I'll Kill You That Way

Jayr POV - Earth, Georgia, King County - 2010

A tense silence falls into the cargo truck shortly after I finished narrating the what if scenario I created and asking Duane what he would feel if he saw his dead body actually killing his own mother.

I calmly continue to drive while waiting for Duane to answer and after some time, he says, "I... I would feel very, very bad. I mean even if it isn't me, that's still my body, and it hurt Mom... I for sure wish that someone would have stopped... ah!"

At this point, Duane suddenly exclaims as he realizes what I'm trying to tell him, at the same time, I look at Morgan who is looking down with a frown on his face while clenching his fists making it clear that the what-if scenario also had an effect on him, especially since he easily exchanged the image of his wife with that of his son making him realize that if I didn't take care of his wife turned walker, what I just told them would have likely happened and he would have lost his son too because of it. 

After that, silence falls once again within the cargo truck as both Duane and Morgan are immersed in their thoughts and I remain in silence to not disturb or upset them with unwanted words, focusing on the road ahead.

Before long, we finally arrive at our destination and I calmly park the cargo truck in front of Morgan's house, but as soon as I turn off the engine, I hear Duane's voice as he meekly asks, "Doctor Jayr... does heaven really exist? Is Mom truly there watching over me and Dad?"

Hearing that question, I look at the kid, gently smile, and reply, "While I'm not 100% sure that it exists, I also think that if it exists something as absurd as something that causes dead bodies to move and attack the living, then the existence of something like heaven is also possible. In addition, the existence or non-existence of heaven doesn't change the fact that your mother truly loved you very, very much and surely wanted you to be as happy and healthy as possible, isn't it?"

Seeing Duane nod in response to my words, I take the keys, open the cargo truck's door, and get out of the vehicle while saying, "Now get out of this truck. You still have to learn how to properly shoot from your father after all, there are still many walkers in the world and it is essential to know how to defend oneself and the one we love."

Hearing that, Duane smiles and jumps down from the cargo truck with the stainless steel urn in his hands followed by his father Morgan before the two quickly walk into the house as Duane urges his father to hurry up.

Shortly after that, I follow after them, walk into the house, and see that Morgan and Duane have already started preparing the garden for their shooting practice.

Then seeing that it is still early afternoon, I decide to do something else and quickly inform them that I'm going to explore the surroundings to not only search for supplies but also to take care of a few more walkers and that I'm going to leave the cargo truck here.

Hearing that, Morgan told me to be careful, and shorlty after that, I walked out of the house armed only with my Bo Staff chose a random direction, and then, I started to run at a speed slightly below the speed of sound quickly killing all the walkers I encounter on the way with a single swing but after a few seconds of doing that, I realize that this method is way too inefficient and decide to change it.

I quickly run toward King County Park which is luckily very close to the center of this rular town and without any hesitation I pull out the ultimate weapon I created in case I find myself in a Zombie Apocalypse world.

It is a Boombox, more specifically the Ultimate Boombox that I personally created using the technology of the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Universe, which is the reason why it has an internal storage so huge that it can basically hold a limitless number of songs beside the fact that it can generate drills to connect to other pieces of technology like a mini-type Gunmen.

Every single component is made by a combination of Azantium, which is considered to be the hardest substance in the Arifureta Univers, and Orichalcum the hardest metal in my home universe, in addition to many other rare and very resistant materials which makes it almost indestructible.

It uses regular electricity as an energy source, but like the Gunmen it can convert Solar Energy into enough electricity to power a city, in addition to that it can also covert Magic Power, Cosmo, and Spiral Cosmo so that it can be easily recharged by simply staying in my Soulbound Territory.

And of course, its speakers are also quite powerful to the point that I think I went a little bit too far as at max power it can generate sounds loud enough that can actually harm and kill a normal human and even damage and shatter steel, luckily when I realized that, I also installed a safety mechanism and thanks to that to raise the volume so much one needs to actually say a password when requested, in addition to inputting a registered Spiral Cosmo signature, of course, the only ones have the ability to do so are my wives so it is quite safe.

