Dead Weight/Issue 22

This is the twenty-second issue of Dead Weight. It is entitled '*Treat You Better’*. It is the fourth issue in Arc 2 of Dead Weight. Issue 22 was released Feburuary 22nd, 2018.

## Previously on Dead Weight

The groups reunited after a week of survival and said goodbye to a new friend as they encounter a new oppertunity. Sally begins falling inlove with Connor while Bri went out on a scavenging trip with Michael, which ended in disaster after Connor wanted Bri gone.

## Story

The group had found an RV, surprisingly. It was parked just off in the trees, hidden in a clearing that seemed to have been made to store cars, hidden in plain view.

So they drove, Connor leading the way with Flake, Abreham, Robbie and Tanya sitting in the car with him while Jessica, Grace, Sabrina, Molly, Mark, Carlos and Melissa followed behind.

“It’s low on gas.” Carlos commented as he tapped against the RV’s petrol indicator.

“I don’t trust this guy.” Melissa tells anyone listening, completely ignoring Carlos’ statement. Grace sighs, looking up at her as she slumps against a seat with Sabrina besides her.

“Me either.” Grace agrees. Sabrina shrugs.

“I don’t know why we’re being so eager.” Sabrina adds.

“He seems okay,” Carlos says as he rummages around him as he drives, looking in a compartment just under the steering wheel. “Oh! David Bowie.” He exclaims, pulling out a David Bowie album from the car.

“Carlos, he’s turning.” Melissa points out, Carlos focuses on the road again as he follows Connor around the corner, simutaniously trying to put the CD into the CD player.

“Don’t put any bad songs on.” Sabrina says.

“I wont, David Bowie is a classic!” Carlos exclaims as the music begins playing softly through the speakers.

In front, Connor drove carefully to avoid any of the dead that lurked at the side of the road.

“So, this place you’re taking us too,” Abreham started, shuffling in his seat and looking forward to Flake, who looked at Connor and then to the back where Abreham sat. “Is it big?”

“It’s an okay size,” Connor replied, retaining his previous position at the window, his hand wrapped around the top of the window. “We’re just trying to make it bigger, fresher. We’ve got alot of work to do to make it work, but once it does we could live there for the rest of our lives.”

“Really?” Robbie asks, his eyebrow raising in curiosity as he leans forward in his seat.

“Yeah. It’s a possibility,” Connor tells him. “How long have you all been out here?”

“A week or so,” Abreham tells him, “There used to be a place, right Flake?” Abreham asks, kicking at the chair in front of him slightly where Flake sat, sulking silently.

“Yeah, there was.” Flake says.

“What happened to it?” Connor asks, Flake stays silent for a few moments too long.

“It got destroyed.” Robbie pipes up, replying for Flake.

“Yeah-- Yeah. Lots of the dead,” Flake pauses for a second, “I don’t think we’d like to talk about it.”

Tanya sits awkwardly in the back, zoning out of the conversation as she stares down at her lap. Connor’s eyes flicking up to the rear-view mirror, he adjusts it slightly so he can see Tanya in it. Tanya notices this and looks up towards him briefly before staring back down at her lap.

“What’s your name?” He asks, addressing Tanya as he fixes the mirror back to it’s original position. Tanya looks up again, her face rather drained of colour and sickly looking.

“T-Tanya.” She manages to squeeze out.

“That’s a nice name. Heh, my first girlfriend’s name was Tonya.”

“I guess.” Tanya says, a little more confidently this time but falls into another silence.

“We’re almost there, We have a couple of spare rooms, although not enough for all of you to have individual ones.” Connor explains, turning another corner and following the road down into the outer city. “We have quite a few residents sharing rooms, anyways.”

“That’s okay, I wouldn’t think we’d mind.” Robbie tells him.

Sally looks into the almost empty basket of pills.

