7 Act: 2 Part: 3

Ryan barges through the Captains tent flaps, "Let him go." The Captain chuckles, his legs are kicked up on the table, a cigarette in his hands to calm his nerves. "That's a negative, I've heard about Jay plenty of times from Shawn, the moment the government is rebuilt, he'll be convicted for desertion." Ryan paces, feeling the stubble scratch against his hand. "He had to have had a reason, Jay isn't like that, not once has he run since he's been with us." Reed furrows his brow, obviously irritated by this conversation. "Listen, I understand that you've spent time with him, fought by his side and what not, but what he did is unforgivable. He left people to die, that was his choice, it's better to just leave him." Ryan looks at the ground, furious. He stomps out of the tent, thinking of a way to free his friend.

David sits besides Jay's cage, and armed guard standing a few feet away. "Can you just tell me what this is all about?" Jay sits there silently. David doesn't move an inch, "I'm not leaving until you do." David plants himself into the ground crosslegged. Jay sighs and turns to him, "Shawn joined the same time as me, followed me to become a combat medic, hell I think he'd follow me to the ends of the Earth if he could..." Jay lowers his head, "...When I was at that outpost when everything went down, Shawn was there with me. All of our patient were bitten, scratched, nearly torn apart, whatever. Our jobs were to fix them and send them off, but of course it didn't go that way. Half way through sewing up another unlucky soul, one of the guys we had just called. He jumped up and grabbed one of the nurses..." he looks up, tears in his eyes, "...The screams David, you couldn't imagine the screams...I grab a scalpel and start attacking him, it isn't until I stabbed it into his temple. The nurse's throat was ripped out, and she got up, not even fazed by it, then even more started to get up, soldiers ran in with their weapons and I grabbed Shawn and pulled him to the ground, gun fire flew through the air, those idiots didn't know there was live oxygen tanks in the room...But I knew and tried to get to the exit with him, but as we ran, one of those things grabbed him David, I swear. Before you know it there's an explosion, fire covered the area and Shawn was gone. I swear David, I called his name and looked but I couldn't find him. After that I pushed my way though and ran until I couldn't run anymore..." Jay turns around and puts his head back down. "...That's what happened, I swear, I mourned him David, every damn day..." He lays down and goes quiet. David heard enough, he stands up, and walks away, contemplating what he had heard.

Reed walks the perimeter trying to get whatever relaxation he can from his eventful evening when "Toothpick" approaches him, "Sir, you might want to see this." The Captain, looking annoyed by the thing man, snaps, "This better be good Toothpick..." Reed follows him to the gate where three civilians are walking up, they look little odd, but overall like normal people. They finally make it up to the gate, Reed steps foward, "Hello there, can I help you three?" One of the civilians steps forward, he has a long scruffy beard, his eyes are tired, "We're just a a couple of wanderers, we were wondering if you had food or a place to stay for the night?" Reed rubs his chin, they've already taken in so many people, but it's his orders to help those who needs it, so he sighs, "Toothpick, get them inside and get them something to eat." He nods and opens the gate, afterwards, leading them to find a meal. Reed watched them wondering if it was the right decision...

Ryan sits on a wide cot, his head is in his hands when Lily walks in,"Still thinking about Jay?" Ryan nods, Lily knows he needs to get his mind off of it, so she looks to him, then the cot "Wow, haven't seen something so comfy in awhile." Ryan smirks and looks to her, "And you know what else you haven't seen in awhile?" She winks as she takes off of her shirt and brings her face closer to his, connecting her lips to his. Ryan chuckles, "Let's do it baby, it has been a while." Suddenly he pulls her on top of himself, she giggles as he embraces her and they enjoy the time they have together. An hour passes before they're both laying on the wide cot, Lily rubbing her finger across Ryan's chest, she looks to him, "You know I'll always love you, okay Ryan?" Ryan looks back a little confused, "Of course, is something wrong?" She shakes her head and lays it on his chest, "No, I just felt like I had to say that, I don't even want dinner, I just want to lay here and enjoy this moment with you." She digs her head into his chest, and they both relax, enjoying the peace with eachother.

