Dead USA (DrTrollinski and Elwin)

[Elwin]

Coden paused, taking in his commands then gave Greg an understanding nod before rushing off again to fetch the bowl. When he got into the kitchen he watched Clayton from the corner of his eyes whilst collecting water. "Hey man, are you okay?" He asked, whilst walking back to the doorway. "Look, tell me later actually.."


He made his way back to lobby area and did what Greg had told him to. His nerves had now settled and he felt more in control, for the boy's sake. He was as gentle as he had ever been when handling the child's feet.


Beth looked at Clayton with concern. Unsure of how to approach, Beth reached out and rested a hand on Clayton's shoulder. "Can I get you anything?" She asked, kindly. Despite having a son for sixteen years, Beth wasn't the best at dealing with little boys.


~~


The woman sighed, relieving herself of her anger. She couldn't let this bring her down. It was inevitable these events would take place and there was nothing she could do but protect those who didn't deserve to live in barbarity. But she also couldn't corrupt her goal at the end of it all. Once she learned the truth she could finally move on.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. Just--.." Clayton grasped his head. ".. Some painkillers, and--.. and some water. Please." He said, his voice on the verge of being shaky. Jesus, what the hell was wrong with him all of a sudden? Food poisoning? No... He'd eaten the same as everyone else aside from a few twinkies, which were in-date and safe. Allergies? Maybe. Maybe.


--


".. Good, good work." Greg smiled and gently patted Coden on the back as he worked.


"Next concern..." Phil squeaked. ".. Luna, Greg... I want you to come out with me to find the kid some clothes. We've got nothing that'll fit him here." He said.


"What about the kid now, though? He needs to get washed." Greg objected.


"Coden can do that, I'm sure..." Phil panicked, rubbing his forehead. ".. Please, guys... He's got hypothermia. We need to work together here to make sure he's okay." He stuttered, Greg saw the look on his face and the tears in his eyes - He couldn't refuse that. Phil had hardly asked anything of the group over the five months that went by - They owed him at least this for the amount he'd helped Luna develop, and how he'd helped Coden develop his maturity - Hell, he actually started being nice to Coden. That must have meant something.


"Sure." Greg said, eventually, looking towards the door. He didn't understand why he had to go with them, but his motive must have been reasonable enough. ".. Coden, you cool with doing all of that? I'll show you how to do the bandages before we leave." He said.

 

[Elwin]

Beth squeezed Clayton's shoulder and rummaged cupboard where they kept pills and plasters. She pulled out a box of painkillers and poured Clayton a glass of water. "I'm going to tell your Father, I think. You aren't look good at all.." Beth said placing the items on the table in front of him. "I'll be back in a moment.." Beth went out the door and towards the lobby. She had no idea what was going on but felt concerned for Clayton. Once Beth got to the lobby she looked at the boy, slightly distracted. "Um..Greg.." She said between staring at the little boy. "Clayton doesn't feel well at all.."


Coden looked at Greg and shrugged a little. "Yeah, I'll do that.." He was pleased Greg trusted him to look after the boy. All he wanted to do was help, it made him feel like one of the men in the group and not a boy like Clayton or Jackson.


~~


The woman kept her hood up as she stepped back out on to the street. The temperature was harsh and she needed to find some shelter. A few doors down, she saw a sign for a fashion shop. It was an opportunity to perhaps nest in some clothing before she went back out to hunt for food. The woman quickly made her way into the shop, shutting the door behind her. It was dark, quiet and felt safe. Behind one of the counters, she placed a pile of clothing and relaxed on top of it, rubbing her hands together to warm herself.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Shit..." Greg muttered. ".. Beth, do me a huge favor and look after him. We need to head out to get some stuff for the kid." He nodded down at the young child who seemed intrigued by Beth's sudden appearance. She sort of looked similar, in some senses - Not many, but only some. The hair, mostly. He looked away after thirty seconds or so and finished off the rest of his milk. ".. Coden's gonna' take care of the little one here, so keep an eye on Clayton for me, will you?" He smiled weakly at her, but before she could respond, Phil walked over and gently spun her around to face away from everyone - he looked so upset and distraught.


"Beth..." He sniffled. ".. While--.. While I've got the chance, I... I know we've been getting on well, but... I wanted to apologize for--.." He stopped and quickly wiped his eyes. ".. for--.. for what happened when we first met. I was an asshole, and--.. Yeah. I'm sorry... I hope we can forget about everything that happened and start over, and--.. I--.. I need to talk to you about something when I get back." He sniffled. This was a side to Phil that hardly anyone had ever seen to him before - Phil had never showed emotion, care, or concern like this before.


