Fox among wolves

I held out my fingers and began counting.

“Things I know are true; 1. My name is Max Elliots, but the people around me, only know me as Dakota 2. My family were all killed because of me, 3. I don’t trust a single person in this pack, 4. I have killed people, 5. Zombies are real.”

It’s been a year and a half since my family died, it was all my fault. I left the door open, only a little down the road when I heard it. I followed the screams. Once I got to the source of them, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I found my father prying a zombie off my mother. She had been bitten round her neck, right on top of her heart-shaped locket, blood and froth now covering its once shiny chain. Once she began to turn, my father wouldn't let go of her. He stayed there clutching her body tight to his, no matter how much I screamed at him to let her go. He wasn't moving and that's when it happened; she bit him. In mere moments, I'd lost both my mother and my father all because I didn't shut the damn door. I should have known better. But now I have no one left. And that's my fault. When the zombies began, they took people out faster than you could imagine. Beating hearts became frosting mouths and trembling bodies, there is no way to turn them back that had been found so far. Hundreds of thousands of people now just walking dead, with skin peeling away from their body, bones on display, eating everything and anyone that stood in their way. They could be killed but it was hard, even without a beating heart they could still move, even just a head by itself stood the risk of biting and turning another person. All found bodies had to be burnt. This means; not only am I the reason both my mother and father became undead, but I also had to kill them as well. I burnt down my whole entire childhood home, along with everything inside it.

For a while I was by myself. Of course, there was still people left in this damned world, as if we were all being punished for some mistake that we didn't even know we had made. The virus that took over the people and turned them into zombies, knew no limits, leaving even dead children roaming the streets. Whilst I was drifting around the lands, I killed many, not just zombies but people that were trying to kill me. You see this world made everyone ruthless, everyone was just simply looking out for themselves, killing for food, medicines, and weapons. You can understand why but it seems as though we'd all lost our humanity. I'm not one to judge, as I said I too had killed. In this world you either kill or be killed, although I had nothing left. I have no intentions of dying, not like this. In a way this lack of fear made me ruthless, I have nothing left to fight for in this world and yet I felt like I had the world to fight for. Yet it was all in vain. I killed simply so I could live.

I found them in Dakota. hence why they call me Dakota. I've told them nothing about me, simply I have no one left and have nowhere to go back to. They don't need to know anything else about me, that's none of their business. Besides what's the point in telling another human being all about myself just for them to die again. It's easier to have no attachments in this place, I’ve seen one too many get killed. Some days it's hard to keep up with what's real and what's fake. My dreams seem to infiltrate my reality, each day and each night turning into a blur of one another. Some nights I see my parents dying all over again, others it's like there right in front of me, still alive, still breathing, still fighting, and then I wake up to the cold reality that they're long gone, along with everyone else.

On my way to finding them, I had found many other groups, groups looking for a safe sanctuary away from or harm, other groups looking for family, for someone to protect them all. Some that were simply trying to kill me, but they didn't stand a chance against me, surviving was all I know, like a punishment. Living with the guilt of all I have done. Those that didn't have the guts to kill, won't last long in this world. And that's how I ended up with these guys. No, I don't trust them, not for a single second. I know if it were between me and them, they would choose themselves. but I feel the same way. But I can still use them. They see me as this loner, that's great for protection. Someone to be the hitman, take out anyone that puts them at risk. Intimidate those that try to steal. They don't have the balls to kill as many people as I have. It shows. Anyway, I'm using them for the greater good, my greater good. They give me food, they put bodies between me and the dead. Plus, I enjoy the work they give me. it's like they hunt people out, just to watch me torture them. I’m practically a hired hitman, yet weirdly enough it's not frowned upon. There’re no laws in this world, why not punish those that probably deserved it. When I first met them, they put on a show, they gathered round me like lions to a fresh killed dear. Yelling and showing me the weapons, what they didn't realise it that given away the game. They had shown me all they had and left little to the imagination. I chuckled at them. This threw them off, the last thing you expect from trying to intimidate someone is for them to laugh in your face. Even if it got to a fight, they stood no chance, they looked pathetic. Anyway, the laugh is what made them realise they needed me.

The pack was made up from two brothers, I assume they began what is considered this ‘family’. The oldest being a 25-year-old named Garrett, the youngest a pathetic 19-year-old try hard, that shows off at any opportunity, named Theo. Next is Theo’s girlfriend, a loose cannon they picked up along the way, don't get it wrong. The girl is probably the next best fighter here, she's definitely been through something. But she doesn't talk about herself either. There were also two others, a couple of middle-aged guys, both clueless on how to survive. Extra bodies. Along the way since they met me, we've picked up several others, each one being someone I vouched for. I was tired of doing all the packs dirty work. I trained them, the new ones, as well as Theos girls. I trained them how to kill, how to be ruthless, and how to not be stupid and plan ahead. The brothers didn't agree with this. They didn't see the need for more people, they didn't understand that without people they were weak. Besides me vouching for others, and expanding in the pack, means I get to lay back, whilst still having power. No more dirty work. No more killing. No more scouting. Just sitting at the top of the pack watching them do it all. I vouch for them, they become loyal to me, I mean I could have just killed them instead, but I was growing bored of doing that. As you can imagine, for Garrett and Theo. This became a threat. As if I put a knife to the throat and told them if they didn't do as I say, I'd kill them. Which wasn't my intentions, I was just planning how to survive. Bodies between me and the dead, only difference now, I taught the newbies how to fight. created more of an opportunity to survive, or worst comes to worst. If we get attacked, my distractions, these newcomers, will put on a great distract for the dead. Giving me more time to getaway. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the company of them, well the majority of them. But I'm here for survival. Not attachments.

It wasn't long after I began training the newcomers, Garret and Theo began whispers. What they hadn't realised I had gained newfound respect and trust. By me doing the training, the vouching. the newcomers, along with the old, had found a new leader to look up to. It wasn't my plan, but I'm not going to fight it. People loyal to me, puts me less at risk. This is how I found out about the whispers, Garrett Theo and his girlfriend had been talking one night, how to get rid of me. As if they stood a chance. How ridiculous, I laugh again. Anyway. Turns out Theos girlfriend and I, have more in common than I thought. She didn’t join to be a girlfriend. She's here for survival. When the pack found her, she didn't have anyone left, then suddenly this boy had fallen in love, this gave her protection. She took it. She didn't care if this meant pretending to be his girlfriend. Bodies between her and the dead. She came to me one night, after training and told me what she had heard. they were setting a trap. they know of a place crawling with the dead. the idea being, to send me and the newcomers inside of this building, under the pretence of looking for food. First of all, if she hadn't told me. I sure as hell wouldn’t regardless have gone. Finding food was not my job. Plus, we already had supplies. it would have been the worst lie they ever told, there's no way I would have fell for it. but since she told me. I decided I can play along. I’ll not let the brothers know, that I’ve heard of their dirty little plans. This did however get me thinking, the brothers are no longer needed, they have served their purpose for me. And because they planned on betraying me, in such a dumb and scheming way, I’ll have fun when I kill them.