Chapter 1
Dave and his older brother where going about their usual business when they heard a shriek coming from the floor above them. They looked at each other, perplexed before Bro took it upon himself to check it out only for him to return with a pale face and blood splattered shirt. He looked at Dave and opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the tv cutting over onto a news report. An infection was rapidly spreading through the city. This infection was highly contagious and any possible hosts of the virus should be quarantined immediate until a cure is found. Not long after the broadcast ended gunshots where heard outside followed by screams in terror.
A few hours go by and another broadcast is aired. This time from a low quality camera in what seemed to be an editing booth. At the other end of the camera was a trembling scrawny man holding a kitchen knife coated in blood to match his face and shirt.
"I-I don't know if this will work" He stammered, struggling to find the right words "B-but I don't think I have any more options. T-the infection is spreading much faster than they thought. People- people are going crazy a- a- and...and eating-" He gagged and jumped as a loud bang was heard in the background "They followed me. Oh god they followed me" he hyperventilated gasping for air in his panic, tears pricking the corners of his eyes "D-don't try to fight, they don't feel pain, just run. Just run as fast and as far as you ca-" the broadcast cut out and static filled the room. The two Striders remained in silence until the younger phone sounded and his fingers fumbled to answer the incoming call from Rose.
"Dave? Are you alright? I've been trying to contact anyone and everyone I can for the past half an hour "Her voice was shaky and panicked.
"I'm fine. Do you know what the fuck is going on because I sure as hell would like to know why the guy on the tv is claiming cannibalism to be the next best thing."
"I'm afraid I am just as confused as you are but I think our best option is to meet up some how before it get's to bad. Kanaya and I where thankfully together when this all began but my mother left several hours ago and is yet to return."
"i don't think going out just yet is the best idea. Sit tight and Bro and I'll come over as soon as."
"Very well. I will see you soon" and with that Dave hung up and slipped his phone back into his pocket.
It's been three months since the world went to shit and Dave strider is yet to meet with any of his comrades. comrades being friends he knew before the shit hit the fan but he doesn't doubt for a second that they wouldn't want a bad ass like him on their team, especially one who they knew prior to the apocalypse there fore can trust rather than picking up some untrustworthy bum who would most likely take the first chance they could at back stabbing them. either way he gets ready to head out for another routine search. He rolled up the slightly blood splattered map Bro had required from a small store. Said map was now being used to plot out the ruined city adding land marks and other helpful information about the area.
He planned to raid a convenience store he had been scoping out from a far for quite some time now but had never felt the risk was necessary until now. He managed to get his hands on a motor bike but wasn't planning on using it anytime soon, for the time being it sat outside of his shelter blocking the path to the entrance for a little bit of extra security. it was relatively quiet out so Dave was in no rush just yet but stayed on his guard all the same. The faint smell of decay was unescapable in the city. He's thought about leaving before but that might just drive him further away from his friends.
The city was eerily quiet, heightening Daves senses to the point of flinching at every distant sound. So desolate, so empty. It was hard to believe just a few months ago this place was filled to the brim with all kinds of people. But now it was filled with decay, and abandoned buildings. A shadow of what used to be a thriving city.
When he reached the store it was littered with walking corpses stumbling around and genuinely being a pain in the ass as always, nothing that he couldn't handle. he swiftly made his way into the store sending his sharp blade through the heads of any corpses going at him. He scanned the store but to no avail. His stomach growled pleading for food. Not only was he lacking in food but liquid was scares too. he was usually so picky but now his face lights up at the sight of rain, which is the closest he's ever going to get to a shower for a long time too. in short, he was a dehydrated, starving, unclean mess. "Great " he sighed heading for the exit but before he could get there he heard a faint thud, followed by grotesque groaning and fumbling. He tightened the grip on his sword preparing himself for anything.
"Dave?!"
the blonde froze for a moment. Out of all the things he was prepared for during this trip hearing the voice of one of his old friends was not one of them. He slowly turned around to match the voice to a face and there stood a scruffy and beaten up looking Karkat Vantas with his tanned hand outstretched as if he just dropped something. As relieved he was to see Karkat was alive he wished he had came around at a better time so he could hold onto at least the fragment of dignity he had left.
"Holy fucking shit...You're alive. You're still here?" The dark haired boy jumped the counter running up to Dave and pulling him into a hug so fucking relieved to see him alive. Dave returned the hug holing Karkat as tight as he could, usually he didn't do this sort of thing but this was an exception. He supposed not seeing another living being in so long does that to people. Wow he felt so warm. It was a nice change but on the down side as high hopes he had that all his friends would be ok, he knew he was lying to himself. He barely had enough food to feed himself and he's been in more scrapes than he can Karkat was alone. Then that might mean that they where gone.
After a moment Karkat stepped back holding onto his shoulders looking him over."Fuck, you look like shit. Are you alright?" Karkat knew he didn't look all that grand himself, covered in dirt and bits of blood but he was managing well enough with his frequent runs for food.
"I'm fine" he lied. He wasn't fine. He was starving, sleep deprived, lonely and depressed.
