Fandom WWZ - IC

[NanLia]

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Ginny occupied Jackson, for the most part, with helping prepare the evening meal; the boy certainly didn't mind being away from the tent building process, but he certainly didn't want to be cooking. She and Marta were just finishing up as a queue started to build; under Jonah's direction the children -those remaining -were first to be served, then the adult civilians followed by his own men. She knew they had enough prepared for everyone to eat; calculated almost perfectly so there would be no waste. Any left over food was to be stored and consumed later so nearly everything was cook to order that could be.

She smiled seeing Jonah approach with Liza-May, the girl practically bouncing as she collected a plate and a kiss from her mother, before dashing off to take a seat. Jacks pouted at Jonah, giving the man a huff as an answer before attempting to take a plate and follow his sister. Ginny prevented this, removing the plate from his hand and receiving a whine of discontent from her son. "Jacks," She warned - Ginny had no issue with disciplining her kids in public if the moment called for it. "Now I know I raised you to behave better than this and I don't take kindly to being made a liar." She said, staring down her defiant child. "I'm not going to promise you punishment I can't follow up on: there's no room for you to take a time out in but I promise you this, sir, you will regret your decisions if you do not correct them immediately, is that understood?"

There was a moment of doubt in Ginny when Jacks continued to pointedly glare at her, even the nearby Katie and Marta looked more than a little concerned before the boy relented and turned to Jonah, his head down cast. "I am sorry for being rude." He stated simply, remaining silent until Ginny cleared her throat. He boy inhaled deeply before raising his eyes to meet Jonahs. "I'm sorry, Jonah, can I still please help you tomorrow night?"
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah didn't hold Jackson's reaction against him as the boy was clearly less than pleased with his attempt at reaching out. Ginny, apparently, felt very differently about the matter. He watched (feeling more than a little sorry for Jacks) as his mother snatched his plate away before giving him a decisive warning. It wasn't the first time Jonah had seen Ginny discipline her children, but it never ceased to impress him the way in which she was able to make the transition to cracking the whip in the blink of an eye. For all her small stature and generally kindhearted demeanor, the woman was a forced to be reckoned with when needed... and he imagined none knew that better than her children. Jonah didn't disapprove in the least; he'd yet to see Ginny physically strike one of her children. Besides, his own upbringing and the hell he and his brothers had occasionally raised -- along with their father's drill sergeant-like response to it -- had shown him the merits early on of occasionally putting the stick well ahead of the carrot.

As Jackson finally relented from his defiant stance in the face of his mother's intent gaze to apologize to him, Jonah simply smiled at him. "Sure thing, bud. I'd love the help," he replied evenly. Decker didn't want to compromise Ginny's lesson, but he hardly felt it was his place to punish the child further. As Jackson reclaimed his plate from his mother with obvious relief and ran off, Jonah shook his head with a grin and took up alongside Ginny, calling over any children that hadn't heard the first call to come eat before helping the woman in preparing their plates. Once the kids were all accounted for, he turned toward his friend with a smile and cocked his head toward the tables. "Why don't you go ahead and fix you and Marta a plate? I'll cover for you here."

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny smiled a Jonah accepted Jacks' apology and stated he would grant the request and allow the boy to help him with the next next time. She slowly shook her head as the boy headed off towards the tables with his plate of food to sit with the remaining children and some of the adults now eating the modest meal. It was oddly comforting to know Jonah appreciated her kids as much as she did and to know that she had his support when it came to discipline. More often than not she had witnessed others, friends and family alike, attempt to undermine her; tell Liza May or Jacks that what they had done was all right. While she said nothing to the other adult personally, she knew not to bother saying anything in the future.

