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ACT ONE
(carpool karaoke)

   VERONÍCA PLACED her palms over her eyes as she spoke. The woman currently stood beside Dale. While Dale leaned on a nearby car, he watched the woman intently.

"He's such a dick." the woman said, sniffling a bit.

Although it took a-lot to get the woman upset, Shane raising a hand at her was her final straw.

While she tried to brush it off, she eventually couldn't which resulted in the woman ranting about it to the father-figure of the group. Dale.

Dale was happy to listen, after all his fatherly relationship with Andrea was far gone. Veroníca was like a temporary fill-in.

Which she didn't mind seeing as she was far too embarrassed to rant to anyone else.

"I've never trusted him." Dale admitted, shaking his head at the thought of Shane. "I believe he sacrificed Otis."

Before Veroníca could ask more about the theory, footsteps turned both their attention away.

"Speak of the devil." Veroníca mumbled, as her and Dale watched Shane walk to his truck.

The man had took a seat in the truck before turning his head to stare right back at the pair. The staring went on for a moment longer until he eventually stood up, walking over to Veroníca and Dale.

"Do y'all got something to say? Huh?"

When neither answered, Shane crossed his arms. "Let me ask y'all something. What do y'all do? What do y'all do to keep this camp safe? What, you fix up an RV? You gossip? You babysit some guns? Man.. You pointed one at my chest, Right? But you just—you couldn't pull that trigger, could you? I smashed that barn open. I saved Carl."

"Carl wasn't in danger." Veroníca finally spoke making Shane more upset.

"You wouldn't know. You don't even watch your own kid half the time! You got yourself a damn babysitter! So don't tell me that shit. I protected Carl. Not Rick, Me!"

Veroníca took a deep breath at the words. The woman then took a step forward, brushing off Dale's arm when he pulled her sleeve back.

She then slapped the man across the face. His head didn't move at the impact. Instead, the man scoffed before beginning to walk away. "Tell you what, next time I need gossip or a radiator hose.. I'll give y'all a call."

He then got back in his truck. Slamming the door as the engine started.

As the blue truck began driving away, a silence seeped through the air. While Dale watched the truck get farther and farther away, Veroníca looked at the ground.

When more footsteps began approaching, Veroníca was the only one to look up. This time it was Aiden walking toward them.

Before he could tell them what he came to tell them, Veroníca threw her hands around the man.

Aiden reluctantly hugged back. Although the man hated hugs, he could tell by his sister's heavy breathing that she needed one.

So as he continued hugging her, Dale eventually wandered off. As soon as he did, Veroníca pulled away. "I really hate Shane."

Aiden agreed while patting his sister's back. "The funerals are about to begin."

Veroníca nodded, sniffling once more before the sibling duo made their ways over to the makeshift graves.

      The funerals didn't last long. Seeing as some of the family members didn't show up, there wasn't much to say about the deceased.

So when everyone separated. Aiden helped moving the bodies while Veroníca and Rory currently stood beside the RV.

"Okay fine, fine. If you had to mute anyone in the group for a day.. Who would it be?" Veroníca asked, smiling at the boy next to her.

"Tio Aiden." Rory instantly replied, and when Veroníca's mouth dropped open in shock he explained. "What? He always jinx's me."

This time his mother laughed, pushing her hair over her shoulder as she replied. "Smart answer."

"My turn!—If you could switch spots with someone, who would you choose?"

Veroníca hummed for a moment before excitedly answering. "Definitely T-dog.. Is there anyone cooler?"

"Me."

"You're right." Veroníca nodded, smiling down at her son til her eyes caught Lori's. The woman was speed walking towards them, making Veroníca meet her halfway.

Rory subconsciously followed his mother, holding onto her hand as Lori began speaking to her.

"We need Hershel, i've already asked Daryl and he refused to go.." Lori then paused a moment, moving her hair a bit as she reluctantly continued. "I need help with directions, you're the only one I could think of."

"I'm in." Veroníca nodded, sharing a look with Rory who dropped her hand. She then placed a kiss on his forehead before whispering. "How about you go hang out with Carl?"

Rory nodded before leaving the duo, he gave his mom a short wave, which she returned.

When the young boy was out of earshot, Veroníca smiled widely at Lori. "Which car are we taking?"

"Tan one.. We have to be quick."

      As the duo drove down the empty road, Veroníca propped her feet up, flipping through CDs as Lori drove.

"Thou shall not disrespect the dead, but whoever owned this car had shit taste.." Veroníca joked, earning a laugh from Lori as she kept flipping through CDs. "I mean, my——Hell yeah!"

The woman smiled widely, taking out the CD before sticking it in the radio. When she did so, she turned it up as Lori tilted her head. "What is this?"

"It's Paramore.. Come on they were everywhere."

Lori shrugged, not finding the song familiar which made Veroníca groan.

And up until now I had sworn to myself
That I'm content with loneliness
Because none of it was ever worth the risk

Her groan didn't last long seeing as the beats of the song got louder making Veroníca turn it up as she did dramatic dance in her seat.

But you are the only exception
You are the only exception
You are the only exception

Veroníca then pointed a finger at her friend, dramatically lip singing to the woman who just laughed at her antics.

As the song's instrumental break began playing, Veroníca began tapping each note onto Lori's shoulder.

Lori kept laughing at her friend, her laugh turning into a gasp as she looked back onto the road.

As Veroníca looked at the road as well, as soon as she did everything seemed to go in slow motion.

I've got a tight grip on reality
But I can't let go of what's in front
of me here.

One moment the walker was thrown over the car, busting the windshield as it slammed into it. The next second the car ran off the road.

Then it began tumbling.

Veroníca knew glass was flying around, yet she didn't seem to feel it until the car stopped. As her head slammed into the window on her side, she suddenly felt all of the pieces of glass in her arms.

Thankfully she only felt them for a split second seeing as the woman's vision went black.

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