#is how quickly soulless sam adapted | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

diminuel · 5 years

Text

My 15x12 rewatch commentary! In it’s full, unedited glory! *lol*

Earth 2 seems to be a better timeline; not only does it have two moons, but Clinton is president. Not that this would make a huge difference to CH02 but it sounds like a win for US02.

I don’t like Chuck, but I can’t help thinking that some of his behaviour is still super entertaining. “It’s monologue time.”

Chuck’s monologue suggests that “The World” (the scene we see of TFW) is Chuck’s original creation. The other worlds (the other “toys”) are variations of The World, with “different combinations, scenarios, characters or different versions of the same characters”.

I feel Chuck: he created fanfiction of his story and while he got what he wanted out of them, he still doesn’t get it out of the “original story”.

This singular focus on Sam and Dean makes me wonder if anything actually really existed or mattered before the Pilot... Is that all Chuck cares about, everything it boils down to? Or has he focused on other people like that before and Dean and Sam are just the latest objects of fascination to him? If we go one level above the show, then obviously nothing exists outside of Sam and Dean for us. Sam and Dean (and other characters) have no lives outside of the story we see on screen. All the talk about past is wrapped up into the stories of those characters and we only get to know it when it’s relevant to a story point. That’s just how this works.

If Chuck loves Sam and Dean so much, then why does he want to destroy them? Don’t get you, Chuck, my dude. There’s no more story for you to watch if they’re gone.

“All the other worlds, alternate realities and subplots. The failed spin offs,” have to go according to Chuck. Putting aside the comment about subplots and failed spin offs for the moment, I wonder what the difference between other worlds and alternate realities is. I assume that another world is Earth 02, whereas an alternate reality is... what we got in Lebanon or Endverse. A twist of The World, a branch off of it that might go nowhere and gets undone again?

Anyway, side note that Chuck only talks about Sam and Dean, as usual, but it’s so striking that he points at a screen that features Cas. Chuck’s Cas-related blindness continues to captivate me. Usually, during the apocalypse, it was Cas’ actions that led to a situation where Chuck said that they’re not supposed to be part of the story. Sam and Dean flipped the script (well, debateable of course) because Cas contributed.

And now on to Dean, Sam and Co.

I’m actually a bit bothered with the fact that Jack’s still soulless. I’m also bothered by how casual especially Dean seems to be around Jack (considering how hard it hit him that Jack killed Mary, how Dean wanted to kill Jack, how Dean treated Cas), I’m especially bothered by how Sam seems to feel hurt by Jack not coming to them right away because they would have helped (it seems we’re also forgetting the whole locking Jack away and then conspiring to kill him plot).

Now, a comment on Jack without a soul; it seems to me like he’s perfectly able to feel things, despite the fact that he sometimes said that he didn’t feel anything. The thing is that Jack is part angel. It took Cas - who has no soul as well - years to learn how to act human and how to care. Maybe there’s a learning curve to emotions if you’re an angel, as well as feeling guilt and accountablility for one’s actions. That didn’t come easy to Cas, it doesn’t come to most angels we know at all (Gabriel for example? Bag of dicks, still beloved.)

Souls aside, I really have to comment on the fact that Jack seems to own only one sweater, but in 5 different colours. *lol*

Back to the kitchen talk! I do find Cas’ willingness to blindly trust Jack’s trust in Billy, despite his knowledge that Jack is so easy to manipulate (by Lucifer, by Sam and Dean, by Dumah) pretty concerning. Sam’s being reasonable in the face of Dean’s lack of interest and Cas’ naivety...

Is it just me or do you also feel Dean’s a bit off in this scene? He keeps looking at Cas, or avoiding eye-contact. Though it’s clear he chose to position himself close to Cas, with how it was filmed it looked like Dean and Cas provided an united front and Sam was “alone” with his worry. I wonder if he did this because this is his way of showing Cas support after they’ve been so divided? For me it doesn’t make sense that Dean and Cas have overcome their issues so quickly, with just one one-sided tearful prayer. I know that Supernatural glosses over issues. Things that I feel should bother the characters don’t bother them at all.

Ah! Okay, Sam also darts Cas a lot of looks, so maybe he feels he can’t talk freely about his doubt regarding Jack and Jack-Billie’s plans because Cas’ complete faith in Jack? Like it’d fall on deaf ears anyway and Dean’s not being helpful either.

I both love and kinda feel weird about Dean and Cas sharing that drink. I love it because they spend time together like that (just sitting together, drinking, talking. We know they spend time together that we don’t see, but it’s nice to see it for once). I also feel weird about it because of all the talk about Jack’s destiny... Still sounds like Nephilim propaganda to me. *lol* (Yeah, yeah, I sort of believe the conspiracy theory that Kelly and Cas were manipulated by Jack. Not really Jack’s fault I guess but still... I feel Cas was shown some kind of ideal world, that only Jack could create, that turned Cas into not much more than a supporter of Jack’s cause. Like... his desciple to Jack’s messiah... I know Cas needs to have a mission and be useful, but I don’t like how it guided him away from being the hero of his own story? He can’t be now I feel? I mean, he could of course, but not in his own understanding of himself? I’m not sure I buy the “I had myself” speech... But that’s a rant for another post. I’m gonna put my conspiracy theory tin hat away now.)

Dark Kaia’s reveal! ♥ Even though we only had Kaia for a short time, she’s one of my favourites, so I’m happy she’s alive.

I’m 100% convinced that genius strategist Cas didn’t lose at Vier Gewinnt to Jack, but that he let him win.

I wouldn’t trust John Winchester on whether he killed the last member of a monster species. He thought vampires were extinct too so he’s not exactly the most reliable source... Besides, I’m sure some witch or hunter or man of letter has that item in their stock somewhere. Especially if this so-called extinction happened as recent as John Winchester’s hunting...

As someone who’s written my Master thesis on characters travelling to different worlds and trying to adapt (and most often failing) dark!Kaia’s explanation of how there’s no place for her in this world apart from empty spaces hits me. I love it. And I wish that exactly this - the displacement, the not belonging - would have been addressed properly also for AU Charlie and AU Bobby. Clearly, they solved the majority of the problem by wiping out the AU hunters but that’s not what mattered. (Of course, I also don’t really like AU Charlie or AU Bobby, Bobby significantly less than Charlie)

Sam was so on the fence about Billie’s plan and now he’s upset about Jack potentially jeopardizing Billie’s plan. Make up your mind.

“Some bs male chivalry thing” Jody says to the genderless angel *lol*

While I’m bitter (again, me and my bitterness) about the fact that Dean threatened Kaia with a gun, which we were reminded of in the preview, I do like the hug. SPN just brushes everything under the table and gives us a simple fix without putting in the work. But from reading Beren’s tweets I knew that this was something that Jensen felt strongly about (i.e. make things right, keep his promise to dark!Kaia) makes me forgive the sloppy way of doing it, I guess.

I wish dark!Kaia would have left with them, even though I do think the ending for her is fitting.

P.S. generally this world destruction thing Chuck is doing is toeing the line of things that trigger panic attacks for me. I was bracing myself for it this whole episode and while I was very uncomfortable it wasn’t yet the kind of stuff that throws me into a spiral of anxiety and existential dread so... yeah. I’m a bit scared about that going further.

I find it interesting to learn more about the fabric of the... well... story. Of God having to write himself into the story (which calls back to Chuck - the author of the SPN books - writing himself into the story we see, of God writing himself as Chuck I suppose one could say?)

Sam and Dean being “messengers of God’s destruction” is something I need to think about. Because the messengers doesn’t exactly sound like they have an active part. However, if you take messengers to mean “carrying out the will of xy” then maybe? But if God is what keeps the multiverse running, then destroying an intrinsic part of the machinery will also make sure that the machinery no longer works. Since Chuck destroys the multiverse then that probably doesn’t matter (but here I’m also reminded of Billie’s words about how delicate the multiverse is, like a card house. She was concerned about it then, but no longer now?)

Okay, this was a mess of a post, as always. Maybe I can collect them later, to write a proper review or analysis, make some hopes and predictions about the future? We’ll see. :3 Thanks for reading this rambling!

#Supernatural #15x12 spoilers #spoilers

14 notes · View notes

wildefiction · 5 years

Text

The Beast Inside

PAIRING: Sam x Reader

WORD COUNT: 3,063

SUMMARY: Reader has been hunting with the Winchesters for several years now. She's always had a thing for Sam...not that she'd ever admit to it. But recently, Sam's been different. Cold. Calculating. Scary. When the reader witnesses what's happening, will she turn from him or will her attraction allow her to justify his new behavior?

WARNINGS: Anxiety, Trust Issues, Soulless!Sam, Murder, Minor Character Death, Oral Sex, Dom/Sub Undertones, Rough Sex, A Smidge of Breath Play

A/N: This was written for @hornsbeforehalos 666 Follower Challenge last year. My prompt was: 'He who makes a beast out of himself, gets rid of the pain of being a man."

The metallic, copper thickness coating his tongue was simultaneously entrancing and revolting. An almost comical adaptation of small figures on ones’ proverbial shoulder. One egging him on, the other shrinking back in disgust at his newly predatory behavior. The first time it had happened Sam had woken in his bed, much like any other night - this one perhaps a little more sleepless than the rest. Shuffling down the hall to the nearest bathroom, he’d absentmindedly flicked on the light, the harsh fluorescents illuminating the space; a dull buzzing echoing around the room. Reaching for the calcium-stained faucets that lent a cool reprieve from his consistently rising body temperature, he’d first noticed the dark residue beneath his fingernails. When the water poured forth from the stainless steel spout, that residue had sloughed away - hitting the white porcelain and blossoming into crimson flowers, like some macabre art exhibit. Eyes widening, Sam caught his reflection in the mirror. Dark purple circles edged red-rimmed eyes, his hair disheveled from what he assumed had been sleep. The night terrors had prevented any semblance of rest. Delirious, he could remember nothing from the previous few days.

