Chapter 7 - Survival
As if it hadn't been enough for the two of them to survive, on top of that they found themselves carrying a tall redhead with them without knowing absolutely anything about her. Kao knew exactly what her partner was thinking and interfrered with his thoughts,
''You can't be serious! We can't leave her behind. After searching for so long what was all this worth if we just leave her here to die?''.
Domi knew she was right, but he was scared, not just scared to die himself, no, scared that he would see the one closest to him die right in front of him. He couldn't possibly imagine what it would do to him. Not even twice would he think about saving someone else instead of her. Before he could finish his carousel of thoughts a gentle hand gripped his upper arm only for him to meet the eyesight of a just as much as him scared Kao. It was clear that time was running but it didn't make the decision any simpler. Completely taken in by the situation none of them noticed Sara getting up in the back and that pretty fast for her current conditions.
''It's just too bad that you two wont come far without me in this horrible mess, I know my ways around. If you still want to go seperate ways afterwards then that's fine by me but don't think you'll get out of this building alone.'', she affirmed. There was no clue of her doubting her own words. The slamming outside of the building became more frequent with every second that passed.
''You seem better!'', Kao noticed and took a step closer to the woman that seemed near a death experience just the night before.
''Your food was good'', she smiled seemingly showing her gratitude. There wasn't anything that was too obvious about Sara, no matter how much Domi tried to figure her character out, no matter how much he tried to identify her as friend or foe. After a short bit of silence he decided to give in.
''Okay'', he declared. Kao exhaled heavily out of relief and put on the best smile had to offer considering they were surrounded by death. She wasn't the only one being relieved, Sara, who was perfectly aware of the fact that she couldn't pull her plan through alone, was indeed a bit more relaxed now. By second thought Sara reconsidered how she approached them, if she would've just played the damsel in distress a little more Domi might've not raised any suspicions against her. Being done with doubting her actions made her go back to her plan and how she would best explain it to them.
''Do you have any sorts of weapons or equipment with you?'', the chances were slim they had anything, her attentionate character wouldn't have possibly missed any helpful objects near them or even on them. While the question was waiting to be answered the weather drastically changed into what seemed to be a storm nearing them faster than they would need it.
''Well, we always managed to escape just with not being caught. Domi carries a magnum for safety but we did not have the need to use it so far, gladly'', Kao finally answered. The man with the magnum seemed almost remorseful that she would talk about their resources so openly. Pushing his remorse aside he nodded agreeably to her statement.
''That will most certainly useful one day, but not today. We can't afford to make any noise, by all means, if we do then we're pratically dead already.'', she cautioned. Even after saying such a thing the woman staying in front of the long-time partners seemed very indifferent towards the trap they were in right now. She then proceeded further into explaining her ways of getting out of this dead end. By the time she finished both of her new companions were quite awestruck, atleast she could see it by their widened eyes and Kao's upcheering laugh, as if she had found new hope to get out of this, alive, not as one of those godforsaken creatures.
''This plan is getting us out here for sure!'', the young blonde blurted out, a little too loud. The doors keeping the zombies out finally gave in and a huge wave of them came storming in. Domi and Kao could feel the anxiety coming back to them as soon as they heard the horde approaching them.
''Try not to listen to it too much!'', Sara snapped them out of giving in to their weakness
''Just do exactly what we discussed, we'll meet again at our rendezvous point, don't falter now!'', and with that she took off first back into the building, the thin redhead still seemed to be insecure on her feet, but she managed to move well enough with her limp. As Domi witnessed Kao walking off into a complete mess of zombies for the first time, his first instinct took over and he grabbed her wrist to give her a, hopefully not the last, hug.
''Take care okay?'', his shaky voice was barely notable.
''I trust her, we're going to be fine Domi'', she consoled him and squeezed his waist one last time. She turned her back on the tall asian and followed Sara in what seemed to be the depths of hell right now. The door to the roof closed and rain started pouring down, uneasiness spread through him. As he was about to take his leave aswell he heard a loud bang and what seemed to be a scream. His heart stopped upon hearing it. Kao.
