Chapter 3: Taken

32 Days After the National Outbreak

EPOV:

The sun filters through the windows of the sporting goods store, awakening me from my dream. I dreamed of my old life, my old job, and my family. I dreamed of making love to Kate in our bed. I allow myself another moment of relaxation before I open my eyes fully and peer around the camping section of the store Kate and I have been staying in. It's not relaxing here, but it feels safe. However, I feel guilty for feeling safe when I know the world is falling apart outside of these walls. People are dying, children are dying, and I'm lying here with Kate in my embrace, forgetting about all else.

She stirs in my arms, awakened by the daylight as well. Her eyelids flutter and she groans against my bare chest. When she finally does look up at me, I remember why I'm doing this. I remember why I continue to fight each day. I do it for her. She's the only good thing in my life. The only person worth living for. Everything else is darkness.

I've stopped listening to the radio, knowing it will only bring pain. Thankfully, everyone I have in my life is here. They all made it. Kate and my few close friends. My parents passed away a few years ago and for the first time, I'm thankful for that. They were lucky not to see the world fall apart.

"I don't want to go out today," Kate comments, nuzzling my chest.

"Maybe you don't have to. I can go."

"Can't we both stay here? Let the others look for medicine. We can just sleep the day away."

"I wish, but we have to do our part, Kate."

"I know. Can we at least have a good morning?"

Before I can answer, her mouth is on my neck and her hands are running up and down the planes of my body. I'm hard in an instant. I'm always yearning for her, but lately, making love feels like the only thing keeping me sane. When I'm thrusting inside of her, everything else seems to fade away. If only for a moment.

**A New Dawn**

My mouth lazily runs over the curves of her breasts, enjoying the aftereffects of our orgasms. I watch her tits as they jiggle with every breath she takes. Watching the rise and fall of her chest provides me with such a profound sense of comfort. In my arms, I know she's safe. In this section of the store, I feel like nothing can hurt us. Here, the world outside doesn't exist. There's only us.

"I wish it could always be just like this."

"It could. One day, it will. I promise."

"You make a lot of promises."

"Well, I intend to keep them all."

"Some promises no one can keep."

Her smile drops and her body stiffens beneath mine. I hate seeing her like this. I would do anything to take her pain away. I kiss her nipple and she smiles. Or at least, tries to smile. For my sake, I'm sure.

"I won't let you down."

"I know."

"Edward!"

I turn my head at the sound of Paul's voice. With his eyes cast respectfully down, he waits for me. While he's trying to be patient, I can practically feel his agitation from across the room. I quickly dress and motion for Kate to do the same as I cross the room to meet him.

"Paul, what is it?"

"A group found us."

"What do you mean? Is that bad?"

"They want this place for themselves. They already killed Sam when he tried to step in."

"So, what? We need to leave?"

"We were going to fight. We have knives. We have guns. This place is safe. We can't let someone come and take it from us."

I shoot a glance at Kate, finding her now wide awake and sitting up fully clothed. Her eyes are wide with horror as she listens to our childhood friend. Paul has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother and her best friend became pregnant at the same time twenty-seven years ago and the rest is history. He's my brother. Not by blood, but by spirit. I couldn't imagine a day without him.

"Are you sure we have to fight? Don't you think we can-"

"What? Hide? No, we can't do that. We have to stand our ground."

I nod, understanding. We can't hide now. We can't show weakness. Not at a time like this. Turning away from Paul, I walk across the room to our small stash of weapons. Everyone here has their own bundle of knives and guns. One of the many perks of hiding out in a mall with a sporting goods store, I guess. I'm quick to load two of my four guns and throw on a holster, stashing them there before loading a gun for Kate.

"I can't do this," she whispers as her eyes fixate on the pistol in my hands.

"You have to, Kate. Even if you just want to hide, you have to have a way to defend yourself."

"You think they're going to…"

"We have to be ready."

Her eyes dart around the room before she utters, "I'll stay here. I'll hide. I can't fight. I'm not a fighter, you know that."

