Stuck between a hard and a high place

(Authors note: you should know by now i forgot to described tom: he is a military man for manny years having been in the military since he was 21 working his way up to general. he is 45 now recently let home. So tom 6.5ft tall with the body of what looked like arnold schwarzenegger.)

(thank you for reading)

After recovering from shock Tom replayed, so your saying you basically killed them all barehanded?

Jackson nodded making the group go quite once again.

"Alright everyone after that story I'm sure everyone is tired and hungry, please rest while I make the food." Tom announced making everyone happy that they made it to safety

Everyone in the room said thank you the same time by accident Making everyone laugh something they didn't know they needed so badly.

"So is everything going to be ok? is everything going to go back to normal?" Clementine asked with worried question.

The question made everyone stop laughing. After a moment Jackson answered, "we're safe here for now. I'm sorry to tell you this, but this is how the word is now there's nothing we can do about it, but that doesn't mean we should give up we can make a new world, a better one."

Jackson has always preferred getting straight to the point maybe that's why his dojo master took him in. But everyone in the room felt differently but mark was the one to speak, "hay man I know your trying to help but don't you think that was a little blunt?"

Jackson started smiling at everyone not menacingly or anything, a soft smile "do you guys want to hear a story?" He asked in a calm manner.

Mark was the one to answer, "dose it have to to with this scenario is that why your bringing it up?"

"Of course it does, when I was a little boy maybe 6 or 7 mommy and daddy were at work like always leaving me alone, then one day a man came to my door I'll tell you his exact words."

"Sorry young man your mom and dad hired me to tell you that they paid off the house and they will give you monthly allowance only if you do good In school. Now the bad news they said they will probably never see you again, they are traveling around the word and they don't have time to raise you so you have to be a man early in life."

"then he turned around and walked away." He told his story casually like it didn't bother him.

Nobody had a response to what Jackson said besides one man walking over with MREs, "If you didn't catch what Jackson meaning I'll tell you"

"With his parents being honest telling him they will never see him again made it were Jackson wasn't waiting at the front door for his parents anymore and it helped him more forward." Tom explained while passing around MREs to everyone.

Jackson was beginning to like Tom he didn't have to break down with him around. The silents between them was broken by jasmine, "Uncle Tom is there a way to turn on the tv and watch the news?"

"Are you sure you want to watch that, it's either a prerecorded message or people dying?" Tom answered making sure she knew what she was getting into.

"Maybe so but I would still like to know what's happening." Jasmine answered back calmly.

This surprised Tom maybe his niece wasn't that little girl he remembered. So he got up walked over to the tv and then he reached behind the TV to pull a remote off the back of it when he did the sound of velcro was very noticeable. Turning on the news to surprisingly see a live broadcast.

There was a reporter talking to a soldier with military vehicles and a tank behind them,

"do you have any information on what is going on out there General." The female reporter asked the soldier.

"No body knows what's going on scientist, say it's a disease people of religion say it's gods wrath, but it doesn't matter we have reports this is happening everywhere all over the world. We also have information that no matter how you die you will turn. I repeat no matter how you die you will turn." the soldier announced before the power went out leaving everything in darkness.

Fred wanted to laugh because everyone has been doubting Jackson without voicing there complaints, everything Jackson has said has come true. He couldn't help but look up to Jackson.

But everyone else was terrified because the power went out and Jackson, it's like he knows everything. Everyone besides two people tom, clementine.

Tom was not surprised he was waiting for this that's why he already had a flashlight on him. Clementine was only scared of the power going out she believed Jackson even before the she saw the news it only made it more clear that Jackson wasn't treating her like a little girl like everyone else.

Tom stood up from the couch turning on his flashlight as he moved to one of the back room. "Stay here and eat I'm going to get some more light." Tom announce to everyone.

Tom taking out some keys and opening a door to quickly close it behind him, inside the room was gun racks with Ak 47s,m16s even a couple of g36s and on the desk was 4 different styles of 1911s.

Tom opened the drawer at the desk and there was two military grade tactical flashlights, Tom picked up both flashlights putting them in his pocket, closing the draw opening another that had two pistol holsters.

Grabbing both holsters with three 1911s putting one in the back of his pants and the other two in the holsters. Tom leaned down picking up a military ammo can also pick up a lantern.

Walking back to the group he could see everyone closer to Jackson he was curious to know what happened, "what's going on here. something happen? Tom asked in a worried tone.

"If your real quiet you can here the dead walking In the streets out side the fence there must me a lot." He said in a low voice not being to loud.

Tom walked up to Jackson giving him a gun and a flashlight at the same time placing a lantern on the table with the ammo can. Jackson grabbed it but he kept his hand out without moving, "you didn't have to do this but I appreciate it." Jackson said with a smile as Tom let go of the gun.

"You saved my niece this was the least I could give you and I think you can save more people if you had one." Tom replayed back.

"I know it's been a long time since you used one of these, but I would feel better if had it." Tom said as he handed a gun to jasmine.

Jasmine grabbed the gun as she looked into toms eyes as she said,"thank you Uncle Tom I'll make sure to use it right."

Tom just smiled back at jasmine as he gave her a flashlight. Some in the room didn't like how Tom was playing favorites, it was Carol and she spoke up, "why do they get a gun and flashlight where's ours?"

