𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐫𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘐

23: The Beginning of the End VII

The Beginning of the End
Part 7

Dedicated to sagegreen127 💚

Susie was driving, keeping a decent pace as she rolled down the empty road.

Jake and the boys were asleep, they'd only been driving a few hours, but she knew that they were all tired.

So was she.

But sleep wouldn't come for her. Her mind was too busy, it wouldn't allow her to drift off, forcing her to stay awake thinking about everything that had happened.

It was all rather unbelievable.

The dead were rising, the world had ended, everything was falling apart. Susie remembered what she and Glenn had talked about, things returning to normal, them going back to work.

Even if that did happen- if the world were able to pull itself back together and get rid of the dead, she didn't think that she could come back from what she'd done. It was all too much, too fast. She'd killed two people, her parents no less. It was horrifying.

"Sue?"

Susie glanced over at Jake, he was half asleep still, rubbing his eyes to wake up.

"I'm gonna stop just outside King County," Susie said, "it's as far as I think we should go for today, the boys need some sleep in a real bed."

"Yeah, I guess," Jake nodded, examining his little sister carefully.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Jake said.

"Do what?" Susie asked, not looking at her brother.

"Dad."

Susie went silent, focusing solely on the road ahead. Jake didn't understand. He'd only killed those of the dead that he didn't know. He hadn't killed their parents like she had. He didn't understand.

"Susie, it didn't have to be like that," Jake said, "you shouldn't have to do all this."

"What else was I supposed to do, Jacob?" Susie asked harshly, "I'd love to know what else I possibly could have done in either of those situations."

"Susie, I didn't think-"

"That's right. You didn't think. You don't think. If you did you would've realized that that deal we made was entirely unfair because neither you or dad ever had any intention of doing that," Susie said, her voice wavering.

"Susie we did. I swear we did," Jake insisted.

"You weren't there with mom. You don't know what it feels like to have no other choice but to put a bullet in someone you love," Susie was speaking through gritted teeth, she didn't want to wake the boys.

"Sue, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You're right, we didn't think about that. And you're right that I wouldn't have done it. I couldn't have," Jake said, "and you didn't have to either."

"I promised, Jake," Susie said, "I swore."

"I know, Sue."

"I said I wouldn't let anyone turn. That's what I said," Susie told him.

"I know."

"So it was bullshit, then? All of it? Bullshit!" Susie slammed her hand against the steering wheel, bringing the car to a gentle stop.

"Yeah, Sue. I guess it was bullshit," Jake sighed, head in his hands, "I know that I'm sorry will never be enough. I know that. But anything could happen. And I want you to know that I'm truly so so sorry."

"I know you are," Susie sighed, "I know you are, I'm sorry too. I'm just confused, I think. And a little lost. I shouldn't take it out on you."

"It's okay. I think we both need to get some rest," Jake said.

Susie agreed, getting out of the car and telling Jake to stay with the boys. She headed into the house she'd stopped outside, tapping against doorframes and searching for any monsters that could be lurking inside.

The house was a single story, just a few bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a couple bathrooms. Susie cheered when she found that the kitchen sported quite a bit of food. It would last a couple days at the least, leaving her excited to get some real food.

"All clear," Susie announced, stepping out of the house. She helped Jake get the boys inside, setting them both in one of the bedrooms that was closest to the kitchen where they'd be. They'd already checked the windows and doors, making sure that they were locked.

"I'll start a small fire, and cook something up for us," Susie said, pulling a couple cans from the cupboard.

"Stove work?" Jake asked, examining the oven unit.

"Good question, I hadn't checked," Susie chuckled, trying the button on the electric stove. To her surprise, it worked, turning on the burner with a telltale red glow.

"That'll be easier," Susie said, grabbing a pot from the cabinet and pouring in a can of tomato soup.

"Check that bread, Jake," Susie ordered, pointing to bread sitting in a bread box.

"This one's bad, but this one looks okay," he said, holding up some rolls triumphantly.

"Cool, we're eating good tonight," Susie smiled.

"Up for a spray cheese grilled cheese?" Jake asked, producing a can of ez cheese from the cupboard.

"Why not?" Susie asked, "grab some butter, the fridge is still working."

Jake and Susie set to work, Jake making grilled cheese and Susie doctoring up the canned tomato soup to make something more palatable.

"Boys will be happy with this," Jake said, "that's a good thing."

"Yeah. I'm afraid we probably won't have much to make them happy for a while after this," Susie sighed, stirring the soup.

"They'll be okay," Jake assured her.

"Susie!"

Susie turned on her heel, hurrying towards the little voice that had called her name.

"Hey, hey, Luke, what's wrong, buddy?" Susie asked, trying to steady the little boy.

"Daddy! We forgot him," Luke whimpered, "he's not here."

"Luke..."

"He's with mommy, bud," Jake said, "they're okay, I promise."

"But Susie said we'd see mommy again, but we haven't. And now daddy's gone too and he's never coming back!" Luke shouted, tears falling down his little face, eyes scrunched up in sadness.

"Luke, bub, it's gonna be okay," Susie said, "mommy and daddy are together. In a safe place with no monsters."

"Why can't we go with them?" Luke asked.

"We just can't buddy. But we're still together, so it'll be okay," Susie said.

"You promise?" Luke asked her, eyes pleading with her to tell him the truth.

"I promise."