Author Notes:

I just want to start by saying thank you to everyone who has already submitted a character. I know it might not seem like much but the support of both that effort and this project as a whole is truly heart warming. That window of opportunity is still up if you'd like to join in, though it is getting shorter (more on that post chapter).

Normally I also address the reviews but their doesn't seem to be much to go over but Merle and Daryl Dixon. Without giving too much away, as I stated in the author notes last chapter, I will be setting up the brothers to be major figures in the second episode arc, so hopefully you enjoy them and my portrayal of them (you'll get to see more of one of them this chapter).

Now without delaying any longer, welcome to what's probably the single longest chapter (not including author notes) so far.


Gary's hand jerks at the sound of Jolene's voice. As he pulls the trigger, the barrel, previously aimed at Mark's head, is instead pointing toward his shoulder. Mark cries out in pain, but lives.

Daryl is silent, unmoving, still processing everything going on. Jolene just looks angry, watching Mark, now one of her closest friends, lying in a growing puddle of his own blood. Clementine stays hidden in the storage closet, loading her pistol, waiting for the opportune moment. Gary chuckles.

"Well, well, the bitch herself is putting herself out on a silver platter." Gary presses his foot down harder on Mark's back. Something cracks. "I knew this asswipe wasn't alone." He turns to Daryl again after seeing Jolene is weaponless, her rifle dropped at Clem's feet. "What are you waiting for? Put an arrow right between her eyes and be done with it." Gary all but orders.

"We still don't even know what happened that day!"

"Fuck that! Jake, Linda, and Bart are dead. That's all we need to know!"

Daryl's eyes are grim. A look of disappointment if anything. He turns back to Jolene, ignoring Gary. "Why'd you have to go ahead and kill 'em Jo? Why'd you have to go and do a stupid thing like that?"

Jolene glances back at Clem while they're arguing. Clem's eyes say everything: "I need a distraction."

Jolene drums up the dramatics, turning up her anger and fake insanity to put on a show. "It wasn't safe, Daryl. Not for me, and not for my girl. They didn't treat her nice. Not at all. After you told me they took her away, into the woods, I begged 'em to stop. In every way I could think. But they just laughed... So we killed 'em."

Daryl sighs. "No killin' our own. No matter what? Ain't that what we agreed upon?"

"If you REALLY think what they did to Dani is excusable, then you're gonna have to take that there crossbow, and put a nice sharp arrow, right through my eyeball. Well, Daryl, you gonna shoot me in my goddamn brain?"

Gary seems pleased. "She's just begging for it man. Come on! Let's see her drop like a ragdoll! She deserves it!"

Mark groans, a little delirious from the pain. Gary kicks him over on his chest. "SHUT UP! This is about you!"

"Gary! You shot the man three fucking times. You'd be crying your drying eyes out!"

"Screw you Daryl! You know what? I'll just do it my - -" As Gary turns to raise his gun and end Jolene's life, Clementine shoots him right through the nose. The bandit drops. He won't be getting back up.

Clementine aims her pistol at Daryl, who in turn lifts his crossbow. Jolene steps between them. Their voices echo together in a harmonized "Out of the way Jolene."

"What the hell are you doing, Jo?! He's the enemy!" Clem pleads.

"I could say the same for you! Now get that gun out of my face."

"When you do the same with that crossbow!"

"Put your damn weapons down! Both of you!" Jolene orders.

"Not gonna happen till I get an explanation!" Daryl argues.

Clementine huffs. "The feeling's mutual."

"A… a little help here?" Mark pleads. Despite seconds ago being stuck in a high noon standoff, both Daryl and Clementine respond in tandem: kneeling down to check on the injured man.

"Mark, can you stand?" Clem asks.

Daryl just looks at her incredulously. "This man has no kneecaps! Probably a few broken ribs too. And you want him to - -"

CRASH! Everyone lifts their eyes to the windows, the undead now pouring into the liquor store.

"Shit!" Jolene screams.

Clementine looks to Jolene. "Help me move him!" She complies, dragging Mark by his shoulders through the glass. Daryl instinctively brings up his crossbow, flinging arrows into walker skulls.

BASH! The shop's backdoor is also busted down. Clementine's quick draw speed honed from years of experience is the only thing that prevents Jolene from ending up with rotten teeth in her flesh. The group of four are cornered.