Jay sees people walking towards the middle of the camp, the glow of candle light and the attractive smell of stew floats around the camp. Jay's stomach grumbles as he hears foot steps coming towards him, he turns to see his brother, holding a steaming bowl of stew filled with beef, carrots, potatoes, covered in a hot broth, just they smell makes Jay salivate. "Come to torture me huh?" Jay says with smirk as his brother puts the bowl down and looks him in the eyes, "I know you're hungry, if you tell me what happened that night. You can have this food." Jay shakes his head and chuckles, "All you care about is what happened, but you're damn lucky food is my weakness..." Jay explains the story to Shawn the same way he explained it to David, not missing a detail. Shawn listens in silence, asking no questions. Jay finishes up and looks to his brother, suddenly Shawn tips the food over, letting it soak into the ground, "You're a fucking liar, you knew I was there and needed help, and you left me! I know damn well you left me to die!" He punches the cage staring at his brother, "You left all of us to die, you didn't even stop that zombie from ripping her throat..." Jay looks up, "You can't blame me for-" His brother cuts him off, "If you would have been faster she would have lived! She would have had our child, your nephew, but no, you were jealous, so you let her die." Jay shakes his head, "You've gone insane Shawn, do you hear what you're saying? Zoe wasn't my fault, no one could have been fast enough to save her..." Shawn spits towards him, "This conversation is over..." Shawn walks away, leaving Jay starving. Jay leans up against the bars when he hears another sound coming from the shadows only to see Ginny with two bowls of the stew in her hands and Dewey at her side. "I saw him coming up to you and thought I'd sit by just incase, I also had a feeling he wouldn't share so..." She gestures to the bowl in her hand. Jay smiles, "Thank you Ginny, you don't understand how much this means to me..." Ginny puts one finger over her lips, hushing him, she sits and slides the bowl through the small slot where items can be exchanged, both Jay and Ginny eat as they enjoy eachothers company.

Everyone sits at the long benches, enjoying their stews, telling stories, some were even singing songs while exchanging small containers of questionable liquid. The group from before sits alone, enjoying their meal, watching as everyone pays them no attention. David sits next to AJ and Ben, "This is the best stew I've had in ages..." AJ looks to him and smirks, "Its probably the only stew you've had in ages, I will admit though, this place is awesome." As everyone enjoys their meals and chats, the 3 wanderers look to each other and nod, ready to begin their plan. One jumps onto the table and pulls his knife from his pants, "All of you listen to me for I have good news!" Everyone stops what they're doing and stares, obviously not expecting this during their merry-making. "Reed didn't believe in the word of Jacob, but he will! All of you will be given a chance to hear his words by joining The Church of Resurrection!" The man suddenly puts the knife to his own throat, "For as the father raises the dead and gives them a life! The son will then see he will!" Before anyone can act, the man digs the knife into his throat and takes it across, blood spurting from the wound, everyone backs up trying to evade from the coppery blast. The woman next to him does the same thing, with the same results, but the other man hesitates, the knife in his hand shakes, before you know it, he's dropped his knife and made for the exit, but something he was pulled to the ground and screamed in pain. The man who had killed himself rose with blood around his mouth. He rushes forward biting into a soldier, the woman jerks up and helps in the onslaught. David sees Reed, "We need to go now!" Reed pulls his pistol from his holster, trying to cover those escaping, "Everyone out of the tent now! Get to your weapons!" Everyone eventually gets out and retrieves their weaponry, but before they can do anything, Reed walks out, having taken care of the last enemy. Everyone relaxes, David steps forward, "Who the hell is this Jacob guy?" Reed looks down, "I should have known they were from him, I'm a damn fool. He's some lunatic who thinks he's the holy one, he makes people believe that turning is the ultimate sacrifice to God, and as you can see-" Before Reed can finish his sentence, and explosion rocks the front gate, men and women carrying firearms rush forward screaming for everyone to lower their weapons, any who raised them were swiftly cut down. Those who lower then are kicked to the ground and tied up.

Jay and Ginny see this happening, but Ginny doesn't want to leave Jay trapped like this, and Jay wants to help, but can't do anything while trapped in this cage. Suddenly a man falls from behind one of the tents, it's Shawn, blood falls from his neck where a bullet went through. Tears flood Jay's eyes, again he couldn't protect his baby brother and again his brother takes the blowback. Shawn shakes his hand towards them, Ginny walks closer and he opens his palm revealing a key. Ginny snatches it from his hand and slowly opens the key, Jay rushes toward holding his little brother, apologizing for failing him so much, apologizing for leading him into this horrible war. He leans him against the tent, cutting a piece of fabric from his shirt, "Listen baby brother, I know it hurts, keep this against it hard, we'll be back, I promise." Jay looks into his eyes and connects his forehead to his brothers, then grabs Ginnys hand and they set off, grabbing weapons from the fallen soldiers as they follow Jacob and his prisoners.

