Ichigo knew Rukia would be totally pissed off when she heard the complete story. Alongside with being just plain upset.

But he really didn't expect her to cry.

"What the hell?" The orange head man questioned.

He wasn't quite sure what he had saw but he knew it wasn't totally safe. He quickly pocketed the boxed item and shifted the shot gun he held in to a pointed down position, ready to be pulled up an shot at any given moment. His eyes looked over the short aisles first before he looked forward and began to walk at a painfully slow pace. His glance shot back and forth.

He was only a few feet from the cut off to where you would choose to either turn right or left. He waited several seconds letting his ears scope the small surroundings. After a few seconds of nothingness he took the small steps to meet the corners. His head quickly whipped left, then right.

Still nothing.

He scowled. He knew he saw something; he wasn't much of an illusionist. A sigh weighed down with frustration left his slightly parted lips. He looked around, slowly rotated in a slow, small circle, just to see something. Anything. At the thought a noise of some object being lightly kicked was heard no more than four or five aisles away. Instantly, Ichigo's survival skills kicked in. He crouched to be hidden behind the shortly built shelves. He took timid steps to where the sound had occurred. He stopped where the third aisle, from where he original was, ended. He took a deep breath and quietly released it. He quickly stepped into the open area, slightly depressed to see that it was deserted and the floors were empty of the object he thought he heard.

He was looking for an aisle that contained some type of metallic type cans. Like, hair spray cans. He sighed and moved onto the next. He repeated the process of waiting at the small space there was before you turned into an aisle. Then quickly stepped out.

This time there was no disappointment. To say he was happy to see what he saw would be a complete lie. He wishes he could've just come up empty handed again. He should've just snuck out when he could, but Ichigo being the guy that he is, had to investigate.

There, no more than fifteen feet away stood a man. He was no man of the living category. He sat limply in the middle of the two dividers. His face was, for the most part, completely intact.

In fact, in the Strawberry's opinion the old 2010 zombie apocalyptic movies over exaggerated the creatures that now exist. They weren't completely brain dead; some were and were partly like the old movies portrayal. For the most part, though, he truly believed that the portrayal was ridiculous. They could think and process words. They didn't moan and groan for their want of 'brains.' They didn't drag their legs and they most definitely did not hunch over. Unless they had a severely broken leg or a knife stuck in their should, they hardly, if at all, acted the ways movie made them out to be.

This one was one of the less brain dead ones. Ichigo could tell that much just by a first glance. The undead man sat straight in the spot he occupied and was slowly twirling a knife that was covered in his and, probably, many others blood. He says his own because that much was obvious with the cut that was lined across the palm of his hand. His dark black hair hid his eyes away from the amber eyes that inspected him. His mouth moved quickly as if chanting a spell of some sort. The words hard to catch but Ichigo was able to make out a small section of what was leaving his mouth:

When you become one, and it is when
You fall prey in the lion's den
Then do make sure, Find the cure
A bullet to the head for sure..

Ichigo quickly realized it to be a poem, a very popular one at that. Many people were stuck on it almost hypnotized by its truthful words. It was said to be that the poem was a premonition of the world that was soon to come. Several laughed at it because this poem was released way back when. Not specifically dated but at a time where the word seemed at peace and not single thing could break that atmosphere.

Well, how wrong where they?

Ichigo glared. That poem was like a death sentence. No one ever recited it. Unless, you were prepared to commit the sin; the sin that many were sent to forever reside at the bottom of the red swamp or when they were infected.

Ichigo tightened his grip on the 300 Win Mag. He was ready to test just how far this dead ones intelligence level went. "Sir?" He asked with a toneless pitch.

Immediately, the man's reciting silenced. The livelier of the two took a small step forward. "Hello?" He tried again.

The dead man slowly raised his eyes. His empty glazed over eyes. A dark smirk played at the moans lips as if he were to be rewarded for something amazing. A stain at the corner of his mouth trailed down to his chin and continued down his neck. It gave him the look of being more a vampire then a zombie. "You." He stated. The voice was scratchy as if his throat held a thousand needles. The live corpse slowly rose to his feet. Giving Ichigo a small opening to see the spot where his bangs had earlier hid. The upper left part of his head was missing a large part of flesh. It was stomach clenching, no matter how many you see each deformity was just as disgusting as the last. Ichigo raised his gun for aim. "Need... To..."

BANG!

Ichigo had no hesitation to shooting the undead man; perfectly to the forehead, mind you. He never enjoyed killing but he never hated it either. It was like freeing a soul of torcher, of some sorts. It sort of made him feel like a character from one of his favorite late night animes when he was a kid. The boy was no older then fifteen and he was different in more than one way. His ability and hair color made him different than others. He helped free souls that were unwillingly possessed and put commit horrible crimes, and not your typical robbery or murder kind of crimes. He remembered the dedication that character had to freeing those torchered souls. It made him feel quiet powerful.