She glanced to Jonah as he suggested that she and Marta eat, the woman next to her thanking the man before doing as he suggested and taking a plate to head to the table. Ginny resisted, serving out a few more plates quietly beside Jonah before giving in. She stepped in close to Jonah, standing up on her toes to plant a kiss on his cheek before collecting a plate of food and heading to go sit with her kids.
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah thought that Ginny was going to turn down his offer initially. He had come to know her work ethic; she rarely left any given task half-done. He didn't expect her to relent... nor did he expect her to step in close and kiss him on the cheek before casually walking away to join the children. Jonah was stunned, staring at her slightly dumbfounded as she left while his heart swelled at the unexpected contact. He tried to fight the feeling down -- the same feeling he'd been struggling with for days now -- to no avail.

His reverie was broken as he heard the sound of a throat being cleared at the head of the line. Turning, he saw Katie standing patiently, a knowing smile on her face as she stared at him. Jonah's cheeks flushed furiously as he muttered an apology under his breath and hastily prepared a plate for the woman, being careful to match the portions he had seen Ginny serving earlier and handing it over. He continued the work for several minutes, handing out meals to the remainder of the civilians before the Soldiers slowly filtered in (those that weren't currently on sentry duty, to later be relieved).

Charlie had looked at the plate offered to him as if Jonah had spat in it, but in the end the man's hunger won out as he snatched the food away from the man. Jonah merely shook his head, knowing better than to rise to the bait. Wheeler had dug his own grave -- Jonah would wait to let him lay in it until Nashville, where things could be done "the right way". Finally, with everyone served who would be, he collected a plate for himself and managed to find a seat at the end of the table where Ginny and her family sat.

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny and the kids ate their meal contently, the occasional ruckus arising for them end of the table only to be 'shushed' by a guardsmen keeping watch. Ginny knew they should be quieter but she was glad to see her kids moods had come up since the morning and leaving. At the end of the meal and with the light dying people were quickly making their way towards their various sleeping arrangements. For their tent the kids were sharing an inflatable mattress set further back in the tent whilst whomever was sleeping got a cot that was made up across the front entry. Ginny trusted Jonah without question to sleep inside the tent with her kids. She knew well enough that he would do everything to keep them safe and that they would listen to him. If it were anyone else (except maybe Miller) she wouldn't have been able to take first watch - or any for that matter.

"Alright," She said quietly, kneeling inside the tent as she tucked her kids in. "No lights, no noise." She cautioned, making it clear. "You listen to Sergeant Decker and do as he says." She watched as they both nodded. She smiled and leaned in to kiss each of their foreheads before standing and stepping out of the tent. She was nervous, not for keeping watch - she'd done so more than once while on the farm still, but for her kids.

She had packed her crossbow and Joe's rifle; though low on ammunition for the gun, the crossbow would be ideal for keeping a low profile. Already she had her night watch set up on the roof of the trailer: a flashlight, blanket and the crossbow and bolts waiting for her. She and the farm hands had gone through each of the trailers, calming down restless animals, cleaning out their leavings and feeding them; happy sated cattle would make far less noise over night. She gave Jonah a quick smile and nod before climbing the tailgate to her truck then further up onto the top of the trailer. The other sentries had already started work eliminating those that had come close for the moment, in the last few rays of light, it looked all clear. She knew the drill; only turn the light on for a second or two if you hear a noise near by. The dead were not quiet in the least and this method had worked so far for them.
Safton

 

[Safton]

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After supper, Jonah made his way around the camp, checking in with the "leader" of each vehicle to make sure they had the supplies they needed and a watch schedule arranged. It was unnecessary, of course -- the had already been worked out and discussed ad nauseam up to this point -- but he did it all the same for his own peace of mind. It was only after Doc Moore intervened and half-playfully "ordered" him to get some sleep that he finally relented, bidding goodnight to the others and heading toward the tent at the truck he shared with Ginny and the kids. Spotting the woman already taking her watch position, he returned her smile before heading towards the tent.

He paused at the base of the trailer, looking up at her. Jonah thought about reminding her to wake him if anything happened, or not to be afraid to get him on his shift early if she felt herself losing alertness, but refrained. He trusted Ginny to do her job every bit as he did his own troops. She may not have the training, but she had a personal stake -- two of them -- sleeping in the tent below her. Instead, Jonah settled for a smile, "Goodnight, Gin. See you soon," he remarked quietly, tapping the side of the trailer twice before crawling into the tent.

