Change of plans

When Zack's group entered the bunker, they didn't go to their area, they walked over to Jackson.

"Jackson me and my group talked about what we should do, We decided that we would like to join your group. if you would us of course." Zack asked clearly nervous, but not braking eye contact showing Jackson he was serious.

Jackson was surprised, not expecting the question Jackson decided to think about it, leaving Zack's group in suspense....

"Everyone please gather around I'm about to make some rules for our group." Jackson announced, making everyone walk over to Jackson and taking a seat on the ground.

"firstly is honesty, I hate liars so please the truth or don't speak because I don't want to hear lies."

"Secondly don't be scared to voice your opinion when I'm ordering you around, but if it's irrelevant to the main topic keep it to yourself."

"Thirdly no fighting anyone in the group for any reason, unless you are sparing of course."

"Lastly if you steal or do prevented things, you are immediately kicked from the group." He finished leaving everyone in silence and a deadpan expression.

Everyone thought the rules were... simple. "Is that all we have to do to join the group?" Zack asked in confusion.

Jackson smiled at the group of five."NOPE, those are the rules of my group."He said as he chuckled under his breath, seeing there dumbfounded faces.

"if you want join my group you have to.... tell me how manny human have you killed." Jackson demanded with a serious expression, as he inner locked his fingers behind his back.

Zack swallow a lump of saliva before turning to his group to see there terrified faces. He new why they were scared but he wanted to believe Jackson so he took a deep breath.

"I've killed 7 people, in self defense self." Zack answered sweating, but not breaking eye contact.

The group was now on edge. sweating a little because Jackson was sitting there not answering rising the tension in the room, but suddenly he started smiling.

"7 people huh? What about the rest of your group did you all kill 7 people by yourself?" Jackson asked clearly skeptical.

Zack was about to speak but Zeke cut him off."I've practically killed one person,same with Eric." Zeke answered with his head down clearly in shame.

"Most have a reason for killing what's yours?" Jackson asked as he grabbed a joint, that he didn't know that was even in rotation. this lightened the mood a little.

Eric spoke up this time,"I've killed someone to save zeke and Zack. But zeke he ran away from someone that was dying he could have helped to, but he had to make sure his daughter was safe." Eric didn't what to snitch zeke out but Eric had a feeling that it was the right thing to do.

But This made Zeke start sweating because he could feel Jackson gaze on him making him scared to look up at Jackson.

"Congratulations, you are now apart of my group." Jackson announced as he stood up to stretch as he passed the joint to Tom.

The group let out sigh of relief but one person was dumbfounded, so dumbfounded he spoke up, "so you just let murderers in your group?" Zeke blurted out, clearly confused and not angry.

Jackson smiled at Zekes question, "murderers? There only one murderer in your group and it's you zeke."

This made Zeke even more confused but Jackson continued. "While Zack and Eric killed to protect themselves and other people, you killed by not wanting to risk your life for a stranger to protect what's yours. it doesn't make you a bad person but it's still murder." He answered while still smiling.

Zeke couldn't help but sigh as he looked up to Jackson's smiling face.

Zack's group felt like they could finally relax hearing Jackson words. Especially Zack, knowing Jackson didn't think of him as a cold blooded murderer.

"Everyone please stay hear I'm going to gather food and pass it around" Jackson announced to everyone.

Everyone hearing the word food immediately made them realize how hungry they were.

Jackson passed around a can of peaches to everyone. Tom getting his can was confused for a second, he asked Jackson if they would ration out the food. but then he realized that his group was bigger changing the plan they had for food.

"As you all can see I gave everyone food and this changes are original plan."

"Me and Tom came to a compromise on how to distribute the food, but we have more people now making are plans move forward."

"For now we rest for two more days including today, then we move out to the small town Jessica mentioned." Jackson announced, making the new plan clear to everyone.

Mark had to pass his axes around to everyone so they could open there cans, not having anything else that can open the cans.

Jackson was the first to finish his food everyone was ether eating slowly or not eating at all. Jessica was one person not eating Jackson's noticing this.

"Is everything alright do you like peaches?" Jackson asked as he sat next to Jessica with clementine quickly behind him.

" I'm fine. Just not hungry right now" she answered as he looked down at the can of open peaches.

"Is that so?.. Im not blind you know? I can see that your in pain and you have a good reason to be but i also need you to eat." Jackson asked hoping to get through to her.

"Yah your right but when I look at the food I'm just not hungry" she said as she looked at the floor with tears filling her eyes.

Jackson couldn't help but feel useless, he's never been coddled by anyone even his master told him to toughen up.

So seeing Jessica cry Jackson froze up not knowing what to do, but fortunately jasmine came to his rescue with a joint in hand.

"Hay anyone over here want any of this?" She asked as she held out the joint.

Jessica looked up to see a joint she couldn't help grab it. She's never been the one to smoke but after she hit it last time she couldn't lie it helped.

Jackson couldn't help but feel useless in this situation. he also had to be saved at the end of the day adding insult to the injury.

