Mark, Starved For Help

It wasn't supposed to end like this. No. Far from it. What if Carley never noticed the approach of the St. Johns? What if the St. Johns never noticed us? Funny thing, the stuff your mind makes up as a dead man. Thinking about ways you could've been saved, listing the possibilities of your untimely rescue. Lee could have got me when Brenda St. John didn't let him see me. Katjaa could have looked at me instead of her. Seemingly, everything played a part in my death. Even Lilly's demanding order, forcing doubtful Lee and I to the farm in the first place was almost like a death sentence.

The last thing you'd ever guess was a second chance. At least, that wasn't what I was thinking as I took a chance at the dice of fate. A chance that'll ultimately change the very fiber of my destiny. Because suddenly, in a scowling white flash, I am sent back to the dairy farm, all limbs intact, and Lee at my side.

Andy smiles to me casually, discussing with the other ambassador for our group about the farm. His eyes shift unsteadily from me to Lee, and his fingers tap speratically against his hip. I never noticed that before. Amazing the things you pick up on once you get to witness things a second time. Hard to explain though why a dead man got a second chance at living. I've never met Doug. What if he deserved the chance more than I..? Nonsense. I rolled the dice. I get to play the turn.
"It would be helpful if you and your friend here could check the perimeter for any weaknesses." Andy voice drifts into my head like an old record player set on replay.

The irony of that simile. My entire life is set of replay.

"Me and Mark can head out right now." Lee agrees.

"That'd be great. I'll turn off the generators to the fences on the northeastern part."

I shiver, knowing the events to come, almost similar to a seer from those mythology stories ancient civilizations created. The bandits would shoot when we are removing our… was it third walker? I'll be caught off guard and impaled in the shoulder.

Lee seems to take note of my absence in the real world. With a wave of his hand in front of my face, he attempts to remove me from my dream-like state.

"Hey Mark. Are you okay?"

"Just have a…um…funny feeling about this place." I mummer once Andy is out of ear shot.

"I do too. It might not be safe. That's why we're checking this place out before we bring the others here." He agrees.

You have no idea. But maybe, if I play my cards right, I could live a second time. No cannibalism involved.

"Did you see the way Andy was shifting?"

"Must have slipped my mind to check. He might be nervous. C'mon." We begin walking the fence line, no longer hearing the hefty buzz of an alive electric line.

The first walker materializes in our line of vision and Lee fishes out his axe from its position at his side.

"There's one." He motions to the fried walker clinging to the fence line. A quick glance at the fence provides us with the fact that the fence is indeed off. He presses the axe into the once resurrected dead man and pushes him to the ground. We swiftly encounter the next walker, a girl with her hands literally glued to the fence she had tried to get by.

Grimacing, Lee removes her hands from her body so she could flop to the ground like a fish. Sadly, I see the very last one. The one tangled up in the intricate lines of electricity, in which created the poles holding it up to lean to the forest like it is begging other walkers to enter. The tractor harmlessly rests outside the line, awaiting the moment it'll protect Lee and I as we get to safety.

"We'd get better leverage if we were on the other side." Lee notices, stepping over the fence and grabs onto one of the poles.

With a sigh, I join him and together we push it up, releasing the walker. This time, I can hear the barbaric cry of the inhabitants of the forest. This time around, I notice their faces peering over the undergrowth and around trees to see us. And this time, I see the arrow that unintentionally leads me to my irrelevant death the first time.

Much to my dismay, despite knowing the events to come step for step, the arrow still rips through my shoulder like a spike. It presses between bones and forges its way all the way through before it halts when I could no longer feel the razor sharp tip in my skin.

I grip the arrow in my hand, feeling the blood pulsing around the point of entry.

"Mark!" Lee shouts, diving for the cover of the tractor as I kneel down. Wave after wave of persistent arrows attempt to impale us as we hide behind the farm equipment.

I thought I could avoid this. I was almost for sure I could prevent the root of my death from forming. Once things start rolling in motion, my death might turn out to be inevitable. I hope not.