Jacks and Liza-May both greeted him with grins in the darkness, which he couldn't help but emulate. He set his gear aside, unrolling the sleeping bag on the opposite side of the tent from the kids to give them some space. "All right, guys. Lights out. Sweet dreams, you two."

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

Ginny had spent the first little bit on watch nervous. She had done her fair share of night watch at the farm but this was far different: there was no house to fall back to. After the first dead had shambled within her range she found her rhythm. It took some time to distinguish the noise of a person rolling over in their sleep and a dead wandering closer. Once she figured out it was the dead, she flicked on her light, targeted the shambler and took her shot.

She cursed herself when she missed the first that had come within range but she already knew she would have to retrieve her bolts in the light regardless. By the end of her shift she had taken out a bakers dozen. Without needing to do anything, Jonah was already rising for his shift to start. She was thankful for it; it was cold and lonesome and she was exhausted.

When the man climbed to the top of the trailer she shifted over on her blanket to give him space to take up her warmth. "Hey," She whispered and smiled in the darkness. "Not too many so far, no incidents." She started removing her coat shrugging out of it. "Take this too, its cold tonight and I don't need it anymore, going to jump in bed with the kids."

Jonah seemed to know better than to argue and finally took her coat to add to his own. "Night." She said as she climbed down the trailer and slipped into the tent. The kids had woken when Jonah had left and were waiting quietly for Ginny. Once she arrived the wiggled around so she could rest between them, hugging her babies close.
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah's sleep hadn't exactly been peaceful. Though the day's drive and his role coordinating the convoy had been tiresome to say the least, he found it difficult to do more than doze knowing that Ginny was up in the cold, alone, watching over them. He trusted her implicitly, but the arrangement still made him uncomfortable -- he felt like he should be doing something, even if the more rational part of him knew he needed his rest. Finally, after waking up for the third time that night he knew he would be staying awake for good. Turning aside to glance at his watch's illuminated display, he saw that his shift would be starting soon.

Jonah sat up slowly, making as little noise as possible in order to avoid waking up Jacks and Liza-May before gathering his gear and leaving the tent, climbing up to relieve Ginny. He returned her smile in the darkness, nodding as she reported a lack of major incidents. He was going to protest her handing over the coat, but relented when it was clear the woman wouldn't take no for an answer. "Thanks," he said. "Get some rest." He watched her depart before taking up her old position, coat resting over his shoulders and her crossbow in his hands.

The bow was a far more practical weapon for night watch than a rifle -- the team only had one suppressor between them and even with it, the sound of a gunshot was still far louder than movies would have one believe. Jonah knew he was nowhere near the archer Ginny was, but he could make use of it at close range well enough. Settling in to begin his shift, gear stashed around him, Jonah looked out into the darkness as his ears listened for the slightest hint of movement.

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny slept as well as anyone could expect; she was still well on alert listening for any danger. Each time the patrol passed by her tent she had her head up and was listening for any signs of shuffling or odd movements. It was less than restful, and she knew she should sleep more soundly, but she couldn't bring herself to just relax enough. An hour before dawn her cell phone's alarm went off, a gentle vibration in her pocket set with no volume. The phone had long since stopped working in the conventional sense, but it carried pictures of her family and her farm and she couldn't just part with it. She climbed from the bed and her two sleepy babies, smiling softly she gently stroked Jacks head before wrapping him in a blanket and lifting him into her arms.

She carried the boy out of the tent and to the truck, tucking him into the back seat and he sleepily resisted. Once he was settled on the bench seat he quickly fell back asleep as Ginny gave him his pillow and belted him in. Liza-May was a little more difficult to handle, the girl was growing tall -she'd be far taller than Ginny when she was done with it- but Ginny somehow managed to get the girl into the truck and safely belted like her brother.

