Dead or Alive

19: Stick to the Plan

The four boys walked through the almost unfamiliar, sunlight neighborhood on high alert. The sun had just risen and they already killed too many zombies to count on both hands. This neighborhood was a death trap, yet they continued to push through the desolate streets looking for a specific house.

Xion hardly recognized the streets they walked through, and this was his childhood neighborhood, he grew up around these houses. Almost every building showed signs of exterior damage, cars were smashed against houses or crashed in piles in the streets, windows were smashed, some houses even showed signs of roof damage. The once lively homes are now abandoned mansions.

"Zombie." Seoho pointed out with an unamused tone.

The oldest took the lead and skillfully threw his knife at the zombies chest. The creature staggered back, its lost eyes searching for the oncoming threat. Seoho snuck up on the creature despite being in broad daylight and removed the knife before stabbing it back into the monsters neck, then head. Blood splattered from the wounds and decorated Seoho's already blood-stained clothes as well as the concrete below. The other three watched with no emotion evident on their faces.

"That was a straggler I guess." Seoho muttered, whipping off the knife on his pants. "It wasn't even standing in the shade."

"How much longer?" Keonhee quietly whined, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in pain.

The four had been walking for days trying to reach their destination. They had to make do with finding random places to sleep for the night, one of them always staying up to keep guard. To say they were exhausted was putting it lightly. At least on their way here they managed to loot more places and get more food. Leedo carried a nearly full duffel bag of things to eat while the other three carried bags with their other necessities they brought from their home, along with each of them carrying their backpacks as well.

"Only a few more streets." Xion responded, walking past the corpse.

They mainly stuck to walking in the streets, that way they could see anything coming at them and have some time to prepare for whatever. Seoho was the main one to break off to the sidewalks to kill any zombies as well as loot cars. Both Keonhee and Xion tended to walk in front of Leedo and Seoho, not for any reason specifically, it just ended up that way.

So they kept walking through the eerily quiet streets. The clouds in the sky weren't that big and allowed the sun to shine through immensely. Summer weather had definitely hit by this point, even with the sun being covered it was hot. But despite this most of the plants and grass seemed to remain colorless. They still seemed to be growing, they just looked lifeless.

"That's it isn't it?" Leedo pointed at the house that he used to visit often, feeling nostalgic at the sight.

"Yeah..." Xion trailed off, picking up his pace.

In just under a minute Xion stepped foot on the property, the other three quickly catching up. The youngest stared at the house before proceeding with a sense of urgency. The front door was swung wide open.

All of them pulled out their guns at that point, knowing they were entering close chambers and would have little time to react. Xion walked in first, not caring about the looks the oldest two gave him. He had his own plan in mind.

The house was in complete shambles, like a tornado passed through the interior. Xion walked further inside, past the entryway to get a closer look at the living room. A set of growls got his and his friends attention. Xion stared at the four creatures that lifelessly stood in the kitchen area. The four creatures that were once Dongmyeong's friends.

"Xion, go find your brother. We'll handle them."  Leedo commanded, walking further into the house to get ready to attack.

He didn't need to be told twice before Xion turned on his heels and bolted up the stairs. He ran through the hallways, keeping an eye out for threats while heading towards his target. Xion swung open the door to his brothers bedroom, eyes frantically looking around the space. It didn't take long before gunshots bounced off the walls.