1X1 The Lore Master & Maeve Harris (The Virus)

[Maeve Harris]

Maeve looked around the park, recalling the memories of her times at the park. Matt was being rather quiet, perhaps because the dreadful things going on around him were becoming cumbersome.


The two of them followed Thomas quietly, Maeve considering the fact that this place was his childhood, and he needed some time alone.

 

[The Lore Master]

They were under one of the Gazebos when they heard it, infected, from over by the playground three of them were sprinting and screaming violently. Thomas sat the shotgun down on the table next to them and slung his M4 over his back. He pulled his tomahawk and knife out. He looked at Maeve,


"You have to take Matt and go, I'll catch up ok! There's no time to argue… I'll be fine!" Thomas said desperately he had to at least give them a shot at getting away, "follow the riverwalk and only the river walk and I'll be right behind you… GO!" Matt said as he turned toward the infected who were closing in, he looked back to Maeve with a longing look in his eye.

 

[Maeve Harris]

Maeve wanted to stay and fight with Thomas, but she knew that Matt played a very important part in humanity at the moment. Her gun at ready in her right hand, Matt clinging on her left, she looked at Thomas with a great concern. "Please, PLEASE catch up with us," she whispered. She looked down at Matt.


"Alright, sidekick! The superhero has to go save the world. Come with me, okay?" Matt, content with playing the sidekick, joined Maeve in a sprint.


The two of them followed Thomas's orders, following the river walk and only the river walk. As they did so, Maeve hoped and hoped that Thomas would catch up with them.

 

[The Lore Master]

Thomas knew he was an idiot for staying but… idiots usually save the day… or die. He ran back in the opposite direction yelling, which grabbed the infected's attention. They chased him until he turned around to face them, in the distance he could see Maeve and Matt getting away… thank god. The quickest infected met Thomas' tomahawk with his face, quickly dispatching him, the other two were side by side, a heavyset man and a skinny woman… this was gonna be rough. Thomas ran towards them and planted his shoulder into the skinny girl knocking her onto her back and stomped her face all in one motion! He slid around, knocking clumps of dirt into the air as the heavyset man was barreling toward Thomas screaming and slobbering. Thomas leaned forward as he launched the tomahawk into the infected's forehead, dropping him immediately. Thomas retrieved the tomahawk and holstered it and the knife he ran to the Gazebo and retrieved the shotgun, Maeve and Matt were out of sight! He sprinted away as fast as he could trying to catch up with them… please let them be okay he thought…

 

[Maeve Harris]

As Maeve was sprinting, Matt suddenly came to an abrupt halt. "Matt, sweetie, come on!" She said, panick slipping into her voice. Matt was turned around in the other direction, pointing and jumping. He exclaimed, "Look! It's our superhero! He's catching up! We can't leave him!"


Maeve's head whipped around, grinning with relief and happiness as she saw the speck that was Thomas in the distance. "No," she said, "we can't forgot about our superhero."

 

[The Lore Master]

They were about to cross the train tracks when Thomas saw them from on top of the hill, he came down through the grass skipping the bend in the path and was standing right next to them. He was heaving and had blood on his helmet and tactical vest.


"I'm so glad you guys are ok!… y'all ready to take a break?" Thomas asked as he pulled his face mask down around his neck, he smiled at Matt who was ecstatic to see his big friend.

 

[Maeve Harris]

Matt was jumping up and down with adrenaline and glee. "Sure! Yeahyeahyeah!"


Maeve, however saw the blood on Thomas's uniform and became concerned, strapping her gun back to her belt. "My God, Thomas. Are you okay?"

 

[The Lore Master]

Thomas looked at the blood.


"It's… it's not mine…" Thomas said quietly, "well then, lets cross the train tracks and into those trees, there's a power line tower we can hang out under for some breakfast." Thomas quickly changed the subject.

 

[Maeve Harris]

Matt smiled eagerly, the thought of breakfast exciting him. He grabbed Maeve's hand once again, urging her to come along with him. Maeve still looked at Thomas in a concerned way, but allowed Matt to pull her along to the direction Thomas had spoken of.

 

[The Lore Master]

They set up underneath the steel beam tower and Thomas opened up his backpack, two MREs left… how cliched he thought. He held them out to Matt and Maeve.


"Go ahead I'm not hungry, you guys eat up and we'll get going alright." Thomas said as his hand began to shake again…

 

[Maeve Harris]

Matt snatched the bag of MRE, sat down, and began stuffing pieces in his mouth, and making exploding noises after he swallowed it.


Maeve, however, saw that Thomas was definitely not okay. She grabbed his shaking hand. "Calm down," she whispered, "it's going to be okay." She made him sit down beside her as she began snacking on the MRE.

 

[The Lore Master]

Thomas made sure Matt couldn't hear him.


"Look at me," Thomas said pointing to the blood, "look around us… do you reall think its gonna be okay?" Thomas asked with a whimper in his voice. He was shaken and almost broken.

 

[Maeve Harris]

Maeve was tired of people talking about how hopeless everything seemed. She grabbed Thomas's face between her hands and leaned in, speaking firmly, yet softly.


"Listen to me. I KNOW that everything is f*cked up. There isn't a sane person on this planet that thinks anything about this is good. A lot of people are giving up, but we're not going to be one of those people. Why? We have him." She nodded her head towards Matt, subtle enough so Matt wasn't really paying attention and was continuing to eat. "He's given us hope, and I'll be damned before I see you break down and allow everything we've already been through to go in.vain. Do you understand me? We are going to fix this."

