Dead Hope

Lauren was gazing out the window, it was music class and she didn't have much interest in it. All she could think of was the experiment that her dad told her the laboratory were working on. She was always concerned about his safety because of the fact she knew how dangerous it was to work with chemical. Suddenly, her so called best friend pushed her.

"You awake slut? Who would care if the experiment went wrong?" Karis questioned without hesitation. Lauren was the type that never really argued back but this time was different, Karis took it too far. "Just because your family left you for some stupid job, doesn't mean it is the same for me!" Lauren replied in anger. "Don't talk to Karis like that, get lost freak" the whole class exclaimed. The room suddenly became silent.

Her phone suddenly rang.

"Get everyone out of school and to safety!" coming from the other side of the phone "The whole city is a disaster". The call was... Cut off. Lauren knew right then that the experiment had ended in failure. She shouted at the phone for a reply, but no answer.

"Everyone, an experiment from the science facility just led to a disaster. You have to all get home now!" she warned while shaking in terror. No one listened, not even one. Suddenly, the teacher came rushing back to class explaining about what Lauren had just said and the whole class rampaged out of the classroom. Lauren dragged Karis with her.

While rushing through the school corridor, Lauren looked out the window to see that a horde of the infected were hungrily waiting outside by the gate. It was just like one of those horror movies turning into reality.

By the time Lauren and Karis got to the other end of the corridor, the whole school was already deserted apart from them. They were lost in terror, even though they have been to the school for a long time. Their mind just went blank. All of a sudden a moan sounded through the school followed by a scream...

This was it, the start of an end. Every door came by a pile of zombies, the only way was to to jump out the window but it was too high. They didn't have a choice but to jump. Karis jumped first without thinking, Lauren following behind. The height was pretty big and it led to some major damage to the leg. Never mind that, they carried on limping out of the school ground only to be greeted by more zombies. They were too young to look after themselves, they needed someone to come help them...

They finally made it out to the street of Noralisaniler.

Liam watched the people shuffle and stumble around on the streets from his loft above his bar. 'A lot like drunks,' he thought silently, flicking a bit of ash from his cigarette onto the floor. Empty bottles lay around the apartment, dull in the grey light from the window. His bed was unmade, his floor was littered with clothes and ash. He didn't mind.
Liam had to have a plan, he always did. 'Right now,' he thought, taking in the zombies on the streets below, 'is time for contemplation.' He grabbed a flask and poured himself a drink, figuring he would need a little liquid bravery to manage to slip out of this one. Liam screwed the cap back on the flask, tucking it into his bag, along with several dish rags, socks, and bottles of moonshine he had picked up. Into the leather messenger bag he also shoved a change of clothes and a picture of his family. He sipped on his whiskey, enjoying the sting as it went down. His mind was foggy, which was probably for the best at this point. He flipped his lights off, locking his bedroom door, shattering his glass against the floor to deter any looters that might try to break in.
Calmly, almost lazily, he walked down the stairs, and into his driveway. He put the bag in the back of the car, and quickly hopped into the driver's seat, jamming the keys into the ignition and speeding off. He didn't care what he hit, as long as whatever these things were didn't get to him.
Liam sang along to a song he had heard on one of his father's records once, trying to fight off the familiar feelings of fear, doubt, and seth-loathing, still smoking on his cigarette.

Liam saw the girl. She was a faint blob with blue hair on the horizon, so alive compared to the living dead that filled the streets. He decided to try and approach her.
He never really liked people, but he felt somewhat obligated to help this girl. Something about the way she stood reminded him of his sister.
One difference though: he would not allow her to get killed like his sister probably did, losing her humanity to some stupid virus.
He sped up, until he reached her, driving beside her as she walked, holding his cigarette in one hand. "Hey, need a ride?" he asked. The words were so casual and unfitting to the gloom and depression that filled the streets, he almost laughed.
He liked this girl, even though he was a bit buzzed, he could see that she was obviously strong and capable.
'This should be interesting, I suppose,' he mused.