While he was talking to Beth, Greg was busy showing Coden how to bandage the feet. ".. Okay, Coden... When you've helped him get washed, you'll need to dry him off, get him wrapped up again, and then once you've done that, you take the bandage, and do a few wraps around... here..." He said as he rubbed his hands around the boys ankle. The boy shut his eyes in relief for a moment. Greg's warm hands made him feel so much better all of a sudden. ".. Once you've done that, you'll want to wrap right down to just below his toes, then you can seal it off with some medical tape that's in the bag. Also, when you're helping him in the shower, be careful... With the anesthetic and hypothermia, he's really going to struggle to walk or stand, alright?" He patted his shoulder and rose up.

 

[Elwin]

Coden bit his lip, nervously. "I'll do what I can, Greg." He replied, trying to show him how serious he was. This was a challenge for him and a way to prove himself. He didn't want to disappoint Greg.


Beth nodded at Greg, then turned to look at Phil. "You don't have to apologize.." She said softly. "I didn't exactly welcome you to be kind to me." She knew that he felt bad after her incident, but she wished everyone would look past it for once.


Luna took the cup from the boy, smiling warmly at him. She would have made him more, but she didn't want him to vomit, so perhaps water would have been a better option. After Luna fetched the water she started lacing up her shoes, ready to go into the town with Greg and Phil.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. Good one, pal. You're doing well so far - We'll make a medic out of you yet." Greg winked at him, and then patted his shoulder before walking off and waiting by the door, looking over both Luna and Phil. God, what had gotten into him all of a sudden? He knew he was upset about the kid, but sheesh.


".. Time's gettin' on for me, Beth... I do have to apologize, and--.. after five months of livin' in the middle of all the shit goin' on, it's made me realize how much I've--.. I don't know. How bad I've been to people..." He looked away for a moment and then looked back to her. ".. When we talk when I get back, I--.. hopefully what I tell you will explain why I was so cold." He said, looking away again. He turned back and slowly pulled her into a hug, taking a long and shaky deep breath.


".. Thank you." He whispered into her ear - he planted a gentle kiss on her cheek thereafter and pulled away. He didn't even know he did it - Funny. At first, it was him that didn't like all the hugs and kisses, but now he seemed to be all for it. Was he schizophrenic, or just waking up? Who knew, he pulled his rifle back out and then went to stand outside the door, looking off into the town while he took a breather.


The child reached out and put a hand on Luna's shoulder, smiling at her very weakly. Without his voice, it was his way of saying thanks. He looked up at Beth after, and remembered hearing the doctor say something about her looking after 'Clay' - Was he another kid that might have been his age? He didn't know, but regardless, seeing any kid of any age would be pretty cool.

 

[Elwin]

Beth stood, motionless. She was confused as hell. What was up with Phil? He seemed to have a split personality. She turned away, sighing and made her way back to the kitchen where Clayton was. She sat back down beside him and put her arm round his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him.


Luna turned her foot a little so she was facing the little boy. She still knelt beside him to make him feel less intimidated and she was glad he seemed to be communicating with them regardless of the ways he did it. Once she had finished putting on her shoes, she slowly stood up and grabbed a pistol, ready to leave with Greg and Phil. "Hey Phil, are you sure you want both of us to come? I mean its only to the town, right?" She didn't want to question is motives, but it was odd leaving as a three when it could be easily done as a two.


Coden beamed at Greg, feeling proud. Maybe he did want to become a medic. Who knows? He was never good at science in high school, but he was a lot more interested in the physical aspect.


~~


The woman shuddered a little, pulling a jacket over her body. She was wearing a cloak, but it wasn't much to protect her from the cold of the winter. The store did have jackets, but they weren't large since it hadn't been cold when the store had closed.

 

[DrTrollinski]

Clay had taken the painkillers, but he still rested his head on the desk. He slowly slouched against Beth and took a deep breath. ".. Any idea what's wrong with me...?" He asked her, taking another deep breath.


".. I'm sure." Phil said. ".. I heard more gunshots off in the distance." He said, "We'll do the one-search-two-cover. Two of us hide, one of us looks around. Anyone sneaks up on us, and there you have it... They'll be pinned down by two of us." He said, sniffling and wiping his eyes; he walked up the steps and then looked out across the town, his heart cracking even more when he saw the bloody footsteps that were trudged through the snow.