In addition to all that, I also enhanced with Concept Magic making it possible for the music produced by it to be basically heard across a multiverse if I chose to do it, of course, in this universe, this isn't an option as magic can't be used.

I put the Ultimate Boombox on the ground and set the volume loud enough to be heard quite far, and then, without any hesitation, I put on one of the songs I save into its database, and since I feel in the mood for some Japanese Metal, I decide to put on What's up People of Maximum the Hormone, one of the opening songs of Death Note.

As the sounds of drums and electric guitars start to fill the air, I calmly hold the Bo Staff in front of the Boombox and wait for the walkers attracted by the sound to arrive while enjoying the songs that bring up the memories of that thrilling anime.

"♪Benri benri banzai benri benri banzai. Benri benri banzai ningen. Benri benri banzai benri benri banzai. Benri benri banzai ningen. Hora biribiri ikarasu ka? Biribiri ikarasu ka? Biribiri ikarasu ka? Ningen. Hora biribiri ikarasu ka? Biribiri ikarasu ka? Biribiri ikarasu ka? Ningen.♪ (You're handy, handy, hurrah! Handy, handy, hurrah!Handy, handy, hurrah! You human. You're handy, handy, hurrah! Handy, handy, hurrah! Handy, handy, hurrah! You human. Hey! Are you trembling with rage? Are you trembling with rage? Are you trembling with rage? Human?! Hey! Are you trembling with rage? Are you trembling with rage? Are you trembling with rage? Human?!)" 

While listening to the song and waiting for the attracted walkers to coverge to my position, I mutter, "For a moment, I was tempted to put on Master of Puppets of Metallica to somewhat recreate that iconic moment from the TV show Stranger Things, especially since the lyrics are somewhat fitting to this setting. But the song is just way too epic to waste it on a simple clean up operation without people to witness such a scene in awe..."

"♪WHAT'S UP fuanzai ippai. Hanzai kienai towa ni. WHAT'S UP fuanzai ippai. (Urami ni wana dare daun?) WHAT'S UP fuanzai ippai. Hanzai kienai towa ni. WHAT'S UP fuanzai ippai. Ikiru imi tsumaran ka? Ikiru imi tsumaran ka?. Ikiru imi tsumaran ka? Ningen. Ikiru imi tsumaran ka? Ikiru imi tsumaran ka? Ikiru imi tsumaran ka? Ningen.♪ (WHAT'S UP, filled with uneasiness. That crime can never vanish, ever. WHAT'S UP, filled with uneasiness. (Who is down in the trap of resentment?) WHAT'S UP, filled with uneasiness. That crime can never vanish, ever. WHAT'S UP, filled with uneasiness. Is your life boring? Is your life boring? Is your life boring? Human? Is your life boring? Is your life boring? Is your life boring? Human?)" 

As the song continues to play, I notice that some walkers are already starting to appear in the distance slowly approaching my position as are getting attracted by the loud music produced by the Ultimate Boombox, but even then, I don't rush toward them and wait for them to get even closer as it will be easier to clean up after I'm done if all the corpse are gathered in one place.

Once the walkers are close enough, I don't hesitate any more and rush toward them quickly taking them out by swinging the Bo Staff and using my legs to kick their heads with enough force to turn them into a messy paste as the song continues to attract more and more walkers.

But after around 4 minutes and hundreds of walkers eliminated with hundreds more still approaching, the song ends and since I forgot to create a playlist, the Ultimate Boombox starts to play a new song by choosing randomly among all the songs in the database and quickly the soft notes of an acustic guitar start to reverberate in the air.

