Korrasami 88: Meh.
Al Drin Hoshizora: Yeah, they're TOTALLY going to do a fine job.
I am a burglar: Whatever floats your boat.
MrScourch: Okay, normally I'd leave it in the dark, but I'll come clean. "Another one" wasn't meant to imply anything. Since Pale Girl has to do with the Boss (oops, spoilers), Pale Girl just wonders if Yellowjacket went through a similar experience.
Antha1: I'm intentionally not showing Pale Girl's HQ. Well, Ghoul may see herself as Riley's parent.
The Batista: Not really.
Creamy Buttercap: Moving on.
Candlehead: Yeah, sure.
Gloyd Orangeboar: She's important to Ghoul.
Meow point1: We all do. Well, not everyone.
"Hey, I think I'm picking up Riley's scent," Blackjacket told the group as he moved at a greater distance than the others. The rest were lagging behind, mainly due to the unfamiliar surroundings.
"So, my daughter is close?" Jill asked, for confirmation. Blackjacket turned, and nodded. Invigorated, the group spurred forward. If they found Yellowjacket, surely they'd also find Bill, and they'd be able to return to their cabin in no time.
The group's relief was cut off when they started to near the area. They stopped behind a building, and peaked out.
The area was swarming with lumbering, slow-moving zombies. They limped and stumbled down the streets and sidewalks absentmindedly.
"Cripes," Mary whispered, hiding behind Jill. "I've never seen so many Others."
Jill shushed Mary, and ruffled her black hair. "Don't worry," She reassured her. "You're also zom. . . Others. They won't hurt you."
She then paused, and started at herself in the reflection of a shop to make sure her appearance looked convincing enough. "I just hope they don't hurt me," She said.
Blackjacket turned and narrowed his eyes at the group. "Yeah, loitering about and talking among yourselves won't attract attention to us at all," He said. Jill blinked once, a little unsettled that zombies still used sarcasm.
The group walked out from the building and onto the streets, trying to look as non-suspicious as possible. To better emulate the Others, they started limping and shambling.
"I can't believe I have to pretend to be something I already am," Shelley whispered as she pretended to have a broken leg that dragged behind.
Jill looked around at all the zombies surrounding her. One of them sat alone on the sidewalk, playing with a torn up doll. Another one was scratching his claws on the walls.
She was so distracted that she wasn't looking where she was going and bumped into a zombie that was crouched on the ground.
"Oh, crap," She whispered as the zombie let out a surprised screech and turned to see what had struck her. Surrounding the zombie, several other crouched zombies turned around at the source of her plight.
Jill's painted skin paled even more as the zombies turned to her, and she saw that they were crouched over a dead body.
The offended zombie got up, her back hunched over. "Who are you?" She rasped out, pointing a clawed finger in Jill's direction. Jill life flashed before her eyes.
"Me?" She whispered. She realized she sounded too normal, so she let out a loud cough, and then said, in a raspy voice, "Nobody."
The hunchbacked zombies all continued to stare at her, when Blackjacket peaked out from an open door and said, "I can smell Riley in here."
Jill took the opportunity to shamble away from the zombies and, the moment she was out of sight, she bolted into the door. Resting against the wall, she let out a relieved sigh, and wiped the sweat from her forehead, which was smearing her paint.
"That was close," She said, and inhaled. At that moment, the rest of the group ran through the door.
"Those guys out there are creepy," Mary said. "Let's just find your daughter and husband and get out of here."
Jill nodded, and they walked up the stairs. They could definitely smell Riley's distinct scent from upstairs, and they knew she was nearby.
"Riley," The group whispered out, trying not to attract the attention of any other zombies that were also in the building. They initially got no answer. Then, group heard a heavy sighing coming from in the hallway, but they couldn't see anyone in the dark lighting.
"Riley?" Jill whispered, and instinctively reached for the switch. She flicked the light on, and the blazing lights flashed on.
Immediately, they were met witch a crouching zombie sitting on the hallways. The moment the lights turned on, the zombie let out a shrill screech and clasped her claws over her eyes.
Jill covered her mouth, and immediately turned the lights off.
Then, the group heard footsteps coming close. Huddling close for protection, the group looked around at all sides so they weren't caught off guard.
They footsteps got louder and closer. Mary huddled close to Jill, who held her tight. It initially struck her as off that she was shielding a zombie that wasn't her daughter, but she shoved the thought out.
Family or not, she wasn't letting any other zombie hurt them.
The footsteps got closer.
"Who's there!" Jill shouted, moving from the rest of the group and standing tall. "Show yourself, now!"
The footsteps stopped instantly. Jill refused to falter; she'd fought zombies before, she'd do it again.
Then, she heard a raspy voice.
"Jill?"
Jill's eyes widened. She recognized that voice, but it wasn't Bill or Yellowjacket.
". . . Bob?"
Ignoring the zombie crouched in the hallways, Jill flicked on the lights again. The zombie screeched again in agony when George simply said, "Shut up."
There, standing in the hallways, were the members of her former group, the only difference being that they were now zombified. She recognized several familiar faces, especially Bob's.
"J-J-Jill?" Bob said, his voice now raspy. His skin was paler now, he was more bloated, and his veins were blue.
". . . You got infected?" Jill said, in disbelief.
"Um, do you know them?" Shelley asked, but Jill shushed her.
"Uh, yes, we got. . . meh," Bob said, and looked down, somewhat embarrassed. It was clear that he remembered the humiliating way he got dispatched.
Jill felt a giggle, and she covered her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing. "Oh my gosh," She whispered, incredulous, and she started snorting and chuckling as she tried to suppress her laugh.
Bill narrowed his eyes. "It's not funny," He said, somewhat offended at Jill's lack of sympathy.
"Sorry," Jill said, but she didn't stop laughing. She finally uncovered her mouth, and she doubled over in laughter.
It was unsympathetic, and immature. Some would say it was even sadistic. But at the moment, Jill just couldn't stop laughing at the group's karma.
"I knew you guys wouldn't last long without me and Bill," She said as she finally stopped laughing.
Then, another voice rose up, and Jill's humor vanished as she heard, and recognized it.
"Mom?"
Jill spun around to see who it was, and she gasped when she saw her.
It was Yellowjacket.
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