A Fighting Chance

𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳

The boys exchange glances at each other before slowly reaching for the door handle, eventually yielding in the man's instructions.

"Stand beside each of your doors and raise both of your hands."

"You better give your heart to god, 'cause your butt is mine." Alex hissed towards the man while shoving his middle finger up, even though he's still standing still beside his side of the door.

"Hah, you sure have balls, kid." The man directed the tip of the shotgun upward and fired three shots. The noise instantly drew the attention of zombies nearby.

"Please don't hurt Taylor, or any of us...We're survivors just like you..." Angel pleaded with both of his hand pressed together. His gaze fixed on the shotgun pointed at Taylor's back.

"Oh really? then let's make this quick. I have your friend, and you have a car. If you give me the car, I'll give you your friend back, unharmed. If you resist, I'll take the car, and your friend's life."

The man's all geared up in a blood stained police uniform. His chevron mustache made him look more intimidating as he tighten his grip on Taylor's wrists.

Taylor mouthed a soundless 'don't' while struggling with his wrists.

"I'm no fool, you bastard. You're gonna shot us all dead anyway." Alex replied.

"Smart boy, but if I were you, I'd rather be killed by a human than a zombie. It'll be less...painful." He pointed his shotgun quickly to the left, as the living deads started to appear from the wheat field, limping their way slowly towards them.

"So which one it's gonna be huh? His life, or the car?"

"Even if you get the car, -our car- where could you even go? The world's doomed. You think with a car, you can avoid your fate? you can avoid death? Give me a break." Alex scoffed, clearly stalling the man and distracting him as the zombies are getting near.

"Chhh yeah, he's got a point. I wonder how'd you even became a police officer with an average look and below average mindset like that." Jesse added insult to injury by mocking the officer. The zombies are limping slowly, but not close enough.

"You guys sure have foul mouths, considering your age. Listen here, punks. I might be alone, but I'm relentless. Those police cars, you ever wondered where's the rest of them? The ones that should've protected you from being shot now? Have you? That's because I popped them all. They were being a pain in my ass, a burden to my survival." The man replied with pride as he pointed towards a farm where three deceased police officers are stacked on top of another.

"You're a psycho!" Taylor gasped in disbelief as he struggles even harder to break free.

They must be his former comrades. To think that he would put out lives ruthlessly just for himself. Despicable!

He continued, "Those fuckers kept stopping to help the citizens while we're running away from town. I can't let them cost me my own life, can I? And don't think I couldn't do the same to all of you punks."

"Before we die, officer. May I know your name?" Alex asked calmly.

"The name's Shawn. So you guys accepted your fate now? Good boy. Don't worry, I'll set up an altar and pray for you when I got the chance." Shawn smirked in delight, his grip on the shotgun loosen.

" Nah, just making sure you'll still remember it after I punch you into next week!" Alex dashed towards  Shawn and drove his left knee on Shawn's chin.

The shotgun fell to the ground and Taylor set off running as Shawn writhed in pain, stunned.

"You bastar--"

Alex quickly floored Shawn with a leg sweep, preventing him from recovering.

"Y'all get in the car quick! Taylor, toss me the stun gun!" Alex said urgently.

Taylor nodded and tossed the stun gun at Alex.

"I said what I said. Your butt is mine." Alex said while pulling the trigger on Officer Shawn's chest.

"Hrkkkk....."

"That's enough Alex! Now get in the car!" Jesse shouted as the distance between Alex and the incoming zombies are detrimentally close.

Alex sprinted towards the car and manage to get in effortlessly.

🦇

"I owe you one." Taylor let out a relieved sigh.

" I know. If there isn't any outbreaks right now, you'd be doing my homeworks for two months." Alex smirked.

"Nice move out there though, thanks again." Taylor smiled.

"No big deal, that son of a bitch deserved it anyway." Alex cracked his neck while replying.

"Language." Dale reminded.

Human fucking scares me. I wonder what kind of person we'll meet next, and will we be this lucky?

As Angel made a left turn, they went pass a few miles, passing by a few cars that might be survivors.  Dale felt thankful that there's still people out there that got their chance to survive and fight for another day.

"...So what do we do, where do we go?" Alex broke the silence.

"There's a camping site quite a few hours drive from here, I expect we arrive at sunset." Jesse replied with a sleepy voice. Probably exhausted after all that adrenaline rush.

He then continued, " I think it's safer for us to lay low on a less exploited area. That camping site is quite concealed and not many people knew about it, not even the locals."

"Then how come you know about it?" Alex asked.

"My father literally lived there. That's camping site is like his getaway. He spent like, 76% of his time there." Jesse replied and let out a little chuckle at the end.

I wonder where you are dad, are you alive out there? I'm pretty sure I'll meet you at the camping site. Just hold on a little bit longer, I'm coming for you.

"Then I'll assume you're quite familiar with the area, Jess." Dale asked Jesse with a slow voice as Taylor has already fallen deep into slumberland, his head rested on Dale's shoulder.

"I am quite familiar with it, actually. There's this spot where I think we could lay low for a while. It's beside a stream, so we'll have a clean water resource and fishes for food."

Dale exhaled with relief. "Thank god. Here's hoping there'll be no more difficulties ahead. Or at least no more encounters with those zombies."

"That, we can all agree." Jesse nodded his head.

"This time we'll be careful." Dale gritted his teeth in determination as the car pulled up infront of the deserted gas station. There's a few abandoned cars and sprayed blood everywhere.

Alright, so here's the tasks. Alex and Angel will loot for supplies, Taylor will guard the area, Dale will scavenge for any spare fuels, and I'll fill this bad boy up." Jesse commanded while patting the roof of the car.

"Wait y'all. Why do you keep getting the easiest job?" Alex said disapprovingly.

"Why don't you wear a sign around your neck that says 'too stubborn to survive'? Can't you just cooperate once in a while?" Jesse replied, his eyes shot daggers at Alex.

"Once in a while? If not for me giving you a chance to show off when you saved Dale, you wouldn't even be so high up your ass." Alex rolled his eyes.

"Sweetie, that's just you being completely useless." Jesse waved Alex off and turned his attention somewhere else.

Alex can't even give me a break! Keeps picking over me again and again. Grow up!

"Be careful and if anything went south, whistle loudly as a signal so we'll know." Dale requested as a safety measure.

"Chill Dale, this place ain't even that big." Alex replied.

"Then that applies not only to this place, everywhere we need to separate, we'll whistle as a signal." Dale said and the whole crew started to disperse.

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