[ WP ] It 's been 8 months since the zombie apocalypse . You fell in with a tough as nails roughneck group . When in the city looting , you come across a scavenger . He 's your best friend from before the outbreak and your crew unanimously decides to execute him ( he is armed ) .

“ Well? ” Jimmy was asking some question. 
 
 “ Well, what? ” I snarled back at him. 
 
 “ This is a FACT finding mission. Go find some FACTS. After all he is YOUR friend ” 
 
 Sometimes, I really hated him. He used the same moronic drawn out emphasis on the word facts that he used on the word your. As if it had been my idea to come trudging out here in the pissing rain to investigate an empty trap, sprung by what turns out to be my old bud. Well, I guess technically it was, I am in charge after all. 
 
 “ Hey, buddy ” I called out sliding down the last 5 feet of hill. “ How the hell have you been? ” 
 
 “ How many of you are watching me? ” 
 
 “ Straight to business then. There are ten of us here… ” I had to stop my carefully prepared speech, as he made an obnoxiously loud effort to collect enough saliva to spit at my words. 
 
 “ Only ten ” he scoffed “ I ’ m insulted. ” 
 
 “ That ’ s the problem with the end of the world. Nobody bothers to show anyone respect anymore. ” I said this more to myself, but I ’ m sure he would think it meant for him “ Of course, you never had any manners to begin with so I can ’ t be too shocked. As I was saying, there are ten of us here and we would like to know what in the hell you think you are doing on our turf. And what in god ’ s name are you wearing? ” 
 
 “ Well, I am here to break up your little gang and as for my uniform, it was given to me by the government of the RESTORED UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ” He shouted that last part. 
 
 My associates approached from their hiding places at the mention of a restored government. Some seem amused, others hopeful, one or two may already be mentally signing up to join the good ol ’ USA again. I made a mental note of all the dreamers and all the skeptics. 
 
 “ I count 31. You told me there were only 10 of you. ” He frowned. 
 
 I smiled “ What can I say? There are 10 of us; just not only 10 of us. ” 
 
 He began to preach for his life about the ‘ RESTORED UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ’; about all of the repairs being done up north; about the return of civilization; and of course, about the safety provided against the roving hordes of zombies. As he turned to me, he began to preach about the swift and decisive retribution that befalls anyone that harms a citizen of the new government. I decided we had gathered enough facts, so I shot my old friend. 
 
 “ What if he was telling the truth? ” Jimmy asked. 
 
 Having not been paying attention I eloquently responded with “ Hmgh ” 
 
 “ Why did you do that? What if he was telling the truth? ” Jimmy repeated. 
 
 “ You know the rules ” I answered 
 
 “ But what if he WAS telling the truth? ” he repeated a third time. 
 
 Jimmy didn ’ t understand, it wasn ’ t the zombies that caused the collapse, it was the people. Only those of us strong enough to shot a loved one in the face could survive. And how could you trust someone who would kill their own mother to survive: short answer, you can ’ t. Maybe it ’ s better Jimmy doesn ’ t understand, maybe it ’ s better if Jimmy is a casualty of the old world.
