"Puppies and kittens!" 10k already had three headshots and was aiming for a fourth when Warren let out a warning.

XX

Eliza scrambled to get her laptop back in her bag. Amy shot the zombie in the leg, but the bolt didn't even slow him down, Amy reloaded and shot him in the chest. Bones bolted towards the door, and Eliza couldn't find it in her heart to blame the pup. She would have escaped if she could have. No hard feelings.

It's not like I saved your life, bottle fed you and raised you, during an apocalypse you little shit. She thought. Okay, maybe one or two hard feelings.

XX

Doc swung his crowbar, hitting a Z in the neck. He yanked the crowbar but it instead of pulling it out of the Z he just swung the Z to the side. Doc threw his whole weight into swinging the Z into the ground towards a rock and the snarling came to a dead stop. Doc looked over at 10k "That was pretty cool, right?"

10k glanced over from behind his slingshot and shrugged, but Doc caught the smile that twitched at his lips.

XX

Eliza was frozen, Amy grabbed her and dragged her to the break room, slamming the door and locking it behind them. "Get your bat L, Jesus christ! You could've killed us out there!"

"I can't do this without Bones. Let's go home. I can't do this." Amy's hand was gentle on Eliza's cheek as she tilted her face to meet Amy's gaze. Her soft brown eyes pulled Eliza out of her thoughts.

"Just swing at the heads. Like we practiced. Breathe. You can do this." Amy patted Eliza's cheek twice, hard, and the pain helped pull her into focus. Amy unlatched Eliza's modded cricket bat and handed it to her. She adjusted the grip on her bat, focusing on the weight in her hands. The feel of aluminum in her palms. She could do this.

XX

Murphy hid in the truck, shaking as the zombies charged. There weren't too many by the gas station left now, maybe seven, and they weren't particularly smart. 10k was doing a pretty good job with his slingshot, and the team had picked off quite a few Z's.

XX

The two zombies reached the door easily. Amy piked one through the door window, she was quick and steady, but the window shattered anyway. She grimaced, and piked the ex-volunteer as he tried to crawl towards them over his fallen brethren.

Eliza gulped, adjusting her grip on her bat. She could do this. Probably.

She opened the door and saw Bones, wagging his tail, and standing over two more Z volunteers from their camp. They were re-deaded, hadn't even made it past the entrance.

Eliza smiled, eyes wet. "You are literally the best boy."

XX

Addy took an aggressive approach and ran forward with her Z-whacker. She smashed one in the head, quickly ripping out the bat and spinning the weapon into another skull, her hair twirling around her like a dancer. Cassandra couldn't resist watching her, she made bloodshed look so, so, beautiful.

XX

They heard the rumble of a truck at the same time.

"That's coming from the gas station! We can make it, it's only a few blocks."

As they left the diner, Eliza didn't share the enthusiasm. There were too many Zs between them and the gas station, and no other volunteers to be seen.

XX

Mack sprinted from the convenience store to the truck, hauling bags of food. They didn't usually get this lucky. When he saw the oncoming group of Z's he thought maybe they didn't get lucky this time either.

"That's too many to mercy." 10k set his rifle on the tailgate, eyeing the hoarde of Z's that were kicking up dust on its way toward the gas station. He checked his pocket for slingshot ammo. He had enough rocks to get a few at close range, but he wasn't going to waste bullets he didn't have to. Mack jumped into the back, grabbing a gun to cover as the others ran back to the truck. They were all filled up. They had food and water, which is why they had come out. No reason to stay here. 10k felt… off about leaving so soon. He shook his head, as if the feeling that he was missing something would fly out his ears.

He readjusted his scope. No more memories.

XX

Eliza was surprisingly good at running. Must be all the practice she had running away from her problems. The cricket felt strange in her hands. She had practiced with it, but it wasn't the same as killing ex-living beings.

As a zombie charged towards her, Eliza tried to keep a clear head. Zombies are dumb. They shouldn't be hard to outsmart. She had spent years outsmarting idiots and running. She could do that.

Amy took aim, hitting her own Z in the head. Eliza ran at the charging Z, ducking at the last minute and letting it trip over her, momentum sending it tumbling. Bones took a moment to rip a chunk out of his face before loping after Eliza, tongue hanging out. It was almost unnerving how much he loved carnage. She avoided more Z's only swinging at 2 or 3 probably only re-deading one. Killing every Z in the way wasn't realistic for her skill level. Eyes on the prize. She had to get to that gas station.

XX

Addy ran towards the truck, jumping off the tire and swinging herself into the box. "There are way to many Z's, let's go." Everyone was back in the truck. There was no reason to wait.

10k took aim with his slingshot and hit Addy's pursuer between the eyes. "Almost."

"What? 10k, we need to go." Garnett looked around, confused. "What are we waiting for?"

10k searched through the zombies in the oncoming hoard. If he could grant her mercy, he could sleep. The only thing worse than killing family was letting them un-live forever. He couldn't abandon her again.

He gritted his teeth. "Just wait."

XX

Looking behind them as they rounded the corner, Amy and Eliza were fucked. The zombies were gaining, and they weren't even half way to the gas station.

Eliza was starting to panic. Her breathing was getting shallow. She was going to faint. She was going to die. She wasn't even going to die properly. Oh god everything she worked for was pointless. She was never going to see anyone she loved ever again. She was never going to see the sky again, or those buildings, or those bikes.

Eliza blinked, those bikes with full tires and rust-free chains that could probably carry them away a lot faster than on foot.

"Bikes!" Eliza shrieked, whooping. Amy shot down another Z, before turning and grinning at the sight of their escape.

"And you thought leaving the mountain would kill us. Ha!" Amy double checked the chain as they hopped on their new rides, rounding the corner to the gas station.

XX

"Alright, we're moving out. No more waiting." Warren started the truck and put it into gear.

10k nodded, but Addy saw the desperation in his face. He kept his eyes on the road as they pulled back onto the highway.

They barely heard the faded ring as the truck pulled forward.

"Was that... a bike bell?" Mack cocked his head in concentration.

Addy banged on the truck. "Warren, stop!"

"Jesus Christ are you serious? There is a horde on its way, people!"

They saw two bikes round the corner, just ahead of the Z's.

They were too far back to see clearly, but as the truck slowed down Addy could make out two dark haired girls, pedaling for their lives.

10k fumbled with his gun, and his hands were shaking. Addy had never seen 10k's hands shake before.

He looked through his scope and took a sharp breath.

"Warren, please. I know them." He sounded so broken.

"Fuck this." Addy jumped off the tailgate with her Z-whacker. She was a sucker for damsels in distress.