller."
"That's an understatement," Kate muttered, earning another wave of laughter.
"Okay, okay," Lily said, still grinning. "But seriously, Marcus, it's good to know a little more about you."
"Yeah," Amelia added softly. "Even if you are the world's most boring storyteller."
Marcus smirked at that, his stern facade cracking just slightly. "You're all impossible, you know that?"
Kate leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, and grinned at him. "And yet, you keep us alive. Guess that makes you just as impossible as the rest of us."
Marcus shook his head, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes now. "Alright, alright. You got your story or as much of it as I'm willing to share. Now can we move on?"
"Fine," Kate said, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "But next time we're sitting around telling stories, I expect a better performance."
"Don't hold your breath," Marcus shot back, his tone dry but good-natured.
The laughter faded, but the camaraderie lingered. The teasing had done its job, lifting the mood and easing the heaviness that had settled over the group. Yet beneath the levity was a deeper understanding of one another, a bond that would hold them together as they faced whatever lay ahead. For now, that bond—and the laughter they shared—was enough.
The group settled back into a more subdued atmosphere, the laughter and teasing fading into a comfortable silence. The soft hum of the wind outside the office building created a background rhythm as everyone seemed to drift into their thoughts. The tension of the impending journey lingered, but there was also a quiet resolve in the air.
Kate leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she scanned the room. "Well, since Marcus has told us his 'riveting' tale," she said with a smirk, glancing at him, "how about we talk about tomorrow? Any final thoughts or concerns before we load up and leave?"
Chris leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "I think we're ready. Supplies are packed, the vehicles are checked, and everyone knows their roles." He glanced around the table, his expression serious. "But this isn't going to be easy. Moving a group this big, especially with kids, is going to draw attention."
Amelia nodded, her fingers idly tracing the edge of her crossbow lying on the table beside her. "We'll need to keep watch constantly. If we run into trouble, it could get messy fast."
The group nodded in agreement, though the tension in the room was palpable.
Kate leaned forward again, her expression softening. "Look, I know this isn't easy. We're all taking a leap of faith here. But we've made it this far together, and we'll keep going together. That's how we survive."
The quiet murmur of agreement from the group was enough to break the tension slightly, and Kate offered a small, reassuring smile.
Amelia was the first to rise, gathering her crossbow and slinging it over her shoulder. "I'll take first watch tonight," she said, her voice quiet but steady. "We'll need everyone rested for tomorrow."
"I'll join you," Victor added, standing as well.
Kate nodded, watching as the two left the room. The others began to trickle out as well, some heading to their sleeping areas, others to finish last-minute preparations.
Soon, it was just Kate and Marcus left in the dining room. Marcus stood, stretching his arms before looking down at Kate. "You've done a good job keeping everyone together," he said simply, his voice carrying a rare note of admiration.
Kate looked up at him, surprised. "Coming from you, I'll take that as a high compliment," she said with a small smile.
Marcus gave a faint smirk, then nodded. "Get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
"You too," Kate replied, watching as he turned and left the room.
For a moment, Kate sat alone, staring at the empty chairs around the table. The echoes of their laughter and stories still seemed to linger in the air, a reminder of how far they'd come—and how far they still had to go.
With a deep breath, she stood and headed to her sleeping area, her mind already turning to the challenges ahead. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new chapter for all of them. Together, they would face whatever came next.