Skeptics and Snipers (10k)

Puppies and Kittens

"Rory" I feel someone gently shake me "Rory" they say again shaking me more violently.

I open my eyes getting a blurry view of Doc standing above me "Just five more minutes mom" I mumble and when I get no response in return I let out a lengthy sigh "what? Why are you waking me up? You know today is the day I sleep in" I groan sitting up trying to blink away the blurrieness from my eyes.

"Well Mack, Addy, and myself are gonna go see Sketchy and Skeezy, figured you'd wanna go?"

"Oh absolutely" I jump up off my cot startling Doc. I slip on my shoes and throw my incrediously long hair into a ponytail "let's roll."

Doc and I crack jokes the whole walk there, Mack and Addy just a few steps ahead of us paying no attention to the goofing off.

"Hey there's our favorite customers" Sketchey says throwing his arms out dramatically.

"Hey there's our favorite con men" I say mimicing his movments and holding eye contact with him. I keep walking towards him with my arms outshtetched as a wide smile creeps onto his face.

"Are you gonna hug me?"

"Ew no geeze take me to dinner first" I keep walking past him dropping my arms.

"Will you go to dinner with me?"

"Eh I'll think about it" I answer shrugging my shoulders as I walk over popping out a lawn chair and plop down sliding down my sunglasses as I back in the sunlight. Sketchy putting on a show for them trying to talk them into his 'best weapons' over exaggerating everything he offers.

"Hey Rory" Sketchy says to me I lift up my glasses glancing back at him "come here." I let out an irritated sigh as I walk over to him "got something I think you'd like." He hands me some staps with some curved hook/sward type things dangling off of it. "So the straps sit in an x across you to hold 'em hooks." I nod my head putting it over me "what do you think?"

"It's a good fit I like it, thanks" I turn around to go back to lounging before he stops me.

"What you willing to trade?"

"Oh no ya don't you still owe me" I tell him narrowing my eyes at him.

"Oh come on you string someone up to a flagpole one time and suddenly you're the bad guy" Sketchy sighs heavily.

"Oh that's a story I'm gonna need to hear" Doc buts in walking over.

"Well during black summer this motherfucker dec-"

"Behind you" Mack says Addy whipping around and slamming the bat into the Z's skull.

"Isn't that Red Hanson?"

"Z's got Red?" Skeezy asks devistated "damn he was one of our best customers. Tough as bullets, I wonder if his brothers know."

"Yeah I think so cause here they come" Sketchy answers as we here the Z's growling growing closer.

"I'm up" I say walking forward unsheathing one of the hooks the moment it comes through the trees I act fast swinging it through the back of it's skull making my hook pop out the front of it's face. Mack shoots down the last one, turning around only to be ambushed by one more. Two bulets going straight into it's head the moment it was on him.

"Closing time" Sketchy announces as him and Skeezy pack everything up and driving off quickly.

"They way that big one moved he must have turned just a few hours ago" Doc says picking up his bag. I follow behind him Mack and Addy following up behind us.

We perched down behind a hill listening to all the commotion coming from the camp, rapid gunfire and expolosions, the fire and smoke rising throught the camp.