Chapter 22

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They all sat on the table in Sam and Tom's house, drinking hot chocolate and eating enormous slices of apple pie with raisins and walnuts. The sun was a golden ball in a flawless blue sky, and the snow is not too cold in the weather. However, this rampant beauty did nothing to lighten the mood of sadness and horror that hovered like fog around them.

Lalon sat apart, cross-legged on the couch. He had not spoke a single word since the confrontation of the Frontier threat and the new mutated Infected. He mostly kept eating Tom's apple pie and sharping the blade of his spear. Sam nibbled at his, but he had no appetite. Neither did Vix, though she poked angrily at the dessert until it was a mangled beige lump of goo on her plate. Benny and Dylan ate theirs, though Benny seemed to be eating on autopilot, his eyes focused on Vix's stern but beautiful profile, and it nearly pissed Sam off for a moment.

Tom sat across from Vix, looking unhappy.

"What happened back there?" Sam finally asked. "With the attack on the kids, that Strider guy and Kal... and..."

Tom sighed and ran his hands over his face. "It was an attack by a group called Frontiers. From the name of the threat, they're probably the Flyer Frontiers. A few survived and maybe joined together in their own group to reclaim their community. Or maybe they are copycats. Who knows, although, we have to look out for them, especially that the kid Kal is worried about them. We'll inform Negan and the Bounty Hunters about this in case of an emergency."

"Not only the threat, there's the big Infected that Negan and Mal came across down south," Vix said.

Tom nodded.

Sam thought about mentioning his suspicions that Strider knows something about the Frontiers. The ugly thought formed in his mind. What if he brought those people and why he left before going to the Tradepost? Had he brought anything worse this way? Would the Tradepost be in trouble- and make it worse does he know about the mutated Infected. And knowing about that, would anyone be able to kill off the Infected, from its hard skin shell. Oh poor Vix, she has more problems to deal with and is trying not to tell the whole community about this.

Sam reached over and gave her knee a squeeze; and when Sam looked at her he saw a complexity of emotions swirling in her hazel eyes. She gave him a sad little smile, and he wondered, not for the first time, if she could somehow read his thoughts. Or feel what he felt.

"This really sucks," said Dylan. "Infected becoming stronger, indestructible..."

"Yeah," said Benny.

"Well, it's not something new. Tom and people who lived after the Black Night dealt with the Infected mutating to the Runners." Lalon pointed out, standing up to come over to Vix, making the conversation light.

Vix whirled at Lalon. "Runners are fast but don't have skin that's bullet proof!" She said fiercely.

"Vix, we have to think positive-"

"Positive?" Vix's voice was as cold as ice. "Positive as to tell the community about this. What would they think? Their reaction of the infection, virus, space probe or whatever caused this- of the new Infected. And mix it in with an old rival of our past."

Everyone looked at Vix, and Sam was expecting her to cry or punch Lalon or do something extreme.

Instead she took a deep breath. Inhaling and exhaling. A tear broke from the corner of one eye and burned a silver line down her cheek.

Vix wiped the tear with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry."

"Vix, let me do the work for now. We will figure it out. Think of one of your weapons to make. I'll deal with the threat. Will warn the Bounty Hunters about it. Even contact to the Tradepost, what they got information from Strider and Kal."

Vix nodded and without a word turned and walked away.

"Vix!" Lalon called, starting to rise, but Tom stopped him with a shake of his head.

"Leave her be," Tom said. "She needs some time."

Lalon did leave it, going out as Dylan left with him, grabbing a slice of pie. Sam sees Vix slammed the gate behind her, putting her gloves on. Sam couldn't hear what she was mumbling under her breath. At first there were cursing, but the words were muffled by distance. Then Vix swiped her medium long hair back, sighing before going for a walk in the nice weathered snow.

"Don't go over there, Sam," said Benny softly.

"No," Sam agreed. However he felt horrible and helpless. Vix was the most bravest person he'd ever laid eyes on. And seeing her being on a tight ledge of a breaking point, it made Sam feel deeply sorrow about her, wanting to realize the insecure feeling and wrap his arms around her. Sam wished he could drag his own stupid mind behind the house and kick the crap out of it and make a stand.

