The Dead Live (Book 3)

Chapter 23: What Does it Mean For Us? (Shannons POV)

I was lost in that sad memory for quite a bit of some time. It was sad, but at the same time, it was also one of the last good memories that I had. It was not good on the fact that I had lost my mother, but it was one of the last memories that I had with her, and my father to some extent.
I had my father for at least a solid year, after it had all started, but I never got to be around him, or talk to him all that much, as he was too busy leading our community. I had made a promise to not be the same, brain dead human like he was, but obviously, I did not hold up to that self promise.
It was not the fact that we were so much as, brain dead, so to say. As a few people had said that I was several times now. It was more the fact that we had lost, just about all types of emotion, and love for anything. It was just, survive, and make sure that everyone else did as well.
I wish that I could have protected this community that I was in right now, as to what ever it was that had attacked them, I was not so sure of. I knew some good people that lived here, and I had seen some of their corpses scattered across the ground when we had walked in to this building that we were currently in.
I felt like, the ones that I did not see corpses of, must be one of the dead by now, and might have already left this place. When we had first gone in, we had rode past a lot of the dead, that were going in and out of the massive hole that had been left, after the apparent attack.
Surely it had to have been an attack right? I know that I wanted to deny it, and try to tell my self, and others that no one would be that evil, and that cruel, much less an entire group of people attacking them, but now that I saw all of it for my self, I really was beginning to think other wise.
I was starting to wish that my parents had taken me to church when I was younger, to get me ready for the cruel world that I would soon one day live in. By my self none the less, as there was no one left in it, that I cared for, or that I loved.
I felt sick, just thinking of those thoughts, as I few times, now hearing the voice of Christian, as he began to step up, and speak to me. I turned my head over to the man, as I did what it was that he had asked me to do a few days ago, when he had told me, "look at me when I speak to you... It is not me being mean... I just want to make sure that you are listening..."
It kind of felt like he was being mean though, as I had always knew this man to be kind of an asshole. At the same time, I knew that he was smart, and he also knew a lot more about what it was like out side of the walls, and how to make it out there as well, more than I did at least.
I shook my head, as I knew that he was right as well though, and I had offered him a part time job on the council when he was at the community, and had the time for meetings, and votes. He had "humbly obliged to say no" as he would like to say it.
I was not upset by it at all either, as it did not take much to push my buttons at all. I had grown up a bit though, as I had just gotten this job to be a leader a few months ago, when it felt like all hope was lost, I saved a lot of lives, and I saved our home. A lot of people had a new found respect of me, for it.
I blinked a few times, as I felt as if I had missed to first couple of words that Christian had said to me, even though I was staring at him, as if I was paying attention to what it was that he was saying to me. He did not seem to realize other wise, as he just continued to speak, and I made sure that I was listening to each and every word that he had to say to me.
"Wake up Shannon... We've been trying to get your attention for quite a bit of some time now... I have some thing to show you... It might be very important for you to see what it is." He said to me. I looked at him for a little while longer, with a bit of a blank look on my face, as if I had not actually heard a word that he had just said to me.
I continued to stare at him though, as I could tell that it was starting to get him a bit annoyed, and a bit pissed off at the same time too. I blinked a few times, as I shook that off, as I then remembered what it was that he had said to me just now.
I dipped my head down low to the ground, as I began to dive my mind in to some thoughts. I was being a bad leader, and I knew it. It was a good thing that some of the council was not here to see it, and I knew that neither Tanner, nor Christian, would tell them about it either, thankfully enough.
I knew that was not where my head space should be at right now, as I should be more worried about the situation that we were in right now, rather than the situation that I might be in, later down the line. This seemed like a much more important one as well, as if I messed up, I knew it could risk the life of me, and many others.
I then lifted my head up, as I looked over at Tanner, as if I was trying to get some kind of help from him, but he too had his eyes squinted. I remembered that Christian had told me that they were both trying to get my attention, so it made a little bit of sense to me, as to why they were the way that they were at the current moment.