The boy merely looked up at Coden while sipping on his water. He knew that this was the guy who was helping him get clean - he was a little nervous, but his upper thighs were sore all over. He probably had a rash of some kind on them from where he'd been sitting in his own waste for almost two whole days.

 

[Elwin]

Beth hesitated and sighed. "I'm not sure, Clay. I wish your Dad was available to help. Have you eaten some bad food at all?" She struggled on what to do, he had a cold sweat but it could have been a sign of a few things.


Luna nodded. She hadn't paid attention, but she had actually heard the gunshots as well. A part of her did wish they could just ignore them though, but they needed to fetch some dry clothes for the boy.


Coden sat beside the little boy, flashing him a kind smile. It was an invitation for the boy to feel comfortable with his presence. "Hey there little buddy," He cooed, keeping his eyes on his face. "I hope you feel a little better.."


~~


The woman groaned, pulling all of the clothes on top of her. She wasn't tired at all but neither was she hungry. She wanted to carry on with her mission but her mood had changed from the event that she had witnessed. Part of her felt more determined, part was angry and the other was hopeless.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. No... I ate all the same things you guys ate." He said, sighing as he rubbed his forehead. He felt so drowsy and sick - He didn't know why, but he hoped Jackson hadn't fallen ill to the same thing. His legs were aching and his arms felt funny, but he didn't say anything.


"Let's move... I saw a small clothes store in the center of town when I was lookin' from the roof." He said, walking with a spring and motivation to his step. "We need to do this quick," He said, "That boy's gonna' die if he doesn't get warm soon. Once he's over it we've gotta' make sure that--.. that he's safe! We'll have to feed him, and help him through it - Gotta' raise that kid right and make sure nothin' hurts him." He stated as they walked onward. He was only wearing a t-shirt, but the cold didn't seem to be bothering him.


The boy looked at him and gave a soft smile. Coden seemed nice so far - He tried to think of a way to tell him that he needed to be cleaned. He held one hand over his arm and then started a scrubbing motion; he lead his hand down his body down to his thigh. He hoped Coden would pick up that he was implying that he needed a clean. He was still covered in dried feces and urine, but luckily the blanket was staying clean.

 

[Elwin]

"Yeah.." Luna said passively. She cared for the child's welfare but had not seen Phil so passionate since he collapsed on her five months ago. It was a nice sight to see, but definitely unusual. The cold nipped her skin, but it was nothing compared to what the little boy had experienced.


Coden nodded at the child. "Oh of course!" He chuckled a little, "I haven't forgotten little dude." Coden then went on to bandage him up as Greg instructed, before leading him towards the bathroom. He held his hand gently, constantly making sure he was able to walk.


Beth stood up. "I think you should go back to bed, Clay. We need to wait for your Dad to get back so he can help." She felt bad that she couldn't offer any productive answers.


~~


The woman kept curled up, behind the counter of the clothing store. She had planned to head off soon and scavenge for food before she made her way to the prison, which was her next destination.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. My dad's a surgeon... He doesn't deal with illnesses. Mostly." Clay shrugged. ".. I feel really sick... Can I just stay here in case I need to throw up?" He muttered, a little shamefully.


--


He lead them through to the center of the town and then took a deep breath as he looked around - He still had enthusiasm and motivation in his eyes. He didn't care about any danger that may have been sitting around.


"Greg, you've got kids - Can you get the right-sized clothes for him?" He asked, Greg simply nodded and continued walking alongside him. They could be at the clothes store in a mere couple of minutes.


--


The boy didn't let Coden bandage him just yet. He couldn't get the bandages wet, according to Greg. He took Coden by the hand and slowly hobbled along, leaning heavily on him for support while they walked along to the bathroom/shower room. He looked at the showers and gulped a little - he didn't really like the look of it, but he needed to get the pants and underwear off and get washed. He was worried that he wasn't going to be able to stand up on his own.

 

[Elwin]

Beth nodded with a sigh. "I suppose, but I don't know what else I can do for you, other than offer you water.." Beth felt bad but surely it was just a passing feeling and he would feel better soon. Kids get sick all the time right?


Luna held her gun tightly. "Watch out guys, you never know who we could run in too." She felt confident in Greg and Phil but couldn't help feeling a little on edge. More so with people than walkers. At least walkers couldn't hide.


