We were doomed from the Start.(CLOSED)

[DeadnotSleeping]

The mayor was struggling against the wire, doesn’t caring that it wounds deep into his body. He was screaming his son’s name, as he watched the separated head. It was still wincing, the face bruised, the long locks slightly tangled together. Sometimes, its eyes opened.


Nie cried out again, as the sheriff pushed the branding iron deep into his skin, scorching new and new scars into him.


Every single family got a letter, again… and this time, the punishment didn’t stop. Nigel cried as he watched his Ebony Lady and Lady Knight took a branding iron each… he looked back to the separated head of his son.


“Liar.”


“Oath-breaker.”


“Murderer.”


“Faker…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"DAD COME ON PLEASE" I whimper at him trying anything to get him up. I try the recovery position again, to open up his airways. Give him some oxygen.


I end up pouring half a bottle of water over the guys face.


"Please God please please please please". Tears of pure panic streaming down my eyes.


The herd was getting closer but I had to bring my dad back around, or he would die.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

The mayor was forced down on his knees. The heavy armour seemed even more burdening than before… maybe it was because two dead bodies were hanging from his spread, tied up hands.


Father.


Mother.


The faces were horrible. He couldn’t bear to look at them. They were torn apart.


Just like his own son was being torn apart in the midst of that horrific circle in the middle of the courtyard… torn apart by the angry spirits of his people. The town’s once so happy crowd were shouting, accusing everyone and everything…


Nie opened his eyes. He stopped screaming.


He still couldn’t see anything else than that ghastly sight…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Fuck fuck fuck.. Come on dad." I start giving him the kiss of life.. His breathing had slowed right down, his heart was going to stop soon enough.


The herd of zombies were getting closer by the minute. I could hear them.


"I can't lose you now pa." I sob. Taking my breaths into his mouth. I elevated his head with Lucy.


Tapping his face harder I start physically yelling at him. I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him awake. But I dettered


Please don't die. Please.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Tearing apart. Putting together. Tearing him into bits, then puzzling the pieces together. Like they were searching for something, over and over, several times. Nigel felt dazed, as the ghost were working on him. The pain slowly overstepped bearable level, and the dentist screamed again.


Only this time, it was muffled. Somebody was shaking him, vigorously. Nie wanted to whimper from the pain. It was too much. It was all too much. He coughed, tasting blood in his mouth.


“Joy, please… I don’t… want to… get up… the training… can wait…”


It was really more he could bear. He was seriously hurt, and this time… he wasn’t able just set it aside. It was too much. Really too much…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"DAD. DAD COME ON. COME ON PLEASE". I hold the pineapple sweets under his nose in a vain attempt to recreate smelling salts.


But nothing is working.


I can feel his heart beat slowing down at an alarming rate. He wasn't breathing properly


"Dad. Please you have to wake up". I say then breathe into him again watching as his stomach rose and fell with every one of my breathes.


I slap his cheeks harder. Hoping he'll come round soon.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nigel watched the cheering crowd, almost dazed. Joy wasn’t silent, she was screaming with glee, jumping up and down in her gown, and she looked like she was floating in the daylight. The dentist looked at her, and suddenly, he could believe it.


The old mayor grinned, like he was the winner, as he grabbed the dentist’s hand, and hauled him to the middle of the stage.


“I’m really happy” he said, on a low voice, so no one else could hear. “Just do what you promised. Keep that knight’s oath you are so proud of. This was a good fight. You will have many more…”


Nie smiled.


“I will” he said, and then, he remembered.


He made an oath. He should have been keeping it… something was wrong…


Nigel was coming to the sharp, burning pain. The sensation of a slap on his face. He opened his eyes, dazedly staring into his son’s tearful face. He couldn’t breathe properly. He coughed, trying to move without avail.


“Mi… Mitch… Mitchell…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Oh my Christ thank god" I sigh with relief "here drink this."


I breathe heavily in relief holding onto my chest as my heart hurts from beating so hard.


"You passed out. I couldn't get you up. I couldn't wake you. Your breathing and heart slowed right down. Oh Christ I thought you were going to die." I rest my head on him in the form of a hug and sit back up again wiping Away the teary residue on my eyes.


Then something banged on the back windo and groaned.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie watched his son, still confused yet. Everything was broken, shattered memories puzzling back together, then breaking apart again… he had no idea what happened. His chest, abdomen and insides still hurt like hell. It was too painful, he could barely bear it without crying out… but he had to keep silent.


He hurt his son. Mitchell was crying. He was leaning against him, shaking from tears. He was hurt. That was clear.


He swallowed the cool liquid, then tried to smile, without too much success. His answer came out more broken than before.