After a couple hours, he are the last of the leftovers from supper and more big slices of pie. He and Tom sat in silence, trying not to look at each other. He kept thinking about Vix, the Frontier threat, and most importantly the new Infected. It was like the start of the Ruins, and the Black Night was like a million years ago.

This world was no longer a world before. The dead rose, the living perished. Cities destroyed by military, electronics fried from nukes. The machines went silent, and soon the whole country. Then the Flyer Frontiers became the Ruins military, and were incinerated by a futile of armies. Now people are used to the Eleven Towns and other towns littered in the foothills of the Ruins and not afraid of the Infected and Runners.

Now, people will be scared again and it's back from the start.

"Earth to Sam."

Sam blinked and heard as an after-echo the sound of Tom snapping his fingers.

"Huh?"

"Jeez... what planet were you orbiting?"

"Oh... just kind of drifted there."

"Vix or the new problems."

"Little of both."

"Must have been more about the problems," Tom said. "There was less drool."

"You are very nearly funny," said Sam. He looked down at his plate and was mildly surprised that it was empty.

"Yes," said Tom, "you were eating on autopilot. It was fascinating to watch."

He smiled, but the smiled turned downwards. "Was it scary?"

"What was?"

"When you saw the Runners for the first time?" Asked Sam.

Tom sighed and nodded slowly. "That felt like the moment it was the end of the world. But after a few months, understanding the physicality and the weakness of the Runners, I knew they weren't much of a threat like the Infected."

"Well, they can run and make a herd come by their screams."

Tom nodded. "True."

"I understand. I mean..."

"You scared, Sam?"

Sam shrugged. "Yeah..." He muttered.

"It's ok to be scared," said Tom. "You, Vix, and other kids like yourself were born or grew up when Runners were around. It wasn't a big deal, so hearing about it terrifies you all. Everyone gets scared on anything, even if it's familiar to them. Between wild animals, earthquakes, volcanoes, viruses, wars... Yet look at what people did. They built cities and countries. They fought off enemies. They started be strong and the reason they became strong because they were afraid and the fear can be died down as people become strong. We will overcome the new Infected and the threat. We also learn how to work together. That mattered then and it'll matter now. None of us could do this alone. I know I couldn't. Not going across the whole country."

"I thought you liked being alone," said Sam, half joking. "The hunter, warrior master and all that."

Tom shook his head. "I can handle loneliness and before, but I don't like it. Every time I was out on a long job I even looked forward to coming to you. An ugly, smelly, bratty little boy."

"Who will smother you in your sleep," suggested Sam.

"Point taken."

"And you have your great way of wisdom. So, I will go talk to Vix."

"Remember not to drool."

There was a knock on the door. Sam shot to his feet and crossed the kitchen to the back door. He was smiling, smoothing his hair back as he undid the locks.

"...Hi."

"Hey, Sam," she smiled. "I'm going to have a shower."

"Oh, okay. Y-you can have your shower, I mean... you kind of live here. I-I... uh..."

She moves passed by him, getting up the stairs. Tom suddenly snickered under his breath. "Smooth."

"Shut up."

He went to the living on his fitness. After few years of Tom's insane pre-tip fitness regimen, he was no longer the skinny kid he'd been when he had first ventured out into the Ruins. He actually had muscle definition and even the beginnings of six-pack and. He made sure that he took his shirt off in front of Vix as often as he could reasonably justify it, usually after hard training sessions. He worked hard to make it look casual, but it was disheartening how often Vix giggled or didn't appear to notice instead of swooning with lust.

Now he looked at his arms and chest, at the muscles earned through all those hours of training with swords and jujitsu, boxing and karate; at the tone acquired from endless repetitions with weights, from running five to ten miles five times a week, from climbing ropes and trees and playing combat games. He finished his workout and went to his room. He bent over to the mirror, wondering how much of that face belonged to the man he was becoming or to the boy he still believed himself to be. The face seemed to fit more with his inner voice than with Sam's perception of his current self.

