Layton Zimmers

### Occupation

Former Photographer *(Pre-Apocalypse)*Former School Bus Driver *(Pre-Apocalypse)*

## Biography

### First Seen

Season 3 Episode 2"Lost and Found"

"*Everyone! I hate to see you all fighting like this... this is a very intense time for all of us... it is vital we do not fall apart now. So I will be in my room if anyone needs me.*"
—Layton to the group[src]

Layton Zimmers is a survivor of the outbreak in Route to Paradise.

## **Pre-Apocalypse**

It is hinted at that Layton was not the most liked kid at school, and was bullied throughout his years of school.

Growing up, Layton tried his luck at several different jobs. He first tried photography, but had to quit after he accidently stunned an old lady with the flash of his camera, sending her falling off the balcony. He would also try being a school bus driver, but resigned after he received complaints about running red lights. Layton also mentions the fact that he worked as a rat-catcher for some time.

While living in one of his old neighbourhood's, Layton would accidently shoot a kid off his bike after getting scared. The kid was fine, and apologized to Layton for scaring him. Another time, Layton accidently drove his car into the backyard of somebody's house during a child's birthday party, but said that it was the GPS's fault for directing him there.

Layton went on to marry a woman, and with her, travelled across the United States in their RV. His relationship with his wife became strained as time went on, and Layton soon found out that his wife had an affair with another man, not once, but several times. Knowing this, Layton attempted to repair his relationship, but ultimately failed.

## **Post-Apocalypse**

According to him, Layton was with a group of friends who all became stranded on a bus that was on the middle of a bridge. Their food supply quickly depleted, and when one of Layton's friends committed suicide, they were forced to cook and eat him.

### **Season 3**

#### "**Lost and Found**"

In Willamette's finest coffee shop, Layton jokes about harvesting Jon Matthews organs. Layton's friend, Ed Anderson, tells Jon to ignore most of what he says. Layton goes quiet and listens as Jon talk with the more levelheaded members of his group, but eventually Layton blurts out nonsense again, his ego being inflated when Don Holloway nods in agreement. When Layton espies a bagel, he brings up the question of whether it has one or two holes. After settling back down and cleaning his glasses, Layton brings up a more serious question of where he and his group will go if they can no longer reside at the coffee shop. His question sparks a conversation about what happened at Willamette mall, Jon explaining that his group was from there. Layton suddenly starts blabbering again, and unintentionally gives Ed the idea of staying at the bus depot. Angela Jaegar and Darwin Thorne agree with Ed's idea. After Darwin mentions stir-fry, Layton goes into a speech about cannibalism, and how one time he had to cook and eat his dead friend. Before Ed and Angela leave to go scout the bus depot, Layton warns them to keep an eye out for UFO's in the sky.

#### "**Tracked**"

While the two are out at the bus depot, Darwin and Don leave to go out hunting, which Layton relays to Angela and Ed when they return. Angela expresses her irritation at Layton for not trying to stop them from leaving. With Angela and Ed are Albert Hanson and Austin Kingston, two members of Jon's group. They all come to the conclusion that they should head to the hardware store where Jon's group was going to be staying at. Layton is the sole person to stay behind and watch over the coffee shop.

Later that day, Ed returns to the coffee shop with the bulk of Jon's group. Layton introduces himself to the new faces and starts up a conversation with Owen Gliefield about whether the infection is worldwide or only here. When the topic of coffee comes up, Layton happily brings Owen into the back to make him an iced coffee.

#### "**Reunion**"

When Angela, Jon, and more new faces make it to the coffee shop, Layton once again welcomes and shares his name. He tells Kate Bloodstone about Darwin and Don and reveals that Ed went out looking for them, which Angela overhears. She asks when he left, Layton tells her that it was a couple of hours ago. The rest of the group deliberate on what they should do, and ultimately decide that it's best if they all left for Willamette High School to join the final two members of Jon's group. As Angela prepares to go looking for Ed, Darwin, and Don, Layton brings about the idea that they might have been detected by the government's UFO's. Layton pets Apollo before they leave, and in return receives a growl, the dog snapping it's jaws at him.