I immediately recognize the song, it is I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys, and realizing that, I shrugh my shoulder and continue to deal with the walker while thinking, 'At the least, it isn't an embarrassing song like Taylor Swift's We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, or Call Me Maybe of Carly Rae Jepsen. Or even worse the song I want to use to torture my enemy's soul, Baby of Justin Bieber... The walkers are already pitiful enough, they don't deserve such fate...'

But shortly after the guitar intro the song starts and I immediately notice that something is wrong with the lyrics.

"♪Yeah. Yeaah. I'll set, you on fire. With gas, and a lighteeer. You'll scream, when I say. I'll kill you that way. Sidney, my knife in, the dark. Will reach to, your heart. I'm Ghostface, and I'll kill you that way. When you die. Aint nothing but a dream state. When you die. Aint nothing like Camp Crystal Lake. Tell me why, I'ts nothing but a sick game. I'll kill you that way♪"

Hearing that, I smirk realizing that the song is in fact the parody of I Want It That Way created by The Merkins that is aptly named I'll Kill You That Way and so I continue to dispose of walkers with that song as background music.

(AN: The group and song really exist and if you are curious and want, need a good laugh, or simply want to waste some time I suggest you go to Y**tube and search for them. They are actually quite good singers and made many parodies of famous songs. This is especially true for those who are fans of horror movies as they dress up as iconic Horror characters adapting the lyrics to their stories.)

Soon this song also ends and only a few dozen walkers are remaining but then what I feared the worst happens as a few cheerful notes start to be produced by the Ultimate Boombox and I start to feel an intense pain in my soul and an annoying voice starts to sing.

"♪Oh-ooh-whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh. Oh-ooh-whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh. Oh-ooh-whoa-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh. You know you love me (yo), I know you care (uh-huh). Just shout whenever (yo), and I'll be there (uh-huh). You are my love (yo), you are my heart (uh-huh). And we will never, ever, ever be apart (yo, uh-huh). Are we an item? (Yo) girl, quit playin' (uh-huh). We're just friends (yo), what are you sayin'? (Uh-huh.) Said, There's another (yo), and looked right in my eyes (uh-huh.) My first love broke my heart for the first time, and I was like (yo, uh-huh.) Baby, baby, baby, oh. Like, Baby, baby, baby, no. Like, "Baby, baby, baby, oh. I thought you'd always be mine, mine.♪"

At the same time, what I never thought possible happened as the walkers suddenly stopped advancing and started to quickly retreat as fast as their decaying bodies allowed them, some even started to actually run just to get as far away as possible from this soul crushing noise.

In addition, I notice that some of the walkers even fall on the ground with their bodies constantly twitching and they mournfully moan as if they are feeling actual pain.

Seeing that, I don't hesitate to quickly throw a stone at the Ultimate Boombox to hit the buttom that shut it off before I quickly run to mercifully put out of misery the remaing walkers.

Shortly after that, I create a big hole in the ground with a precise single punch and start to dump all the corpses into the hole while muttering, "Damn, that song is way too dangerous! I mean how it is possible that it is able to even transcend the rules of the Omniverse and cause actual harm!? I mean the walkers are biologically unable to feel pain as they are simply moving corpses for God's sake!"

At this point, I hear Culture's voice in my mind as it explains, [Yeah, sorry about that... this is kinda my fault. I may or may not made fun of the Concept of Music for having that abomination considered actual music in front of all the other Concepts that may have then further embarrassed Music. Enraged and ashamed, Music decided to actually turn that song into a Conceptual Anathema before forcing us to listen to that thing in retaliation. Now that dreadful song can actually cause whoever listens to it to feel true pain... no matter who, even we Concepts aren't excluded. Luckly, at first the music only causes the listener to feel an immense disgust that makes it wish to stop listening to it and then turns into an ever incresing slight pain as the song goes on, but the more one listens to the song, the higher the level of pain one feels and what is worse is that there is no actual limit to the level of pain it can produce. Of course, to make sure that no Champion takes too much advantage of this, Music ensures that no one abuses this song if they find out its effects. So be careful with that as the punishment is to be forced to listen to the song that can't be named for the same amount of time you've subjected other people to it.] 