Karkat reached into his pack pulling out a sealed bottle of water popping it open and picking up dave's hand to wrap his thin fingers around it. Karkat had been a courier before everything went to shit so he knew where everything was in town and how to get in. Parkour helped save his ass on more than one occasion having more close calls than he'd ever care to admit. He could tell Dave was worse off then he was." Here, drink. I've got more. Dave are you on your own?"
"Yeah. I was with my Bro for the first week or so, but for the majority of the time I've been alone" He sipped the water severing the relief it gave him.
" ...What happened to your brother?" He hated to ask knowing the most likely answer. Bro strider was the strongest fucker he'd ever met. Him being dead would be a tough thing to swallow and Dave felt a slight twinge in his chest at the thought.
He went quiet for a moment " at the peek of the out break we got out numbered and he got bit saving my ass. It was to early on for me to know he was going to die let alone come back thinking I was an oversized happy meal so iI had to run for it when he did."
The smaller boy grit his teeth cursing the world."I''m sorry Dave..." He sighed shaking his head and taking a breath to get his head on straight."My safe house is only a few blocks over, we can head there once we work on clearing this place out huh?" he gave him a small smile. After finding the blonde he didn't like the idea of being on his own again and sure as fuck wasn't walking away by himself. Whether Dave liked it or not.
"Sure" Dave handed the plastic bottle back to him, taking a hold of the straps to his near empty backpack. Karkat nodded putting his backpack on the counter grabbing the health bar at the top of his collection of food and tossed it to Dave "I'm not even going to ask about the last time you ate anything."
"Nice to see you think so highly of me" He said jokingly as he unwrapped the health bar.
"You're still alive so that's high enough." Karkat cleared out behind the counter, picking up a pistol and flicking on the safety before putting it in the back of his pants.
Dave checked around for anything else after he quickly ate the snack. Running a hand through his unkempt hair he finally picked up up the courage to ask. "So...are you with anyone?." he said, fearing the worst for his friends but needing to know.
Dusting off his hands Karkat stood back up, wiping the dust off the front window and looking out to see a few walkers now on the streets. "I was with John, Jade, Gamzee, Terezi and Vriska on the way too one of those military compounds... I got left behind." He frowned, he knew they had not choice and doesn't hold it against them but it still stung being left for dead."Anyway on our way we met Rose, Kanaya, and a few others. Our group was two big so we split off to meet at the compound." feeling the tenseness in the air Karkat zipped up his backpack and pulled it on, taking his sickle in hand.
He knew that even if they did make it there his friends were probably up shits creak without a paddle under the military treatment. There wasn't anything he could do about that now, now it was him and Dave playing the shit game of survival."Your pack full yet? There is some good shit in the back we can grab and we can use the back door to get the fuck out of here before anymore dead guys catch our scent."
"I've not got that much. just move some of your things into my bag to equal it out." He pulled his bag off handing it to Karkat who nodded and moved some of the cans and water bottles in to Daves bag lifting it a bit to test the weight. If it was anyone else he'd have probably told them to fuck off but not Dave.
Picking up his bag again he zipped it as he walked to the back door."There is some more stuff on the shelves we can take and-fuck!" Karkat pulled open the door only to have a walker charge him grabbing at his sweater, forcing him to the ground and knocking his sickle along the floor while it tried to take a bite out of him. He used his backpack for defence trying like hell to keep it away from his skin.
Dave flinched at the scream and bolted over to Karkat kicking the corpse onto it's side next to Karkat but it still kept a tight grip on him. With one swift motion Dave dig his sword into its head and through the skull making a disguising squishing sound. He retracted the sword sliding it back into its holder before holding a hand out to Karkat "Are you ok? Did it bite you?"
Karkat rubbed his neck checking for any injuries, panting lightly. He looked down at the decaying walker before looking up at Dave seeing his outstretched hand. He took his hand, accepting the help up."Thanks for saving my ass. It didn't get me, don't worry but we should get going before more show up."
"Lead the way"
grabbing his sickle and hooking it onto his belt Karkat walked back to the door this time carefully checking it before walking though. Stepping over the dead bodies he used his flash light to check the dates and labels of the items tossing some in his backpack and some to Dave .When he was done he secured his bag, stepping in front of dave."You have a map? In case something happens it's best we both know the route there."
"Man, you don't even know" He rummaged around his bag for a bit before taking out his map "This was bros idea, it's mostly for keeping tabs on where's safe and where i've been. there's a key code on the back of what all that shit means too so other people who find it might still be able to make a use of it."Karkat looked over the detail in the map very impressed. He never thought to carry one given his mental map but the added detail in this one would make it worth it.
"Damn that's smart. I just clear out the blocks going from the furthest working my way back. This would have saved me some fucking trouble though" he pointed to where they were and gave basic directions on where they were going and how to get in. The building was half blown out but still very stable. Karkat was making use of the top apartment giving him easy access to the water tower and a good vantage point. "The fire escape is the only way in, can you climb? The rail is always up and I jump too it. If we stick together and take it at a good pace we should beat the rain" Dave nodded and Karkat turned off his flashlight and walked to the back door, slowly opening it and checking the alley. He waved Dave to follow and stepped out to the cold afternoon air.