Beth had stopped to peer through broken windows of a pet shop they were passing. The whole store was empty. Excluding vacant tanks and smashed cages. Food and accessories spilled across the tiled floor.
"I hope every single animal in captivity were taken to safety." Zoey heard her say as she was about to stroll by. "I do too," Zoey replied as Beth resumed walking with her. "Hey you know, we haven't seen any strays-er well, besides those zombie Dogs."
"I doubt they were all strays." Beth sighed. "I felt so bad. They were far too gone, but I can't help but feel terrible."
"I know." Zoey mumbled.
"Seeing those Dogs makes me think of ours." Beth went on, "his name's Sarge. He's such a good boy. His bark says 'I'll tear you the fuck apart' but really he's a huge goof. Loves to play and swim..." She gazed downwards longingly. Zoey smiled, "what breed is he?"
"A big, beautiful and fluffy austrailian shepherd-black lab. He'll be six this year."
"Now I wanna meet him."
"Everyone does. Or wants him. Keirstan, Jordan and Amber have. It's funny to watch him bully Francis around or drag Kayla with ease across the road to a lake we used to live on."
"Francis being bullied by a Dog." Zoey chuckled with a grin. "What a sight."
"It's true! Sarge has caught him off guard and taken him down so many times I lost count. Right brother?"
Francis looked over his shoulder emotionless from ahead of the two as she called and repeated what they were talking about. He didn't answer right off, allowing a quiet to linger.
"Oh. Sarge." He eventually replied dully while turning away. "Yeah he's a strong Pup."
He didn't say anymore. Leaving them in silence until Beth spoke up again, to ignore the slight awkwardness. "Do you have any animals?"
"No. I wanted a Hamster or a little Fish tank, but no one was ever home and we didn't have anyone to watch over them if we got a pet."
Beth listened then looked away. "I'm praying mine are all safe…"
"I'm sure they are. You'll see them again." Zoey nudged her arm. "Don't make me get Louis to go full-on optimism on you. 'Cause he just did with me."
Suddenly both heard wet footsteps stomping madly from behind. They braced before a pair of arms were thrown over their shoulders, and they grunted from the impact of his body slamming against their backs. "You in need for a little optimism?" He started, then pushed Zoey away and held Beth face to face by her arms. "Hang in there girl! We got this, you know we got this!"
As Francis heard this he bit his lip in an attempt to keep any negative remarks from slipping out. He knew it was the last thing anybody needed, let alone want to hear more of. He just wanted to know how Louis could keep this positivity of his up all the time. Same with Ian. Both of them. They kept saying everything was going to be alright. But they didn't know. None of them did. They were still alive merely because all worked together and watched out for one another well.
It didn't stop the unpredictable from coming.
If the infected didn't kill them, something else would. The elements. Starvation. Dehydration. Anything. And the group was exposed to it all. He wanted to think the same way, however it was getting harder for him to as help seemed so far away. Proven through each failed escape.
They kept walking through the empty ruined town. Nothing much changed in scenery among the wreckages; he eventually heard Amber make an uncomfortable noise and saw her take a large swig from her bottle, probably to quell hunger pains. She wiped her mouth with a sleeve then put the container away and swung her pack over her shoulders. So he reached inside a pocket, pulled out a hershey's bar he was going to eat later and handed it out. Which caught her eye, she looked at it then at him.
"Just take it."
"Um, ok. Thanks." Amber said uncertainly.
"Sure." He paced ahead as she opened it, offering half to Ian who declined.
Shortly afterwards he felt a punch between his shoulder blades. He looked to see Kayla, dropping to her feet by his side from what he guessed was a jump to hit the spot. "Saw that. Look at ya sharin' stuff." She complimented.
He shook his head, "how the hell did you pull that through this slush? God you're quiet."
"Hence my nickname Ghost."
"Why haven't I named you that."
"I dunno Francisco, why didn't you. Also you doing ok? You keep giving your shares away left 'n right."
He shrugged lightly.
"Yeah well." She slapped something against his chest from her own pocket. Looking down he saw it was a couple of cookies packaged separately. Must have been what she scrapped from that store. "I was expecting that answer."