At first, he struggled with it. Fought against the rising panic. Blood was part of the job, maybe he’d simply forgotten to scrub beneath his nails after the last case? As the weeks wore on however, small bits of detail too sharp and mundane to be dreams lingered in the corners of his mind when he was awake. Almost like memories. Regardless of how intricate the minutia, his inability to remember entire events is what intrigued him the most. His constant struggle with the fate thrust upon him as an infant quieted in these times. There was no worry about the demon blood coursing through his veins, nor was there an ounce of shame or distress at the idea of letting his big brother down. Sam’s failures lessened and he came to embrace the idea of entire blocks of time disappearing from his conscious.

*** 12 weeks later**

Dried flecks of crimson hit the cool, white porcelain -- the clean purity of the surface now somehow marred, tainted by the blood. Running water circled the drain, washing away any evidence of the brutality that had occured just hours before. Violet cupped her hands together beneath the flow, watching as it quickly filled the makeshift basin before raising them to splash the liquid over her fevered skin.

Three. It'd been the third body in as many days. Things were getting out of control. Violet padded from the bathroom through the dim hallway of the bunker. The twisted, black wall sconces glowed with a dull, golden glow - lighting a path to the end of the hallway where he was waiting.

Sam had been..different lately. At first Violet had figured it was an adjustment disorder. Coming back from the deepest pits of Hell could make anyone act erratically. But the more time passed, the worse Sam became. The gentle, research-loving man she'd hunted alongside for the past three years was gone. Sure, he still looked the same, he still recognized you and Dean and even Cas but he was also a lot more calculated - almost to the point of being empty, as if there was no emotion left at all.

Raising a hand, you tentatively knocked at the solid oak door.

No answer.

Closing your eyes, you very nearly turned and just went back to your own room. It would've been easier. Steeling yourself and shaking out the nerves that prickled along your spine, you tried a second time. The echoing thud of your heartbeat almost matched the hollow sound of your fist on the barrier between you and Sam. For a moment there was silence, and then you heard it; the quiet shuffle of bare feet across thick carpet. If you were tense before, nothing prepared you for the surge of adrenaline that spread from the base of your neck through the rest of your body as the solid door opened and Sam filled its frame.

Truth be told, he'd always been imposing. Being six and a half feet tall, it was a given. His mannerisms hadn't been the only thing to change in his absence however. His entire body was different; eye level with his massive chest your mouth was suddenly dry. Almost as long as you'd known the Winchesters, you'd had a thing for Sam. He was one of those people who just didn't realize they were beautiful. You never mentioned it though, eventually settling into an easy friendship with the brothers had dampened the fire living in your belly. Sure, on occasion there was playful flirting and comments that reddened your cheeks, but little by little the winged-flutters quieted into a sort of easy contentment.

“Violet.” There was a lilt at the end of the word, almost a question as to why you stood at his door. Was his voice deeper? Had it always sounded that way? Blinking several times in rapid succession, you abandoned the thoughts trying to invade the more sensible parts of your brain. “Hey Sam, I..” “mmhm" “do you..?” “are..how are you?” Wondering exactly why you were standing before him, Sam’s lip twitched in amusement even as his eyes narrowed, the hazel irises swimming with colors you'd never noticed. Teal and spring green mixed with the more muted hues holding you captive. The man had the gall to laugh at your flustered appearance, stepping forward until his body brushed against yours. “I'm good; was about to watch a movie. Wanna join me?” That dazzling smile slid into place and you could almost believe the old Sam stood before you. Something in the back of your mind cautioned you to be wary, but it was such a small blip that you very nearly hadn’t noticed it at all.

Before Hell, the two of you would often spend the occasional quiet evening watching old, black and white television. Silent movies had always been amusing, the use of exaggerated body language providing all the dialogue needed. So, you accepted his offer; hoping against hope that it would be like old times.

Looking around the room, nothing had changed. Rows of books sat neatly on shelves flanking his large bed, the lamps alit on each end-table bathing the space in low light. Perching on the end of the mattress Violet watched Sam fuss briefly with the television before sitting next to her. “You okay?” Sam had turned to look at the girl and it didn’t take a rocket-scientist to notice her anxiety.” Hey... it’s just me, how many times have we watched movies together - hm?” Reluctantly you tabled the concerns you’d wanted to voice aloud, little by little allowing yourself to relax. Sam scooted to the head of bed and patted the space next to him. Apparently you took too long to move and he had no problems wrapping one massive arm around your waist and hauling you into the space he occupied; grunting with the effort.

The television flickered to life, shortly thereafter you realized he’d chosen Bram Stoker’s Dracula. A favorite of his. Soon, the two of you were back to laughing at the campy effects and trying to decipher messages hidden in the storyline. Legs crossed around a now empty mixing bowl that had held a mountain of popcorn, you finally relaxed against the man sitting behind you. While the position was more intimate than any you’d been in before, it didn’t feel out of place. You were simply friends enjoying each others company. Just like before.

Launching into a lively debate on the themes of the film pushed the rest of your doubt to the wayside. “I never understood this part really, why does he turn into a wolf and a bat type..thing?” “He seems to be winning her over just fine as a man.” Sam shifted into a sitting position; legs still framing your body as he leaned into you. His golden skin hot against your back - “ Sometimes , ‘He who makes a beast out of himself, gets rid of the pain of being a man.’ ” His mouth brushed against your ear, the words a mere growl. Abruptly that fire was back, spreading through your limbs even as his arms tightened around your body. Teeth closing upon the lobe of one ear, the words faded into silence. “Sam, what are you doing?”

Silence.

His lips were now pressed against the thud of your pulse point. In all the years of flirting and sidelong glances, nothing had ever progressed beyond that point. “I know how you feel about me Violet.” For a brief second you wanted to deny his accusations, tell him it was all in his head. In the course of trying to figure out what to say, the silence was answer enough. “The walls are pretty thin…” he was laughing again. “Honestly though? It was sexy as fuck .” The last word was barely a groan. Turning wide eyes to meet his expression was a bad idea. The darkness was back; an expanding ring of lichen rapidly filling his normally bright eyes when he pushed his mouth to yours. The kiss exploded into wandering hands, heavy breath and snapping teeth. The comfortable embrace from earlier tightening into one that crushed your body against his, palms steady on his chest when he gripped your thighs, pulling them to straddle his lap.

The swell of his arms encircling your waist; his thick fingers digging into your hips reminded you of the strength the man possessed. What he was capable of.

Flashes of red ripped through your mind when you allowed your eyes to fall shut and enjoy Sam’s touch.

So much blood. You were covered in it. Sam was drenched to the elbow, a broken body lay in a heap by his feet. The night was supposed to have been a fun trip out for a couple of drinks, instead becoming a grisly admission of what you had been trying to deny. Yes, the man had been lewd, his comments about your outfit leaving little to the imagination - but you had paid him little mind. Having him follow you out of the bar though..

Sam turned his attention back to you, as if what he'd done had meant nothing..

“Sam, wait a minute..Sam we nee--Aahh!” The hunter chose that moment to roll his hips, the cotton sleep pants you wore barely deflecting his intentions. “Fuhhngck me..” The words hadn't been intended for him, more of an exclamation at the situation, but Sam answered you all the same. “Oh, sweetheart I plan on it.”

And then you were on your back, a yelp of surprise escaping your lips at the sudden change. Sam's broad hands curled around your hips, flipping you to your stomach and pulling your ass in the air. You felt ridiculous, your chest pressed to the cool, inky sheets. The complaint never made it past your swollen lips, a chill breeze assaulting fevered skin when the pajama bottoms were yanked from your hips. Your body vibrated and you had only a brief moment to wonder if it was from the sudden change in temperature or the anticipation of what was to come. Sam's face nudged against your panty-covered ass, his thick, warm tongue swiping over the bit of satin and lace. Once. Then again. A deep growl accompanied his eager teasing and suddenly you forgot what you'd been about to say, instead pushing back against his roaming tongue - yearning for more.

Hot bursts of breath fanned over your delicate skin, the damp fabric between your legs clinging to you, Sam's nose brushing against it while his tongue greedily consumed everything your body offered. Fevered panting matched the beads of sweat dotting your forehead, a high-pitched whine escaping when Sam twisted his hand in the ruined silk and pulled - the sound of splitting seams and tearing fabric sending an unexpected shiver of delight through your body.

He was a monster, he deserved to die.

That's when it started. You justifying Sam's actions.

Sam's tongue flattened and dragged through your folds, the tip flicking against the swollen bundle of nerves nestled within. Closing his lips around you, he sucked in earnest while one long finger traced your inner thigh - teasing but not giving in to your pleas. “Fuck, Sam... please..” Not one, but two fingers sunk into your body then, a low groan filtering between your lips at the sound of your core accepting his ministrations.

“That's it baby...fuck you're so wet. S’that all for me?” Truth be told, Sam had wanted this for as long as he could remember. Coming back from Hell, he found most of his memories were gone. You though...you he remembered. His cock strained against the pants slung low on his hips; one palm closed over his erection, the pressure alleviating a bit of the uncomfortable sensation; his hips rutting gently against his touch, almost of their own accord.

Eyes flicking between his cock and Violet’s swollen cunt, he pulled his fingers from her body, the wet sound assaulted his ears and it took everything he had to not take her just like this.