"Mark are you okay?" He whispers to me like it is a secret, barely audible above the screeches and plunking sounds from the arrows impact.

"F-fine. We need to get this tractor moving." I respond.

Lee nods, peering around the traitor in order to pull the lever on the attached equipment. He releases the block, allowing the tractor to roll slowly with us flanking the shield. Much too quickly, the tractor runs into the side of a previously removed walker; the girl.

"Crap…" Lee mutters, taking her by her severed wrists and yanks her out from under the tractor so the farming tool can continue.

Once again, the tractor connects with the first walker.

"Wait, Lee—" I try to warn him as he reaches for it and the walker in turn grips his arm, yanking it to its awaiting mouth.

Driven by the tsunami of adrenaline pouring into my veins, I smash the walker's head in be kicking it. Lee sighs in relief when it relinquishes him.

"Thanks Mark." Lee expresses his gratitude.

"No problem." I breathe when Lee and I make a break for the gates that lead to the farm.

Brenda looks up from her position of gazing upon the atmosphere around her to focus her gaze on us.

"My Lord! What happened?" She gets up, rushing to our side, alerting Danny and Andy.

"Mark!" Katjaa also approaches, having arrived seconds ago along with Clementine, Duck, and Kenny.

"Come on dear. Let's get you inside." Mother St. John says, not concerning herself with my opinion.

I have too. To ultimately save my life.

"Katjaa can look after me. I'll be fine." I attempt to press myself closer to the group of my companions, noticing the absence of Lilly and Larry.

"Sit down, Mark. I'll patch you up." Katjaa murmurs soothingly, helping me to sit down on the hard packed earth.

"Anything I can do to help?" Lee asks, hugging Clementine close.

"Not now." Katjaa shakes her head.

"We left Carley and Ben at the motel." Kenny informs us.

"And Lilly and Larry?" I wince as the doctor brushes the arrow lightly. Brenda watches, a frown gracing her features.

"We don't know where they went!" Duck exclaims.

"Now what happened to you folk?" Andy questions, standing beside his mother and younger brother.

"We were attacked by bandits. When the fence came on." Lee replies, venom dripping in his voice as steadily as rain.

"I'm sorry to hear that…" Danny apologizes.

"So this place isn't safe?" Kenny looks up from watching Duck.

"No, no. It's safe. Those bandits are just unpredictable." Andy reassures us.

"Okay Mark. Steady. I'm going to pull now." Katjaa warns, tugging on the end closest to her.

I tense up, sucking in a breath. Nothing could equal the feeling of having something removed by force. She gently begins pulling. However, it is ripped from me when Katjaa accidently jerks her grip. She had jumped as scream echoes in the forest.

"Mark, sorry. I'm sorry. Lee, Kenny, I need something to press against it."

The two men grope with the bottom of their shirts, ripping off some to press the material against the point of entries.

"That wouldn't have happened if I would've done it." I hear Brenda's voice tell her sons what she believes her hands could've done better.

"What was that Lee?" Clementine tugs at his pant leg sacredly like his leg could provide her all the protection she needed.

"I see Lilly and Larry!" Katjaa announces, allowing all of us to see the two figures on the ridge, coming down to meet us. Lilly is hunched over in pain.

Brenda St. John steps on the chance as though as it is a cockroach.

"Come here honey. Brenda will make you well again." Once Lilly was in striking distance, Brenda latches onto her and nearly drags Lilly with her to the house. I can almost see the arrow peeking out of her right shoulder.

"What happened?" Larry demands as Katjaa starts securing the make shift bandages.

"Bandits. And you?" Lee answers for the second time.

"Same here. This place is like a fortress," He comments," How could you get tangled up with bandits in a place like this?"

"The fence came on when we happened to be on the other side. They started shooting when they saw that."

"Sorry about that ya'll. I bumped into the panel on accident and turned it on." Andy apologizes, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

"How about we make it up to you with a meal. Mamma sure can cook." Danny offers.

