"Prague" (Nature)

Tensions were high in the refugee camp. Everyone pointed firearms at Elliot, as he shifted through the place with William at knifepoint, “Where to next old man?” He gritted his teeth. “T-t-that way!” He struggled to breathe through Elliot’s tight grip. “Stay back you!” Elliot shouted at one of the guards trying to stand in his way.

“If you shoot me, my reflex actions will cause the knife to slit through William’s throat. Besides, if this place is really a nice warm community, you should be able to forgive a nasty bastard like me, right?” The guards still held their firearms up.

“Listen, I don’t mind you pointing a gun at me, I’m holding your leader at knifepoint so that’s fair play. What I do mind is not knowing where my friends are at. So, step aside!” William nodded at the guard, as he followed Elliot’s orders. “Now then, where to next?” Elliot asked again.

William had shifted Elliot all the way to the stairs which lead into the decontamination chamber. “They’re down there! I-I-I promise y-you!” Still, William struggled to speak against the tight grip applied on his neck. “If you’re lying, you’ll die. So tell me, are they down there for sure?” Elliot tightened his grip even more, William nearly began to choke, nodding as best he could. “Excellent.” Elliot released him and pushed him down the stairs, tumbling into the room beneath.

“Father!” Raphael turned around from the control panel, helping William get onto his feet. “Your father is he?” Elliot held his knife out in front of him. “You care for him, right?” Elliot edged closer to them, as they backed against the wall. “Y-yes,” Raphael was shaken up by Elliot’s presence. “Where are my friends? Tell me, or I’ll kill him.” He lunged in with the knife, getting it dangerously close to William’s eye. “They’re in there!” Raphael squealed out.

“You!” Elliot pointed the knife at Louis. Before he asked him to release the group, he looked at the monitor. Everyone was alive and well inside.

“I tried to tell them there were only enough resources to cure five of them complete. By sharing them amongst each other, it’s only lowered their radiation levels – not completely eradicated,” Louis informed him.

“How long until they can come out?” Elliot asked, still holding the knife out ahead of him. “Around half an hour maybe… Look, would you at all mind putting the knife down? I really don’t like them. Please.” Louis begged.

Elliot looked at his knife, and then at Raphael, shielding his father. “Damn,” he put his knife away, “Looks like I never had the curse in the first place. I am the curse…”

After seeing his friends were safe, Elliot had been taken back to William’s trailer. “Now listen, Elliot. I’m willing to forget your little act just now,” William negotiated, “I can convince the people here you are no threat. On one condition, I need you to find everything on this list for me.” He handed Elliot a small note. “It’s what we use for decontamination. Since your friends are using all our current resources up, I need you to replenish my supply. You know, just in case more survivors come along in need of being cured.” Elliot nodded, “I accept your terms. I’m tired of running and fighting now. I’m willing to stay, whatever it takes.” Now, Elliot offered him his hand rather than the other way around. William gratefully accepted and shook it.

Half an hour had passed, and the group were allowed to leave the decontamination chamber. Raphael and Louis opened the door, helping them leave. The last one out was Gwen, as she left, she grabbed Raphael and threw his head into the side of the door. She then grabbed Louis, and shoved him inside the chamber, closing the door.

“Gwen! What are you doing?” Olivia thought she had gone mad. “Are you people forgetting something?” Gwen noticed everyone looking at her. “These people were planning to kill us! Have you all really just forgotten that?” Olivia walked over to her with her hand out, “Gwen, please. Stop it. Don’t ruin this opportunity for the rest of us.” But she wouldn’t back down, “You think they’re just going to let us live? You think they’ll let us get away? How can you trust them?”

Olivia spun Gwen around, putting her into an arm lock. “Reed, get the door,” she gestured to him, as he pulled it open again. He helped Louis out. Gwen laughed, “Silly bitch!” She ripped free of the arm lock, turning around and punching Olivia in the face, knocking her out. “Out of my way!” Gwen ran past the group, running off upstairs.

Olivia’s mouth began to bleed. “Olivia…” Reed pointed this out. “Yes, I know. Blood. Big deal!” She misunderstood what he was trying to say. “No, Olivia, look. Your blood is completely red! There’s no pink! You’re cured!” She wiped her mouth with her hand, looking at the stain on it to verify what Reed had just said, “I don’t believe it! You’re right!” There was no pink in it at all.

