In The End: A Zombie Apocalypse

~~ The authoritative leader ~~

"What the bloody hell happened?" Barkley angrily shouts, his face red like a tomato. I'm just as confused and scared out of my mind. One of my friends, Delilah or charlie, is shot, and judging by the way Scout is acting and the fact they came back early, its probably not just a bullet in the thigh.

"We were looking for supplies in a pharmacy a few miles south, when a herd of the dead 'ems surrounded us. During the shooting, a walker fell on Doug. The man hit the ground and fired his gun on accident. Hit charlie in the stomach. Doug got the walker off 'im and we got out. Now can we stop talking and get the boy inside! He's bloody bleeding to death!"

Delilah got out of the car and a man went in to get charlie, carrying him out in his arms. His shirt is soaked with crimson, his face pale. They run into Costco and several people go with them.

"Any one who was working on the walls, continue till Cecilia comes and gets ya." Barkley then proceeds inside. I'm left in the middle of the parking lot with Winona, Scout, Delilah, Savannah, and a few others who were working on the wall. "Delilah, you alright?" Scout asks.
"Yeah, I'm good. I'm not the one who's shot." She looks down at her feet. "Scout, what are they gonna do with Doug?"

"Well, the council will have to decide, so I should probably get going. Charlie will be in the containment widget for the time being." Scout then runs off and into the building.

"C'mon, sweet pea, let's get back to work."

***

A couple of hours later, Cecilia comes to get us. Winona, Savannah, the man she fist bumped and I all have dinner together. We each get a plate of beans and a slice of beef. I find out the man Savannah fist bumped is named Luther. A funny man, in around his fourties.

"So anyone hear anything about Charlie or Doug?" His says through spoonfuls of beans.
"Jessica told me the council's gonna announce their decision later tonight." Says winona.

After our dinner, we all go back to our sleeping quarters. Savannah and I pass by the council widget, and we can hear several voices behind a closed door. Most are unfamiliar, but I recognize Cecilia, Scout, and Barkley. All arguing.
"I think he should be punished. What he did was dangerous and reckless." Its Cecilia.
"It was an accident. If anyone's to blame, its the dead 'em." Scout.
"Accident or not, he might've killed that boy." We keep listening until a guard tells us to get away.

Savannah and I go to the top of our massive shelf and plop down on our sleeping bags. The rest of our friends, minus charlie, are all here.
"Where are they going to announce it from?" I ask. Evan points to a room centered at the top of the wall in front of us, a giant glass window shows an office inside. Metal stairs lead into it, a guard at the bottom.
"In there's an office, with a speaker loud enough for the entire building to hear. Guess we just gotta wait until they come." The rest of the evening consisted of us talking, resting, and waiting.

***

Finally, Barkley's voice came booming over the speaker. "Ahem, h'llo everyone. This quick announcement is on the issue of Doug shooting Charlie." Through the glass I see Barkley speaking into a microphone, with several people, most likely the council, standing behind him.

"The council and I have come to the conclusion that even though it may have been accidental, what Doug did could be dangerous to the rest of the group." He pauses and looks behind him, and I see Doug standing there, his hands bound behind his back. "Our final decision is that if charlie lives, Doug will not be punished. But, if Charlie does happen to pass, we have no choice but to exile Doug. That is all." Barkley and the others in the office turn and begin to talk.

"Let's go check up on Charlie in the morning. For now, let's just sleep." I say to Delilah. I lay down in my bed and almost instantly, sleep consumes me into the darkness.

***

In the morning, Delilah and I walk over to get Cecilia and tell her our plan. We walk to the containment widget and Cecilia tells the guard to let us in. Just before we get in, barkley walks out, too angry to notice us.

We go to the gurney that holds Charlie, and find what we hoped wouldn't be.

"He's... Dead." Delilah chokes, tears already streaming down her face. I move closer to the body. His lifeless face, so calm and peaceful. Delilah holds his hand, and in the second when the arm is lifted, I spot something.

"Delilah, lift and turn his arm." She does what I say, and on his forearm, I see a puncture wound. A needle wound. "Delilah, look. Charlie didn't just die, he was killed. Someone wanted Doug gone. We need to tell barkl-" we hear shouts outside, and we run to see what's going on.

Down close to the outside doors, Doug is making a huge commotion, barkley and guards are surrounding him, making sure the only way he can go, is out. "No, no! He was OK! It was an accident! PLEASE!" The guards slowly move closer, forcing Doug to move closer to the outside. "I'm sorry Doug, but this must be done." I run to barkley. "Barkley! You need to see this! Its Charlie!"

"Not now, boy! We-" he's cut short by gasps. We turn to face Doug, and find that he's pulled out a pistol. "I'm not going out there. I'd rather die!" Spit comes flying out his mouth.
"Doug, easy." Barkley still has has a calm expression on his face.
"Shut up old man! If I go, so do you!" He points the gun at barkley, and shoots.

Bang.

But his aim must be pretty off. I feel an explosion of pain in my right shoulder, More then I've ever felt before. I fall backwards onto the floor, already my strength getting sucked out of me. I stare at the ceiling, far above, and I realize.

I've been shot.

QOTC:

What fictional character have you related to the most? (Book, TV, movie, etc.)