Mark sighs, realizing what has to happen. "GO! There's no time! I'll just drag you down!"

"That's not gonna happen!" Clementine reassures both Mark and herself.

Daryl though... gets the message rather quick. He grabs Jolene's arm. "He's right. We need to move our asses!" Jolene's gaze shifts between the walkers, Daryl, and Mark. She offers the latter an apologetic glance, putting up no resistance against Daryl as they slip through some selves before breaking out into a full blown sprint. Luckily, neither get grabbed, making their way down the street.

"Jo! You bitch!" Clementine yells at their running forms. The time traveler puts a bullet into a walker as he pins down Mark by the legs. Seeing no other option, Clementine drags Mark by lonesome into the storage closet. A walker grabs Clem by the shoulder. She fires the gun point blank next to her ear. She won't be hearing out of it for a while considering the burst eardrum, but the corpse doesn't get the chance to take a chomp out of her.

Clenching her ear, Clementine slams the door behind her, and begins stacking boxes. It's not an end all be all fix, but after a minute and with the help of both her and Mark's combined body weight, it's too much effort for the walkers to burst through. She's still not bitten… at least in this timeline.

Ear still ringing, Clementine lights her flashlight and looks around the small storage closet, in a panic for bandages. Unfortunately, the only thing even remotely similar is duck tape and piss-stained rags. She ignores the latter for obvious reasons.

Mark looks shaken due to his injuries. The amount of pain he's in is clear as day. Deciding the duck tape is better than nothing, she goes to apply it over the gunshot wounds but…

"Don't bother." Mark croaks out.

This obviously confuses the girl. "Excuse me?"

"I'm saying to not waste supplies on a dead man."

She attends to his arm anyway. "I may not know a lot about guns, and getting shot in your kneecaps and shoulder probably feels like shit, but it doesn't exactly sound lethal."

"Clem."

"I promise it's probably not gonna sting too - -"

"CLEM!" The girl jumps, dropping the roll of tape. The man motions to his leg, past his knee.

That's when Clementine notices a small pool of blood by his ankle. Her eyes begin to tear up immediately. "No."

It's exactly as she fears, and a memory, a trauma, makes her numb in the heel. "... I've been bitten, Clementine."


Jolene and Daryl, after creating some distance between the liquor store, find themselves in the woods just on the outskirts of town. Nobody is going to find them out here.

"Mark…" The name lingers on her lips.

"Are you…" It's obvious by Jolene's face she's not okay, there's no need for Daryl to even finish the question.

He tries a different avenue. "What about her? Do think that girl - -"

"Clementine." Jolene's voice is filled with disdain for the term 'girl.'

"...that Clementine, made it out?"

"I don't even think a god could take her down. She's a force of nature that one." Jolene wants to believe the words leaving her mouth, but… she can't exactly. It doesn't really matter how tough you are. One bad call and a bit of poor luck can land you an early grave in this new world.

"That confident huh? Seems like you know her pretty well. I mean, the only other person I heard get that type of praise from your mouth is Danielle." The two give a forced, uncomfortable laugh.

"...she saved Danielle actually. In the woods that day. I was pinned down and… well, she and her friends came along. Bart was killed in the shootout and Clem… she insisted Jake and Linda were too dangerous to keep alive. She's the one they're really after."

"You mean - -"

"Well, I may have discharged my clip into Jake's asshole, but Clem took the first shot. She's a crack one too. Hesitation isn't even in her vocabulary. She just acts… I owe her so much and… I can't believe we just left her. How could I do that? Oh poor AJ."

Jolene stands up, kicking a tree. "Dammit! She better be alive or I'll kick her ass!"

"You mean her corpse?" Daryl meant it as a joke, but it hurt so much more than intended.

Reading the mood, he gives Jolene a few minutes to compose herself. He casually cleans off a bolt before shooting a wandering squirrel with no effort. "Want some grub?" Jolene's look of disgust gives Daryl the answer he needs. He begins preparing it for himself anyway, skinning it and starting a small campfire.

The whole situation is just awkward. Finally, Jo breaks the silence again. "Soo… Gary said something about Merle being in charge before he died? I'm guessing that's why you haven't booked it to the CDC yet?"