I nod. Bending down, I press my lips against hers, savoring the moment. In a world like this, I never know when a kiss from her could be my last. This won't be the last. This can't be. I slip my tongue inside of her mouth, toying with hers and enjoying the soft sound of her moan. I want her again. I want to make love to her until everything else fades away. But I don't - I can't.

"I'll be back soon," I say as I pull away. Unable to help myself, I press a quick kiss to her forehead before adding, like always, "I love you. I love you more than my own life."

"I love you, too. Forever."

"Forever."

"Wait for me?"

"Of course." As I turn to leave, she grabs ahold of my sleeve. "Be safe," she adds in a whisper.

"Always."

I tear my eyes away from her, trying not to let my worry for her cloud my judgment surrounding what will soon happen. I follow Paul out of the sporting goods store and onto the crosswalk leading to the rest of the stores on the second floor. He grabs a shotgun he stashed behind one of the mall's dead plants and leads me toward the escalator.

"They're on the first floor. Marcus was holding them back but I don't know how much longer he and everyone else will manage before they break through to the rest of the mall."

"How many have died?"

"I don't know. Maybe ten people. We only lost three. But three is already too many. We have to end this."

"How many of those people are left?"

"When I saw them I thought there must have been around thirty in their group. But I'm not sure. They may have more people out there somewhere… waiting."

Paul jogs down the powered down escalator and I'm quick to follow, my eyes scanning the area to make sure we aren't being watched. I knew this day would come. I knew eventually another group would arrive. However, I didn't imagine bloodshed. I thought they would come in peace. With everything going on in the world, with the virus and the death and destruction that followed, I thought people would want to band together, not turn against each other.

"Some of us have setup in the food court. They weren't far away when I left to find you. Keep your eyes open. We'll make it through this."

"I know. We will. We have to."

Paul nods and leads me past the lines of stores toward the food court in the center of the mall. Everything along the way is a blur. All I notice is the anger building within me as I contemplate a group of people wanting to steal the only home we have. Over the past few weeks, this building has become everything. Without it, I'm sure the lot of us would be dead… or worse, infected. Now we have more than the virus to worry about, we have something much scarier: people. God knows the horrible things humans are capable of doing. What else is there to really fear when you consider that?

Just as I open my mouth to speak, I see them. Or at least, I see some of them. They look normal; I don't know what else I was expecting. Was I expecting some sort of heathens? They're just normal men and a few women, dressed in everyday clothes. The only thing that separates them from everyone else is the vicious looks on their faces. Perhaps they think killing us is the only way for them to survive. Whatever. I don't give a flying fuck. If it's us against them, it's us against them. I'll do anything to protect what's mine. Kate's waiting for me, and I'll do whatever it takes to protect her and save myself.

"You ready?"

I nod just as the first shot goes off. A man dressed in jeans and a black shirt rushes toward us, his beard ragged and his eyes wild as he points his gun in Paul's direction. Before my mind can register what my body is doing, I bring my gun up, aim, and shoot. Three rounds go into his chest, blood splatters everywhere as he falls to his knees before face-planting on the ground. He's not breathing, and without a word, we carry on.

Screams and the sounds of gunfire fill the air as I sneak into the cafeteria. My gun is up, waiting for someone to cross my path. The fact that I've killed a human being trickles into my mind but my adrenaline pushes it away. I'll grieve later; I'll feel fucked-up later. I don't have the time for it now. If killing is what I have to do to survive, I'll become numb to it. I'll do what I have to, just like any other survivor does. If that means doing everything possible just to stay alive, I will.

Another man runs toward me with malice on his face and a gun pointed in my direction. I don't even feel like myself as I put a bullet in him. I feel absent in my own body as another man rushes me and I shoot him down. One after another, and I don't feel a thing. I don't even have a moment to think about it as I walk into the bloodshed. When I do have a moment, I look for Paul. While I care about everyone in our group, he's my brother - therefore he's the one I want to protect most of all in this situation. He's fighting for his life across the room. His gun is a few feet away and a man is on top of him. As soon as I see the knife against Paul's throat, I sprint across the room. My feet can't carry me fast enough. My heart pounds in my chest and time seems to standstill as I jump on top of his attacker, lining up my gun with his head.

