3 Years Later

I was slack jawed. Watching as Nick's face turn impatient as he slammed his hands again on the table.

"Answer me!"

"What's wrong with you?" "What the f.u.c.k do you want?" Jake and I spoke simultaneously causing a long groan to leave Nick. His hands rubbing his face in frustration as he glared at us through his fingers.

"I want you to listen to me and answer my F.U.C.K.I.N.G QUESTIONS! You think I don't know that you want to leave?"

Shock shot through me as I stood up, ready to deny at all cost, but he talked over me.

"Don't f.u.c.k.i.n.g lie to me, you think I don't see you two sneak about? Didn't overhear your f.u.c.k.i.n.g argument with John? Didn't overhear what Ace said to you? You think I /don't/ want to f.u.c.k.i.n.g leave as well?!"

I shut my mouth. Nick looked like he was on the verge of insanity and desperation. His body heaving as he pleaded ever so loudly with his eyes. His jaw clenched and his hair waving about. He was the pure embodiment of a person pushed past the edge. Looking for some last ditch effort to get out of a hole before it consumes him entirely. With a cry, he hunched over. His fingers digging into his scalp as he seemingly tried to calm down. The outburst he had slowly became nothing but a mere echo. The sound soon dying out leaving silence in it's wake.

"Why can't you just leave?" I looked up and saw Jake, pure distrust was written on his face as he leaned forward. His hands clasped together as he pressed them against his mouth. It seemed that he was analyzing Nick, assessing what he'd do.

Nick just stared up and, for a moment, a pang of hurt went through me. Sympathizing the pitiful way he looked. I gulped and looked away, wanting the emotional rollercoster I was stuck on to stop. I didn't want to look at the way his face changed when a slow, pitiful chuckle left him.

"You think I hadn't...? You think others hadn't tried it...?" He spoke, no whispered, no... whimpered. He sniffed as a sigh left him.

"Joseph he... You're either part of this crew or you ain't. Can't you see? Can't any of you f.u.c.k.i.n.g see! This world, this war... It changed him. My best friend, my brother, Joseph f.u.c.k.i.n.g snapped. Maybe it was from seeing every thing die around him? Old friends...? I just...."

I watched in horror was Nick slammed his fist against the side of his head. The loud thumps caused me to jump as he kept hitting himself. Almost like he was trying to get a faulty machinery to work but the frustration was keeping him from thinking straight.

"I found him stumbling about in this old mall and I knew something changed about him but I didn't do a f.u.c.k.i.n.g thing. I thought that when we found more people, more friends of the past, that he'd come back but he didn't... He's.... He's changed into this monster. This f.u.c.k.i.n.g overlord. An overseer. A tyrant? He keeps everyone on a type regiment, keeps us stuck here, those he likes anyways. He-Joseph became a paranoid son of a bitch that he... He begun to 'dispose of the threats'..."

"The other survivors..." I whispered as a sad sigh left Nick's mouth. Nodding and confirming my worst fears.

"Anyone who he deemed worthy to be used for the group was brought here. We're stuck here as he scopes out and make sure that no one will hurt us. It's... He just wants us to be safe. But by doing so, he'll make us wipe people out ourselves."

"Are you kidding me?" Jake spat out as Nick glared at him. "Why didn't you stop this? Why did you let this happen!"

"Oh f.u.c.k off! I tried! We all tried! But in the end, we were taught to obey. He said it was for our safety but the delusional f.u.c.k couldn't even see that we are here out of fear. He may look like a twig but the man is as unpredictable as the f.u.c.k.i.n.g dead. He'll pin you down and carve his rules right into you! Why else do you think everyone here is so f.u.c.k.e.d up?

"You can only do so much before letting the emotional f.u.c.kery get to you. And what then huh? I've killed before, not just the dead but people too. And I'm f.u.c.k.i.n.g tired of it... I want to stop but he's got the rest of the crew stuck on a tight leash. I can't take two steps away from this place without getting my back carved again. I can't leave but I need to, I just need to do something about the rest."

"So what then huh?" I spoke up as he looked at me. His eyes scanning my face before looking away. My stomach dropping as I realize what he might be implying.

"Nick. They-I..." With a deep breath, I rubbed my face. My body exhausted from all that's happened and wanting nothing more to collapse. "I don't remember you. Or Abby. Or John. Or anyone else here. But you're not seriously implying that we... That we kill-"

"It's the only way. It's been a year that we've been like this. Abby has broken down and will fight tooth and nail to all those that oppose Joseph."

"What about John?" Jake asked out, his own face pale as he finally got the memo. Nick sadly shook his head as he bit the flesh of his thumb in anxiousness.

"So pity kill everyone..."

He stared at the both of us, whatever rough front he had now gone, as he nodded his head once more. I pursed my lips as I tried to get a read on him.

"I..." He began with a gulp,"I know you have no reason to f.u.c.k.i.n.g believe. Call me a god damn heretic if you need to. But I assure you, there is no other way. I just... Please... Jake give me a proper send off. Shaina, please."

My throat clenched.

What do I do.