"This city has really gone downhill," Liam remarked quietly, watching the zombies shuffle slowly. He blinked for a moment, flicking his cigarette out the window, rolling it up, and driving. He paused a moment, and then remembered that he was supposed to introduce himself. "My name is Liam. Nice to see someone who isn't like them," he gestured to the zombies outside the car. "I apologize for such short notice, normally I wouldn't just pick people up off the street, however, I believe an exception is in order in this case." He kept his eyes on the road, not even flinching as a zombie hit the windshield and slid off, leaving a trail of blood. Liam flipped on the windshield wipers, swiping the bloodstain off, and then let the wipers lay idle again. "Any idea if there's anywhere we should go? I honestly don't have any particular place that would be any safer than this car, and this car is like a mobile cage. Not safe at all, not safe." He sighed, not liking this situation. The odds weren't in his favor.

"I've found that anything that can go wrong, will." Liam shrugged a little. "I think that pretty much everyone else is either zombie food or next up on the menu. I say we find somewhere we can get a few supplies, maybe double check the area for extra survivors." He fell silent, considering the options. "I may even rub myself in dead stuff, maybe that would make me seem less human."
Liam could feel his panic setting in, and took a deep breath in. "Tiffany, tell me something about you. I want to know someone new, in case I never get the chance to again. It doesn't even have to be personal, it could be that you have a dog named Puggle, just say anything to make this feel a little less like death row." He was a little stunned at his own impulsiveness, but whiskey was known to make friends. He had seen in happen a lot recently, at his bar. His mouth worked before his brain, but atleast it wasn't as bad as other times.

"Tiffany, I wouldn't know what a hard life is like. I had it easy, I always made my own trouble. You had it handed to you, and I think that that's unfair. I could try to find Amy, but I'm going to be honest, she's probably dead. And if she happens to somehow be one of the zombies, I won't hesistate to kill her." He smiled a little, a glint in his eye. "If we die, I promise, it'll be fighting." He drove down an alley, weaving through the narrow backroads of the city, making it to another street that had less of the monsters on it. "I bet some other unfortunate person is out there on the streets, wishing they had just been taken so that all this frickin' pressure would be gone." He sighed. "You gotta envy the mindless, atleast a little. They're dead. They don't have to worry anymore." He chuckled darkly, realizing how morbid he sounded. He grabbed the flask, unscrewing the cap, taking a few swigs, and shoving it back into his bag. "Sorry, that's probably the last type of thing you wanted to hear right now. I have a tendency to screw up social situations, so if I'm near you very long, get used to things like that happening."

He smiled. "Thank God you said that, Tiffany." He laughed a little, feeling better. "I'm not laughing at what happened to you, no, God that's awful, and I'm really sorry about that. I'm just so relieved that you had the guts to say that to my face. It's refreshing." He felt more relaxed, unsure if it was the brutal honesty, or the whiskey. "I have bombs. Don't worry, you won't die. You're a survivor. In your position, I would've jumped off a bridge or hung myself, but you go on and still manage to be you. You'll live, I have a good feeling about that." He smirked, almost able to forget that he was being hunted by walking human cadaver cannibals. Almost.

Liam sighed. 'Leave it to a girl to worry about a dog like that one,' he thought, reluctantly stopping the car. "Tiffany, if any of them come near the car, drive off, okay? I'll save the mutt." He climbed out of the car, grabbing a bottle of moonshine, a dustrag, and his cigarette lighter. He squatted down, seeing the zombies already starting to notice him. "Here, doggy," he called in a soft voice. The animal came over to him, trotting, ever so slowly. As soon as the dog was a few yards away from the zombies, he popped the lid off the moonshine, drinking a little, and ramming the rag into the bottle, making sure the rag got soaked in alcohol. He lit it on fire, and tossed it at the zombies, picking up the dog and his lighter. He turned, and sprinted towards the car, debating whether or not saving the flea-ridden thing had been worth it. He heard panicked moans behind him, and the smell of flesh burning.

Liam saw it, and his breath caught in his throat. Tiffany was in there. For a moment, reality blurred into the past, when the zombies had eaten his little sister before he had run up to the loft. So cowardly. "Stop!" He screamed, and he grabbed a bottle, smashing the zombie over the head with it, hoping he would turn and come towards them. Liam set the dog down, and it scampered behind him, staying close. She wouldn't die.
Liam knew she wouldn't. That was not an option. He would never be a coward again.
'Does your life mean so little?' he wondered. He knew the answer, in his heart, was yes. Dying for Tiffany would be one good thing to only begin making up for all the other horrible things he had done.
So, Liam used the broken bit of the bottle to cut his finger, wondering if the blood did anything to make him seem more appealing. 'Liam, you idiot, they're zombies, not Dracula,' he chastised himself mentally.

