Something To Live For

"Something To Live For" is the third episode of Predators & Prey. It belongs to the first season of the show. It is the third episode overall.

Plot
A few days have passed since the events of the last episode took place. The group was in the Wolf residence, the windows were all boarded up and the curtains were shut. Inside, Alex was sitting at the table with Shane. Both were playing poker with no money, of course. Behind them in the living room area, Vivian could be found on the couch, reading a book. Edward was staring through the window, through the little cracks between the boards.

The outside world was empty. The neighbourhood was quiet and not a living soul could be seen or heard.

Edward pulled away from the windows, sighing. "I don't think the military will come any time soon."

"I told you. It's obvious that it won't. The government doesn't give a shit about us." Alex said, staring at his cards.

"Language, Alex." Vivian said, her eyes glued to the book.

Alex rolled his eyes, slamming his cards down on the table. Shane followed. Shane won with a flush, happily slamming his fists on the table.

"I win." Shane smirked at Alex.

"Tch." Alex chuckled.

John, Jill and William walked in. John seemed to have a displeased expression on his face and so did Jill and William. William stepped forward, tugging his belt up. "Guys, we uh.." William tried to get everyone's attention, succeeding. "We're running out of food."

"Well, what do we do now?" Shane asked, leaning his back against the chair.

"That's a good one, Shane." William said sarcastically, glancing around the room. "We're gonna have to go look for supplies.

"Out there?" Vivan asked, with a sort of worried expression forming on her face.

"Yeah. Out there." John nodded.

"But it's dangerous out there, how are you guys going to protect yourself?" Edward asked, rubbing his nape.

"Well.." William sighed, pulling up his shirt and retrieving his duty firearm, which was a Glock 22. "If it comes to it, i'm going to have to use this.."

Shane looked at his father, clearing his throat as he clearly understood the stakes here.

"Can I and Alex come with you?" Shane asked.

"Absolutely not!" John denied, almost instantly.

"Sorry kids. That's not how it's going to work." William shook his head as he said that.

"We aren't kids- what?" Alex tugged a brow up.

"The hell you aren't." Jill looked at Alex with a sharp gaze. Alex returned the gaze to Jill, Shane rather ignored her.

"Nobody asked you." Alex told.

"Cut it out, you two." John snapped, appearing to be stressed. "Alright, listen. It's as clear as the that the military ain't gonna fix anything. I think that our best bet is if we start moving." John suggested, looking at the rest of the group.

"Start moving..? Where?" Vivian asked.

"I don't.. Ugh, anywhere. But not here. It's not safe, and we're prone to lose food quick. The electricity is out for a day now and we have no mobile signal. We're gonna DIE if we stay here." John explained. Vivian was quick to look down and nod in agreement. "You're right."

"Alright. So what's the plan here?" Alex asked.

William cleared his throat. "Me and.. Me and John, we're gonna head out and scavenge for supplies. We're thinking Jill and Vivian go and start to look for something useful in our travels. The rest make sure it's safe and BE safe, most importantly. When we come back, we head the hell outta here." He told.

Everybody looked at eachother for a moment before nodding to William.

"Good. John, let's start moving." William looked at John, who nodded at William. They walked out of the house, both having a backpack on their backs.

Later, John and William are seen walking down the street. Passing houses and streets. There seemed to be no living soul seen, for now that is.

"Where is everyone..." John mumbled.

"Probably dead. Or worse." William would mutter back, John looking at him for a second. "Worse?"

William nodded, "Yeah. Worse. One of them."

John nodded soon, realizing what William is talking about. "Ah... Do you think this'll ever end?"

William sighed, wondering what to say at this point. "I.. I don't know. I don't think so, at least. But for now, all we can do is try to survive. Try to avoid... This. Try to preserve our kids' safety." William said.

"Yeah... I know what you mean." John nodded, glancing around as they walked in the middle of the road. "You know, sometimes.. Sometimes i'm clueless." John mumbled to him, opening up. "Sometimes I feel like Alex and Jill are going to stab each other one day."

"What makes you say that?" Will asked, continuing to walk.

"I don't know... Alex, he's a great boy and all, but he's.." John sighed. "Deep inside, he's angry. I can feel it. I see it in his eyes. I want to think that he'll grow up to be a great man, that he'll be successful and happy, but whenever he's at home, my boy rarely gets out of his room. And when he does, it's usually to go to the bathroom or outside."

