chapter 30-Trust for a fool

"Yeah, everything's fine, don't wet your underwear just yet, my friend. While you were sleeping, it seems your healing factor kicked in or the strange tavern healed you. Your face is no longer messed up, but I don't know about your eye. You've gotta tell me if it's still there," I said urgently.

"Not yet, just let me rest. I'll tell you later," Tommy mumbled.

"You need to tell me now. I'm giving jobs to everybody right now. We need to set up basic fortress. This basecamp, the tavern, will be our headquarters. This is only the start, my friend. You need to tell me if you are functional, no lying. I'm sorry to do this, but it's necessary," I insisted.

"You honestly sound like a third-rate villain right now. But my wounds all around my body seem fine, better actually. I don't know why, but I feel sturdier. Just let me take this baggage off," Tommy said, removing the white ripped sleeve from his face.

Blood smeared the cloth, but his face was clean - no leftover scars, no dried wounds. He tried opening his eyelid, and though it was shaking, it still opened without much effort, looking strangely normal for the kind of injury he had sustained. Tommy started blinking furiously, rubbing his eye as he tried to adjust.

"Seems you're not dead yet. Once you're finished, help Khaza. That dude is struggling," I said.

After some time, the other two woke up. I made sure they remembered, which they did. They seemed uncomfortable; I could feel it.

"Look, I know you wish so dearly that it was fake, that it was just a dream. In the morning, I was half convincing myself too. But then it hit me like a bitch. It happened. I was upset, pissed off. Why us? Why choose me, or any of us, to be thrust into this other dimension, fighting ghouls? But life is shit. Life happens. I'm not saying to walk it off or toughen up. All I'm saying is that I and the rest of us need your help, your aid. We're in this together, and we can't back out. We never had a choice, but I'm giving you the choice right here, right now, to throw everything you know outside the window and trust me, as the others trust me."

I said those words a while ago, and now I'm helping to reinforce the wooden barricade at the window to block any incoming attacks. Even though the house can withstand the ghouls, it almost took Maxwell on the first night, as they grabbed him and almost dragged him away from us.

"Guys, what about we make some rules after this? Rule one will be never go to a window by yourself," I suggested to Khaza and Tommy.

But then I heard one heavy footstep and one light footstep. My ears had been working overtime lately. As Ellie and Maxwell approached me.

"Why did you give them so much time to rest and not me?" Tommy asked, his frustration evident.

"Shut up, Tom... Now, what about you guys? Have you made up your minds?"

"Yes, the both of us have come to the decision to trust you, and we are ready to put our lives in your care. I know it's asking a lot, but like you said, we can't back out now. We can only move forward. No more hesitation, no more second-guessing. I guess you can call this a leap of faith. We trust you, James Walker," Maxwell said, his Australian slang and tough demeanor shining through. Despite his tough exterior, he had a way with words and could win any debate, even when he had the worst position to argue. It was his gift, his talent. It didn't take away from the fact that he was a curly-haired blonde. At least he wasn't a crackhead.

"Good. I-I don't know what to say. We might have our ups and lows in the upcoming days, but teamwork and trust, not only in me but in your fellow teammates, is just as important. I need to know that you won't cause trouble or show bias towards your fellow teammates. Protect who you can, save who you can, and be true to yourself. That is definitely my rule two," I explained.

Maxwell nodded, and the quiet Ellie nodded as well, though she didn't voice any objections or participate in the conversation. I had her consent and her trust. The night was becoming more and more stressful.

Maxwell approached Tommy, both of them having had a big feud during rugby practice. Their relationship wasn't the best, but after everything that had happened, at least the two of them knew each other. They decided to put their differences and opinions aside, realizing that it wouldn't be fair to the other if they tried something dumb and started fighting. At that point, they would just be selfish. That's why they needed to fix their complicated relationship right now.

Ellie also had a history with Maddie, but I decided to give them time to talk later. The night was already stressful enough, and it was important to address these issues when everyone was in a calmer state.