#### "**Red Asphalt**"

In the cafeteria of Willamette High School, Layton sits with Owen. The two of them wonder what happened to Dean Howards, the man who disappeared from the group the night previous. The more logical Owen surmises that Dean likely staggered off into the woods, him having a drinking problem. Layton however reckons that Dean figured out that the government was behind this and the drones abducted him. Owen can't help but laugh at Layton's insane theory. After settling back down, Owen gets serious and admits that he always thought Dean was a loser, something Layton picks up on. He chuckles nervously as he tells Owen that calling someone a loser in a high school reminds him of the past. After chattering more about plastic cups at school, Layton stands up heads out into the courtyard to 'let his brain rest'.

Outside, he approaches Layton, who quickly turns him away, not in the mood to talk. Layton murmurs that he was just hoping Angela had found Ed and his friends. Angela turns to him and says that she was out all night looking for them but had no luck.

The next day, Layton is among some others in the foyer when they all spot a giant horde of walkers outside quickly approaching the high school. Layton isn't seen again until much later when he bumps into Jon, William Reynes, and the other survivors of the attack. He yells to them all that he brought transportation that's waiting outside: a cement mixer. After everyone gets in, Layton speeds off with haste.

#### "**What Comes After**"

After driving for fifteen minutes, Layton abruptly hits the brakes. He steps out and heads around the back to witness everyone else climbing out of the back. Now in the middle of the town, the group discuss their options. Angela suggests going back to the school to try and find the others they left behind, but a bemused Layton tells her that there would only be walkers left there. Aldus Paxton states that they need to locate and kill Damerae Badrick and leave the town. Everyone agrees, including Layton. After sitting around and discussing what their strategy should be, Layton sees a figure stumbling down the street: a walker, he thought. He yells for someone to shoot it, but nobody does, as it's revealed to be Jared Kellings, a lost survivor of the mall. Jared instantly proves to be a liability and gets knocked out by Rebecca Dawson. Jon wants to leave him behind, but Layton is against the idea. Then, a pair of headlights are seen coming down the road. Layton takes out a packet of pills and takes one after mumbling some nonsense. As the vehicle comes to a stop in front of them, Daniel Rockwell, Lolida Windfield, Nicholas Parker, and Grant Carver step out. Layton listens to the four men explain who they are: recruiters from another community looking for new survivors to join them. Layton eventually speaks up, but not to the recruiters, but about a ton of walkers approaching them from down the street. Layton stands by as his group help Daniel and the three other men completely wipe out the horde. After finishing, Layton and the group decide that it's best they go with the new people. Layton gets into the cement mixer with Jared.

Arriving at the stadium, Layton follows the group inside and is surprised when he and his group suddenly have guns pointed at them; it was a trap. Layton is escorted to a cell block with the others. In the cell, Alex Weiss, an unfamiliar face to Layton is seen sitting in the corner.

### **Season 4**

#### "**The Greater Good**"

Sitting in the cell, Layton, for the most part, remains rather quiet as his companions argue at each other over whether they should plan an escape or stay put. Layton says that it's important for them to keep optimism. As everyone begins to settle down, Layton takes the chance to speak to Alex, shaking his hand and telling him that it was good to meet him.

#### "**The Promiseland**"

After waking up from the sound of Nathaniel Shepard's voice over the intercom, Layton questions who the one snoring so loudly was. He quickly starts to think that it may have been himself, apologizing to everyone. Layton hears Jared talking about how he used to hide in boxes and mail himself. He looks over and expresses how awesome he thinks that is, before yapping off about how it was a government conspiracy. When Daniel comes to take Albert, Austin, Rebecca, and William out to the courtyard, William states that they left the lunatics in the cell, referring to Layton, Jared, and Alex.

When everyone is back in the cell, Layton watches chaos erupt as the man he heard so much about, Badrick, yells like an insane man when he sees the group in the cell. Badrick fights off several men before he is restrained and taken away.