The quickness with which Violet was on him took Sam by surprise. Not that the hunter dwelled on it for long. The woman kneeling before him was different than the Violet he thought he knew. Lust-blown pupils zeroed in on him as she dove beneath the elastic band of his scrub bottoms-turned pajama pants. There was no hesitation when she wrapped her fingers around his thick base, and he groaned at the sensation of finally having this particular dream come true.

Pushing the fabric down his muscular thighs, you wasted no time in wrapping your lips around his head, swiping your tongue across the drops of precum that dotted the surface.

Sam's hands wove themselves in your hair, his fingers flexing with the effort it took to not twist the locks in his painful grasp. He’d never hurt you. Not without you directly asking for it anyway. He knew your frustrations with him. The old him had done everything in his power to avoid killing anything. Whether the particular thing in question deserved it or not. He was a monster. He’d told himself that often enough, that he’d started to believe it. The looks Dean gave him when he thought Sam wasn’t looking only further solidified those beliefs. And so he gave the things they hunted the benefit of the doubt until he couldn’t. That was before. Now, he really couldn’t muster the strength to give two fucks whether they were innocent - the less time he spent on each case, the more cases he cou-- fuck . This girl knew how to suck cock. Sam’s head flung back, his thick auburn mane brushing his shoulders. Whimpers leaked from Violet’s lips, excess saliva and her probing tongue almost too much.

His fingers tightened more and he pulled back from her mouth, leaving the woman gasping - her eyes slow in re-focusing as she looked up at his pained expression.

Sam cupped your face, his wide hands cradling your cheeks even as he brushed tendrils of stray hair away from your wide eyes. He pulled you close then, and you became intimately aware of the heat of his lips as they descended on yours, his tongue almost gentle in its exploration of your mouth. Grabbing your waist and pulling you close, Sam’s cock brushed your belly, his brilliant eyes searching yours as you wrapped arms around his shoulders; sweat-soaked skin burning beneath your touch. Boldly you sought his attention, lining yourself up against his body, a challenge in your eyes.

When Sam trembled against you, his eyes fell shut with the effort of not moving too fast. Violet wrapped her long fingers around his length, bringing him closer and tracing the thickness of him through her folds. That was the final push Sam needed, his eyes snapped open, his grip tightening around her waist as he pushed his way into her core - the heat enveloping his cock and eagerly pulsing around him. He struggled to remain still, letting Violet adjust to the intrusion. She was eager though, clenching her walls and dragging herself up to catch his mouth with hers again almost immediately. A ragged breath flew from her lips as she cried out, “Sam, Sam move, please!” The hunter didn't need to be told twice, a growl bubbling up from his ribcage at her request - hands that had been holding her to his chest now threaded into her hair and twisted, pulling a moan of pleasure from the woman straddling his waist - “Fuck Violet..damn baby..” Coherent sentences escaped him as he rocked his hips up into her body and she met him thrust for thrust, wanton cries of pleasure filling the room around him accompanied the sounds of skin colliding against skin.

Violet’s fingers whitened around the tips as her grip tightened, nails biting into Sam’s broad shoulders as the first ripples of an orgasm passed through her, a wave of slick coating her thighs while Sam continued his onslaught. The desperate clenching of her muscles around his length caused Sam to stutter, the biting heat of her nails in his skin building layers of his own release up, his hips snapping towards her erratically as his teeth closed over the thudding in her neck. Screwing his eyes shut, the youngest Winchester bit harder, Violet’s pulse racing between his teeth as his pleasure ripped through him, thick ropes of cum spilling into her body. His forehead falling to her shoulder, Sam's arms tightened around his best friend, holding her warm body close to his.

He noted with a new curiosity the realization that he had to physically tell his brain to loosen the grip his teeth still held on her neck. A small part of him had toyed with the idea of seeing just how far he could go, wondering what the next step would be if her blood filled his mouth. Like with the others. Gingerly, Sam released his hold. He could never hurt her. The mantra lazily drifted through his mind. As she laced her fingers with his and a cautious smile tugged at the corner of her mouth - Sam hoped it would be enough.

Make no mistake, the beast inside me is sleeping - not dead.

TAGS: @arses21434 @jaredsunflowergoddess @jamielea81 @wings-of-a-raven

#wildefiction #spn x rpf #sam winchester x reader #supernatural

11 notes · View notes

architectnews · 4 years

Text

Norman Foster, Virgil Abloh and more share their thoughts on the global impact of Covid-19

One year ago today, the World Health Organisation officially declared coronavirus a global pandemic. Twenty of the world's leading designers, including Thomas Heatherwick, Kelly Hoppen and Sevil Peach, gave us their views on how it has changed the world.

The pandemic has been the most dramatic disruption to human activity in a generation. For many designers, it has been a time to refocus and rethink how we design products, buildings and cities.

"It has challenged us to reassess the 'old normals' that we had based and organised our lives around," explained interior designer Peach.

"Coronavirus has sounded an alarm"

This includes paying more attention to the environment and the impact that humans are having on the Earth.

"The coronavirus has sounded an alarm," said Sun Dayong, founding partner of architecture studio Penda, "in effect, reminding people to care for the earth and the environment."

Many of the designers were positive that the pandemic will lead to change, with more focus placed on people.

"It has made us value space and air, said Sarah Wigglesworth, founder of Sarah Wigglesworth Architects. "Hopefully, it has reorientated our focus on the fact that buildings are about people."

"Disasters have been catalysts for major changes in architecture"

Designer Heatherwick agreed: "We've seen before that disasters have been catalysts for major changes in architecture."

"So I hope the real positive legacy of this terrible pandemic will be a realisation that there's no longer a place for yet more lazy soulless developments and buildings."

To make these changes, Off-White founder Virgil Abloh believes that designers will need to be adaptable.

"The pandemic, to me, exposed the need for businesses, designers, creators, even entire countries, to be able to adapt," he said.

"The structure of the city is bound to change"

The architects and designers believe that the pandemic will have a lasting impact on our cities, with Lina Ghotmeh telling Dezeen: "The structure of the city is more than any time, bound to change."

Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen, co-founder of Spacon & X, agreed that cities are changing, observing that people are moving out of Copenhagen "to be closer to nature".

"This will definitely reframe how we approach design and architecture in urban as well as in natural surroundings," she said.

Many of the designers believe that the pandemic may provide the impetus to create better public spaces in our cities.

"[They will be a] more open attitude of mind by the public, civic leaders and politicians to change in the public domain," said architect Norman Foster.

"The pandemic has proven that mobility in cities can be moderated posing an opportunity to reduce the use of cars, and therefore the CO2 emissions," added Ingrid Moye, co-founder of Mexican studio Zeller & Moye.

"Cities are not dead and will come back"

Although cities will change, they "are not dead and will come back," said Carlo Ratti Associati founder Carlo Ratti.

"They have endured damaging pandemics in the past and yet in the following centuries, we continued crowding its narrow streets and theatres," he said.

Chinese architect Ma Yansong believes the challenge will be creating cities that are safe, but not isolating places.

"Even if the pandemic might continue through the next couple of years, an ideal city should still reflect our ideal for living, instead of being a capsule that will only isolate people," he said.

"Moments of crisis can also be seen as opportunities for change"

On a personal level, many designers said the pandemic had allowed them to become more focused on their work without the distraction of industry events or overseas client visits.

"Despite the negative aspects that the pandemic has brought, moments of crisis can also be seen as opportunities for change," said Moye. "This pause in our hectic lifestyles has given me a chance to refocus priorities."

Overall, architect Sam Jacob believes that this has been a time of reflection that will shape architecture and design for years to come.

"It feels like there's been quite a bit of soul searching amongst the design and architecture communities over the past year," he said. "Many long overdue issues have come to the fore."

Top image is an illustration of the coronavirus particle by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Read below for the full interviews:

"Creators and countries need to be able to adapt"

Virgil Abloh CEO, Off-White, Milan

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

The pandemic, to me, exposed the need for businesses, designers, creators, even entire countries, to be able to adapt. I see the same challenge being posed in this realm of architecture and design – as creators we must be adaptable and fluid in our skills and our practices, but the places and structures we're creating need this ability as well.

This is something I had kind of already started thinking about, the need for spaces to be easily transformed. When I was designing the Off-White Miami flagship with Samir Bantal of AMO we wanted to create a retail space that essentially can outlive retail.

Things like movable walls and other elements that make a space multifunctional are not only interesting from a design perspective, but they're necessary for staying ahead of this ever-changing tide.

What will the long-term impact be?

I think we're going to see a lot of the same social and political movements that were brought to the forefront of our collective consciousness reflected in design for years to come.

Things like transparency and openness, as we've seen society demand of politics and their leaders, their police and their justice systems. The idea of personal expression and celebrating differences – customising your space like you do your own style with the clothes you wear and the pieces you buy.

"A more open attitude to change"

Norman Foster Founder, Foster + Partners, London

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

More open attitude of mind by the public, civic leaders and politicians to change in the public domain.

What will the long-term impact be?

Acceleration and magnification of existing trends to the extent that in the short term they might seem like new trends.

What have you learnt?

A greater appreciation and sensitivity towards those who serve us – obviously health workers but also others who make our urbanities function.

"The industry is booming"

Kelly Hoppen Founder, Kelly Hoppen Interiors, London

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

One of the biggest surprises for me came at the beginning of the pandemic when there was an influx of work, particularly international work. The speed and demand of work that came through during the pandemic provided an opportunity to grow further. In my view, the industry is booming, however, the requirements for design are changing.

Having worked in Asia for many years, we understood many of these requirements, but this was the first time I understood them personally and realised the impact they would have on the field.

What will the long-term impact be?

Long-term, interiors and architecture will have to be created with hygiene and practicality at the forefront. Both vision and design details will need to be adapted to ensure space adheres to everyday living, with the additional demands highlighted by Covid in a post-pandemic world.

