The Fight to Survive

Chapter 7: The Way Forward

"We're leaving tomorrow. Be ready, it has to be all of us" he said. He glanced down at Zac, who was lying on the floor in pain, and walked out of the room with Kelsey following close behind, leaving Noah, Brian, Alec, and Zac, who was still on the floor, alone in the room.

"Here, let's get him to his room" Noah said as he kneeled down to help Zac up.

"What was that all about? Him lashing out like that?" Alec asked as he helped to support Zac.

"He hasn't been himself lately. I don't know if I still trust him" Brian said. Though it hurt him to say it, the past few days had shaken his faith in Nick's abilities as a leader. This was just another example of Nick being hotheaded.

"Look guys, I know it seems like he's lashing out, but give him the benefit of the doubt. He got us all this far. And he will continue to keep us safe no matter what. That's what he does. Hell, back when we were trapped by that herd, before Zac came along, he was going to sacrifice himself for us. That's who he is. So give the man a break. He's been through a fuck ton more than you guys know" Noah said. The group walked down the hallway and dropped Zac off in his room before leaving to go pack their things.

Down the hall in his room, Nick was sitting with his head in his hands as Kelsey sat next to him, her hand gently rubbing his back.

"Nick, talk to me. What's going on with you?" She asked, still shaken up after having seen Nick pummel Zac like that. Nick sighed deeply, knowing he had no choice but to explain what had really happened with Ashby and Max.

"Look, something happened and.... It changed how I see things. How I react to things... I want to explain everything, but I need everyone to be there. So they all understand. Just know that everything I do, I do for this group. For you. And for our baby" Nick said, sadness creeping through his tough exterior. Kelsey just laid her head on his shoulder.

"I know that. We all do. And I promise I have your back." She responded. "Forever and Always".

The next morning, the group was all packed up and ready to go. They had two vehicles, both trucks to maximize storage space, and both were loaded up with supplies. Before leaving, Nick called a final group meeting. As everyone gathered around him with worry evident on their faces, Nick knew it was time for the truth.

"Alright, we're packed up and ready to go, but there's something else I need to say first" He started. He looked at Zac, whose face was swollen and bruised.

"Zac, I'm sorry about what I did to you. I lost control. But I need everyone to understand why" He said.

"Nick..." Noah interrupted, realizing what he was about to say.

"It's time for them to know, Noah" Nick replied. Noah simply nodded and let Nick continue speaking.

"Two months ago, when we first got here, we lost Ashby and Max. We lost them both on a run to save Zac's life, and when we came back, we told you all that they died from biters... Well" He looked from person to person, taking in their expressions.

"We lied" he continued. "When we got to the FEMA outpost in the gym, we split up. Noah and I took one half of the building, and Max and Ashby took another". Flashbacks went through Nick's mind of that day, Images of pain. Death. Of those last moments with them all together.

"We figured that as pairs we could get the supplies quicker. But the other two ran into a herd. They got pinned down, and they were fighting them off... When we heard the gunshots, Noah and I ran.. We saw what happened. Saw them pinned down... but that wasn't all we saw. Ashby.... The man he had become... he was scared. And he let his cowardice get the best of him...." Nick stopped, unable to say the final part of the story.