Erica slowly woke up, “You pulled through!” Tina was jovial, greeting her as Erica awoke. “My head… It’s killing me,” Erica seemed dazed. “It’s ok, I think all of our heads are throbbing now.” Tina smiled at her.

“Listen, this is a sweet reunion and all, but we need to go after Gwen,” Olivia reminded them, “She’s going to get herself killed if we left her roam!” Everyone agreed, moving out to chase after Gwen.

“We’ll stay behind,” Tina informed Olivia, “You know, just until Erica wakes up. I think Raphael needs our help too.” Olivia nodded, “Take care of yourselves.”

Upstairs, as the entire group piled out, the locals were startled. “Has anyone seen a middle-aged woman with black hair run past here?” Reed asked, but everyone seemed wary of them, “Just answer the question!”

Zach stepped in front of him, and repeated the question in French. Everyone pointed in the same direction – the hospital. As they all ran to go after her, one of the residents pulled Zach back, telling him something in French. Zach nodded at the man in response.

“Would you like a cider?” William offered to Elliot. “No thanks, I don’t drink,” he responded. “Don’t drink or you don’t drink anymore?” William was trying to turn the question into a conversation. “Don’t drink, at all. Not once. Never even touched alcohol.” William didn’t believe him at first, but then saw the sincere look on his face, “Alcoholic father?” He specifically deduced. Although Elliot didn’t respond, his silence made it clear. “It’s ok, Elliot. My father was the same.” William opened a cider bottle, “But he’s long gone now. I needn’t worry about being like him anymore.” He took a sip from the bottle, watched by Elliot. “So, Elliot, tell me about your life before the apocalypse!” He requested with deep interest.

“Well, I don’t know how to explain it really. There’s a lot to tell. Some things you wouldn’t believe me on, others are rather dark.” William glared at him intriguingly, “It’s just us here. You can tell me anything, and I won’t judge or accuse you of lying.”

Elliot nodded, and took a deep breath. “You’ve already worked out what my father was like – an alcoholic. My sister’s father was exactly the same. Both marriages were ended by my mother.”

“So, your sister was actually your half-sister, then?” William deduced. Elliot nodded, “That’s correct.” He thought of what to say next, “She was born nineteen years before me. Quite a considerable age gap. She even had a daughter. It was weird for me to refer to someone as niece, especially when our age gap was less than five years apart… But this is where the bad stuff begins. Are you sure you want to hear it?” Elliot checked with William to be sure, he nodded, “Please, say.”

“My niece didn’t make it. She died long before the apocalypse came around…” He cleared his throat, wiping his eyes slightly. “That’s alright,” William raised his hand, “You don’t have to tell me anything more…”

“Gwen! What are you doing?” Olivia arrived at the tent with the rest of the group behind her. Gwen had pulled out her heavy-pistol, threatening all the hospital staff. “Olivia, I know you think I’m being extreme.” She nodded, “Hell yea! This is about the most extreme thing I’ve seen you do!” She was quick to defend herself however, “That man over there,” she nodded to the Patient closest to Olivia, “Look at his eyes.”

“They’re shut. How can I?” Gwen suggested, “Force them open. With your fingers. Look at what’s happened. It’s ok, the cuffs restrain him, remember?” Confused, Olivia walked over to the man, forcing his eyelid open – his eyes were dark red. Immediately, she pulled her hand away, the eyelid dropping shut again. “Humans can mutate as well?” Olivia asked her, as Gwen remorsefully nodded, “It seems that way…”

Reed pulled up his machete, “Then we need to put these poor bastards down before they kill the rest of us.” He raised it above the man’s head, but Olivia stopped him. “He’s not dead! You can’t kill him yet!” She reasoned with him, but everyone was starting to see things from Gwen’s perspective. “Don’t you get it? They’re going to wake up any minute now and yank those cuffs off. Reed, do it.” She glared at him. “No Reed, don’t do it!” Olivia protested.

Gwen looked to the rest of the group, “What do you guys think then? Come on, people! Don’t you understand? We have to mercy-kill them now!” One of the doctors tried to move away, Gwen spun back around and aimed her pistol at him again, “Don’t you even think about moving…”

Zach looked at Gwen, and then back at Olivia who was holding Reed back. “Olivia’s right!” He called out and stood by her. “Gwen, with all due respect, you keep making careless decisions! You killed those poor wolves, and now you want to kill these poor Patients as well!”