What have you learnt?

In spite of strict travel restrictions, the inability to visit sites and engage in other practical activities meant we had to think outside the box quickly.

We had come up with different solutions to fulfil things we could only do in person, for example handling an installation for a couture job. Being able to overcome these challenges has been both exciting and rewarding, and has also taught me about the endless possibilities that exist when it comes to showcasing international design and architecture.

"Coronavirus has sounded an alarm"

Sun Dayong Founding partner, Penda, Beijing

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

I think the coronavirus pandemic has made people realise that having architectural spaces that are secure and safeguarded is extremely important. In times past, the primary function of architectural structures was to shelter human beings from the elements and predatory animals. In the future, protecting people from viruses will be one of the important functions of architecture.

This aspect will be paid more and more attention to in design. For example, the need to revise the distribution ratio of open space and private space in spatial layouts will promote the forming of new design specifications; and the need for sterilization and sterilization technology in architectural materials will instigate the production of new products. This will undoubtedly lead to changes in the way future buildings are designed.

What will the long-term impact be?

I think the coronavirus pandemic has made people realise that human beings are vulnerable to nature and that we cannot ignore the impact of the earth's environment on our lives. In the past, people were content to stay in air-conditioned rooms or a comfortable car, without giving a second thought to the environment or nature.

It was easy to ignore news of global warming or rising sea levels – it seemed those issues were just the dry concerns of environmental experts, empty claims in the advertisements of real estate developers. But the emergence of the coronavirus has made everyone realise that these problems are, in fact, very real.

The pandemic has been massively damaging and costly worldwide. It is conceivable that if other, more severe environmental problems develop, many more people's lives will be adversely affected.

The coronavirus has sounded an alarm, in effect reminding people to care for the earth and the environment. As a shaper of the environment, architects should seriously consider sustainable design strategies, and put forward feasible suggestions for shaping a healthy environment in the future.

What have you learnt?

The pandemic has given me the opportunity to stay at home and live with my family for an extended period of time. It has made me realise the importance of relationships in general, and that good family relations are the baseline for having a happy life.

For this type of harmony to be formed, frank communication and heart-to-heart communication are really essential. Architects can help people create beautiful and warm spaces, but a happy life is a collective effort created by everyone – and each person is the architect of their own happiness.

Love the people around us and build happiness with love. I think this is what every professional architect should keep in mind, and learn to "create with love".

"It's socially acceptable to be a hermit"

Joyce Wang Founder, Joyce Wang Studio, London

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

It's made it socially acceptable to be a bit of a hermit and to socially distance. Restaurants and hotels were becoming social houses before the pandemic. Now we are seeing project briefs that call for a balance of social and anti-social spaces to be designed.

What will the long-term impact be?

Use of naturally sterilising finishes and materials for high-touch points like doorknobs and faucets, people will still yearn for tactility so am hoping it doesn't all migrate to sensor/touchless devices.

What have you learnt?

We, humans, are super resilient and can adapt to be happy, creative and even thrive in the most awkward of circumstances.

"We must strive harder"

Thomas Heatherwick Founder, Heatherwick Studio, London

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

Even before the global pandemic, there was already an immense and rapidly-growing problem of many un-human, sterile places being clumsily created around the world. Apart from the occasional predictably-special arts building or rich person's house, cities have been increasingly made up of repetitious new developments and districts that lack life, human interest and joy and generally don't make people feel good to be there.

As we've been forced to immerse ourselves in the digital realm during the pandemic, we've discovered that technology in our homes can sometimes provide a better alternative to crappy public places.

For me it's exciting that the responsibility is now back on us – the designers, architects, developers, and planners – to start making an impact again by creating inspiring public places that people will cherish and want to spend time in.

What will the long-term impact be?

I believe that one long term impact of coronavirus will be that we'll value places that bring us together a little bit more. But I also believe we'll be looking for places that better reflect the true diversity of our society.

For the last hundred years, architecture has been a closed profession that tends to be led by like-minded people with similar backgrounds. We've seen before that disasters have been catalysts for major changes in architecture.

I hope there can now be a new entrepreneurial spirit after the pandemic that allows more people to be unafraid of thinking they can have a voice in architecture even if they don't necessarily want to design the sort of buildings they currently see around them. I also now personally hope there will be opportunities for far more diversity in the types of buildings that are being made.

What have you learnt?

I've always been fascinated by public shared experience – and believe passionately in advocating for great public spaces that help us connect better with each other but, deprived of meeting up with each other for a year, this is now something we crave more than ever.

I hate seeing missed opportunities that don't adequately serve us and our communities and society as a whole. So I hope the real positive legacy of this terrible pandemic will be a realisation that there's no longer a place for yet more lazy soulless developments and buildings.

Instead, we must strive harder to create places that galvanize and inspire people. Whatever sustainability metrics and credentials they claim to possess; unless we have the real passion of people who use and experience the buildings and spaces we design, they will never be truly sustainable.

"China is almost back to normal"

Ma Yansong Founder, MAD Architects, Beijing

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

One of the biggest impacts is, the pandemic changed our ways of living and working. Lack of face-to-face communication and more reliance on e-meetings in some ways more important for us, but it does prevent us from engaging in usual conversations which are more interactive. The industry in China is almost back to normal after a year.

What will the long-term impact be?

"Sharing" used to be one of the most important agenda in the industry. We used to make a lot of efforts to providing more open space to stimulate social interactions.

However, the pandemic led to more discussions on isolation and social distancing, rather than sharing and co-living. However, in the long run, public space will still be the foundation for sharing our cities, and architects will face challenging times to reconsider other meanings of public space.

Even if the pandemic might continue through the next couple of years, an ideal city should still reflect our ideal for living, instead of being a capsule that will only isolate people.

What have you learnt?

The pandemic is huge for us who are living on this planet at this age. But if we look at linear history, the pandemic might be just the tip of the iceberg. Nature still dominates the world. It makes me think about the role of an architect. He or she can be alive only for several decades, but what can an architect create for the generations, or a longer run, contribute to civilisation, or even greater, this planet?

"Activity-based work is becoming the standard"

Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen Co-founder, Spacon & X, Copenhagen

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

I think we have only seen the early impacts of Covid 19, but already now we see at Spacon&X how the pandemic has caused us to work differently. New digital tools and processes have found their way into our office, optimising our ways to develop, present and produce our design.

We've been forced to present digitally and to implement new software, and it's been a game-changer for us. We've even worked with virtual design and architecture, where the end result is digital – very interesting new possibilities!

What will the long-term impact be? We founded Spacon & X on ideas of how to deal with the shortage of space in urban areas with explosively growing populations. For the first time in many years, more people are moving out of Copenhagen to be closer to nature, which we see as a partially corora-triggered trend. This will definitely reframe how we approach design and architecture in urban as well as in natural surroundings.

Working with office design and space management, we have also experienced how Covid has boosted the fluidity between working physically at the office vs at home or anywhere else. "Activity-based work" is becoming the standard, meaning we have to come up with new solutions for office workers to feel comfortable not having their own work station, and office spaces to feel vibrant even when they are half or two thirds empty.

What have you learnt? I've learnt how much value it has to be agile and flexible, Spacon&X would have suffered if we would not have been as agile and ready to identify new possibilities and adjust our plans.

I've learnt how powerful collective movements are. Experiencing how a society/a world can change behaviour that quickly and efficiently. I would never have thought that possible before.

I've also learned how much I love my job, what I do and all the people I work with! Everyone at Spacon&X has worked together in getting through this period, approaching it with an open mind, I think we are a collectively stronger office today than before Covid!:)

"Single-use in architecture is out-of-date"

Ingrid Moye Co-founder, Zeller & Moye, Mexico City

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

Through this pandemic, we are experiencing a lack of human contact. Cities, architecture, and design are those tangible means to human encounters, elemental to our lives.

The pandemic has proven that mobility in cities can be moderated posing an opportunity to reduce the use of cars, and therefore the CO2 emissions. It's, therefore, an opportunity to design cities for people, not for cars.

The rigid 'single use' in architecture and design appears out-of-date. Architecture and design should become more flexible and adaptable. Hybrid buildings could then cope better with emergency scenarios, and extend their own lifespans.

Design and architecture will need to re-focus on the well-being of users, providing safer environments for human interaction. Covid-19 has reminded us that the human species forms part of a larger ecosystem that we need to live in harmony with. Architecture and design have the responsibility to make a positive impact on our environment.

What will the long-term impact be?

I hope it will be the awareness of recovering our endangered ecosystem, after facing our vulnerability as a species during this pandemic.

What have you learnt?

Despite the negative aspects that the pandemic has brought, moments of crisis can also be seen as opportunities for change. This pause in our hectic lifestyles has given me a chance to refocus priorities.

"Cities are not dead"

Carlo Ratti Founder, Carlo Ratti Associati, Turin

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

Covid highlighted the irrelevance of many architects' obsession with form – it forced us to think big again and tackle the key issues of our present (environmental crisis, technological transformations, inequalities) – which the pandemic has put into the spotlight.

Also, after countless Zoom calls in pyjamas, we can say the domestic and professional environments are getting increasingly blurred! With that, we need to rethink the design of our homes and offices.

What will the long-term impact be?

A change of paradigm in housing as well as planning: from the separation of functions (I work in a different place from where I live) to the simultaneity of functions (I work and live in the same place). This prompts us to think about a new Existenzminimum [minimum living standards] for the 21st century.

I would like to make another point. Cities are not dead and will come back. They have endured damaging pandemics in the past – in the 14th century Venice lost 60 per cent of its population because of the black death and yet, in the following centuries, we continued crowding its narrow streets and theatres.