“Those are our last ones.” Vicky tells her as she sits at the desk, a clipboard and paper in front of her. Sally nods, taking the basket and sitting it under the desk.

“Bri and Michael should be back soon, right?” Sally asks.

“I hope so. Tracey doesn’t have her meds for today.” Vicky tells her, flicking through the paper.

“What does she need?”

“Anxiety meds.”

“Oh,” Sally nods, biting her lip. “Yeah, I haven’t seen any of those.”

“That’s what I said,” Vicky sighs, “Connor didn’t plan himself fully out.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s always focused on getting new people to help him with the future, but he doesn’t think of the supplies he needs to fufill that amount of people.”

“How many people are here, exactly?”

“Well, with you and Bri added I think he’s around one hundred and sixty now.”

“That’s a fair amount of people.”

“Yeah, but It’s not balanced with our medication supply,” Vicky tells her. “Winter is coming and if we don’t stock up we could face having to go out in the cold. I don’t know if Connor is prepared to do that. I know he wont do it.”

“Hey… I’m sure he’ll have it all figured out closer to the time.”

“I know you like him, but I’ve known him longer and I can tell you that… I don’t know if that’s the case.”

“We haven’t experienced a winter during this… New time yet,” Sally says as someone knocks on the door, she moves towards it as she continues talking, hoping it’s Bri, “We have to just… Keep our hopes up.”

Sally opens the door, Sam standing at the other side, holding his finger.

“Sam? What’s wrong?” Vicky asks.

“Uh-- I can some back later.” Sam says, stepping away as Sally stands in front of him. She awkwardly shuffles backwards, away from the door.

“No, what’s wrong?”

“I cut my hand.” Sam tells Vicky, awkwardly standing at the doorway.

“We have a few bandaids left.” Vicky tells him, standing up and reaching over the counter to look through the cupboard for bandages. Sam stands there, looking at Sally slightly as she moves to the doctor’s bed, sitting up against it. Vicky pulls out a bandaid, closing the cupboard againa dn moving towards him.

“Clean it out with water and then put this on it.” Vicky tells him, handing it to him. “How did you cut yourself, anyways?”

“I was trying myself out at the kitchen, turns out if you get blood into a lime they don’t like that.” Sam says somewhat comedically.

“I thought you were working at laundry?”

“I didn’t want to after Alison died,” Sam says dully, Sally looking down at he mentions her. “So I asked Tracey to fit me in the kitchen.”

“How is Tracey?” Vicky asks, changing the subject suddenly.

“She’s alright, she was kind of shaky this morning, though.”

“Ah… Well, You should go get back. Good luck with kitchen duty and tell Tracey I said hello.”

“I will… Bye.” Sam says before turning and leaving down the hallway, Vicky closing over the door. Sally sighs.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, Just thinking of Alison.” Sally admits, Vicky moving back to the desk chair and spinnign to face Sally.

“Don’t, just focus on your new surroundings. Sort out the remaining medicine.” Vicky suggests. Sally nods, taking the absket back into her hands and placing it on the counter, looking down at the multi-coloured contents.

Bri jogs her way around the corner of a building, spotting the car she arrived in the city with just ahead of her. One of the dead reaches out towards her, buried under bags of trash as it growls towards her. She continues, leaving the dead stuck in it’s place.

She makes it to the car, opening the door and throwing herself into the driver’s seat, closing the door over as she pulls off her bagpack and throwing it to the space at her feet. She leans against the steering wheel gently, taking a moment to compose herself.

He mind raced, wondering if she should return to The Specifics or just take off, leaving them behind. Leaving Sally to make her own way through life there. Maybe she’d be happier? Maybe Bri would be happier gone? Maybe Connor would finally be relieved and everything Michael said would have been true?

But they need this medication? They need these supplies to survive? If Bri left maybe she’d cause the deaths of the community, innocent people who just need simple pills to survive. She lifts her head, leaning back in the seat and taking a deep breath.