Ash took a good look at the truck that stood in front of her. The sun wasn't really cooperating so it made it harder to check if the car was still in good conditions. As a farmer she knew exactly what a healthy truck would look like. After confirming that their vehicle would surely survive another wild trip she got behind the wheel. The only ones missing now were Omar and Paty. Who the hell knows what those two are doing right now, she grunted to herself while checking the ammunition of her rifle aggressively. One would think such a strong minded girl like Ash herself would never give in to a little jealousy, but the times were hard and she missed having the amount of male interaction like she had back in the days. On top of that Ashley of back then never had time to be jealous, but times had changed and she did too. Being absolutely sure now that her rifle was loaded enough after checking it for the 100th time she got out of the truck again and supported herself with her arms on the roof of the truck. She rested her head on her arms and saw no other way around the wait then to have patience, which is a thing she sure as hell didn't posess. Unconciously a pout escaped her.
His sight was completely cut off as Paty kept piling up more and more reinforcing supplies that she apparently saw as very important.
''Dang girl are you sure we need all this ? I mean I'm all for food and delicious stuff but I thought we're going back to get your friend.'', he claimed. The girl with glasses in front of him didn't seem to listen at first, as if he had hit a nerve, but then she finally spoke :
''Okay first of all, getting Lian is our number 1 priority that didn't change BUT, I can't work without food, neither can Lian. Can you imagine my poor baby without food for so long ? I'm sure she'll be more than glad that we bring her enough candy.'', Paty enthusiastically kept getting more supplies.
''That's good and all chief but... where's the candy ?'' Omar questioned her, his face filled with sympathy.
''Right, the candy, I knew I was forgetting something.'', she laughed weakly and reached down to the lowest drawer, Lian's drawer, full of sweets and other stuff. The short black haired man was nearly shocked with how much candy he had seen there.
''That kid must have some heavy case of diabetes'', he joked, nearly dropping half of his loaded package. Paty laughed again and indicated him to follow her out, to finally get Ash off her wait. I can't see shit with this, Omar rambled to himself and made sure to bump into every object he encountered on their way out. Arriving at the spot Ash was nearly asleep already, Omar didn't miss the chance to throw a Mars at her after he was done unloading what he had brought all the way from the wooden house a few meters behind them.. Instanstly awoken by something she didn't even see coming her displeasent face gave Omar enough reason to apologize, even though he found it funny enough to giggle. On his way to the red truck door he met a what seemed to be... grieving Paty? Confused by the situation Omar found it fitting to be silent.
''Why would you do that?'', the nearly one head smaller girl asked him. Omar, still in a confused state looked around to be sure that she was talking to him. When he turned around he had already lost sight of the brunette. A few seconds later she came up from the other side of the truck, holding a mars bar in her hands and brushing the dirt of the package
''Poor little thing'', she lamented to her food. He could've sworn he ended up in a mental house, first the diabetes kiddo, then that yaoi obsessed woman, not to forget the real mental wreck back in the house and now this overly protective food lover. This is going to be fun, he thought, not really sure if he was going to believe his own words. Well atleast I have Ash, she seems to be pretty much my caliber.
''OH MY GOD IS THAT A GOAT?'', Ash cried out exhilarated. Well, nevermind that, he reprogressed his opinion.
''Oh yeah, that's Randi's picture, apparently some aunt of hers had a goat and she used to visit a lot and since truck is kind of hers she always has it in the truck.'', Paty explained through the back while she was sitting in midst of all the food.
''I hope I get to know that Randi gal better'', she confessed, showing them that after all Ash still has the will to find the social contact, which made them all smile.
''Okay, now that we're all set, we have business to attend to.'', Paty announced and loaded her rifle, having her sight set to the bright scenery in front her, the sun was coming out agan.
Their escape routes became thicker and thicker with each zombie that approached them, even if the weather was playing along this time, getting out of these masses would be nearly impossible even with a great archer and a flawless machete wielder.
''GREAT, what the hell now?'', Robin yelled while drilling an arrow right through the heads of atleast 5 walkers. Lian stepped even further back after realizing that this could be it, this time for real. Tears ready to emerge again and legs that suddenly couldn't carry her weight anymore overwhelmed her.