What have you learnt?

Travelling less is not necessarily a bad thing. It allows us to reconnect with places and focus on our civic duties.

"It has challenged us to reassess old normals"

Sevil Peach Co-founder, SevilPeach, London

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

It has challenged us to reassess the "old normals" that we had based and organised our lives around. We need to reimagine what they should be and what they should provide if we were to re-invent them today.

This is particularly relevant to our homes, which we have rapidly had to adapt as best as we can so it is able to properly support us throughout our lockdown days.

This need for adaptations also refers to our workplace, which will need to reinvent itself to remain relevant and to be a place we wish & choose to go to.

What will the long-term impact be?

Architecture and design need to regain their inclusiveness and human-centricity, responding to real human needs and emotions, that our solutions need to be sustainable both at an environmental, economic and personal level, plus adaptable and responsive to changing needs.

What have you learnt?

How much we thrive on human interaction. How important spontaneity and collaboration is to the design and creative processes. How pleasant it is to reimagine our working day to migrate from our desk to an armchair, to the kitchen table, to look out at the garden, or to even to be able to work out in the garden and fresh air.

"Offices need to turn into destinations"

Astrid Klein Co-founder, Klein Dytham Architecture, Tokyo

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

It has become clear that we need more open, green, common, public spaces that are accessible to all. The densely packed floor plans don't look 'safe' anymore.

What will the long-term impact be?

In order to be able to compete with the comfort of your home, office and retail spaces need to turn into attractive destinations, appealing to physical and mental wellbeing and be conducive to simply hanging out.

What have you learnt?

With fewer business trips, commutes, out of office meetings, work has become more focused, productive and daily schedules have become more work/life balance, and there is less stress getting all dressed up every day!

"Cities must change their very structure"

Stefano Boeri Founder, Stefano Boeri Architetti, Milan

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

We must ask ourselves if we think we can fully grasp the power of this tragedy and thus try to think of a different way of inhabiting the planet, the cities, the spaces of everyday life.

In a planet that is heading towards the great challenge of a new and necessary alliance between cities (until now the maximum expression of human civilisation) and the world of forests, woods, mountains, oceans, urban realities must become transnational and archipelago metropolises; metropolises that encompass portions of nature in their extension.

What do you think the major long-term impact of coronavirus will be on architecture and design? Cities, in addition to opening up to nature, must change in their very structure: the great attractors of crowds and congestion on which they are born are in great difficulty today.

We should begin to think of an urban life in which every citizen has basic necessities at a reasonable distance, within a geographical radius of 500 meters and a time range of 15/20 minutes; on foot or, at most, by bicycle.

"Zoom rooms will become important spaces"

Sabine Marcelis Founder, Studio Sabine Marcelis, Rotterdam

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

The way in which we communicate our ideas. The surge of new programs that bring ideas to life when we can't physically present ideas. The newfound importance of the home and the home office.

And the fact that people are investing in their homes. Shifting from global back to local again (working with production companies/ photographers etc close to home instead of flying to or flying in people from all over the world).

What will the long-term impact be?

Communication of ideas. The shift from office work to working from home. Offices will need to be designed with importance put on hygiene and distance keeping. Zoom-rooms and smaller rooms for online meetings where your background plays a big role will be important spaces in the office also.

What have you learnt?

Not every meeting needs to be a plane trip (but some definitely would be better if they were!). The importance of the dynamic within a team. I feel incredibly fortunate that my team works so well together. Everyone is in sync with each other and we don't get lost in miscommunications at all.

It's incredibly difficult to communicate complex ideas which are all about experience and tactility from remote locations and at least this challenge is only from our team to clients and not within the team itself.

"The zoned city can no longer be sustainable"

Lina Ghotmeh Founder, Lina Ghotmeh Architectures, Paris

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

I think this pandemic had impacted first our space-time relation, we had discovered a new spatial dimension through our extensive exploration of the digital immaterial world. This is a new space that may need a new form of architecture and design to render it more humane and more distinctive.

Exploring extensive remote work had also allowed many people to explore the countryside as a better context for working. This highlighted the visceral need we have to be close to nature affecting the relationship we have with the city. We can question here its traditional role as a centralized economic hub. The structure of the city is more than any time, bound to change.

What will the long-term impact be?

Finally, we have concrete proof that the zoned city can no longer be sustainable. It is neither durable nor resilient. We cannot build by segregating functions: nature, living, working, leisure, culture etc. contingent mixing is essential for the adaptability of our living structures.

Homes will become more and more places of work, mutable meeting points; museums more productive places; nature inherent to architecture. The 15 minutes city, the city of proximities, as Paris is working on, is evidence, it will also transform the programmatic regulatory paradigms that underlay our architectural world.

What have you learnt?

I always thought the notion of boundaries between nations is questionable, this virus proved more concretely that the world is deeply interconnected, this applies today to this virus crisis we are all facing but is also a reminder that it applies to more invisible systems that drive the dynamics behind our built world: economic systems, energy consumption, climate change, waste. These have direct consequences on all of us and need to be challenged, addressed at every level professionally & personally.

"The pandemic has shifted our perspective"

Sam Jacob Founder, Sam Jacob Studio, London

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

The pandemic has shifted our perspective, forcing us – if only literally – to look at the world from a different place. It quieted the industry noise a little, that fog that often obscures the context of our actions as designers. No ceremonies, no industry events, a break in the conveyor belt of so-called career progression.

There's been much more focus on the work in hand. And more time to think. It feels like there's been quite a bit of soul searching amongst the design and architecture communities over the past year. Many long overdue issues have come to the fore. But let's see, as we unlock, how much we've really learnt about ourselves, and how our ideas of how architecture and design can remake the world in new and different ways have changed.

What will the long-term impact be?

Feels like there will be quite an impact. A lot of previous plans and assumptions have been thrown into disarray. And whether we like it or not (or whether it's for the right reasons) we're going to have to figure out new ways for design to work in the world. Smaller budgets, fewer blockbusters. Could this mean a design approach that is more nimble, humble, and full of pragmatic imagination? Might it mean a new sharper focus, a directness and a creative response that works within the reality and needs of our circumstances socially, economically, environmentally? We can only hope.

What have you learnt?

I think the key thing I've realised over the last year is the value of relationships. Of working with clients who care, with collaborators who engage in constructive dialogue, with my own team who have gone above and beyond. For all of the myriad difficulties we had, there has been something optimistic and intensely human about the ways we have found to work together.

In some ways, even over Zoom, more intimate and engaged than assembling in boardrooms. Some of the hierarchies and professional silos that usually separate us or set us against each other have softened. Perhaps there's been more understanding of the difficulties inherent in making a good project happen, and recognition of the efforts of everyone involved. Most of all that design process is a process of working together, the sum of the efforts that we put into it.

"We have all discovered ourselves unprepared"

Doriana Fuksas Co-founder, Studio Fuksas, Rome

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

A simple sentence: "Città, less aesthetics more ethics', the 7th International Architecture Exhibition for The 2000 Venice Biennale, curated by Fuksas architects. For more than twenty years we have been reflecting on the cities and on the contemporary house model.

What will the long-term impact be?

With the pandemic, we have all discovered ourselves scared and unprepared, but I believe this was an opportunity to start thinking and reflecting especially on our living spaces and houses.

After an initial moment of great disorientation, we tried to make the most of the emergency by exploring and investigating new design solutions which could adapt both the new and existing projects.

The world of architecture will surely have to keep up with the enormous change, primarily social, that this emergency has led to. The role of the designer-architect can only adapt to the new challenges, using technological innovation to design objects and buildings that adapt to the new way of living, different from the one we were used to.

2020 is the true beginning of the 3rd Millennium for architecture and design, that of a revolution in terms of housing equipment, space distribution, new transport organization, green energy utilization.

What have you learnt?

To appreciate and don't waste but preserve what we have got. I think I have also learnt the importance of the house as first aid, as fluid space, able to accept transformations and to host different functions following different needs.

We are proud of the achievement reached by built 10 years ago: The Rome New EUR Congress Center 'the Cloud' became the biggest Coronavirus 19 vaccination hub in Europe.

"We've found more time to be creative"

Sofia Lagerkvist and Anna Lindgren Founders, Front, Stockholm

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

During this time designers have found more time on their hands to be creative and experiment. They have found new platforms for showing and exhibiting and channels to sell their work, of course through social media but also the gallery scene has provided different ways to sell at the high-end market.

We think this will continue and give independence to the individual designer, cutting out the middleman and creating more direct contact between designer and client. Many of the industry's producers have used this year to invest in new production techniques and to restructure.

The design market has previously been focusing a lot on fairs and with this year we see many companies reconsidering their marketing and sales strategies away from big launch events a few times a year and doing business in a more direct and personal way.

"The future is now"

Maria Warner Wong Co-founder, WOW Architects, Singapore

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

The pandemic has triggered a series of changes in the world that have revealed the lack of sustainability in design and architecture – unused office space, inadequate home workplaces, insufficient jobs, empty public venues.

What will the long-term impact be?

In the long term, the undeniable wastefulness and damage to society inherent in the paradox of endless growth will be exposed and inescapable. Architects & designers will have to develop better ways of building and providing for communities or be exposed to complicity in global warming.

What have you learnt?

I have realised that we cannot leave it to "someday", the future is now. We should spend more time in nature to heal our sad & cynical soul.

"Coronavirus has been a great leveller"

Sarah Wigglesworth Founder, Sarah Wigglesworth Architects, London

How has the pandemic impacted architecture and design?

It has made us value space and air. Hopefully, it has reorientated our focus on the fact that buildings are about people. They are not just inhabited sculptures and brand identities. They really have to respond to need.