Tom kept smiling as he answered, "jasmine has manny years training on how to use a gun and Jackson well I shouldn't have to say."

"That's not what I meant, I mean why do they only get guns and we don't, do you not have enough to go around?

"That's exactly right I only have 3 hand guns and one is on me besides does any one here actually have training in… well anything?" He answered and asked as he started eating his MRE.

"Mark is captan of the wrestling team I think that's the only training he has done and I have been in mma for a couple years now." Jackson added.

"MMA huh? is that how you were able to kill so manny zombies?" Tom asked as he was eating

"My dojo master trained me in manny different types of martial arts. I can tell you without my masters training I would be dead." Jackson answered as he attached his gun holster to his pants.

Clementine was sitting next to Jackson listening to every word" what's mma Jackson?" Clementine asked with a confused expression.

"Mixed martial arts It's something that takes manny years to learn and longer to master. You have to go through intense training if you want to be any good." Jackson answered as he sat back down.

Carol went silent she was disappointed she was really hoping to have a gun, she thought it might make her feel safe. But everyone else understood Toms decision it was the most responsible option.

When the group went quite and Tom could hear the dead walking the streets just like Jackson said. Tom walked over to his window to see the streets flooded with zombies like a tsunami of the dead he stumbled backwards he glanced at Jackson to see his menacing smile the face of a true demon.

"What's wrong Tom see something scary?" Jackson asked in a amused tone almost laughing.

"What the fuck you know if they had a clue we were here we would all die, what's with that look Jackson." He asked with anger in a low voice.

"Well to be honest I think I could live if they found us and before you ask, I don't think I can kill that manny but that doesn't mean I can't make a path through them." He spoke with pure confidence keeping the same disturbing smile.

Tom was thinking this kid was insane but when he heard the sound of the fence creaking outside he ran to the window to see zombies pressing against it almost making it fall. but the sounds of gunfire on the other side of town made them stop and go to the gun shot making Tom sigh in relief.

"Don't worry Tom I'm a very lucky guy and it seems like my luck isn't running out,how lucky right?" Jackson asked with a sinister tone.

Tom was convinced that this kid was insane but maybe in a good way? He thought to himself but the sounds of explosions cut his thoughts short.

Explosions were so loud and so manny one after the other, they thought it had to be the military booming the city. They were right they could hear a giant plan overhead with the sounds of explosions falling behind it."it's a air strike get to the basement ASAP!!." Tom shouted to everyone as he grabbed the lantern and the ammo can.

The group not missing a beat started following Tom to his basement nobody took there backpack off because Jackson didn't so everyone still had there gear on.

Arriving at the door Tom had to pull out keys to unlock the door. everyone thought that it was weird that Tom had every door locked in his house but they didn't have time to think about that seeing Tom unlock the door just in time because they could hear the plain over head.

Everyone ran down the stairs behind Tom to see another door but this one was a bunker door. Everybody safely sealed in the bunker/basement to see it lit up with rows of marijuana plants?

"So Uncle Tom when were you going to tell me about this?" Jasmine said sounding like she was scolding her uncle.

"We'll probably never this is my medicine for my ptsd and it's a good hobby to have." He answered with a shrug.

Jackson was just looking at the plants he never tried weed before never had a chance either he was snapped out of his thoughts by jasmine.

"Uncle Tom you have papers down here?" She asked in a low whisper but everyone heard her.

Everyone was stunned for a second they never thought jasmine was the type to smoke but there she was rolling up a joint.

"Does anyone else in the family know you do this jasmine." he asked while taking a hit and passing the joint back to jasmine.

"My dad was the one who told me weed might help me, he seen the way I went for days without eating so he rolled one up and smoked it with me." Jasmine answered while chuckling remembering the good times.

while trying to pass the joint around but nobody wanted it but Jackson was staring at the joint and jasmine noticed and kept her arm out Jackson grabbed the joint and hit it softly then passed it back.

"I'm sorry you had to go through something that that at a young age, hell something like what's going on outside not even my fences can keep the dead out when they have numbers." Tom replayed back as he grabbed the joint from jasmine.

"Why do you have so much there has to be over 20 plants here?" He asked looking around at the manny plants.

"I have 26 plants here with there own generator and water system on a timer keeping them all hydrated. The reason why I keep my plants in such high regard is because my brother helped me through my ptsd with a joint and Ill never forget how much these plants have helped me." He explained proud of his hobby.

Jackson could respect what Tom said and everyone else had no problem with them smoking after hearing their reasoning.

After 15 minutes of talking and smoking 2 joints Jackson hit it now and again. but he noticed that this was a sound proof basement so they couldn't hear the bombs hit nor feel a vibration "this must me a very high dollar bunker" Jackson thought to himself.

"Hay Tom do you have a different exit then the one we came through because I don't think we're going to be able to get out that way" Jackson asked in a calm voice like hearing a no wouldn't bother him.

"Yes but we have to walk for 3 miles before we fine a exit' why have a hot date?" Tom asked in a mellowed out tone.

This made Jackson smile, "of course not just wandering if we had to dig through rubble to get out." He replied still smiling at toms joke.