"Does Beth have anything?" Francis muttered. "Spea-oh, I think so. Beth!" Kayla turned towards her, and the younger sibling perked at her name. "You hungry?"
She made a face. "Meh, not right now. I have something in my bag I'm saving for later."
Francis knew she was lying about not being hungry. The team hardly had anything in the last two days from protioning among themselves. He gazed at her in doubt and stored the cookies away. He'd give her one later and made sure she takes it.
"Someone make a guess what I'm looking at." Jordan suddenly voiced and waved a finger around.
"Bodies?" Came Ian's.
"No."
"Wrecked cars?" Keirstan asked.
"Nope." He waited for anyone else to guess, and when no other reply came he pointed at the answer on their left. "A motel that could have medical supplies. I know for sure we're about to run out from changing and dressing new injuries almost constantly."
...
Glass cracked under Francis' boot while approaching the motel. He glanced around as his comrades slipped through vehicles to enter other rooms. So did his girls from either side of him. As he took the lead, Kayla looked at Beth and punched her shoulder hard. Making her jump and hold the spot. "What was that for?" She cried shooting a look of surprise, and only received a smile while their sister looked ahead.
"Easy you two." Francis said. He headed for a bathroom as Beth walked over and checked through suitcases for anything they were looking for. Francis pushed the ajar door open to be greeted by a messy sight. A cabinet to a bottom drawer of the sink was left open, needles and white powder dressed the counter and floor. The toilet was splotched with old vomit. He shifted his eyes around frowning before pulling the door shut.
"Actually let's check another room." He pushed the suitcase Beth was rummaging through with his boot away in caution of what it contained. She didn't ask why, just cast a wondering look then straightened and followed as Kayla moved away from some drawers.
"I found a couple of things in the lobby, not much but I'll double look." Keirstan announced. From close by as she tossed the items in her pack, Louis found a bottle of pain medication spilling out of an abandoned purse discarded by the main desk. He picked it up and shook it, only to hear one pill left.
"Louis did you find anything?" Keirstan asked she turned his way. Her face dropped unsurprised seeing a sobbing expression on his and clutching the bottle like his life depended on it. "No," he meekly answered. "This bottle is gone."
She listened lazily. "Anything else popper?"
He hopped to his feet and gazed about. "I'll keep looking." Louis held a thumbs up enthusiastically and sprinted through a large hole in a wall into another area, whilst Ian and Bill approached the entrance from inspecting vehicles to see him go.
The team made the sweep as quick as they could, rummaging through luggage, closets and so on. But found little of what they needed, they regrouped back together in the lobby Keirstan was in where Bill shook his head with a sigh. "I guess that's that. Unless we find a better area with more supplies."
"There could be somewhere you know, we're lucky with what we have." Ian reminded as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, and kicked at some glass before he went to step outside. Francis tsked softly to himself as he rubbed his eyes while also about to head out. "Doubt such place exists anymore. Everywhere we look there's hardly anything left."
As he said this, Zoey slightly held her head back vexed. "Will you please stop?" She tiredly moaned with Jordan, Beth and Kayla investigating the main desks further. "Like Ian said at least we have some stuff."
One of the three threw something glass before anymore could be said. It shattered against a bookcase. "Hey!"
The others turned to the trio who paused as they stared at one another challengingly. Then Kayla reached a hand out to swat a small vase off one of those desks where she stood. Jordan snorted smugly and kicked a plant pot over. He then glanced at their comrades and held his hands out to the sides at the disapproving looks they were receiving. "What?"
"What do you mean what. You know what, don't vandalize!"
Beth began to throw magazines around giggling. "Gotta let frustrations out you know, especially you." Jordan finished, pointing at Francis with a wide smile.
The large man stopped and retraced his steps back inside. "Fuck yeah I do. Excuse you!" He pushed pass Louis and Zoey then headed for a stand, picked it up, and chucked it down. Smashing the wooden object in pieces. He then kicked the pieces around.
"Why would you do this?" Bill almost whined, bending his knees and holding his own hands up to shake them a little pleadingly. "It feels good, try it you'll release stress." Kayla looked at the veteran with excitement washing over her face, and saw Zoey slowly reaching over to knock a book off a rack.
