Despite Everything

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The group is silent as the infected pass the windows of the building they're hiding in. Cry leans against the wall under the windows, eyes downcast and arms wrapped around his knees. Signe sits against the couch with Dave, the man keeps glancing at her scared, dark eyes with worry but no words are exchanged. Minx sits next to the door, staring at Entoan's gun that's still in her hands. She just stares at it, fingers trembling and heavy breaths leaving her body. Dan sits against the far wall, in a corner away from the windows so he can't be seen since they're not boarded up.

They're all in shock, they feel lied to and cheated. And now they've lost yet another someone when it could have been avoided. While no one's okay with this, Minx and Signe seem to outwardly be the ones the death of Entoan harms the most. Dave is obviously upset, but he's trying to be strong to make sure he can help Signe be strong. Cry seems to be keeping it all together, though he's clinging to a promise he made that's already broken. They all saw it, well those who were there. 

Entoan chose this, he sacrificed himself knowing they wouldn't be able to save him, too. He willingly gave his life, something none of them thought would happen to any of their friends. While Dan had suspicions that the infection didn't stop back home, just like the others, he wanted to believe that it had. But finding out he was right all along doesn't feel as satisfying as he first thought it would. In fact, he hates it. He doesn't want to be validated like this. 

He was glad at first that he hadn't disclosed his thoughts to the others, but now he wonders if he should have. Perhaps they could have been more prepared. Perhaps Signe's breakdown wouldn't have been so bad if the warning was already there. Perhaps Entoan wouldn't have felt the need to give his life for hers. He shakes his head, closing his eyes as he lets out a heavy breath. What ifs never do anyone any good. What's done is done, and there's no changing that.

The little house is silent except for their breathing and the noises of the undead that's claiming this land, too, or maybe this land's been claimed just as long as the last. They all sit in their places, waiting for the infected to wander away from the area. But as night falls and the sounds haven't ceased as much as they'd like, they're pretty sure they'll be here for the night, if not more so. No one's happy with this outcome. By the next morning the streets around the building have somewhat cleared, and Cry prepares his group to head out. 

Dan walks up to him, frowning lightly, "Do you have any plan for where we should go from here?"

Cry frowns, shaking his head, "Honestly, I don't have any real plan. Right now, I just want to get us out of the city alive. There's far too many zombies roaming around.."

"Zombies?" Dan looks unimpressed, "That's what we're calling them now?"

"That's what they are, isn't it?" Cry sighs, looking back at his friend, "Does it really matter what they're called?"

Dan shrugs, "I suppose not."

"Cry," Dave walks over and Cry turns to him fully, "Yeah?"

"We're in some trouble," Dave admits, "Entoan had most of our food in his bag. So unless we're willing to try and find it among the.. Any remains, we're going to need to do a supply run before we even think of heading off anywhere else."

Cry groans softly, this is not what he wants to hear. They were limited on supplies as was, coming here was supposed to fix all that. He shakes his head, I can't linger to what we were promising here. He crosses his arms, meeting Dave's eyes again, "Alright. I'm pretty sure I know where we are, I'm from Florida, so I should be able to get us at some supplies easily."

"Alone?" Dan frowns, "You're not serious, are you?"

"Of course not," Cry replies, "I never said I was going alone. But I still don't think we all should go. I won't lose anyone else out there, I'll just take Minx with me. We've run supply runs together before we found the two of you, we know how to work together well."

Dave nods, though he still looks uncertain.

"Alright," Dan sighs, "We'll stay in here and wait for you guys to come back then."

Cry nods, "Thanks."

He walks over and kneels in front of Minx, who's still sitting on the floor cradling Entoan's gun. The light shining through sparkles lightly off the rings on her necklace. Cry's eyes soften, "Hey, you up for running a supply run with  me?"

He tries to get a smile out of her, "Just like old times?"

Minx looks up at him and smiles lightly, but there's still pain in her eyes. She pushes herself to her feet and Cry stands as well. She puts on her backpack and pockets Entoan's gun. She nods at Cry and he nods back before turning to the others, "We're heading off now, you all stay here. We'll be back by sundown at most."

"Be careful," Dave says.

Cry smiles, "We will."

"Come back, alive preferably," Dan crosses his arms, "I don't want to have to lead these two if you both die."

Minx glares lightly, but she's not really mad at him. She just doesn't find his attempt at humor funny right now. Or at least she hopes he's trying to make a joke. Cry chuckles awkwardly, "Don't worry, we're coming back."

He waves before leading Minx out, Dan shutting the door behind them. They both look around, and like the dock from the day before, the neighborhood looks deserted, but definitely disastrous. Minx crosses her arms, facing her friend again, "So what's the plan, Florida man?"

Cry lets out a small, genuine laugh before looking back at her with a lopsided grin, "Wanna be my Ellie? Let's stealth our way through this."

Minx chuckles softly, glancing around at their surroundings. Despite what previously transpired, she's glad she can still let herself joke with him. Because of everything, she hasn't felt like herself in a very long time but in this moment, she's reminded what it feels like again. Despite having just lost a friend, she doesn't want to dwell on it. Despite everything, she wants to cling to this semblance of when she was still okay, in hopes of putting herself back together for real this time.

She grins back at him, "Lead the way, Joel."

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