Episode 12: Grip of fear

Episode 12 deals with the remaining three survivors climbing the Rockey's.
==Episode==
We open on the survivors tracking through the wood on the Rockey's. Slade has his head in a map while the other two keep watch.
Slade: Ok says here if we keep along this path we will reach a ranger station in a few hours.
Moe: There should be more detailed maps there and we can use those to find the lesser known trails.
Mark: Got it
Mark looks around distracted and in thought.
Moe: Mark.... it was not your fault you do know that.... Corey would have died back at the highrise if you had not acted.
Mark( Angrily): That dose not change the fact he did die.... I gave my word...
Moe: None of us can see our ends Mark... there is a plan for each of us.
Mark: Don't start with the religious crap.
Moe: (looks offended but keeps cool) We all have our ways of copping, my faith is mine.... but I suggest you make peace with your demons or they will haunt you to the grave.
Mark look thoughtful when the sound of a rope snapping cuts through the silent forest.
Slade: Shit!
The two run to catch up with him and cant make out what they are seeing after a second or two they start laughing. We pull back to see Slade's foot has been caught in a snare trap and he is hanging upside down.
Slade: Yeah, laugh its always funny when stuff happens to Slade..... now get me the fuck down.
Mark:Alright man just hang on.
Even Slade Laughs a bit at this has Mark approaches with a knife. Moe uses his weight to hold Slade close to the ground has Mark cuts him down. He is about to relax when he freezes at the sight of something.
Mark: Shit... not here to
Moe follows his line of sight and we see several strung up walker carcases all dangling between the trees. Each corpse has the same efficient injure to the head but the different levels of rot indicate that whoever has been doing this has been doing it for a good while.
Slade: Shit is an understatement... this is the same has back in the town.... why the hell would somebody do this,,, its a bit overkill for a warning?
Moe: No idea
Mark: Its a sent trail ( he indicates the ground to show someone has been walking close to the corpses a lot) clever bastard whoever they are,
Slade: I don't get it.
Mark: The walkers track things by sound and smell.... so whoever hung these things up walks around the bodies possibly rubbing against them to mask their smell.
Moe: So any walker that comes along will think there is another walker around and anyone who stumbles across this will think is a warning and stay away... quite clever indeed.
Slade: It creepy its what it is.... this is not something a person of sane mind is going to go about doing.
Mark: Well what would you do... cover yourself in walker guts?
Slade:.... never mind.
Moe: Come on lets get to the cabin before night fall.
Later
The survivors are inside the cabin asleep wrapped in heavy blankets. Due to the cabins isolation no one is on watch but they have bolted the door to make sure there is no chance of uninvited guests. we close in on the map and see they have marked their path. Has the survivors sleep they don't here the window open quietly and a figure slip in. From its nervous and cautious movements we can see its not a walker. The figure approaches the map and studies it tracing a figure across their trail.
 Man: 'O dear'.
Mark (sleep mumbling) Corey.. nugh... don't... coudn't....
Mark: Ahhh
He wakes up looking around the darkened cabin but finds nothing out of place and gets back to sleep. The stranger is gone.
Next day
The survivors are walking along a narrow track higher up the mountain and pass a sign "experienced cycle track" and we can the path is rougher and more uneven that the track has not been walked by many and not in a long time. we can see the hike is exhausting for the survivors with their packs.
Slade: Dam there better be something good at the end of this track
Moe: I tell you what if we get there before dark we will cook you a five course meal.
Mark: Yeah a nice stake would be brilliant right about now.
A few stray pebbles fall unseen by the survivors and we see someone following secretly from above. From there nervous movements we realize it is the same person from the previous night.
Mark: Hey Slade how much further till we reach that campsite?
Slade: Bout a mile or two. Ill check it out.
Moe: We should be careful there could be walkers there so no loud noises.
Slade nods and departs up the path.
Another volley of pebbles fall and this time Mark notices them and looks up to see a shadow of a figure slide out of sight. He pulls his gun and aims at the spot the shadow went.
Moe: Mark you ok?
Mark: I don't know.... hey Slade should have been back by now
Moe: You don't think he's in trouble do you he would have yelled.
Mark: Probably passed out from our climb.
They are about to continue when a large crack wrings through the air.
