Ur mum

POV Characters

Constant

• Lance Taylor - A teenage orphan who has built up a makeshift family unit with his girlfriend Maxine and her sister Rachel. Kind, thoughtful and outgoing; Lance will do anything to help people who need it. However, he will always put his family first; no matter the consequences for others or himself.

• Maxine Crayton - A victim of child abuse who clings to normality through her relationship with Lance. Well-liked and witty, Maxine looks like a stereotypical popular girl on the outside; yet on the inside lies a sharp mind. She's the unfortunate obsession of Jake Hughes, who seems to be incredibly fixated with her and jealous of her relationship.

• Carson Monroe - A cocky young "player" with a sensitive side hidden under his seemingly arrogant exterior. Carson is a world class athlete, having won a silver medal at the Youth Olympics in the javelin event, and puts his skills to good use. He is very close to both Lance Taylor and Lilly Mason (who's also his friend with benefits), as well as his coach Steve.

• Lilly Mason - A dysfunctional young girl who was subject to brutal fighting and endurance training for most of her childhood at the hands of her uncle, Eric Mason. Lilly is easily the most brash person in the group, speaking her mind and not caring what other people think about her. Adept at fighting, strategy and improvisation; she is easily on of the group's greatest assets. Her moods change easily, and her mental state is fragile at best. Though she might seem invincible at first glance, beneath that shell is a vulnerable child.

• Jim Bentley - A kindly old sociology teacher, Jim is a pacifist through and through. He dislikes violence and fighting of any kind, and will only turn to if absolutely necessary. However, he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his students, colleagues and granddaughter Claire; even if that means going against everything he stands for.

• Anton Smith - A slightly arrogant young man who is in an incestuous relationship with his sister Caitlin. They were both exploited by their parents at a young age, used to make illegal "adult" videos. After this was exposed, they were adopted by rich foster parents who thought that private education would be more crucial to their development than love and nurturing. Anton, despite all his faults, is immensely loyal to his friends; and will protect them with his life.

• Lambert "Butch" Hartigan - A former alcoholic who chose to live on the streets in order to sober up, Butch is the former leader of small homeless community, most of whom died at the start of the outbreak. He took Lilly Mason under his wing when she ran away from home, and looks at her like a second daughter. Jovial and friendly, Butch is one of the most likable people in the group; however he is ruthless and unforgiving towards anyone who wrongs the people he loves.

• Terrence Brodmir - A serious and somewhat grizzly man, Terrence is a veteran of the Metropolitan Police Force, with nearly forty years of service under his belt. He's a man who wears a 'brave face' for the people he loves; appearing tough and intimidating on the outside to cover for years worth of depression. In truth, under Terrence's hard shell lies a caring man and loving father.

• Brian Edwards - A millionaire prepper formerly known as the "Lotto Loony", who spent his EuroMillions winnings on preparing for the end of the world. After losing his wife and almost all of his investment during the first days of the outbreak, Brian traveled to London in order to protect his niece Lilly. He puts family above all else, and feels a special kinship towards anyone who feels the same way.

• Keith Vasey - A retired librarian who is lumbered with his extremely bigoted father. Sarcastic, logical and stubborn; Keith leads the group that has found shelter in the Old Bailey. He suffers from Hemicrania Continua, and is often rendered immobile by exacerbations; leaving Yaz or Mai in charge when he is unable to lead. He has an immense hatred for his father Warren, and keeps him under control by mocking his ludicrous beliefs.

• Yazmin McDonald - A Private in the army whose platoon deserted when they were given the order to fire on civilians, Yaz was split up from the rest of her group when another platoon opened fire on them. Rather than dwelling on finding her friends, Yaz is determined to build up a strong tight-knit group similar to her own unit. She has a tendency to be incredibly sarcastic and insulting, and is a bit of a slut.

One time

• Bill Davison - (Prologue)

• Daniel Hinton - (Issue 5 or 6)

• Caitlin Smith - (The Trent Scene)

• Jake Hughes - (When he shags Tiffany)

• Steve Taylor - (Last Volume)

• Justice Frank Nicholls - (Last Volume)

Main Characters

• Bill Davison - TBA

• Caitlin Smith - Anton's twin sister, who shares a very similar background. She is far less arrogant than her brother, but completely and utterly dedicated to him. One of the most selfless people in the group, Caitlin is willing to do anything for her friends; and she has no qualms about snapping them back to reality.

• Steve Taylor - Carson's coach, and also the Head of PE at Westminster School. Probably the nicest guy you'd ever meet, Steve is always happy and three steps ahead. Although he has a fantastically sharp wit, he'd never think of using it to offend anyone, and vice-versa no-one could ever offend him. Known for his incredibly laid back "let nature take its course" outlook on life, he's not a man of action. However, if someone he cared about was in danger, he'd be the first one there to help.

• Hannah Walsh - A university graduate trying to gain Qualified Teacher Status through the TeachFirst program, which allows her to learn on the job rather do a full post-grad course. Hannah is without a doubt the most brash person in the school, and she's probably the only person who can top Lilly when it comes to carelessly inappropriate humour. Her sense of humour fluctuates between hilarious and terrible, and most of her jokes are hit-or-miss. She has a tendency to get carried away with things, to the point where she becomes single-minded.