''Hey! Get up!'', she yelled out again. Robin knew no way around this so she had all her hopes on the girl next to her, who still kept silent, but she let her doings speak for herself. One after another got cut down by her furious swings. She can't possibly mean to fight all of these, that is insane! Was her first obeservation, but on the second look she understood what the fast girl's objective was. She wants to cut us a path so that we can escape through that ally next to the store? This girl is either pretty smart or pretty fucking stupid. Without any further she started to support the machete swinging woman with her exact-striking arrows.
''You are so getting me new arrows if we survive this'', the short haired brunette voiced.
''Deal'', the woman dressed in black confirmed without taking her attention off of her emenies that she was slaying effectively. Nearly there, she encouraged herself and put even more strenght into her arms. Lian witnessed her will to fight out of this and noticed just how useless she's been for the two of them, she then quickly wiped her tears off her swollen cheeks and got up to her still trembling legs. Without noticing the creatures closing in on their backs Lian screamed by the sight of how close they've all already gotten.
''Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck'', Lian contributed to the already hectic situation, out of shock she backed up just to bump into Robin's back.
''Watch it kid! And what is it with all the vulgarity-'', she swallowed her owns words by the terrifying sight of hundreds of the monsters that have been chasing her non-stop ever since that day.
''FUCK'', she shouted, nearly making it sound like a croak.
''Kill them faster!'', before Robin could even turn around to check on the machete woman the zombies had already reached to bite her and she would've been bitten by now if she hadn't had fast reflexes. Lian had never seen how someone reached down their pocket to grab a knife and stick it right in a zombies' head. With a grunt Robin pulled the knife out again and pushed Lian back, the floor was blood smeared again once again.
''Run this way!'', a voice from the backalley reached out. Lian had never ran so fast in her life, she also never thought she could set her record twice in just one day. What a fucking hellhole, she complained while she felt near tears again because her legs were burning, there was no other way, she had to run. She could hear Robin's breath right behind her, which she wasn't sure calmed her or made her stressed her even more. The machete girl in black had already reached the end of the alley a long time ago and was now making sure that the other side was safe. The terrain in the back of the shop was absolutely soaked and full of mud, if they would encounter anything here it would make everything harder for them. A bit farther ahead there was something that seemes like a canalization which wasn't in use anymore even before the world went to hell and back. Completely out of breath the two girls finally caught up to their current leader even if she was still a few steps ahead of them, it felt safe. Atleast that's what Robin naively thought before one of the seemingly faster zombies reached out to her arm out of nowhere. It felt like a horrible slow motioned nightmare to her, a face in front of her so rotten it made her sick. How could it be that someone like her fought for so long, alone, and it ending in death. It was unacceptable, A tear streamed down as she realized that it was too late and just for a second she considered if life was even worth it anymore. She gave in.
''No!'', an angry girl came sprinting and rammed her left over cotton candy stick right into the walker's eye with all her strenght, blood gushed all over her hands and arms. Robin watched with horror at how the little girl's expression changed from innocent to completely... maniacly. The girl with the cotton candy was still crying out, finally the zombie let go of the arm he was just too hungry for. She fell to the ground and watched the zombie fall right next to her, this time Lian was the one standing.
''LISTEN UP PEASANTS'', a voice came howling into what Liz first thought to be her dream. A slight kick into her sides quickly got her out of that pseudo dream.
''Woooow Vani you need to calm down I see you're growing 3 heads already'', the girl lying next to Liz spoke still dizzy from the stun she had gotten.
''I'm not growing 3 heads you idiot, your mind is just fuzzy. That's what you get from stunning yourself.'', she declared, once again sounding like someone twice her age. Liz turned her back to all this fuss and wished herself to sleep again until she got another kick, right in the butt, but this time not from Vani, but from Sarah.
''I thought we were a team, what do you think you're doing honey?'', Liz tried to sound as awake as possible but failed miserably.
''If I can't sleep then you can't either !'', she pouted and crossed her arms, giving a little tsk sound from her. Liz rolled her eyes and got up like a sloth in his eldest years. After taking their time with fully waking up they finally turned their attention to the one standing in front of them for god knows how long now. Neither of them seemed motivated at all. What now, Sarah and Liz simultaneously thought.
