Claustrophobic | Skephalo

Search and Rescue

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Vincent

It's that dog from before. It didn't attack me last time I saw it, so maybe it won't this time, either?

Dave and Clay approaches Vincent slowly from behind.

"A dog? Do you think it's infected?" Dave asks.

"No, I've met it before. It's Zak's dog. He's healthy, and I don't think he'll hurt us."

Clay shuffles forward, placing his hand on the doorknob. "So should we go inside?"

Getting a shrug in response from the other two boys, the door is pushed open. An excited Rocco nearly tackles Vincent to the ground as he greets the newcomers with tail wags and kisses.

"Okay team, let's spread out and search for Zak and Darryl. Clay, you cover the upstairs. Dave, you get downstairs. I'll check outside around the house in case they just stepped out for a moment."

This dog seems a little more attached to me than he does with Dave and Clay. It's probably because he's met me before.

The happy dog follows Vincent outside and is clearly excited to roll around in the freshly watered grass. As his area is searched, Vincent is frustrated at his findings, or lack thereof. He had expected to knock on the door and have Darryl answer it, not waste precious time following their trail.

They better not have gotten infected.

Fifteen minutes or so go by before Clay joins Vincent in the backyard. "Find anything?"

"No," Vincent answers, gesturing to the emptiness around them.

"Well, don't give up yet. Maybe they went out hunting or something."

"No way," Dave argues, joining Clay and Vincent. "They have a stockpile of food and water in there. More than I've seen in a really long time. If I was them, I would never leave."

Vincent shakes his head. "You don't know Darryl and Zak. They probably got bored and went into some town to 'just hang out.'" He holds up air quotes.

"A town?" Clay asks. "There's nothing to do in any towns nearby except kill zombies. Based off what you told us about Zak, it seems like killing is the last thing he wants to do. If Zak wandered into a town like ours," Clay gestures to himself and Dave, "He'd be like a fish out of water. Completely out of his element."

"Wait," Vincent stops him. "What did you just say?"

"Completely out of his element?"

"No, before that."

"He'd be like a fish out of water?"

"A fish out of water... Do you think they went down to the stream? That's the way you said the Enderman went. What if—"

Dave cuts Vincent off. "—Let's go check, then. No need to assume anything."

"Okay. I think the stream flows that way," Vincent says, pointing to the woods connecting to the backyard. "That's where I found Zak the time I accidentally kidnapped him, anyways."

Clay lets out a small chuckle. "I still don't get how you accidentally kidnap someone."

"It was the dog! Uh... What's his name..?" Vincent bends down to look at the dull collar around Rocco's neck. "Rocco. Rocco scared me half to death."

"Speaking of Rocco, are you sure we should let him come with us? If the Enderman is there and Rocco scares it half to death, that wouldn't make things look good for us." Dave says, crossing his arms in a defensive fashion.