Coden turned on the shower and knelt to the hide of the little boy. He was shaking, nervously. "Okay buddy we need to take off these clothes so we can get you all cleaned up.." He put a hand infront of him to motion that he was going to help him.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"But people get too brave." Phil muttered quietly as he walked off into the clothes store. "Luna, you go on the other side of the door, I'll go on the right. Greg, you get what we need." He whispered as he dived into a concealed spot on the right of the door.


"I'll need to check the storage room for warmer clothes." Greg whisperes as he approached one of the clothing racks and started digging through the clothes.


--


"Water would be good..." Clayton muttered, covering his mouth with one hand and taking a deep breath.


--


The boy looked at him and gave a quick nod before holding onto his hand whilst using his free one to slip off his pants and underwear. He was a mess, and hives had broken out on the back of his legs - a type of very sore and itchy skin irritation. He held onto Coden while he slowly approached the first shower block with him at his side.

 

[Elwin]

The woman had heard a noise from the other side of the counter. She had silenced her breath, and kept up her hood in an attempt to hide. She couldn't stand facing another type like the rapists she had ran into earlier. She peeked over the counter, just the top of her head. It was another man, of course. She felt herself shaking. Not because she was scared, but the pressure to stay quiet in an already silent store was a challenge. She slowly pulled her pistols from her sides, twitching at every small sound she made. The woman pulled the guns over the counter, still only revealing the top of her head. She wasn't sure whether to directly shoot the man or shoot around him. Either he'd be scared or do the same to her.


~~~


Coden frowned at the hives, gently touching them as he enter the shower. He hadn't turn it on yet, he was interested in the skin irritation. "This looks like something I had when I was young.." He said, soothingly. "That is when I discovered I was allergic to shrimp." He smiled at the little boy. As he reached for the shower he gave him a little nod to make sure it was okay.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. The kid's only four or five, I'd say." Greg said as he started flicking through some of the clothes in the children's section. Phil simply nodded and stayed in the hidden area. ".. Lookin' for size for, judging by the look of him." He added, picking up a long-sleeved shirt and inspecting it before slinging it over his shoulder with a smile. ".. I'm glad you found that kid when you did. He should make a speedy recovery with us - As long as Coden takes good care of him and keeps him warm, the hypothermia should pass." He said, continuing to pluck basic clothes from the shelves.


He wasn't aware of the woman behind the counter, but surely that had proven him as friendly? If she shot at him, he'd have a lot of trouble understanding why.


--


The boy shakily smiled and walked under the showerhead, bracing himself for the hot water. He had to lean against the shower wall, though, and his legs were shaking like crazy. He continuously moved his little toes - they were so numb. In fact, the whole of his feet were.


--


".. God--.." Clayton choked as he quickly pulled away from Beth and heaved, placing a hand over his mouth as he ran out of the kitchen and through to the bathroom. He saw a young boy standing under a shower, and Coden. What the hell? He didn't have time to think; he quickly shot off into one of the stalls, locked the door, and then instantly turned to the toilet and started vomiting.

 

[Elwin]

The woman paused. The man was talking about children's clothing. She wasn't quite sure who to as there was no one else around, however it would be a good time to make a dash for it. She lowered her guns, still keeping them in her hands and started shuffling to the side, discretely. She planned to basically crawl out of the store so she could leave without being spotted. The hooded woman started crawling, making sure that she was going the opposite way to how the man was turned and headed for the entrance.


--


Coden paused turning on the shower and turned towards where Clayton had ran. "You okay, bud?!" He shouted, but not too loud. Coden turned back and nodded at the little boy. He wanted to make sure he knew exactly when the shower would start so it didn't startle him. Coden pressed the button on the shower and warm water oozed out of it and onto the little boy's body. Coden stayed close to him to make sure he didn't fall.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Oh, look what we've got here." Phil said. His little hiding spot had worked. She found herself with a rifle pointed in her face. ".. You're a good hider, but you can't from a hider, my friend."


Greg quickly turned and looked at what was going on. "Jesus, Phil... Put the gun down." He said.


"Not happening. She's armed and I want a name and a reason why she was spying on us, then I'll be a little more trusting." He said, his eyes still locked on her.


--


Clayton didn't stop throwing up, so he couldn't respond. The boy almost fell as the water hit him, but he had Coden to catch him. He tried reaching for the sponge on top of the shower wall but was too weak to get it.

 

[Elwin]

The woman rolled her eyes, still holding her guns. She looked up at him. "I wasn't spying on you. There used to be seven billion people in this world, I'm pretty sure you're bound to run into someone else at sometime." She kept her cool, keeping her hood over most of her head. She wouldn't give in that easily to some egotistical douche. The woman decided to try and rise to her feet at this point.


Luna waited at the other hiding place, feeling awkward. She hated it when Phil got mad and remembered how he used to act to her and the rest of the group when they had first met.


