Dead Weight/Issue 12

**Issue 12** is the twelvth issue of Dead Weight. It is entitled Natural Instinct.

## Previously on Dead Weight

Nancy and Tanya bond. Melissa opens up to the couple. Darryn plans to kill Flake. Flake, however, gets the upper hand and kills him, but at a cost. The group now must fight to keep their leader figure alive.

## Story

***A week later…***

Grace hopped over the over turned truck, turning back as Sabrina’s head popped up over after her. Sabrina pushed herself over and tumbled rather clumsily to the floor, Grace holding out her hand to support her incase she falls.

“You alright?”

“Yeah.”

The two wander along the streets, Sabrina lugging a black bagpack around on her back. Turning a corner, they spot a group of around ten of the undead. Grace sighs, looking around.

“Hey, We’ll go around them.” Grace says, pointing towards a building, “Follow me.” She says. The two quickly head towards a pharmacy, stepping over a decapitated body and entering the building.

“Are you okay, really? You don’t seem yourself.” Grace asks as she shuts the door, Sabrina looks around the rather dimly lit building.

“Yeah. I’m just thinking, that’s all. About Flake, y’know?”

“Yeah. I am, too. It’ll be alright, though. We’ll make it through.”

“Melissa hasn’t said much.” Sabrina comments as she picks up a bottle of pills, showing them to Grace. Grace nods, Sabrina throws them across the room and Grace catches them, carrying them as she continues looking.

“Yeah, well, she’s coping in whatever way she wants.”

“I guess.” Sabrina shrugs, she makes her way to the back of the pharmacy, reaching into a cabnet before lurching back as she feels something wrap around her ankle. She looks down, a half eaten woman growling from the floor. Her face scrunches up in disgust as she pulls out her knife, stabbing her through the head twice as Grace comes down, watching as Sabrina forcefully pulls the knife from the woman’s head only to dig it back in again.

“Sabby.” Grace says softly, “You sure you’re definitely okay?”

“Just angry.” She says, grabbing a pack of pills and taking the backpack off, unzipping it and putting the pills inside, Grace puts the bottle in, too. “Are we leaving?”

“Yeah. We’ll go through the back door.” Grace says, heading into a room through the back, her knife armed. As she enters, she is met with two of the undead, feasting on two dead bodies. Sabrina follows her. The dead turn around, snapping their jaws as they stand, blood dripping from their hands and faces.

Grace lifted her knife as the dead stumbled towards her, Sabrina pushed past as the other one followed close behind, loud groans coming from their mouths like they were trying to say something. Grace approached the first one, throwing her knife forward and digging it into it’s skull, it’s groaning stopped and it stopped moving, slumping forward as the other one came for Grace as she ripped the knife out of the dead’s skull.

The dead lunged towards her, gripping at her long, blonde hair as she threw the knife forward, digging it into the undead’s neck. Sabrina stepped forward, stabbing the undead in the back of the head, killing it before it’s jaws could get into Grace’s wrist.

“Thanks.” Grace said, running her hand over Sabrina’s shoulder friendily.

“No problem.”

The two go towards a backdoor, heading out and onto the other street, the sound of the undead closer but out of sight around the corner.

*Melissa woke up. Her hair a mess around her head. She reached her hand over the bed, hoping to be met with Darryn but instead she felt the cold sheets. She groaned, her whole body wanting to stay in the warm bed but her mind racing with where or what Darryn could be doing right now.*

*She sat up, pushing herself out of the bed and slowly swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. She strechted, loudly, her arms above her, outstretching her fingers as she sighed. Rolling her neck before hopping out of bed.*

*She slipped on a pair of socks before walking over to the door, blinking her eyes roughly as she made her way out of the bedroom, she ran into Nancy, who was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in her hands.*

*“Hey.” She half smiled, immediently standing.*

*“Hey, where is everyone?” Melissa asked, approaching Nancy but stopped when Nancy comes over to her, taking her hand and squeezing it.*

*“There’s been a little accident.” Nancy says quietly, pushing a stray hair from Melissa’s face as she says this. Melissa’s heart drops, her face turning from tired, to confused.*

*“What do you mean?” She asks, rubbing the back of her free hand across her eye as she tried to think what Nancy could mean. She couldn’t possibly mean… Death? Could she…?*

*“Darryn. He uh. He did something last night, something to Flake…” Nancy starts, Melissa tugs her hand away from Nancy and backs away, rubbing her head.*

*“Tell me he’s not…”*

*“I’m sorry. It appears he… Attacked Flake. Or Flake attacked him, I don’t know. He’s dead, Melissa. I’m sorry.”*