I then turned my head over to Christian at the same time, as I blinked a few times, as if I had not been paying attention to what it was that he had said to me. I rolled his eyes at me, but I then shook my head, as I began to speak back to him, at the exact same moment too.
"Sorry... I am just not used to being out like this... Show me what it is that you need me to see." I said back to him. He looked at me for a few moments, as if he was a bit shocked that I had finally responded to what it was that he had said to me, not too long ago.
He then, blinked a couple of times, as he turned his head around, to the area, that I had to assume that he was going to take me, to show me the thing that I supposedly needed to see. He then began to walk, as he then looked back at me at the exact same time, as he put his hand up, and then waved it, to let me know that I needed to follow him.
I nodded to him, but it was a bit too late at this point, as he already had his mind on what it was that he had to show me in the room. I saw him begin to walk off, as I saw from the corner of my eye, that Tanner was also doing the same, so I followed the both of them, just as Christian had told me.
As we began to walk deeper in, and we walked in to a hall way, I then began to remember where it was that we were at, right now. As I had been here a few times before, as this was their own version of a community house, though no one really lived in here at all. It was just a place that they had their meetings and banquets.
I felt a little bit comfortable, though I felt like I should not, as I felt like one of the dead could easily pop out at any moment, and tear me apart. There was no lighting in the place, and it was starting to get a little bit dark out side as well, and it was really starting to freak me out.
I knew that I should not be, as we could easily just stay in here for the night, as Christian had told me that he had already cleared out the area, with a few others. That meant that I would have to go back, and get my horse in to here as well though, as I began to grow worried for him as well.
I shook my head though, as I knew that things were going to be fine, and that Christian was a very smart man, and he had already planned all of this out. I turned my head over to him, as it was very dark in the room, so it was hard to see him, but I just followed where I could see a glim shadow.
His foot steps were silent, and that never seized to amaze me as to how he could do as such, even if he was not even trying, it seemed to be in his form at this point, as I could hear the loud flopping of my boots, as I kept on going down the hallway, to where I could just see him taking me.
It felt like we had been walking for quite a bit of some time now, as I some times forgot how big this place how been. When I then suddenly saw that Christian had stopped, I was a bit confused, until I heard the voice of Tanner start to speak, and I listened to what it was that he had to say to me at the same time as well.
"Your father used to go out all of the time, maybe you should too. It is not all that scary if you get used to it." He said to me. I turned my head over to him, as he too was nothing but a shadow to me as well. I looked at the shadow for a bit of some time, as I then squinted my eyes at him, though I knew that he could not see me do so.
It kind of pissed me off when some one brought up my father, as he was a bit of a love hate relationship for me, but I knew that he was a great man. I knew that he loved me as well, though he did not show me love, all that often, unless we had some sort of holiday, or some thing else of those sorts.
I shook my head though, as I knew that Tanner was not thinking that way though, as he, just like the rest of them, knew of how much of a great man that he was. How he, and Angelas father had gotten them selves killed, so that they could save the lives of many others, from a big heard of the dead, that got close to them when they were setting up the walls.
I still took a lot of the blame of that, on Angela as well, even though I knew that she had nothing to do with it, I just hated her to the core. There was no denying that she was a smart woman, and that she cared about our community, just as I did, but it seemed like every time I was around her, she did the opposite of me, just to piss me off on purpose.
I shook my head though, as I knew that I was getting back in to bad thoughts again, as I looked back over at the shadow of Tanner, as I remembered what it was that he had said to me, at the exact same time as well, as I dipped my head a bit low to the ground.
I liked Tanner, a lot in fact, and I was doing my best to try to not get angry at him, but it was very hard for me, as I just let out a sigh, like Lilly had told me to do, to just let it all out. After all of that was said and done, I then lifted my head right back up at Tanner.
