"The Cross that Changes Everything"

“How did it happen?” Gwen was telling Annabelle, Vincent and Andy about Steven’s death. “There’s several theories. The most likely one is that one of the Bandits stabbed him in the throat. He would’ve died shortly thereafter.” Everyone felt guilt for what had happened. “It’s our fault you know,” Vincent voiced what everyone else was thinking, therefore no one disagreed, “The Bandits followed us to this place. We could have gone anywhere, but we lead them into a functional civilisation. Do you know how rare that is nowadays? We just squandered a now once in a lifetime chance.” Gwen tried to reassure him, “We didn’t know they were going to come after us. Annabelle wanted revenge, she took it.That should have evened the playing field.” But Annabelle didn’t try to defend herself, “Mum, Vincent’s right. We came here, we brought hell upon these people. I should’ve killed Kyle there and then. I wanted to make him feel my pain, If I knew it would’ve caused more deaths, I would have taken him out without a second thought.” Gwen comforted her daughter, “Don’t blame yourself dear,” she rubbed her back, “I would’ve done the same thing in your position. I think any of us would, right guys?” She glared up at Vincent and Andy – regardless of what they really thought, she needed them to agree. “Yeah, definitely,” Andy unconvincingly responded.

Inside the city walls, there was a graveyard. It was a small and mostly unfilled graveyard, but it was still a place to respect the dead. Nearly half of the previously available spaces had now been taken up by the death toll of the Bandits’ invasion. The Graves built post-apocalypse were constructed out of wood. Struggling to cope, Olivia stood in front of her brother’s grave: a wooden cross engraved with ‘STEVEN’ on it. Erica and Keith stood with her for moral support. “Every time I think about it… I just think, this can’t happen. Ever. Not to him.” She laid her head on Erica’s shoulder, “How is it possible to lose someone you knew from a different life? Because that’s how it feels. I think back to our best sibling moments before the apocalypse. It feels like another lifetime now.” Erica and Keith looked to each other, lost for words, “I can’t even imagine, I’m so sorry Olivia. You have to stay strong though. It’s what he would want, isn’t it?” She pulled her head off Erica’s shoulder, and nodded through the tears rolling down her face. “He was thirty-five years old. That’s no age for dying at. His life was only beginning. He was a natural leader. In years to come I always imagined people remembering him as an ancient hero. It’s too soon for that, I’m not ready. How can an ancient hero be ancient when you knew them personally? My last words to him, I don’t remember them. But I know they were something meant with anger. I’ll never get to make that up to him now.” Erica embraced her, “I’m sure he knows somehow.”

Elliot was at the harbour again, staring down at the Thames. This time however, he could hear Gwen approaching and would not be startled. “You still think I’m not cursed?” He berated himself, still looking down at the water. “Steven’s death wasn’t your fault, Elliot,” Gwen tried to reassure him. “Except it literally was. I was the one who advised you guys about heading for London. The route I suggested was what caused us to encounter the Bandits in the first place. That’s when Annabelle took revenge, and ever since then I would presume the Bandits had been following us.” Gwen didn’t know what to say, as she partly agreed it was his fault, but did not believe he was cursed still, “Alright. Ok then, you want to play the game of root causes? I was the one who brought you back to my group, therefore does that make Steven’s death my fault too?” He nodded, which she did not expect, “You should’ve just pulled the trigger on me when you had the chance.” Still, she disagreed with him, “Alright well let’s go back another layer then. Vincent caused Steven’s death for driving us to London.” Again, Elliot nodded, but Gwen was persistent. “My husband caused his death too in that case. Him existing meant he would have to die eventually just like everyone. If Kyle hadn’t of killed him, Annabelle would never have taken revenge and thus the Bandits wouldn’t have come to London. Then that also implies it’s my mother-in-law’s fault too for giving birth to my husband many years ago.” Elliot walked away from her, “I’m not doing this Gwen. Not now.” She snapped at him, “You know what Elliot, fine. Just you walk off into the sunset, I won’t chase after you this time! If you’re going to go, then just go!” He turned around, with a conspicuous look on his face, “I’m not leaving, Gwen. I won’t let Olivia down. Not this time.”

That evening at the bar, the mood was very quiet and dull. “Anyone up for a game of cards?” Keith broke the silence, but everyone simply just gave him a look as if to say ‘What do you think?’ He regressed back into silence. Over the other side of the bar, Vincent leant over to him and quietly said, “It’s a bit dead in here. I’m down for playing some blackjack if you are.” He nodded with a look of gratitude. “Meet me in my room,” Vincent poured two beers, and headed off. Keith turned to his missus, “Beth, blackjack upstairs. You coming?” She looked at him puzzlingly, “Upstairs? You mean in the rooms which were burnt to a crisp just yesterday?” Keith shrugged, “And? Could be a fun atmosphere. Please?” Keith smiled at her for a few moments while she frowned at him, but then she gave in and smiled back, “Alright fine then.” They headed off after Vincent.