*Melissa’s face turned from a pale, pale white into a blushing red right across her face. She was furious, angry, in disbelief.*

*“You can’t be serious!” She spits, leaning on a couch to steady herself. “He killed him?! I knew we couldn’t be safe here!”*

*“Mel, I wouldn’t be to sure before we figure out what really happened.”*

*“You figure it out! He murdered him, Nancy!” Melissa yells angrily, walking voer to the door and grabbing her coat.*

*“What are you going to do?!” Nancy asks, quickly moving over to Melissa and standing at the door, her hand on the doorknob.*

*“I’m going to go confront him.” Melissa says angrily, “Move!” She growls.*

*Nancy raises her hand from the doorknob. “Don’t be irrational.” She says, Melissa ignores her, flinging open the door and making her way into the dull morning light. Nancy watches as she goes, slipping on her trainers before following far behind.*

Conner stood on a small stage, overlooking a group of around thirty or fourty people. They stood in the center of an arena-like room. It was round in shape and in the distance, the body of one of the dead could be seen, slumped on it’s face with blood oozing out of it’s temple.

“Today we have witnessed something, truly horrific.” Connor starts. “But ofcourse, It always has to be done.”

Sally and Bri stand in the back, just in the doorway. Bri looks on, staring Conner like he was some sort of horrific sight that she just couldn’t look away from, her face crumpled into some sort of look of disgust and, almost, hatred and fright. Sally, on the other hand, seemed more calmer, nodding as Connor spoke, biting her lip subtly.

“We will see this again. I tell you that. The dangers of our world get bigger everyday and we have to be ready to face them. To harden our children and ourselves against this world is the only way we will survive.”

A small applause comes from the crowd, of all ages. Small children giggle at each other as they listen to Connor's speech while older people, some the age of sixty, nod their heads. Other people just look on, one woman crying with a child, no older than one year, in her arms.

“That concludes for today.” Conner says, his eyes scanning the crowd, staring at the woman with the child and then to Sally and Bri. “Thank you.”

He leaves the stage. Sally turns to Bri.

“You okay?” She asks. Bri only mumbles a ‘uh hu’ back. “Bri?”

“I’m fine.” She says gently, turning to Sally. “You?” She asks back, trying to appear friendly.

“I guess. How’s working with Vicky going?”

“As good as I thought it would be. It’s more of a job for you.” Bri says, her last words sounding bitter. Sally’s lips curve into a frown, she hangs her head as Bri turns to walk away, back to their assigned room. Sally turns and quickly follows her.

“I’m sorry, Bri. You know, It’s not that easy.”

“You don’t need to apologize to me.”

“Well. I will anyways. I’m sorry.”

Bri nods, turning to go up the stairs, Sally turns into the stairwell and stands at the bottom of the stairs, leaning against the railing with one hand.

“You know. You don’t have to ignore me because of what I’ve chosen to do. If I didn’t I’d probably be joining that guy out there.”

“I know. It’s just, I’m still adjusting.” Bri tells her as she stops after a few stairs, turning to face Sally.

“Okay... “ Sally starts, sighing. “I’ll see you later?”

“Sure.” Bri half smiles, waving towards her before she turned to continue up the stairs. Sally sighed, watching as she left.

*Melissa storned into the cabin, the first sight she seen was Drake, walking out of a room inside.*

*“Where is he?”*

*“Melissa, I’m not sure if this is the best--”*

*“Where is HE?!” Melissa repeats herself, louder and more threatening sounding. Drake looks at her, judging if she had any weapons.*

*“He’s in the bedroom, he needs to rest. He just got shot.” Drake says, angrily.*

*“I want to speak to him.” Melissa says, charging past Drake, who attempts to stop her but she just throws him away from her. Melissa pushes open the bedroom door, seeing Flake lying in the bed. His face as pale as a snowflake (AAAHHAHAHA). He taps a pen against his hand, his sword sitting propped up beside him on the floor. His eyes closed.*

*“You. What did you do?!” Melissa asks, her voice loud and thunderous.*

*“Melissa. I’ll explain everything.” Flake says, his eyes remaining closed as he breathed heavily, his injury giving him hell.*

*“You murdered him.”*

*“He was going to kill me.” Flake tells her, opening his eyes for just a second before closing them again. “I had to make the choice to get the upper hand.”*

*Melissa, shakily, sniffs. A tear threatening to fall from her eye, she takes the oppertunity of Flake’s eyes being closed to wipe it, but he opens his eyes slightly as she does so.*

*“I know this is hard for you.” Flake says, his voice monotone.*

*“You think?! I want to know why.” She commands, two more tears falling from her eyes.*

*“I already told you. He had a god complex.” Flake explains. “He wanted to kill me and be on top. Which was rather dumb, If I say so myself.” (Flake looks into the camera like he’s on the office.)*

*Melissa was furious, she felt the blood in her veins boil just by looking at Flake. She bites harshly at her lip. “This isn’t over.” She spits, turning to leave the room and barging into Drake as she leaves.*

*“You okay?” Drake asks, rolling his shoulder.*

*“She’ll get over it.” Flake states.*

Grace and Sabrina walk through the empty street, holding their knives close as they look at each building.

