Optimist

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It didn't take us too long to find the source of the clanging noise. We walked through the endless forest when Gabriel walked into a wall of army, green mesh. He ripped it open as I stood watch for any walkers trying to take advantage of our shifted focus.

We peaked through the hole Gabriel and ripped open, finding an old, abandoned house. There was no bell, it was a piece of metal hitting some sort of metal structure that I couldn't quite see. Carson was the first to step through, then Gabriel, shortly followed by me.

We entered the house, it was musty and dusty but it would provide good shelter and a place for Gabe to rest for awhile- not to mention the possible supplies that could be within.

The doctor got Gabriel situated in a small bedroom and watched over him while searching the room, I decided it'd be a good idea to search the rest of the tiny home. I looked for possible threats along with supplies that could be used to protect us or help heal Gabriel.

I made my way into a dusty living room, dust covered every surface, clutter was scattered around the floor, it was obvious that whoever lived here before had left in a rush. I go about opening draws and cupboards looking for absolutely anything we could use.

"We got antibiotics!" I hear Carson shout from the bedroom. I smile knowing Gabriel was most likely going to be okay, and now all we had to worry about was getting back to Hilltop in one piece.

A little while later, Gabriel and Harlan were now in the living area, I had found some bottled water but that's about it. Doctor Carson provided an eye check for Gabe, with hopes that the antibiotics had saved his sigh, however, it wasn't looking promising.

"I'm afraid you're looking at permanent damage." Carson said with a solemn tone, "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry I'm going to live?" Gabriel aked with a confused expression, he was just thankful for the fact he wasn't going to die.

"You know what he means." I chime in, with a smile.

Carson then talks to Gabriel about how he feels about losing his eyesight while the world is in utter turmoil. To that Gabriel explains that he's letting God take the wheel. As Gabe rants about his passion towards God, he reaches over the counter accidentally pushing off the piggy-bank. Carson takes a look at the smashed ceramic and finds some keys.

"They to a vehicle?" I ask, hopefully.

"Its car keys and a map." He responds, I can sense the relief as the tension leaves the room. "We can't be more than a few miles off."

All three of us exchange bright smiles as our optimism beats any hopelessness inside us.

"Well let's go find this car then." I smiled, eager to get the hell outta here.

We exit the dismal house and make our way through the overgrown oasis. The clanging of the metal is still prominent and happens to be where we're headed. Carson takes lead and I stick with Gabriel to help support him, in-case something bad happens. I walk beside Gabriel as Carson rushes ahead, I can see Gabe trying to read whatever was on the metal sheet hanging above. That's when I see his expression change to one of panic.

"Doctor Carson, wait!" Gabriel exclaimed.

I took this chance to read the sign:

'DANGER! TRAPS IN YARD!'

My eyes widen in fear as I feel my breath quicken.

Carson turned around to Gabriel but he also stepped back. Him stepping back caused him to step straight into a trap that we were warned about. The doctor screamed out in pain as he fell to the floor. I took a hurried step forward to see what it was he actually stood in. I looked down and saw the rusty bear trap clamped around his ankle as he screamed and held his leg in pain.

The sound of walkers became audible as I looked around and saw one staggering towards Carson. I noticed Gabriel's breathing was fast and heavy as he worked up a sweat, I was also quite panicked but I knew I had to do something.

I pull Gabriel through the bushes towards Carson, trying to avoid the several traps splayed about. I see several more walkers continue to the noise of the doctor's screams of agony, some, fortunately, getting trapped in the bear traps.

Carson pulled out his revolver shooting a walker, forcing it to the floor. Then another walker pounces onto Carson as he screams and struggles against it. I heard another gunshot and the sound of a heavy body fell to the floor, although the walkers kept coming to eat the flesh of our fellow comrade.

Carson's gun was wacked out of his hand by another walker, attacking him in his vulnerable position. Gabriel searched on the ground for the gun as I try to pull the walker off of the doctor.

I should've been the one to find the gun but I was too busy trying to stop Harlan from being bitten. Gabriel eventually found the gun and began to take aim, this was a risky situation to be in, Gabe was in no shape to shoot a walker as it moved and struggled.

A few seconds of tension played out before Gabriel finally took the shot. It echoed through the trees, I felt the walker's body go limp as I rolled it off Carson.

"You- You- You did it..." Carson laughed, although his voice was shaky like he was crying. I let out a sigh of relief.- I was just as shocked.

"I- I guess you could say I had a little help." Gabriel chuckled, obviously feeling proud of himself.

"Thank you both..." Carson laughs as me and Gabriel rush to see what damage was done to his leg.

After a while, we managed to free the doctor's leg from the bear trap and help him to the truck in the garage. I took the job of driving, Gabriel helped Carson in.

It was only a two door truck so Gabriel had to get in the back.

I get into the truck, Carson breathes a sigh of relief and I take the keys from him. Once I know Gabe is safely in, I start to put the keys in to start the engine.

"Hands up, assholes." We hear a voice say, along with several guns cocking.

Me and Carson look straight ahead while Gabriel turns his attention to the back, where our new issue stood. Carson and I glance back at the before we are forced out of the vehicle and dragged away by the saviours.

Me and Gabriel are the first ones into the truck that the saviours had parked in a forest clearing. I watched as Carson was forcefully pulled, he was grunting and panting from his fresh injury.

"Careful of his leg, asshole." I growl.

"Shut up before you're the one being pulled with an injury- and it'll be a lot worse than that." One of them says as they glare at me.

We're each tied up as we sit in the truck, we come to the conclusion that they heard the gunshots. Gabriel insists we believe that God is leading the way and that we still have a chance out of this.

I stare forward when I notice Carson reaches for the Saviour's gun in front of him.

That's when Carson's shot dead, it happened in seconds, giving us no chance to do anything about it. I let out a gasp as I look at the dead body of our friend.

"That was the doctor, dumbass. That's our asses." One of the men grunt in frustration.

A man pulls Carson out of the truck before getting into the passengers seat.

"No... No!" Gabriel starts to cry.

The engine starts as Gabriel sobs, I'm not sure how to react. My jaw is slightly ajar as I look at Carson's body.

The truck begins to move, at this point, I have no idea what's going to happen to either of us- all we can do is wait and grieve for our dear friend.

You've reached the end of published parts.

⏰ Last updated: Oct 28, 2023 ⏰

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