William stared down at the distance, listening to John. "Why do you think he hates Jill?"

John was silent for a moment before speaking again. "That's a good question. Maybe because she's.. Not exactly mother material, but nonetheless.. They fight like cats and dogs..."

"He'll grow up one day, John." William said, giving John a pat on the back.

"I'm hoping." John nods, smiling at Will. "So, where do you propose we go after leaving good old Seattle? South? West? Maybe hit up Canada?"

He gave mere suggestions, to which William shrugged. "I don't know, as long as it's safe, i'm okay with it."

John nodded. "I see. Well.. I'm thinking we maybe go down south? Maybe see the deserts of Nevada. Or the soothing beaches of California."

"Quit with that American Dream bullshit." William laughed a bit, to which John returned the laugh.

"I'm just saying, haha. We have to start thinking about alternatives. We can't stay in this rotting old house." John explained. "Maybe set up a camp somewhere until we figure our shit out."

"I don't know, man. Let's just hope we make it back for now." William shook his head with a smile plastered on his face.

"Heh. Sure." John nodded.

They stumble upon a few cars, resting right in the middle of the road. Blocking the passage way. John and William looked at each other. William nodded at the pair of cars, looking at John as if suggesting to go and examine what's inside.

"Wanna check those cars out?" William suggested.

"Sure." John nodded.

They walked over to the first car. John tried the handle, opening the first car's door. The interior was empty of any people or cannibals. John leaned inside as William covered John. He opened the glovebox compartment, finding a flip knife of some sorts along with irrelevant documentation of the car and some music tapes. He slides the flip knife into his pocket. Moving over to peek at behind the driver's seat, he finds nothing. John pulls back.

"Nothing." John said.

"Check the trunk." William said.

"Good idea." John nodded, walking over to the trunk of the car. He opened it, a couple of water bottles laying inside. He took the water bottles and put them in his backpack. "Well. We found water. But no food." John sighed.

"Shit." William said, looking at the second car, which was a mini-van with no windows at it's back doors.

John walked to the second car, opening the driver side door, realizing that a corpse was sitting in there, still buckled up. It had a bite mark on its wrist. On the other seat, there sat a few candy bars. "There!"

William walked over to the other side of the car, trying to open the door but to no result, as it was smashed in hard enough.

"Looks like we're gonna have to pull our buddy out." William said.

"Alright. Seems easy enough." John said. As he was trying to reach to unbuckle the seatbelt of the corpse, it opened its eyes and began to hiss, reaching for John. but being stuck to its seat. John gasped, backing up. "Holy shit!"

"That--.. That was close." William noted.

"How do we get him out?" John asked, waving at the corpse, realizing that it has no other reaction other than trying to grab him.

"Ah.. I don't know, I guess we put it down?" William suggested. John gave him a look, as if he's crazy. "What? You saw what these fuckers do."

John sighed. "Good point. But with what?"

"Well.. You found that flip knife, didn't you?" William suggested, "I don't think we should use the gun since it'd attract noise.."

"Ah.. Right." John nodded. He took out his flip knife and flipped it open. He slowly reached for the walker, who tried to grab his wrist, but unsuccessfuly, as John pulled his hand back. "I can't. He's prone to bite a chunk out of my hand."

"Try to do it quick?" Will suggested.

"Hm.." John tried quickly stabbing the cannibal in his head, the blade forcing itself through the corpses eyeball and into its head. The cannibal was shut down of any life it still had.

"God damn it..." William shook his head slowly, still in disbelief that this is what the world has come to.

"I feel you, man..." John sighed, unbuckling the seatbelt and dragging the cannibal out of the car, letting its head hit the hard concrete. John leaned in, snatching those candy bars and throwing them in the backpack.

"We got the candy bars, but that's still not enough... Do you think we should go into one of these houses and try our luck?" William asked.

"Yeah, sure." John agreed.

Back at the house, Alex and Shane were still playing poker. Alex would get bored at it fairly quickly though, he put his cards on the table, sighing.

"Man, this is boring as fuck. Our dads went out to find food while we're stuck here playing with cards ALONE." Alex complained.

Shane chuckled. "Yeah. Shit really is like that."

Edward walked over, turning the faucet on to pour himself a glass of water. Alex and Shane looked at each other, then at him. "Hey, old man..." Alex called out for Edward.

Edward gave him a look, holding on to his glass of water after taking a sip. "Don't call me old, that's rude... What is it?"