Moe:: What was that?
Mark: Shit never might what that was we've got trouble ahead look.
He points ahead and we see about 60 walkers in camping gear coming down from the campsite and they have seen the two men and begin to move faster. Suddenly a boulder crashes down on the nearest walker followed by another and another.
Moe: Rock slide!
Mark: Over there (pointing to an opening of a gorge) its our only chance.
They run inside has the rocks kill and know more walkers off the path down below. One of the more jagged rocks hits Mark's leg leading to a nasty cut. He is wincing in pain unaware of a walker that has manged to follow them only for Moe to pull him away from it and shoot it with Mark's gun which he has pulled away from him.
Mark: Thanks
Moe: (hands back the gun) don't mention it.... you think they got Slade?
Mark: I don't know... I don't think so there was no blood on them... he might have got away... they were so close he probably could not risk shouting.
Moe: Well are only option is to look for him and hope he was not caught up in the rock slide.
Mark: Yeah about that....
Moe: It was lucky I know
Mark: No... before the rock slide i thought I saw someone and then that loud bang... it was not an accident.
Moe: So someone helped us.
Mark: Or we avoided a two pronged attack (notices the slide has stopped and walkers are approaching only about 12 are left) fuck how's your ammo.
Moe: I might have enough for half of them but gunfire here could echo and attract more... we have to get out of here can you walk?
Mark: I can try.
They booth head off deeper into the gorge and the walkers follow them. They are ahead but Mark's injury is slowing him down and the blood from it is drawing the walkers in. They reach a part of the gorge that is to rough to walk and would require the proper equipment to navigate properly. Moe might be able to make it but Mark cant not with his leg and he knows it.
Mark: go on without me
Moe: What Mark I will not.
Mark: You said it yourself there is a plan for all of uss and this has to be it for me.... I can by you some time at least.
Moe: I will not allow you to sacrifice yourself this way.... between us we can take them.
Mark: NO
Moe: (Shooting the closest walker) its not up for discussion now get back.
Mark moves close to the wall of the gorge and starts firing on the walkers. They are doing well has the walkers cant decide who to go after. eventually they are down to six and two go after Moe while the other four begin to crowd around Mark. Moe cant see whats happening but here's the shots and then clicks of an empty cartridge and knows Mark is in trouble. His own ammo is low and not enough to take out the walkers with him and the remaining two with Mark. 
A foreign shot suddenly rings out and without thinking Moe takes out the last two walkers who fall revealing the fallen walker of the duo and the last one turning away from Mark who was prepared to use a nearby tree branch to bat the walkers away. Both are staring at a young man pointing the smoking gun at the walker that fell. Without missing a beast he pulls a hunting knife from its strap on his leg and throws it at the walker striking it dead center in the head and it drops down dead. The three stare at each other before the man goes to retrieve his knife.
Moe: Don't move
Nathan:(laughing nervously) you going to shoot me with an empty gun hell of a thank you for the guy who just saved you.
Mark: Well we were doing just.... (he winces in pain from the leg wound)
Nathan: (Picking the blade out of the walker and preparing to advance on Mark) Was he bitten?
Moe: What?.... no
Nathan: Your sure about that?
Moe: Yes... there was a rock slide his leg was injured that's all.
Nathan:.... Ok..... we should go
Moe: Go where......
Nathan turns slightly and Mark catches sight of an grenade in the side pocket.
Mark (realizing) It was you... you started the rock slide.
Nathan: You were lucky I did you nearly walked into a walker nest.
Moe: Our friend is most likely dead thanks to you.
Nathan: (Defensive and getting worked up) he was dead already they swarmed him the moment he got close.
Mark: (rising and hobbling over to Moe) Then why didn't you come down and warn us.
Nathan: Because I had no way of telling what sought of people you are... the last group I ran into tried to take pot shots at me for no other reason than I was there.
The groans of walkers can be heard in the distance.
Nathan: Look we can argue all we want but those shots have just drawn in every walker on the mountain.... my place is not far and your friend needs his leg seen to.
Both men look at each other. There is no other option.
Moe: Fine lead the way....
Nathan: Its Nathan... Nathan Holt.
The three head off with Moe supporting Mark's weight and Nathan leading.
End