Run

Chapter 6

  I slept like a rock that night, barely moved at all. I probably would have slept for longer if it wasn't for the sun blinding me. It wasn't late but I'm glad I woke when I did. 

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the dog staring straight into my eyes. 

Sitting up, I gave a quick stretch before petting the dog who was now sitting in my lap. He seems to be a puppy, or just young and isn't finished growing yet. I may be a cat person but I love dogs. It's probably a bad idea to have a pet now but I don't care.

"I'm gonna call you Victor." I say smiling and squishing his fluffy face in both of my hands. I kiss his snout and pet him as he wags his tail. "Cute little boy." 

 "Ugh. Now you've done it. You're already attached. " Jameson sits up and rubs the sleep from his face. "You named it."

I shrug but respond anyway. "Someone's a little grumpy or are you just jealous?" I smirk and look to Victor. "Someone's jealous of your cute little self. Stupid human, I know. I know." 

"Why're you baby talking a dog?" 

Huffing, I stand up and put my stuff in my bag. 

"Get ready, we're leaving in twenty." I snap before walking around the corner and changing. 

For a stray pup, Victor is very obedient. When we left, twenty minutes on the dot, Victor kept up with us happily. He seemed to get that he should listen to and follow us. Well, me. Jameson is having a silent tantrum. Every now and then he huffs and he doesn't speak, to busy studying the ground as we walk. 

"What?" I snap after he sighs for the thousandth time. 

Jameson jumps at my voice and gives me a startled look. Any other time and I'd laugh at his stupid face but he's too fucking annoying at the moment. I do not like immature and annoying people.

"what?" 

"You're being so dramatic over there, sighing. Is it the dog?" I raise a brow at him. 

Shaking his head, he frowns at the ground again. "I'm sorry. Just..memories resurfacing." Taking a moment to think, he looks up with a fake smile. "Besides, I'm a cat person." 

"The dog," I say suddenly, clearing my throat. "There's something about him. I guess he seems like hope. Victor, to me, represents that even in at a time like this life can still go on, that there is happiness and time for new life. It's proof that these beasts aren't going to be the end of the world. At least I hope so." I didn't realize that we stopped walking and faced each other until I looked up. 

I take a deep, shaky breath. 

Jameson and I are dangerously close. His intense eyes bore into mine, his lips inches from mine. He's looking at me with such a deep, thoughtful expression. 

He starts to lean in as his eyes close. 

My mind races and I panic, stepping back. A yelp breaks the tension and his eyes shoot open as I turn around. "Oh god! Poor baby, I'm so sorry for stepping on you. Poor baby!" I kiss him over and over and whisper a silent thank you to Victor for the distraction but I do feel horrible for the pup. 

I hear Jameson sigh before he laughs. 

Looking over my shoulder, I glare at the boy. Standing up, I place my hands on my hips in a very unlike me manor and raise a brow at him. I'm actually glad he's laughing after what just almost happened. But he doesn't have to laugh, I hurt the fur baby!

Rolling my eyes,  I go to pet Victor but I stop and look to where he is very focused. 

Everything gets fucky then, when the dog barks. Both Victor and I growl as I grab my knife but I quickly put it back in a panic. 

"Holy shit." My eyes widen and I grab Jameson's arm, almost knocking him over. "Run. Run!" The three of us break off into a cold sprint. Victor's yelp must have alerted a horde of those spider things because there were a fuck ton of them chasing us. 

They can't sprint like us but they do manage a nice pace. It doesn't matter though, we all sprint for our fucking lives. There is no way we can fight them all off unless I was confident that Jameson and I could shoot each one without missing.  Which, I'm not.

Glancing over my shoulder. "Faster." 

Even with the beautiful weather that wasn't hot, we were sweating and panting. I didn't keep track of how long we ran without stopping  but even as we jumped, climbed and ducked behind things, we couldn't loose them. 

We couldn't do this much longer. 

"Give me the gun." I instruct, trying to stay running. I start shooting as we duck behind a car and Jameson forms a plan. 

"There's a building ahead. Jump the fence and climb the fire escape." 

Saying it makes it sound easy, but the idea of them knowing we're up there doesn't sit well. We'll be trapped for who knows how long. Besides, we don't know what's up there. 
Without a better idea and the both of us needing a break, I nod to him. 

Gritting my teeth and taking a deep breath, "Ok." Our eyes lock for a moment and then the next I scoop up the dog, we take off running. 

Victor is a bit heavier than I anticipated and he has me lagging behind. Ahead by a couple of feet, Jameson calls for me. 

"Give him to me," panting, I begrudgingly hand Victor over. "Go!" 

Quickly climbing the shoulder high fence, I turn in time for Jameson to shout and chuck the dog my way. Just barely catching Victor, I mumble a quick "good boy" and we're off again. 

"Can you carry him up the latter?" Jameson grunts. There's sweat pouring down our faces, my legs burn and I have to admit defeat. 

"No, not at the moment." I hand off Victor once again. "Go ahead of me, climb first. If something happens then I can catch Victor." 

Huffing, Jameson starts climbing the latter. "See, so much more work for a dog you had to get attached to." 

Smiling despite myself I nod, "What can I say? He's precious." 

Finding an open window about four stories up, I take a moment to look down while Jameson gets in and places the dog on the floor. 

I take a moment to look at everything. I see a city in ruin. Crashed cars, broken architecture, empty skyscrapers. I can almost feel what this place once was with its hum of life as it thrived around here. And then I look down at the hoard of beasts and swallow bile. 

Inside, there is all the more proof that at one time this place thrummed with life. Baby toys are strewn about and well-loved and worn out couches and books. 

"The floor is secure, two other apartments on this level. I locked the stair doors until we look around. We're safe." Jameson knocks me out of my thoughts. 

Taking a deep breath, I let out a loud sigh and wipe the sweat from my forehead. 

"You ok?" He takes a step towards me. "We were running for a while? Take a seat." Jameson reaches out and I shrink back, waving him off. 

"I'm fine, Jameson. Lets make our way up the floors." Whistling for Victor, "Lets go buddy." Ruffling his ears, we make our way upstairs and clear each floor in relative silence. 

The exhaustion really hits around floor seven. I don't allow myself to rest , knowing that if I do I won't get back up for a while. Jameson on the other hand, he doesn't seem to be doing as well. He takes a moment to pause on the stair case.

"Come on, James." I pat his back. "One more floor and then we can rest." 

Shaking his head, Jameson groans. "Can hardly breath." 

"I know, lets keep going. You can do this. A couple more stairs and then the first safe room we see, you can lay down. Sound good?" I cough, my throat has been on fire from yesterday. My back sore from being pushed into the ground. 

It takes longer than it should to get up the last flight of stair but as promised, we get into the first apartment. I lay down on the bed first, breath loud and raspy. Jameson collapses next to me, both completely exhausted as today ans yesterday catch up to us.