Apocalypse [Pentatonix AU | Kavi / Scomiche]

Chapter 41 - Ambush

"We're almost there," Scott smiled as they set down their bags a few yards away from the side of the highway. It would be a prime spot to camp out for the night, and they still had a few hours before sundown to scavenge the woods for supplies and maybe even something edible.

"I'll get water if y'all are okay setting up camp without me," Kirstie offered, handing Mitch her tent bag. She'd gotten her own, separate from Avi's. Kevin wasn't oblivious to the noticeable divide between Kirstie and Avi, but hadn't brought up the topic either.

"You shouldn't go in the woods alone, Kirstie," Mitch warned. "I can come with you."

"No, you should stay. I'll be fine, really. Don't worry about me." Kevin thought he might've seen her eyes flash toward Avi, who was actively avoiding eye contact completely.

Without any more objections from the group Kirstie headed out into the thick forest with only her shotgun slung over her shoulder. They all watched until she was out of sight, except for Avi, whose eyes were still focused on the grassy terrain beneath them.

The group then began setting up their tent compound, which had now become habitual for them. With the temporary absence of Kirstie, Kevin decided now was the prime time to talk some sense into Avi.

Avi was hammering one of the pegs of his tent into the loose dirt, but stood as Kevin approached him. His usual friendly smile was replaced with only a half nod.

"Kirstie," Kevin said immediately, not wasting time on small talk. Avi immediately went back to hammering with a sigh, as if her name was the equivalent of a 'goodbye'. Kevin continued regardless. "I don't know what's going on between you two, and I know it's not any of my business. But look man, you are clearly completely depressed without her, whether or not you're willing to admit that to yourself. And whatever it is you're arguing about, it's not worth either of you losing happiness. That's all we have left. You shouldn't have to give that up, even-"

"She's in love with another man," Avi said finally, standing. Kevin froze.

"Oh."

Avi sighed, placing a hand on Kevin's shoulder. "I'm okay, Kevin. Really. I don't need her in order to sustain my own happiness. We're all going to be okay."

As if the universe had a sardonic sense of humor, just as Avi said those words someone let out a mangled scream.

The two man grabbed their guns in a panic, rushing across the small compound and toward the sound of the cry. A walker was already on top of Mitch, who was doing his best to hold it off with only his bare hands. Quickly Kevin shot the walker, saving Mitch, however his eyes had landed on the twenty or so more walkers hurrying toward the camp from all sides.

Scott had emerged from his tent as well, beginning to shoot the walkers that were closest while also checking to make sure Mitch was unscathed, which he somehow was.

The four men then began to attempt to hold off the ambush of dead. The sound of constant gunshots sent a ringing through Kevin's ears, but he remained focused, shooting the walkers that were now trampling their tents.

There were more than Kevin had first perceived, and the small group was trapped in the center of the camp, encircled by the mob of walkers. It wouldn't be long until they ran out of ammo, and when that happened Kevin knew their luck would run dry.

"We need a plan!" Scott shouted over the gunfire.

"Keep shooting, that's all we can do until we run out," Kevin vocalized his thoughts.

"And what do we do then?"

Kevin stayed silent as their fate dawned on the rest of the group. He took a deep breath, continuing to shoot. "Try not to waste any bullets. If that means letting them get closer before shooting, so be it. Just make sure you're using each bullet to kill at least one, if not two. And if-"

"I'm out!" Avi interrupted him with a shout, tossing down his gun. Quickly Kevin grabbed the pocketknife from his boot and tossed it to Avi.

Avi ran out from the group's tight formation, thrusting the knife into the nearest walker before quickly removing the blade from its skull and thrusting it into the next. He continued like this for about five or six walkers until the knife got stuck, and with a grunt he kicked the walker backward and retreated into the formation, just as Mitch repeated the dreaded phrase.

"I'm out too."

Scott and Kevin continued to hold the walkers back, but by now they were practically on top of the group. Avi punched the first one that came onto him square in the jaw, causing it to lose it's balance however momentarily.

"I'm out," Scott and Kevin then said in unison, and now their fate was realized.

This was it.

Kevin's thoughts shifted to Kirstie. He thought about her returning to camp, finding their half-eaten corpses. The thought made him sick. What he knew she was about to go through made him sick. They were all she had left, and now they were all about to die, all at once.

Kevin closed his eyes, awaiting death. He thought about his wife, about his daughter. They smiled at him through the memories. And just as he felt death's cool fingers wrap around his neck...

Gunfire. The walker on top of Kevin was blown backward, and the remaining walkers fell almost instantaneously as well as the perpetrator successfully hit headshot after headshot. The men instinctively threw their arms above their heads, as if that would protect them from the shower of bullets. Somehow none of them were hit.

After just a few seconds the noise ceased. Kevin looked up slowly, and sure enough the walkers laid motionless beneath them, all completely wiped out. The lone figure that stood was a small woman who was now running toward them.

Scott ran toward Kirstie as well, wrapping his arms around her and practically picking her up in his embrace. Mitch hurried after him, joining the two. The trio all consecutively embraced, and Kevin could hear Scott and Mitch murmuring their thanks repeatedly.

After the three had pulled apart Kevin then made his way over, pulling Kirstie against his own chest and thanking her as well. As they embraced Kevin let his eyes drift toward Avi, who was glued to the spot, glazed eyes staring at nothing in particular.

"Are you okay?" Kirstie asked, pulling away slightly. He noticed she was glancing toward Avi as well, who had now crossed back to his tent and gone inside.

Kevin nodded, smiling. "Because of you, yes."

"He hates me, doesn't he?" she whispered, nodding toward Avi's tent. But Kevin noticed the second she said it aloud, her expression shifted, as if she knew in her heart that the words she'd just spoken couldn't be further from the truth.

Kevin reassured her regardless. "He does not. He loves you so much, Kirstie. He loves you more than anything, more than anyone. I promise you that."

He noticed tears forming in her eyes. He'd never once seen her cry; she must really be hurting over this. Losing someone you love, that wasn't easy.

Kevin knew the feeling.