“Mi…tchell.. don’t… worry… I’m… okay now… son… please… don’t cry… are you… all right?... You’re… hurt… I’m… okay…”


He was trying to say something more believable, to calm down his kid… he couldn’t. He just tried to breathe, slowly managing it… then losing it, coughing again as something beat against the window.


Oh… those… the biters.


No way. At least Mitchell should get out of this alive… but how?... Nie tried to move, tried to speak. He couldn’t. He could only watch.

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"No you're not ok. Stop saying that you are " I didn't mean to snap. I was just so mad at everything. I was mad at my father for not eating. For not speaking up until it was too late.


"You could have died. For a second you might have died. And why? Because you e been going through this pretending you're fine. But you're not fine if you'd just been honest "


I was raging from the shock


"I would've been able to help more and that wouldn't have happened."


The herd had nearly all caught up and were banging on the glass. I pulled the car away and kept driving in stunned silence

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie couldn’t even smile. He wanted to. To try and make his son believe it. He wasn’t able to move, his head still dizzy, pain filling up his senses slowly, maddeningly. This was so difficult. So torturous. He was shaking still, and this time, he couldn’t even hide it.


His son was right, he was telling the truth, but Nigel almost didn’t care, he was still worried about Mitchell…


The pain was too much. He still tried to speak, make his kid understand, at least to try… he realized why he was angry, but he was…


“You… were… hurt… you were… hurt… so much… I… wanted… you… to heal… stay safe… You’re… still… still hurt… please…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

" the only difference is I'm not dying. And I won't die from cuts and bruises." I keep my focus on the road. My breathing aggressive.


I was so angry with shock and relief. Like a parent who just found their child that's wandered off in the store.


I gritted my teeth to keep the stunned silence.


It was harsh being this angry. But dad needed to know he couldn't keep doing this he couldn't keep lying.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie could sense the anger in his son’s voice. He could even understand it. He just couldn’t do anything else.


He couldn’t pretend anymore. He didn’t have the power to do so, and it was scary. He ran out of time.


Still… the dentist chuckled, with a painful sob, as he realized their dire situation. He couldn’t win. No matter what he would do, his son would still be hurt.


“I’m… so… sorry… please… Mitchell… you… have to… take care… I… don’t want… you to… suffer… I… I’d die… anyway… you… are still… so strong…”


He couldn’t finish. Another road shock jerked his prone body, and this time, he cried out from the pain. That was really too much… he was on the verge of passing out again…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I pull the car over. His pain was too much for me to bear. I slammed my head on the steering wheel in desperation it pressed the horn.


"I wish you'd start caring for yourself for once. You get me to eat because I need to get better. But you let yourself get worse. Why? In what way is that protecting me? If you die, I die. You know that. But you still ignore your own body until it's too frigging late. Until you put me through you nearly dying. Why?" I pick up the energy bar in the middle of the car by the gearbox. "You lied. You didn't eat. Eat. Now. I need air"


I went out for a smoke. I didn't care if he saw me. I needed to calm down. I felt awful for feeling so mad at the sick mad. But it was justified. It was tough love.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie winced. Not only because the wounds hurt even more now… those words… the words were cutting in deep.


All was true. Everything. That’s why they were burning in, deeper than the brands. He still wanted to protest. Telling the boy that why he lied…


He couldn’t. All what escaped were soft whimpers, and when his son gave him that meal bar and left the car, almost fuming, the dentist wanted to cry. This was horrible, he managed to screw up everything… he looked down to the small packet in his hand.


Eat. Even the idea made him wince. He couldn’t even lift his hand to open the bar, much less to lift it. It was too much work… and the hot, throbbing spot in his jaw, where a molar used to be, discouraged him even more. He still sensed he was painfully full, from the swelling in his spleen… It was impossible…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I looked down the grass verge. And I couldn't see much. It was too dark. I took my cigarette. But I was too uncomfortable to enjoy it But I counted to ten afterwards to calm right down.


I got back in the car and didn't look at my Father. I knew I'd just break down if I did. I choke back the tears forming in my eye and drive off into the sunrise.


I didn't want to hear excuses. And I didn't want to see a dead man.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie felt the smoke when the boy returned, the stench of cigarettes. He wanted to speak up, to tell his son he shouldn’t do this. He couldn’t… he didn’t have the power.


Didn’t have the right.


The meal bar slid out from his palm, as he couldn’t keep his fingers closed anymore… the dentist closed his eyes. He was so tired. He was in too much pain. He just wanted to give up right there and there, in the accusing, angered silence. He failed again.