“They’re already dead! There’s a difference between murdering and mercy-killing! Come on! Anyone else agree with me? I know Reed does!” She nodded at him appreciatively. “Somebody, agree with me!” Everyone looked sheepish, and remained silent. “Fine, I get it. I’ll do it myself,” mercilessly, Gwen shot one of the patients in the head. She turned around, and shot another. The two doctors ran out of the gazebo, as she fired off at them. Now, she had taken it too far…

Pierre knocked the gun out of her hand, “Are you serious? I was starting to agree with you, and then you try to kill two of the staff here? Now we’re all going to die! Because of you!” He berated her. Looking back at the group, who examined the remaining patients, she then looked at the two she had just killed. Unable to take it, she ran out of the gazebo as fast as she could. “Gwen! Come back!” Pierre tried to recall her. “Where’s she going?” Reed came up to him, as she shrugged. “I don’t know! I think she’s running away! We have to get her back!” Reed nodded, as he and Pierre pursued her.

“Stop!” Gwen pulled out her knife, running after the two doctors escaping from her. “Please stop! I just want to talk to you!” She tried reasoning with them, as they kept running.

“I know you two are in here,” she entered the emergency shelter room. “I saw you two run in, you can’t escape now. Just come out, and I’ll tell you what’s really going on. Please?” Gwen waited for them to step out.

Eventually, they arose from behind a water barrel. “Splendid boys! Thanks very much. Now, listen, here’s what’s going to happen.” She quickly produced her knife, stabbing the first doctor in the throat. As the second one tried to escape, she grabbed him and threw him to the ground, stabbing him in the throat as well. “I’m sorry! Things have to be this way…” Standing up, she dropped the knife, looking down at the two men she had just murdered.

Reed and Pierre busted into the room, looking at the two dead doctors, the bloody knife, and the blood on Gwen’s fingers. “What have you done?” Pierre was shocked by her. Gwen remained speechless…

William continued drinking his bottle of cider, still having a conversation with Elliot, “You might wanna go easy on that Will – if I may call you that?” He nodded and wiped his mouth, “It’s quite alright… Both parts I mean. The Will part and the… the drinking part.” Elliot could tell was no longer sober. Outside, he heard a commotion roaring up. “William?” He tried to get his attention, but he was too drunk to notice or care. “Wait here,” Elliot instructed him before exiting the trailer.

Outside, there was a lot of shouting and screaming. He could hear “Bloody murder!” Being screamed in English, and presumably the French translation as well. “Zach!” He called to him, noticing that he was standing amidst all the raucous. “Zach, what’s happening?” Elliot went over to him. “Gwen went AWOL, Elliot… She’s killed four of the residents and attacked two others!”

Erica and Tina rushed up from behind, “Elliot! What’s happening?” He didn’t know how to answer; he was too shocked. He turned back to Zach, “Where is she now?” He shrugged, “Reed and Pierre are missing as well.” Elliot sighed worryingly, “Alright, try and rally up our group. Prepare to leave if we have to. I’ll find Gwen and the others.” He ran off to fetch her.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING

It was an early start. Elliot’s group had been roaming around sleeplessly all night. William had asked for them to stand in a huddle in front of his trailer, while the other residents stood in a crowd several metres away from them.

The trailer door swung open, as William stepped out. He cleared his throat, and straightened his tie. “As you all know,” he loudly began, “Yesterday night. We lost not one, not two, but four of our beloved residents. We lost our two doctors, and two of our patients as well…” Everyone looked shocked and upset. “The reason why you have all been summoned here this morning is to watch the execution of the responsible killer!” There were small murmurs and vague cheers as well. Gwen swallowed deeply.

“Now, I shall eliminate members of our newest group one by one from the list of suspects. It is to be done this way so there is no hostility, or even any doubt at all, between them and you. Is that clear?” The residents all nodded acceptingly. “Now, we shall begin…”

“Elliot! Let us start with you. For most of the evening you were with me in my office. You were also there at the time the murder is alleged to have occurred. Therefore, you are not the killer. Step into the crowd, you are a resident now!” He bowed his head, and did so. Joining the mass of people on-looking the group.

