Fragile Hearts [DANGEROUS FELLOWS]

⚠️SIXTEEN: SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM⚠️

"Oh my god, get that thing away from me!"

You laughed as you held out your finger towards Jay, who screamed and backed up against a stack of boxes.

"You're evil, (Y/n)! Evil!" he cried, squeezing his eyes shut. "Please, put it down!"

"What's going on?" asked a voice, and you saw Eugene come in, eating from a box of cookies.

"Jay's scared of a caterpillar," you told him, holding out your finger so Eugene could see the little green bug. He started laughing, doubling over and making some of the cookies spill from the box.

"That's not funny!" Jay whined. "Help, someone please help me!"

"Stop it, they're going to think something is actually wrong," you warned, pushing the caterpillar towards his face and making him unleash another shrill scream.

Satisfied with the torture you dealt him, you went over to a high shelf and reached up, trying to put it on the uppermost part where I wouldn't be accidentally crushed.

"Here," Eugene said, holding out his hand. You got the message and let the caterpillar crawl onto him. He was able to reach the top of the shelf, letting the small bug crawl away.

"I hope it lays a hundred eggs," he said, "that way I can hide them in Jay's room, and he'll have a nice surprise when they hatch."

"Oh, shut up," Jay spat as Eugene left. You giggled to yourself, going back to what you came to the storage room for. You grabbed your backpack, which you left next to the door, and took the metal pole out, weighing it in your hand.

"You think you can take on a zombie?" Jay asked skeptically.

You thought about the first time you really got face-to-face with a zombie, the night you tried to escape. You also remembered Lawrence's warning that day, and how he said you were a danger. Him and everyone else had warmed up to you since then.

"Probably," you said, swinging the pole. "Don't underestimate me."

Jay just snickered, leaving you alone in the storage room. You looked around for anything else useful, your eyes landing on a coil of rope. Just in case, you slipped it into your backpack, heading out of the storage room and closing the door behind you. Harry was just walking by and he waved to you with a smile.

"Lawrence told me to come get you. Him and Zion are already outside waiting," he said, waving you towards the steps. You followed after him, your steps feeling light as you landed on the first floor and pushed out of the entrance doors, seeing Lawrence and Zion in the yard joking about something.

"Here she comes, fashionably late," Zion said, pointing at you. You waved him off as you all began walking towards the gate.

It was a fairly bright day, a slight chill in the air that made you feel alive. You could tell the others were feeling good about the trip as well.

"Man, days like today remind me of that time I jumped off a slide," Zion reminisced out of nowhere, making you laugh so suddenly you choked.

"Zion!" you cried, coughing painfully. He just laughed at you, while Harry pat your back as you continued to cough.

"You okay?" Harry asked after you finished coughing.

"Now I am, but when I first hit the ground I shattered my-" Zion responded, but then stopped. "Oh, you meant (Y/n)."

"You knew he meant me!" you cried, hitting his arm, earning another round of laughter. Zion kept joking around, and the walk flew by in no time.

Lawrence put his arm out, stopping everyone. "We're here," he said, and you looked up to see a large shopping center with all kinds of shops and boutiques. As Lawrence mentioned the day before, it looked untouched, and you almost could've believed the apocalypse never happened.

"One moment," he said, looking around and then picking up a decent sized rock. The group was silent as he drew his arm back, pelting it into the middle of center with a loud, echoing thud.

He waited a few minutes before nodded. "Zombies are sensitive to sound," he explained, waving you all forward, "so that noise would've attracted them if any were around. But it seems like the coast is clear."

There were so many different places to see in the center. Restaurants and coffee shops and clothing stores were only just a few.

"Oh shit!" Zion said excitedly, running off. You followed after him, seeing him go into a small ice cream place. You heard a soft hum and saw the ice cream display still working, cold radiating off of it.

"It must be powered by a generator," you said, taking a step towards the glass. Zion hopped over the counter, his eyes scanning over the many different flavors until they landed on mint chip.

"What are you guys-" came Harry's voice as he appeared in the doorway. His eyes widened when he saw Zion take an ice cream scoop, filling it with ice cream and releasing it into a small cup.

"It still works?" he asked in surprise as Zion began to dig in with a spoon.

"Oh man," Zion said, taking another spoonful. "I haven't had something so good in forever."

Curiosity getting the best of you, you joined him on the other side of the counter and saw cups, cones, and waffle bowls under it. You selected a cone and filled it with a huge helping of chocolate ice cream, giving it a lick. It was probably the most delicious thing you ever tasted. Before you knew it Harry was there too, with his own cone of strawberry ice cream.

"Man, this is like a dream come true," Zion said, sliding back over the counter and gesturing for you and Harry to follow. The three of you walked back out into the center, the place looking deserted.

"Where's Lawrence?" you asked, the leader nowhere to be seen.

Zion shrugged. "Probably in one of the shops. I think we should all split up, cover as much ground as possible."

You nodded in agreement, but Harry seemed hesitant. "I'll stay with (Y/n), just in case," he said.

"Whatever you want. I'll be over there," Zion said, pointing the the left side of the center. "You guys can take the right."

"Good luck!" you called to him as he broke off, towards the other side of the shopping center. You walked with Harry to the right side, looking up and seeing a whole bunch of shops.

"Well, let's get to work," he said, starting towards the first one. And you followed him happily, hopeful that the day would turn out well.