The Quiet Before The Swarm

Chapter 3

Is it a bad thing to admit that I'm beginning to like it? All the pent up aggression I've stored over the years... Allowing it to finally be released through the killing of these cannibalistic freaks.

They fall and fall, surrendering to the impact of my bullets, the fatal blows to the head every time. I've had enough of the bullshit.

I think of everything that's gone wrong. With the repeated sprays of gunfire, I let out a war cry. Everyone stops shooting, letting me take the horde completely by myself.

"DIE, YOU BASTARDS!" I stop firing when they all finally die. I sigh shakily and reload before I look over at them.

"Are you... Okay now...?" Ashton questions gently.

"I'm fine. Let's go." I order as we walk on.

"Can we stop somewhere..? I have to pee." Peggy asks me. I nod and smile at her.

The complete strangers who I've been randomly selected to lead, by them, are better friends than anyone else I've ever met.

I don't entirely trust them, if that tells you anything.

We stand outside of the bathroom of a random house we found surrounded by stores. When Peggy gets out, we make our way again. The sun begins to go down and the temperature becomes bone-chilling.

We decide to take shelter on top of another abandoned building. Fire burning in the middle, Mark and Peggy are already asleep sort of away from Ashton and I.

"You really let loose today, huh?" Ashton nudges me.

"I...." I laugh. "Yeah, I did. But, dammit, you have to let go sometimes!"

"Nah, I liked it!" Ashton smiles at me and my cheeks burn. "You're blushing."

"I'm not used to compliments. If that's even considered a compliment!" We laugh quietly. He just stares into my eyes.

"At first, I thought you were the one I couldn't trust. You know, you never spoke! You were quiet all the time and I thought that was awfully suspicious." I tell him. Ashton smiles.

"I never talk to strangers."

I bring my lips to his nervously.

His fingers wind up in my hair.

Kissing a Southern punk in the Zombie Apocalypse. Yes, that makes perfect sense.

But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. I wrap my arms around his neck. That is, until we're interrupted. I just happen to hear it.

"Do you hear that?" I ask. He leans his face down and we hear a pounding at the door. I slowly stand, take out my 9mm, and I throw open the door. Standing there is a puppy. I smile.

"What is it?" Peggy asks.

"A puppy!"

"How haven't the Zombies got it yet?" Mark asks as Ashton puts out a bowl of water for it. He starts drinking.

"Zombies don't seem to mind animals. Something with the DNA and build of humans and monkeys is what attracts their undead brains." I explain.

"Huh. What should we name it? He seems like a big ol' galute!" Peggy pets him.

"Poopy." I suggest and Peggy laughs.

"I like it..."

"Hey there, Poopy!" I pet him and we find some food to carry around for him.

"Speaking of food... I'm getting really hungry..." Ashton states. I sigh.

"I, too, am feeling the beast of starvation. Okay... We need to find some sort of shopping mart. We eat what we need and we get the hell out of there." I instruct.

"Where will we go after that?" Peggy asks me.

"There are signs basically saying a rescue squad is waiting outside the city, to come in an army truck to the City Hall. This town is quarantined and we need to escape." I tell them.

"Good plan." Mike nods.

I still don't trust him.

Even as we run through the streets, shooting at whatever comes our way, my mind is still concerned with Ashton.

Poopy's head is poked out of my backpack. For a challenged dog, he's smart enough to never wander and to always stay in my bag. Zombies are no threat, but I like him.

We finally find Dick's Mart. Well, what an appealing name.

As we laugh about it while we clear the scene, I keep my eye on Mark. Something dark in that guy's eyes...

We eat and we're on our way.

The hospital is towering over me and I expect the worst.

Time to do it.

We walk in and we walk to the second floor. Everything is deathly silent.

Shite, this is gonna suck.