Ichigo spun on his heels and began to walk away when he saw the figure of another man. His face was slightly worse off than the man that lay dead, well more dead than before, behind him. This man's eyes had the same glazed over effect that all of them held. But this one's eyes held shock mixed with complete anger. His voice was much more fearsome then that of the latter zombie, "Bro-bro..ther." It was like a knife pointed type of voice. It was one to be feared in life and the afterlife. Ichigo was about to reset his aim on to him but, being the idiot he was, he forgot to cock the gun again after his last shot.

Without a slight warning the man began to speed towards Ichigo. It showed a little about his living time; He was a runner... and a good one at that.

"SHIT.!" He quickly turned on his heels again and ran down aisle, jumping over the corpse that lay there, and racing for the exit. He never looked behind him.

For one: he'd automatically slow down, even the slightest speed change could mean life or death.

Two: He could run into something which would not ONLY slow him down but also give the zombie runner time to catch up... Which would also lead to his certain death.

Three: He could hear the loud foot falls of his pursuer.

So, all in all, he had no need to.

Finally, the front doors came into his sight but Ichigo could curse himself more then be actually pleased to see them. The break in the glass that he had created, with the help of the shot gun that was held in the front of his body with both hands on the weapon, was too small to jump through and come out uninjured. He took a deep breath and braced himself.

When he was only feet from the broken doors he pushed himself off the ground to make a small jump through. He twisted his body so he could, possibly, get through with minimal damage.

Sadly, to say it wasn't that easy. When his body passed through and the man was twisting his body an upper piece of glass deeply slicing his upper arm. The orange haired man hissed, "God fracking damn it!" His right hand went immediately to grip his left; putting an immense amount of pressure to stop the blood from freely flowing. It didn't stop him though. He quickly ran down the opposite direction of the house where a certain important pair awaited his return. Ichigo only had to run for a short while before he caught sight of an emptied alley. He sharply turned into the shadow place and leaned against the bricked wall of a building. He released the tight grip on his arm to inspect the cut. It looked fairly deep. It was going to be a killer to clean and he knew that and Rukia...

"Damn, Rukia's going to be pissed if I get back alive." He mumbled to himself. He wiped at the sweat that was rushing down his face with the back of his right hand causing a thick smudge of blood to be left on his face. His eyes traveled down to the ground where he now noticed the large amount of blood was splattered. In the mess he found a bloody soaked ax.

Ichigo, actually using his brain this time, chose to pick it up to kill the second zombie that had shown up. He figured the loud gunshot was what caught his attention in the first place. As Ichigo picked the heavily weighed object in his hand he heard the slow but sure steps of his pursuer. The orange head man quickly straightened and pressed his back to the wall he was previously leaning against.

He waited until he saw his light shadow approach the opening between the two buildings. Once Ichigo thought it was safe enough to attack and successful kill him, he stepped out and, using the hand that was uninjured swung the ax full force. A sickening sound fled through Ichigo's ears. The sound was almost indescribable but when Ichigo looked, having closed his eyes, he saw the accuracy of his swing. The head was only slightly attached to its neck. The undead body feel front first to the heated pavement below their feet. Ichigo raised the ax once more and let it fall into the head, hitting directly on the top of his skull.

The handle fell from his iron grip. His amber eyes glared down at the second body. Two in one day was good enough for him. He can happily admit it was over and he can go back to Rukia and Nel. He had missed the kills but he sure as hell didn't miss the injuries that usually came along with them.

Said injured man then took his surroundings in before he began to sprint back to his temporary home, as fast as he could with his, now, low level of energy.

"And now I'm back." Rukia harshly pulled the two ends of the bandages that she was wrapping around his deep cut. He could understand she was mad, even furious with him, but he thought she'd have been satisfied with the unnecessary amount of rubbing alcohol she had poured in his wound earlier when he was at the part of him running out of the store, thus getting the cut she was now treating. "OW! Damn it, Rukia! I'm sorry ."

She mocked him in a small and high pitched voice that sounded nothing like him, "Damn it, Rukia. I'm sorry. Che, maybe you shouldn't have been such a damn idiot." She fell back on the couch, turning to the side so she could look away from Ichigo. "What kind of genius shots his gun before trying other methods? YOU know that gunshots attract their attention!"

"Yeah, I know."

Rukia kicked her legs childishly, "ICHIGO! We could've lost you." She yelled furiously, letting the stinging in her eyes win over trying to fight.

Ichigo looked at the dark haired women, "I know but even if I had you and Nel could've survived. Both of you are very strong." He let his amber eyes shot to the ground.