#### "**Gunpoint**"

Layton sits in the corner of the cell, everyone was quiet. Layton mutters out "Eye spy with my little eye... some very grim-looking people.", and smiles, but after silence, his smile fades. Layton zones out as Jon gives his idea for an escape plan, and when Jon asks if everyone is on board with it, Layton nods though having missed most of what he said.

#### "**All the King's Men**"

Layton exits the cell when Daniel, now on their side, unlocks the cell and lets them out. Suddenly, Nick Parker grabs Fraser Stiller and nearly puts an end to the man until Jon sneaks up behind him and jabs a scalpel into Nick's neck, saving Fraser. Layton walks ahead with Aldus Paxton, listening to him talk. When he finishes, Layton comments about how much Aldus talks. "Ironic of you to say, Layton." Ed says, walking in with Angela. Layton looks over and yells Ed's name, happy to see his friend again. All of them then follow Daniel to the armoury, where Layton grabs a pistol off-screen.

Layton follows his group up to the entrance where he lays eyes on Badrick's army waiting outside. He is one of the members to stay and try to hold The Rastas' off at the back entrance.

Layton is seen once during the battle, sitting behind cover and yelling some nonsense.

Coming out from behind cover, Layton takes a seat next to Alex.

#### "**Moment of Silence**"

Sitting next to Alex, Layton looks over at Jon who was kneeling next to Angela's grave. Ed approaches the two of them and sits down, and Layton awkwardly breaks the silence, saying that he's going to miss Angela.

Later, Layton sees Jared and enthusiastically says that he's happy to see him again, he was worried they'd lost him in the fight. Jared grins at Layton, saying that he's still alive. Layton watches as Jon confronts Jared for not being there for the fight. Eventually, the two break out into a fight. After Jared is severely beaten, Layton helps him to the infirmary to be treated. He drops Jared off in there and tells a curious William what happened. Layton then exits the room.

Later, Layton is present during the funeral of Angela, Fraser, and Zachariah Barnes.

#### "**That Sweet Temptation**"

Layton sits down and listens to William inform everyone that they're planning on leaving the stadium.

#### "**Revelations**"

Sitting on a bench out in the pitch, Layton reads a newspaper, chuckling to himself. He stops reading for a minute after seeing Jared grinning at Kate. He whispers to Kate that he thinks Jared likes her. A disgusted Kate heads inside to try and find William.

Not long later, Ed arrives back at the stadium alongside Jon, Austin, and Randall Forster. Ed reveals that they lost the car they left with, but in return came back with an RV. Layton is excited about the RV, telling everyone that he used to own one.

The same day, Layton is present when William discloses to the entire group that Benjamin Taylor, a man in their own group, had an involvement with the creation of the virus. Layton doesn't believe it, instead continuing to believe his own theory that it was a government experiment gone wrong.

#### "**The Road Ahead**"

Out in the parking lot, Layton inspects the vehicles with Ed. Ed explains that they only have two vehicles, but Layton points out the cement mixer. Ed sighs, nodding.

When everyone is packed and ready to leave the stadium for good, Layton climbs up into the cement mixer, Ed getting into the passenger seat. He starts the truck, and it makes a horrid sound before starting up. Ed asks if the headlights work, to which Layton nonchalantly says they don't, and that "Driving in the dark is a lot like driving in the light, you just can't see anything.".

On the road, Layton prattles on about how he and his wife used to take trips in their RV until his wife saw a muscular man on a Florida beach. Layton suspects that she had an affair with that man in their RV. Layton looks over at Ed, who doesn't seem to be listening. Ed tells him that he's already told this story four times. Layton looks back to the road before telling Ed that he used to tell his wife before she snuck out of the house to sleep with another man that he loved her. Ed frowns, saying that he hasn't heard these parts of Layton's past. Layton quickly moves past the bad memories and starts explaining that his wife is probably thinking about Layton and apologizing for not investing in the nuclear bunker in their garden. As Layton drifts off, chuckling, a sudden landslide comes down onto the road, blocking the road and hitting one of the cars.