The man nods. "You know how the guys were always afraid of Merle? Well, after running around like chickens with the heads cut off, Merle saw an opportunity. I mean, you remember how badly he wanted to lead that place. Only reason he even agreed to leave was that he thought it'd never happen. So one drunk of his ass of a rousing speech later and now… the rest is history."

"Does he really want me dead?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that. Half the time I think he's honestly grateful for what you did. The other half... I wouldn't doubt it. Merle's certainly no fuckin' book."

Jo cracks a small smile. "Which half is the drunk half?" That gets an honest reaction out of the hunter, tension diluting as he laughs.

It doesn't last long, as Jolene finds her head resting in her hands. "And, if he REALLY does want me… dead, would you let 'em?"

"He's my brother. Practically raised me. He's an asshole but… just don't ever put me in that position… So, what's your plan?"

"Get back to the Motor Inn and hope Clementine's there. If not, grab whomever I can muster as a search party. At least… give AJ some closure if worst comes to worst."

"AJ?"

"Her brother." Daryl nods in understanding, but he still seems like something is spinning in his head.

"You sure about that? I'm telling you Jo, there's a war coming. I've done all I can on my end to stop the guys from attacking that shithole you call a base. With Gary dead…" He paused his sentence, giving Jolene a chance to catch on.

"What are you suggesting?" She didn't.

"Grab Danielle and get the hell out of Macon."

"I'm not doing that." She responded almost immediately afterward.

"Jo - -"

"Daryl. I'm the one that got MY group involved. If there's gonna be war, I'll be on the frontlines, stringin' an arrow through your brother's balls for even thinking of fuckin with us."

He looks up, knife gleaming. "Is that a threat?"

"Not to you."

Getting the message, Daryl laughs. "You shoulda been born a guy."

"Maybe. It wouldn't be as awkward trying to make the first move." Daryl stops, appraising if he's hearing only what he wants to.

"You're sounding just as crazy as when we found ya. Thought it was just an act?"

"Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't." Now Daryl is just confused.

"Are you - -"

"The only thing I missed this last month was you. And after everything that's happened since the world went to shit... Fuck it, we need this. Drop your pants."

Daryl… isn't one to deny a woman that request either.


Clementine wondered if how she felt watching Mark as he begun turn was what it felt like to be a walker. She had insisted about trying to cut off the leg. Unfortunately, they left the axe out in the hallway, and trying to go and grab it would've been suicide. Clem still insisted they should try cutting it off with her hunting knife when she pulled it out, Mark had this to say:

"Clementine, look at me. Even if cutting my leg off somehow did work, I've got three bullet holes and a bunch of open scratches. It'd be a miracle if I didn't bleed out from these injuries alone. And I don't think you've got a tourniquet in your pockets."

"But…"

"And the noise. I scream too much, and that feeble defense you call a barricade is gonna collapse in on us."

"Mark."

"Look at me. Look at me in the eyes and tell me you think this is a good idea." And she couldn't. As much as Clementine was desperate to save the military man, when she thought about things solely from a logical perspective, he wasn't wrong.

And so she had spent the last few hours with him, just as she had what felt like countless times with Pete. Only this time, it was worse. All because it was actually her fault. My fault.

Clementine had failed to save Shawn and Chet so far, but failing to save and getting them killed earlier... that's entirely different. I knew it was a possibility and had spurred the dragonfly effect so much anyway it - -

"It's the butterfly effect! Get it right already!" Telltale complied. Fuck you!

So when Mark asked Clem for that expensive bottle of wine from earlier, stating "it doesn't quite matter anymore how drunk I get if I'm not leaving this room alive", she didn't have the heart to deny him or desire to argue against him… or for any of the ones after it.

The hours continued to pass and Mark continued to drink. He was only growing more pale, and more delirious. At least the walkers were thinning, and there was at least some food, even if it was just stale chips. It was really a pathetic sight.

And that whole time since Mark got bit, Telltale spent it laughing in that obnoxious, holier than thou tone, taunting the girl. "Oh this is too much. You got one of your friends killed early! Oh my stomach!"

But soon the silence and laughing was interupted, Mark throwing an empty bottle against the wall.

"Fuck!" Mark screams in anger.

Clem is afraid to ask, but does anyway. "What are you doing?"

"I just… I find it really ironic."