At the other end of the bar, Andy was discussing the depth of the attack with the nurse, Tina. “So the gunshot on Elliot’s arm, you’re saying it couldn’t have been a bandit who did that?” He was confused by Elliot’s injury. “When I treated him, it was as though the wound had been open for a considerable amount of time. On top of that, the appearance of it, it just looks too perfect. If it was done by a bandit, the wound wouldn’t be as streamlined.” Andy looked inquisitive, “Well what are you saying?” She sighed, “Whoever shot him was aiming for his arm, and clearly didn’t patch it up. My analysis showed that the wound was exposed to the open air for a while. Now there are two possibilities: Either it was someone aiming beyond Elliot, but the bullet just unluckily grazed him. Or, someone wanted him to bleed to death, but by shooting the edge of his arm, it was disguised as an accident.” Andy thought hard, “Wait. So who found him? And where?” Tina finished her drink, “Gwen was the one who brought him in, but I didn’t ask her where she found him.” She stood up, “I have to get back to the hospital. After the attack quite a few people are injured. Nice talking to you though,” she headed out of the bar, almost unnoticed by Andy, who was stuck in even deeper thought now, “Gwen…”

The remaining survivors of the attack had been summoned to the city centre again. The sight of it made Elliot nervous, for the last time he was here he had nearly been executed. There were visibly fewer amounts of residents now. All eyes were on Olivia, “Now I’m not going to lie,” she truthfully opened her speech, “We are in trouble. We are in very big trouble indeed. The Bandits’ attack not only has left us with fewer numbers, but our food supplies are also heavily depleted.” Everyone looked around at each other, whispering in shock. “So everyone now has a choice to make. Without Steven, it will be difficult to recover. But together, we can still survive nonetheless! All the stores in our camp were either raided or destroyed, for some of you that may be incentive enough to leave this place. If so, that is your choice. No one will stop you from leaving,” She looked at Elliot briefly who turned away from her, “However I know that for some of you, this place has been your home for a long time. Should you wish to stand by it, then you may do that as well! The armoury will be open for the next hour. I ask only that everyone takes a minimum of two firearms at the most – regardless if you are leaving or staying.” She prepared to continue her speech, but then gave up on it, and walked off.

Out of care, Elliot had followed Olivia to wherever she was headed; even if she wasn’t heading anywhere. She made her way to the docks just at the edge of the walls where there was a small boat. She climbed down the ladder, and jumped onto the boat. Elliot watched curiously. Just like a standard boat, the driver’s area was sheltered, as she tried revving the engine several times. Catching on to what she was doing, Elliot stepped out from his cover and called down to her, “Olivia!” She looked up in surprise, and tried to start the engine more desperately now, “Olivia stop!” He climbed down onto the boat after her.

Rushing over to her, he stood in front of the steering wheel. “Move out of my way now, Elliot,” She sounded partly upset, but determined as well. “Just wait, just think about what you’re doing! That speech you just gave; you’re seriously going to run from this place? You’re giving up Steven’s legacy?” She stopped trying to reach for the pull-cord. “How can I stay here Elliot? Every single corner, every single street. Everywhere I look from now on it’ll just be memories of him. This was his safe-haven, this was where he died, and you said it yourself, it’s his legacy. Not mine.” She tried reaching for the pull chord again, but Elliot grabbed her arm, “Please don’t go!” She looked up at him earnestly. He sighed, “Look, if you really want to go, then we can go. You’ll never make it by yourself. Just like the old days, I’m coming with you.” She nodded cynically, “Just like the old days you say? In that case, where is Steven? Where is Charlie? Where is Ryan?” Elliot turned away from her, “They’re not here anymore. None of them are,” he reminisced and faced her again, “We’re the last two left out of that entire group, ‘Liv. We need to act like it and stand together until we go down.” Finally, she showed signs of a smile. “That’s more like it!” Elliot was happier too, “Now, you wait here. I’m going to grab us some weapons from the armoury, and say goodbye to my group. I’ll only be a few minutes, promise.” He headed off, but Olivia grabbed him, “Wait,” She gave him a hug, prompting him to hug her back.

With two shotguns in their arms, Keith and Beth had decided to leave the city. “You’re absolutely certain you want to go?” Vincent had made good friends with both them. Remorsefully, they nodded. “Come here you two,” They all shared a hug, “Good luck out there.” They smiled at him appreciatively, as they got into a saloon car. Driving off slowly, Keith beeped the horn to say goodbye, as everyone waved back at them. “You ready for this?” He asked Beth, as he nodded over her tears, “Let’s go then…”

Not too much later, Elliot had grabbed two rifles from the armoury, and was saying his farewells to his group. “She needs me now more than ever; I’ve been absent for the past two years. I’ll make up the time for the rest of my life now.” Although none of them wanted him to leave, Gwen, Andy, Vincent and Annabelle still accepted Elliot’s decision. “Oh and Gwen, next time you think of pointing a gun at stranger’s head, just try a humane approach instead.” They laughed lightly. “And Annabelle, you’re certainly one of the toughest people I’ve ever met. One day, that’s going to come in handy, stay tough.” As he prepared to say goodbye to Andy next, he was distracted by the sound of the boat engine roaring loudly. “Oh no, please!” As Elliot ran over to the dock, the others followed him.

When they made it there, they were all surprised to see the boat already several metres away from the harbour. “Olivia!” Elliot shouted, but she continued on her journey nonetheless without turning around. Gwen tried to comfort him, “I’m sorry.” While he froze momentarily, he ran towards the nearest gate. “We can still follow her!” Everyone looked dazed at each other, but couldn’t think of a better idea, so they followed him.

In such a rush, they had failed to tell anyone else in the city where they were going – and thus left the camp unknown to the others. The group had returned to their pickup truck, Vincent now driving at high speed to find the road which was parallel to the water.

Eventually they reached the stretch of road next to the river which Olivia had departed on, they followed it upstream in attempt to catch up with the boat. “I hate to say this Gwen, but we’re really wasting time,” Vincent remarked in the driver’s seat to his passenger. “Shut up Vince’. If this was you, we’d do the same thing.” He shrugged, “But that’s the thing. It’s not me. It’s some random person we’ve only just met who came seconds to killing Elliot the other day.” Again, Gwen was the voice of reason, “We only found you a couple of months ago, therefore you’re a stranger too. So if you don’t like it, we’ll kick you out and take your truck from you. Would you like that?” He didn’t answer.