"I rather not attract something and die."
Keirstan and Louis also started to walk around and push nicknacks over cautiously, then looked outside together nervously.
Beth noticed their fidgetiness. "Don't worry about them, let's wreck some shit!" She cheered, as Ian chuckled while grabbing portraits from walls to throw them in random directions. They soared through the air, and Amber saw them coming. She quickly grabbed her baseball bat and went to swing. However she missed, so she chased after them cursing loudly trying to score a hit.
Francis had grabbed a chair, threw it as hard as he could outside and through the windshield of a battered jeep. Glass exploded all over but luckily-surprisingly-no alarm went off.
From deeper in the motel, Keirstan found some snow globes to throw around, smashing them off the ceiling and walls, then chucked her last one towards Louis who watched it sail his way. As he tried swinging at it, Amber came charging in with her bat held high; her face contorted in a wild battle scream. Louis' twisted in panic with a shriek tearing from his throat. He was tackled by her and she swung at the same time as they fell. But she missed again, and the snow globe smashed against a window behind them while Keirstan exploded in mad laughter.
For a short time, Bill stood in the middle of the lobby unimpressed as destruction erupted all around him. He headed out, almost casually, to keep an eye on any threats.
In one room, feathers polluted the air after pillows were torn apart. Zoey and Kayla were throwing handfuls of the white plumage at each other as Jordan ran through smashing everything in his path with his axe. Meanwhile, Beth and Francis made themselves busy by ripping desktops from outlets and assaulted them with their melee weapons. They shared a good laugh together as Beth jumped on the desk and kicked several items including a keyboard away. It dangled off the edge, so Francis grabbed it, snapping the cord and threw it into a door.
Kayla rushed for a flatscreen and snatched it in her hands. With a little struggle, she hoisted it to where she could give it a good throw. She chucked it blindly through the feather blizzard and through a window pass Bill. He didn't jump startled but stayed leaning against the building with his arms crossed. Another window exploded from his opposite side, thickening the layers of broken glass on the pavement.
Ian was now running across several rooms through collapsed walls. He grinned widely when passing through the feather mess as Kayla turned around behind him. He grabbed a suitcase as he went and chucked it. The suitcase broke open and everything inside rained down on the survivors as if in slow motion. Louis gasped when he saw a container of tylenol soaring his way and danced towards it lovingly before reaching and catching it. The analyst kissed the bottle while shifting his eyes ahead and horror spread over his features. He bent backwards as a vacuum cleaner flew over him.
Ian flipped a table and broke its legs, then went to break apart the bookcase with his hatchet as Keirstan took her cricket bat to smash up some mirrors. Amber did the same, but she was destroying wall decor and windows with Jordan blowing large holes in doors. Zoey was now tearing drawers out and breaking them apart before tossing splinters everywhere, as Kayla and Francis shredded sheets then flipped a bed over, knocking nightstands over in the process. Next, both dismembered the bedframe and tore down curtains until they heard Beth scream in fright. Alarmed they looked where she was in time to see her chucking a doll away from herself. Her face was scrunched and red with her mouth wide open; Amber raced ahead preparing herself to make a hit this time. She swung the doll back over at Beth, who screamed even harder than before when it collided with her face. Amber was now cheering, holding her arms up high in victory she was able to finally make a successful score.
Louis threw mugs everywhere then started blowing holes in walls with his own bat. He went to do so on the door Francis secured for what he found inside. The biker saw this so he grabbed the analyst by the scruff of his jacket and yanked him away before he could make the damage. Over the noise he shouted what was in the bathroom. He didn't want anyone near it regardless being in only that space as far as he knew. Louis nodded and both headed for the lobby. They charged for the damaged bookcase and knocked it over together which made it break through another window.
Zoey and Jordan ran around destroying small chests, chucked lamps on the floor and tore phones down from walls while Kayla jumped on and slashed a recliner open, then threw its stuffing their way at one point. In another area, Keirstan and Ian were bashing some televisions to oblivion with Francis wrecking another desktop. Finishing it off by blowing open the pc.
Hearing the rampaging had finally started to settle, followed by some lingering glass breaking, Bill pushed off the building and walked a short distance before he turned to face it. Soon the younger survivors were emerging. His features soften a little when he saw the satisfied, amused looks on theirs. "Feel better?"