Bri starts the car, taking the keys from her bag and driving out into the street, returning to Sally.

Connor unlocks the door to a bedroom, swinging the door open to reveal a quite cozy looking area. Flake sticking his head into the room.

“This row is mostly empty, there’s five rooms so… You can split them between the eleven of you.” Connor tells them as he steps away from the room, handing a set of keys to Abreham. “Rooms C1, 3, 4, 5 and 8.” He tells him, excusing himself from the group. “My office is on floor B, come get me if you need anything. Right by the stairs. We can get properly introduced tomorrow!” Connor says before leaving.

“Looks like we’ll be bunking up, then.” Abreham says as he wanders into C8, Flake inside.

“Oh, no way I’m bunking with anyone. I call this room.” Flake tells him, sitting on the chair by the window.

“Oh come on! You can’t just--”

“It’s the rules, get out of my room!” Flake calls out playfully.

“Fine! You’ll regret it thought, I give the best bear hugs.” Abreham tells him, Flake chuckling slightly as he leaves, closing the door over behind him. Flake sulks down in the chair, his sword sore on his back as it hangs from his shoulder.

Tanya looks down at the double bed, standing alone in the room. Abreham approaches the door, knocking against it faintly as he lets himself in, the door slightly ajar, pushing it open.

“Hey.” He says, smiling at she turns around.

“Oh, hey.” She says meekly, sitting up on the bed as he stands in front of her.

“Are you okay? You seemed… In the car, are you okay?”

“Just alot has been happening recently, I don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going anymore.” She says.

Abreham sits beside her on the bed. “You know, I feel the same way. I mean, I should be far away from here… In a helicopter but, ever since that crash I’ve kind of just been going with the flow.”

Tanya rests her head against his shoulder, “Yeah. I guess it’s something like that. I just get the feeling of… What’s the point?”

“I know you’re going through a tough time right now, but… My mother always used to say that when you are going through something that’s… So tough and you don’t think you’re going to get through it, the payoff is always worth it in the end.” Abreham tells her.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, well… She said it in Russian most of the time, but… It gives off the same message I think” Abreham tells her, a faint smile appearing on her lips, the only laughter she could manage to let out was a sharp exhale from her nose.

“I guess Nancy being gone has just been bad for me.” Tanya admits, biting the inside of her lip.

“Do you want to talk about her? I never met her…”

“Huh, neither you did… I kind of forget that... “

“Yeah, that day was something. I wish I could take it back.”

“No you don’t.”

“Well… I kind of do, but anyways-- Nancy… Was she cool?” Abreham asks.

Tanya sniffs, sitting up again. “Yeah.” She tells him, turning to sit up fully on the bed with her legs crossed on the covers. Abreham smiles at her as she takes the rather childish looking position, pushing her braid behind her shoulder. “She was the best,” She tilts her head, giving a small smile towards Abreham. “Can you stay with me, in here tonight?”

“Of course, I think I’m going to have to, anyways.”

“Thank you.” Tanya says, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around him in a hug, Abreham hugs her back, squeezing her tightly, reassuringly.

“Hey.” A voice says from behind Carlos, shaking him out of his daydream, standing at the window, looking out into the unknown area of The Specifics. He turns, Sabrina standing at the door. “I’m sorry.” She tells him, entering the room and closing the door over until it clicks shut.

“For what?” Carlos questions, confused at the statement.

“For ignoring you.”

“I don’t think you have to apologize.”

“Well. I haven’t given you a proper one yet. And I’m not apologizing for just ignoring you I--”

“Sabrina, seriously. It’s fine,” He says through a light laugh.

“You-- You don’t understand.”

“I do! I really do! You were angry, stressed, hungry… Tired. I could name more reasons, but It wasn’t your fault.”

“No! No! You don’t get it… I called you a dumbass, I treated you like dirt and ignored you. Why are you being so nice to me?! I don’t get you. After everything, you’re still forgiving?!” Sabrina says, her voice sharp but low. Carlos raises his eyebrows, taking in what she was saying and thinking.

