Part of the RDR Character Mash I had "Charles Smith" and "Post-Apocalyptic" General Fic | Teens and Up | Zombie-AU | CW for suicidal thoughts AO3 Version It was the fifth day of yet another heat-wave and Charles Smith felt ready to die. He had thought about it before - after his old little colony had been run down by the Zombies, half of them eaten alive and the rest turning into monsters he had to get out on his own. He had been 17 back then. Weeks on his own, falling in and out with other groups but never quite fitting on. It had hardened him and left him with little joy. The marks on his arms still told the stories of the battle with himself, one that he almost had lost weren’t it for some kind strangers who had found him back then. A couple, Dutch and Hosea. They had patched him up and he had ridden with them for a while. Until they had been taken out by the real monsters in this mess - the big communities that were making their own laws. Now he was alone again, his horse Taima his only - and best - companion. But it was hard, living like this. And lonely. He looked at the sun that had started to set. His goal for the day had been to find a source of water as his canteen had run dry by now but so far he didn’t have any luck. The heatwaves had become worse each year, there always was a drought and he hadn’t had time to seek out the north for a few weeks because he had been holed up, staying away from patrols roaming the streets to take in loners as bait for the zombies. Taima snorted, she was tired and as dehydrated as him. They both needed water … but Charles also had to make camp soon. It wasn’t safe to stay out in the dark, especially not alone. Then he noticed something. Smoke on the horizon, signs of a fire. He frowned, wondering how good his chances of a safe encounter would be. It always was dangerous to approach strangers, always a risk. But today it felt like it was worth taking - what had he to lose? He brought Taima to a trot, mumbling an apology to the tired mare. He felt how tired she was and swore to himself that she would get any treat that he could find, just to make up for it. He had to cut through a line of trees to get to the source of the smoke and decided to get down from the horse for that. He didn’t want to seem like too much of a threat. When he was almost through the trees he realized that it was a cabin he was walking towards, one half of the wall torn down but covered with some canvas. “Anybody there?” he called out. He didn’t see anybody but suspected that somebody was watching the fire. Suddenly he felt the barrel of a shotgun, pressed between his shoulder blades. “What’d ya want?” He heard a stranger say right behind him. Charles raised his hands, slowly not to startle him. He was surprised that somebody had managed to sneak up to both him and Taima like that but he suspected it was because of the heat and the exhaustion. “My name’s Charles, I just need some water for my horse and me. Her name’s Taima. We’re just tired.” He spoke in a soft voice, his tone as kind and calm as he could muster. “A horse, pa! Look how pretty!” The voice of a kid, Charles didn’t see him so he had no idea how old he was but he heard the man behind him curse under his breath. “Told ya to stay away, Isaac! This is a stranger!” But Isaac didn’t seem to listen. Charles saw a boy with blond hair walk up to Taima, offering her his hand to smell on. He looked up at Charles for a moment, then his gaze wandered back to his Pa. “He ain’t bad, I can tell, Pa. We have to help them.” The boy said, almost pleading. Charles couldn’t imagine raising a kid like him in this mess and wondered if these two were all alone. “You try somethin’, you’re dead”, he heard the stranger whisper, probably trying to shield his boy from the harsh truth they were living in. “Alright.Thank you”, Charles said and he felt how the gun was taken away from his body. At least for now. “There’s a well behind the cabin, can have a drink there. Got some beans left, too and a bedroll for the night”, the stranger walked around him, eyeing him up before extending his hand. “Name’s Arthur, by the way.” Charles took his hand, offering the stranger a smile. “Nice to meet you, Arthur.”