"Get the fuck off of me, you fucker!"

He flips me onto the ground, taking my breath away and stunning me momentarily. He turns on his side, now looking down at me with the same crazed look he gave Paul. I can see the one thing he cares about above all else lurking in his eyes: survival. Doesn't he understand there could be another way? Doesn't he see that the killing could all be unnecessary? Sweat from his face drips down onto my own. He reeks of mud and body odor, leaving me to wonder how long this group has been on the road. Desperation practically seeps through his pores as he holds the knife tightly in his grip, his knuckles turning white from the stress. Paul rises behind him, but the man doesn't seem to notice; his focus is now on me.

Paul reaches for his gun and I look the man dead in the eye. "You don't have to do this. We can come together. Help each other."

"Fuck you, you-"

Paul's gun sounds and a bullet flies through the man's head. Blood splatters me in the face and I watch in horror as the man sways above me before crashing onto me, crushing me against the tiled floor of the food court. I reach for my gun, which had slipped out of my hand, and grip it tightly as I shove the heavy man aside. Wiping the blood off of my face, I hear a cry in the distance.

"You fucker! You killed my fucking brother!"

My eyes dart to the sound of the new voice and as I see a gun rising, pointing in my direction, I shoot. He drops to the ground like a fly. I can't believe I've become numb to killing so quickly. Of course, this could all start to sink in once we're safe. Alone at night, these deaths could easily color my thoughts. Knowing me, I'm sure they will. This will all be a bitter pill to swallow, but swallow it, I certainly will. I have to, for my sake. And for Kate's sake, as well.

"I think they're leaving," I hear Paul comment with a groan.

I turn to look at him, eyes widening as I take in the sight of his bruised face. Blood colors his shirt, but it's not his own. It's the blood of the people we killed today. Bending over, I vomit my guts out. I throw up until there's nothing left. I hear Paul shooting. I hear bodies fall to the ground and listen until I begin to dry heave.

"We have to move, brother. Follow my lead. I think they're going back to wherever the fuck they came from."

I nod, wiping the vomit from my mouth as I follow after him. We dart through the cafeteria and down the hallway, shooting the intruders along the way. They're frantic, we're frantic, but I know soon, this will all end. Just like everything in this world does. More people will come eventually I'm sure, but after this, we will be ready for them. Unlike today, we will be prepared. God, I hope Kate is all right.

"We have to go guard the door!" Paul shouts, shooting the last few men he sees.

My legs manage to carry me forward and I have my gun ready to go. I rush toward the door, knowing that every last intruder in here will have to die. Unless they can turn; unless they see reason. Which at this point, I doubt they will. Once people get something stuck inside their heads, it's hard to get them to change their minds. I knew that long before things went to shit and it seems even more true today.

As I continue to run, I begin to notice the pounding of footsteps behind me. Whatever is coming, is coming fast. Maybe it's one of our men coming to help, but somehow I doubt it, if that were true, I'm sure they would have called out to us. Whoever is approaching hasn't uttered a word. I turn my head to look and my world quickly falls to pieces. Something crashes into my shoulder, it feels like someone slammed into me with a baseball bat or someshit like that. It's hot, like the worst sunburn I ever had. My shoulder's on fire - fucking fire - and when my eyes drop to look, all I see is the gaping wound.

"Fuck, Edward! Stay with me! Keep your eyes open, Brother."

I hear him in the distance, like he's screaming at me at the end of a very long tunnel. I turn to him, wanting to tell him that I'm okay, but I can't seem to form the words. Everything grows darker like the world is closing in around me. I hear another gunshot, but this time, I don't feel any pain.

"Stay with me! Stay fucking with me!"

I hear Paul's voice as my world fades to black.

A/N: I hope you guys are enjoying my NaNoWriMo project! Please review!