I was not sure if he had seen me do so or not, but it at least made me feel a little bit better. I shook my head at him, which I was also not sure if he had seen that, as I then began to speak to him at the exact same time as well, too.
"Do you know what happened to my father, due to that? I think that the leader should not do that, or else we will have a new leader every year..." I said to him. He looked at me for a little while, as I felt as if I could see him, even though I clearly could not, due to how dark it was, as he was squinted his eyes at me, as if he was upset with what I had just said.
I knew that he was as well, as I knew the man quite a bit well, and I knew that if you did not agree with what he had to say, than he would get angry at you. It was kind of hypocritical of him, but I would not say it to his face, as I knew that would not be a good idea for me.
I also kind of liked the guy as well, though he was at least 10 years older than me, and I did not want me to ruin his reputation on me. Tanner stood there for quite a bit of some time, as he did not respond to what I had just said to him, for quite a bit of some time.
I began to grow a bit nervous of all of it, as I turned my head over to Christian to see what it was that he was doing, and if he was going to step in and help me at the same time too. I just saw him at a table, as I realized that we were in the meeting room, where this community used to meet.
Used too, in past tense, as I knew that they were gone, and it would never happen again, even if some one tried to rebuild this place, it would take a lot of time, and a lot of people as well. It was not the best, or the most safe place either, which was a lot of the reason that I thought it had been a bad storm like the one that happened a few months ago to us.
I blinked a few times, as I just watched as Christian continued to throw pieces of paper across the table, as I was a bit confused as to what it was that he was doing, but I heard the voice of Tanner begin to speak up, which kind of took my thoughts off of that, as I looked over to him, to hear what it was that he had to say to me as well.
"Maybe that is what we need... Maybe we need to vote for our leaders every year, rather than a new one when the old one dies." He said to me. I looked at him for a little while, as a part of me felt like what it was that he had said, had been right as well.
A part of me also felt like it was not right though either, as I knew that people would just vote based off of who was the most popular person, rather than he was the person that was most well fit for the role. A lot of the reason that I felt as to the reason that Angela had won the vote for leader.
I knew a lot of people thought highly of her, and luckily, she had refused to take to role of leader, and she had given the role of leader to the runner up, which was me in which case. It was a bit of a surprise as well, as I began to think that maybe she didn't purposely do the opposite of me, and maybe she might think that I was a good leader.
I shook my head though, as I knew that I could think good about her, as she was always an asshole to me, and what her father had done as well. To be fair I guess, I was an asshole to her as well. I shook my head though, as I knew that it was not where my thoughts should be at right now.
I lifted my head back up, and I began to stare at Tanner once again, though I knew that neither, he, nor I could see either one of us. I stood there for a bit of time as well, as I was not quite sure how to respond to what it was that he had said to me at the same time too, as I continued to hear Christian flip through the papers that were at the table.
I was a bit confused as to what it was that he was looking for, as I shook my head at the same time too, as I put my focus back on Tanner right away. I felt like he had a smile on the pretty little face of his, as I began to speak back to him, with a bit more anger than I had a few moments ago.
"If you want a new leader every year, than I wish you luck with that, but it sounds a lot like you want to be the leader to me, and I wish you luck with that, because it is not as fun as you all might think it is." I said to him. As I was not sure what had gotten in to me, but I felt like what I had just said was one of the best, and most smart things that I had said in my life.
I could tell it took Tanner a bit off of his step as well, as I began to start to think that what I had just said, though it was just a bit of a random flicker of thought by me, might have actually been correct as well, as there was nothing but dead silence in the room, besides Christian moving the papers around the table, for quite a bit of some time.
I could only see a little bit of Tanner, but I saw that he had dipped his head a bit low to the ground this time, as I began to think that what I had just said, might have been true, which was a bit strange to me as well, as I would have never thought that this man might want that kind of power.
