Don't Be Scared

S2 E5 : ☠️ ZB! ☠️ (Ch. 180)

Philly recap: we attempted to save the Liberty Bell from further vandalism, but it was thrown off and hit a handful of Zs that were coming down an opposing road; Addy, Cassandra and I were kidnapped by sex-trafficking cannibals.

"Oh, no." Doc read all of our minds and picked through his own memories of our time there, "Are you thinking what I know you're thinking?"

I groaned, "She is."

That was a whole mess and we helped ruin another memorial landmark. 

"Oh, no, no no." Murphy continued on the rejection of idea with a hint of amusement on his face.

I jogged away from Doc's side and went around the front of the cheese, getting closer to the horde closing in on us. There had to be a stopper there, or it would just roll down the hill like we needed it to. 

How do you even transport this big of cheese from a factory to a whole town? Helicopter? I kicked the stopper from in front of the cheese, having to do it twice to get it to even budge. When I was coming back to the group, the world seemed to do that thing where it slows down. 

Warren's eyes went as wide as a doe facing oncoming headlights, her voice calling out my name to move away. 10K and Doc were both pulling their weapons out, Doc dropping his cheese in the process. 

Vasquez was moving quietly to grab a blade from the back of his pocket, his face setting into kill mode. Since they all seemed to be focused onto what was coming from beside me, I looked to see a literal Z barely a foot away from my body. 

He was a big man with a big stomach to match. Like a lumberjack coming down to enjoy the festivities. Rotting cheese that was molding in most of it's shirtless body showed he really did enjoy his time in Wisconsin.

I took notice how it was all over his body, as if he had been rolling around in a tub of cheese when he was infected. That's disgusting. The stench finally moved with the wind and flew into my nose, making me want to tumble over and vomit out the cheese I had just consumed. 

Now, if it wasn't for the fact he was forcing me to slam myself against the cheese, trying to create distance between us, then yes, I would've vomited right there and then. Time finally sped back into place, right as his hand wrapped itself around the small of my neck.

He was leaning closer to bite my face, when he just instantly stopped his mobility. A remote was controlling him, and I had a feeling Murphy was the owner. 

The Z straightened his back, turned around and ran into the opposite direction like it saw a better meal plan. We all focused the attention onto Murphy, who held his head high, screaming 'I did something, but don't worry about what I did with my magic'.

"Come on. Let's finish this, baby girl." Warren rushed us, not wanting to chance any more of the time we had left. 

We all were ready to escape this wretch town. Nodding my head in obedience, I went back to the group but got beside 10K, who was now adjusting his weapon to the front of him.

"Here," I took out the block of cheese Doc had given me before Warren interrupted our snacking, "now, you can tell people you ate cheese from Wisconsin's famous Cheese Day."

Well, hopefully, he won't be spreading the word about where we were when Warren rolls this thing down the road. We made eye contact for a moment before he took the cheese from my open palm. 

He took a blade from his pocket, slicing the yellow substance in half before placing the biggest piece back in my hand. 

"Now, we both get to say we ate the cheese."

"Sounds fair." I grinned, popping it into my mouth with a smile. 

It didn't taste half as bad as I thought it would, but I'm sure fresher cheese would be ideal. 

"Alright, you ready?" Warren asked, turning her back to the mess we had just made. 

The six of us looked between the cheese and Serena, who finally got straightened out, thanks to Addy. 

"How long do you think it'll go?" Vasquez asked us.

"Awhile, maybe." I shrugged my shoulders at his question, "I'm pretty sure it's all downhill from here to Mississippi anyway."

Warren gave the cheese a glance before walking ahead, "Now, it's time to go. If anybody asks.."

"We were nowhere near Wisconsin." We all chanted--except for Vasquez and Cassandra--, beginning our quick sprint away from the crime scene. 

• • An Hour or Two Later • •

We found another black Tahoe at the edge of the town, which looked exactly like the Zero transportation we had stolen. Vasquez made an assumption that probably was another one of their vehicles we were stealing. 

Warren and Vasquez took over the front seats while Addy, Serena and Murphy took over the backseats. That left Doc, 10K, Cassandra and I to the very back of the vehicle. It was starting to get a little snug in cars. 

"Rollin', rollin', rollin'." Doc began to sing after a few too many minutes of silence, trying to make light of the straining situation we were going through, "Keep that cheese a-rollin'."

"Warren." Addy cut Doc's musical off, then Serena began to make that damn gagging noise she does before she projectiles even more acid and stuff.

I felt my stomach turning into a milkshake at seeing more of the vomit again, and images from the cheese arena didn't help either. Now, we were all pulled over on the side of a dirt road with grass and hills surrounding us, again. 

The grass here was a lot drier and shorter than the plains we had stumbled across during our adventure with the traveling community. While Serena was puking her guts out in the grass with Addy by her side, a couple feet from the car, I was puking my stomach up each time I heard her waterfall of disgust. 

10K was at my side, holding my hair back and patting my back in comfort. I swatted at his leg the second time I couldn't stop myself, to keep him back so I wouldn't risk throwing my stomach onto his boots. 

He wouldn't budge from my side. He stayed beside me, holding the loose hair strands from my face. When I did get the chance to momentarily stop puking, not hearing any more gushing sounds from from our pregnant lady, I was leaning on my semi-bent knees, taking deep controlled breaths. 

I can't get pregnant if throwing up is part of the job. I just can't do it. Nope, nope. 

"You're doing great." 10K sighed out a breath of relief, probably happy with the fact I was no longer splashing my stomach acid and digestion onto his boots. 

I only stood up straight when I felt it was safe. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve, not having anything else to use. 

"I feel better." I hummed out, nodding my head in content.

I don't think I have anymore substances to throw up, if I hear the noise again. I was about to look up at my nurse and smile at him, wanting to thank him for his services, but when the sound of someone gagging and more liquid-y bulk escaping the mouth of our most fragile member, I was back to leaning over gagging.

I tried to cover my mouth with my hand, feeling the vile rise to my throat. 

"Here we go again." 10K sighed again, knowing I was about to be bending right back over and dying. 

• • 20 Minutes Later || No One's P.O.V • •

"Is 10K and (Y/N) included in the 'weird zombie apocalypse community'?" Vasquez asked after he saw that Warren wasn't willing to say anymore about Serena and Murphy's situation. 

The pair looked over at (Y/N), who was still bent over, trying to control her weak stomach, and 10K, who had her hair gathered in his hands. 

|| Through sick or poor, I will be yours ||