“I guess it’s just me.” He suggests, shrugging, a comedic unknowing look spreading his face for a second.

“It’s ridiculous.” Sabrina tells him, seemingly serious but she smiles while she says it, mimicing his shrugging. “How do you do it?”

“You just have to live with hope that everything is going to work out for you.” Carlos tells her.

“Is this your first step to your perfect life?” Sabrina asks, looking around the room.

“Well… I guess so. It could be a permanent solution, a way to start over and live like it was the year 2012 and everything was perfectly normal,” He tells her, “Although, I’d never want to go back to that.”

Sabrina’s eyebrow raises, her mouth opening slightly. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Carlos laughs, sitting up against the window. “Yeah. This whole mess does suck, It really does! But… I don’t know. I guess I’m happy with knowing the people I’ve met through this mess have been the best friends I’ve ever made.”

Sabrina stares at him for a second, Carlos doesn’t give her time to reply as he continues talking.

“You know? If this mess hadn’t happened… I may not have met Melissa… Or Tanya, we wouldn’t have went into a random, dark forest just to find a community full of people who came together because of these circustances. I know this whole thing sucks, and yeah maybe I’d go back… But only if I still knew the people I’ve met in these past few months.”

Sabrina shakes her head, “You’re bonkers.” She tells him, a large grin plastered on her face.

“So, we’re good.” Carlos finishes, smiling.

“Yeah, we are.” Sabrina tells him, turning to leave again but stopping, her hand gently resting on the doorknob as she turns her head back, “You haven’t… Told anyone? Have you?”

Carlos shakes his head, “I’ll take it to the grave, Sabrina, you know that.” He tells her, “But I know that you shouldn’t take it with you. It’ll eat you alive.”

Sabrina purses her lips, her eyes trailing down as his words seem to make sense, It would eat her alive, faster than any of the dead freaks would. Sabrina opens the door, leaving him in the uneasy atmosphere trapped inside the room.

“We don’t have very much to our names.” Jessica tells Robbie as she sits on the bed, Molly sitting just beside her as she softly braids Jessica’s hair.

“Well… We don’t need much stuff now, we’re basically surrounded with supplies now.”

“You’re really sure about staying here?” Jessica questions. Robbie looks at her, concern plastering his face.

“I’m sure, are you not?”

“I don’t know yet.” Jessica admits, sighing. Molly innocently taps Jessica on the shoulder, pushing her new braid over.

“Will I have friends here?” Molly asks.

“I’m sure you will.” Jessica nods, smiling at Molly.

“I miss Harry. We played all the time together.”

Jessica holds Molly, gently petting her head. Robbie sighs as he watches.

“We can make a new life here. He said it himself.”

“I guess you’re right, I just need a little more time than just a day.”

“I understand.”

Flake leaves his room, closing over the door. Coming down the hallway towards him, was Haley.

“Hello there.” She smiles, holding a clipboard with numerous pieces of paper clipped on to it.

“Oh, hello.” Flake says.

“I’m Haley, It’s good to meet you. I work with Connor here at the Safezone.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Flake replies, “Thanks for being so welcoming.”

“It’s no problem, Mr…” She trails off.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I’m Flake.”

“Flake?” Haley questions.

“It’s a nickname.” Flake replies quickly.

“Ah, okay. I just came along to introduce myself, I’m guessing everyone is around in the rooms?”

“Yeah, Although I think Melissa, blonde, small, dangerously thin? I think she went down to look around.”

“Melissa? Okay, I’ll keep an eye out for her. It’s just routine to check over new visitors for their health, if they have any illnesses or problems such as asthma, amputees, deaf. Things like that. And you also are to wear these.” She holds out wristbands as she explains.

“Alright… I’m sure everyone would be fine to do that.”