"Wait no I forgot to break something." Zoey turned around but Amber grabbed her arm. "I think that's enough."
"I saw how much you liked swinging that bat around."
She didn't deny the fact. It did feel pretty good. "Why yes I did, shows how dangerous I am when I go Ape shit."
Keirstan broke in laughter again as Zoey replied, "nothing better than boosting your head smashing skills."
"Nope."
"Hey Francis," Keirstan chortled as she pointed at something and turned to face him. He met her gaze so she continued, "tried stealing that flatscreen too?"
Francis looked at the TV lying next to a van, all broken with its screen smashed to hell. "I could've." He huffed, "let's take it and find a place to see if we can get it to work."
She snickered saying they could. It would just need some duct tape to hold it together.
He felt a little better letting off some steam. Breaking shit has always been a favorite hobby of his. Francis then glanced ahead as the motel vanished from sight when they rounded a floral shop, hearing Louis call Beth out. "Are you scared of dolls? I saw you freak out when Amber swung it back in your face." He playfully teased.
"Yes!" She gave him a wide-eyed frightened look. "I fucking hate dolls, they're too creepy. You know what this fucker would do with them to me?" Beth motioned towards Kayla with rage. "She would find and collect old dolls around our neighborhood and set them up in my bedroom. All. Over. The place. So when I woke up, I would see nothing but those things everywhere. I thought my heart gave out one time."
"That's terrible." Louis commented, poorly hiding his growing enjoyment of hearing her childhood trauma.
"Don't give me your false pity," Beth held two fingers up to her eyes and flicked them his way. "I can see you're laughing."
"Remind me to find a doll next time we raid a house." Francis heard Kayla threaten. He smiled.
"No fuck off!"
He thought of those days. The older sister would pull all sorts of pranks on poor Bethany with any doll she could find. Both at their home and his. As kids and teenagers he would hear Beth screaming her lungs out, then angrily spewing every worst possible profanity or curse in the book while chasing Kayla throughout either house. Which would sometimes end with a wrestling match. It was always entertaining to see.
The memories soon faded to every house they've been in so far. Making him wonder if any survivors had gone through theirs. Although he wasn't there, the thoughts left him feeling intruded. Not like one would find anything of his worth keeping in his opinion. Still it's...was his home.
Francis pulled out of his thoughts when Kayla's wheezy laugh filled his ears. He gazed at what she was going off at and saw her standing underneath a ramp with a common choking at her feet from a gash in its throat. It grasped at the wound, while swiping its other hand at her pant leg at the same time. "Amber!" She cackled and looked at her friend, "Amber this guy's name was Wyatt!"
Amber smiled with a roll of her eyes huffing out a short chuckle of her own. "Alright, put it out of its misery." Keirstan instructed. Her comrade did just that as she spoke with a quick stab between the eyes and walked off laughing madly. "That's a bit sadistic." Zoey's forehead wrinkled seeing this.
"No it's not what you think." Amber began. "So, Kayla and I dormed together our sophomore year. Our room was on the second floor. One night we had our windows open 'cause it was hot, I had come back from a shower as Kayla was relaxing and watching TV. As I was putting my stuff away, we suddenly hear a bunch of guys rioting outside until they started pounding on the windows of the room right below us. And were hollering for some guy named Wyatt. They were so loud we couldn't hear what we had on."
She exhaled a shaky breath at the memory with another bright smile. Next to her Kayla was rubbing her cheeks and giggling. "They were getting no answer from him and I was growing annoyed. Kayla was just lying there watching my rage increasing, waiting for what I would do. Then out the window I subconsciously screamed, 'Wyatt! Answer them!'" She reenacted how furious she was and yelled the last three words in a hushed angry tone.
Both sisters laughed harder over the others' different reactions. Although he'd heard this one already, Francis did too through his nose. He always enjoyed hearing their escapades away from home when everything was normal. Even if it was a repeat.
