Episode 9

Bella crouched before the fire, heating the coffee mixture, and her hair tips touched the ground.

"You're getting your hair dirty," said Abraham, and Bella rolled her eyes.

"It's already dirty. Anyways, as I was saying, if you bring the coffee to a light boil with the creamer added, it will give it that rich flavor," she said, turning the pot slowly back and forth.

Abraham nodded, sitting on the tailgate of his truck, and watched his daughter.

"Is that coffee?" asked Edmond, walking around the box truck with Andy, Teresa, Bonnie, and Megan, and Abraham laughed.

"Told ya they'd come running, kid," he said, and Bella grinned.

Everyone began talking at once, and Bella made a face.

"Don't worry. There's plenty for all. Now, hand me the filter and our cups, Dad."

Abraham handed his daughter their cups and the metal filet, and Bella poured the coffee.

"If anyone would like some, you have to bring me a cup," she said, and everyone scattered.

"Hey, I got a cup," said Dale, kneeling beside her, and Bella smiled.

"Ready to have your mind blown?" she asked, pouring coffee into his cup, and Dale looked at her, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"It's already blown, but let's see what ya got."

Bella handed Dale his cup and watched him take a sip, waiting in anticipation. His eyebrows rose in surprise, and he nodded.

"Wow, that's really good. Thanks, doll," he said, and Bella blushed as he walked away.

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"Where's Charlie?" asked Bella, and Megan looked around.

"I'm not sure. He was playing with Cooper. Andrew and Becky's kid," she said and saw Becky.

"Hey, Becky? Where are the kids?"

The woman looked around and set her cup down.

"I'll go look for them," she said, walking off.

Her husband ran after her and told her she shouldn't go in the back of camp alone and would go with her.

"So, you got any coffee left for your old Uncle Steve?" asked Steve, and Bella scowled, pouring the last of the coffee into his cup.

"No," she said in her head but kept her mouth shut.

"So, I heard you and your mom got a little drunk last night," he said, leaning against the box truck, and Bella scoffed.

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I don't think a seventeen-year-old girl should be acting like that."

Bella ground her teeth and rested her chin on her knees.

"Well, I don't think you have any say in the matter. You're not my dad, you're not my real Uncle, and you're right. I am seventeen and free to make my own choices. Don't be mad because you weren't invited," she said in a condescending tone, staring at the fire.

Dale watched from a distance and chuckled, finishing his coffee. Steve scowled and glared at Abraham and Megan.

"You just gonna let your daughter talk to me like that?"

Abraham looked at his daughter and gave his friend a thoughtful look.

"Yeah, she's old enough to speak her mind," he said, and Steve scoffed, licking his lips.

"Would you let her speak her mind to you or Megan like that?" he said angrily, and Megan nodded.

"She has, so get used to it, Steve," she said, and his eyes widened.

"Really? So, this is how it's gonna be from now on?" he yelled.

"Yep," Bella said flatly, not taking her eyes off the fire, and Steve stormed off.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of reality this morning," she mumbled, and Megan snickered.

Bella immediately realized she had given her stepmother's secret away, and her eyes flew to her father's face. She cursed under her breath, and Abraham touched her shoulder.

"I already know," he whispered, and she only nodded.

Suddenly, they heard screams and got to their feet.

"Mom!" Charlie screamed, and Bella grabbed her knives as she ran toward the sound of her brother's voice.

"Charlie!" she yelled, throwing her hair in a bun.

Megan, Abraham, Edmond, and Andy ran after her, and Charlie ran out of the forest.

"The monsters got them!" he cried, and Bella grabbed his shoulders.

"What monsters? Got who?"

"Cooper, Andrew, and Becky!" he bawled, pointing to the forest, and Bella tossed her brother to her parents.

Without a word, she ran into the forest, and Abraham and Megan looked at each other.

"Bella!" he yelled, running after her, and Edmond and Andy were on his tail.

Bella stopped in her tracks, saw a small horde of freaks, and looked at her father.

"We got to take care of this and not let any of them get near the camp," she said, and he nodded.

Abraham noticed Bella only had her knives and looked at her oddly.

"Where are the choppers?" he asked.

"In the back of the truck."

"Okay, go get them. We'll hold them off. Just hurry," said Abraham.

Bella ran through the camp, telling everyone to get back, and ran to the truck. She pulled long flat metal spears with sharp jagged edges out of the bed and ran back through camp, ignoring her stepmother's wide-eyed stare.

"Bella!" she yelled.

"I'll explain later," she said and ran into the forest.

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Abraham nodded toward his daughter as she ran past him and into the horde. She swiped the jagged-edged blades toward the creatures, slicing their heads in half and blood splattering everywhere. Andy and Edmond stared in surprise and continued stabbing the monsters. Dale and Terry ran out to help and stopped, seeing Bella easily slice through mutants. They watched her slice through a creature and quickly throw a knife at another, hitting it between the eyes.

Dale huffed a breath, and Terry grinned, clapping his brother's back.

"Whoa! Little brother. I think you found yourself a keeper," he chuckled, and Dale scoffed.

"Yeah, if she doesn't die first. Come on," he said and ran into the horde.

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Bella slipped her wrists through the leather handle loops, picked up the choppers, and spun in a circle, decapitating eight mutants. Blood splattered all over her, but it didn't phase her. The leather straps cut into her wrists, and she cried out in pain, doubling over and sticking the weapons in the mud.

One of the stray freaks heard her cries and staggered toward her, growling and snarling. Bella tried to pull the choppers out of the mud, but they were stuck, and she took her wrists out of the leashes. She pulled her knife, ready to stab the oncoming disgusting creature, but another hobbled up behind her.

She looked at the zombies and jumped at the sound of a double gunshot. Bella watched the decaying bodies drop to the ground and looked up.

"I think you got a little something in your hair, sweetheart," said Terry.

Bella stared at him wide-eyed and blew a shaky breath.

"Thanks," she breathed, and Dale and Terry nodded.

"Bella!" called Abraham, running toward her.

He looked her over when he reached her and searched her eyes.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"No, it's the freak's blood," Bella said breathlessly, watching Dale and Terry leave.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up," said her father, pulling the choppers out of the ground, and Bella nodded.