“Great! May we start with you?” Haley asks, pulling her clipboard out in front of her. “Flake, yes?” She scribbles Flake’s name on to a clean sheet of paper.

“Sure thing.” Flake tells her.

“You could just sit down here,” She says, gesturing to the lone chair sitting at the end of the hall. “Do you have any injuries?”

“Yeah, actually,” He tells her as he sits down, sliding himself forward and lifting his shirt. “I was actually shot a few weeks ago, who knows why I’m still even here.” He explains, showing the faint but vividly red scar.

“That looks bad.” Haley tells him as she scribbles down notes. “How did you patch it up? It could be infected.”

“Yeah, It probably is. My friends did it.”

“Who?”

“Pardon?”

“We’re just short on nurses, that’s all.”

“Oh, Grace and Sabrina, they’re sisters. Quite the pair.”

“Well, We can try and get something for you to take for it. I’m guessing it hurts.”

“Only sometimes, I’m a tough guy.”

“I’m sure you are,” Haley says, hiding her amusement, “Anything else?”

“I don’t think so. Just a few bruises and scars here and there.”

“I’m guessing you were shot because of some lunatic, you didn’t try and fight anyone? Or cause yourself to get shot?”

“No, Not really. Some guy, Darryn was his name, was quite something.”

“I see. Thanks… Flake.”

“It’s no problem.” Flake says, pulling his shirt down over his wound and tucking it into his trousers. “Don’t worry, we’ve got no amputees or… deaf people.” He tells her as he stands back up.

Haley smiles, “Good stuff.”

Melissa walks down a hallway, arriving at a door with a large red cross on the front. She pushes her ear against the door, listening to two women who talk inside.

“I’m just not feeling that great.” One says.

“What are your symptoms?” The other asks.

“I just feel queazy, kind of dizzy. It’s like when you’re dehydrated but… I’m fine.”

“Maybe you should lie down for a while, the bed’s free.”

“Thanks, I think I’ll just--” She pauses to hop up on the bed, “Sit for a moment.”

Melissa knocks against the door, feeling weird as she hadn’t done that in months. The door opens a few seconds later, Vicky smiling at her.

“Hello there,” She grins, “You new here? What can we do for you?”

“Yeah… Just arrived… I guess. I’m Melissa.”

Sally pushes her hair out her face as she watches Melissa enter, smiling slightly towards the stranger.

“I’m Vicky and this is Sally, this is the nursing station, if you couldn’t tell.”

“Pretty small, isn’t it?” Melissa says, sounding slightly rude as Vicky screws up her face.

“What can we do for you?” Vicky asks again.

“I was wondering if you had any… Pregnancy tests?” She asks, whispering lowly. Vicky bites her lip.

“Ah… I see. Let me have a look.”

Vicky crouches down to look under the bed, pulling out several different boxes.

“Think you’re pregnant?” Sally asks, her face slightly showing her worried feelings.

“Well. It’s been on my mind for a while.” Melissa says rather dully, crossing her arms as she waits impatiently, Sally looks down, worried for Melissa despite not even knowing her.

Vicky pulls a bag out from under the bed, popping it on the bed besides Sally’s lap.

“I thought we’d never have to use these, who’d get pregnant during this time?” Vicky asks.

“Thanks.” Melissa says bitterly, getting annoyed. Vicky pulls out a pregnancy test from a mere pile of two.

“Here you go!” She smiles, “There was only two, so if you get a false positive you’ve always got a backup! Can never be too careful.”

Melissa practically snatches the pregnancy test from Vicky.

“Thank you.” Melissa tells her before quickly leaving again, disappearing in a rush as she stuffs the test in her pocket.

“She seemed nice.” Vicky says sarcastically, closing the door over.

“I think she’s just scared,” Sally says, eyeing the final pregnancy test in the bag, “I think we’d all be.”

Robbie walks into an office, unnanounced. He sees Connor sitting at the desk, instantly looking up at the man lurching into his office. Haley sits just besides him.