By this point the rest of the camp was slowly starting to rise, packing things in and readying for the road. She broke down the tent, packed it and the remainder of their belongings into the back of her truck. She didn't want to turn on the engine, not wanting to attract any more dead than necessary so instead she turned the heat on using the truck's battery, blasting the interior with warm air. On the passenger seat, where Jonah would be seated for the first leg of today's journey, she left a pillow and blanket. She soon set to her duty around the camp: feeding the livestock, doling out the breakfast rations: home made granola bars before coming back to the truck to see Jonah climbing down. "Everything alright?"
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah's watch had been nerve-wracking at first. It was different out here on the road -- not like it had been at the farm where some measure of familiarity settled in and brought the vague hope of safety. Sitting atop the trailer with Ginny's crossbow in his hands surrounded by moonless dark was a very different story. He resisted the urge to scan his surroundings with the night vision monocle -- they had to husband their battery supply now more than ever. So instead he relied on his ears.

Every snapping twig, swaying bit of vegetation, or shuffling wildlife had him staring wide-eyed into the dark for any sign of movement. Four times his alertness had been "rewarded" with the approach of a ghoul, shambling aimlessly through the murky black towards the convoy. He would prep the crossbow, hefting it to his shoulder and waiting until the sound of movement closed to within twenty yards before activating the light, lining up his shot, and putting a bolt through the creature's skull. The shots weren't perfect, but they did the job.

****

Hours later, Jonah knew his shift was coming to an end as he heard and saw the various members of the camp stirring in the early morning twilight. Seeing Ginny tucking the kids soundly away in the truck, he gathered his things and climbed down from the trailer as she approached. He nodded, giving her a weary smile. "Nothing major -- I wasn't as busy as you were by the looks of things." He handed the crossbow over to her. "I'll go collect the bolts before we head out." Jonah glanced over her shoulder at the truck. "The kids okay?"

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny collected the cross bow from Jonah, removing the tension and the string for storage as he noted he hadn't fared as well as she had through the night. "Kids are good," She said after he asked, "Sleeping in the truck; they'll be in bed for a while yet I think. Make the morning drive quiet at least." She took a quick glance around the site, some people were still rising from their tents and packing everything away. "Don't rush," She said as she turned back to Jonah, "Looks like we're ahead of the game so far." She watched him head around the truck to the opposite side, off to reclaim the bolts used in the night whilst she headed to the bed of the truck and started putting away the night gear. She brought her coat in the cab and tossed it on the driver's seat; she knew it would be warm enough inside without it but she always kept it close for emergencies.

Within a few minutes they were ready to go, Ginny started the truck and belted herself in, waiting for Jonah to climb in too once he was done his rounds.
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah scoured the area surrounding the trailer where he and Ginny had taken their watch, meticulously gathering the bolts he could from their skulls -- or the ground behind them in the case of pass-throughs or the rare misses. He didn't stop until all the bolts were accounted for -- unfortunately, a handful of those were a loss. Some had only minor damage: lost fletching or a damaged tip -- repairable at some point. One was a total loss, however, its shaft warped and cracked. Reclaiming the projectiles with gloved hands, Jonah wiped the viscera from their tips before tucking them under his arm to be sanitized later on and heading back inside the convoy.

After checking in with the other vehicles to make sure everyone was ready to get moving, he returned to the truck and climbed into the passenger's seat. Jonah smiled at Ginny warmly as he belted himself in, glancing at the backseat to see Jacks and Liza-May dozing peacefully. It wasn't long before the radio was quietly squawking as the vehicles maneuvered themselves out of the circular formation and got back on the road. "You sleep okay?" he asked Ginny, stretching against the seat languidly.

