Sam made his way down stairs as morning came. Walking to the front window Sam checked the parking lot for any changes. Looking past the first few rows of abandoned a group of cannibals were hunched over something Sam couldn't make out.
"Your up early" Chris came up to Sam and passed him a water bottle.
"Thanks and yeah Truth said something to me last night that got me thinking" Sam replied as he opened the bottle and took a swig.
"What did she want or who did she want" Chris grinned as he joked with Sam. Sam punched Chris lightly on his shoulder and walked to a group of people that were gathering nearby. Sam was able to pick out AJ from the several people gathered.
"What's going on AJ why are ya'll gathered" Sam asked AJ who jumped at Sam's sudden question.
"Oh Sam it's you sorry I have been hearing weird growls and grunts by where I was sleeping" AJ told Sam looking exhausted.
"Well gather everyone up I need to ask something then you get some sleep we don't need you making mistakes due to a lack of sleep" Sam told AJ. AJ nodded and walked away to wake everyone else up. Chris walked up to Sam with Truth frowning and shaking his head.
"We need to talk, Now" Chris said with a hint of anger.
"What's wrong" Sam asked. Chris pulled Sam away quickly towards the deli department. Getting to the deli counter Sam saw Joey watching Jenna who had red eyes.
"She tried to kill herself" was all Chris said as he walked away. Sam walked up to Jenna who was huddled in a corner and pulled her up by her shoulders. Sam glared at Jenna as tears trickeled down her face.
*SMACK* Sam slapped Jenna across her cheek with as much force as he could.
"There's the punishment you wanted and if you try this again I will make you a skeleton" Sam fumed off as Jenna broke down. Joey tried to walk to his sister as a hand clamped down on his head.
"You get to come with me stop babying your sister" Chris grabbed Joey and walked away.
Sam stood a little ways away till Jenna calmed down. Jenna stood up with red teary eyes and walked to Sam. Sam handed her something to drink which she guzzled down quickly.
"Thank you" She squeaked out as Sam leaned against a metal table.
"Clean up and let's gather with the rest" Sam said as he walked back to the gathering area. Jenna wiped her face as she ran to keep pace with Sam as he move to the front. She stayed quite as she thought of how stupid she was trying to hang herself from remorse. The short walk did nothing to clear her head but she moved along as Sam walked to the front.
"Is everyone gathered" Sam asked AJ how nodded in confirmation.
"I've asked everyone to gather to talk about either leaving to a better place or clear out and fortify the area and stay here. We need to plan and assign positions to better the work load" Sam spoke to everyone. Chatter broke out amongst the group as Sam finished his speech.
"This is what you wanted to talk about" Chris whispered to Sam from the side. Sam nodded as he waited for the crowd to calm down.
"Are you trying to become our leader" Peter a large built man with an over grown beard yelled out. Others around him nodded and grumbled when Truth walked to the front.
"We need a strong leader so I'm fine with Sam being it but what does the group think" She shouted over other people's voices. AJ, Chris, Joey, Kelly and Spencer all agreed with Truth as Jenna just stayed quite beside Chris. Peter looked Sam up and down as he grunted.
"You're strong that's for sure but do you have leadership qualities or are you going to act like a tyrant first chance you get" Peter asked not being bothered by all the attention for being the only person making his voice known. Chris stepped forward to reply when Sam pulled him back.
"Does anyone want to lead" Sam asked as he looked around. Everyone but Peter avoided Sam's gaze not daring to take that sort of responsibility in the current situation.
"I hope to offer myself for the job of leader for now Is that alright" Sam stared at Peter and asked. Peter sighed deeply as he nodded and grumbled.
"I've never had a problem but someone's got to speak up especially with all that's happened over the past 24 hour" Peter said to himself just loud enough for all to hear.
"Back to the main question do we leave or fortify" Sam redirected the conversation back to the original question. With Sam established as group lead the discussion went quicker and a little smoother. After an hour of talk all but two wanted to stay and fortify the grocery store and surrounding shops and homes.
"With that out of the way we need to start clearing the parking lot of junk and salvage what's useful" Sam said as everyone nodded.
"Chris, Truth take volunteers to salvage and clear the parking lot. I'll bring my skeletons and start clearing some of the shops hopefully find some survivors" Sam laid out a simple plan as he got ready to venture out.
"We have are group. If everyone's ready we can start" Chris told Sam as 5 people gathered around him and Truth. Sam had Wraith take command of the small horde of skeletons and made his way to the front door as Chris and Truths group followed him out the door. The small group of crazies Sam saw earlier noticed the commotion and bounded towards the skeletons. 8 Crazies leaped onto the skeleton scratching and biting but not doing any damage as the skeletons pummeled them with bone hammers and there fists.
"Chris start clearing I'm going" Sam said as he ran to assist his skeletons and more to the shops down the parking lot.