“Sorry.” Robbie immediently apologizes.

“No need to apologize! Come in.” Connor says. Haley jumps up from her seat, smiling at Robbie as she excuses herself, leaving Connor and Robbie alone in the office, closing the door behind her. “I actually wanted to talk to you!”

“Really?” Robbie questions.

“Yes, take a seat.”

Robbie moves towards the chair sitting at the front of the desk, pulling it back and sitting down.

“I’m sorry for the urgent introduction to the community, I hope your friends and yourself are settling in nicely.”

“Yeah, I think it’s going good.”

“If I remember correctly, you have… Two? Children with you.”

“Well-- Three, I guess. But yeah, two. Little boy and girl.”

“Who’s the third?”

“Sabrina, she’s seventeen.”

“Ah, right. It’s just we don’t have that many children here, so I guess it keeps it fresh. Although I wouldn’t want any accidents.”

“Oh, don’t worry, they’re well behaved. Trust me.”

“Good,” Connor nods, “I don’t have much else to say, I wanted to know how everyone was coping. Don’t want any… Incidents or anything.”

“Everyone’s well, yeah. As well as they can be. I think being in a safe place really brings out these people’s personalities, it’s nice. Thank you, for welcoming us.”

“You’re welcome.”

Sally vomits into the toilet, shaking. Her back arching upwards as she spews a final time, the toilet coated in her ugly gunk. She coughs, almost choking as she stands, her legs like jelly as she flushes the toilet, the water swirling before disappearing like she’d never been there.

She exits the bathroom, closing the door over as Vicky sits at the desk, looking over at her.

“It must be a hangover. Or maybe Connor’s cooking isn’t great.” Vicky suggests.

“Yeah, maybe. I think I might just go lie down... In my bed, for real.” Sally tells her.

“That’s probably for the best, dear. Bri will probably be back soon anyways, so you’ll be free to stop working here if you want.”

Sally nods, her whole face pale. “I can always stay working here, you know, if you want. But… I have to go.”

Vicky turns back to the desk, facing away from Sally as she flicks through the papers on the desk absent-mindedly, “Okay, get well soon.” She says. Sally nods, looking over towards the doctor’s bed where the bag with the pregnancy test lies, she looks to her feet, then back to the bag. She can’t be? Could she? She didn’t want to risk it, she innocently wandered over to the bag and with one swoop, grabbed the pregnancy test and slipped it into her pocket, leaving the nursing station and heading back to her bedroom, her whole body shaking with nerves.

Melissa knocks hastily on the door, urgently begging to be answered. Finally, without a break from knocking, Carlos answers the door.

“Damn, what’s wrong?” Carlos asks as Melissa pushes herself inside, a loud inhale and exhale as she enters. Carlos closes the door over. Melissa sits on his bed, a slight smile on her face. “You’re scaring me, what’s up?”

“I’m not pregnant.” Melissa smiles.

“How do you know?”

“How do you think I know?!” She exclaims, pulling the pregnancy test from her pocket and holding it out, the negative sign clear as day. “Look!”

Carlos squints at the test, “Does that mean negative?”

“Of course it does!”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m positive!”

Carlos grins at her, “That’s great!” He opens his arms, Melissa jumping from the bed and into his arms, Carlos hugging her tightly as she accidentally drops the test on his floor, he pulls away, Melissa stumbling forward slightly as he does so. “Ew! You got pee on my floor!”

Melissa rolls her eyes, bending down to pick the test up, “Don’t be weird about it!”

“This calls for an immedient celebration! Do you think they have any beer here?” Carlos says, grinning widely.

“Yeah right! Our first day here and we’re going to get alcohol.” Melissa laughs, rolling her eyes again as she sits down on the bed.

“Hm, maybe they have some games or something then…”

“Ugh.” Melissa exclaims playfully, flopping her body on the bed, lying down on her back. Carlos looks at her for a moment before sitting on the bed besides her.

