Godead

XXV

As the zombies lumbered through the trees, Claude and Blair paused, suddenly going pale as they noticed a familiar zombie.

"...No...!" Blair said, motionless as a young female zombie crept forth.

"...It... it can't be!" Claude said, eyeing the same zombie as it moaned from afar. As the creature listlessly marched its way forward, Blair frowned.

"...Charlene!" she said, looking to the zombie in fright.

"...We have to escape! There's too many of them!" Zoe said.

"...I agree. Let's fall back," Blair said.

"...What? But what about Misty!?" Claude asked.

"There's no time. I hate to say it, but I highly doubt Misty's still alive," Blair said.

Claude cringed, zombies fast approaching as the three hurried back toward the house, cutting through several zombies along the way. After running off, they looked back, slowing down as they warily caught their breath.

"...I think we've lost them," Blair said.

"...Looks that way," Zoe replied.

"Charlene...," Claude said somberly, the three approaching the house moments later. As they went inside, Abby greeted them as they arrived.

"Yo!" she said with a smile. She then looked to Zoe, slowly raising a brow in confusion. "...Huh? Who are you?" she asked. The three stood in silence, mood still somber from discovering Charlene.

"...Oh. Abby. This is Zoe, a girl we found camping out in the woods. Zoe, this is Abby, a friend of ours we've been traveling with," Claude explained.

"H—Hi," Zoe said, lightly trembling from all that had recently happened.

"Hmm... Zoe, huh?" Abby asked, briefly looking her over. "...Don't trust ya!" Abby declared with a smirk. She then looked around, noticing the dire expressions on each of their faces. "What's with you guys? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"...You could say that...," Blair said.

"What do you mean?" Abby asked.

"It... it's Charlene," Claude said.

"What about her?" Abby asked.

"...She's... turned into a zombie. I guess one of them got to her...," Claude said somberly. Suddenly, Abby perked up.

"No sh*t? Great! That's the best news I've heard all day! That's what she gets for flirting with Claude behind my back! Hope it was painful for the twat!" Abby said with a smile. Suddenly, Blair violently glared at her.

"Damn you! How can you say something like that!?" she asked angrily.

"Easy! Want me to say it again...?" Abby asked. Blair cringed, suddenly pointing her shotgun in Abby's direction.

"I've had just about enough of that mouth of yours, brat!" Blair exclaimed. Abby quietly raised an eyebrow.

"...Oh?" she asked with a grin.

"Blair—"

"Blair nothing!" she said, cutting Claude off. "Who the hell are you to make light of Charlene's death!? She was an innocent teenage girl and you just make jokes of everything! You tear Lucy's head off without remorse! You slaughter a dozen national guard soldiers! You murder seven civilians in cold blood!" Blair exclaimed.

"...And?" Abby asked casually. Blair gritted her teeth.

"Stop acting so callous! You young ones may be strong, but you're not invincible! I've seen how quickly you die from a shot to the head!" Blair said sternly. As the officer held Abby in her sights, Abby cringed, the two standing in tense silence as Claude stepped forward.

"...Blair, please. Put the weapon down. Abby means no harm. She may mouth off, but we'd be dead by now if it wasn't for her help," Claude said, standing in Blair's line of fire. Blair paused, cringing as she looked over to him.

"Dammit, Claude! Why are you so forgiving of her all the time!? She says a few nice things, and suddenly you're blinded by her charms!?" Blair asked.

"Blair... it's not like that. It's just... Abby means well, and is a powerful ally to us. And besides, it's a dangerous situation, and we shouldn't spend time fighting with each other," Claude said. Blair paused, shaking her head before slowly lowering her firearm.

"...Fine. But you'd best behave yourself, Abby. I'm watching you," Blair said. Abby smirked, sticking her tongue out moments later.

"So what do we do now? Those woods are crawling with those things," Zoe said.

"We should keep an eye out on the forest. We lost them for now, but the zombies could find their way to the house. Here, Claude," Blair said, handing him a gun she'd obtained from the intruders.

"Blair... thank you, but... to be honest, I've never used a gun before in my life. I couldn't hit a billboard in Times Square with this thing," Claude said.

"Don't worry. Just hold onto it for now. Can you use a gun, Zoe?" Blair asked.

"No. I hate guns. I've never even seen a real one in person before now," she replied.

"Well I'm afraid you're both going to learn. Here...," Blair said, handing Zoe a pistol before showing her and Claude how to handle them.

"...Hey! What about me?" Abby said, feeling left out. Blair turned to her.

"...I wouldn't give you a gun if it were the end of the world. Which it may very well be," she said, Abby folding her arms soon after.

"Hmph! Well maybe I'll just take one!" she replied wickedly.

"There's no need for that, Abby. You're so strong, you really don't even need one," Claude said. Abby suddenly froze, a light blush appearing on her face.

"Oh, Claude... you're so sweet!" she said, warmly smiling as she ran over and hugged him from the side.

"Ack! Abby! You're squeezing... my—!" Claude said, barely able to breathe as Abby held him tight.