The Regulator

October, 15th 8:43 PM

“The days get colder and the dead are getting more numerous. We had more than one scare today, multiple walkers walking around the camp. Gotta be more cautious. Nick and Monica are going to ‘raise’ a militia. Basically, make sure everyone above the age of 16 is armed and ready to fight when needed. Can’t hurt to be prepared. - Brad”

I.

"It's getting cold out here." Brad said. He looked around at the surrounding trees, their leaves red and brown as they died.

"It's been getting colder for weeks. It's not summer anymore." Andrew said. He walked to the edge of the platform and scanned down the road, seeing nothing.

"We'll have to figure something out. Find some personal space heaters at a Wal-Mart somewhere or something." Brad said, checking the other side of the road.

"Yeah, if they weren't all looted. Plus you really think the generators could run that sort of thing? A personal space heater in every cabin? I don't think we have that kind of gas." Andrew said, concerned. Gas was already becoming a problem. They didn't need to keep using more of it.

"If we were just dealing with us, adults, having to survive at this camp I'd be fine with that. But we have kids to keep alive, they aren't gonna be as durable in the winter." Brad argued.

"Maybe you're right. But I don't see why we can't just find some heavier clothes and blankets and call it a day." Andrew responded.

Brad smiled and put his hand on Andrew's shoulder, "One day you'll understand going a little farther for your people is important. You said it yourself, you're going to protect those kids under your care. That goes beyond shooting all the shambling corpses you see. You have to look out for them in all areas not just one. Especially now, when they can't do it themselves."

"Shooting corpses isn't all bad, without me doing that you'd be dead, old man." Andrew laughed.

"Why the hell do you think I let you carry that gun around? It's not too look tough, I don't think anything could make you look tough." Brad grinned.

Andrew laughed, throwing friendly punches at each other was a nice break from the dreadful life they had been living. Scavenging for food, constantly building defenses from early in the morning to late at night, dealing with undead ghouls stumbling on to the camp before they could hurt anyone, all while trying to pretend the camp was still just a normal summer camp for the kids. Both Andrew and Brad knew it wasn't working anymore though. The kids were starting to see through the sham. They were starting to understand what was really going on.

Brad sighed, Andrew could literally feel the general mood get darker. “How much longer do you think we can keep it up?”

“My groups already starting to ask questions. Real questions. Not ‘Where are my parents?’ or ‘Why haven’t we gone home yet?’. They’re asking questions like ‘Why are dead people walking around?’, ‘Why’d they bite Mia?’, ‘Why’d you kill all those people in the barn?’. Andrew told Brad.

Brad swallowed hard, “They still ask about the Barn?”

“I don’t think anyones gonna forget that.” Andrew said quietly.

“We did what we had to do.” Brad said, his voice stern and commanding.

“You see... I just don’t know if that’s true.” Andrew responded. It got quiet, real quiet.

“We didn’t do anything wrong.” Brad said, once again sternly.

“You told everyone who was bit to wait for help in the barn. When they were all in there, men, women, and children, you locked the barn and refused to let them out...” Andrew said. A hint of disgust in his voice.

“What else would I have done?” Brad asked. His voice trembled just a little, he was losing.

“Tried to help them maybe? Instead you caged them up like animals and waited until they died. Then you lead me, and Nick, and Brandon, and all those guys in... and we cleaned up your dirty work.” Andrew said, angrily.

“What else would I have done? The news said there was nothing you could do for someone thats been bit, I did the best thing I could, you can’t be angry with me over that.” Brad said, his temper rising.

“I’m not angry with you because of what you did, I’m angry cause you refuse to acknowledge that it was the wrong choice.” Andrew said, defiantly. The whole world seemed to grow quiet. Andrew and Brad stared at each other. Brad was in charge, Andrew was just one of his people. But he was a pusher, he didn’t stand by and let Brad lead without criticism. He pushed Brad, especially when Brad made a bad call.

“Do you regret what you did?” Brad asked.

“Everyday.” Andrew responded. Silence.

“Me too.” Brad followed up. “But I still think it was the only thing we could have done.”

Andrew stared at Brad for a bit, then turned and walked. “I needa go put my group to bed. You got the rest of this shift?”

Brad turned away from Andrew, sighing “Yeah.”

Andrew climbed down off the platform, walked down a long the rock wall, and passed under the big sign that read “Camp Fireside”.

