Episode 33: Day 7.2 - Verdict

Dumb? I thought...why was I always the one being called 'Dumb'. Yeah, I know I can be real immature and I know that I can spout out the mouth every now and then but I never would ever consider myself dumb. Ever since the outbreak I have been seen as nothing but a crony, Elizabeth's muscle, the sacrificial running boy. Watching her make plans with Ashleigh and Vankelia while I guard the elevators this morning didn't really give me the feeling that she had any respect for me at all.

Clunk. I hit the elevator doors with my rifle trying to pass the time. Clunk Clunk. The sound of the hallow elevator shaft made an eerie noise. Clunk...Clunk Clunk.

"Can you stop that!" Elizabeth said ripping the gun out of the my hand. I looked up angry realizing she had left the other room to tell me to quiet down. "Do you want them to hear you or are you..." She began.

"Dumb?" I finished her sentence for her. She huffed and walked back to the other room. I got up and followed her.

"Why is everything your way!" I said. She was looking over a map and didn't turn around. Vankelia and Ashleigh did, however, and looked a bit shocked. "Answer me." I insisted. She turned around and looked up at me.

"You really think you can lead this group?"

"Yes." I said. Elizabeth laughed a little. Vankelia and Ashleigh shared a glance with each other.

"What makes you think you can?" Elizabeth asked.

"What makes you think YOU CAN?" I replied.

"Excuse me? What are you insinuating?"

"We've been cooped up in Friendship Heights for DAYS now. We've lost half of our group and you have no real plan for us to get out!"

Elizabeth rushed up to my face, our noses pressing against each other. "Go ahead and leave. If you think you can survive this without me, be my guest. The three of us will do fine without you."

I stood in shock. I knew I could do better than her but I knew I couldn't do it on my own. You need people out there with you...to watch your back. I cleared my throat and got the courage to speak.

"Do you guys think she can lead you out of here alive?" I asked Ashleigh and Vankelia.

"Don't listen to him." Elizabeth said looking back at the map.

"I'm serious. Do you think she will get you out of here?" They just stared confused. "If you come with me we'll definitely get out of here by tomorrow! First thing."

"And GO WHERE!" Elizabeth swiped the map off of the table in a rage.

"Anywhere but here! We're running out of food, there are more zombies coming everyday and we're just sitting here like ducks waiting for a miracle to happen. We have to make a move!"

"What do you think I'm doing! I am making a plan for us to get out of here!"

"She is right..." Ashleigh began.

"But I also see David's point." Vankelia said. She came over and stood next to me. "Your plan is for us to wait until the rest of them kill each other. What happens if they don't? What then?" Vankelia said.

"Are you betraying me too Vankelia? I don't need you either. Ashleigh and I will get out of here alive while the two of you get yourselves killed following a Morrel."

For a moment there was an awkward silence and tension in the room.

"What happened to your heart?" Ashleigh said from behind all of us. We all turned to her in shock.

"Excuse me? What did you say?" Elizabeth said in anguish.

"What happened to your heart?" She repeated herself.

Elizabeth gritted her teeth and a tear fell down her face. "It died when everyone else did." She said slamming her fist on the table. "NOW GET OUT ALL OF YOU!"

Vankelia tried to approach her and I couldn't understand what was going on.

"We all lost someone...some of us don't even know who in our families are alive any more...we're all in the same boat."

Elizabeth just stared back at me.

"You're the one causing this." She said to me. "You're the reason people are leaving me again."

"But...but Elizabeth..." I began.

"SHUT UP!" She screamed through her tears. "Now get out...ALL OF YOU!" She held a gun to our faces that she picked up off of the table.

"You don't need to do this." Vankelia said.

"Just get out. Take your own guns with you and leave. I'll get out of here by myself." She lowered the gun and collapsed on the table in awful tears.

The three of us looked at each other and gave a nod. Vankelia went to the other room to gather a few things. Ashleigh tried to comfort Elizabeth but she only pushed her back.

"Bitch." Ashleigh said under her breath as she walked past me. I stood there and looked at Elizabeth a little longer. She turned her head and looked at me.

"WHAT. Do you want to ruin my life even more?" She asked. I shook my head.

"I'm not trying to ruin you..." I said. "I'm just trying to live." I lowered my head and left the room.

We gathered our things and lowered the elevator, still hearing her crying.

"So you do HAVE a plan right?" Vankelia asked as we exited the elevator. It was still light outside and very few zombies were on the streets. A pair of them were a hundred yards away but that was far enough for us to safely sneak out of their sight.

"I think I do." I admitted.

"THINK?" Vankelia questioned. "THINK? We just left Elizabeth up there because you insisted you had a plan."

"I do okay!" I said. "We need to find ourselves some transportation."

"Fuck." Vankelia said looking left and right, clearly flustered. "That's your brilliant idea?!" She looked at Ashleigh. "Do you think Elizabeth will forgive us if we go back now?"

"I don't know..." Ashleigh said.

"Guys. I promise! We will get out of here. When I was sneaking around the other day, there were a few bikes in a garage down the street."

"Bikes?"

I had to explain it to them. I knew that bikes were the way to go for now. By the looks of Friendship Heights, I knew there would be other places down the road that a car would not be able to pass. I couldn't bear to get stuck again because our car couldn't travel on the road. A bike would prevent us from doing that, it would never run out of gas and it is a really handy get away tool from zombies when we needed something quick and fast.

"I think he has a point." Ashleigh said.

"I do?...I mean I do." I stammered. Vankelia just looked at me.

"Fine." She said. "Show us these bikes."

I was elated that they were following me now. "We could become...a biker gang or something. Let's call ourselves the MorHell's Angels." I suggested giggling with glee.

"Yeah...let's not." Vankelia said.

The three of us ran down the street to the house I found the bikes. I knew that we would have transportation but I couldn't give them the hint that I had no idea what to do next. I was the Demoralizer after all...in the end, I would demoralize even this seemingly impossible situation.

"You're clueless aren't you?" Vankelia asked me as we ran. I gave her a questioning look.

"Fuck."

And we made a right down a street with a row of once beautiful and warm brick houses.