Episode 3

"Abraham, we have a problem," said Teresa, and Megan nodded as they approached.

"What is it?" he asked, and Sarah gave him an edgy look.

"There are a group of them things out in the west field, and we can't get to the crops. They've been heading this way all morning," she said.

Abraham sighed and nodded.

"Grab the others. We'll go take care of them," he said.

Sarah and Megan nodded and ran off to find the rest of the group.

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"Hey, come here," said Dale, grabbing Bella's hand and pulling her close.

Bella backed him against the truck, wrapped her arms around his neck, and looked at him. He smiled and put his hands on her hips.

"What?" she asked, and he searched her eyes.

"You know you're amazing, right? Just because you got bit and didn't die like the rest doesn't make you any less of a person, and if your skin turns green and ya want to eat my brains, I'm still gonna love you just the same."

"Promise?"

Bella searched his eyes, and Dale nodded.

"Cross my heart and hope to die, little bird," he said.

She kissed him, and he hugged her tight.

"Ew! Gross! Didn't you guys make out already today?" exclaimed Charlie, and Bella grinned.

"Yeah, but he's so irresistible. I can't get enough. You better scram before you see the really gross stuff," she teased, laughing.

Charlie made a disgusted face and ran off. Bella and Dale laughed, and Abraham, Andy, and Liam walked up to them.

"Hi, Daddy," said Bella, and Dale let go of her quickly, but she didn't move.

"Hey, Bells. You and Dale grab your weapons. We have a horde in the west field."

Bella nodded, letting go of Dale, and they grabbed their weapons. The group ran toward the field and saw a dozen mutants staggering toward the farm. Andy and Liam stabbed mutants in front of the horde, and Abraham and Dale took up the sides. Bella stared at the undead and felt a tingling sensation in the back of her head.

Dale looked at her in question and wondered why she wasn't helping.

"Bell, come on, babe. What you waiting for?" he yelled, stabbing a creature in the head, and blood splattered all over his arms.

She ignored him, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply.

"Not my pack!" she screamed, breathing heavily as blood ran from her nose.

The decaying creatures stopped attacking and looked at Bella.

"Protect Alfa pack."

She heard the horde whisper and watched them turn away.

"Someone watching."

Bella sighed, looking around, but she didn't see anyone and blew it off. Abraham, Andy, Liam, and Dale stared at her in awe, and she blew a shaky breath.

"How did you do that?" asked Liam.

She laughed, breathing heavily, and fell to her knees. Abraham and Dale ran to her side and knelt beside her.

"I don't know. It worked, didn't it?" she breathed, wiping the blood from her nose.

"Yeah, I guess it did," said Liam, looking at the retreating horde.

"Are you alright?" asked Dale, touching Bella's shoulder, and she nodded.

"Yeah, I'm alright."

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"Get a hold of the boss. He's gonna want to hear about this," Chris ordered a girl with blonde hair, and she nodded.

Wess sent Chris, Morton, and a few other Bandits out to spy on the kids and their group. He wanted to know how many people there were, what they did, and how they lived. He didn't know why, but the girl intrigued him. Something about her rubbed him the wrong way.

The Bandits found a secluded spot on tall hills south of the farm and could see everything going on with binoculars. They saw the girl's display of powers, and Chris was intrigued.

"What did you see?" asked Morton.

"The chic Wess punched in the face just made a whole horde of freaks leave the land," he said, and Morton scoffed.

"Yeah, right. How'd she supposedly do that?"

Chris rolled his eyes and shrugged. He looked at Bella through the binoculars and chuckled.

"She screamed at them."

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"Bella, please be careful," said Abraham, and Bella nodded, getting on her motorcycle.

A week passed, and the group had a nasty run-in with the Bandits, where they kidnapped Teresa and Liam and killed them in front of the farm. Wess made everyone, including Charlie and Bonnie, watch the gruesome murders and laughed when the kids cried.

Abraham and Sarah decided no one was to go anywhere alone, to stay out of the east part of the county, and no one was to leave after dark.

Bella, Dale, Andy, and Mike gathered to go on a supply run and loaded the back of Liam's truck with empty duffle bags.

"You sure you want to take the bike?" asked Dale, and Bella nodded.

He knew she needed a good ride to clear her head, so he only nodded.

"Take care of each other," said Abraham, and Bella looked at her father thoughtfully.

"Of course."

Dale, Andy, and Mike got in the truck, and Bella started her engine.

"Stay out of the east!" yelled Sarah.

Bella nodded, and she and the guys headed out.

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Bella sped in front of the truck, revved the engine, and popped a wheelie.

"Show off," snorted Dale, lighting a joint, and Mike and Andy laughed.

"She's something else," chuckled Mike, taking the joint.

"Yeah, tell me about it. She's gonna be the death of me," said Dale.

Mike took a pull from the doobie and handed it to Andy.

"I get it. You care about her," said Andy, and Mike agreed.

"She's good to have around. Her insanity brings me peace," said Andy, making a face, and Dale laughed, shaking his head.

"Funny thing is, I think I agree," he said, and Andy shrugged, chuckling.

"At least she got those things away from the farm. How'd she do that, anyway?" asked Mike.

Dale shrugged and leaned against the door.

"I don't think she even knows. Since she got bit, strange stuff has happened to her."

"Does it change the way you feel about her?" asked Andy, and Dale shook his head.

"Nah, I love her just the way she is."

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Bella saw a long building in the distance and signaled for Andy to pull over. Bella got off her bike and looked through the binoculars. The place looked like an old abandoned shopping mall. The windows and the glass doors were busted, and the brick was wearing away in the dead world.

"What is it?" asked Dale as he got out of the truck, and Bella pointed.

"I think it's an old shopping mall over there."

Dale, Andy, and Mike looked at the building and nodded. She looked through the binoculars again and saw the place looked empty.

"Looks deserted. Let's go check it out," she said, looking at the guys, and they agreed.

She started her motorcycle, and Dale, Andy, and Mike got in the truck. They pulled back on the road and headed for the building.