''We're going hunting today'', Vani announced very proud. Her listeners weren't happy to hear such a thing apparently since they both let out something between a grunt and a sigh and layed back down.
''If you want to hunt feel free to do so, I mean, go hunters yaaaay, you go girl'', Liz uttered while bumping her fist in the air for further support. Sarah just buried her face in her arms in complete denial about this task. The oh-not-so-patient Vani did see this as anything but a joke. Actually tasks under Vani's commando are never taken lightly, ever. Her mine turned into a deep black which seemed to be able to summon any demons at any time and Liz could've sworn she saw fume coming out of Vani's head for a second there. But everyone knows Liz's sleep is more important than some demons a little girl would summon. Maybe after some provocation Vani would finally give in so Liz started exaggeratedly snoring and Sarah's automatic reaction was a giggle that she tried to surpress.
''No food for you today'', Vani announced coldheartedly, and as if it had worked wonders the two lazy buns had gotten up to their feet quicker than people that got electroshocked
''We're in!'', they both saluted, ready to go wherever for food. Having finally conviced the brunettes to go she led the way into the forest, her bat and her stunning arrows that had gotten her new friends in such a pathetic situation. This time I wont let them touch it, she determined. The three of them reached a spot that seemed to be very lively with flora and fauna, which seemed like a perfect spot to hunt. If any animals would want to be somewhere then definitely here. Vani slowed down her pace and made a handsign without even looking back, signalizing them to slow down aswell. Vani would never lose her focus in times like this, she took out her stunning arrows and started to explain the basics of hunting very detailed.
''... and that's basically it, like I said, you have to be very patient, always do it like me I know exactly what I'm doing. I have a lot of experience. Always be very quiet, animals don't like noi-'', her long professional speech about hunting and its perks got interrupted by loud munching right next to her ear. Vani was still half crouched so that the wilderness could camouflage her better. Liz however, was all too happily munching on her apple nothing was bothering her, like this wasn't even an apocalypse. She kept staring into the woods and munching very loudly. Vani's stare got so intense that she had to notice it sometime, when she turned to her courched friend she stopped chewing.
''What. Are. You. Doing?'', Vani looked like she was close to exploding, the red in her face suited her though. Mouth still half full Liz answered
''I'm eating'', and started chewing again.
''Do you want some?'', the girl with the messy hair stretched her arm out and offered the now smoking, nearly burning Vani. She was getting ready to yell at the woman with no cares until many loud cracks resounded from the back and a loud bump reached their ears. Both of them debated if they should really look back, so they slowly turned around. They slowly turned around just to see a messed up Sarah lying on the floor, who seemed to have fallen off the tree for whatever reason. First she crawled a little forwards and the first move she made to get up made her back crack so she decided that laying on the ground for now would be the better alternative.
''Damn it Liz how did you get up there without falling, I didn't even get an apple'', she cried. Liz blurted out laughing, ending up having to support herself on the tree.
''You just don't have the skill I have princess'', she laughed and took another bite of her juicy green apple. When Sarah finally got up after nearly breaking a bone to do so, she felt an awkward silence come over them.
''Wait weren't there supposed to be animals around here? I don't see any.'', Sarah smartassed. And that was the moment Vani snapped and knocked off ast with her bat.
''YOU FUCKING IGNORANTS, IF YOU MAKE TOO MUCH NOISE THE ANIMALS FLEE!'', she rampaged, her face redder than ever now. Liz and Sarah had never seen the little girl be so mad so they fell silent.
''Do you think this is a joke?! This is called survival if you don't do it you'll simply die! Right now there are probably dozens of people trying to survive something so stop screwing around all the time !'', she finished. Her heavy breath seemed to calm down with the silence. Vani had to admit to herself that she was a little ashamed to lose her calm like that but she knew she was completely right. Unexpected a hand reached out for her head and petted it, it was Sarah.
''There there Vani, let's just start over ok?'', Sarah smiled and offered a lot of understanding all of a sudden. Likelywise on Liz's side too, the careless adult seemed to be all ears now. Vani had to restrain her tears of anger and now Liz aswell put a hand on Vani's shoulder. Just this once, the black haired girl thought to herself and let go. It was okay even for her to cry sometimes.
to be continued