“Do you think we’re close to a gas station?” Grace asks, turning her head to look at Sabrina but she receives no reply. “Sabby?”

“Huh?”

“What’s with you?” She asks, her eyesbrows furrowing.

“Nothin’!” Sabrina exclaims.

“Y’know. I feel like we go through this every week.” Grace says, partially annoyed but partially joking.

“What do you mean?” Sabrina asks, adjusting the strap on the backpack.

“You ignoring me and I have to force you to talk. What’s bothering you now? Flake? Melissa? Darryn?--”

“The guy.” Sabrina says through gritted teeth.

“The guy who attacked you? Baby, you have to forget about him.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Hey. I had to shoot him, you think that was easy for me?”

“You saying it’s not easy to save me?!” Sabrina asks, Grace rolls her eyes and laughs inward to herself.

“Well. What can I say…”

Sabrina stops, her hands wrapped around both straps of the bag. Grace stops, turning to face Sabrina, a small smirk on her face opposed to Sabrina’s frown. “Of course it’s easy. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”

“Don’t talk about my panties!” She yells playfully.

“C’mere.” Grace gestures her head, Sabrina toddles along and meets Grace, throwing her arms around her briefly in a hug. After a few seconds, she pulls away and looks around. “Isn’t it weird how we haven’t seen any people?” Grace says, putting her hand upto her ear to listen for anything.

“Not really. I think I like it better this way.”

“I’m sure you do, you freak.” Grace playfully mocks, walking over to a newspaper scattered on the ground and picks it up. Putting on her best weatherman voice, she reads out the weather. “Today, May 14th, will be clouded with a high chance of rain.”

“Stop that.” Sabrina says, her turn to roll her eyes. Grace smiles and drops the newspaper.

“Remember that one time you were in the newspaper for dancing.”

“Don’t get me started on that.” Sabrina grumbles as the two continue to walk down the street.

“Oh come on!! Remember when you were six and you did ballet.” Grace teases, putting her hands on Sabrina’s shoulders and playfully wiggles her. Sabrina shrugs Grace’s hands off of her shoulders.

“Whatever!!” She yells, suddenly taking off running. Grace groans, taking off after her.

“Hey, wait up!!” Grace calls after her as Sabrina approaches a supermarket.

*Melissa stood over a large hole in the ground, a body covered with a white sheet inside. She stands, hands crossed over her front as Carlos stood next to her, holding the shovel in his hand as the sunset began covering the sky with oranges, reds and yellows.*

*Carlos sticks the shovel into the ground, turning to Melissa and gently placing his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry.” He tells her. Melissa shakes her head.*

*“It’s not your fault.” Melissa says, her voice quivering. “It was his.” She tells him. Carlos looks down at the hole, at Darryn’s covered body, before looking back to Melissa.*

*“Is there anything you… Want to s--?”*

*“Where are the girls?” She asks, hanging her head.*

*“They thought it’d be best they didn’t come.” He says softly, removing his hand from her shoulder and turning to face the grave again.*

*“Oh.” Melissa nods, lifting her head and looking straight forward into the hills where the sun began hiding again. “Darryn was never going to make it.” She says after a few minutes of silence. Carlos look at her, eyebrows raised.*

*“How do you mean?” Carlos asks.*

*“He was abrasive. Self-centered… He never did anything for anyone other than himself.”*

*Carlos nods, squinting his eyes slightly as he looked at Melissa, curiously opening his mouth to ask a question. “Why stay with him?”*

*Melissa’s eyebrows furrowed, like she was thinking for an excuse or a reason.*

*“Protection. I guess. I don’t know. I loved him, sure. He loved me, I think.” She tells him, Carlos nods. “There was always something niggling at the back of my mind, saying it might not work out between us. Maybe that little thing was Nancy, I don’t know.” She smiles a little at her own joke. “Nonetheless. Maybe this is for the best.”*

*Carlos reached out his hand, taking Melissa’s in his, she let her arms fall loose, wrapping her hand around his. She was cold, his hand was warm. She sighed heavily.*

*“Just know everyone is here for you. We were a family back in the garage and you can’t get away from us. No matter how you try!” Carlos tells her, trying to be positive about a dire situation. She turns, removing her hand from his but instead leaning in and hugging him. Carlos hugs her back, squeezing her tight.*

“Here.” Cooper says, passing Jessica a cup of water as she sat on the couch, one leg crossed over another as she watched out the window as some of the children began their game of hide and seek.

