Decrypted

Chapter 4

im having a can of olives for breakfast :)

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The first place Niall thought to visit was the jewelry  store in the mall. After all, Niall had told Harry was going to the mall so he assumed they could be there. 

So, he stomped through the sand that parted under his feet and trampled over the grass that flattened as he walked, until he got to the mall. 

It looked exactly the same as before, still crumbled and deteriorated. He found the same emergency exit door and slipped past, trying to make as little noise as possible.

Sometimes, when he was passing through doors or trying to sneak past fallen pillars or signs, his clothes would get caught and slow him down. 

He would simply rip them off, huff, and grow a little more annoyed each time. After all, he was only used to scavenging around the cove. 

Alas, he had finally gotten into the mall and down the hallway which the store was located. However, he got side tracked with a restaurant that was close by and decided to make a detour. 

He crouched down and made himself as small as possible, not wanting to be seen. The restaurant looked more like a bakery as he inched closer. 

Most of the food had been raided as there were crumbs and small, stale discards of the parts people didn't want scattered across the long, white display tables.

Niall thought he might as well check it out, just to be sure it was all gone, because after all, he was craving something sweet. He cant remember the last time his taste buds enjoyed artificial flavors and sugar. 

So, he crawled over to the place behind the counter, holding his breath and scrunching his face in anticipation.

He hoped no one was back there, he knew he couldn't fight and he didn't want to die on his search. 

Fortunately for him, there was just a dead ghoul slouched against the dirtied, cream wall. A ghoul was somewhat like a zombie, although they just suffer from radiation poisoning instead of a virus. 

The effects are the same, decomposed appearance and mental function with the same thirst to attack any living/moving thing. 

Niall kept his eye on the dead being, grabbing some stale but still edible cookies from the counter farthest away from the ghoul. He had never seen one up close as he was just a scavenger and Milly was the shadow. 

He didn't like the ghoul, not one bit.

Of course the good cookies were gone, like always. He was left with only blueberries, oatmeal and raisin cookies...his least favorite. 

Niall hated raisins so much, he could've sworn he was allergic to them. 

Nevertheless, he grabbed batches and batches cookies and stuffed them into his backpack. The other pastries like fruitcake and black licorice were too close to the ghoul and not worth Niall's time since he had no liking for those kinds of foods.

There was milk lying out of the freezer, emitting an awfully sour and rotten smell which turned Niall away from the backroom. 

With nothing else to scavenge, he exited the building, on high alert, and made his way to the jewelry store. 

As the store came within view, he could see the massive amount of bloodshed that took place in the building. 

The whole front entrance was splashed in a deep maroon. The walls, ceiling and floor were covered, making a red ring of blood.