“Come on, Let’s go look around.”

“Do we have to? Can’t we just stay here?” Melissa suggests, rolling over and wrapping her hand around Carlos’ arm, trying to prevent him from moving out of the room.

“We can do whatever you want.” Carlos tells her, lying down on his side, his head propped up with his hand, leaning against his elbow. “As long as I’m good at it.”

Melissa lets out a loud laugh, “You’re so childish.” She giggles.

Sally lies on the bed, her head at the end instead of the top. Her mouth shaped into an uncontrollable frown as she seems on the verge of tears, her eyes wet with tears threatening to overflow. She holds a box in her hands, biting against her lip as she opened the box, slipping the pregnacy test out. It landed on her stomach, she quickly snatched it and held it close to her chest, breathing heavily as she hesitantly decided what to do. She didn’t know if she was overreacting or if the results would be positive.

She rolled off the bed, jumping to her feet and quickly making her way in to the bathroom, she shut the door hastily and locked it over. She stumbled backwards, catching herself by grabbing the sink. She sat on the toilet, taking the pregnancy test and looking at it again, nodding as she reminded herself everything would be fine.

Night have come quickly for all of the group, settling into a new community and trying to not to mess everything up, while simutaniously making sure they were out to hurt them, was a task that required so much attention that they went to bed quicker than they had expected.

Carlos sits up in bed, besides him, lying just at his side, Melissa lay with her eyes closed, but she wasn’t asleep, she was thinking. She breathed in loudly and slowly and exhaled, a long sigh. Carlos looks down at her, her hair messy and out of control, but she was at peace.

He gently moved, careful to not wake her. Melissa groaned out, wrapping her arm around his bare torso.

“I’m sorry that I’m taking up all your space.” Melissa said suddenly, her voice muffled as she leaned into the pillow, her voice a mere mumble.

“It’s fine.” He replies, yawning out.

“You know what,” She says, pushing herself up slightly, the full moon glowing into their window, he could see her face clearly as she blew a stray strand of hair out of her mouth. “I wish things were back to the way things used to be.”

Carlos nods, using his arm to lean his head against instead of the hard wall behind the bed. “Yeah, I know alot of people think that way.”

Melissa screwed her face up, “No.” She said quietly, inching her body up the bed, closer to Carlos. “The way things used to be.” She repeats, empasising herself as she slowly, gently, sweetly kissed Carlos, pushing her lips against his. Her hair still a mess near her face, Carlos cupping her face gently, pushing the hair back. Pulling back for breath, Melissa exhaled a small laugh. “It’s time to stop playing hard to get, Carlos.” She tells him, grinning. He could tell lust filled her, her breathing heavy as she came back for more, both of them pushing against eachother’s lips in a fiery passion, Melissa rolling her body on top of his.

Carlos pushed himself fully up, sitting in the bed as he held Melissa’s waist tight with one hand as his other hand rested on the small of her back, their kissing becoming more and more heated, Melissa’s top being thrown across the room and then she stopped, pulling away.

“Oh.” Melissa said quietly, “I just found out I’m not pregnant.”

“Yeah?” He looks at her worridly, leaning forward to kiss her again but Melissa’s hand stopping him, his lips pushing against her palm. He furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

“You don’t have a condom, do you?” She asks, shuffling closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

“We-- We could… Find one? I’m sure… There’s one… Somewhere?!” He says, looking around from his position slightly. She giggles, leaning forward until their foreheads touched, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

“When you find one, let me know.” She whispers, dropping her head down until it rested just between his shoulder and neck.

“But.. Not tonight? You’re k-- You’re kidding? Right?”

“Now who’s playing hard to get?” She says, barely managing to finish her sentence before laughing, pulling her head backwards again to look at him. Carlos gently brushed his thumb against her cheek. “I think I’ve always loved you, Carlos.” She admits to him, feeling her cheeks heat up at her own words as she speaks lowly, although confident. Carlos grins at her, running his hand down her arm.