Hearing that, I can only shake my head at the absurdity of this situation and as I continue to fill the hole in the ground with the corpse of the walkers, I also take note to quickly secure the song that can't be named under a secret password so that it won't ever be unleashed upon innocent civilization by mistake.

Once I took care of all the bodies and filled the hole with the earth that flew around when I punched the hole into the ground I looked up at the sky and noticed that it was about to turn dark.

Seeing that, I don't hesitate and quickly run back toward Morgan's house, and on my way there I also search some empty houses for some useful things like canned food, soap, useful tools, clean towels, emergency items, and put them in a backpack I brought out from my Soulbound Territory.

Back at Morgan's house, I again help the father-son pair prepare dinner while asking Duane how his shooting practice went making the kid narrate the story of how he was able to hit the tin cans on his first try before Morgan adds that he also missed the next 5 shoot as he was too excited to keep his hands still.

Then during dinner, Morgan asks, "By the way, Doc. What are your plans for tomorrow?" to which I reply, "Well, I plan to follow after Rick and head to Atlanta and see if the C.D.C. is still standing... only I'm not really sure how far away it is or how to reach it."

Hearing that, Morgan quickly explains, "Well, Atlanta isn't too far away from King County. I think that it takes around 2 hours in a car to reach the city."

I nod then look at Morgan and ask, "What about you guys? Have you guys decided what to do? Are you going to continue to stay here or are you going come to Atlanta with me?"

In response to my question, Duane and Morgan look at each other in silence for a few seconds before Duane slightly nods making Morgan look at me and say, "There is nothing that holds us here anymore... and I think that it is time we move forward, so if for you is fine, we'd like to come to Atlanta with you."

Hearing that, I smile slightly and say, "This is great. After all, it is much better to travel in company than being alone..." making Duane exclaim, "Yes! This way you can teach me how to fight with that wooden staff the same way you do! It was so cool!" which makes Morgan shake his head while smiling wryly. 

After dinner, we clean up and I warn the pair that we are going to move early in the morning so it is better to already prepare what they want to bring with them so that tomorrow the only thing we have to do is load the cargo truck and be on our way.

Morgan agreed with me and quickly he and Duane started to prepare everything they needed for our journey.

After they had done that, they went to bed, sleeping peacefully for the first time in many days not only because I basically cleaned the town of almost all the walkers making the night much more peaceful, but also because they finally lifted that heavy shadow that was hunting them since the death of Jenny Jones, and while they still aren't completely fine, they have finally taken a step forward in the right direction.

After a peaceful night, we all wake up, wash, have breakfast, and then we start to load the cargo truck with every supply we may need, but it is mostly some clean clothes, underwear, canned food, some tools, photo albums, bullets for both the guns and the rifle, and of course the urn with Jenny Jones' ashes.

Once ready we don't waste any more time and get on the cargo truck to start our journey toward the city of Atlanta.

Following Morgan's directions I take Highway 85 which is the same route used by Rick Grimes to reach the city of Atlanta in Georgia yesterday, and it is also the most direct highway that leads to the city.

Luckily the highway is mostly empty with only a couple of broken and capsized vehicles every now and then which makes the journey quite easy as we don't have to worry about clearing the way. 

While driving along the highway, Duane tells us that he has to go to the bathroom and Morgan informs me that there is a gas station nearby. 

Following Morgan's directions, I stopped the cargo truck at the Campbellton Fairburn Road (Highway 92) and Cascade Palmetto Highway traffic intersection, where a couple of abandoned vehicles, some overturned and burned, lay in ruins. 

We get out of the cargo truck and warily descend down a hill without weapons ready and reach a makeshift camp consisting of tents and dozens of cars built around the gas station. 

