Silence Before The Storm

"Help daddy!"
Dean awoke startled, and hyperventilating. It was back to back nightmares each night. Losing more sleep than the next night before. Everyday became more foggy than the next. It was as if his body was left on autopilot. Everyone had their own unique way of coping with their losses but for him, he couldn't seem to find the right way. Every time he shut his eyes he only saw the head of the ax being swung toward his five year old's head, before those damned things took advantage of her body before his eyes. The only thing he remembered was a blur and being held back by two other survivors who dragged him along with them. It doesn't take much for someone to give up on their heart.
Wiping his face over with his hands he got dressed into his beanie, parka coat, and sweatpants before making his way outside. It was barely the crack of dawn, he could vaguely make out two  people on watch waiting to be relieved. At least putting himself to do something would keep him awake. Reaching the top, he wasn't much surprised to see Demi, and Carter. They often took watches together, yet the part he found funny was that you would never see them together besides when they were on watch.
"I'm up. You guys should go get some rest before you collapse." Dean murmured as he kept his hands in his pockets. He looked over at the psychos just across the ocean by the land. They were disgusting. His hatred for them burned within his gaze. Sometimes, like most, he would cease his hatred to wonder whether the little inch of humanity still lingered somewhere deep within their minds. Then he remembered.
It wasn't long before the piece of shits spotted them on the beacon and began to snarl like savage animals and jumped into the icy water in attempt to swim over only to be carried away by the current. 

Demi had sat up as soon as she saw the savages but relaxed as she noticed Dean hadn't really found it a threat. It was hell sitting up so high overnight barely shielded from the freezing winds. It was partially why she huddled up with her partner throughout the night when she was on watch.  Getting to her feet she climbed down from the beacon. Similar to everyone else, she came alone but something was so wrong. She was traumatized. All she ever felt was anger and the need to lash out at anyone who bothered her. She completed her duties everyday. Hell, she probably did more than others around her but she would never bring that up. As far as the leaders were concerned, she was too small to be of anyone's use. 
Since the death of one of their strongest members, Craig, the fucking dirtbag of the two leaders, have been picking on the weakest links. Before, it used to be that only the bravest or strongest would willingly volunteer to go back to mainland and try to return supplies. Often, it was successful but now, they had decided they'd be drawing names. Fucking fantastic. She knew she wouldn't be so lucky with the drawing tonight. 
She shook her head trying to rid of the thought of having to return to the sex crazed, bloody, sadistic murderers. For now, she just needed rest. 
The frosty ground crunched beneath her as she walked along back to the two buildings. One a barn they had managed to turn into a few individual rooms  with hammocks, and clothing lines with blankets over them for privacy, and the house was pretty much use for medical, or whoever had gotten there first.
Demi entered her own little space and shut her eyes when she laid on the bed. She was so tired she couldn't sleep. Maybe it was because she was worried.  No. She was never worried about things like this.

Hinley awoke from her slumber with a deep sigh. She didn't want to get up quite yet and deal with the day, but she knew she had to. She slowly slid her legs over the edge of her bed and she sat there rubbing her eyes. Looking around she got out of bed and slid on skinny jeans and a black sweater with lime green writing on it. Hinley slowly pushed her long black hair out of her face and made her way outside to help watch or do what ever she was needed for. Most days she felt like she didn't want to live but that how most people felt especially thinking about their loved ones and repeating there death in their heads. She blinked slightly and let a yawn escape her mouth, she stared at the water for sometime glaring at those monsters.

Grayson held his sister close as she slept. He slowly pushed her hair behind her ear and kissed her head. "I have to go help now." He explained softly knowing she didn't hear. His sister never really left his side being only four she was terrified of the world after what she saw, she hardly spoke to strangers but she got along with people around camp. To watch your father be eaten alive and your mother rapped and turn into one of them she had no choice but to watch her brother murder their own mother but what choice did he have? She will understand someday that he did it for her. Grayson looked around outside and rubbed the back of his neck. "What can be done?" He asked anyone who was listening to give him orders.

Carter remained seated and looked up at Dean, shaking her head slightly. "I'm fine." She murmured, snuggling farther down into her sweater and pulling her beanie down a bit farther to remain warm. Watching the shore she pulled her knees into her chest and rested her head on top of them, there wasn't really anything to look forward to now a days. It still confused her to think about how the world got into such a bad condition...or at least she assumed it was the entire world.

Sean finished his gardening about mid-afternoon and gradually began to gather everyone for the meeting. "We need everyone there and attentive." He said seriously. It wasn't long before the area was crowded with people. "Alright, we need six of you to go out and collect weapons, and food as usual." He dipped his hand into a box and pulled out a paper. "Hinley," He picked out another. "Dean," He drew another. "Carter," Drawing another. "Petra," Another. "Demi," Another. "And Addison."

Demi raised her gaze onto the semi leader. "Just my luck right Sean?" She almost sneered.

Carter winced a bit and sat quietly. It was more than likely she and the others wouldn't be making it back at all this time. It seemed like every time they went out it was worse.

Petra sighed and zipped up her jacket, it was weird knowing most of the people here were younger than her. It was also strange to be taking orders from people she barely knew.

Hinley sighed as her name was chosen to go out, she clenched her knuckles and closed her eyes. There wasn't anything she could do she had to go to help out. nodding slowly she rolled up her sleeves and looked at everyone around.