I remember a quote at one point though too, as it must have been back when I was in school. It had been said that, 'with great power, comes great responsibility', and I felt like I was doing a fairly good job as well, with the way that I had been thrown in to things.
It sounded a lot like to me, that Tanner just wanted the power, and it was starting to make me question him now. I stared at him for a little while longer as well, as Tanner lifted his head up to speak back to me, fumbling over his words at the same time too, as I listened to what it was that he had to say to me.
"Why- why would I want those pow-" He had begun to say, when suddenly Christian began to speak over him from a bit further away, in to the room that we were in right now. I squinted my eyes at Tanner for a bit of some time though, as I knew just what it was that he was about to say.
He was going to say power... And I now knew that what it was that I had originally thought, had actually been true as well. If he only thought of leader ship as power, than I knew that was what he wanted. I shook my head though at the same time, as I realized that Christian was speaking to us.
I took my thoughts off of Tanner finally, and I turned my head over to Christian, as I nodded to him, as I knew he could see me a lot better than I could see him. I then began to listen to what it was that he had to say to us, or perhaps rather to me, at the same time as well.
"Will you 2 stop bickering? We have more important stuff to worry about at the moment." He said to us. I dipped my head a bit low to the ground, as I was a bit embarrassed by it as well, as I was being a bit of a bad leader, and I knew it. I shook off those thoughts though, at the same time as well, as Christian continued to speak. "I found it... Come here and see it Shannon... Maybe this will change your mind..."
I stood there for a few more moments, as if I had not heard a word of what it was that he had just said to me. I was still a bit embarrassed, and a bit lost as to why we had gotten in to a bit of a heated argument, with one another. I then shook my head, as I shook off those thoughts at the same time too.
It hit me, as to what it was that Christian had just said to me, as I blinked a few times. He had been going through things at the table, and he had taken me all this way, for some thing as simple as a piece of paper? I shook my head though, as I then began to walk over to him, seeing him clearly holding up a large piece of paper.
I stopped a few feet from him, a bit confused, and a bit scared with all that was going on at the current moment. I stood there for a bit of time as well, as I heard Christian let out a bit of a heavy sigh to me. He then walked close to me, and he gently handed me the piece of paper.
I stared at him for a little while, as if I was lost in my head, even though I was not, and I was well aware with all that was going on at the current moment. I shook my head to my self, as I was not sure what was going on with me, and I was also not sure what was so special about the piece of paper.
I looked down at the piece of paper any ways, as at this point, I was just going to do what it was that Christian asked of me. I stared at the paper for a little while, as it was dark, and a bit hard for me to see. Christian then put on his flash light that he had in his buckle, so that I could see what was on it.
I nodded to him in thanks, and then I stared at the paper that was in my hand, as I realized what was on the paper, and it made me feel quite a bit sick, as I almost wanted to just through it down in the ground, as to what I was holding in my hand.
It was words, but it was not just any words though, as I saw that the words, were written in red... Not just any normal type of red though, as it was clear to me that it was blood, as I had seen blood on paper more than just once.
I shook my head, as I shook off all of those thoughts at the same time as well, as I knew this was important to Christian, and it was a lot of the reason that he had taken me to this place in the first place. I then began to read what was written on the piece of paper, in my own head.

Do not look for us... Do not worry for us... We know where you are... We will kill you too...

I looked at it for a little while, as was not sure what to think about what it said. It was clearly written in blood, and the people that did it as well, it was clear to me, they were not good people either. It made me feel sick, as I was not sure whether it was the fact that it was written in blood, or the fact that these were people that had done this.
Sure, we had met a few crazy people out here before, but not an entire community of them... There was no way that simply a few people could have done this. Then there was another thing, it was a drawing... Of a man with scars on his eye.
I had seen that on a lot of the corpses that were on the ground, and I had been told of it as well. I now knew for sure that these were a whole group of people. I looked back over at Christian, as I handed him to slip of paper, and I began to speak to him.
"So... What does it mean for us?"