𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 || 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐜𝐤/𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧

2

They’re running again.

It was no surprise. There were many walkers in this area. The outskirts of Seoul—and the entire capital city, for that matter—were crawling with walkers. The streets used to be so crowded, a sea of people with all different lives shuffling along together. Now it was just mindless walkers moving forward with only one purpose.

Staying in an apartment could only last for so long. It’s not like they had long-term plans to stay but it had hardly been a week; they had the intention to stay at least one more. Thankfully Renjun noticed them as he and Chenle made their way back to their apartment. They had just enough time to pack essentials and get out.

“Let’s go let’s go!” Mark called, as they stuffed whatever they could into their bags. “Anything not packed we’ll just have to leave!”

Time was up.

They ran out of the house, bags thrown over their shoulders.

“Get to the car!” Donghyuck yelled, making sure everyone was out before taking up the rear.

Together they slid down the small hill outside the apartment complex, running under the two bridges above them to the truck that waited for them at the end of the road. Chenle and Jisung reached first, turning back to help pull Jaemin up. The rest of them filed into the front of the car.

They had to get out of there fast. Walkers couldn’t run but they were far from slow, especially when they were newer and hungry. It was just as easy to get away from the walkers as it was to underestimate their speed and end up surrounded, trapped with no way of escaping.

Mark knew better. He stepped on the gas as soon as the car started and pulled away from the curb. Like that they left another place behind them, Donghyuck watching as the walkers grew farther and farther away.

“We’ll need to gas up soon.” Mark told him, eyes hardly on the road. There wasn’t much there anyways.

Donghyuck leaned over from the passenger side to see where the gas was at. Less than half a tank. There was no telling what they would see during their drive, and the last thing they needed was an empty gas tank when they were being chased by walkers. The possibility of no gas at any of the gas stations or abandoned cars was too high to ignore.

“We can stop in a few hours at the nearest gas station and see if it has anything left. I’ll take over and drive so you don’t get too tired. You were just on watch after all.” Donghyuck said.

Mark nodded in thanks. From behind them Renjun leaned forward, giving a glance to the back where the maknae line sat, chatting.

“Where are we going now?” he asked, resting his arm on Mark's arm chair.

“No clue. Maybe Yongju? That traveler we met earlier said that walkers have been leaving the area in search of more life.”

“You sure it’s safe? I mean, who knows that that traveler knew? He also said that it was safe to pass through the outskirts of Seoul too, didn’t he?” Jeno asked with a frown, but his expression didn’t match the relaxed way he was leaned back against the seat.

“It’s worth a shot.” Donghyuck said, sighing. “Worst case scenario we just pass through and head to Busan.”

Mark grunted in agreement as he took a drag of the cigarette he’d taken out earlier. “Busan is good too. Along the way maybe we can check in with that group in Gyeongju if they’re still around and see if there’s been in any improvement with resistance.”