Children's toys, clothes, lawn chairs, luggage, and other supplies litter the gas station grounds, along with a couple of decaying motorists in their vehicles.

Making our way through the maze of cars, we reach the gas station, and find a sign labeled "NO GAS" but since we have the jerrycans that I "borrowed" from the military camp near the Harrison Memorial Hospital.

Then, before Duane and Morgan can rush into the bathroom, I stop them and calmly say, "Rule #3 to survive the walkers. Beware of Bathrooms. Walkers are known to hang around them as for some reason we humans think it is a safe place, so a little caution can help avoid an ambush."

After saying that, I calmly open the door and using my Bo Staff I tap the floor to create some noise, and shortly after that, a male walker with a half-eaten neck that makes its head tilt toward the left side stumbles out of a corner and starts to move toward me.

Seeing that, I calmly walk toward it and take it out by slamming the Bo Staff into its head completely crushing the head before I spartan kick the body into the wall.

After doing that, I take a quick look around using my senses and once I confirm that it is safe, I look at Morgan and Duane and say, "It is safe now. There was only Nearly Headless Nick inside this bathroom."

As Morgan and Duane enter the bathroom, I start to explore the surroundings to make sure that there aren't any other walkers nearby, and soon, I hear a shuffling noise which makes me turn my head in the direction it is coming from.

The next moment, I see the figure of a child as it picks up a teddy bear from under a car. 

Seeing that, I let out a sigh already knowing what to expect as the only noise I hear is that of the child's footsteps and nothing else, neither its breath nor its heartbeat, which means that the child is just another walker. 

The walker hears my sigh, stops walking, and turns around to reveal that the child in question is a young girl with short dirty blonde hair, a partially eaten face, and a bloodstained chest. 

Shortly after that, the child walker lunges at me, leaving me no choice but to retaliate, but since the sight of such a young victim slightly upsets me, my control slips up a little and I use a little more power than intended in my attack causing a sonic boom. 

As a result, the young girl's body turns into an unrecognizable paste that gets blown away by the shockwave generated by my attack together with a couple of cars behind it that also get sent flying and broken into a messy wreckage.

Another consequence of my attack is of course the very loud noise it caused that it was akin to a strong explosion which makes a worried Morgan and scared Duane rush out from the bathroom as they look around before Morgan asks, "What the hell was that!?"

With nonchalance and a lot of thick skin, I calmly look up at the sky positioning one of my hands above my squinting eyes as if I'm trying to look at something in the distance and reply, "A fighter jet just flew above us... This is quite strange... I hope that nothing crazy happens like some kind of tactical strike to eliminate an overturned city..."

Hearing that, Morgan calms down a little and moves beside as he also tries to catch sight of the fighter jet by looking in the same direction and comments, "Strange... I don't know what there is in that direction but at the very least it isn't heading to Atlanta as the city is more or less in that other direction." 

After that, we return to the cargo track and resume our journey along the road but suddenly Morgan notices something and shouts, "Doc! Stop! Look over there! It's Rick's car!"

I look at where Morgan is pointing and indeed there is Rick's police car stopped in the middle of the road, and seeing that, I calmly park the cargo truck close to the car. 

As soon as I stop a worried Morgan jumps down from the cargo truck and rushes over to check as I and Duane follow after him, the first thing that Morgan does is check inside before he lets out a sigh and shouts, "He isn't here!"

I arrive and also look inside, more specifically at the fuel gauge, and already knowing what happened I say, "The car has no fuel... Rick is very likely fine as I see no dead walkers, bodies, or even blood in the surroundings. He likely was forced to leave his vehicle behind and search for another one."

After a quick check, Morgan agrees and we all return back to the cargo truck and continue to travel toward the city of Atlanta.

While driving, I start to think about what to do once we arrive there as I'm still undecided between heading into the city and reuniting with Rick who should be searching for Daryl's shitty brother, or searching for the quarry and meet with the group at the Altanta's survivor camp.