• Dr Anika Kamdar - Jim's boss, the Director of Humanities at Westminster School. Anika is a dedicated humanist who believes strongly in the rights of children, and hates how the post-apocalypse world is changing her students. She rarely loses her temper, but when she does, the outcome isn't pretty. She is a great believer in responsibility, and encourages her students to act like young adults.

• Paul Townsend - A particularly emotional and inexperienced man, Paul makes up for his lack of sensibility with his resourcefulness and social skills. A Detective Sargent working under Terrence Brodmir, Paul picked up many of his traits; most notable is his perception. While not as serious, nor intelligent as his colleagues, he can come across as far more endearing and genuine. At his roots, Paul is a nice guy, and the end of the world would have little effect on that.

• Randall DeSantos - Randall could be described as both smug and urbane. While usually quite courteous and even charming in demeanor, he can quickly become aggressive and particularly cold. He's an intelligent and calculating man, who always has a smile on his face, usually the result of his own jokes - likely at someone else's expense. When he worked with Terrence as Detective Chief Inspector; he was known to be unrelenting and callous, yet oddly beguiling at the same time. In truth, he's just as depressed as everyone else, he just does a good job of hiding it.

• Mai D'Angelo - TBA

• Liam Steele - TBA

• Mick Butler - TBA

Major Characters

• Rachel Crayton - TBA

• Claire Bentley - TBA

• Charlene Lynch - TBA

• Jake Hughes - TBA

• Daniel Hinton - TBA

• Mindy Edwards - TBA

• Scampi - Brian and Mindy's pet beagle.

• Warren Vasey - TBA

• Edward Neilson - TBA

• Justice Frank Nicholls - TBA

• Tiffany Hinton - TBA

Supporting Characters

• Viktor Orlov - Butch's closest friend and right-hand man, a heavily built Russian immigrant.

• Laura Hartigan - Butch's daughter, who chose to live with him on the streets rather than leave him on his own.

• Anthony Lawson - The headmaster of Westminster School.

• Pam Johnson - A cleaner at the police station; holed up with Terrence, Paul and Randall.

• Leo - Danny Hinton's right-hand man and best friend.

Volume 01: Paradise Lost

Prologue

Bill POV

Bill Davison describes the members and antics of his book club, a discussion group consisting of rebellious fellow teachers and students with troubled dark pasts.

Issue 01

Lance POV

Lance dreams of the night when his parents were murdered. He is hiding under a bed, holding the hand of an unknown girl, as he hears them scream for mercy. He wakes in a sweat, and is startled to find that he can still hear screams, though they are louder and more frequent. He bangs on the bunk above him and tells his roommate Anton to turn the telly off. Anton wakes and says that the telly is off, which makes Lance run over to the window. He calls Anton over, and the pair watch as walkers and screaming people flood the streets.

Carson POV

Carson gets a blowjob from Lilly in the locker room showers. As Lilly goes to take her trousers off, they hear someone banging against the door, and Carson tells them to give him some privacy. They hear the door swing open, and a walker lumbers in. Lilly runs away and locks herself in a toilet cubicle while it attacks Carson, who repeatedly stabs it in the gut with a javelin but fails to stop it. As it falls on top of him, Lilly comes back and caves it's head in with the lid of a toilet cistern.

Butch POV

Butch and Viktor are killing walkers to get to a manhole down an alleyway. Butch drops his screwdriver and is backed against a wall, but Viktor grabs the walker attacking him and smashes its head against the wall. The pair descended through the manhole into the sewers, where the rest of "their people" are waiting. They ask Butch if they're getting out of the city, but he says that the group have something to do before they leave: find Lilly, because she is part of their family. Someone shouts out that Blind Steve, who was bitten, has passed out. People crowd around him and he tears out a woman's neck. Butch screams for everyone to run.

Issue 02

Lance POV

Lance and Anton arrive in the girls' dormitories. They find dead bodies everywhere, and a reanimated teacher called Mrs Marks banging on a door with screaming girls behind it. Mrs Marks notices them but Lance breaks a chair over her head and then puts her down with one of the chair's legs. As he does, the girls come out of the room. Maxine and Rachel run to Lance, Caitlin embraces Anton, and Charlene lingers in the background.

Jim POV

Jim sighs with relief as Claire finishes barricading them into a room. They are with two of his colleagues, Bill and Anika. They talk about "those things" and mention seeing them eat the janitor, Arnie Sullivan, alive. They hear banging on the door, and recognise the screaming voice as that of the headmaster, Lawson. They pull the barricade away only for walkers to fall on the man. Claire kills them both and Lawson explains that the walkers are all over the city. He then says that one of them has bitten him.

Lilly POV

Lilly apologises to Carson, saying that she didn't want the walker to get near her back while she freed the cistern lid. He accepts her apology and she pulls him up. Just at that moment, with Lilly still topless, their PE teacher Steve walks in. He's shocked by the scars all over Lilly, but she nonchalantly asks hat he's looking at. He explains what is going on and has the pair follow him, after giving Lilly a cricket bat to defend herself with. As they do, they hear screams down the corridor and Lilly bolts towards them. She finds the new literature teacher trying to hold back five walkers with a chair, and kills them all.