Mark pops the cap and takes a swig from another bottle before continuing. "A month ago, I really thought I'd die in that fucking commisionary closet. I guess I wasn't that far off after all."

"Mark…"

"I'm scared Clementine. I've never been this scared in my whole life. Like everything is flashing in front of me and I can't stop it. I can't stop thinking."

His bloodshot and decaying eyes flash in anger. A second bottle goes flying, this one barely misses Clem's head. "It's your fucking fault Clementine! You killed me!"

"I kno -"

"NO YOU DON'T! You pulled that trigger! We should've let them go, but NO!"

"That was the right thing to do and - -"

"And nothing! Look at me Clemtine. LOOK AT ME!" And Mark breaks down crying. "How long will the cycle of violence continue? When can we find peace?" His sound of him weeping is damn near heart breaking.

Clementine's mind is drawn back to her time in the barn after she got bit, and all those times she thought she was dying. She thinks back to James' words, even if she didn't believe them herself. But more than anything in that moment she thinks back to Kenny, consoling him about getting to see his wife and kid again in the death bed of a storm. "You'll find it soon Mark. Soon."

More time passes. Another drink. More conversation. More pale. A dead man drinking, telling tales. Like an old man reaccounting his glory days because he'll never live to see them.

"I… I joined the military to be a hero." Mark admits. "I thought I could change the world… but the world changed on me instead, I guess. I don't know what to believe anymore, Clementine… I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. You didn't deserve that."

Mark coughs up what appears to be a mixture of alcohol and black blood. "I wonder what's gonna kill me first: the bite, blood loss, or the alcohol poisoning."

"That's not funny." Clementine insists.

"No… I guess not." Mark coughs again. His time is short, and he's deteriorating at a much faster rate. Clem just watches on, bottles piling up one after another until another one shatters. This time Mark's simply too weak to lift it.

"Hey Clem?"

"Yeah Mark?"

"I feel… cold."

Clementine eyes fill with tears. Mark smiles.

"Keep… them alive okay?"

"I will." Clem says resolutely.

"And… one more thing... tell Lee…"

Mark never finishes that thought, his body convulsing like suffering from a seizure, eyes rolling to the back of his skull. Mark's dead. And he's not coming back.


Lee was very confused when Jolene came back to the Motor Inn with an obvious stranger. Things had been… rather loud at first, particularly with Larry wanting to blow Daryl's brains out. Luckily, after Danielle had vouched for Daryl's trustworthiness, Lilly was at least willing to hear the two out. So there Lee was, holed up in one of the bedrooms, he and Kenny taking the two chairs, Lilly the bed, and the bandits leaning against the back wall.

The explanation had been… difficult to process, to say the least. Everything from the goings on of the Save Lots Bandits down to what had happened to Clementine and Mark… which was currently the topic of discussion.

"Are you telling me you just left her there?!" Kenny yells.

"We were surrounded!" Daryl argues back.

Lilly sighs. "ENOUGH!"

Everyone turned to the Air Force officer. It was clear she was mentally exhausted. While Lilly came off as a hard-ass most of the time, she truly did care about her people. Her relationship with Mark was probably the most complex considering they walked in the same social circles. Afterall, they both worked at Warner Rogers.

"Daryl right?" The man nods. "What exactly are your intentions here? Walking into what most would consider unfriendly territory? Seems pretty stupid to me."

"I'm here for Jolene and Danielle. Nothing more."

Lilly chuckles. "Then I hope you don't mind answering some questions."

"Like if those fuckers you're working with are gonna cause us more trouble." Kenny butts in.

Daryl sighs. "Look, I'm gonna hold them off as long as possible, but I suggest getting outta town. Maybe the CDC."

Kenny's face shows obvious confusion. "CD-what?"

"The Center of Disease Control." Lilly corrected.

Honestly, at this point in time, Lee only cares about one thing. "Are you sure that Clementine and Mark didn't make it out of that store?"

Jolene looks at the floor shamefully. "We're not sure of anything. I was planning on - -"

Kenny seems angry. "I say we take the fight to your people. We can handle a few punks with bows and arrows."

"Shut up Kenny!" Lilly all but demands. "Sorry. He was born with a small brain."

"Hey! Don't go off on me for my ideas! This isn't your own personal dictator - -"

Lee wasn't in the mood for any of this. "Stop it. You're acting like children!" Lee's voice was firm, and for once both parties actually listened to him. "Would you mind coming with us to find them?"