"I DIDN'T MEAN NE-" Rukia bit her tongue. "Gah! Just don't be such a big fat stupid idiot head!" Ichigo looked at the smaller women with slight worry. Missing her almost reveal. He saw how upset she was. He saw Rukia cry, several times actually, but never for him. Rukia stood to her feet and was read y to dart off into the room.

Ichigo, seeing this, grabbed her wrist before she even had the chance to take a step away from him. She yanked her hand without looking back; a silent plea for him to just release her. He was to have none of that. He pulled her back down on the couch beside him, only flinching slightly when he put slightly too much strain on his left arm. He hugged her close and tight. "I'm sorry for scaring you." He said with shut eyes.

She responded with only a slight mumble of the word idiot. He pulled away slightly to wipe a single tear that was cascading down her face. He let her go completely and she was quick to stand and speed walk her way out of the room, harshly wiping the tears off her face that wouldn't stop their steady flow.

When she reached the room that the three shared she collapse on the bed. She let the droplets of water slide slowly down her face as she curled into a loss ball and wrapped her arms protectively over her stomach.

"Rukia?" The sheepish voice belonged to the green haired girl that claim her mother but seemed to be using her real name much more often than the false nickname. The teary eyed woman turned and raised her head to look at the younger. "Are you... feeling alright?"

Rukia gave her a small smile and held out her arms. Nel was quick to walk over and place herself in the open space. She tightly held the older woman so she could feel comfort.

Rukia sighed, "I am now. " She told her as she softly stroked her short hair.


A/N: Oh yeah.! I kept a promise on when I was going to update.! I feel proudness.(:
So, so, so.! What is it that you thought of this chapter.?

Boring.? HORRIBLE.? Was it any good at all.?

I know the mistakes in there are probably horrible but I'm way to lazy to reread it and edit.
I get to happy when I finish a chapter and just want to post it. Bad habit.
:D

Um, so it was basically just a whole flashback chapter. So, yeah.
The poem the zombie was reciting was one I found on the internet you can read the whole poem at the link below:
http: / / www . caleb - law . com / zombie - apocalypse - poem . html

I thought it'd be appropriate.

Ah, so, you finally met a few zombies.
See, I didn't want my zombies to be totally stereotypical but just because they aren't moaning and asking for brains doesn't mean
that some zombies'll be all, 'Hey, were good let us help you.'
Yeah.. NO.!

Even though they have process of thought, all they wish to do is kill and eat human flesh.
You will learn more about the zombie nature(Like, infections) later in the story.

So... RUKIA ALMOST SPILLED.! Hehe, yeah but no way will Ichigo be finding out anytime soon WHAT-so-ever. Sorry.(:
How many of you are pissed at me now.?
Plus, I hid two, well three if you really dig, references. Can anyone guess them.? I'll be happy if you do.
Maybe give you a little something... If I can think of anything cool.

Thanks to:

IchiRuki77: Rofl, I love you.! Thank you so much.(: I'm going to go bug you now.! And text you and be like RIA KUCHIKI.! -heart.
kairi-Sparda: Lmfao, well, theres a tad bit of information on my zombies. Hate them.? Like them.? Please tell me. Aha, yeah. I think actually I might just use that and make a flashback with Ichigo learning how to use a gun. I'm glad you like my story.! :D And extremely happy you like the combination of the two.
Red6: Awe, thank you.! I love confetti.(: I'm glad you love my story.! Over joyed actually.! :D Hope this was soon enough for you.
Aizawa Ayumu Oz Vessalius: Nooope.(: He's all good. As you read.! Hope you are satisfied.?
AwesomeAnimeStarIchiRuki: Yay.! You like my story :D Thank you. haha. And thank you for the birthday wish.!(:

Just so my readers know... I had the best birthday ever.! And I want to show you this:
http : / / i529(dot)tinypic(dot)com/2qiu05z(dot)png

Just take out the spaces and add the periods and you will see... My birthday cake.!
Isn't it amazing.? My mama made it. It was an ice cream cake. Yeah, I took it into Photoshop and just covered
My real name with my Username. Can't have you people creeping on my.. -cough. RE RE -cough.

Well this was an extremely long authors note.. Wow, I'm lame. Expect the next chapter around this upcoming Friday.(: Long wait I know but
SO MANY SCHOOL PROJECTS D:
See you then:)

Xoxo,

Personal Riot

P.S.: To this one lady person.. if your a lady person(Maybe guy person.?) not sure. Who left a review but no name..
Yeah, my last name is not Coker and I don't live in Newark... far from it actually and Re Re is just a nickname for my best friend who is like a sister
to me.
Sorry.