#### "**The Beginning**"

Sitting by the cement mixer, Layton is approached by Ed. Layton looks up and tells his friend that he's in the mourning zone, explaining that he'll never be able to see *her* again. Ed frowns, sad to see Layton reminiscing about his wife this way. Layton looks at him, confused, and says that he's talking about the cement mixer, not his wife. The cement mixer failed to start. Layton had taken the key out and shut it off for good, keeping the key.

### **Season 5**

#### "**Day By Day**"

Seven weeks later, Layton is still among the group. He sits beside Dean Howards and starts telling him about his theory that the teeth inside all the walkers will eventually rot out, making them essentially harmless. Layton babbles on about more crazy ideas to Dean, one involving Russians and weaponizing the walkers. Kate interrupts Layton by asking if she could speak to Dean alone. Layton allows her too, standing up and marching inside.

#### "**Over and Over**"

At the motel, Layton hears Clyde Rollins rehearsing lines to himself to tell Claire Noble. He gets closer and scares Clyde by asking if he should act as Claire. Clyde ignores Layton's question, asking him what he was doing here. Layton tells him that he can't find his glasses. Clyde points out to him that he's wearing his glasses. After 'finding' his glasses, he quickly moves back to what he heard Clyde saying, and knows that he and Claire had a fight. Luckily for Clyde, Layton is an expert when it comes to that, as he explains that he spent many nights sleeping outside or on the couch while his wife had an affair. When Layton finishes, Clyde tells him that he didn't break up with Claire, he's planning on going out to find Edward Remar and bring him back. Layton steps forward, placing a hand on Clyde's shoulder and asks him if he's sure that Edward *wants* to be found. He quotes a line from one of Clyde's movies, telling him that he can't change fate, and that Edward was set off on his path by a greater power. Layton then steps back and climbs over the railing, telling Clyde once more that he should stay with Claire and let Edward go. He leaves Clyde dumbfounded as he hops down off the railing and walks away.

Later on, Layton is seen by Jared shaking one of the vending machines, demanding that it give him something. Eventually, the machine drops down a couple cans of soda. Jared questions what Layton is doing, and instead of answering, Layton simply strolls over and hands Jared one of the cans of soda. Jared mentions that Layton is a criminal for vandalizing the vending machine. Layton states that he has a clean history, other than the time he accidently shot a kid off a bicycle once, but the kid ended up being fine. Afterwards, Layton explains his theory that they're being watched by government drones, and that this is all an experiment. Jared is confused, but instead of elaborating, Layton tells Jared that he's going to go finish the newspaper he was reading.

The following morning, Layton is present for Albert Hanson's funeral.

Later that day, Layton watches as Jared is hung by William for betraying the group and getting Albert and Isaac Moses killed.

#### "**His Resolve**"

Layton is present as a new group arrives at the motel. He watches as William and Kate clash with each other and split the group apart until eventually William and his supporters send the new group back out onto the road.

#### "**It All Comes Crashing Down**"

In the motel, Layton is seen sitting with Alex talking about a time where Layton accidently drove into the backyard of somebody's house during a birthday party, nearly hitting several people. After he finishes, Alex tells Layton about his adventures as a struggling author before the apocalypse. Layton then goes into his past and mentions that he used to work as both a photographer, a bus driver, and a rat-catcher, but things didn't work out and he left all three jobs. As they continue their conversation, Jon suddenly returns to the motel, speeding into the motel and quickly getting out. He watches curiously as Brenden Trevors is rushed into a room with a missing hand, meanwhile Jon and especially Daniel curse at and scold Kate for being foolish enough to go into Garden City to rescue the new group from earlier. After everything cools down a bit, Layton approaches Jon, pointing out the hundreds of zombies closing in on the motel from down the road. As everybody else quickly huddle around in the parking lot to come up with a plan, Layton overhears Jon say that the zombies must have followed them out of the city. Layton says that the zombies are evolving, but nobody bothers to hear him. When Randall comes rushing down with a box of guns, Layton takes one, but isn't sure that he should have it. As everyone gets ready to defend the motel, Layton calls everybody, and begins a speech, saying that it's important the group doesn't fall apart now. However, he quickly ends the speech by saying he'll be in his room if anybody needs him.

