101 Things To Do During The Apocalypse ✓ (BxB)

ix. the Mall

Nov. 6, 2236.
Item # 81: Steal from the Mall.

    We catch wind that Liam's at a mall—-and conveniently, the next item on the list is to steal from a mall.

    We head through the parking lot—-Maxwell and I keep looking at each other and looking away, our faces hot with blush.

    Once we make it inside, devious grins spread across our faces.

     "Oh no," Bruno begins to acknowledge our looks. "I know those faces. What is it?"

    Ibtihaj answers him. "We're teenagers, Bruno. This is a mall… Where else, prey tell, will we find everything we want?"

      "You have a point," Bruno begins. Then he adds, "...just don't take too much stuff that we won't have room for in Lexie's car."

     "I promise I won't." Ibtihaj still had a sinister look on her face.

     As we continue on through the mall, Lexie looks like she's gonna puke her guts out.

     "You okay?" I ask my older sister.

      Lexie fakes a smile. "Never better."

      "Lexie? Bradley?" Liam's voice sounds from behind us.

      We both turn around, exclaiming, excitedly, "Liam?", before running over to him and nearly crushing him in a group hug.

      When we pull away, Lexie's asking him how he's been.

     "Surviving," Liam says. "One of those zombie fuckers bit my hand…so, I had to chop it off." He gestures to his missing left hand. "What about Mom and Dad? Are they okay?"

     Lexie tells him, "Well, I was out… Bradley could tell you more about it than I could."

     Liam turns to me.

     I explain, "I got knocked out by the explosion. When I woke up, Dad had already turned and bit Mom. The venom killed her instead of converting her. Dad tried to bite me…"

     "Luckily, I showed up just in time with my shotgun to blow his face apart," Lexie says.

     "Afterward, we did the first thing I had on my apocalypse list," I say.

     "The list you wrote when you were twelve?" Liam begins to ask. "I haven't seen that thing in years. What was the first thing?"

     "Bury the dead," I tell him. "In that case… Mom and Dad."

     Liam exhales, sounding somewhat upset. "Sorry I wasn't there for the funeral."

    "It's okay…" Lexie says. "Mom and Dad would understand your situation."

     "I hope so," Liam says.

     Lexie then begins, "Now let's go steal some shit." She paused before adding, "Because I don't know about you, but there's something I kind of desperately need."

     ─┉─¡! • !¡─┉─

     After we regroup, we show each other what we got.

     Non-perishable food is the big thing we get…. Well that and bottled water.

     I grab a few games I wanted prior to the apocalypse; games that are useless without power—-but, it makes you feel better to know that you at least have them.

     Maxwell approaches me. "I have something for you."

     I eye him. "What is it?"

     "See for yourself," he says before handing it to me.

      I take it and unfold it. It's a black, oversized slip on hoodie.

     Maxwell explains, "I noticed that you like having clothes that are way bigger on you. I uh hope you like it."

     I smile at him. "I love it."