Dream Team Zombie Apocalypse (DTZA) (SEVERELY DISCONTINUED I'M SO SORRY)

7- A Chins-Worth Away

The sun had begun to sink beyond the evergreen treeline, lengthening shadows. They had walked so far into the forest that what was once a dirt road was now a dirt path. Grass and clovers spread in patches and encroached upon the path's edges.

The whole time Koby had been showing mixed emotions, brimming with glee one moment and absolutely terrified the next. Hoodie and Ainslie had tried to talk to him about it but he simply asked to be left alone. So they had only each other to speak to.

"Are you willing to share your name yet?" Ainslie knew he would decline before he even shook his head, "No? What about... Hobbies?"

"No." A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Man, have you always been so secretive?"

"Of course not, It's just hard to maintain a criminal empire when you share secrets. I had to start keeping my mouth shut"

Ainslie chuckled and made a show of putting distance between the two. "What's safe for a mob boss to say, then?"

Hoodie hesitated and looked away for a few steps. He spoke in a low voice.

"There's actually a reason we're heading in this direction."

"Really?" Ainslie returned to Hoodie's side with a curious demeanour.

"I actually have a couple of friends that I couldn't get back to after you left the convenience store, that's why I'm wearing the same clothing that I was that night, and why I didn't have a backpack." He looked pained remembering that night.

"Oh, it started that soon? I only found out when I woke up the next morning." Ainslie's mind raced at the thought of her sleeping through so much, through so many people dying.

"We agreed to head in this direction. I just have to hope we just happen to stumble across each other, or that I find a way to contact them." Hoodie's mouth tightened and his eyes glazed over, however he stood a little taller and his brow was set in determination.

Ainslie dipped her head in thought, scrunching her scarf in her gloved hands, "If we could find a way to charge my phone... Or yours if you have one."

"Well, if I'm right about this path then maybe we could. Otherwise, we'll have to rely on luck and hope that they are going the same way as us. They did get that first night as a head start, though, because we left the morning after."

"Hoodie, you've taught me a lot in just a couple days, I'm sure anybody that's friends with you could probably write a survival handbook just based on things that you mention."

Hoodie laughed, "Well..." He hesitated, "I'm not so sure, they're kind of idiots. Sure, maybe one would do okay, he's really determined and passionate when he wants to be, but the other...? Well, I'm hoping they haven't been separated..." He looks away, into the woods.

Hoodie looked back to Ainslie, "What about you?"

"Well, there's my Aunty Steph. I grew up with her always being there until one day she wasn't. She took off to America to stop me from depending on her. It's been five years so I came to visit her." Ainslie's face grew solemn remembering. The sky had a few stars in it, and it was getting harder to see into the forest.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"How'd you know?" Ainslie looked up at him, keeping pace, fiddling with her sleeves, "Nevermind, stupid question."

"You know what they say about stupid questions." Hoodie analysed her, "Tell me more about this Aunty Steph."

"W-Well she was a janitor, has a small apartment in Florida, I have no idea why she chose this state out of all of them. It's so... Warm..." A mock sneer marred her face.