"The guys went quiet," Amber continued. "They couldn't see us, but they went dead quiet. I surprised myself and slapped a hand over my mouth and we both just lose it. We went out into our residence hall dying, Beth's room was next to ours and we told her and whoever else was out there what happened in the middle of our fit. A couple nights later, I think we found the dude. We met a kid and he introduced himself as Wyatt."
"Was that him?" Louis pointed back at the corpse.
Kayla mouthed a 'no' shaking her head. Then paused, "I don't think so at least." She trotted over to it for a closer look.
"You killed Wyatt?" Amber exclaimed jokingly. "A Wyatt, this one don't look familiar." Came the reply as she bent down holding her knife out. "I'm sorry Wyatt, here's your blood back." She wiped the blade clean with the common's shirt, then mumbled something about a business the victim must have worked for.
"Always something with you guys." Zoey commented as Bill pulled his hat over his eyes, chuckling deep in his chest as well.
She pulled out the other and looked between her weapons. "...You think I can juggle these knives?" Kayla called. She flipped both, catching them by the blades and gazed at her friends curiously. Next she moved like she'd throw them.
"No!" Amber and Francis both hollered in alarm, staring at her with large orbs. "I think you could, go for it!" Jordan rooted, shaking a fist which earned himself an eyeful from the biker.
As she sheathed them and caught up with her brother, Louis was currently slipping down a heap of snow and gravel burying wires and a news van; which poked out from the rubble across the street. He slammed hard on his back and stared at the sky.
"Boy what are you doing." Bill called out. The analyst gazed saw him staring oddly as the others ventured in a movie theatre. Francis was snickering smugly from the sight, until the girls tried tripping him inside. "Assholes and elbows son. We're passing through here to avoid that." He added while Louis staggered to his feet. Obviously he hadn't paid attention to where they were going.
"Will you stop?" Francis chortled when Beth rammed against his body and caused him to stumble into a wall. "I'm not doing anything maybe you should tie your boots better." She said, and he rolled his eyes then closed them. "I think my-sto-hop!" He cried before he could give her a playful nudge, when both assaulted his legs by kicking the backs of his knees and tripped him multiple brisk times. He grabbed on a rail to stop himself from falling, "it's like tryin' to fight off Chipmunks." He said as they scurried around him while he tried to push them back.
"Better set a trap then." Ian suggested as he watched the sisters herding him in an area, that he guessed was where film rolls were stored. Francis' protests became muffled the further he was pushed in.
"Where are they going?" Zoey turned just in time to see them disappear, and Ian shook his head. Waving off the question, "ah they're just picking on him again that's all."
"Or about to sacrifice him to something."
"Maybe...wait huh?"
"Somedays I don't understand you two." Francis held an arm up as Beth dangled off it. He shook her gently and her body swayed. During this he looked over in time to see Kayla flip over a small desk, kick over boxes of film roles, then hop in one of those boxes.
"Move your ass." He ordered, Beth was now making odd noises so he smothered her face with a hand.
"Fucking make me."
"Alright, no more wearing the vest." With that, he walked away carrying Beth in his arms.
Kayla gasped and went to jump out, only to struggle and break through the cardboard. She leaped up and started to chase him. Knowing he was smirking now. She hurried by another room with a stressed expression until she slowed when an odd scratching sound caught the young survivor's ears. Her face dropped in one of confusion as she turned, and reversed towards the doorway in curiosity.
Carefully and with a knife ready, Kayla peered inside. She was met with a disturbing sight.
On the floor with her stomach ripped wide open and intestines spilling out of the wound and mouth, was a corpse of a Witch. Her eyes wavered for a moment in shock as a freakish giggling continued to waft in the still air; making her orbs shift to someone standing by movie equipment. Head lowered a little and back facing her. It shivered and twitched slightly where it was, but visible enough for her to see. Unblinking, Kayla started to back away with as little sound as she could muster over trash littering the floor; keeping her gaze traced on the infected.
"I guess you don't want the vest!" Francis yelled.
Hearing his voice and upon stepping down on a beer can, Kayla cringed and the infected's giggling faded.
It stood completely still. She kept moving back more carefully, hoping it hadn't sensed she was there. It wasn't long though, at the same time she did it started to shift her way. While its joints and bones cracked with every move, a deep, nightmarish growl rattled its chest as it slowly turned to face her.