"I would, but if I stay out any longer, Merle's gonna be throwing a fit. And…"

"And?"

"Let's just say that if I'm going to buy you any extra time, the sooner I get back, the bigger your window of opportunity."

"Alright then."

"Alright? Alright?! Lee, this man - -"

"Jolene trusted him enough to bring him here. That's good for me."

"But Lee! She used to be one of the - -"

"Ken. I get it. You're paranoid. But Clem and Mark out there. Our only priority right now should be to find them. We can debate about everything else after we're back."

Lilly speaks up, anger in her voice. "But what if you can't!? We have to think about those we know are alive. Not go on some wild goose chase!"

Kenny plays devil's advocate, as usual. "Those geese are probably the only reason we're still alive!"

Lee picks up his rifle, deciding the best course of action would just be to ignore the two for now, and heads toward the door. "Now if anyone is joining me in this search party, then grab your gear. I'm not waiting for that sun to set."

And with that, Lee, Daryl, Jolene walked out of the small room. Taking another glance around the Motor Inn, Lee's eyes fell on AJ, sitting with Carley and Doug. Lee turns back to his companions. "Why don't you two say your good-byes to Danielle real quick. I've… gotta take care of this."

Daryl raises an eyebrow but Jolene pulls the man aside as he walks over and kneels down next to AJ. "So…"

"Where's Clem?" AJ asks bluntly.

Lee can't bring himself to lie to AJ. "We're going to look for her now."

"Oh…" AJ looks at ground pensive. "Let me join - -"

"You know I can't do that, kiddo."

Carley and Doug look at each other. Carley puts a hand on AJ's shoulder, the kid jerking a little under her grip. "Don't worry AJ. I'll go - -"

"No."

"But Lee - -"

"If what Jolene and the new guy said is right, then we need every gun possible guarding the Inn. With Clementine who knows where, you and Andre are our best shots."

Doug stands up. "Then I'll go."

"Hon."

"No Car. I might not be the best around walkers, but you can spare me. I need to start pulling my weight again ever since we got that alarm system set up. Besides, we owe Clementine our lives. Putting mine on the line to get answers is the least I can do."

Lee motions to Carley. "She taught you how to shoot right."

Doug nods sheepishly. "Well enough I think."

Carley pulls out her gun again. "Lee, I REALLY insist. The sooner we find Clementine the sooner we can get back and protect this place propper. Besides, we haven't done a night run since the drug store. Having more capable firepower isn't exactly an awful idea."

"Maybe you're right."

Carley smiles. "I am right." She turns back to Doug, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Doug offers a small quip. "Fine. Just don't stay out too late."

And with that Carley and Lee reunite with Jolene and Daryl before heading out.


Jolene takes point as Lee and Carley travel behind her. Daryl had long since parted ways, heading back to the Save-Lots. The trip was relatively quiet, and Carley decided to make small conversation to pass the time, so she started obviously fiddling with a laser pointer.

"What's that you got there?" Lee asks.

"Nothing. I picked it up during our last trip to the drugstore for Doug. Thought he might like it but… I don't know."

Carley changes the topic. "It's nice to get away from that motel for a while… despite the circumstances. This Lilly/Kenny thing is starting to get ridiculous. Personally, I'd be happier if you started to take charge more."

"Lilly's way of running things is smart. It's not easy, but it's keeping us alive. And Kenny keeps us motivated. He believes in hope and knows how important it is for us to not give that up. I can't fault him for that. Both are doing a fine job."

"No. You weren't exactly subtle with how you went off on them earlier. Maybe you just don't wanna be in charge?"

"Do you really think they'd want me as leader?"

"Sure. Everyone looks up to you."

"I second that. Sometimes I swear even Katjaa trusts you more than her own husband. Granted, Ken's too much of a hot head to lead anything, but the point stands." Jolene adds.

"Well...not everyone thinks I'm so trustworthy." Lee mutters, referring to one individual in particular.

"Screw Larry. He's an asshole." Jolene remarks.

The three laugh at that, though Lee asks to drop the topic shortly after. They quickly find themselves back at the liquor store. With the exception of a few walkers, the small herd seems to have cleared out by the time they arrive. No sign of them, making the three crestfallen.