What will the long-term impact be?

What I'd like to see happen and what may happen are two different things. I'd like to see more people striving for better fitness & health by making better food choices and using self-propelled transit through cities (walking, boarding, cycling). That would free public transport to be safer as pressure on it would reduce.

What might easily happen is that people resort to their cars because they represent a bubble but this would only increase congestion and potentially increase air pollution. The right to roam throughout the UK should be a given as people need to escape, but I suspect this won't happen.

Homes need to be much more flexible and larger to accommodate the various tasks they will have to perform as we work in different modes, places and times. Monocultural buildings such as offices could become redundant. Again, with the market in control, this is unlikely to happen.

Planning-use classes ought to be re-thought as categories no longer seem appropriate (live/work might become a new one). Again, the planning reforms do not take this into account. I'd like the needs of communities to be much more embedded in the process of development.

From Grenfell to pandemics, the economic-social-environmental equation needs to be reimagined I favour of humans and the ecology. Build back better? I hope so but let's see the evidence!

What have you learnt?

Be kind. Every person has other responsibilities which should be understood as part of their life. The world will not fall apart if we recognise and work around them. Corona has been a great leveller.

The post Norman Foster, Virgil Abloh and more share their thoughts on the global impact of Covid-19 appeared first on Dezeen.

#Architecture – Dezeen

0 notes

twdgfanfiction · 7 years

Text

Chapter 29 - Seeking Justice

The cold winds of winter blew harsh over Lee, causing him to shiver violently as he woke up, clinging to his jacket, his tired eyes cracking open only to spot a small campfire in front of him. Confused, he sat up whilst glancing around.

Something wasn't right.

He felt the air leave his lungs as he realized he was completely alone, sitting on a single bed roll in the middle of nowhere, large trees looming over him with the starry night sky above him, everything around him was nothing but pitch black darkness, the soft light from the dying fire barely highlighting his surroundings. Fear sat in his stomach, twisting it as he looked around, trying to find anyone else, but the entire campsite was empty save for him.

Standing up, his back cracked loudly as he groaned, rubbing his shoulder with a shaky hand as he called out. "Sarah!? Is anyone out there!?"

No reply came. Keeping his hands in front of him for safety as his eyes adapted to the dark, he slowly walked through the fog, his feet crunching in the freshly fallen snow. The temperature seemed to drop with each step he took and the wind was so strong he swore it was pushing him back, his breath was visible in front of his face and he couldn't feel the tips of his fingers anymore. He knew should stay close to the warmth of the fire, but he had to find his friends, that was the only thought that made him force himself to keep going.

Unsure where he even was or how he ended up there in first place, he tripped over when his foot slipped on something, quickly putting his hands forward to stop himself from colliding with the ground, the freezing bite of the snow and small rocks covered by it hurting his palms and fingers and hitting his knees. Kneeling there, he tried to catch his breath, feeling the icy air freezing his lungs and throat with every breathful.

"The hell was that?" He grunted as he tried to stand up, his feet finding it difficult to grip the slippery ground. Turning his head, he spotted a torn piece of blue fabric in the snow, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion whilst he brushed more snow off it, seeing more of the fabric until he finally grabbed it. Wrenching it out of the snow, he holds it up and that's when his stomach drops.

Sarah's jacket. The sleeves were torn to shreds, frozen half solid and the old blood stains were barely visible under the large splatter of fresh blood. A large gaping hole was torn into the front of it, destroying the zipper, along with the bottom frayed from what looked like burns. Keeping it in his hands, he glanced around in a panic, trying desperately to find her in the pitch darkness, his voice echoing in the inkinesss as he called out. "Sarah?! Please, answer me!"

But her voice didn't reply. Without giving it another thought, he rushed out into the darkness, pushing the branches out of his way as he ran through the forest. The light from the campfire disappeared, and it felt like he was walking on air, unable to see anything even if it was right in front of his face. He kept running, ignoring how his legs ached and his breathing worsened, slowing down as he looked around. Unable to see anything, he could only pant loudly, turning around on his heels whilst panicking. A harsh bark was all remained of his voice, calling loudly in the dark. "Anyone?!"

Standing alone, he finally stopped looking around, seeing no one there with him. Worried, on his own, and feeling the cold starting to get to him, Lee couldn't even find the campfire anymore. Falling to his knees, he curled in on himself, holding his knees close in a desperate attempt to preserve what little warmth he had left. Freezing, he shivered quietly to himself, making no attempt to move when he glanced up, his eyebrows furrowing when he spotted something standing in the distance. Trying to focus through the haze, his mouth fell open while his eyes widened, finally able to see the object clearly.

Clementine...

She wasn't a walker this time yet her skin looked as sickly pale as theirs, soulless dark eyes stared deeply at him through the fog, she didn't have her hat on, making the gaping bullet wound right on the center of her forehead stand out even more, and even with no expression at all on her face, Lee could feel an immense sadness radiating from her as guilt quickly began to build up within him.

"Sweet pea..." he whispered as she started to approach, his vision darkening with every step the little girl took, along with the unbearable sound of static resonating louder and louder, banging against his temples.

"Please… Stop!" he begged as Clementine ignored his pleading, eyes still fixed on him.

When she was no more than a foot away from him, she ceased in her walking, instead just staring down at him whilst he laid there, confused and grief-stricken. He wanted to get up, to hold her in his arms and never let go, but his body was frozen, and the sight of her made him want to run away just as much as he wanted to stay. She extended her hand as if she was offering to help him up.

Before he could do anything, his body suddenly felt like it was shutting down, the feeling in his arms and legs disappearing, and slowly but surely, his eyes started to close, the darkness around him encroaching further into his vision. After what it seemed an eternity of lying there, the darkness finally engulfed him, and it was like he never existed. He wondered if anyone was there to notice him gone, or if everyone had abandoned him, died or disappeared like the friends he had tried so hard to protect did.

Despair filled him, and he couldn't bring himself to move. However, he heard a small voice calling out, his eyes opening to stare in the darkness. "Lee… Lee… Lee!"

"Clem..."

The feeling returned to his body, and the darkness suddenly burst into light, blinding him as he shut his eyes quickly. Someone shaking him could be felt, and when he opened his eyes once more, the blurry vision of his surroundings came into focus.

"Lee, wake up!" Sarah was peering over him, concern on her face as she backed away once more, allowing him to sit up leisurely. Groaning, he cracked his back and sighed loudly, rubbing it in pain after spending the night sleeping on the lumpy couch. He thought the beds in Howe's were bad, but the uncomfortable furniture he was sitting on was somehow worse.

Stretching out, groaning under his breath, he looked around in a hazy panic, unsure of where he was. The nightmare felt just as real as anything he had encountered, and he was sure his hands lost all feeling, the frost creeping on his back before he shook it off. Sarah watched him calm down, worried eyes behind her damaged glasses until he finally mumbled to her, half-asleep. "Is something wrong, honey?"

"Edith just woke me up. There's someone at the gate that wants to meet with us, we think they're from Howe's." She explained, glancing behind her as said woman moved into his line of vision, her gun in hand as she watched silently. Lee just stared at her momentarily, trying to figure out what she was saying through the thick haze of sleep, and when it finally clicked, his face fell grim as she added. "What if they try to take me back?"

"Don't worry, Sarah. I won't let that happen." He consoled, taking a sneak peek at Edith as she stood there, a worried look on her face as she stared back at the sleepy survivor.

Walking closer to them, she voiced her thoughts, adopting a small smile as she piped up. "I don't think it'll be that bad, Sarah. It's only a girl there, from what Sam told me."

Confused, Lee swung his long legs off the arm of the couch, still staring at Edith as he stood up, maybe Al came back for him and Luke. The pain in his back worsened significantly when he did so, and he could only grunt in pain as he hunched over slightly. Sarah stood there, concerned about him as he was unable to move for a moment. Pushing through the pain, he just straightened himself once more, and turned to Edith whilst asking. "He mention anything else about her?"

"Not really, but I could hear her shouting from the background noise on my radio. She seemed pretty agitated." The last sentence was spoken with caution, and her eyes glanced out of the window, not even looking at Lee as she added. "I don't think she'll cause too much trouble, not with Sam and Huan at the gates, but I'm worried that she's hurt."

"We better get going then." Lee pointed out, watching as Sarah nodded in agreement and walked to the door, opening it quickly as she left the two adults alone. She seemed preoccupied, almost worried about something, and it wasn't just Edith that was concerned for the child, Lee piping up as he watched he walking down the path. "Something's wrong."

"She was like that when I woke her up. Maybe she knows something?" The female survivor suggested, glancing over at Lee as she too walked over to the door, quickly adding with an urgent tone. "At any rate, we should see who this new arrival is. Come on, Lee."

Following after her, both of them exited the trailer, closing the door behind him to make sure none of the snow and frost got inside. No fresh snow seemed to have fallen during the night, but the freezing winds were still blowing through the trailer park relentlessly, causing chills to run up his spine whilst he shivered violently. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he walked in silence whilst listening to the sound of their shoes crunching through the solid snow, leaving footprints behind them as they followed after Sarah.

Staring at her back, he remembered his dream from before and stared at the fabric, almost seeing torns being made in it just then, before shaking his head to free himself of the nightmares. Opening his eyes once more, he sighed softly when her jacket appeared intact. Spotting the pistol in her waistband, he felt both relieved that she had something that she could defend herself with, but also disgusted to see such a young child having to carry around a weapon.

Quietly, he listened as Edith asked him. "So… When we go back to Howe's, what are you planning on doing?"

"Showing everyone what kind of leader they got. With luck, I can make the community a better place for its people, even if it's too late to help Sarah." He explained, pausing as he turned his gaze back on Sarah, his voice softer as he confessed. "If anything, I'm glad she'll have a chance at a better life."