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

Ginny nodded at Jonah's inquiry, quiet for the movement as she focused on getting the truck and trailer out of their parked position and into line with the remainder of the convoy. "Well enough," She said once they settled into pace and she relaxed in the drivers seat. "Kids had a hard time staying asleep, I think tonight I'm going to see if I can make something to help sooth them and the other kids: anyone that doesn't have to keep watch at least." She smiled at the man in the seat next to her. "Here," She reached behind his seat, collecting the pillow and blanket that had been in the tent. "Get some sleep, we're on the road now, I'll wake you if anything comes up."

***

The morning drive had been much the same as the day before, long and many turn arounds and back tracking. Ginny let Jonah sleep soundly in the passenger seat. Even after the kids woke up she make a point of keeping them quiet so the man could rest. The kids certainly didn't take it harshly, both were still lethargic from lack of comfortable sleep and so they spent time dozing off here and there themselves.

Around noon the convoy was stopping along a deserted span of back road highway for mid day break. It would only be a few minutes for people to get out and stretch and switch positions. Ginny gently nudged Jonah after she had the truck stopped. "Hey Jon," She called quietly. "Time to get up." She was thankful the man had found some rest during the car ride.
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah hadn't thought that he would be able to to get much if any sleep during the drive, but was pleasantly surprised when he found the quiet rumble of the truck's engine lulling him to rest. He dozed in relative peace over the next several hours, thankfully free of dreams (or nightmares). As the convoy rolled to a stop for the rest period, Ginny's gentle nudging and soft voice was enough to rouse him -- barely -- from his slumber. Still half-asleep and bleary-eyed, his hand reached up instinctively to wrap around Ginny's, thumb caressing the top of her knuckles.

After a moment his eyes shot open fully and he looked down to see his hold on Gin, his cheeks flushing as he released her. "Sorry," he murmured, averting his gaze to take a sudden keen interest in the other vehicles of the convoy.

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny paid little attention to Jonah's hand holding her own; not that she didn't notice it - she certainly did- more that it was a small comfort that she could bring him in a time where it was almost impossible to find any comfort. She didn't comment on his apology; she didn't feel he needed one. She soon had the truck stopped along the side of the empty highway behind the vehicle in front of her. She shut off the engine but left the keys in the slot just in case. "Can you take Jacks?" She asked quietly, un - belting herself, seeing Liza-May's near desperation to exit the vehicle; this had been the routine the day before, the women went together to 'relieve' themselves; safety in numbers, but Jacks had felt awkward being the only male included the day before. She opened the door to the truck, sliding out of the seat with a groan of stiffness.

Liza-May was soon around the truck, pestering her to move faster and the remainder of the women were congregating. "I'll be right back Jacks." She called to the boy that looked expectantly to Jonah, uncertain if the man would comply or not. Ginny walked holding Liza-May's hand with the other women down the line of vehicles to the very last, they weren't foolish enough to go out of site entirely from the convoy but needed their due privacy.
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah was somewhat taken aback by Ginny's request. On the previous day she had insisted on taking Jacks with her on the bathroom break, though he had picked up on the boy's reluctance then. All the same, he nodded and unbelted himself, stepping out of the truck before opening the backdoor and helping Jacks out after the girls departed. "C'mon, bud," he said with a reassuring smile, though upon seeing the boy's hesitation he narrowed his eyes at him. "You don't want to hold it all day, do you?"

That did it. With a vehement shake of his head, Jacks followed quickly behind Jonah as they made for the nearby wood line, alongside several male Soldiers and civilians, all of which were armed. The rules were to make sure the area was clear first and to keep an eye out for one another as they relieved themselves in "shifts". It wasn't the most dignified arrangement, but most of the men had been in the military long enough that any idea of modesty & privacy when it came to matters of personal hygiene were long since forgotten even before the outbreak. Jonah had learned the same lesson much earlier, growing up and occasionally camping with three brothers in the backwoods of North Georgia.