God damn it.Addison shook her head, she didn't want to have to go out there with those things. She crossed her arms and took a deep breathe. She couldn't be scared she knew that being scared would just make it worse for her, she needed to be more brave with just a little fear that's what her mother taught her before she died.

"Make sure you all have your things ready." Sean told them and walked away to his room. 

Dean looked at his team. Rather then seeing this as a death sentence, it may be a way to gain trust and strengthen relationships. He really needed to know exactly who he was dealing with.

Demi glanced at Dean and sighed. "What do you want Dean?" She grunted.

Carter rubbed her eyes and yawned, it was now or never right? "I'm ready" She mumbled, dragging her tire iron along.

Petra scratched her head and waited for instructions, she figured no one would actually end up talking to each other in fear of getting close and then losing someone.

Dean allowed some time for everyone to pack before returning out to the circle and gesturing to them all. "Come on." The ride back to actual  land was nearly fourty five minutes that'd give them all time to kill.

Demi quickly joined in and got in the boat taking her seat. Everyone here was a stranger ready to kill themselves to return supplies meanwhile they could barely remember each others names. Christ.

Hinley looked at Dean then at everyone else. "I'm ready too." She spoke as she clenched onto her machete it was the perfect size for her she could swing it around perfectly. After their time was up Hinley got in the boat and stared down at the water.

Addison sighed. "Yeah." She held her ax over her shoulder like it was a base ball bat and it was her turn to hit the ball. In this case it was her turn to hit some head in order to win the game and run home. In that 45 minutes Addison put on warmer clothes, she sat down in the boat hoping that today wasn't the day. Even if it was she didn't want to get close to anyone so she wouldn't be missed or cause any pain.

Carter took a seat beside Petra, running a hand through her hair. She hadn't bothered putting on any extrra clothes in case they slowed her down. It would get warm as they walked and ran around anyway.

Petra scratched her head and looked at the water, it was strange that it seemed so normal while everything else had gone to shit around them.

Dean looked at the girls and what they were wearing. How lucky could he have gotten? Multiple women with probably the least experience, who weren't even geared up appropriately.  He shook his head and got up  pulling out a box of riot gear they stored for 'runs'. "Get yourselves tightened up." He told them and began to put his own on.

Demi put on her gear as soon as he hauled the box in and eyed Dean. What was he thinking? He always had something in mind but why did he never speak out loud?

Carter put the gear on slowly, she could tell Dean was not happy about being stuck with them on the land. "What is the angle this time?" She asked quietly.

Petra yawned as she put her gear on and rubbed her eyes to get a clearer view of what was up ahead.

"I was thinking we should start on the west dock, and continued travelling in that direction." Demi began calmly but looked over as Dean had interrupted her.

"My name is  Dean Luther Rivers, I'm twenty two years old, I had a five year old daughter, and my wife died of cancer  two years ago. I'm here because I was already numb when my daughter died, I went on without fearing death, I welcomed it." Dean raised his head and looked at them. "I was a video game creator, storyboard liner, usual for survival. The irony." He scoffed. He knew they wouldn't understand why he was doing this but maybe the first one who realized it would open up next.

Carter looked at Dean a bit oddly and tilted her head to the side.

Petra shook her head. "Getting to know each other wont help us work together, it will only make us care."

Dean looked at his crew then over to Petra as she spoke.  As if that had been the only reason he had began to speak out. The only thing he could do was wait. As the silence caved in the more likely they would each begin to speak.

Demi looked at Dean a bit confused and uncomfortably. What was he trying to do?

Carter sighed. "Carter Shaylene Dallas, sixteen. My father became infected and raped my mother and my three year old sister. I escaped by killing them all with a gun he kept under the bed." She started. "I never had a job or even learned to drive."

Petra sat back and crossed her arms.

Demi looked at Carter listening to her story but refusing to input her own. 

Dean nodded to Carter and looked at the ocean water. "You take your family for granted."

"And you don't care who dies around you." Carter responded bluntly.

"The thing is," Dean paused to focus his attention on her. "you convince yourself you don't give a shit until you're in bed at night thinking of that stranger beside you who you were just speaking to now a corpse." He muttered with narrowed eyes. "What could have been, or why did this have to be? It's like a sick joke isn't it?"

Demi scowled at the two. What were they getting at with this conversation?

"Unlike you, I don't try to convince myself I don't give a shit. I know I give a shit, but I'm getting use to it." Carter mumbled.

"Then you're not alive." Dean responded calmly with his gaze on the sky and shook his head. "Do you have any idea why they sent us out?"

"Because we're the weakest. As soon as you get rid of those, you have more of an ideal choice onstronger survivors who aren't taking up food and space." Demi responded. "Kind of like what they think I do."

Carter rolled her eyes and turned her gaze to the water.

Dean turned his attention away only to notice those sick fucks on a boat rowing in their direction. "Fuck." He grunted and stood.  He looked over as one of them had pulled something that looked like a ball from a wound in their body then threw it over in their direction and exploded. A grenade. Before he could react he felt the boat swoon side to side.

Demi was taken by surprise and fell off the edge only holding on by the realing off the side. "Help!" She shouted.

Petra had hit the deck immediately and tossed her arms over her head.

Carter grabbed Demi's arm and pulled her back up onto the boat.