Everyone had been dragged outside, set right by a cage filled with the undead, their arms latching out from the cage, reaching for its next meal. Jacob stands before them, his grey hair pulled back into a pony tail, he scratched his trimmed beard as one of his men approaches. "We have secured the last of the resurrected." Jacob nods, "Good, those that have died today have the honor of entering grace ahead of us..." He then turns to Reed and his men, then to Ryan's group, he raises both of his heavily scarred arms to both groups, "My brothers and sisters...I know your hearts are filled with hatred because of these recent events...But now today, each of you can be part of our lords new resurrection! But first, you all must choose how each of you will serve. You may either choose to join the living flock or spend your days on the journey to the eternal life. Make your choices..." David shakes his head, "Can we just cut the shit you ass? We don't need any of this." With a burst of speed, Jacob puts a knife to David's throat. "I envy you brother, you get to walk amongst the resurrected, it is a very high honor. Do not not be afraid, for I shall send you to a better place." Jacob turns to everyone and raises his voice, "Blessed is the path before him! I am the new resurrected in the life! Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live!" Jacob moves to slit David's throat, "Wait!" The knife is so close to piercing David's skin that when Jacob moves the knife away, there is a red mark from where it cut the outer skin. Jacob turns to see Murphy struggling against his restraints. He looks to everyone, "If you believe the resurrected are one step closer to heaven, then prepare to meet your messiah!" Murphy struggles to stand up and rushes over to the cage of zombies stopping a few inches from it. Jacob puts a hand towards him, "Come now brother, step away from the resurrected, that's no place for a mortal human, come back to our flock." Murphy chuckles and rolls up a sleeve on his arm, revealing multiple but marks, "Join your flock? I am your messiah, I have no need for you mortal men and women." Jacob takes a step toward as Murphy steps closer to the cage, "How dare you spur such blasphemy! Brother, we can all see that you're as mortal as anyone of us." Murphy laughs again before shoving his arm into the cage before anyone can stop him. He screams as the undead bury their teeth into his flesh before he pulls his arm back out. Everyone is shocked as Murphy looks at his arm and counts, "Make that 36, brand new bites...And do you see any change?! I stand before you, unharmed by this plague!" He points to Jacob, "And I stand here to tell you to not be fooled by this false prophet!" Jacob suddenly looks nervous, "Y-you lie! Brothers! Sisters! Dispose of this heathen!" The guards don't move an inch, stunned by the proof that Murphy was immune, they couldn't believe their eyes. Murphy looks to the guards, "Please let my friends go, they mean no harm." Without question the 'brothers and sisters' cut the restraints holding everyone back, they all stand against Jacob, who now just looks furious, "You may prove that you're a messiah, but there is one more test!" Suddenly he pulls a pistol from his jacket pocket, "Can you survive a bullet to the heart!"

Before he can act on his word, Ron tackles him, trying to wrestle the gun from his grasp. Suddenly Jay and Ginny leap from the brush where they were hiding, they move up to help Ron but before they can reach him, the pistol fires. Ron goes limp and slumps on top of Jacob. Jacob pushed Ron's body off and takes aim at Murphy again but Jay fires a single bullet from his pistol, hitting Jacob directly in the forehead, finishing off the false prophet. Everyone pushes foward, running to Ron's side, the bullet hitting him in the right side of his chest, his heart. David taps on Ron's face keeping him conscious, "Ron it's gonna be okay, alright? Jay is here and his brother is around, they're both medics they can fix you! Right?" David turns to Jay, only seeing the sorrow on his face, without the proper equipment, there is no saving him. Ron weakly puts a hand on David's shoulder, "It's okay..." Ron says weakly, blood leaking from his mouth. He smiles, "I get to see my babies now David. Daddy's comin' home..." Ron's smile disappears, his body goes limp in David's arms. He doesn't let go of his body until Gideon steps forward,  forcing him to release his grip on the body as is slowly lays on the ground, he pulls David up and makes him look into his eyes. "This is our new world, get used to it..."