“Let us move on to your lover now – Olivia. Now, I have no evidence for or against you. I do however, have Elliot’s word. He is a trustworthy and honest man from what I have seen so far. Therefore, I believe him when he assures me that you are not the killer. You too may step into the crowd; you are a resident now.” She ran over to Elliot and thanked him with a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re welcome,” he joked.

“Erica and Tina, the two medical members of the team. I have it on my own son’s account that you were assisting him and Louis at the time the murder occurred. Raphael was hit so forcefully against the door; he does not remember his attacker. But he assures me it was neither of you. Therefore, you are now residents as well. We could do with two new doctors after all…”

“Zach! You are but a fourteen-year-old boy. I think I speak for everyone when I say you are not capable of carrying out four consecutive murders. Even so, I have eyewitness accounts who saw you amongst the commotion yesterday. Congratulations, you are now a resident. Join the crowd.”

“Celeste! Just like Zach, I have eyewitness accounts of you. You too are now a resident.”

“Now, we are at our last three suspects. Reed! A certain eyewitness account states that you were prepared to murder one of our Patients…” Everyone gasped. “He needed to be put down! This radiation stuff, it makes you just like the animals!” Reed tried to defend himself. William put his hand up, “I am not accusing you of anything more. You are not the killer, but you are not a resident either. You will be kept in solitary confinement until I release you as punishment for attempted murder. Guards, take him away!”

“And here we are, with Pierre and Gwen.” He walked in front of them. “Let me tell you,” he turned to the crowd, “One of these two souls, has the capability to kill inside of him or her!” Everyone stared at them eagerly. “Gwen!” He pointed at her. “I have an eyewitness account who states that –”

Pierre stepped in front of her to interrupt him, “It was me…” Gwen’s face turned to astonishment, “Pierre,” she whispered to him. He spoke over her so that she would avoid suspicion. “I did it. I wanted to kill all of the patients. I thought they were going to turn and kill all of us.” William walked up to him, “Then why did you kill the doctors as well?” He began to sweat, “I was scared. Afraid they may tell someone. I put them down before anyone could find them.” William looked at him intently, “Why are you confessing to it?” He struggled for an answer, “Because I’m tired of lying. I can’t do it anymore. I wouldn’t be able to hide the secret forever anyway. Might as well receive my punishment now.” He swallowed hard.

“Raphael,” William called to his son, still staring intently at Pierre. “Carry out the sentence we give to all the murderers of this place.” Just like that, Raphael pulled out his pistol, planted it against Pierre’s head, and pulled the trigger.

Elliot’s group were all in shock, since they knew who the true killer was. Gwen covered her mouth, looking at him in shock and guilt. ‘Why did I let him do that!’ She thought to herself, feeling an unrealistic amount of remorse… =Epilogue= Later that day, the group jumped directly into digging Pierre’s grave. By William’s command, he had to be buried outside of the camp due to his ‘crimes’. Throughout the entire burial, no one said a word. Gwen wasn’t allowed to assist with the burial either, being forced to watch from a distance.

“Easy does it,” Elliot remarked, as he and Erica rolled the body into the grave. They shovelled all the dirt back over his wrapped-up corpse, again in silence.

“This is all your fault,” Zach watched next to Gwen. “I hope you feel bad about yourself,” he looked up, noticing the tears running down her face. “I do…” She guiltily whispered. “Zach, I know how close you and him were… I’m so sorry. I didn’t want him to, I tried to tell him but he just wouldn’t listen to me. I don’t expect forgiveness Zach, at all.” He continued to look daggers at her, “The only reason why I haven’t turned you in is because it would make Pierre’s sacrifice in vein. He only died so that you could stay alive.” He cursed at her in French. “I wish it were you being buried right now.” She nodded through her tears, “I know… I agree…” They continued to watch the burial take place, forever scarred by Pierre’s death; except for rather differing reasons…

-Death of Pierre. -The title of this chapter "Prague" refers to the song by Mega City Four rather than the place in the Czech Republic. -This is by far the longest chapter in the series.
 * Pierre is the fourth main character to die. The first is Steven, the second is Vincent, and the third is Andy.
 * From the lyrics (Specifically "It hurts so much to lose another friend") it can be interpreted that the song is about someone who has just 'lost' someone else.
 * In this context, it is about Zach who has just lost Pierre. Hence the reason why this chapter is called "Prague".
 * It is the writer's second favourite in the series.