Chapter 2
Claire awoke from the sound of a car door closing. Claire's eyes were still bleary from sleep as she tried to adjust her eyes to the blaring sunlight. After a while, she saw Carlos getting out of his truck and stretching his arms to the sky. She quickly raised herself off the ground beside K-Mart and brushed sand off of her clothes.
K-Mart rolled over lazily and yawned. "Claiirre," she groaned. "You got some dirt on my face." K-mart brushed the particles of sand off her nose as Claire urged her to get up.
"Get up, K-Mart! Carlos is coming!"
"So what?"
"So, he's going to wonder why we were sleeping out here all night!" Claire was panicking as she tried her best to straighten out her disheveled clothes.
K-Mart only rested her head on her arm and enjoyed how cute Claire was when she's distressed. "Don't worry, Claire. He's not going to know. And besides, it's not like we even did anything," she stressed as she lifted herself off the ground to stand besides Claire.
Claire gave her a warning glare as she straightened the hat on her head.
K-Mart grasped the bill of Claire's cap and played with it.
"Stop that!" Claire demanded.
K-Mart smiled wryly. "Oh, you don't want me to fool around with you in front of Carlos?"
"I'm warning you K-Mart. No funny business in front of him. I don't want him finding out that I'm in a relationship with someone so young."
K-Mart felt her eye twitch at the mention of their age difference - she was getting really tired of being constantly reminded of it. "You know, Claire, I may be young, but that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing." K-Mart placed her hands on Claire's hips to pull her in closer to her.
Claire yelped from the unexpected gesture. "Ah! K-Mart! Stop! Look he's coming!"
Carlos was done with his daily morning routine of stretching and was now walking towards where Claire and K-Mart was standing.
K-Mart gripped Claire's hips tighter - obviously not listening to Claire. "Why should I? You're not ashamed of me, are you?" K-Mart said with a sad look on her face.
"N-no! That's not it! I-I just…" Claire could now see Carlos getting closer and closer, but he was too busy talking to the rescued civilians to notice the two of them in their embrace.
K-Mart giggled at the worried look on Claire's face. "Alright," she said letting go of Claire. "I'll give in to what you want. Again," she added under her breath.
Claire sighed a breath of relief as she stood awaiting for Carlos to approach them. After greeting a few more people on his way towards them, Carlos raised a hand in greeting to the two of them. "Claire! K-Mart! You're both up unusually early this morning." He had a kind smile on his face as he looked at Claire and then K-Mart.
K-Mart could feel Claire tense up at Carlos' observation.
"I just wanted to check up on the group," Claire came up with an excuse.
"Well, there's no need to worry. Everything seems quiet this morning," Carlos said as he took in the surroundings of the camp. He then turned to K-Mart, "And how are you this morning K-Mart?"
K-Mart put a mischievous smile on her face. "Oh, me? I'm absolutely fantastic this morning, especially after such a restful night," K-Mart winked knowingly at Claire.
Claire only rolled her eyes at K-Mart's antics. "Stop it," she muttered to K-Mart under her breath.
K-Mart pretended she didn't hear her. "So, Carlos, do you have any idea where we should head next?"
Claire turned her attention back at Carlos - she too, wanted to know the answer to K-Mart's question.
"Well," Carlos started. "I'm pretty sure what we need to do first is scavenge for more supplies. I checked the inventory and noticed we're running dangerously low on necessities," he said gravely.
"What?" Claire interjected. "Why didn't you tell me earlier when we passed by a whole chain of stores?" Claire wanted to take a swing at Carlos for not doing a better job at checking the supplies - now because of him, the whole group was in danger.
"I'm really sorry, Claire. I know I messed up, but please, let me make up for it by going to scavenge for supplies right now," his voice was riddled with guilt and he looked sincerely sorry.
K-Mart looked at Carlos and then at Claire - trying to gauge their conversation through the expressions on their faces.
Claire looked indifferent as Carlos waited for her response. "No," she said to Carlos, "I'll go gather supplies. You need to stay at camp to protect the convoy - you're much stronger than I am."
Carlos' eyes opened wide in shock at Claire's suggestion. "No!" he shouted defiantly. "It was my duty to account for the supplies, so I should be the one going. I won't have your blood on my hands for my own fucked mistakes!" Carlos looked positively panicked with the idea of losing Claire.
"Carlos!" Claire shouted firmly. "I will not let your own selfish guilt put this convoy in any more danger than it is already in. I will be the one to go scavenge, and you will be the one to remain here maintaining the protection. You know as well as I do, the convoy is more safe with you around than with me."
A submissive look took over Carlos' previous livid one as he said, "Okay, you're right, as usual," he added with a smile. "I'm just afraid that I - I mean the group will lose you," he corrected himself. "Where would we be without our fearless red-head?" he said endearingly as he placed a large hand on Claire's shoulder.
K-Mart eyed the touch with a look of predatory envy in her eyes.
Claire glanced at Carlos' hand on her shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "Don't worry about me," she said strongly while walking off to break Carlos' contact on her shoulder, "I can take care of myself just fine."
K-Mart smiled at Claire's little maneuver around Carlos and sighed contentedly knowing that Claire would never betray her for anybody else.
Carlos half-heartedly smiled and nodded his head good-bye. "Well, good luck then, Claire," he said and walked off towards base.
"So when are we leaving, Claire?" K-Mart questioned, gathering her hat from he ground and placing it back on her head.
Claire turned and gave K-Mart an astonished look. "Who said you were coming with me?" Claire said as she started to walk towards her Hummer.