“Thanks.” Jessica smiles lightly, taking the cup in her hands and holding it against her knee, shuffling awkwardly as Cooper walked towards the window, leaning against it with his shoulder as he looked out.

“Did you have kids, Jessica?” He asks, his eyes following Amy as she ran down the pathway. “Sorry. It’s, kinda personal.”

“Uh-- No. Sorry. I uh. I didn’t, no.” Jessica says, shakily taking a drink from her glass. “Why?”

“You’re just really good with them. That’s all.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess it’s a natural instinct.” Jessica shrugs, leaning back in the couch and leanign her head against the cushion.

“Kids are our future, we have to protect them. They could be the last kids on earth.” Cooper tells her, sitting his glass on the windowsill. “I’ll be damned if anything happen to my children.”

“Nothing will happen to them. You know that.”

“I do, yeah. Behind these walls is the safest place to be.”

*(this is the worst scene i’ve ever wrote but it’s all for the drama i love age gaps and also it’s a flashback so i guess it’s not that bad whew talk about messy story telling)*

*The door suddenly burst open. It swung against the white painted wall and battered off of it. Sally and Connor suddenly tumbling inside as the door slowly swung back into place, bouncing against the door frame and opening slightly.*

*Sally and Connor locked lips, tumbling onto Sally and Bri’s messy bed. Connor slipping his hand up Sally’s shirt, pulling it off. You get the fukcin picture, perv.*

*Speaking of pervs. Bri walks down the hallway, biting her thumbnail and pushing against the door silently, she stops in her tracks when she notices Connor and Sally on the bed. Her eyes widen as she watches on, seeing a butt and other things. She snapes out of her daze, shaking her head as she pulls the door over, leaving it just ajar as she makes her way back down the corridor.*

*She arrives at the end of the hallway, the stairway in front of her. She leans against the door archway, biting her nail more aggressivly. She thinks, blinking harshly as she tries to get the memories of a few seconds ago out of her head.*

*She clears her throat, making her way down the stairs again.*

Bri stands at the edge of the bed, looking down at the sheets before her eyes linger to a backpack sitting on the bed. She grabs it, opening it and finding some clothes inside, aswel as a few packs of food and bottles of water. She sighs, moving towards the bathroom and looking inside, she opens a cabinet, taking a bottle of painkillers and moving back to the backpack.

She stuffs the pills inside just as she hears the door behind her opening, she quickly scrambles, zipping up the bag and throwing it across the bed, it lands witha thump out of vision as Vicky comes through the door.

“Hello, dear.” She smiles, holding a clipboard. “Are you feeling okay?”

Bri nods, sitting on the bed and rubbing her hands along the fabric. She then remembers what she saw there a few days ago and stops, placing her hand on her lap instead. “I’m fine. Did you need me for something?”

“Just wondering when you can work next?”

“Whenever you want.” Bri tells her.

“Really?” Vicky asks, her voice raised in curiosity.

“Yeah.” Bri shrugs, “I like it down there.”

“Ah. Okay. Well, I actually needed some help tonight, Billy has a problem with his wound again and he needs it attended too. I also need some help sorting out the pills. Is that okay?”

“It’s fine with me.” Bri grins.

“Great! You’re a peach!” Vicky grins, pushing a hair behind her ear before turning and leaving the room, closing the door over. Bri sighs, turning her head over her shoulder to look at the bag, biting her top lip as she considered taking off.

## Cast

### Main

* Drew Van Acker as Robbie Starn
* Melissa Benoist as Jessica Starn
* Allie Lewis as Grace Berry
* Brooke Hyland as Sabrina Berry
* Imogen Poots as Sally Middleton
* Liam Hemsworth as Flake
* Josh Pudleiner as Carlos
* Melissa Kirk as Melissa

### Supporting

* Q'orianka Kilcher as Tanya
* Katie Findlay as Nancy
* Andrea Boehkle as Bri
* Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Cooper
* Malina Weissman as Amy
* Brock Brenner as Harry
* Noah Schnepp as Mark
* Sanai Victoria as Sammy
* Ariana Greenblatt as Molly
* Harry Styles as Drake
* Unknown Dog as Scrap

### Guest

* Billy Burke as Connor
* Janel Parrish as Haley Reed
* Antonia Thomas as Vicky