The meal. The meal thank God I'm not a part of. I changed it. I changed my very fate! I'm not going to be cannibalized. I'm going to live! A smile paints its way across my face. It's just…unbelievable…

"We sure are hungry…" Clementine comments, peering at me from behind Lee.

"Then it's settled. We'll stay for dinner." Larry confirms.

"Great. I'll tell mamma." Danny walks off to do just that, leaving his apologetic brother and the rest of us.

"How does it feel now?" Katjaa asks, rubbing the part of my shoulder that hasn't been skewered.

"Bit better. Still aches." I reply.

"When we get back to the motel, I'll get you some pain medicine." She promises.

"Does it hurt?' Clementine approaches me slowly as though as I am one of the walkers moaning in the recesses of the forest.

"Hardly. Katjaa is making me feel much better." I reassure her with a smile, pushing my glasses up my nose.

"That's good. I'll make you a card later to help you get well." She speaks, adjusting her hat.

"Thank you."

Andy sways on his feet in an attempt to keep himself occupied.

"I think I'll go help mamma." With that, he rushes off to assist Brenda, disappearing into the seemingly unaffected piece of heaven of a house, circled by a crown of white picket fences. Wonder what Lilly's up too.

"Hey, hey Mark, come push us on that swing!" Duck demands, pulling on Clementine's and my hand to get us in motion.

"Leave him be Duck-" Kenny begins.

"I'm fine. I still have one good arm." I cut in, giving into Duck's pleas for attention.

I accompany him and Clem to the swing dangling harmless from the leafless tree limb.

"You can go first." Duck offers to Clementine, much like a gentleman should.

"Thank you," A smile paints her face as she sits on the swing, jumping a little in order to get fully into the seat, "Now don't hold back okay?" She grips the adjoining ropes tightly in each hand.

"You got it." With an attentive push with my still mobile arm, I start swinging Clementine.

The atmosphere changes in that instant. The rustling of dead leaves and the cheering of the children to go higher drones out any other item that possesses sound. The wind whistles nearby, assisting me in my pushing of Clementine. Lee watches, smiling a silent 'thank you' as Clementine releases a chorus of laughter.

Higher and higher she rises, appearing to fly in the sky. Just like the pilots, before the infection hit. Nothing could amount to the feeling of flight. Equaling it is impossible. Because when you're flying, there's an endless amount of possibilities.

"My turn, my turn!" Duck cries as I slow down Clementine as best as I can.

"Thank you Mark! I'll make you two pictures!" Clementine promises, hoping off the swing for Duck to take her place and runs off to join Lee's side.

"I want to go really high!" He declares, squeaking with joy when I take my first push.

Over his shoulder, or when he flies into the dimming sky, I can see Kenny talking quietly to Lee, pointing to the barn that no doubly Katjaa is in. Why was she there? Oh ya. Their cow is sick, and Kat's a vet. That's why. The two men start heading for the barn, leaving Clem to run through the piles of colorless leaves. Larry goes over and exchanges a few words with Danny, who appears just as Lee and Kenny enter the barn.

For some reason, I can feel my heart beat pulsing in my ears. It thumps faster and more steadily than a normal heart should race. Duck's cheerful glee is muted.

All of a sudden, the pain crashes into me. It is a distant memory, suppostively postponed or erased, but now it feels real enough for me to drop to me knees. The teeth claw at my skin, ripping the cover away with ease and begin hacking away at my muscles. A muffled cry escapes my lips and red floods my vision. I can barely hear Duck's cries for assistance over my own.

The blade hits bone, chipping away at the material like it is simple wood. Once it passes through the core, it chomps the rest of the way until that ligaments falls with a sickening thud.

"Mark! Someone get Kat!" I can feel a warm hand grasp my body and hall me from the ground. My glasses roll off and land harmlessly in the manicured grass, blurring the red covered world around me.

The person, whoever is holding me—I can't tell at this point—rushes me to the barn, to Katjaa. Not to Brenda or the other St. Johns. That's enough reassurance for me.

`The last thing I hear before my pain induced black out is Clementine's small voice.

"Tell him not to worry. I have his glasses."

-Soul Spirit-