“I love you.” He tells her.

Bri stopped the car in front of the large building, she had returned.

“Bri?” Haley questions as she comes out of the door, quickly walking towards her. “Where have you been?! We’ve been worried!” She called out as she hurried towards the car. “Where’s Michael?!” She asked worridly.

Bri opened the door, stepping out and throwing the bagpack over one of her shoulders, her face was pale and she was hungry, very hungry. Her mouth dry from the lack of water. As she was about to speak, the door creaked from behind Haley and Connor came wandering out, he sported a long, brown overcoat as he wandered out.

“Bri?” He says in surprise, “Thought we’d lost you.”

“Michael’s dead.” She tells Haley, taking the bagpack off and handing it to her.

“What happened to him?” Connor questions.

“The dead got him. There was a giant group of them downtown.”

“That’s too bad.” Connor says, turning towards Haley and the bag of supplies. Haley had already started looking through the bag. “You got alot, though.”

“I guess. I need to go.” Bri tells him, moving past him and making her way towards the door.

“I’ll deliver these to Vicky.” Haley tells Connor, holding the bagpack in one hand, hanging it by it’s top handle as Connor nods.

“Yes. Good idea.” Connor tells her.

“Are you disappointed? Look at how much she got.”

Connor shrugs, turning away from her and leaving to go inside.

“Connor!” Haley calls, following behind him.

“We still have time.” Connor tells her before disappearing inside the building. Haley follows behind.

From the window on the second floor, Sally stands, having watched Bri come inside. Her fingers tapping against the window ledge anxiously as she held the pregnancy test in one hand.

It read positive.

Molly lies in bed as the sun rises over the community, the new sunlight streaming in through the window. Jessica watches her, sitting on the bed next to her.

“I’m just worried.” Jessica says, honestly. Grace stands at the bathroom door, toothpaste dripping from her lip and a toothbrush hanging from her mouth. Sabrina crossed her arms as she looked at Jessica, her hair wet from the shower she had just taken.

“I wouldn’t worry too much, Jessica.” Grace mumbles, toothpaste spitting from her mouth, “Oh.” She retreats in to the bathroom and spits into the sink.

“Too much worry can ruin a good thing.” Sabrina adds, Grace wandering back in to the room with a towel under her arm.

“Yeah, So just don’t worry about it too much.”

“You guys are right, I just feel like this whole thing is going to end in disaster.” Jessica sighs, looking over to Molly again before returning her gaze to Sabrina and Grace.

“We can handle it if it goes sour, but for now I think… We’re in the clear.”

“For now.” Sabrina morbidly adds, recieving a glare from Grace, “I’m joking.”

“If you see anything off, Jessica, you tell us. Don’t go… Doing something you’ll regret.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m not an idiot, don’t worry.” Jessica tells Grace.

“I’m just making sure.”

Grace leaves back into the bathroom. Sabrina sitting besides Jessica.

Outside the room, Haley stands with her ear pressed against the door.

## 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
* Andrea Boehkle as Bri
* Jackson Rathbone as Abreham

### Supporting

* Q'orianka Kilcher as Tanya
* Ariana Greenblatt as Molly
* Noah Schnapp as Mark
* Billy Burke as Connor

### Also Starring

* Janel Parrish as Haley Reed
* Antonia Thomas as Vicky
* Troye Sivan as Sam
* Alexandra Breckenridge as Tracey

### Guest

* Alyssa Diaz as Officer Scarlette
* Unknown as Scrap
* Unknown as Pig

## Trivia

* TOO MANY BABIES!!!! HELP!!! WHAT AM I DOING!!! WHY DO I HAVE SO MANY PREGNANCY STORYLINES HAPPENING!!!!!! WTF!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!
* melissa tops