Godead

LX

Marcus and Andre looked on, motionless as they stared at Amanda in shock. Just then, Blair walked over, gun lowered as she steadily approached the three.

"It's alright. We won't hurt you," she said. "Sorry to have pointed a gun at you right off the bat like that. It's just, we noticed you were armed, and can't be too careful these days." Marcus paused, warily looking her over.

"...Naw. It's cool," he replied.

"Jeah. Just... don't kill us, aight?" Andre pleaded.

"Don't worry. We won't," Blair said, holstering her gun. "What's your story, anyway? How have the two of you survived for so long?"

"Psh. Hell if I know," Andre replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"We just got lucky, I guess," Marcus said. "When sh*t went crazy, me and Andre got together with our guns. We's neighbors, and wound up havin' to shoot most of our boys from the 'hood dead."

"They all up and turnt into them dang zombies," Andre said.

"I see," Blair replied. "Well we're heading down to Florida. You're welcome to join us, but seeing as how we barely know you, I'm afraid we can't allow you to have guns."

"Fine by me," Marcus said.

"Jeah. We done spent our gats unloadin' at your girl, there, anyway," Andre said, again looking Amanda over.

"We busted enough lead to drop ten niggas, yet you still just kept on comin'. How you do that, anyway? Somethin' happen to you or somethin'...?" Marcus asked.

"You could say that," Amanda replied, tail whipping like a cat's.

Just then, a surge of ghastly moans arose from a street off in the distance.

"We need to get out of here," Blair said.

"Hell's yeah," Marcus said, the four leaving the alley before heading to Blair's vehicle. As they neared it, they spotted an old compact car parked nearby.

"Hold up," Andre said. "That car look aight. Maybe we could use that one, too?" Blair looked over at the small red vehicle.

"Might as well. It's better if we have more than one car in case one breaks down, anyhow," she said.

Marcus and Andre approached the car, trying the doors before realizing they were locked. Andre then pulled a hanger from his pocket, sliding it between the window of the car before popping the lock. As he put it away, he looked to Blair with a leery expression.

"...Damn. That's right, you five-oh, huh? You ain't gohn bust me for that, is you?" he asked. Blair smiled.

"Of course not. Besides, I don't think those laws apply anymore," she replied.

"That's good, 'cause the next step gohn be to jack this muth," Marcus added, opening the door to the car soon after. He then climbed inside, hot wiring the vehicle as the engine started up.

"That was fast. You two are pretty handy, huh...?" Blair asked, folding her arms.

"Hey, you don't live in the ghetto all your life without learnin' a thang or two," Marcus said.

"You guys go 'head. We'll follow ya'll from behind," Andre said.

"Right," Blair replied, getting in her gray four door along with Amanda. As the two took off, Marcus and Andre followed them from behind in their own car, the four heading their way down south once more.

Back in the sunshine state, Caroline drove Claude and the others west toward her father's research facility. Upon arrival, they left the van, looking around at the wrecked condition of the place.

"Looks like the zombies already turned this place upside down. Your old man's probably dead as Julius Caesar by now," Abby said.

"We don't know that for sure. Come on. He might still be inside," Claude said.

He and the survivors carefully approached the entrance as Abby sighed, casually sauntering ahead of them and up to the front door. She calmly stepped inside, boldly entering the dark lobby as the others followed suit. The room was in shambles, broken glass and chairs strewn about as the fluorescent lights flickered above them. Before them was a long, dark hallway with red carpeting, bodies lining the floors along with the other assorted wreckage.

As the five looked down the corridor, they suddenly spotted a small, naked girl crouching near a corpse at the end of the hallway. She stared on at them, eyes wide as her skin was sickly green. Her hair and eyes were black, blood on her hands and lips as she fed on a corpse. The others quietly gasped, her appearance striking fear into the hearts of Hannah and Caroline. As Abby stepped forward, the mysterious girl rose to her feet, quickly running from sight.

"Hey!" Abby exclaimed, hurrying down the hall as the others followed her from close behind. As they turned a corner, they noticed the girl's bare ass as the last of her body vanished into an air vent. Abby moved over to it, staring up as she gave a dry smirk. "Ha! You can run, but you can't hide, brat! I see you!"

"Oh, the poor child! What could have happened to her, anyway?" Hannah asked, hand clasped to her chest.

"She looked unusual. Is she another one like Debra?" Jake asked.

"I doubt it. Debra's complexion was pale, whereas that girl's whole body was dark green," Claude replied. "Plus, she didn't have wings, and looked more or less totally human." Just then, Abby gave a cruel, dark smile.

"...Say. Claude," she said, slowly turning to him. "That girl just now. How old would you say she was...?"

"...I don't know. Nine or ten. Why?" Claude replied.

"And who else do we happen to know around that age...?" Abby asked, smile growing.

Suddenly, Claude's heart sank deep in his chest.

"...No! It can't be...! You don't mean...!" he asked hesitantly.

"Misty!" Abby exclaimed with a wicked grin.