Issue 03

Maxine POV

Lance tells his group that they need to find Lilly. Charlene complains that they need to hide, but when the others agree with Lance, she changes her mind. Lilly's uncle is mentioned as being the infamous "Lotto Looney" Brian Edwards; famous for spending his fortune on preparing for the end of the world. Lilly remarks that he isn't so looney any more, having arrived with Hannah as they were talking. Lance asks Lilly where Carson is, and she says that he's with Steve, trying to find Bill Davison. She grabs her guitar and a pile of books, and tells the others to get up into the lofts.

Carson POV

Carson and Steve bolt through the corridors, and finally see Jim's group at the opposite end of the corridor. Bill has a dying Lawson on his back. Carson notices Lawson reanimating and throws a javelin, missing Bill's head and taking out Lawson. Claire assaults Carson and asks what the fuck he's doing, but Anika breaks them up. She explains that the bites must be what turn people into walkers. Bill asks if anyone is bit, and no one is. He then asks what the group should do now, and Steve tells them that Lilly and Hannah will be waiting in the lofts; hopefully with more people.

Anton POV

The people in the dorm room are huddled together under blankets, most scared and a good majority crying. Anton and Caitlin are together in one corner, propped up with a couple of pillows at their backs. They talk about what is happening and what will happen. As they do so, Caitlin gives Anton a handjob under the blanket. Just after he cums, Caitlin says that she loves Anton, and Anton replies that he loves her too. Anton whispers that nothing will come between them.

Issue 04

Jim POV

Jim's group enters the dorms and the door is immediately barricaded behind them. Lance asks if everyone is okay, and Anika immediately asks if anyone is bitten. Everyone says that they're clear, and Anika tells them that you turn if a walker bites you. People start panicking but Anika calms them, saying that panic will get them nowhere. Anton asks about his parents and she says that there's nothing he can do. She continues, saying that all they have is eachother, and that they need to work as a calm and confident team. She says that if they don't, they'd might as well be out there in the mob.

Lilly POV

Hannah tries to lighten the situation but only succeeds in making things worse, while Lilly watches from the sidelines and seems to be attracted to her. Hannah comes back over to her after a while, and they chat. Lilly says that she finds Hannah attractive, and Hannah laughs it off, thinking she's joking. Hannah (jokingly) asks if the next thing they do is make out, and Lilly kisses her.

Butch POV

Butch arrives at the police station with Viktor and Laura, hoping that they will find help, but finds it deserted. They prepare to leave empty handed when a voice calls out to them. A young woman comes out and introduces herself as Nancy Brodmir. Butch recognises the name and asks if she's a relation of Terrence, and she says that she's his daughter. Butch asks if Terrence is in the station and she says that he's in there with a few other members of the force, and then tells Butch where to go. Butch thanks Nancy and goes up the stairs, Viktor and Laura trailing behind him. He knocks on the door he was told to and Terrence answers. He immediately recognises Butch, brings him in, and asks if Lilly is with them. Butch replies with "ah...y'see, that's where we need your help."

Issue 05

Butch POV

Terrences aska Butch, Viktor and Laura to sit and tell him exactly what the situation is. He introduces them to the other people in the station - Paul, Randall and Pam. Pam brings tea over for everyone, and as they drink, Butch explains what happened to his people. He tells Terrence that Lilly is at Westminster School, and that he needs help to get there and make sure that she's safe. Randall remembers Lilly, and admits that he initially thought her guilty of Lexi's murder. Butch loses his temper, but Laura and Terrence calm the situation. It's agreed that they'll set out for the school the following morning.

Lance POV

The whole room bursts out with laughter as they see Lilly kiss Hannah. The pair try to push it off as just a bit of a joke, but Hannah reluctantly admits that she rather enjoyed it. Lance notices Carson watching almost jealously, and he brings up the idea that someone should keep watch downstairs. He nominates himself and Carson for first watch, knowing that it will give him a chance to talk to Carson alone. Anika reluctantly agrees to let them, and they head down into the dorms.

Lance asks Carson if he's jealous of Hannah, and Carson admits that he was starting to fall for Lilly; even though the both of them were nothing more than friends with benefits. Lance tells him that there's plenty more fish in the sea and Carson snaps at him, saying that he doesn't know what it's like because he has Maxine. Lance tells Carson about the girl who was with him when his parents were killed, and says that he had a crush on her for years but was never able to find out who she was. He says that he knows what it's like to want something but not be able to have it. He goes on to say that he needs Carson's help protecting Maxine and Rachel, because he cares about them too much for his own good and losing them would destroy him. Carson promises that they're his family too, saying that "Uncle Carson isn't going anyway". The pair hug, and then they hear someone creeping around.

Danny POV

Danny Hinton leads his group to the police station, having been ordered to take whatever weapons he can find there. He fantasises about the things he'll be able to do with the weapons, the possibility of using them to coerce women and kill people. His fantasies seem to centre on eyes. He and his men try to enter, and as they do, a small young woman shoots one of his gang before running away. Danny wants to chase after her, because of her big blue eyes, but his right hand man Leo reminds him that "the boss" wants weapons not eyes. Danny orders his men to go into the station and capture everyone inside.

