"And dude I like blew him into next week! Let me just say that that ex is taking some Z's!" Blade exclaimed laughing. It was close to sunset and there was no safehouse ins sight. Blade and Cole walked down the empty street; shotguns in hand. Blade was making a joke about the ex-boyfriend of his long since dead girlfriend. He was saying he popped him in the mouth when he tried to pick a fight with, and was knocked out instantly. It wasn't that good of a joke until the punch line. Even then did it sound remotely funny.
"That's the third time you told me that in the past two hours… Can we be silent for once?" Cole said, rubbing his brow with his finger. It was a horribly long walk, and he was pretty sure they took a wrong turn at Albuquerque Street.
"No can do bro. It's insane when it's all silent and stuff." He said smiling.
"Thought so…" Cole said sighing, bringing up his shotgun. The sun was almost down and that's when the infected seemed to be more active. They need to find shelter and fast. To their right they saw that they were hoping to find. A spray painted house on a wall. It meant the safehouse was near. "That's the best news I've heard all day…"
The dead bodies all around the store at which the safehouse was located smelled like horse dung slathered in puke. Blade shrugged and stopped over the bodies while Cole crunched his feet under them. Worse things are out there than blood stains, he thought. Several bones crunched and it was sickening, enough to drive a man to insanity. Heck the one thing you conserve along with ammo, medical supplies, water, and food, is sanity. Cole was running low on the last supply, and it wasn't good when he snapped. It had happened twice before, almost killing himself in the process.
They reached the door to the store, realizing that it was actually an anime and manga store. It was littered with books, DVDs, and video games. Cole lit up at the sight, so much entertainment for free. He picked up the nearest comic, plucking it up from the dirty floor. He blew off the dust and other dirt on the item, making sure it was damaged from the chaos. It was Volume 1 of Baccano! Cole loved the show and always wanted to read the manga. Now that a lot of the power in the city was gone, this was the only thing he could do for amusement.
"Alright nerd! Get a move on!" Blade yelled and pushed Cole forward into the darkness. He tripped and fell on the floor.
"Jerk…" He muttered. The survivor clicked on the flashlight attached to his gun, and after a moment of waiting, it flickered to life. Immediately he jumped back, a hunter lying on the ground across from him, smiling at him. It pounced onto him, slashing at his abdomen. Cole was lucky he wore a few layers of clothing, or the slash would've ripped him in half. Blade dashed forward, the large needles in his sleeves coming out. He stabbed the wicked beast in the head, certainly killing it. Cole coughed as he leaned up against the shelving of the store, throwing off the hunter. The three clawed slash bleeding profusely, Cole ruffled his hair.
"Perfect… Just perfect" He claimed, clutching his side. He shakily pulled out his pack of Marlboro, slipping a tobacco stick into his mouth. He grasped the lighter and lit it.
"Niiiicccceeeeee…..Those things will kill ya you know?" Blade said kneeling down to examine the wound. It wasn't deep, but was deep enough to kill. Cole shakily stood grasping onto Blade's shoulder to stand.
"I don't care. Just get me into the room so we can be safe" Cole said, letting out a cough, grimacing as pain filled him. Blade stood and threw Cole's left arm over his shoulder. He practically dragged him to the safe room in the back. Blade tried to open it, but it was locked from the inside.
"Oi! Someone let us in!" He shouted into the small room. It was dark inside until something flicked on the lights. Nothing appeared. The room was a good size and looked good enough. Only if the could get in. Two rooms branched of from it, one for a bathroom and one for clothes and other things, Blade thought.
Suddenly a figure appeared from around the corner, tired and pissed. She seemed young and walked to the door, holding up a Winchester rifle. "Who the hell are you?" She asked. The gun was big, almost as big as her, but she held it right up to Blade's face through the bars.
"Just a brother looking for some help" Blade hissed out, pissed about being questioned by a thirteen year old girl.
"Infected?" She said, pushing the gun closer to his face.
"We seem to be somewhat immune to this thing" Blade said. He held up Cole who was now barely conscious. She glared at him, but slowly let her gun fall from his face. She grabbed the bar that locked the door, lifting it up. It was 35 pounds but she was able to get it up with enough concentration. It fell with a clang, and she opened it up. Blade nodded and walked in slowly. As soon as he was in the room completely, Blade now holding Cole in his arms, she slammed it shut.
"Alright what's up with him?" She said, gazing at Cole. He was bleeding all over, the DC jacket he was wearing, soaked in blood. His breathing was slow and shallow, barely enough to show he was alive at all.
"Hunter. He needs help bad!" Blade shouted, putting Cole down on the floor. Blade pulled out the only health pack they had left, ripping it open so he could use it. Gauze, alcohol, needles, thread, and tape filled the pack. The girl slid down beside Blade, ripping out the gauze, waiting for Blade to put the alcohol on the wound. Blade poured the whole bottle on the wound, a glimpse of pain showing on Cole's pale face. She took out the needle and thread, and hastily stitched the wound tight. Blade was given the gauze, who wrapped it around his waist careful, trying to cover the entire wound. In the end they had the bleeding stopped and wound covered in a few minutes. Cole was breathing better, but needed some food, water, and rest to truly get better. Blade opened up the canteen on his belt and put it to Cole's lips, making sure to slowly give him water. He visibly looked better, but was still slightly pale. He'll be given food when he wakes, Blade thought. The girl plopped down on the floor, wiping her forehead.
"What's your names?" She asked.
Blade turned to her and quietly said "I'm Blade, and this hear is my step brother Cole. What's your name lass?"
"Its Claire. Nice to see I ain't the last human on earth…"
"The same goes for us…" Blade said.
"Well welcome to casa de safety. The bathrooms in that room and the clothing room is in the other. I've got a lot of food over there on the counter and a 69 pack of water. We got some sleeping bags in the corner there, the red ones mine. Feel free to rest. I've been sleeping all day, I've got enough energy to stay up all night." Claire said, standing up and stretching. Blade nodded and dragged Cole over to the sleeping bags. He got him in a dark green bag, making sure it didn't open the wound. He found a camouflage one and settled down. He slept after moments of laying down.
"Well this is a good change of pace…" Claire said, leaning on the wall, munching quietly on some bread. She sighed and watched out into the darkness.