Andrew walked through the darkened camp. Torches lit the pathways, and were spread just far enough that their dim glows could reach each other. Walking around the camp at night put Andrew a bit on edge. The walls weren’t completed yet, so undead were known for commonly stumbling onto the camp grounds at night. Andrew held his gun at the ready, just in case anything happened.

Andrew eventually came upon the lake. The moonlight danced and reflected off the dark water, illuminating the big field, the picnic tables on the “Peninsula Ventura”, and the cabins just a little aways away at the start of the woods. The mountains that surrounded the camp were dark an ominous, not a single detail of any of them could be made out, even in the moonlight.

Andrew walked over to the picnic tables, which sat on the peninsula reaching out into the black, gloomy water. Andrew walked to the center table. Scratched into the table were the words “Samurai’s 2013”. Under that, the names Andrew, James, Seth, Jaxon, Danny, Anthony, and Niko were also scratched in. Andrew ran his hand over the list and smiled, remembering the better times.

“Out for a late night stroll?” Andrew heard a voice shout behind him. Andrew jumped and clumsily raised his gun as he turned around. Nick stood there, arms out stretched.

“Shit, Nick. Don’t sneak up on me like that.” Andrew said, lowering the gun.

“I was just curious as to what you’re doing.” Nick laughed. He walked forward and joined Andrew by the table.

“Just remembering happier times.” Andrew responded, turning down and reading the names again.

“I know what you mean, man. It really is a struggle, going through all this. Seeing what these kids have to go through. It sucks man.” Nick said, walking over and sitting on the table, facing the water. Andrew walked over and sat next to him.

“I just wish we could do more for them. Not have them live in constant danger.” Andrew said.

“We’ve done the best we can. You haven’t lost any, I haven’t lost any. Thats more than a lot of counselors at this ‘camp’ can say. We’ve been good to them. That’s all we can really hope to keep doing.” Nick said.

“They’re asking questions.” Andrew said, quickly.

“Whaddya mean?”

“They know this isn’t a camp anymore. They know we’re trying to hide. They know what’s going on. I think it’s time to stop pretending we’re a camp, and start actually surviving. I’ve even talk to Brad about it.” Andrew said.

“Really?” Nick said, entertained.

“Well, kinda. Not completely like I just told you, but I hinted at it. It was there. I’m gonna talk to him later.”

“Haha, okay sure.” Nick said, amused.

“I’m serious. How long do you think this thing will last?” Andrew said, urgency in his voice.

“What? The undead? A couple months tops. Then there will be a long, long re-building period but we will recover. Within ten years, civilization will be back on track.” Nick said, sure of himself.

“Well then for those couple months the kids need to know how to defend themselves. And we have no idea what kind of world we’ll be living in during the ‘re-building period’ you’re talking about. If we keep pretending nothing is going on, these kids won’t be ready to face the world they now live in.” Andrew said, his tone was annoyed but Nick knew he was just frustrated with the world.

“Maybe you’re right. But I don’t think we need to be giving kids guns and telling them to kill walking corpses just yet. Me and Monica just organized the Militia. We aren’t gonna have to worry about not having enough men to fight if we need them.” Nick said, re-assuringly.

“That’s not the point though.” Andrew argued, “It’s not about having men, it’s about the kids learning the world that they are in is dangerous and how to deal with it.”

Nick sighed and stood up,  clearly done with the conversation. Andrew took it as a sign that he had won. “I have to go take over guard duty on the platform for the next couple hours. If you’re so serious about preparing these kids for the real world, maybe you should just train yours yourself.” Nick said, matter-of-factly.

“That, is not actually a bad idea.” Andrew said, also standing up. The two looked at each other and wordlessly parted ways. Andrew headed for the Cabin, Nick headed for the road.


II.

Brad held his breath as he aimed down the road. He could see the walkers head bobbing around in the shadows. He was trying desperately to keep the head in line with the sights on his shotgun until it got close enough. The head kept bobbing, slowly getting closer and closer.

“What are you doing?” A voice rang out behind Brad. It wasn’t a shout, but it was loud enough and startling enough to break his concentration. Brad turned around to see his assistant director, Monica, standing behind him.

“Just trying to take out a walker?” Brad said, annoyed. He turned back to aim down his sights.

“You realize if you take that shot, every dead guy within earshot will come shambling this way?” Monica said, matter-of-factly.

“And that’d be so horrible, cause you would bitch and moan about every one we killed anyway.” Brad remarked.

“Are you kidding me? Would you get over it?” Monica responded, offended.

“I did what I had to do.”