Tomorrow never dies

Cashton 2- shots fired

They run through empty streets, wind brushing against their skin, flesh untouched. Beating hearts pump blood through undamaged veins. Just one tear, one bite, one wound, and everything changes. A change that they can't chance. They can only hope that they will never know what comes next. Screams fill the air as they run, the sound light and playful.

"You know, all you need to defend yourself is a flame-thrower; ashes can't re-animate." Calum called out, laughing as the group neared the city.

                It was no longer considered a city. Just buildings and streets filled with the foggy-eyed undead. But it still had dusty shops that they hoped would still have important equipment.
               
As they got closer, the noise cut off and the small group of people in black slowed to a halt. There was about a mile left downhill to the heart of the town. From where they stood, Ashton saw the largest group of things he had seen in a while. The nervous energy was tangible between the tribe as they looked down on the grubby bodies.

                Calum removed the gun that was slung across his back, loading and cocking it without much effort. Jalyn took the bag she had been dragging along and pulled out the few handguns they had. She passed them around, making sure the safety was off.

                Everyone stood here for a few minutes shuffling from foot to foot, anticipating their cue.

"We meet in the middle. Go in pairs." He told them, trying not to let his anxiety show. He took a sharp breath and nodded his head, immediately running down the hill; heading  straight into the danger zone.

                Ashton veered to the left and motioned for Calum to follow. The two men stood with their backs pressed against the rough brick wall that made up one of the buildings. Ashton turned his head to the side and walked slowly towards the edge of the wall, the other man  close behind. Two gunshots rang out in succession and the boys visibly cringed. Ashton took a deep breath and counted back from ten. The tall man sprinted toward a hoard of undead and easily put a bullet through one's skull, watching the limp body tumble to the dirty ground.

                A high pitched scream pierced the air, causing Calum to slow down. Ashton got three more rounds through the undead before turning to the other boy. He cocked his pistol and pulled the trigger, choking when nothing happened. He looked down at the revolver, trying to figure out why it wouldn't fire.

Suddenly, he felt a cold, fleshy hand grip his neck. Ashton struggled to breathe in, the graying hand on his neck cutting off his air supply. His vulnerability attracted the creatures, and more began to surround him as he desperately scratched at the hands, trying to loosen the impossible grip.
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"C-Calum!" He managed to barely choke out. Though it was nearly a whimper, the tanned man heard and turned back around. When Calum saw the state his friend was in, his eyes grew wide with fury and he jumped into action.

Calum drew his gun and, one by one, began to send bullets into skulls without hesitation. Then there was one.

The screams and cries in the distance were barely noticeable as Calum aimed his pistol at the creature that held his best friend captive. The fear was evident in Ashton's eyes as he realized that one wrong move could mean the wrong body would be shot.

Calum pursed his lips and fired, his once-steady hand trembling anxiously as soon as the slug exited the barrel. The bullet hit the monster straight between its blank eyes, the hand slipping from Ashton's neck and hitting the ground with its cold body.

"Thanks, bro," Ashton mumbled, gently rubbing his neck.

Calum could only nod, void of emotion.

The screams didn't let up, only growing louder as the group grew closer to where the two men stood, waiting for the rest.

Their tribe came into view, dragging an unknown woman behind them.

"You shot my brother! That was my brother!" she  yelled as tears ran down her face.

"He had been taken by them. It was our only choice," Another man spoke. 

Ashton and Calum nodded as the few survivors set their stuff down and sat in the dirt. The combat took a toll on their over-worked bodies, and they hoped for some rest.

"My name is Erin," the once-screaming woman whispered.

"I don't care. We'll be right back," Ashton said, something odd catching his eye. He looked to Calum and got up without another word.

As Calum and Ashton spoke away from the group, another number of people came into view in the distance and stopped.

                "Do you think they're one of them?" Calum asked, ready to arm himself, only letting up when Ashton shook his head.
                "No I don't think so... I think they belong to a group of survivors," He responded.

                "You know who I heard was hanging around here?" Calum asked, suddenly giddy.

                "Don't tell me it's Muke," Ashton groaned, sitting on the ground with his head resting in his palms.

                "Isn't it a little gay to give them a ship name?" Calum asked sitting alongside his friend."

                "Yeah, well, they're a little gay," Ashton mumbled, causing Calum to burst out laughing.

"It's time we take them out," Ashton decided. He was done working in circles around the other survivors.

"That's a nice idea and all; but how do we manage to do that?" Calum asks, raising his eyebrows and giving the leader a look of exhaustion mixed with annoyance.

"Hit them where it hurts. We take the warehouse," Ashton said simply, smirking.