Issue 06

Terrence POV

Terrence hears the gunshots and wants to go investigate, fearing for Nancy's life. Randall and Butch try to convince him to wait for a second, and they hear footsteps on the stairs. Randall whispers that Butch and Viktor should wait either side of the door; while he, Paul and Terrence aim guns at the door. As they get into position, everything goes quiet, and then they hear a click. Terrence shouts for everyone to get down, as as he does, a spray of bullets comes through the door. Pam is hit and killed. The door is kicked in and Danny Hinton's gang enters. Guns are trained on everyone instantly, and when Randall tries to shoot, he's shot in the hand. Danny orders his men to take all the guns and tie the group to chairs. Terrence asks Danny what happened to Nancy, and Danny claims to have raped and killed her.

Butch recognises Danny as he's pulled to his feet and tries to attack him, but is beaten down by Danny's men. Danny recognises Butch and asks how he's adjusting to life with one eye, and Butch tells Danny to go fuck himself. In response, Danny laughs and shoots Viktor in the neck. He approaches Laura and starts to molest her, asking who she is. Butch tells Danny to get away from his daughter, and Danny grins. He puts the pistol he took from Paul down her trousers and starts to rape her with it, and when Butch yells at him to stop it, he asks Butch to beg him to put an end to this. When Butch does so, humiliating himself, Danny fires the gun inside Laura, killing her. He says that he was talking about ending her life, not the rape. To illustrate his point, he tells his men that they can do what they like with her body.

Danny asks Butch if he wants to stop seeing atrocities like this, and when Butch mutters "yes", Danny takes out a knife and presses it against Butch's remaining eye. He orders his Leo to play a song while he does it, something by Simple Minds, and Terrence starts to laugh. Danny goes over to him with the knife and asks him what he finds so funny, to which Terrence says "Simple Minds...aint that fitting for a brainless wanker like you..." Danny laughs back, saying that Terrence has just pushed to the front of the queue, and pushes the tip of his knife into the side of Terrence's eye socket. Terrence feels immense pain as the song Alive and Kicking plays in the background.

Carson POV

Carson and Lance ready their weapons, expecting a walker, but their classmate Jake Hughes steps out of the shadows. He goes pale when he sees Lance, but nervously asks if they know of any other people. To Carson's surprise, Lance says that they're the only people left; prompting Jake to ask why they're guarding the ladder up to the loft. Lance pins Jake against the wall and says that his family is up there with everyone else, and tells him to fuck off. Carson reluctantly stays silent, as he knows that Lance has a history with Jake. Anika calls down and asks what the problem is, and Lance says that it's nothing. She comes down immediately with Jim in tow, and asks Lance what he thinks he's doing. Lance says that Jake isn't coming near his family after what he did, and Jim says that Jake's still human, he can't be left out to die. Lance tells the pair to do what they want with him, and warns Jake to stay away from his family. As Jim goes back up, Lance asks him to send Maxine down, because they "need to talk".

Terrence POV

Terrence comes around, not knowing how long he's been out cold for, and surveys the room. He sees that Randall and Paul are still unharmed, and then sees Butch staring at something angrily with tears streaming from his eyes. He follows Butch's gaze and sees Danny groping Laura's corpse. He shouts to get Danny's attention and insults him for his depravity. Danny comes over and threatens to take his other eye out, but then reconsiders and goes over to Paul. Terrence shouts at him to leave Paul along, and Danny just laughs. Just as Danny positions his knife, Terrence notices a little girl in the doorway. She shouts "Leave him the fuck alone or I'll blow your balls ten feet backwards" and then quietly follows up with "Did I say that right daddy?"

Volume 02: Happy Families

Issue 07

Lilly POV

Hannah asks Lilly the story behind Jake, and she explains that Lance once caught him stealing Maxine's underwear. Hannah calls him a pervert and jokes that he looks like direct-to-video sequel to the Yorkshire Ripper; at which point Anika comes over. She scolds Hannah, saying that she needs to act her age and not mock students, especially ones who are socially isolated like Jake. When Hannah tries to bring up the underwear, Anika says that what he has done doesn't matter, they still have a duty of care towards him. Before Hannah can respond, they notice that Rachel has come over. She asks Lilly why "creepery jeepery Jake" is with them, and asks if she can snuggle with Lilly until Maxine gets back because he creeps her out. Lilly lets Rachel sit under the blanket between her and Hannah, while Hannah gives Anika an "I told you so" look.

Maxine POV

Maxine enters the bunk room and sit on Lance's bed with him. She tells him that he needn't worry about Jake, because the guy doesn't have enough balls to do anything more than skulk and steal thongs. Lance says that he doesn't want Maxine to be reminded of Sharp and she tells him not to talk about that. He goes on to say that he worries that Jake might hurt Rachel, and asks Maxine if he reminds her of her brother. Maxine immediately slaps Lance and tells him not to talk about her brother, but then pulls him into a hug and starts crying. She suddenly begs him to stay with her no matter what happens and he promises that he will. She then backs out of the hug, puts her hands on his shoulder and looks him in the eye; and asks if he'll take care of Jake if anything bad happens. Lance says that Jake will end up just like Sharp if he does anything to Maxine or Rachel.