K-Mart immediately followed close behind. "I'm going with you Claire," K-Mart firmly stated as she reached for the handle of the Hummer's door. Claire blocked her hand and grabbed her wrist tightly in her palm.
"Ow! Claire," K-Mart groaned under Claire's tight grip on her wrist. "I didn't know you could be so aggressive…" K-Mart said flirtingly.
Claire immediately let go of K-Mart's wrist, a faint blush creeping its way onto her cheeks. "Y-you know that's not what I was doing!" Claire protested, while K-Mart took a step closer towards Claire.
K-Mart breathed softly onto Claire lips as she spoke, I'm going with you, Claire - I'm not going to let you be in danger without me by your side," K-Mart then pecked Claire quickly on the lips.
Claire was taken aback from the unexpected kiss and was too dumbfounded to notice K-Mart get into the yellow Hummer. Only when K-Mart closed the car door, Claire snapped out of her daze.
Claire shook her head defeatedly and walked to the driver's door of the car. Claire got in to find K-Mart sitting beside her in the shotgun seat, a big grin on her childish face. "This is going to be a great time to bond with each other," K-Mart said suggestively.
"I don't think we're going to have much time for anything with hoards of flesh-eating zombies on our tails," Claire said sarcastically while reaching in the backseat of the Hummer. "Here K-Mart," Claire said, handing K-Mart a sawed-off shotgun, "Use this to protect yourself."
K-Mart took the gun and looked at the weapon with wonder in her eyes.
"Never used a gun before?" Claire asked.
K-Mart shook her head no. "I've used a gun before," K-Mart said, her chipper attitude now gone and replaced with a solemn one, "I've used it to save my life when a zombie cornered me, while my family was being killed…" K-Mart hung her head sadly as she continued to stare at the shotgun.
Claire felt tears sting at her eyes as she listened to K-Mart's tragic past. "I'm sorry," Claire said softly. "I never knew that about you," Claire said placing a comforting hand on K-Mart's trembling shoulder.
K-Mart looked at Claire with a sad smile on her face, "Thank you, Claire - I'm so happy I found you." K-Mart then moved over the driver's panel and settled herself on Claire's lap.
Claire didn't expect K-Mart to do such a thing and only stared in surprise at K-Mart.
K-Mart wrapped her arms around Claire's neck and inched her face closer to Claire's.
As they stared in each other's eyes, Claire could see tears pooling around in K-Mart's eyes.
K-Mart moved her face even closer to Claire's until their lips were grazing against each other's. "Claire," K-Mart said, her hot breath mingling with Claire's.
Claire shivered from the warm sensation spreading throughout her body. "K-Mart, this isn't the right time to be doing th-this," Claire said unconvincingly.
K-Mart moved her hand from Claire's neck and slid it down to Claire's chest.
Claire nearly moaned from the touch, but forced herself to hold back the sound. "K-Mart, s-stop," Claire said shakingly."
K-Mart didn't listen and kissed Claire softly on the lips and started to unzip Claire's jacket.
Claire muffled in protest under K-Mart's kiss, but K-Mart continued to kiss Claire roughly and needily. Claire could feel K-Mart's tongue demanding entrance to Claire's mouth and Claire gasped at the wet muscle gliding across her bottom lip. Once she involuntarily gasped, K-Mart took her chance to plunge her tongue into Claire's mouth.
Claire felt K-Mart's slick tongue caress her own and couldn't help but like the warm feelings the action produced beneath her lower belly.
K-Mart sucked and licked Claire's tongue as she moaned into Claire's mouth. Claire felt herself become really turned on from the vibrating moan.
Clair's mind protested for her to stop being so immoral, but her body wanted to explore more of K-Mart's lithe body. Her hand involuntarily reached out for K-Mart's perky breast and grabbed and massaged it, making the younger blonde squirm and moan on top of her.
Claire's conscience had totally disconnected with her body as her body went into an instinctual, primal state. She grabbed at K-Mart's vest to take it off the girl. Once she took off the vest, she reached under K-Mart's shirt to caress the bare skin underneath it.
K-Mart was moaning and grinding against Claire's thigh as Claire continued to touch and explore her body. K-Mart knew she got Claire right where she wanted her and wanted to take the chance to her full advantage. Just when K-Mart was about to pull Claire's tank top off of her, Claire's radio buzzed with Carlos' booming voice.
Claire snapped out of her focus on K-Mart and looked at the radio.
K-Mart groaned loudly at the unfortunate timing of Carlos - she wanted to strangle the guy for interrupting them.
"Claire," Carlos called out through the radio. Claire? Are you there?"
Claire looked at K-Mart with apologetically and reached for the radio. "Yeah, Carlos, I'm here."
"Thank God," he said relieved. "I thought you were in danger or something. Anyways, I hope you haven't left to scavenge supplies yet," he said.
"Why," Claire asked, casting a bewildered look at K-Mart.
"Because Alice has come back," he revealed, "with supplies!" he said cheerfully. "Now you don't have to go, Claire," Carlos said with an evident loving tone in his voice.
"Alice is back…" Claire whispered with a far-off look in her eyes.
K-Mart caught the uncomfortable look on Claire's face.
"Alright, thanks for telling me Carlos," Claire said.
"No problem," Carlos said ending the conversation.
Claire put her jacket K-Mart had taken off back on and put the radio in the breast pocket. "Let's go see her then K-Mart," Claire said opening the door of the Hummer, indicating for K-Mart to get out first.
Once they were out of the car, Alice's approaching form could be seen walking towards the two of them.