"I know. If it's any consolation, I think you did well helping her grow up. If she didn't know how to defend herself, I don't know what me and Sam would have found in the museum." Edith replied, her face falling grim at the thought. Lee didn't want to think about it, he already panicked over what he would have found when he left Howe's to begin the search.

Turning right, the three of them walked through the trailer to get passed the barricade separating the two halves of the trailer, Sarah keeping the door open for Lee and Edith, only starting to walk again when the older woman grabbed the door and nodded. Entering it, he tried his best not to look at the corpses he spotted yesterday, noticing that Sarah was doing the same thing as she quickly exited the trailer, wanting to get out of that situation so badly that she didn't even wait by the door for the adults. Instead, Edith grabbed hold of the door, keeping it open for Lee to leave before following after him.

Closing the door behind them, the two shared a pitying look before the distant sound of shouting brought their attention back, Lee staring off at the gate with a worried expression. Edith wasted no time running the rest of the way, concerned for the safety of her brother, leaving Lee behind as he just stood there in a stump. After a few seconds, he cursed under his breath and ran after her, not seeing Sarah anywhere whilst hopping over the play area's fence, weaving through the playing sets before he reached the gate. Spotting Huan and Sam standing there, he heard a young voice call out.

"Where are they?!" the voice called out, turning an aggressive turn when she demanded the two grown men. "I swear, if you guys fucking hurt them-!"

"Kid, calm down! We ain't done anything, my sister's bringing your friends out now!" Sam replied, glancing behind his back to see Edith and Lee walking up, lowering his voice as he sighed in relief. "Thank god you two are here. The kid's getting pretty pissed now, you wanna calm her down?"

Glancing at Edith, Lee heard footsteps behind him and turned, seeing Sarah walking up to them, her face grim as she apologized. "Sorry, I just… needed some space."

"It's alright, honey." Edith brushed off, turning back to Lee as she added. "You best handle this."

Nodding, he started to walk to the gate, peering outside to see the young girl standing there, blood splattered all over her clothes and rubbed on her face. Recognizing that rage-fueled glare, he paused at the front of the gate, watching her expression turn from anger to surprise, and then quickly joy when Sarah followed after him, appearing by his side. The trio stood in silence, a much needed change from the enraged yelling just a second ago, and it went on for a good minute before Sarah called out, her voice shocked yet somewhat hopeful. "Riley?"

"Sarah!" she replied, a rare bright smile on her face whilst she watched the other teen opening the gate, rushing forward and holding Sarah in a tight embrace. "I knew I'd find you."

"How did you find us?" Sarah asked, returning the hug full-heartedly as she buried her face in Riley's shoulder.

Finally, she pushed Sarah away, holding her shoulders tightly as she explained, glancing down at her blood stained jumpy. "When Bill told all the scouts to come back to bunk down for the night, I couldn't stay there, not knowing you were out here on your own. So, I snuck out. Luckily I covered myself in walker guts. Slipped right through the horde."

"Where is it now?" Lee asked, worry gnawing at him as Riley turned her attention to him. "Please, are my friends alright?"

"Last time I saw them, they were being locked in the Pen for the shutdown period. The herd has moved to the west now, so the community should be safe now. The damage done though, I can't really say." She seemed guilty after saying that last part, adopting a softer tone as she added. "I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you anything else."

"It's not your fault, Riley." Lee responded, adopting a sad smile as the thought of his friends locked in the freezing pen, the horde surrounding the community, unsettled him. Hiding his emotions, he noticed Sarah glancing up at him, a guilty look on her face whilst Riley glanced at the open gate, staring at the forest surrounding the trailer park.

"We shouldn't run into the bulk on our way back, but we might find stragglers. If you guys rub yourselves with this, it'll stop them from detecting you." Pulling out a bottle full of blood, she noticed Lee's grimace and smirked. "It's easier than finding a walker to gut."

"Riley…" Sarah started, getting more upset when her friend turned around to face her with a confused look, trying her best to find the easiest way to break it to her. "I'm… I'm not going back to Howe's."

A short laugh came from Riley, a confused smile on her face as she glanced between her and Lee, noticing him adopting the same grim look as Sarah. Slowly, her smile fell, and all she could manage was a weak. "What?"

"These people took me in when I ran away from Howe's. They come from a community up north, Wellington, and they've offered to take me back with them when they repair their car. After what happened with dad…" Sarah paused, staring down at Riley's hands that had intertwined with hers. "I can't stay there. I hope you understand why."

Riley appeared in thought, staring down at their fingers just like Sarah did, and Lee was surprised she didn't rip them away in anger. In fact, Riley was almost gentle in nature when she was around Sarah, soft and deliberate in her movements that was a stark contrast to the distrustful and aggressive teen Lee was used to. Glancing at Edith, he noticed her watching the duo with a genuine smile on her face, warm and bright whilst Sam crossed his arm, noticing Huan moving to Edith's side and wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

Softly, he heard Riley reply with certainty. "If you're going up north, then I'm coming with you."

"What? Riley, are you sure?" Sarah asked, finally looking back up at the other teen with a surprised expression on her face, eyes wide yet a small smile on her face as Riley nodded. "But… what about Howe's?"

"What about them? There's nothing there for me anymore, and I'll most likely get disciplined by Bill if I go back. I was willing to risk all of it to find you again." She brushed off, following Sarah's gaze as the both of them looked up at Edith.

With a pleading look, Sarah asked the older woman. "Please, can she come with us?"

Staring at the two teens, Edith appeared unsure on what to say, but relented when she saw Lee watching her, silently begging her to take care of the orphaned kids. With a sigh, she nodded. "Our community can support two kids, I guess."

"Edith…" Sam muttered, catching Lee's attention as he neared the adults, all of them allowing Sarah and Riley to talk about different matters when he continued. "We'll already be in trouble for bringing Sarah along, now we have another kid with us. Another mouth to feed."

"Wǒmen bù fàngqì xūyào bāngzhù de rén!" Huan shot back, crossing his arms as Sam just stood there in confusion, looking at Edith for clarification.

With the same stern look as the doctor, she berated him. "He said we don't abandon people in need, and I agree with him. Riley and Sarah won't take much room or resources, and I can't live with myself if we send them back to live under Carver."

"I know, it's just hard nowadays. All I want is to protect our people, especially after Christa…" Sam fell silent, though the name coming from his words grasped Lee's attention, the latter turning to face the saddened survivor as he stood there.

"Look, this ain't none of my business who this Christa is," he started, though he couldn't deny that he was curious. "All I want is to make sure Riley and Sarah are taken care of when they go to Wellington with you guys, that's it."

"I'll try my best. If we can't set up trading with Howe's, we gotta turn our attentions to other communities, but they're in different states across the country." Edith explained, shaking her head as she snapped slightly. "We need food, water, anything now."

"It ain't gonna happen with Carver in charge. You gonna tell Riley about what he planned for you?" Sam asked, glancing behind him as he added. "Luke's been tied up and with that leg, he ain't getting very far."

"You guys tied Luke up?" Riley suddenly asked, walking towards the group of adults with a confused look. Sarah was right behind her, an upset expression on her face as she stared past the group, rather focusing on the trailer that Luke was being kept in.

Lee took a moment before replying, crossing his arms as he revealed the truth to her. "Yeah, he is. I ain't gonna lie to you, Riley, but Luke did a really stupid thing."

"Knowing him, that doesn't really surprise me." She shot back, a deadpan look on her face as she guessed sarcastically. "What'd he do? Shoot himself in the foot?"

Grimacing, Lee shared a look with Sarah, both of them knowing how close to the truth the other teen was, before he shook his head. "Carver… he ordered Luke to kill me, and blame it on the herd that was closing in on us."

"What?" she gasped, shock completely replacing the previous bored expression on her face, before her gaze dropped to the floor as she muttered. "Jesus. Why the fuck would he do that?!"

"It turns out, he was the one that ratted us out to Carver when Sarah's group first escaped, and almost got me and Nick killed." Lee continued, watching Riley getting more angry at the betrayal, his voice dropping in tone when he finished. "Carlos' death is on him…"

Turning back to Sarah, Riley stood there for a moment, staring at the other teen's saddened face, before pulling her into another hug, keeping her close as she whispered softly to her. "I'm so sorry, Sarah."

"He's gone. He's really gone, Riley." She sniffed, closing her eyes as her head rested on the other's shoulder.

Watching them, Lee couldn't help but feel sympathetic to them both, seeing how dealing with this world had took everything out of them. Any resolve, the hope of a better future, it was beaten out of them with the hard journey for survival, the loss of their loved ones. Thinking about him returning to Howe's, ready to help the people living there, he finally spoke up once more, addressing Riley as he told her their plan. "We ain't gonna let him get away with this."

"What you planning?" she asked, releasing Sarah from her hold and turning back around to face the tall man, crossing her arms as she listened.

"I already contact Alicia, she's gonna be gathering people that are tired of the way Carver's running things. All of us, we're gonna go back to Howe's and settle this shit." He explained, noting the concerned look on her face as he added. "Edith and the others are coming with me to tell the community about Carver refusing trade, and that means you and Sarah are not safe staying here, but it's up to you what you guys wanna do."

Sarah seemed unwilling to go back, shaking her head as she begged. "Lee, I can't go back there. Seeing Nick, Christa, all our friends, it'll just make saying goodbye so much more difficult."

"I know, and I wouldn't drag you along with us if I had any other choice, but it's dangerous here on your own." Lee insisted, watching Riley nodding in agreement.

