Apocalypse

Long Road Ahead: Part 3

Previously...

"I can offer y'all whatever I got, although it ain't much."

"Thank you...we'd like to do the same." Katjaa said, less weary of the man than before.

Kenny took a step closer to Chuck. "Why don't we hold off on..."

Katjaa interrupted him before he could say anything else. "Stay with us, we'd like the company."

The three looked around at each other before Kenny headed in the opposite direction and Chuck sat down on the log to play his guitar. Lee began checking on us one by one, making sure we weren't in any worse of a condition.

"Did that candy Chuck gave you taste funny or anything?"

I shook my head and gave a verbal response. "Nah. If anything it tastes a little old, but other than that it's fine."

He gave me a smile. "Good. And keep an eye on Chuck for me. You know, just in case we can't trust him."

I nodded my head and he was off to finish some business once again.

____________________

Present time...

Rest. That's something we all needed. Luckily, Lee and Kenny got the train moving, so we were able to take it easy for some time. Yes, it took a while for them to get the train moving, but it was worth it. Duck was still bitten, Chuck was still with us, and we were all still on edge from the previous losses. 

Kenny kept avoiding the fact that Duck was bitten, and that his death would soon be here. We all understood how he felt. His only child, who still had plenty of years to live, was almost gone.

The wind from the open train cart was blowing through my hair. It felt nice, like I was free from this world. But all nice things have to come to an end. Duck began coughing, and a familiar crimson liquid could be seen rolling out of the side of his mouth.

"LEE! Lee. I need you. Right now. I need you to get Ken."

Lee rushed over to the two and crouched down in front of them. "What's..."

"Would you get that off of his face? My hands are full here."

Lee grabbed some random cloth before holding it in front of Katjaa.

"Thank you. Could you just get that off of his face, please?"

Lee complied and gently rubbed the cloth across Duck's face, leaving no more of the crimson color. he looked at the cloth before standing.

"He's out of time. We need to stop this train."

"Okay."

"Please." Katjaa looked at Lee with pleading eyes. 

They both knew that Kenny wouldn't listen easily, but Katjaa didn't want to see her son suffer any longer. Lee understood what she wanted, and he understood that he needed to make Kenny understand as well. He knew that Kenny believed he figured out what was best for his son. 

And with that, Lee exited that train cart and made his way to the man that would soon be even more angry than he had already been. It had been about 10 minutes before the train had actually stopped. Most of us looked surprised, for we knew Kenny was a hard man to talk to. Especially when he didn't like the topic.

"You think he went down without a fight? Hopefully he didn't throw any punches at Lee.." I asked with a marginally joking tone. I wanted to make light of the situation, and what better way to do that is there than lightening the mood with a joke.