Urban Dead: The Price of the Oath

[Josh]

The food was moved in with admirable efficiency, and next came the business of stowing it. Petro watched from the upper level, cigarette sticking out of his mouth.

Life was good. At least for the next ten minutes or so, before some other crazy shit came up. But he wasn't thinking about that. He was focusing on the fact that they'd extended the lifespan of the survivors here by at least two weeks to a month with this haul.

A few days could make all the difference in the world, if relief was going to come around eventually.

[Caz]

Sherry rolled her shoulders as she climbed atop the mall's roof storage unit, limber as ever and twice as motivated. She stood and surveyed Malton's skyline like King Arthur looking down on Camelot. A breeze fluttered her bangs, and she inhaled it like life's incense.

Welcome home, she told herself.

[Josh]

He hobbled on up to the roof level, spotting Sherry up there. Time to talk.

"Hey," he called out. "Heard there's gonna be a barbecue later. Interested?"

[Caz]

She grinned, glancing over her shoulder.

"Like I'd miss fresh meat!" she called down to him, folding her arms across her chest.

[Josh]

He hobbled along until he reached her side. "Yeah, looks like the meat you've been with recently is pretty damned beat-up. Make sure you leave the fingers working so he can do his job," he said sarcastically.

[Caz]

"This coming from you," she said with a snort.

"Besides," she said, "at least if I kill him it means some shambler won't!" punctuated with a wink.

[Josh]

He shrugged. "So long as he dies with a smile on his face, it's all good I s'pose." He offered her a smoke. "How're you doing, kiddo?" he asked.

[Caz]

She took it gladly, pulling the lighter from her pocket and taking a deep drag as she offered the light to him. Looking up to him then, it was apparent that she'd aged since meeting them. And not necessarily in an unflattering manner.

Her smile was almost sad sad she said: "I don't know if I've ever been better."

[Josh]

"Good," he said. "We got him," he said quietly. "Head's on a post out front."

[Caz]

She nodded as if it were nothing.

"Yeah," she said, "saw."

A few moments passed where she said nothing, and then:

"Something must be wrong with me... even after everything, I can't help but pity him. Because a person like he was... couldn't appreciate something like this." She gestured to the wide sky around them. Their little kingdom.

[Josh]

He reached over to squeeze her shoulder. "It's not what's wrong with you," he said softly. "It's what's right with you. Makes you a better person than me."

[Caz]

She sighed. He was right.

"A part of me knew this would happen, too... the moment I saw the inside of his place. It didn't look like anyone was living in it at all."

Her rough slang and speech had been softened in the last week. Hell, everyone was losing their regional dialects. Without people, there weren't any fucking regions, right?

"What a waste," she mused.

[Hedgecore]

"Well, judging from 'is weight and the looks of 'im, 's been a damned long time for 'im. An' ye don't hafta worry about me, 'm fine." Gator replied.

Slowly, the patient began to regain consciousness, and he let out a weak groan.

[Caz]

"I don't recognise him," Melanie said, mental wheels turning. "But he asked for me by name..."

As he began to come around, she looked back up to Gator, then to Dorian. Despite what he said, she instructed the doctor to bring both men some whatever-the-fuck-was-hot. Even if she 'didn't have to worry about him,' everyone in the city was hungry for something warm.

"Soup for the patient," she suggested. The bespectacled man nodded and jogged off.

[Josh]

He shrugged. "Like I said, you care more than I do. The minute he touched any of mine, he lost his status as human."

[Caz]

"Sad thing is," she murmured, "he wasn't, really. A different breed."

[Josh]

"I know. There was a hole in him where people like us have a conscience, and the only think that'd fill it was pain and suffering." He took a deep drag. "Enough words wasted on that little shit, though. Just wanted to let you know it was finished."

[Caz]

She nodded sharply. Well said.

And they drifted into a silence that wasn't really uncomfortable. She took a long drag of the cigarette, then sat down on the concrete and watched the clouds drift by.

[Josh]

He plunked down next to her, enjoying the moment of piece. Downstairs, the rumble was growing- laughter, joy, happiness. For the first time in a while, the hungry stomachs would be filled.

They'd have to enjoy it while it lasted. Frank had already set to salt as much of the beef into jerky as possible. Tomorrow, it'd be back to strict rationing. But for one night, they'd have some peace. He smiled and reached over to ruffle her hair.

[Hedgecore]

"so..." Lasko whispered, straining to speak, "am I pregnant?"

He might have laughed, but it came out as faint coughing.

[Caz]

She smiled: affectionate, proud, thankful. And then she laughed, staring straight up as she exhaled heavily.

"I just realized something," she said, "I'm not a little girl anymore."

[Josh]

"No, you're not," he said. "...except when it's just you and me," he teased, poking her in the ribs.

[Caz]

Melanie crouched at his bedside, smirking, then offered him a bottle of water. Not chilled, of course, but damned if it wasn't the best she had to offer.

"Depends," she said with a grin. "Didja come in that way?"

[Caz]

Sherry squeaked in protest, then sighed. "I'll let you go this time," she said. "But only 'cause those rattletrap bones of yours couldn't take it if I poked you back."

[Josh]

"Yeah, sure. You know I fight dirtier'n you," he said smugly. Getting back to what she said, he rested his hands on his knees. "Being a grown-up is a scary damned thing. But it's pretty damned cool, too."