The next few days continued normally, as the two traveled through the city, but the relationship between the two men was strengthened. They looked out for one another, and not just for their safety and well being, but also because they cared about each other. Francis didn't want to imagine having to survive without Bill. Not just because it would be harder and more dangerous, but because he would lose someone that had become an important part of him. The reckless, fun-loving Francis who took risks and found rewards was completed by the strategic, serious, and experienced Bill. It had become more than just sexual activity since that night. It had changed into something better. At least, it had for Francis.
That being said, the sexual activity had stayed the same. Francis had learned that Bill enjoyed to be serviced at the end of the day, and he couldn't blame him. Every day could be your last in these times, better to enjoy the possibilities that you have. But they hadn't taken it farther than oral. There weren't many physical signs of affection from Bill-Francis was doing most of it.
Francis didn't know what to think of that. He kept on thinking back on the conversation they had after their first time, about Bill being confused about what he wanted. Was Francis not doing enough? Was he pushing too hard? Was he not pushing it enough? It could simply be that Bill didn't have the same feelings as Francis did, and he was just doing this for some night-time enjoyment. Francis really hoped that this wasn't the case. But Francis kept it to himself. He needed to take it slow, they had all the time in the world. As long as they could survive during these times, at least.
Despite these worries, Francis was happier then he had been in a while (as happy as one can be in a zombie apocalypse). He'd taken a step forward with his instinct and it had paid off. He had this now. He'd realized that he wasn't feeling as lonely as he had before. It had trickled away during these past few days, replaced by something else, some other feeling. Francis was afraid of what this other feeling was. Care? Sympathy? Empathy? He really didn't know. It was something that he hadn't felt before, but it made him so nervous that he didn't know what to do with it.
Francis mulled it over in his head as they walked straight through an abandoned intersection, filled with empty cars and dead bodies. This city was surprisingly big, and they had finally found its name after finding a tourist office: Vorbeck, a city that neither Francis or Bill had ever heard of. They were still searching the city for any signs of life or any means of rescue when they both saw the tallest building that they had seen in the city.
"Damn, didn't think that a city like this would have such a big building." Francis said, impressed.
It was quite generic looking, really; the only outstanding quality of the building was it's size. It was large and rectangular, a steel-framed skyscraper covered in dusty blue tinted windows. It had 4 entrances, one on each face of the building, and they were all covered with damaged fences and barbed wire. This building might have been a fortress against the zombies at some time, but it now seemed abandoned. The windows from the bottom to about the 1st floor were completely smashed and covered up with any possible defenses; scrap metal, planks, other parts of other buildings. There was a huge mound of blackened bodies right of the building, about two blocks away. It seems like they moved the zombies they had killed and burned them in a pile. It was far enough away that you wouldn't have to smell it. It seems like the people who survived here knew what they were doing.
"Every place has got to have some place of interest." Bill stated. "Maybe this is the one. Let's check it out, try to find some way of entrance."
They walked up to the fence covered front entrance and looked for some way to enter, but it seemed like there was no safe way in. Climbing over a barbed wire fence was not something the two wanted to attempt doing.
"Hey, Francis, look at that." Bill said, pointing upwards.
Francis looked up and saw a sign to the left of the entrance, a sign from another time: "Hotel Pilliard"
"A hotel?" Francis laughed. "Their fortress was a hotel? No wonder they got cleaned out."
"It doesn't seem like a horde killed them, otherwise the fences and defenses would be destroyed." Bill observed. "I think they turned tail and ran when they ran out of supplies or people."
They began to walk away from the main entrance, searching for some other way.
"Well, if what you say is true, how could they have gotten out?" Francis asked. "All of these entrances are fenced off, I don't see a way in or out."
"Maybe that ladder over there?" Bill pointed out.
Francis looked to the right, and there, in fact, stood a ladder, leaning against the building at what Francis guessed was the 4th or 5th floor.
"Well," Francis smirked, "seems that we found our entrance."
After doing a scouting and scavenging of the area and picking off nearby walkers and special infected, Francis and Bill finally approached the ladder.
"Okay, there could be some zombies up there." Bill stated. "You go up first and scout around and I'll watch your back."
"Alright Sergeant,but don't stare at my ass." Francis remarked with a smirk.
Bill sighed. "Just get going, Francis."
Francis laughed to himself as he began climbing.
As he climbed, he heard some gunshots from below. Francis quickly looked down, worried. He wasn't with Bill, he couldn't help him from where he was. If something happened to him it'd be all his fault. He had to be okay.
"Calm down Francis!" Bill shouted from below. "It was just a few zombies. Keep going."
"I'm calm, j-just wanted to see some action!" Francis shouted back.
Francis continued climbing and pulled himself up into the building, minding the shards of broken glass. The whole hallway in front of him was eerily empty, with not a single thing in sight. Francis did a small check up of his surrounding area, but didn't see a single zombie, or a single noteworthy thing, for that matter.
He went back over the the window and looked down at Bill, who was still standing alert.
"Hey old man!" He shouted. "This hallway is clear, get up here!"
Bill turned and yelled back "Okay, I'm coming, cover me!"
Francis took out his duel pistols and readied himself as Bill climbed, but nothing came. The whole city had gotten strangely quieter as they had journeyed deeper in. Francis guessed that they saw more on the outskirts because of the many people who tried to escape and got infected when they were almost out.
Bill finally got up to the window and climbed into the building. Both of the men then stared at the open window and ladder.
"So. What should we do with this?" Francis asked, gesturing to the ladder.
"I'm not sure. If we pull it up it would be safer, but it might be difficult to put back out again, given how tall it is." Bill said.
"The city has been pretty quiet in these past few days.." Francis remarked.
Bill thought a little bit more, and then said, "Yeah...okay, we'll find something to cover the broken window with and leave the ladder here?"
"Sure."
They explored their floor. Just like what Francis had seen before, it was deathly quiet and empty. One could even say that the hotel was clean. They had learned that they were on the 4th floor after finding the elevator, and had then made the discovery there was still running electricity in the building after Francis jokingly tried to press a button.
"Wow." muttered Francis, shocked. "A 20-story building as big as this still has power?" Francis said. "I wonder if they have cable, we could try to find some news..if there is any."
All of the rooms that could normally only be opened with key cards were kept open with random objects; shoes, small wooden blocks, articles of clothing. Small, useless things. Some rooms were closed shut with their "opener" either strewed out in front or nowhere to be seen.
After more exploring they saw that all of the stairs up to the 3rd story in the building had been completely destroyed. A smart move on their part; zombies don't know how to use elevators. This made the fortress quite safe to stay in, with the zombies having almost no way to get up to the higher levels.
"It really is quite a secure fortress" Bill stated. "It's impressive, which begs the question of why the people left it."
"You see any traces of information here?" Francis asked. "I don't think we'll find out while we're here. These people only left material things behind. Clothes, possessions, shit like that. Nothing else" He grabbed his pump shotgun and rested it on his right shoulder. "Anyways, I think we should make this our safehouse for tonight, considering how secure it is."
"Took the words right out of my mouth, biker."