~~~


Coden held the boy with one arm and reached for the sponge with the other. "Don't strain yourself, little dude.." He said, softly. Coden took the sponge and wet it with water. He didn't bother using soap in case it irritated the little boy's skin. Coden worried as he heard Clayton vomiting quite violently. "Shout if you need anything.." He called again to Clayton, feeling a little useless.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Mhm... But when the world's like this, you tend to be a little less happy when someone runs by you. I'm not trying to be an asshole here, lady, nor am I trying to be a threat, so..." He slowly moved the gun away. "I trust you'll return the favor." He said with a sigh. "I'm Phil, that's Greg, and that's Luna. We ain't here for no trouble... You got a name so I don't have to refer to you as if you're some sort of object? I really don't like doin' that." He said.


---


The boy occasionally winced when he went over the irritated areas, but the hot water was so nice and relaxing, and he could feel the grime slowly falling away from him.


Clayton finally stopped and flushed the toilet, sitting up against the wall of the stall. He was burning up, and he was barely even conscious. He felt and looked even worse.

 

[Elwin]

The woman stood up, still holding her guns. Why did they trust he put his guard down so easily after the speech about the world's state. She raised an eyebrow and folded her arms, a gun in each hand. "I'm Keeva." She shooked down her hood and glanced at Greg and Luna. None of them looked particularly threatening, except maybe the one who had pointed a rifle in her face.


~~


Coden smiled as he saw the boy become cleaner. He looked happier and comfier. He eventually realised that Clayton hadn't left the stall for a while. "Clayton, dude. Are you actually okay?" He paused. "Please answer me..."

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Nice to meet you, Keeva." Greg said as he stepped forward and hesitantly held out a hand. "I'm Greg, like Phil said... I'm a surgeon and doctor for our group." He sported a friendly half smile. "Please forgive Phil... He's just got some trust issues, that's all." He said to her.


--


Once the boy had been cleaned off, he turned around in the shower and faced Clayton, softly smiling as he did so. There were some towels under the bench in the center of the room.


".. I'll be fine..." Clayton called back. His voice was more of a murmur, though.

 

[Elwin]

Keeva scoffed. "Yeah, well." She nodded at him, ignoring his hand gesture. She kept her guns held tight. "I'm a wanderer of sorts, no particular profession to my name." Keeva glanced her eyes back at the three to make sure they wouldn't turn on her.


~~~


Coden grabbed a towel and wrapped it around the little boy's tiny body. He was seriously sweet looking when he looked healthy. Or healthier at least. Coden sighed at Clayton's response. "Clearly not, man.."

 

[DrTrollinski]

Greg took a look at her clothes and sighed. She was wearing summer clothes. Did she not look in the back storage?


"You're not going to last in those clothes... I'm about to head to the storage to find warm clothes and pyjamas for the little boy Phil found, so you're welcome to join me and dig around for a warmer jacket." He said. "I know you don't trust us, and my word probably won't mean much... But as a father of two, and a once loyal husband... I ain't gonna try and kill you, or anything like that." He said as he turned away, slipped his gun into his holster and then walked off into the back room, pulling out his flashlight.


--


"I'll get over it... Just... Ugh... Just wake me up when it's morning, okay...?" He mumbled back in response, clearly he wasn't fully with it right now, but he was still conscious.


The boy just kept the towel wrapped tightly around himself. Next up was getting dry, getting bandaged, and then getting wrapped up to wait for clothes.

 

[Elwin]

(She isn't wearing summer clothes she just doesn't have a jacket)


Keeva shook her head. She was cold but she didn't need them to try and help her. She didn't even know them. "I'm not worried that you're going to shoot me.." She paused. "But do any of you know where the state prison is?" She wasn't sure how she would get there, but she would.


~~~


Coden nodded at Clayton, scratching his head. "Sorry I can't help dude.." he turned back to the little boy and started to dry him with the towel gently.