That was the problem, and it was at the core of everything. On one hand he wanted to be eighteen and younger and go fishing and play baseball and get in trouble swiping apples from Snotty O'Malley orchard. On the other hand, he wanted to be a man, and to go out and defend off the Infected and survive the Ruins. He wanted to be as strong as Tom, as powerful as Tom. He wanted people to show him the fear and respect they showed Tom, and even just like Mal. She'd overcome throughout the Ruins, became a fierce fighter, people feared her, and is a kickass. And also that she is Negan's girlfriend which brings more terror and respect to others.

Sam knew that once he takes charge he would have to become tougher. There would be challenges that would toughen him and strengthen his "legends," just as Tom's many adventures as the region's most feared Infected hunter had built his legend. No doubt Vix would find him irresistibly sexy the farther from town they got and the tougher he became.

For Vix, everything that mattered was in this community and her own family.

Sam was more than half sure that Vix likes him the way he is, then it would make him proud of himself to not change. He wants to be tough but is afraid of change. Change of being a different person than the Sam he is.

Tell her, said the inner voice. Tell her your feelings.

Sam ignored the suggestion. It's not the right time.

He sees Vix's door open. He shimmied an inch closer to the door before knocking.

"Come in," Vix said.

Sam comes in and stared into the middle of the room, being distance from her.

Vix sat on the bed and look at him, and the night sky made her hair even darker. And her eyes glow in a deep hazel.

"I feel the pressure now."

"Pressure?"

"Being a leader. The new mayors are the leaders, yet expect us people with experience outside the walls to know what to do."

"I think you're doing swell."

She smiled. "I try. Learned from the best."

"And who's that by?"

"Mal."

Sam shook his head at the stupid response. "Course, that was stupid to think that."

She giggled and it surely made Sam's heart flutter. "Every day gets bigger. God, I got some ideas on weapons on defeating the new Infected, yet I rather test them myself."

"You could use something with that bow and arrow of yours. I mean, add your nail bomb and mix it together in an arrow or those smoke bombs. They've helped." Sam suggested, and Vix became in deep thought.

"You made me have a few ideas." She paused and sighed. "I'm doubting myself. I think that I and the RK's trained the kids wrong."

"Wrong? Why?"

"Because right now we've know what things are. Infected are Infected and Runners are Runners. And people can be bad so trust your instincts. But with this new Infected, then I'm not certain about this." She paused. "Maybe we... I've been teaching those kids the wrong way."

"Stop," he said, touching his fingers to his shoulder. "The world changed. Always. We can't know what comes next, but we can prepare ourselves. Runners were the big deal before to people, but not us. We have to deal with whatever comes, help others be smart enough and tough enough to overcome the problem. You didn't teach them anything wrong. Lalon, Lugh, and Mal would feel the same way with you, with me, that all kids are taught wrong. But we can conquer the Ruins. Nothing you've taught them is wrong, sometimes we have to learn ourselves."

He smiled, hoping that it brought hope to Vix and not see her doubt herself again. Vix gave a reassuring smile and takes his hand that's on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you for that, Sam." She said with the sweetest smile. "You're really sweet and have your words."

He hides under his collar to not let Vix see his blush, and shrugged. "Well... I've learned from the best. Although, I do have my own wisdom."

Sam will be preparing for tomorrow, for the time will come where Fairview learns about the threat and fighting off the new Infected. He also wonders if the Tradepost and Sanctuary will hear about it and help along the way. Speaking of Mal, does she know about the attack the kids, the inner voice questioned Sam.

"Better inform Negan about it." He asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, speaking of Negan, you think Mal and Negan consummated their love?"

If Sam took a drink, he would of spat a whole gallon. His eyes bulged wide, the part of his brain died the moment Vix said consummated. Opening and closing, he couldn't speak for a moment, raising a finger for a moment as he tries to process his words.

"I-I-I rather not think about it or even hear about it. Yuck!" He fake gagged. "Why you asked that?"

"Because we are her friends and I know it's gross to talk about it, but they are so cute together. I appreciate their love and Mal overcoming her fear over you-know-who."

"Yeah. The jackass. Mal will eVentually get over the fear, with some help from her older boyfriend," he joked, but earned a smack on his stomach. "I known Mal as my friend and Negan as well, but hearing them do it- eww. Nope. And cute isn't the right word."

They laughed together, and Sam definitely knows their relationship will grow. And find time to tell her his feelings. At least there is progress.

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