Terrence POV

A man wearing a panama hat and a Hawaiian shirt enters the room clutching what appears to be a homemade spear, accompanied by a beagle; and Terrence recognises him from somewhere. The man tells Danny's gang that if anyone shoots his daughter, her reflexive grip will be enough to pull the trigger on her automatic pistol and shoot several holes in Danny. He orders the group to put their guns on the ground, and when they do, the beagle fetches them. When it gets to Leo, he kicks the dog, and the man immediately slits his throat with the spear. He and the girl then gun down every member of Danny's gang, including Danny himself. The man tells the girl to untie Terrence, Randall and Paul. He himself goes over to Butch, unties him, and hugs him. He calls Butch his brother, and that's when Terrence recognises the man as Lilly's uncle; Brian Edwards.

Issue 08

Jim POV

Jim, Bill, Anika and Steve all enter the dorms. Jim asks why Anika wanted them down there, and she says that they need to start securing the food and water. She also says that the school needs to be fortified, as it will soon be too cold to stay in the lofts. Bill suggests that they split into four teams, a teacher at the head of each, to do different jobs. One will take food, one water, one fortification and (to Jim's horror) the last will take weapons. Anika backs Bill up, saying that they need to be able to defend themselves, and Steve agrees. Jim reluctantly goes along with it. Steve asks why Hannah isn't being included, and Anika says that she's being childish. She then says that they should watch what's going on between Hannah and Lilly, which Jim laughs off as ridiculous. Anika apologises and says that she just wants to look out for the kids, and Bill reassures her that they all want the same thing.

Lilly POV

Lilly and Hannah stand chatting in the girls' toilets, laughing at the new "bathroom buddies" rule that the teachers have brought in (the rule that no one can leave the loft alone). Hannah complains that they're just treating her like another kid, and Lilly goes on to say that they need to stop treating everyone like kids, because the world is shaking up and old ideas are as useless as a chocolate teapot. Hannah asks Lilly if she meant wha she said up in the loft about finding her attractive, and Lilly responds by kissing her passionately. She starts to grind against Hannah as they make out, and pushes her against a wall, at which point Hannah asks what will happen if they get caught. Lilly says that the mystery and risk is half the fun, and then slides her hand up Hannah's shirt. Hannah does the same to Lilly, finding her scars, and asks where she got them. Lilly, once again, says that mystery is half the fun.

Brian POV

Brian tells Butch that he's sorry for his losses, and Butch thanks him. He tells Mindy to sit Butch down in an office with a cup of tea, and when Butch protests, Brian says that he's done enough for one day. When they're gone, Brian greets Terrence and Paul, who he remembers from Lexi's case. Randall introduces himself, and Brian says that Lilly mentioned him as being a bit of a prick; which earns an amused grunt from Terrence. Brian says that they should go through to the others in the office while he prevents Danny's men from coming back. At this point, they hear Danny grunt "I aint fuckin' dead yet" and Terrence lunges at him. He lifts up Danny by the throat and hurls him over a desk, before walking round to him and punching him repeatedly in the face. Danny comes out with a snide remark and Terrence lifts him up again, and then starts to smash his head against the wall. Brian tells Terrence that he's done enough, and in response Terrence smashes Danny's head into a coathook on the wall; which goes straight through his left eye. Terrence walks away and goes into his office, and before he shuts the door, mutters "Never enough...I'll never have done enough to that man...that monster..."

Issue 09

Butch POV

Butch and Brian sit in an office on their own, talking about what happened. Butch says that the most painful thing was that Danny Hinton was the one to do it, the same man who took his eye. Brian is shocked to hear that Danny was the guy pulled Butch's eye, but reassures him that Danny paid for what he did. Just as Butch tries to bring up Lilly, they're joined by Randall. He asks if he can sit, and when neither of the pair object, he asks Brian how he found them. Brian explains that he tracked Butch from his usual hideout in the sewers. Brian asks how Terrence is, and Randall says that he still hasn't left his office; ignorning anyone who tries to talk to him. He goes on to explain that Terrence has a soft spot for little girls, and suggests to Brian that talking to Mindy might put him in a better mood. Brian agrees, opens the door, and calls Mindy over to him (she's playing catch in the hall with Lee). He asks her "Would you like to do a super special job for daddy's friend?"

Maxine POV

Maxine goes into the bathroom and hears moaning, and tells whoever it is to come out of the stall. A half-naked Hannah opens the stall door, panting, and Maxine notices Lilly kneeling on the floor behind her. She asks Hannah what the fuck she thinks she's doing, and Hannah says it's a just bit of fun. Maxine thinks back to her brother and what he used to say to her, and the next minute she slaps Hannah. Realising what she just did, Maxine runs out, and falls to the ground in tears shortly after. Lilly comes out after her, kneels next to her, and tells her that everything is okay. She promises Maxine that Hannah is like Lexi, not like Sharp. Maxine apologises, and tells Lilly that she's worried about people like Sharp and her brother having free reign in the new world. Lilly promises that she won't give them the chance.

Terrence POV

Terrence sits at his desk, staring at a picture of him and two daughters Nancy and Janet. He thinks about how both of them are dead, gets incredibly emotional, and then bangs his first on the table in frustration. As thoughts rush through his head, he hears a knock at the door, but he ignores it. He sees the door budge slightly and hears Mindy grunt, trying to open it. He goes over and opens the door, and she skips in and says that she's come to cheer him up. He crouches down and asks what her name is, and she introduces herself. Terrence introduces himself to her, and she asks if he's a nice policeman. He says that he thinks he is, at which point Mindy asks if she can touch his eye. Terrence says that she can touch it when it doesn't hurt, and then asks if she's scared of him. Mindy says no, and giggles that he looks like a pirate without an eyepatch. She notices a packet of fruit pastilles on Terrence's desk and asks if she can have one. He passes her the packet, and with a hand on her shoulder, says "Come on then, let's go and see if your daddy wants one."