It doesn't take long for the zombies to break into the motel, and once they do, Layton tries using his pistol to kill a zombie, but he misses. Jon yells at him for wasting his ammo. Layton quickly makes his way over to the others who are on the second floor of the motel, being forced back by the horde. As everybody is fighting, Layton charges forward and jumps onto one zombie, killing it, however gets himself nearly killed in the process. He's saved by Jon, who grabs him by the collar and pulls him back to the group. As the fight rages on, Layton sees Daniel get grabbed and pinned by a zombie. Frightened, he pulls out his pistol and shoots the zombie dead, but is quickly pushed to the ground by zombies. Jon saves him again, yelling at Layton to keep his head in the game.

Eventually, the group is able to push the zombies back thanks to the help of a loud firetruck that draws some of the zombies away from the motel. They make it out of the motel and into the woods.

Out in the woods, Layton and the others meet up with Kate, Randall, Brenden and Aldus. Layton joins in on complaining to Kate about having just lost the motel and all of their supplies. Eventually, the group of them are joined by Marcus Downes, Clyde, and Claire, and soon enough everybody gets to arguing with each other. Lolida eventually has enough and tries to get everybody to stop arguing. Layton agrees with what Lolida is saying, but in the process gets Daniel angry by calling Lolida: "Lollice". Alex explains to Layton how you're supposed to say Lolida's name, and Layton is shocked that he's been saying it wrong the whole time. Finally, Layton and the others are joined by William and the party he went scavenging with. Layton listens in as William scolds Kate and her group. He asserts his leadership over the group, saying that no decisions are to go through without his approval.

#### "**Little Man**"

After the fall of the motel, Layton travels with his group to a nearby church. He is seen conversing with Ed in the main hall before Ed abruptly gets up to chat with William.

#### "**Pipe Dream**"

Layton is gathered into the main hall of the church with everybody else when two recruiters come claiming to be from a large community. As the two recruiters go on to explain where they come from and how they can be trusted, Layton points out that this was the same thing Daniel and Lolida did when they met them, and recalls how they were led into a trap. Genna Brohem, one of the recruiters, swears that it isn't a trap, but Layton remains wary. Afterwards, the group decide to vote on whether they should go with the recruiters. Layton is still worried that it could be a trap, or worse, they could be spider people or mad scientists. Alex tells Layton that he'll vote with him. Layton looks at him, and thinks that if the recruiters are telling the truth about the community having electricity, then they could possibly figure out what caused the zombie apocalypse, to which Randall reminds him that they already know how it started. In the end, Layton decides to join the side that wants to go with the recruiters, but warns that he won't be happy if the "spider people" try to wrap him up in a cocoon. Even when the majority of the group votes to go with them, William sends the recruiters away. Alex tries to tell William that he's been outvoted, but William simply tells him to keep his mouth closed. Layton steps forward, backing up what his friend is saying, but it has no affect on William.

#### "**The Fanatic and the Freak**"

As Jon finishes up a meeting in the office of the church, he steps out to find Layton leaned up against the wall, having been listening to the conversation. After telling Jon that he wanted to be part of the meeting too, he gets shoved aside, and Jon walks off.

Later on, Layton is present for the funeral of Brenden Trevors.

While the group begin travelling towards the community of Worthwood, Layton, in an effort to pass the time, starts to sing along to a favourite pastime of his, beginning with: "10,000 bottles of milk on the wall". He encourages Ed, who's sitting nearby, to join in. As Ed realizes Layton has no intentions of stopping, a look of terror dawns on his face.

Layton and the group would later arrive at Worthwood, though Layton is not seen.

### **Season 6**

#### "**All Good Things**"

At the welcoming party for his group, Layton bumps into Kate while gathering up all types of food on a plate. Having no interest in actually speaking to Kate, they share an awkward greeting, before Layton shuffles his way past her, grabs a cupcake, and keeps moving.

Later that evening, Layton is seen dismissing Father Donovan and his ideas of religion. He exclaims that it's all nonsense, and calls it silly. The Father, taken aback by this, angrily tells Layton that he's going to die alone and won't be allowed into heaven, before he stomps off.