Harem in a zombie apocalypse

[54] Fire cover

The sound of Cassidy's voice broke through the aftermath of the zombie annihilation, her words echoing within the wreckage of the liquor store. The way she spoke, it was as if we were just on a typical grocery run, not scavenging for supplies in a post-apocalyptic world. There was a gritty optimism in her tone that lightened the atmosphere, pulling us out of the grim reality, if only for a moment.

With an affirmative nod, we all sprang into action. Kaya, Hazuki, and I joined Cassidy in the dilapidated store. The sharp smell of spilled alcohol filled the air, mixing with the stench of rotting flesh and gunpowder. But there was no time to get queasy, we had a job to do.

Navigating through the sea of shattered glass and fallen shelves, we searched for any intact bottles of booze. Amid the destruction, it was like searching for diamonds in the rough. The liquor that remained was like a precious commodity, valuable not just for the sake of celebration, but as a potential bartering tool in this broken society.

Kaya's eyes were sharp, her warrior instincts honed from years of survival training were on full display. She spotted a cluster of unbroken bottles beneath a crushed shelf, her quick hands sweeping them up and passing them along to me.

Hazuki, despite being the newest addition to our group, was undaunted by the task. Her slender fingers handled each bottle with the care of a surgeon, protecting the precious liquid inside. She moved with a certain grace, her every motion methodical and measured.

Cassidy, true to form, was the powerhouse. Her arms filled with bottles, she strode over to Endeavor, her boots crunching glass beneath them. The car's trunk creaked open, and she gently loaded it up. Then, she was back in the store, her eyes scanning for more salvageable items.

We worked in an assembly-line fashion. Kaya and Cassidy scouted and collected, Hazuki and I received and packed, our hands moving in a well-choreographed dance of urgency. Words were scarcely needed - just brief glances, nods, and the occasional hand gesture.

As we filled the trunk with as many bottles as we could find, we felt a sense of triumph. It wasn't about the booze or completing the mission, it was about the small victories.

"Now, let's get back to Fort Hall." Cassidy announcement was cut short, as the once distant shuffle of the undead seemed to grow louder, quicker, closer. The corpses of the ones Cassidy had mowed down with the car were starting to be replaced by a new wave of zombies, attracted by the noise of our scavenging.

Each one of us slipped into a defensive mode, our survival instincts taking over. Kaya was the first to act, sliding her hunting rifle off her shoulder with an ease that came from years of practice. She dropped to one knee for better stability, her posture rigid and her expression focused, her gaze sharp as she scanned for her targets.

I watched, momentarily taken aback, as Kaya aimed her rifle with the precision of a seasoned sniper. Time seemed to stretch and compress in that single moment. The world fell silent save for the steady rhythm of my heartbeat pounding in my ears and the ghostly shuffle of the approaching undead.

Kaya's finger tightened on the trigger, her body taut with anticipation. Then, in a blur of motion, the rifle roared to life, the sound echoing off the ruined walls of the buildings around us. The shot was a violent symphony of destruction, reverberating through the air, shattering the silence that had descended mere seconds before.

Three zombies fell almost instantly, their bodies collapsing to the ground in a grotesque puppeteer's dance. A single, precise hole was visible in the center of their foreheads, a clear sign of a masterful shot. It was a terrifyingly beautiful sight, witnessing the lethal efficiency of Kaya's skill.

Cassidy and Hazuki too were fighting back. Cassidy, her twin pistols blazing, and Hazuki, despite her medical background, had picked up a discarded firearm and was defending herself valiantly.

Amid the chaos, I couldn't help but marvel at the sight of these women. Kaya, with her calm demeanor and deadly accuracy, was a quiet storm. Cassidy, with her fierce determination and relentless fire, was a raging inferno. Hazuki, with her bravery and adaptability, was a blossoming warrior. It was an awe-inspiring display of resilience and courage, a testament to the strength of the human spirit even in the face of such horror.

The zombies didn't stand a chance. Each shot fired, every bullet that found its mark, dwindled their numbers further. With each fallen undead, our chances of escape grew.

Once again, the sound of Endeavor's engine drowned out the sounds of battle, its revving a call to retreat. Without a word, we scrambled back into the vehicle, our weapons still smoking, the taste of victory bittersweet on our tongues.

"We gotta gtfo of here!" Cassidy said, as she fired back at the zombies then quickly jumping inside the truck.

With the turn of the key, Endeavor's engine roared into life. Without a word, we scrambled back into the vehicle, our weapons still smoking, the taste of victory bittersweet on our tongues.

As we sped away, the zombies became smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, but I had a gut feeling our mission was far from over.

Oh shit...

50 meters right ahead of us on the road was a spike chain.

Q: What would you do in this situation?