Jonah led Jacks to a small copse of trees not far off the road -- hardly hidden from sight, in all honesty, but enough to give an inkling of privacy. Rifle slung across his chest, Jon gave a cursory scan of the surroundings making sure the perimeter scouts hadn't missed anything, listening for anything out of place in the brush. Satisfied, he nodded to Jacks and waved him forward before turning away to give the boy the privacy he needed. When he was finished, Jonah sent him back to wait at the road before relieving himself and following, heading back to the truck. As the two walked, Jonah glanced over to see Royce hiking his leg alongside the wheel of one of the cargo trucks. Miller, standing nearby conversing with one of the other team members, turned just in time to see this as well.

"Foei! Nee!" the MP barked, the hound turning to give him a seemingly aggrieved look before trodding over to his partner. Jacks saw the exchange and laughed aloud, bringing a smile to Jonah's face as they made their way back to the truck.

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny was relieved to see that Jacks had gone with Jonah for their break; she hadn't worried about taking the boy to the 'men's' section but was more concerned how the other men would feel about it. She returned to the truck with Liza-May and waited for the two men to return before she spoke to her kids. "Remember the rules from yesterday, within reach of the truck, right?" She was satisfied that the two nodded. She knew they would have energy to burn, and she had work to attend to with her animals. As much as she wanted to include them she couldn't account for how any of them would react with the amount of stress and how enclosed they'd been for the last day and a half. At least the adults knew and understood to keep their distance from any stray horns, but the kids wouldn't be as cautious; they grew up knowing Ginny's passive cattle and could easily be caught off guard.

She gave Jonah a quick smile before turning to her duties: cleaning out trailers, feeding animals and making sure none had fallen ill. With the help of the farm hands, and having practiced the day before, they made short work of it all. Ginny soon returned to the truck, ready to pack in her kids, get them fed and get some sleep.
Safton

 

[Safton]

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After leading Jacks back to the truck and the care of his mother and older sister, Jonah did his usual "rounds", checking in with the other vehicles to make sure everything was in order. Predictably, there were no issues to report. The occupants stood outside: stretching, getting some air, or doing what else they could to relax while a few sentries remained ever watchful. Jonah was on his way back toward the truck when he glanced over to see a small pickup truck that had pulled off to the side of the road and been abandoned, likely many weeks ago.

Pausing, he strode over to the vehicle and glanced through the glass. Torn upholstery and an old air freshener dangling from the rear view mirror greeted him. There were no supplies inside that he could see, almost undoubtedly taken by the driver. He was about to leave it when a lacquered black case, several feet long, in the small backseat of the cab caught his eye. Curiosity piqued, he tried the passenger side door which opened obligingly, allowing him to lean in and pull the case out. Opening it up, he was surprised to see a banjo of all things inside. It was in remarkably good condition, clearly well-maintained.

He glanced at the instrument for a moment, all good sense telling him to leave it behind -- their space constraints were severe enough as it was. Despite that, Jonah snapped the case shut and tucked it under his arm, heading back to the truck. Positioned toward the rear of the convoy, he had some measure of privacy. Smiling to himself as he saw Ginny tending to the cattle not far off and the kids playing nearby, he opened up the truck's passenger side door and sat inside, facing out toward the treeline as he removed the banjo from its case and went about tuning it as best he could. It had been several months since he played, though it came back to him in time. Jonah paused, thinking of a fitting song before glancing over either shoulder self-consciously to make sure he didn't have any spectators. Then, with a deep breath, he began strumming, quietly singing in a light Southern drawl:

"When you get to Asheville
Send me an e-mail
Tell me how you're doin'
How it's treatin' you

Did you find a new job
Did you find a new love
Is it everything that
You were dreamin' of​

Ooh, if it don't work out
Ooh, if it don't work out
Ooh, you can turn around
And come on back to me
You can come on home to me..."
​

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny paused on the opposite side of the truck, confused for a moment as she heard the first few notes of a banjo being tuned. She glanced around herself to try and find the source of the music when someone started singing... not someone Jonah. She glanced down to the two kids as they were both grinning, hearing the song and the lyrics was such a drastic difference to the quiet they'd been accustom to over the past few days. She stood with her kids quietly, hugging them both to her as they listened to the man go on; enjoying the simplicity of it all.