 

[The Lore Master]

Thomas looked at Maeve… deep into her eyes… and knew she was right. They had hope, they had a chance, but Thomas just couldn't stop looking into Maeve's eyes, he rested one of his hands on one of hers that was on his face.


"Yes ma'am." Thomas said he couldn't help the feeling of wanting to lean closer to her face and…

 

[Maeve Harris]

Oh God.


A part of Maeve wanted to do to Thomas what Thomas wanted to do to her, but this didn't feel like the right place or the right time. She pulled her hands away, and said with a nervous smile, "Good."


She then turned to Matt, who had stuffed his cheeks like a squirrel and was trying to make squeaking noises. Maeve couldn't help but laugh a little bit. He seemed so happy and innocent now, despite all that had happened.

 

[The Lore Master]

Thomas sat there, disappointed but relieved, he lit a cigarette from a pack he got off one of the bikers. She got his hand to stop shaking… Thomas' radio came on.


"Echo 1-4, this Overlord, do you have a copy, over?" Overlord said.


"Affirmative Overlord, I'm here, over." Thomas replied.


"Echo 1-4, I need a sitrep son, send your traffic, over." Overlord demanded.


"Sir, we are approximately an hour away from waterfront park, no injuries, no casualties, break… we've come into contact with hostile locals and infected but we are fine, over." Thomas replied.


"Alright son, you get those people to safety you hear, our prayers are with you Echo 1-4, Rangers Lead the Way, Overlord out." Overlord ended he transmission. Thomas looked relieved, it was nice knowing that someone else was worried about them.

 

[Maeve Harris]

Matt and Maeve both looked at Thomas curiously after the radio conversation ended. Maeve didn't have much of an appetite, so she had allowed Matt to eat the rest of her MRE. He looked very pleased.


"Alright," Maeve said after a breif moment of silence, "what's next?"

 

[The Lore Master]

Thomas rested his hand on top of the shotgun barrel, he looked to Maeve after putting his radio receiver back on his vest.


"Well, we follow the riverwalk west for about two more miles, then we should be at waterfront park… and I'll call in to my superiors and we'll get the hell outta here." Thomas explained,

 

[Maeve Harris]

Neither Matt nor Maeve weren't familiar with anything that involved the military, but the words "get out" stuck out at them like a sore thumb. Matt jumped up, attempting to pull Maeve back up on her feet.


"C'mon!" He exclaimed, "Let's gogogo!" Maeve smiled and bounced back onto her feet.


"Alright," she said, taking Matt's hand, "Let's get out of here."

 

[The Lore Master]

Thomas nodded with a smile and stood up, they continued back on the riverwalk and walked. The riverwalk ran parallel to the train tracks and was for the time being a straight line. As they walked Thomas would glance at Matt and then Maeve, they were like his family now even though he had only known them for a day. His M4 rested on his back as he kept the shotgun in hand, he could see the old train bridge up ahead and knew they were halfway to Waterfront park. As they came upon the old bridge the riverwalk led under it through a tunnel, they were almost at the entrance when Thomas spotted a man sitting against the tunnel wall, he got closer and noticed the man's stomach was ripped open and he was sitting in a pool of blood. Thomas was cautious and approached slowly, the man looked over at them and fell to his side trying to look.


"Please… kill me… the crazies got me… kill me!" The man pleaded. Thomas looked at him and then Maeve.


"Hey uh… you guys go ahead I'm gonna make sure… he's okay… you mind looking after Maeve for a minute sidekick?" Thomas asked with a sad smile.

 

[Maeve Harris]

Maeve didn't give Matt the chance to answer.


"I don't want to leave you on your own, Thomas," she said firmly. Matt retaliated by squeezing Maeve's hand.


"C'mon!" Matt whined, "I'm the SIDEKICK, I have to out for you! And we have to listen to what the superhero says! Duh!" He said it as if it made perfect sense.


"Now let's get going, missy!"


Maeve still didn't want to leave Thomas. He felt like a part of her own little family. All the same, Matt was being persistent...and Thomas WAS heavily armed. He'd be okay, right?


"Alright, Mr. Sidekick," she said dubiously. Maeve then looked at Thomas. "Please be careful."


Matt, happy he had gotten his way, pulled Maeve towards and through the entrance like he was the most regal little boy on the planet.

 

[The Lore Master]

Thomas knelt down by the guy and offered him a cigarette, he placed it in the guys mouth and lit it for him.


"Thank… thank you… make it quick!" The guy said puffing the cigarette. Thomas stood up and cocked the shotgun waiting until Matt and Maeve were out of the tunnel.


"Sorry man…" Thomas said before he pulled the trigger. A loud boom echoed through the tunnel, it wasn't the first mercy killing Thomas had performed but it was under completely different circumstances. He walked away and through the tunnel, he saw Matt and Maeve and walked a little faster to catch up with them.

 

[Maeve Harris]

Maeve had covered Matt's ears at the sound of the gunshot. He had almost started crying, probably because he started thinking about the bikers. Maeve then looked over her shoulder to see Thomas running towards them. She was very relieved, thinking that the gunshot was the one that ended Thomas's life.


She removed her hands from Matt's ears. He seemed worried at first, but was fine as soon as he caught sight of Thomas. "Are you okay?" Matt asked. Maeve was about to ask the same thing.

 

[The Lore Master]

"Yeah… lets just keep going okay!" Thomas said trying to be optimistic.

 

[Maeve Harris]

Matt and Maeve decided to not ask questions. They simply nodded and continued on.