"How come aren't you with.. Your family, or something?" Alex asked.

"Ah.." Edward took another sip, "I got no family here. My wife, Betty, she died of cancer four years ago. And my son, well. He's in Nevada. I'm practically alone now."

"..No cousins? No nothing?" Alex blinked at Edward, as Shane sat silent.

"No, no cousins." Edward shook his head.

"Damn... I'm sorry." Shane mumbles.

"Well, it's the past." Edward waved it off. "I have to look to the future, you know? Even if it does look grimey and ugly. There's never a reason to give up, remember that, kids." He gave the two boys a warm smile.

Alex took a moment to think, before glancing up at Edward again, "That's an interesting point of view." he said.

"I'm just being positive." Edward said, sipping more water. "If you're going to be negative all the time, how are you going to move on?"

Alex nodded once. "That's a good point."

"It's just logical, son. If you're looking to stay alive through all of this, you're going to have to be strong. You're going to have to show people you can beat this world." Edward continued. "Because if you're going to be weak, people will take advantage of you or you'll die. That or the other."

"What if you got nothing to be strong for?" Shane asked.

"Then find something to be strong for. Have faith." Edward said.

The boys nod. Meanwhile, Vivian and Jill are seen sorting typical survival items out, such as flashlights, medicine, etcetera. Jill yawns, putting medicine in a bag.

"You know, even if the world is ending, i'm glad." Jill said.

"What are you implying?" Vivian asked Jill, looking at her with concerned eyes.

"I'm implying that we don't need to have jobs to get money anymore!" Jill chuckles.

"Yeah, but you do realize we'll need to put in work to actually get something, right..?" Vivian asked.

"Yeah. I guess you're right.." Jill rolled her eyes. Vivian looked at her for a short second, before gazing away at the supplies.

"Whatever you say." Vivian mumbled. "I'm just glad me and my family aren't separated. I don't know what i'd do without Will.. Or Shane."

"I guess. I don't know about Will, but John's been really on edge lately." Jill said.

"It's probably the stress of constantly having to keep your eyes peeled for any trespassers or freaks." Vivian brushed it off.

"I don't know. I think Alex is having a bad effect on him and it's getting to him." Jill implied, putting the water bottles in the box next to the bag with the medicine supplies.

Vivian glanced at Jill again, "Jill, why are you so negative when it comes to Alex?"

Jill returned the glance. "I'm not being negative. He is. Ever since I came to the house, he's been despising me."

"Because it's a sudden change for him. Imagine losing a mother and seeing another woman move in out of nowhere." Vivian tried to explain.

"Sudden change? I've been trying to get to know him better, but all this time, Alex, he just... Pushed me away. I think he's just being a brat because he feels like it. Maybe he got it from his mother." Jill brushed it off, as Vivian sharped her glare at Jill.

"I've known Stephanie even before Alex was born. Don't you dare imply such a thing, because she was a really sweet woman." Vivian snapped at Jill. Jill looked at Vivian with slightly widened eyes. "Let me ask you something, Jill."

"..Wh.. What is it?" Jill gave her a sly look.

"Have you really /tried/ to get to know him?" Vivian asked.

Jill looked over at Alex, who was conversating with Edward at the table in the kitchen.

"I didn't think so." Vivian added. "We're going to be on the move from now on. I'd suggest you try to get closer to him if you expect him to at least think about you when something bad happens. Just a word of advice."

Vivian gave Jill a bitchy smile, watching Jill stand up anxiously and go upstairs. "I-..I think I left something upstairs.." Jill said quietly.

Elsewhere, John and William were at the porch of a house. John looked at William before trying the door handle. He opened the door, creaking a bit as it did. They both stepped in. William had his handgun drawn out, cautiously looking through the house's rooms.

"Seems clear." John said. William nodded and started opening cupboards and drawers, taking anything of worth: food items, supplies, medicine, batteries and so on. John followed.

"The house doesn't seem abandoned... Should we take all of this?" John asked, searching for supplies.

"Well. We need it more than they do." William brushed it off. "There are no laws anymore, in theory."

"I suppose you are right." John nodded. "It appears everything is in anarchy now."

"Yeah." William agreed, shaking his head. "It appears so."

As they went into the bedroom, William searched through the nightstand's drawers and found a piece of paper with what seems to be writing on it.

"What's it say?" John asked.