...that is, until Jolene notices the closed storage closet. "In there!"

Lee knocks on the door. "Hello? Clementine? Mark?" No response.

"We may as well check." Carley recommends.

As Lee opens the door, he's met with the sight of the miserable looking Mark laying dead on the floor, a clear knife wound in his forehead. Lee kneels down in front of the corpse, eyes already watering. "Oh Mark. I'm sorry. I'm sorry this had to happen to you."

Jolene excuses herself from the room out of guilt, but Carley seems to focus more on the fact the obvious mercy weapon is nowhere to be seen. "Lee, did you pick up a knife?"

"No?" And then Lee picks up on what hints Carley is dropping.

"Then somebody else had to have done this. Probably Clementine And if she's no longer here…"

Lee asks the obvious question. "Then where is she?"


Clementine found herself wandering the woods, making the slow trek to the local Save-Lots. Ever since she put down Mark, she wasn't thinking straight, and she wanted to nip this problem in the bud as soon as possible, which meant to her, that night.

She would make sure Mark found peace. That the others would be safe. That would just make Telltale STAY QUIET. "No gonna happen, honey."

"Shut up!" Clementine's fury unable to be kept unvocalized. And so she continued on, trying to tune out the whispers in her head.

"Hey!' There she was again, taunting Clem - -

"HEY!" Clementine turns around, realizing that the voice didn't belong to Telltale, but instead to Daryl.

"Hey yourself."

Daryl lifts his crossbow and Clementine does the same with the pistol. They're back in the stand-off.

"There's no Jolene to stop me this time." The young adult woman growls.

"Same here." Daryl tries a different strategy. "You won't like what happens if you kill me."

"Why? Just one less bandit to kill."

"You must think you're one tough bitch to take on my brother's goons and walk away to tell the tale."

"I've survived worse." She said that so offhandedly, that Daryl honestly believed it. Who is this kid?

"But what if you can't? What if you slip up and get killed?"

"Then I'm sure the others will take care of - -"

Daryl finally figures something out. "Do you wanna die?"

Clementine… she wouldn't admit it to anyone. Not Lee. Not AJ. But… every night in her dreams it was the same thing over and over. Like going through the motions. So many lifetimes blending together. So much death. So much lost love. Clementine didn't want to die. No. Lee had taught her to never give up, and she never would but…

"I'm… tired."

"Then yes."

The two stay silent for a while before Daryl continues. "You still have that little boy, AJ, to look out for."

"I know that…"

"Can you really risk leaving him?"

"...No, you're right. I can't take that chance." Clementine lowers her pistol, and Daryl does the same with his crossbow.

As Daryl walks past Clem, he whispers into her ear "We'll be in touch." With that the two part ways, and Clementine soon starts making her way back to the Motor Inn, ready to take on the weight of the world.


Author Notes:

So... yeah, I killed off Mark. I can already tell this is going to be a very unpopular choice, so I think you all deserve an explanation (though beware of potential spoilers). Originally, Mark was actually supposed to survive a lot longer than he did. After I decided to add the Dixon Brothers though, I kinda realized it made more sense for Daryl to take over the plot I had planned for Mark. I'm going to be blunt, if I don't have any plans for a character story wise, killing them off becomes an option. Then we get to the main reason that Mark died: to increase the stakes. Up to this point in the story, nobody has died BEFORE they were intended to. I needed to drive home that this was a possibility and it needed to be someone that we actually cared about. With no planned plot, this role was best given to Mark. Better to die quicker but with a much bigger impact (Mark will not be forgotten that's for sure) than fade into the background with nothing to do.

One last reminder that reminder that the OC submissions are still live. The plan is to introduce some them next chapter, so by next week (December 20th), I'll probably be locking the first wave. If you're hoping your character will have a more major role in the story moving forward, then please get them in by that point or otherwise it's a near guarantee we won't be seeing them. Furthermore, due to the lack of submissions, I'm going to allow everyone to submit two characters if they are interested. If you are to do this, please make them of a different variety (I'd very much prefer getting more than just two students or two faculty members from someone). And if you aren't interested at all, don't worry, I understand and these characters won't be stealing the spotlight. Hopefully you all enjoyed the chapter. Curious to see the reaction (probably mostly negative honestly), to the death this chapter.