Clementine didn't know much of what was happening but she understood the pain Jessica was feeling. So instead of holding onto Jackson's hand she started holding Jessica.

After sitting with Jessica, jasmine and clementine chatting till the joint was gone Jackson decided he would check up on everyone else leaving clementine with Jessica.

Jackson was checking up on everyone, Zack's group were all together chit chatting away with Carol shockingly, but he noticed felicity not with them looking around to see she was talking with Tom having a good time.

Looking on the other side of the room there was Fred,Lori in a group and Jake,mark in a group.

Jackson seeing jake and mark socializing surprise him a little, they haven't talked to each other since we left the school. So he decided to see what they were up to."hay guys how's it going?"

Mark turning to Jackson felt a slight shiver go down his spine."I just got done apologizing to Jake for picking on him back at school." Mark admitted immediately, making Jackson raise a eyebrow while looking at Jake.

"I probably know what your thinking, but Marks not a bad guy. He's actually helped me out sometimes I can't say that for anyone else at that damn school." Jake said with clear distain for the school.

"I'm glad you guys could work that out, but I only came over here to see how you were doing" Jackson said as he chuckled under his breath.

Mark sighed, he didn't what to be on anyone's bad side and Jackson was the top of that list. Mark didn't have anyone left in his life his parents died when he was 16 in a car accident and he was a only child. he wanted to think this new group and a family he would protect.

Jake on the other hand, didn't know what this life had in store anymore. Being a orphan was hard, being forced to be the type of kid that would only look ahead,get good grades, get into a good college, get a job he liked,(happy life).

But then the apocalypse happened making him stop thinking for once because he had no idea what would happen next.

That's when he saw Jackson doing what he wanted and making decisions that looked like he could see into the future.

"I'm doing great, that can of peaches they really hit the spot." Mark answered as he smiled

Jake was hesitant to answer, he didn't know how he felt himself but he started taking without thinking."I'm alive thanks to you so is there much I can be?"

This made Jackson raise his eyebrow again. "well alive isn't a feeling , and I'm not expecting everyone to be happy or in a good mood." Jackson explained.

Jake started laughing as he replied." ohh alright, I don't FEEL a fucking thing Jackson. ever since I saw one eat my teacher alive I haven't felt anything. He said almost shouting with his legs shaking without him knowing it.

Jackson was not expecting a out burst but he had a answer regardless. "You say you feel nothing but your legs are shaking. fear is something that your going to need in the new world, fear is going to mold you into what you need to survive."

Jake stopped to think about it, to realize that he was right. He was terrified of the new world he was living in, but before he could continue his thoughts Jackson's kept talking.

"I'm going to tell you everyone the same thing, this world is going to be a rough one to live in, but far from impossible."

"You can be scared,sad,anger whatever but know there's other people right next to you going through the same hell, so you don't have to be alone."

"But sometimes everyone need some alone time so I wouldn't blame you if you needed it." Jackson raised his voice as he announced making everyone listen to every word.

When Jackson started walking away from Jake,mark and head toward Fred,Lori everyone went back to there previous conversations.

"Nice speech man" Fred snickered as he spoke.

"Was it that bad? well it's the thought that matters anyways."Jackson replied as he shrugged it off.

"It was something that needed to be said,instead of a speech. but yah it wasn't bad I guess"Lori replied as she shrugged.

"Anyways I came over here to see how you guys were doing." Jackson asked looking between the two.

Lori answered first, "I feel...well to be honest sad, to say goodbye to the world we left behind, it wasn't perfect but it was better then this. But besides that I'm good."

Fred was a zombie movie geek. He's always dreamed of being in a zombie apocalypse. Not having any friends or family he was happy to say goodbye to the old world and embrace the new one with open arms. So you can say he's the opposite of Lori.

"I'm doing pretty good after that can of peaches. but I'm also glad we don't have to sit in this bunker for a week that would have sucked" Fred answered as he casually stretched his arms.

"I glad you guys are doing better then Jessica because I'm no good at comforting people. I'm so glad jasmine rescued me." Jackson said sighing as he walked over to Zack's group.

Zack seen Jackson approaching so he got up and greeted him first,"hello Jackson how are you?"

"I'm doing good, how about your group here I see you've met Carol." Jackson asked.

"Yah, she has been telling us everything that happened at that school or should I say death trap. You really saved a lot of people." Zack complemented.

"Yah, that place was filled to the brim with the dead and people who had no idea what was happening. A total shit show." Jackson answered back.

"From what I hear I believe you. but off topic, you said something about a small town?" Zeke asked already ready to leave the bunker.

"Jessica had parents that lived in a small town to the east 10 miles away. we plan on restocking food, water maybe getting different close and if we're lucky we can sleep on a bed." He answered back making them aware of themselves.

Zack started thinking about how dirty his clothes were also about a bed,after sleeping on cold cement a bed would be heaven to sleep on one.

"So what do we have planned tomorrow?" Zack asked.

"I have a lot planed and a lot to say you will see tomorrow" Jackson answered as he got up and began to walk away back to clementine.