Issue 10

Jim POV

Jim, Claire, Jake and Charlene are in the DT labs, planning the how they'll fortify the school. Claire, who seems to be taking charge, suggests that they seal the downstairs windows and doors with planks; an idea which is unaniomously agreed on. Jake brings up the problem of walkers crowding round the doors, and Claire proposes that they drop heavy items from one of the upper floor windows on their heads; occasionally sending someone down on a rope ladder to move the bodies and gather up the items. Jim asks who'd do it; because he's old, Anika has seen better days, Steve has a bad wrist and Bill's too heavy for a rope ladder. Claire says that she, Carson and Lilly could take shifts, but Jim objects, saying that they're just kids. Claire tells Jim that age doesn't matter anymore, unless you're incredibly old or incredibly young, and he says that she has a point. Claire says that she and Charlene will go gather up some wooden planks, which Charlene almost objects to but then changes her mind. She tells Jim to take Jake and gather up a collection of tools and materials: drills, saws, nails, portable workbenches, etc. Jim does exactly that, and as he and Jake are gathering the tools, he asks what the problem is between Jake and Lance. Jake stammers, but when Jim pushes him to say, he admits to having stolen Maxine's underwear and been beaten up by Lance. Jim tells Jake that in that case he'd better watch his step, and Jake asks if Jim's threatening him; mockingly calling him a "pathetic little old man". Jim laughs it off, but says that there are no threats of exclusion or even police officers to stop people if they decide Jake would be better off gone or dead. As he walks away, he adds "and a pathetic little old man like me wouldn't be able to stop them."

Anton POV

Caitlin screams. Anton pulls her into a hug and comforts her as he surveys the carnage; kitchen staff dead everywhere, obviously with a knife (most have their throats slit). Hannah points out a body on a rug in the corner that looks like it's been laid there. They go over and Anika recognises it as Adam McNalley, grandson of one of the kitchen staff, Noreen. He has several bite marks up his arm, one on his neck, and a mark where a knife entered his temple (obviously so he won't come back). Caitlin remarks that she liked Noreen, who was always friendly to her, while Hannah remembers her as rather blunt. Anika agrees that she could be brusque with adults, but says that Caitlin's right, she was always nice to the kids. Anton questions why Adam's body is on the table, and Anika bets that Noreen laid him there. Hannah asks if Anika thinks Noreen killed the other kitchen staff, and she says yes. She theorises that they were somehow responsible for Adam's death, and guesses that it drove Noreen to kill them. Anton asks if she'll still be around, and if she's a danger. In response, Anika guesses that Noreen is gone, because some cupboards are open and a good portion of tins seem to be gone. She says that, regardless, Jim's group has barricaded the door; so they're safe.

Butch POV

Butch is smoking in an empty office when he's joined by Terrence. Butch says that Randall told him he could smoke in there, and Terrence says he's fine. Terrence then tells him that the office belonged to his Superintendent, Jodie Warner, who left with five officers to find help in the morning when the outbreak really hit full speed and never came back. Butch asks if she had blonde hair, and Terrence says yes. Butch reveals that he saw her body on his way to the station, she'd only made it around the corner before she and the other officers were killed. Terrence says that it's for the best, as Danny's gang would've done far worse to her than any walker. Butch thanks Terrence for killing Danny, only wishing that he could've done it himself, and then offers his condolences for what happened to Nancy. Terrence offers them in return regarding Viktor and Laura. Terrence mentions that he hadn't thought it'd hurt so much, especially after losing a daughter before, and Butch asks what happened. Terrence tells him about Janet, and almost tears up before stopping himself. Butch says that it's just like losing an eye, you never expect things to hurt half as much as they do. He goes on to tell Terrence not to mourn Nancy, just as he himself isn't mourning Laura and Viktor, but rather to live a long and happy life, which is what she would've wanted. Terrence takes out a hip flask, says he'll drink to that, and takes a swig. He offers it to Butch, who declines, saying that he's been teetotal for eleven years. Butch gets up, heads to the door, and asks Terrence if he'd mind preparing for the road; saying that he doesn't want to lose Lilly like he lost everyone else.

Issue 11

Maxine POV

Bill, Maxine, Lance and Rachel sit around talking; trying to think of a way to get water for the group. Rachel suggests the river but Bill says that it'd have to be heavily purified. The topic changes, and Bill asks how the kids are coping with all this. Lance and Maxine agree that they're doing well, and Rachel says that it's like a big sleepover with everyone in the attic. Bill says that he's there if he needs them; and they thank him. After several minutes of deliberation over the water, they give up, and go to leave. As they do, Claire enters the room with Hannah in tow, nearly hitting Bill wih the door when she does. She asks if they're still struggling to figure out how they'll get water, and when they say that they are, she suggests that they take the holy water from Westminster Abbey. Bill calls her a genius, and she tells them to meet her near the changing rooms in fifteen minutes.

