Dead Weight/Issue 25

This is the twenty-fifth issue of Dead Weight. It is entitled *Bad Dream*. It is the seventh issue in Arc 2 of Dead Weight. Issue 25 was released July 11th, 2018.

## Previously on Dead Weight

Jessica was bitten by one of the undead and later died after Connor shot her in the head. Enraged, Robbie attempted to murder Connor which resulted in several other deaths at Santos Safe Zone and the near death of Flake, who was thrown into a coma. Ultimately, our group of survivors evacuated and drove into the unknown.

## Story

*Why would anyone question the reality of their world?*

Sebastian Flake lay perfectly still under pristine white sheets that weren’t long washed. His face, which was previously covered in scars and bruises, was now clear of the engrained mess that had stained his skin. The past months he had been living disappearing like it no longer exist. He was at peace. Dead, he was dead -- Or so he thought -- feeling weightless, like he was in his own, dark world of calm. The sounds outside caught his attention, those he hadn’t heard in months: People laughing and buses pulling in for the morning rush, the loud halt of the engine buzzed through the air.

As his eyes opened and adjusted to the light beaming in to the room, his blurred vision slowly crept to clear and as it did, a woman came into view, a slender woman with blonde hair flowing in the early morning winds, her thin fingers tapping against the wall as she stared out into the cityview before her. Flake cleared his throat, running a finger briefly down his face to feel for any sign of damage but found none. The woman turned, her mouth turning into a large grin.

“Hey sleepyhead!” She moved over to him, her voice soft.

“Hanna?” He blurted, his voice wavering as his girlfriend stood at the edge of the bed now, sliding on top of the covers to sit with her legs under her bottom. She raised her eyebrows, her smile still plastered across her face although it turned to a more concerned look than loving.

“Yeah? Are you alright. I think you were havin’ a bad dream last night.” She tells him, unconciously taking his hand in hers. Flake opened his mouth to speak, but no words flowed. “Quite alot of thrashin’ around,” Hanna continued, “But, nothin’ to worry about. Do you remember it?”

Flake thought for a moment as she leaned in to press a gentle kiss on his cheek. He paused, his eyebrows furrowed as his brain ticked for an answer. As she pulled away, he spoke with confidence;

“No, I don’t remember.”

The RV bumped along the potholed road. An uneven surface caused for constant juttering from the residents inside. Sally gripped the steering wheel, her eyes almost completely lifeless. She was barely focusing on anything other than the events that had transpired; but somehow had managed to grab front row seat in the car. Her grip on the wheel was the only way she could stop her hands from shaking, but that didn’t stop the constant bouncing of her leg, the inside of her lip chewed away to nothing.

Besides her, Melissa sat holding a map. Carlos leaned over the seat behind her and scanned the map. Melissa eyed Sally, looking at her forever paling face before turning her attention back to the map.

“What if we go down this highway? It’ll take us to the main city.” Melissa suggests, running her finger down the map.

“Is it safe in the main city?” Carlos asks.

Melissa’s tongue flicks out to lick at her lips, “Probably not,” She tells him, “But where else would we go?”

“How about to some place remote? There’s gotta be somewhere. “

“No matter where we go, we’ll have to go through the main city unless we drove until the ocean and then we can get out of here.”

“Why don’t we do that then?” Carlos asks, he turns around to the passengers in the back: Robbie, Sabrina and Grace, sitting with Flake lying over the latter’s lap. Grace, focusing on cleaning Flake’s face, ignores Carlos’ question. Robbie just stared out the window, sitting alone; in his own world.

“We could go anywhere, as long as we’re out of the way from freaks.” Sabrina says, gaining a silent agreement from Carlos.

Grace, staring intensly at one specific bruise forming on Flake’s temple, leaned down to give him a gentle kiss on the forehead before resting her forehead against his.

“I can’t believe this.” She says quietly.

“Are they still following?” Melissa asks, turning to Sally. Without moving her body, Sally looks to the side mirror where she could see a car trailing behind the RV, she gave a hummed confirmation to Melissa before focusing on the road again.

Abreham drove behind the group in the RV with Mark, accompanied by Tanya and Molly in the backseats. A rather awkward silence filled the air as Mark cranked down the window. Abreham looked up at the rear view mirror;

“Before all this, I was a children’s entertainer. I worked mostly as a magician but that wasn’t the extent of my job. One time I had to be a clown, which was the worst,” He tells Tanya, who listens while comforting the quiet Molly. “Despite that, though, I’ve never really been good around children. On stage? Sure, why not. Off stage? I guess I just didn’t have the training.”

Tanya giggled. “You don’t need training to like children.”

“Like them? Oh no, I think they’re great. I’ve met alot of bright kids in my days. It’s just, what do you say?”

“I get it--”

“Do you like me?” Mark asked, turning to look at Abreham.
“What? Of course.” Abreham replied.
“Nobody at the camp liked me. Sabrina never wanted to play.”

Mark turned back to stare out at the road, which had turned from a rickety highway to a dirt road. Trees passed by, a church coming into view and numerous ditches surrounded them.

“Hey,” Tanya said softly, pulling her arm away from around Molly to lean forward in the car, clicking her seatbelt off so she could rest her hand gently on Mark’s shoulder. “We’re going to find a new place soon, don’t worry. You’ll find so many new friends.”

A smile crept across Abreham’s face as he tapped against the steering wheel in an inconsistant, quiet beat.

“Maybe we won’t make it.” Mark grimly said, his mouth turning into a frown. Tanya shook her head, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. A clicking, Mark’s seatbelt slid off of his body and he lunged.

“Mark--” Tanya began, but she cut herself off with a high pitched gasp as Mark’s hands gripped the steering wheel. With force, he swerved the car. Abreham, being larger and stronger than him, used one hand to push against Mark’s body, rather helplessly. “MARK STOP IT!” Tanya screamed, Abreham’s words becoming a jumbled mess as Molly sat paniced in the backseat, not daring to move. Tanya gripped at Mark’s shoulders, pulling him backwards as the car’s back wheel hit against the curb, sending it out of control. The car tumbled towards a hill as Abreham’s attempts to slam the breaks was futile and the car drove straight over the hill, disappearing from the road.

From the back of the RV, Sabrina’s mouth lay agape as she watched the car disappear from view, she turned, yelling for Sally to stop the vehicle.

## Cast

### Main

* Drew Van Acker as Robbie 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
* Eliza Taylor as Katie
* Alyssa Diaz as Officer Scarlette
* Arthur Davrill as William
* Wendy Son as Rose

### Guest

* Unknown as Scrap
* Unknown as Pig
* Miley Cyrus as Hanna