Harem in a zombie apocalypse

[101] Baby a triple

As we darted down the chaotic streets, the thunderous rumble of a riotous mob grew louder, drowning out the other sounds of the night. The sky was lit up by the fires that blazed on every corner, the wind carrying the acrid scent of burning rubber and petrol.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of a gunshot echoed in the air, followed by the whizzing sound of a bullet whistling past us. I turned to see several men brandishing guns, their expressions twisted with rage and fear.

"Shit, they're firing at us!" Cassidy hissed, pulling out her pistols with a grimace.

"Get behind the cars!" I yelled, pulling Kaya with me as we ducked behind an overturned vehicle, the rusty metal frame providing a semblance of cover. Another gunshot rang out, the bullet hitting the car with a loud ping, making us flinch.

Peeking over the car, I took aim with my AR 15, exhaling slowly as I squeezed the trigger. The gun kicked back against my shoulder as a bullet tore through the air, missing one of the attackers by inches.

Cassidy and Kaya joined in, the sound of their gunshots intermingling with the distant roar of the mob. We fired in short bursts, keeping our heads down as the attackers returned fire.

Time seemed to stretch and distort, every second punctuated by the deadly song of bullets and shouts. We kept moving, darting from one piece of cover to another, our every move a calculated risk in the chaotic firefight.

Despite the situation, a part of me remained eerily calm. I knew we had to get to the hospital, to Hazuki, and that thought drove me forward. We were far from safe, but the stakes were too high to back down.

***

A glimmer of determination flickered in Kaya's eyes as she shouldered her hunting rifle. Despite the frenzy around us, she exuded a sort of serene calmness, the kind one would expect from a seasoned hunter. I could see her eyes narrowing, studying our assailants' movements, her fingers dancing lightly over the trigger.

She took a step forward, her boots crunching over broken glass as she got into a clear firing position. The world seemed to slow down, the riotous noises of the mob fading into the background. Kaya's stance was firm, her gaze locked onto her targets.

Then, in a sudden burst of motion, she fired. A loud, sharp report echoed in the eerily quiet street as a plume of smoke jetted out from the muzzle of her rifle. One of our attackers crumpled to the ground, a dark stain spreading across his chest.

Without missing a beat, Kaya bolted the rifle, ejecting the spent casing with a loud clink, and another bullet found its place in the chamber. She pulled the trigger again, the rifle bucking against her shoulder.

Another attacker fell, his body jerking as the bullet struck him with lethal precision. Kaya's expression remained unreadable, her focus unwavering as she repeated the process for the third time.

A third body dropped, hitting the asphalt with a thud. Kaya's shots were accurate, lethal, each bullet finding its mark with deadly precision. The remaining attackers scattered, scrambling for cover, the threat of Kaya's sharpshooting a stark deterrent.

Kaya lowered her rifle, her breaths coming out in measured puffs as she scanned our surroundings for any further threats. Her face was a mask of hardened resolve, her eyes reflecting the grim reality of our situation.

I looked at Kaya, and for a moment, amidst the chaos and destruction, I was rendered speechless. Finally, I managed to find my voice, "Damn Kaya, those were some sharp shots!"

Cassidy chimed in, "Hell yeah, you were like some sort of deadly ballet dancer out there!" Cassidy made an exaggerated pirouette motion with her hands, trying to bring some levity to our grim situation.

Kaya merely shrugged, a thin smile gracing her lips. "Comes with the territory. Hunting game, hunting people, doesn't make much of a difference."

I shook my head, grinning despite myself. "I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. Hunting game doesn't shoot back."

Cassidy added, "Or curse you out," she made a face, imitating the shocked expressions of the men Kaya had taken down.

We shared a brief, grim chuckle at that, the levity a brief respite from the deadly seriousness of our predicament. Our banter was a desperate attempt to normalize the horror we found ourselves in, a thin veneer of camaraderie to stave off the creeping despair.

"Still," I added, looking at Kaya with genuine admiration, "those were some damn impressive shots. I'm glad you're on our side."

Cassidy gave a nod of agreement, clapping Kaya on the shoulder. "No kidding. Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Q: Do you have a good shot with a gun?