Lilly POV

Inside the changing rooms, Steve lists off the potential weapons that he, Lilly and Carson have found: 48 javelins, 35 cricket bats, 34 rounders bats, 20 kitchen knives, 5 stanley knives and 6 hammers. Carson jokes that it's enough to arm a mongol horde, at which point Lilly tears apart his jest for being historically innacurate; much to Steve's amusement. Carson mockingly calls Lilly a spoilsport, saying that first she killed his sex life and then his jokes, and she bursts out laughing. Steve asks Carson to go and get some help moving everything upsatirs to the attic, and as soon as he leaves, Steve asks Lilly what's going on with her and Hannah. Lilly explains that she loves Hannah, and that age really doesn't matter (thinking that that's what Steve is getting at). Steve agrees that age is irrelevant, but points out that he thought Lilly was with Carson; saying that he knew Carson had feelings for her. Lilly explains to Steve that she fooled around with Carson for mutual pleasure, but not love; she's only ever fallen in love with girls. Steve says that he doesn't completely understand it, but he respects her decision to be with Hannah, as well as her conviction when questioned about it. Lilly thanks him and says that she still loves Carson as a friend, and Steve says that this is why she's one of his favourite students. He awkwardly asks her about the scars, but before she can reply, Carson runs back in. He says that there's a change of plan, and he's followed in by Lance, Bill, Hannah, Claire and Maxine. Claire tells the group: "you guys had better choose a weapon, we're about to go swimming in a sea of walking corpses"

Lance POV

The double doors open in front of Lance, unveiling walkers in every direction. He and the rest of the group cut through them, slowly making their way to the Abbey. When they make it inside, Claire tells Bill and Carson to shut and bar the doors. The rest of the group sets about dispatching the walkers in the Abbey. A renanimated classmate of Lance's (an equally creepy friend of Jake Hughes) almost bites Maxine, but Lance puts him down with a cricket bat. He starts to going into a frenzy, clubbing down walkers until he reaches the reanimated Archbishop at the front. He lifts the bat over his head and brings it down on the Archbishop, putting him down. He continues to beat the corpse, screaming that his God did nothing to help any of them; only to feel someone pulling him back. He feels the person pull the bat away and drop it on the ground, and then hears Bill (revealed as the person restraining him) reassuring him that everything will be alright as everyone else looks on. Just as Lance starts to calm down, they hear banging on the doors, and a man screaming "We saw you go in there! Please, let us in!"

Issue 12

Brian POV

Brian, Mindy, Butch, Terrence and Randall are slowly being pushed back against the Abbey; while Paul bangs on the door to try and get help from a group of people who they saw run inside. Just as Brian notices a walker go for Mindy, who has just run out of ammo, a hammer flies through the air and caves it's head in. Brian turns to see the group of people from inside the church pouring out to their aid, and then he sees that a woman (Hannah) has hoisted Mindy onto her shoulders. There is someone protecting them, and a walker almost gets the better of them, but Brian kills it. At this point, he notices their protector as being his niece, Lilly. He attempts to greet her but she tells him to wait til they're safe. Within a few minutes, both groups are safely inside the school. Lilly is checking on Mindy and the woman who carried her, and Brian says hello to her. She hugs him and says that she's glad he's here, and then introduces him to Hannah; who he thanks for helping Mindy. Butch speaks out, joking about Lilly getting another older girlfriend, and she goes over to him and hugs him just as she did Brian. Looking round her, she seems dumbfounded and then asks where everyone else is. Butch asks what she means, and she asks about Viktor, Laura and the rest of their community. Butch tries to explain what happened but Lilly insults him, blaming him for the death of Lexi. Brian, feeling sorry for Butch, tries to defend him; but Lilly mentions Eric Mason and her scars (at this point, Brian notices Hannah and Steve look shocked in particular). Lilly storms off, and Brian tries to go after her, but is stopped by Terrence. He says that Lilly has no reason to be angry at him, so he'll go after her, and that he'll bring her around.

Carson POV

Bill offers to take the rest of Brian's group up to join the rest of the school group. Steve says that he wants a word with Brian quickly, and asks Carson and Hannah to stay with him (he assumes that, as sexual partners of Lilly, they'll have both seen the scars). Brian tells Mindy to behave herself and then sends her off with the others. When the others are gone, Steve apologises for not introducing himself, and does just that (as do Hannah and Carson). Brian does the same in return, and then asks what they want. As Steve tries to formulate his words, Hannah blurts out that they want to know about the scars. Brian tries to evade the question, but is pushed, and so he says he will tell them. He explains the whole story of Eric Mason, and Steve thanks him for his honesty. Brian says that he wonders how Terrence is getting on with Lilly, and Hannah says that she'll go and find out.

Terrence POV

Terrence is wandering the dorm corridors, looking for Lilly, when he hears a voice singing and a guitar being played. He follows the sound and finds Lilly playing her guitar, the song I'm Still Here from the film Treasure Planet. Terrence speaks to her and she stops playing, but she doesn't respond at first. He sits down next to her and he says that she has a beautiful voice, at which point she tells him that she'd been to see the movie it was written for with Lexi two weeks before the murder. After this, she looks up and notices his missing eye and asks what happened. Terrence explains what happened at the station, and persuades Lilly that Butch wasn't to blame. In return, Lilly thanks Terrence for saving Butch from being blinded. Terrence goes to ask about the scars that Lilly mentioned and she tells him about Eric. Before Terrence can finish expressing his shock, they're interrupted by Randall. He asks what they're talking about, but before Lilly or Terrence can reply; Hannah also joins them. Terrence tells Lilly and Hannah to head back up to everyone else while he talks to Randall. When the pair are gone, Terrence asks Randall what he heard, and he says that he heard everything. He tells Terrence that, with a history like that and fighting prowess like they saw outside, Lilly is dangerous; a ticking time bomb. He then says that the last thing Terrence needs is another broken little girl on his hands.