As the song came to an end and silence followed she glanced down at the two and encouraged them to go see Jonah, the kids raced around the front of the truck, pushing one another out of the way to get at the man first. A thousand questions were being pelted at the man. "Where did you learn to play?" "Do you know this song too?" " Could you teach me how to play?" "Me too?" Ginny soon came around the truck, smiling at Jonah. "You shouldn't keep your talents hidden from kids; they'll catch you out eventually?" She glanced into the truck hearing the radio squawk as people were calling their ready to move on. "Go on kids, get in the truck, buckle up and leave poor Jon alone."
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah had just finished his song, such as it was, and was tucking the banjo away into its box when he was set upon by Jacks and Liza-May. He looked up in surprise, flushing red with embarrassment but unable to fight off the smile that came to his face as he tried to field their flurry of questions one at a time. Thankfully Ginny emerged from behind the truck and came to his rescue, her children reluctantly doing as they were told. Jonah stood up, giving her a nod of thanks before packing everything up and taking his position in the driver's seat, taking over for Gin on the second leg of the drive.

As they waited for the convoy to begin moving, he rubbed at the back of his neck anxiously, face still flushed. Finally, he spoke up quietly. "I guess you heard that, too... Sorry, I don't know what came over me. Been a while since I played."

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny checked on her kids as the convoy started on it's second leg, content to see them distracted with playing their road game they had developed. She glanced to Jonah with concern as he spoke, his face flushing. For a moment she was worried until she heard him speak. She smiled and shook her head. Pulling on the lever of the seat she lowered the back slightly so that she could lean on it, tucking the pillow behind her head and getting comfy to fall asleep. "No really Jon -" She started but covered her mouth as she yawned. "Sorry, it was great to hear really. Just a few seconds of the old days: before all of this." She waved her hand towards the closed window. "Did anyone teach you how to play or did you learn on your own?"
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah listened to Ginny as she settled in, obviously more than a little fatigued by the first half of the journey, though he could hardly blame her. He shifted the truck into drive, slowly guiding it into position behind the next vehicle in the convoy as they once again set off down the road. He glanced downward to make sure they were still good on fuel and that nothing else was out of place -- no "check engine" lights or anything else that might signal a problem. It was likely an unnecessary precaution, but one he took subconsciously all the same.

"Both," he said. "My dad got me started, back before my mom passed. I don't think I ever saw him pick up another instrument after that -- not even to teach me. So I had to learn on my own from then on," he shrugged noncommittally, turning to glance out the window for a moment. "I just sort of... stuck with it over the years." He turned to give Ginny a mischievous smirk. "The way I hear it, I'm not the only one hiding talents. I've heard some crazy tales about you on a skateboard..."

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny smiled hearing Jonah speak about his family in a kind fashion. She knew the man had experienced great loss at the turn of this sickness, because of the sickness. He rarely spoke about his family and often when he did it had sounded pained and sorrow-filled. This was the first time she heard him speak about his mother and father without and she smiled. She could feel her eyes becoming heavy lidded, now with no responsibility of keeping everyone safe. She didn't bother to open them when she head Jonah comment about skateboarding. "Mhm." She said with a sigh. "Not crazy," She murmured and yawned. "I had a lot of practice when I was younger, a lot of time spent away from my parents house and it was a distraction."

"Mommy won a bunch of trophies." Jacks commented from the back seat, still devoted to coloring in his book but clearly listening to every word, Liza-May listening her her iPod, staring out the window at the passing terrain. Jacks glanced up to the two adults in the front seat, his mother now sleeping soundly, he glanced to Jonah. "She still has them, they're in the attic. Said that daddy told her to keep them - he called them her war medals." He frowned slightly at the title, clearly uncertain of the meaning.