Vaguely, he remembered the spirits accusing him, and he was shaking again, wincing and whimpering when they hit yet another bump. What was worse than the pain was the fact that his son wasn’t talking to him. He was so furious?... Most likely…


“Mitchell…”


Nie remembered the tears, maybe he even saw them without looking up. What he did poisoned the air around them… he sighed.


“Son… I… love you… please… forgive me…”


He couldn’t finish. He couldn’t talk. He started to slid into the darkness again…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I had to stop the car and look at my father. My angered face changed to tears and breakdown almost instantly.


"I'm sorry I got so... So angry " I sob "I just love you so much. I can't have anything happen to you. It's not your fault that you are Ill but , please, let me help you. HELP me to help you. I can't help you when you lie. Please don't make me have to beg for your survival."

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

The crying was maybe even worse than the silence. Nie couldn’t bear it. It demanded every single drop of his remaining willpower to look up, and trying to raise his left hand, to reach toward his son.


“Don’t… cry… please…” he forced out the words, painfully. “You’re… a man… now… so… don’t cry…”


His attempt to smile turned into a rather grotesque mask, as the pain returned.


“I’m… not sure… how could… we do… anything… I don’t… don’t want to… leave you… it just… hurts… so much… I cannot… can’t… eat… it is… hard… the brands… too much… please… Mitchell… I just… couldn’t… tell you… burden you… even more… you’re… in too much… pain… for that…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Burden? A burden? You could never be a burden to me."


I start the car "we're going to find a hospital... Or somewhere. We need to get you somewhere with medical facilities. Books.. Stuff. We need to get you comfortable. The town the farmer told us about shouldn't be far now.. I'll be damned if they don't have a doctors surgery at the very least.


I start driving again. The start of the new day fast approaching.


Ironically what I wanted to find was a barrack like Johnnys. Except without the psychopaths.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie just nodded, exhausted, way too much in pain to really answer. Amongst his shattered thoughts, Mitchell’s words sounded probable. Almost comforting. Even if they didn’t offered much hope.


Ironically, the pain was a good sign, made him hope that maybe he will really survive this. He didn’t dare to check on his wounds before, scared that his son would notice them… so he could just hope they are simply infected, nothing more. Most likely, the hits and the friction didn’t help, too… vaguely, he sensed wetness, although what it was he couldn’t tell.


He was too tired to look.


The road shocks started to overwhelm him, bit Nie gritted his teeth, and clung to his remaining life.


He didn’t want to leave Mitchell alone, while he didn’t have to…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

We arrived at the town at dusk. It seemed like one of those towns that hadn't modernised since the 50s. Although it was difficult to tell because it had been ransacked more times than one could have thought possible. House doors wide open with furniture spewing out of them.


Shop windows smashed and looted


Funny, I thought, how when there's looting, someone always steals a telly.


No sign of life, which might have been a good thing.


We needed medical facilities. Now.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie was constantly drifting in and out from consciousness. No matter how hard he tried to hang on, hold out, it was difficult… every single bump in the road made him want to scream, cry out. He didn’t, though – he simply didn’t have the energy. Just winced and whimpered, when he was mostly conscious. Which was less and less often as his son drove through the road.


Funny thing how road jams might be missed… the dentist almost wished for them. Maybe the pain would stop, then.


He was conscious, however, when Mitchell slowed down, and drove more defensively, most likely rounding around obstacles. He tried to move, without much avail, so Nie just turned his head, watching his son’s determined face.


This was dangerous… but still, he was grateful.


He didn’t want to die. After all of this hell… he didn’t want to die.

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

My brow furrowed as I scanned the city.


Georgian Fields Minor Injuries Clinic.





"Look!" I say excitedly. It wasn't perfect and looked completely ransacked but there was hope. And probably a hospital bed. I jump out of the car and go round. Carefully hoisting my dad over me. I lock the car. Didn't want anyone stealing it...


I walked in and sat dad down on a waiting room chair. The place was a mess and stunk


"I'm going to scope the place. If anything happens you need to yell, OK?" I went off to view the building

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

The dentist choked back the painful cries when his son helped him up. No matter how torturous this was, the thought that maybe they could find something, anything there, some help of any kind, gave him some relief… some more endurance.


The place was desolated. Filled with horrible stench and rats. It kind of started to erase the hope…


Nie just nodded when his son talked to him, forcing out a smile.


“I’ll… try… please… be… careful…”


He was afraid. Scared. But he still didn’t dare to stop Mitchell… just closed his eyes when the boy left, shaking in the chair. He could barely found the strength to stay upright.


His son was right… and he had to hope still, somehow, that his determination will keep up after everything…