Volume 03: Into the Tunnels

Issue 13

Maxine POV

Bill arrives in the dorms with Paul, Butch, Mindy, Scampi and some other people from the supply run; and introduces them to the rest of the group (The "other people" are Lance, Claire and Maxine; while the people already in the attic are Anika, Charlene, Jake, Rachel, Anton, Caitlin and Jim). Lance and Maxine take Mindy and Scampi over to meet Rachel, and the two girls quickly befriend eachother over petting Scampi. While the girls sit, chat and pet Scampi; Lance and Maxine watch Paul and Butch talking to Anika, Claire and Jim; paticularly noticing that Claire seems to be eyeing up Paul. They crack a few jokes between them, but the room goes silent when everyone in the room hears Mindy call Rachel's doll "fucking cool". Anika goes to say something, but is interrupted by Brian, who says that its only a word (he, Lilly, Hannah and Steve entered unanounced in the silence) He apologises and introduces himself, while Mindy runs over to Lilly and hugs her, at which point Maxine notices Jim go pale. She almost asks what's wrong, but they're interrupted by yet another voice, asking "so have you lot told them yet or are you still arseing around?" It's revealed to be Randall, who has entered with Terrence. Anika asks what he means, and Brian tells everyone to sit down.

(scene break) Minutes later, Maxine is in tears, held in an embrace by Lance while Rachel clings to her arm. She notices Butch and Lilly both seeming overly emotional, while she herself shakes with fear over the description of Laura's death. She hears Lance whisper that everything will be alright, and she says that she trusts him. Out of the silence, Bill speaks out, asking if they're safe. Terrence replies that, in short, they aren't; telling him that the Danny Hinton's family have far more people under their power than were in the police station. Maxine feels Lance's arm tense up around her shoulder as he hears the name Hinton, and then he passes out.

Lance POV

Lance dreams of the night of his parents murder again; his father waking him up in the night and telling him to hide as knocking on the door grew louder. Lance asks his dad where to hide, and he's told to go into the walk-in wardrobe and hide in the washing hamper, which he does. From his hiding spot, he hears his father open the door and and then shout with pain. He then hears the sound of his mother running and being tackled, and a man ordering "Danny" to tie them up. The man then tells another person, "Tiff", to go and find "the kid" (Lance). Lance hears footsteps approaching, and then sees a shadow entering the wardrobe. The lid of the wasking hamper is lifted and a girl offers him her hand, which he takes. She introduces herself as Tiffany Hinton, and he replies with his own introduction. He notices that she has kind eyes, and she promises that she won't tell her dad where he is. Lance asks if Danny is her dad, and as she goes to reply, they're interrupted by "not so keen on skipping your payments anymore, are you bitch?". Tiff says "Danny's my brother...but that thing...that monster down there...that's my dad..." and Lance starts to cry as he hears his mother screaming. Tiff tells him "don't worry, I'll stay with you" and kisses his forehead. As soon as she does, he snaps back to reality.

Lance awakes to see Paul, Brian, Bill, Maxine, Rachel and Carson in a room with him; having been placed in a seperate room to recover. As soon as they realise he is awake, Maxine and Rachel hug him; and then Brian harrumphs to get their attention. He asks Lance why he fainted but Paul interrupts, asking Lance if he knew Danny Hinton before the outbreak. Lance sheds a tear as he says "yes". Brian asks how, and Lance tells him that he'd better sit down.

Jim POV

Jim is in his office, admiring an unrevealed object. He thinks of his father, Martin "Grabber" Bentley, who gave him the object, and admires both it's beauty and it's capability of destruction. He reminisces back to when Grabber gave him the object (in order to protect Lilly from Eric - Brian had her attend Westminster School not because of it's reputation, but because there was someone there who knew her past to protect her). He wonders how Brian can keep himself sane with such terrible things on his conscience, and for a second deliberates if it might be better for Mindy and Lilly without Brian around. His thought is interrupted by hearing a thud outside. He goes to the door and sees Hannah pushing Randall against a wall by his collar, Randall wearing a cocky grin and saying that she's "very eager". She slaps him and says that she heard him talking to Terrence, and asks what they said about Lilly. Randall tells Hannah that she's a ticking timb-bomb (just like he told Terrence), and adds that Terrence will dote on her too much to notice when she's about to blow. Hannah asks about Lilly's history, at which point Jim steps out and says that they'd better come into his office. Randall tries to make an excuse to leave, but Jim points an antique revolver at him, revealed to be the mystery object from the start of the POV. He adds once again "like I said, you two...my office, please."

Side-Story: Sunset

Follows Lilly Mason, Butch Hartigan and Terrence Brodmir in the aftermath of the murder of Alexis Bright. One issue per volume of Black Dawn.