Once Bitten

Bait (29)

A few hours after listening to Macaque's tale, Wukong shuffled in MK's lap, blinking his eyes and stretching his arms above his head with a loud yawn. MK, who had been drawing in his sketchbook, quickly shut the book and tucked it away into his backpack. 

"Finally awake, sleeping beauty?" Macaque snickered, tone biting as Wukong rolled his eyes. 

"You could have woken me up, you know." He huffed in response before turning to MK. 

"Morning kiddo, you sleep well?" He asked and MK nodded brightly,

"I did, thanks!" He beamed, ignoring the fact that it was likely because he was sleeping with someone else and Macaque scoffed from the front seat, turning back to look at them with tired eyes and heavy bags under them.

"Now that you're finally awake, Wukong, we should try finding a gas station so we can get this car moving again." He suggested and MK grimaced at the thought of going outside.

"Ugh, you're such a buzzkill. I haven't even had breakfast yet!" 

When they finally did exit the car MK practically hung off Wukong's side from how close he was standing, resisting the urge to grab his arm as well. He saw Macaque smirk at him from the corner of his eyes and stuck his tongue out at him in revenge, huddling by Wukong's side as they began walking down the long, empty road. 

Macaque hung back, walking only just a bit behind the two while MK jumped at every sound and snapped twig. He didn't like walking, it reminded him of the day he'd met Wukong and almost died. There was something unsettling about being in the middle of nowhere walking knowing a creature looking to eat your flesh could be along the road. 

The walk was mostly silent, an unspoken tension between Macaque and Wukong making the atmosphere a touch awkward especially for MK who was already on edge, and sometime after what felt like forever he spotted something on the road in the distance, moving slugishly and making his heart race. 

"Do you see that?" He asked very quietly to Wukong as he tugged on his older brother's sleeve and the other nodded, slowly reaching for his gun only to have Macaque suddenly whack him from behind over the head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" He hissed, MK uncomfortable as he kept an eye on the zombie, glad it hadn't seemed to hear them since it was pretty far away still. 

"Do you want us all to die? Using your gun in an open area like this is basically a death sentence, you idiot. We have to be quieter about this." He huffed, sending the other an unimpressed look and Wukong huffed, pouting as he looked away. 

"Well, what do you suggest we do then? We can't just sneak around it." He huffed, and Macaque grinned suddenly, pulling out his bat.

"We use the old-fashioned way, of course." He snickered, and MK glanced worriedly back to the zombie in their way. It was only one but-

"Hey, asshole! We're over here!" Macaque yelled, and MK squeaked when the zombie turned its head in their direction immediately, legs stumbling and rushing toward them as MK took a few steps back, feeling his heart thump loudly in his ribcage. 

"Watch and learn, kiddo," Macaque said, glancing back at him for a second before taking a few steps toward, bat at his side. MK watched, biting his lip and trying not to freak out as the ugly creature got closer, almost yelling out a warning when it got close only for Macaque to raise the bat and strike it over the head in one strong swing. 

It collapsed to the side, and as it rose to its feet Macaque raised the bat and shoved it into the thing's skull, blood spraying over the floor and the bat with an awful squelching noise that went straight to MK's head as he inhaled sharply.