William laid eyes on the letter, reading it all out: "Whoever is reading this, I am sorry. I lost my whole family to these lurkers  and they took a part of me that i'll never get back. There is no god and there is no heaven. There is only hell now, which is our world. Don't enter the bathroom." William looked at John, who seemed to just turn and do exactly the opposite of what he was told not to do. "John, wait!" Willian yelled, walking after him.

"I need to see this, Will." John replied, finding the bathroom door and turning its handle. Swinging the door open only to see a lurker stand there who used to be a female. The walls and water in the bath tub were bloody, and so were the curtains, who were on the floor. The lurker was facing away, but turned around after hearing the door open. It hissed, slowly limping towards John. He noticed the lurker's slit wrists, he then frowned, backing up.

"God damn it!" John said, taking out his flip knife and digging it into the skull of the lurker, who soon fell down after losing the last pinch of 'life' it had. "She.. She didn't have to give up..." John sighed.

"I guess not everyone can cope with losing family..." Will shook his head slowly.

"You're right... I know I wouldn't..." John looked at Will, with sad eyes.

"There's nothing we can do about it." Will sighed, "Alright... What's the score?"

John took off his backpack and opened it. "Found canned soup, canned pasta, candy bars, all of that jazz..."

William took off his own backpack and peeked in it. "Batteries. A combat knife. Medicine, and so on... I think we're set to get home, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Sure." John nodded, still upset with what he saw.

They both left the house. The sun was beginning to set. William looked at John, nudging him. "We need to get back before night." John nodded.

The lurkers were beginning to creep out of yards and corners of the neighborhood. John and William were basically speedwalking now, trying to get home as soon as possible. Some lurkers were catching attention of the duo making their leave and began to follow them. As the duo were walking, a two lurkers got in their way.

"I don't have a knife! Can you take them on?" William asked.

"I can try!" John said, taking out his flip knife again and stabbing one lurker in the head. It fell down, but another lurker grasped John's arm, trying to bite on to it. Fortunately for John, William pistol-whipped the lurker in the forehead, forcing it to back away a bit, but it didn't fall over. The two began to run now.

"Over here!" William yelled, cutting a corner along with John. More lurkers gathered up in their way now. They needed to get past two blocks in order to get home, and William knew that. He also knew that John wouldn't be able to take on five lurkers at once.

"John, get ready to run the fuck outta here..." William said, checking the magazine of his pistol. Lurkers were coming in from the front and from behind.

"Okay..!" John nodded.

William shot at the lurkers in front, hitting three in the head, the other lurkers getting shot in the torso or arm. Nonetheless, the street was a bit more clear now and gave John and William passage. They ran through, the walkers giving chase.

"Come on, let's go!" William screamed. John ran along with William, cutting corners and entering the street of his home. After a few minutes, the two made it home. The door slamming as John and William breathed heavily out of exhaustion. The sun was down and the moon dominant in the sky now, shining down upon the undead that were wandering in the street.

The group ran over to William and John. Jill and Vivian tending to them.

"Are you two okay!?" Vivian asked.

"We heard gun shots!" Shane added.

"We're.. We're okay.." John said, breathing heavily.

"We just, we were ambushed by the cannib-.. By the /lurkers/, that's all..." William said.

Vivian and Jill had backpacks and boxes ready by the door. John looked at the boxes, and then at the rest of the group.

"So, are we going?" Edward asked.

"Yeah..." John said. "Me and my family will be taking our car, Edward, you can come with us.." John then would add, "..And William and his family can take his car."

"Where are we going, then?" Alex asked.

"We don't--.. Listen, the priority here now is to get the hell out of here. It's unsafe here. There is no government anymore. There is no military that will save us. There's no law enforcement, no ambulance, no nothing. People are KILLING themselves because they got nothing to live for anymore. The undead, they're the predator now. We're the prey. We need to stay together, and get to safety. We need a new home." John said, as the rest of the group listened.

Later, Alex, Jill and Edward can be seen in John's car, while Shane and Vivian were in William's car. John looked at Will, giving him a glance of hope that they'll find a safe haven they could stay at.

"Let's do this." John said, William nodded as they both got into their respective cars and pulled out of the driveway and drove off from the street. A single lurker that was wandering by in the other side of the road getting attention and following the two cars.

Protagonists

 * Alex Wolf
 * Shane Payne


 * John Wolf
 * William Payne
 * Jill Wolf
 * Vivian Payne
 * Edward Lawler

Deaths

 * N/A