Survival

Chapter 7: A Close Call

Chapter 7: A Close Call

Talon's P.O.V:

We walk for about an hour until we reach the town center. I nod to Anan. "Here's the plan: Anan, take Parker into the pharmacy and see if you can find any medicine. The rest of you, follow me into the grocery store to see if we can find any food and water. Cool?" They all nod. "Good" Anan and Parker walk into the pharmacy, while we walk into the grocery store. As we walk in, we see the remains of the normal store. I see that people have already been through here. I know that we are the last people to be in this store. I look down the aisles and search for food, while thinking of a way to kill them off without any actual noises. That is when it hit me. No it actually hit me. While I was thinking, a box of matches fell off a shelf I bumped into and it hit me on the head. I smile. I can set the place on fire, and then not only will they perish, I will have a reason for not trying to save them.

After grabbing more food for my group, I run over to the cooking aisle, to see lots of oil. I pick up as many bottles and run towards the entrance. I open the bottles and splash the oil all over the floor and walls. I open the box of matches and lit one. I pocketed the rest and dropped the match. "GUYS THERE'S A FIRE!!!!" I sprint out the entrance and run towards the pharmacy. My plan is going well. I open the door and yell for Parker, simply to make it look like I went to get help. "PARKER, ANAN! THE GROCERY STORE IS ON FIRE!!!!!!" Parker and Anan run to the front with medicine, water and bandages. "It is???? Let's go help them then!" We run back over to the grocery store, to see the entrance in flames. Parker starts to cry. "They're dead! They have to be! Talon!" She leans into my chest, still crying. I hold her close. She asks if we can go back, since she wants to rest up. I agree and we start to head back, Parker still crying. I smile in my head. They shall burn in there and everyone will chalk it up to the fire.

Abby's P.O.V:

I had just grabbed a pack of rice, when I heard Talon yell out. "GUYS THERE'S A FIRE!!!!" I run over towards Tracy and Toni, only to follow them to the entrance. Duncan is there, trying to put out the fire, but it wasn't working. Tracy grabs her water bottle and pours it on the fire, but it only grew bigger. "What are we going to do???" Tracy yells. I freeze, knowing that this was the only entrance into the store. We were going to die. I start bawling. I don't want to die! Toni holds Tracy and I's hands. "It's going to be okay. We will be okay." We lower our heads and silently pray that Toni was right. Duncan is running towards the back of the store. "GUYS!" We turn to see him pointing back towards the food aisle. "I found a window! We can break it and get out that way!" I sent a silent thank you and sprinted behind Duncan. He points to the window and grabs nearby objects to break the window. Chairs, cans of food, etc. Finally, he throws the last chair and it shatters. We climb through the window and quickly run away from the store.

Once we get far enough, we rest on the ground. We hold each other and calm down. "How did that fire start?" Tracy asks. "Oil." Duncan growls. "That bastard put oil down and set the place on fire. He was trying to kill us." That got me thinking. "Why did he try to kill us? Did he not want us to join his group?" Tracy starts questioning. "If he didn't want new members, why didn't he just say so?" Toni jumps in. Wait. "Guys." I start, grabbing their attention. "Remember how he asked Hallie if she was a doctor? He didn't ask her to come along." Duncan's eyes widen once he figures it out. "Which means?" Tracy asks, still not getting it. "It means that his main objective was to get a doctor in his group, but doesn't want new members. He knew we wouldn't just let Hallie go. This way, she stays with them, and he doesn't have to deal with new members and more mouths to feed." Duncan growls even louder, completely upset. He stands up and starts to walk towards the street. "Duncan, what are you doing?" He turns to us and stops. "I'm going to get Hallie back."