***
​

Jacks and Liza-May spent the hours driving with their mother asleep taking turns grilling Jonah about what Nashville was like. Despite the man fielding as many questions as he possibly could, even unable to answer some to their satisfaction, the questions did not end, particularly those like: "How long until we get there?" "Will we have a home there or will we still sleep in the car?" "Will there be other kids there?"

The drive was very much like the day before, needing to double back several times and detour. It was growing dark when the convoy was starting to pull into an area that would suffice for the evening. Ginny stirred as she heard the radio squawking with chatter. She frowned slightly as some of the rear guard were depicting figures emerging from the houses and buildings near by. Not the dead but people, refugees heading for the vehicle convoy. Ginny pushed herself up to sit, glancing in the side mirror and out the window to see if there were any near by.
Safton

 

[Safton]

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Jonah did his best to field the questions from Jacks and Liza-May, never losing his patience with either of them. Quite the opposite, actually; he enjoyed every eager query and concern they brought up. He answered each one to the best of his ability:

"That depends. Shouldn't be more than a couple of weeks."

"You guys will have your own place. No more sleeping in cars and tents."

"Yes, there are other kids there for you to meet and hang out with."

Jonah was glad to give Ginny a chance to rest in the meantime. As they reached a cul-de-sac amidst a ramshackle collection of suburban homes and began to set up for the night in typical fashion, the radio began squawking with calls from the sentries. Jonah glanced out the window to see what the concern was about: figures emerging from the homes and approaching the convoy uncertainly. It took only one look to know that they lacked the telltale stagger of the dead; these were humans. Jonah could hear shouts through the window from the Soldiers as they warned the men and women to keep their distance.

Jonah hastily picked up the radio's transmitter: "Hold your fire! Stay alert, but do not fire unless fired upon." As shaky voices responded in affirmation over the channel, he nodded to himself before turning to Ginny, who had been roused by the noise. "Stay here with the kids. Keep the doors locked, no matter what happens," he said before stepping out of the truck, slinging his rifle onto his shoulder as he made his way toward the front of the convoy, nodding to several of the refugees as they milled around at a semi-respectful distance from the vehicles, murmuring amongst themselves.

Decker paused, cupping his hands to his mouth before calling out, "My name is Sergeant Jonah Decker. This is a military convoy headed to Nashville. We don't mean you any harm and I'm sure y'all don't, either. Can I speak to someone in charge?"

As he spoke, Jonah was aware of Doc Moore and Miller both approaching, with Royce in tow, the canine anxiously eyeing the disheveled figures surrounding them as he panted.

NanLia ​

 

[NanLia]

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Ginny nodded as Decker instructed her to stay inside the truck and wait - she certainly wasn't about to put her kids at risk. She watched after the man as he made his way out of sight quickly before she scanned around the vehicle as far as she could see. Satisfied that there were no strangers near by, only the Nashville and Reserves making they way towards the disturbance she turned her attention back to her kids. She smile, calmly, speaking softly. "It's all good. Jonah's got this under control." She wished she could sound more confident but she was frightened for what may come. Jonah had warned herself and the other adults of what could be expected along the way, what they had heard and seen done to other convoys of people, military included. She reached over the clicked the locks closed. "How about this," She said quietly. "Take off your seat belts and sit down on the floor." She removed her own and started climbing between the seats "I'll come sit with you too and we'll just stay low until Jon comes back." The kids quickly nodded, doing as instructed and slipping onto the floor. Ginny sat on the back seat in the middle, pulling the pillows down, then the blankets for the kids to wrap themselves within.

​

The refugees approached the convoy warily though with interest. They milled a fair distance away from where the growing military personnel as one called out for someone in charge the gathering refugees murmured, looking from one another before someone stepped forward. "I guess I'm in charge?" He certainly didn't sound confident. The older man stepped forward, dirty and ragged looking his cheeks were hollow. He pushed back the hood of his worn coat before stepping forward a little more, but keeping a cautious distance. "We just seen the trailers and the like, thought maybe the military was finally here to help. Y'know? Give out food or somethin'?"
Safton