Mᴜᴛᴀɴᴛ Aᴘᴏᴄᴀʟʏᴘsᴇ 3: Sᴄᴀʀʀᴇᴅ ❪✓❫

13 || 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐌!

Present Day
𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝟸𝟺𝚝𝚑, 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟽
𝐎𝐬𝐚'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

My ears are rattling, my face and ear lights ripple to concentrate on a mysterious sound outside the building. I didn't recognize these noises at first until it all sunk in and reminded me of them. The herd moaned and limped in the street of the town, and it was heading straight for home. "Infected." Vv sharply called to me. "Get down."

We hunkered behind shelves and broken household items to make ourselves disappear. This was so fast, the infected herd of... Stalkers and Walkers growled, sniffed the air for a delicious scent, and took the quickest glances to the store windows.

"How are we gonna get past them?" I whisper to Vv on my right. "Molotovs?"

"Tough call..." She replied to me. "There's at least fifty of 'em out there."

"How did we not see the herd?" I asked her. "We can't just walk out the front door."

"You said you're a shapeshifter, yeah?" She carefully unzips her bag, taking out the three ingredients for the first Molotov. One glass bottle, an old piece of rag, and a lit match.

"Of course, I am..." I said.

Vv clears her throat. "Transform into a horse. One Molo might save us."

****

𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝗼𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Criss' hair flowed with the wind currents, it delivered new smells every few minutes and gave her a slap in the face from rotting bodies. Her breath shook when she saw the biggest herd after many months of freedom, it's like she's forgotten how to fire a gun or didn't know what safe step to do. "Oh, no. Leo!" She rushed down the stairs and found all group members are fully alert to her call. Regan takes back her gun and listened to Criss trip on her words. "There's -- I can't believe what I'm-- we're gonna die. A--A herd is coming this way."

Raphael and Mikey exchange glances when the bad word of 'herd' filled their heads. Patience and Clementine armed themselves, Faith, Kitty, and Bebop ready their weapons and packs. The 'H-word' is never a joke.

Duke's head was always on Vv. He argued with himself to either go outside, stay in the store, think of a plan, or do something useful. "No, no. Vincent is out there, I need to go get her." He made his choice.

"Don't!" Leo grunted at him. "You go out there, the herd will know where to come. Vv is with Osa, they'll think of something. What we all need to do as a group is quietly grab your things and out the door before the herd reaches our spot."

****

𝐎𝐬𝐚'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

"A horse? A horse with three legs and a peg? What will that do? The herd is directly in front of the store!" My nerves are beginning to send a message to my brain; panic.

"Shut up! Just do what I say and you'll be fine."

Whimpering of fear, I still do what I need to do. Changing my form into the same dark animal I was before-- the large steed who fell through the ice. Soon, I felt Vv climb onto my back... and feeling a body sit tight upon my back. Vv situated her position, tangling her fingers through my mane, a survivor kicking it into gear. "Let me guess; y-you want me to c-crash through the glass?" I stuttered, staring at gruesome faces and false bodies.

"Yes, " She nodded. "On my cue."

****

𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝗼𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

"Pack it up, pack it up," Regan announced as she stuffed all she could in her bag.

Patience sets an arrow on her healthy bow, Regan loads her sniper, Mikey readies his gun, and Criss breathes in and out. For what feels like years of no danger was probably the best break ever until now.