"Sarah," she started, turning her head to face the worried teen whilst she started chewing on her thumb, frightened by the idea of facing Carver and her friends. "You're gonna regret not being able to say goodbye. You have that chance now. Please, don't waste it."

Staring up at her, Sarah removed her thumb from her mouth, letting her hands fall down to her side as she then turned to Lee, who could only offer her a small smile as something to encourage her. Nodding slowly, she muttered. "Okay. I'll come with you guys."

"We should set off soon." Edith pointed out, walking over to the trio as she continued. "The car's nearly done, but any fuel we can scavenged is frozen solid. It looks like we're gonna have to walk."

"It'll take a few hours, but at least it's stopped snowing." Lee replied, turning to Sam as he instructed. "You wanna go and grab our 'friend' in the trailer?"

"Sure thing. Be right back." With that, Sam walked off with Huan in tow, likely so that he could check to see if Luke was fit for travelling. Waiting in the freezing cold, he noticed Riley shivering violently, her hands rubbing her arms roughly in a desperate attempt to fight off the frost. Edith noticed her shivering as well, a pitying look on her face as she could do nothing to help, neither of them having anything that would keep her warm.

Looking down at his own leather jacket, he recalled back to when he first met Sarah, having given her his jacket to try and protect her from the incoming winter cold, and decided that Riley needed it more than he did. Slowly, he pulled the jacket off, his thin shirt helping very little in keeping the frost from biting into his flesh. With the warm clothing in hand, he passed it to the shivering teen, watching her as she stared at it in confusion, unsure what he wanted her to do with it. After a moment of silence, he held it out more forcefully, explaining behind chattering teeth. "You ain't good to anyone half frozen to death. Keep warm with this."

"I don't need it." She rejected, looking away whilst he kept holding it out. "Look, I can make it back to Howe's without it. You don't have to look after me."

"I don't have to, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna anyway." Lee pointed out, nudging her with the jacket as he softly requested. "Take the coat, Riley."

Without a word, and some encouragement from Sarah, the cold teen finally relented and took the coat, putting it on to reveal that it was ridiculously large on her, her hands disappearing into the sleeves. Nonetheless, she seemed better protected from the harsh weather, and Lee could deal with the cold better than she could on the way back to their community. A rogue wind blasted through the trailer park, setting his hairs on edge as he let out a shivering gasp, rubbing his arms whilst the others quietly shook.

Glancing down the road, he muttered in relief when he spotted Luke being led towards them by Sam and Huan, the latter two behind the prisoner whilst he trudged through the snow, his leg still being dragged though he seemed to be able to put more weight on it than yesterday. With arms crossed, he waited for the trio to meet up with them, before he started addressing the whole group. "When we get to Howe's, don't do anything rash. People will know we're coming, and that'll mean that Carver'll know too. Be prepared for anything."

The others nodded at that, listening as he finished. "Alright, let's head out."

The group walked through the open gate, Luke being pushed through with his hands bound behind his back, not sparing a single glance at Lee or Sarah as Sam kept him moving, shooting a worried look at the grown man whilst passing by. Huan and Edith followed after them, the grown woman moving to say something, before she thought otherwise and just kept walking. Left behind, Lee stared down at Sarah, noting her frightened expression as he asked her. "You ready for this, Sarah?"

"I'm… I'm really scared, Lee." She admitted, looking up at him. "I want you to promise me nothing bad will happen, but I know you'll have to lie."

Unsure on what to say to make her better, he closed the gate, offering her a small smile as he replied. "It's alright to be scared. I am too."

Sarah returned the smile, the action small yet genuine for the young teen, before she glanced at the group walking away, her voice quiet as she finished the conversation. "I know we gotta do this, I don't want you doing this by yourself. We were a team once."

"That we were." With the conversation ended, the duo walked off to catch up the group and, all together, they started making their way along the snow covered path through the forest, unsure what would come when they eventually reached Howe's.

The hours seemed to have dragged past when the group continued walking down the path, having passed the memorial at Parker's Run ages ago. Glancing at the plague whilst they were passing through, Lee stared up at the statue, wondering whether he would have another chance to come back to the memorial site, questioning whether Clementine would have liked it or not. Probably not. Either way, the tourist trap was long behind them and, watching the trees passing by slowly, he noticed Luke starting to slow down, his leg dragging more behind him.

Feeling his own legs aching with the long distance they've traveled, he called out to Sam at front, his voice tired and cold. "You see anything up ahead?"

"I dunno, let me just use my binocular vision." He snarked back, his gun held lazily in his hands as he too appeared tired, slowing down as he sighed. "I say we're close."

"We better be. I'm exhausted." Riley grunted, walking behind Edith and Huan as the older woman turned her head, placing an arm around the teen's shoulders as she helped the younger survivor keep walking.

Glancing at all of them, Lee wished that it was the middle of summer rather than deep in winter, the cold biting into his exposed flesh and his thin clothes helping very little in preserving his body heat. The winds picked up drastically, blowing any freshly fallen snow up into the air and in the direction of the group, warning of a likely blizzard forming soon. If that happened, Lee and the others would have to reach Howe's beforehand, otherwise they all risked freezing to death. Wrapping his hands around his arms, he shivered quietly to himself, trying to see through the haze of snow.

Slowly, a blurry figure came into view and, with relief, he heard Sam call back to the group. "Guys, I think we made it!"

"Thank god, let's hurry it up then. It's just going to get worse out here!" Edith ordered, picking up the pace with Riley and Huan by her sides, keeping up with Sam and Luke as they pushed through the final stretch of land between them and the community. Keeping Sarah close, Lee held one of his arms up to shield his face and eyes, staring at the encroaching building that housed his community.

Sarah let out a gasp, freezing despite the thick jacket she was given by Lilly, her hands shoved in the clothing's pockets in a bid for warmth. She didn't oppose being kept close to Lee, rather in fact shoving herself closer in an attempt to get some shelter from the snow blowing at them. Glancing down at her, she didn't try to meet his gaze, instead just focusing on walking forward. Soon, they reached the gate, and Lee noticed the few guards standing on top of the wall, having spotted the group approaching from the tree line. Glancing up, he recognized one of the guards to be Joel, the man almost unrecognizable due to the balaclava covering his lower face, and called up to him.

"Joel, it's Lee. Sarah and Riley are with me, you gotta let us in before we freeze!" he explained, feeling his teeth chatter as he watched Joel pull his balaclava down, exposing his mouth.

"Alright, I'll get someone to open the gates, but be quick about it! The storm's only gonna get worse from here on out!" With that, he pulled out his walkie talkie, his gloved hand shaking as he spoke into it, the words lost to Lee and the others as they could barely hear anything over the roars of the wind.

Standing out there for a good minute, they were relieved when the gates were opened to them, Luke being pushed in by Sam as the rest of the group followed. With the gates closing behind them, Lee watched as Joel came down from his post, walking up to them with a shocked tone. "Jesus Christ, what's going on here?! What've you done to Luke?!"

"That's something we can discuss inside," Lee snapped, fixing Joel with a glare as he added. "Radio your boss. Tell him to come and meet us in the main building on the ground floor."

Confused, Joel did as he was told, pressing the button on the radio as he spoke into the mouthpiece. "Bill, you there? I got Lee and the others back inside the walls, but something's wrong. You might wanna meet us in the main part of the building, ground floor."

Waiting for their leader's reply, him and Lee shared a glance before Carver replied, his voice crackled in the radio feedback. "I'm coming down now."

After that, the radio died down, and Joel listened as Lee instructed him. "Good, now radio Alicia and tell her that the plan's started."

"Lee, I don't understand." He replied, before a cold stare made him obey, calling into the radio. "Alicia? Hey, you there?"

"I'm here, what's up?" she immediately responded, worry laced in her words as she added. "Joel, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Lee's come back though, and he wanted me to tell you that the plan's started." He explained, waiting for her reply. There was no reply however, and instead the radio died. Staring at it, Joel pressed the button and spoke into it. "Alicia? Alicia, what's going on?"

"Lee, it'll be done. Just give us five minutes." Alicia responded, talking directly to Lee whilst ignoring Joel's questions, before the radio died down once more. Staring at it, Joel glanced at the group beside him, concern on his face as he then shifted his gaze to the main building.

With a soft voice, he questioned them. "What the fuck are you guy's planning?"

Saying nothing, the group followed after him as the guard led them up the path, no one standing in the front area to see them entering. Allowing the group to go through first, Joel quickly followed after them as they made their way into the main part of the building, Lee taking lead as Sarah walked confidently beside him, her voice quiet as she noted. "There's hardly anyone here."

"I know. I don't like it, stay on your guard." Lee instructed, watching as she kept a hand near the pistol in the back of her waistband, frowning deeply as he heard footsteps coming from up ahead. Standing tall, he didn't waver when he saw the guards coming down the steps, filling the area along with the workers and other survivors that lived in the community. Spotting Christa amongst the people, he smiled warmly as she appeared relieved, happy to see that he was still alive, and that Sarah was with him, the young teen returning her smiles with a small, genuine one.

It wasn't long before most of the people in the community, including the rest of Lee's group, filled the main part of the ground floor, Carver finally appearing as he walked through the crowds. With an unwavering glare, Lee watched as the leader made his way towards them, stopping a few feet away from Lee as the two stared each other out, Carver's gaze only shifting once to see his bound and wounded son standing there. Slowly, with an angered voice, he demanded answers. "What have you done to my son?"

"The same thing he would have done to me." Lee revealed, increasing his volume so that the rest of the community could hear him. With one last look at the leader, he warned him before he started his accusations. "You brought this one yourself. Now, this community is gonna see you for what you really are."

#twdg #twdg lee #twdg sarah #twdg edith #twdg luke #twdg carver #story #au #tablesturned

3 notes · View notes