FUBAR

“She’ll be the death of me. I’m looking forward to the day she pickpockets someone she can’t run away from.”

“I love that guy. ”

“Not a medical one- well, not a qualified one anyway. But I was well trained to deal with a lot before all of this,” he replied. “You want me to take a look for you?”

“That’s good enough for me.” If only high school prepared kids for the apocalypse, then there would be more people roaming the desolate earth with practical apocalypse jobs – doctors, pilots, servicemen. “If you’ve got a minute.”

Well, this was a first, to see his temper be tested. A simple question and he was acting like the dog that bit him–threatened. She looked at the mark on his skin, “I’ve seen a walkers bite, and that, is nothing in comparison.” she looked back at him. “Easy tiger, I’m not going to report you, but let’s get that looked at,hmm?” she signaled for him to follow her. 

This certainly wasn’t how she expected things to go after a couple weeks without seeing him. Safe to say, that yes, she had been thinking about him. Right now, her thoughts were on fixing his wound, rather her attempts to flirt with him. “Were you attacking someone or did it just magically jump out at you?”

He had set out on a mission, and that mission was to gather up some of Cheyenne’s confidential information on the apocalypse to add to his increasing collection. Another town, another chance at figuring out where it all began. And then the dog got in the way. “Not magic. Just pissed off that someone was in their territory.”

He trailed behind Victoria, a familiar face that he had missed, even if he wouldn’t admit it. In an effort to prevent her from asking about his time out in the field, he made the first move. “What have you been doing?”

“I never said it was,” he replied simply. The bite had caught Samuel’s eye briefly and it seemed that his stare had lingered a little too long on the mark. He doubted it was a walker bite anyway, the marks were far different to what they should be like for that. “Alright, I apologise for staring. Have you cleaned that properly, though? You don’t want to be risking an infection.”

Define ‘properly’, he wanted to say. His bandages were already turning an off-shade of white and a tinge of red was visible on the exterior layer. It could do with a proper clean up job. “You a doctor? Or one of those yuppies that think they’re a doctor after patching up some post-apocalypse first-aid grade wounds? Not that it’s a bad thing.”

     Marissa took several steps back, her concerned look and emotion only increasing, “I’m just concerned, okay, Mac! What if you were actually bitten by a walker? What would you do then? If you don’t want me to be here then I’ll go, okay? Is that what you want?”

“For starters, I wouldn’t be here talking to you about it.” God knows where he’d be if he had actually been bitten by a walker – probably miles away with a gun to his head. He’d be as good as gone, but that was a problem for later. If when it ever happened. At the mention of her leaving, his gaze dropped to the ground, lips pressed tightly together until he could muster up enough courage to admit he needed her.  

“No.” And for a moment, he sounded small. Don’t go. It was hard being alone the first time. “Fuck. Okay, I’m sorry.” A callous apology, lacking the sincerity and effort neither of them had time for. “Can we keep moving?”

     Marissa smile widened, “So I no longer look like a teenager wielding a gun?”

     Marissa nodded, “Yeah, defiantly; someone’s got beat some criminal ass!”

He tipped his head and gave her a quick look over. Different, but the same old Marissa. “You look like a cop. What changed? Seems like a missed out on a lot since I last saw you.”

He groans, sitting himself firmly on their couch. “Mac, please. Why?” He lays down, sprawling out. “Can’t we have a day in?” 

“Why? What do you mean ‘why?’ Because there are planes.” He takes a seat on the edge of the couch, forcing Rhett to draw his legs in. “It’s always a day in for you. Some fresh air will do you some good.”

@mac-slater

     Marissa smiled widely, strutting up to the tall man in front of her, her new uniform clinging to her skin. “How do I look?” she asked, twirling around for Mac to see. 

     When she saw Mac in the crowd of people at her class’s graduation, she couldn’t hide her grin. He’d helped her so much before she entered the academy, and gave her amazing advice. Knowing that she was finally graduating, she felt as though she was making him proud. But not only Mac, but her father as well. He died for the safety of his city back in Seattle, and even though he wasn’t here with her now, Marissa knew she was making him proud.

“It’s a good look on you,” he told her, waiting until she finished spinning to wrap an arm around her, pulling her in for a congratulatory hug. “You’re the real deal now.”

If there was anything good to come out of moving to Cheyenne, it was that he could see his girl graduate from the police academy. The last time he’d seen her, she was a rookie in training. Now, she was donning the uniform she had waited so long to wear. Proud was an understatement.

“Ready for the mean streets of Cheyenne?”

“I  can’t.” He’s lying. He just really doesn’t want to. “I have to… work?” 

“And I have a meeting with the president.” He knows Rhett’s lying. He doesn’t care if he doesn’t want to. “Today’s your day off. Let’s check out the air base.”

SKY’S STILL BLUE – sgt. mackenzie slater

Being less than honorably discharged isn’t easy for a man who was groomed to take the lead in the battlefield. Everything was fine and dandy until a suicide bomber singlehandedly took the lives of the team he was responsible for. Anyone would have reacted the same way as he did… guilt-ridden, angry, utterly devastated… only, the very people he put his trust in found it easier to boot him for misconduct than honorably discharge him because of undiagnosed PTSD.