Liam obeyed, climbing into the car wordlessly, and slamming the door shut. He lit a cigarette with shaky hands, taking a drag. He floored it, screeching off. "Next time we see a dog, I swear.." Liam let his voice trail off, nervous. His posture was rigid, and his face remained placid and composed. Inside though, he was screaming.
Coming that close to death had somehow made him feel more alive.
His hands slid on the steering wheel that was a little slick from the self-inflicted finger injury.

Liam sighed, a little on edge, remembering all the brutal dog attacks he had seen on the street. He'd die before he admitted it, but that dog scared him senseless. Liam did notice, though, that Tiffany seemed to be a lot happier with the animal around.
He would just have to tolerate it.
Liam turned his path, deciding to go to the school. Anyone there was probably very, very stupid, because the hallways were a maze that one could easily become a sitting duck in.
'But,' he reasoned, 'survivors could've gone there, thinking it was some kind of rallying point.' He made up his mind, and started the drive to the school. He hummed 'Blackbird' by the Beatles, finding the melody a little uplifting, although he knew it would take more than the bars of a song to make him happy again.

"A few minutes," Liam said. He was smoking, and it had taken the edge off of not being immortal and having that fact thrown in his face. "I hope that there might be others there. There are three seats in the back, possibly four if the people are particularly tiny. I don't expect it to be just us out here. I would drive you insane after a while." Liam laughed a little, only half joking around. He for some reason, thought of the night his girlfriend left him.
He had been insane, and he knew what his attitude had done to other people. Tiffany wouldn't behave any differently, after a while, she was only a girl, after all. He turned onto a zombie-filled street, turning off his wipers to wipe the creatures' guts and blood off, if the need arose.

"Well," Liam said, turning the car around and driving to a secluded area in the city surrounded by high walls. He opened the gate leading into the area, drove the car in, and then shut the gate. The zombies would have a difficult time breaching the walls, though it was not impossible. "If we're planning on survivng, we need to sleep." It was not negotiable. "I will take first watch. You and Fido can stay in the car. Sleep tight, don't let the zombies bite." He grabbed his messenger bag, turning off the car, locking the door, and then shutting it. He sat up on the hood of the car, hearing the chourous of moans from the other sides of the walls, waiting to find them and feast on them. It was haunting, almost poetic. The stars and moon cast an eerie glow on the scene. Liam smiled a little.

Liam heard her awake, moving around inside the car. She was brave and headstrong. Liam paused, smiling a little. It had only been a couple hours, and he was already willing to do almost anything to keep her alive. Tiffany had such a hard life, he knew. He felt selfish for how cowardly and cruel he had been in the past, felt selfish for living so well when she had such a hard time. Liam whispered quietly into the night air, "Perhaps what I'm feeling is compassion?" A chourous of the zombie's cries was his only reply. It had been such a long time since Liam had felt anything close to friendship, much less wanted to feel anything like that. He wasn't sure he knew how. All he knew was that somehow, they'd make it out alive. Again he grinned, thinking to himself. How cliche of you, Liam. How very like the movies. Of course, in the movies, people survive. This is reality, Liam, so don't expect things to get better. Despite this type of thinking, Liam still felt a small surge of hope.

The only zombie movie he had ever seen was Shaun of the Dead, and the people in that were total failures. He doubted he could keep these things on a dog leash or train them to be grocery store clerks. Liam lit a new cigarette, and had a drink. He had to come up with a new plan, something to do, somewhere to be. In his mind he listed places around the city, wondering if they were safe or not. He suddenly had an awful thought. What if it's spread everywhere? He shook his head, not wanting to think.
Things had gone so horribly wrong. Everyone was dead, the school was overrun-no, the city, for God's sake. Liam stopped, deciding instead to focus on what had gone right.
He had saved two living things. He had managed to stay alive. He hadn't used up all his cigarettes yet. He still had whiskey. He realized the thing he dreaded most was running out of whiskey and cigarettes, a forced return to his fragile soberness. He turned to look in the windshield, and saw her looking at the gate. He gave a little wave in her direction, not caring if she saw or not, because he needed to know he wasn't the only one left.

Liam watched her quizically. What was she doing?
He went into the car, grabbing his bag, taking it onto the hood of the car with him. He didn't like where this was headed, and if it came to a fight, he'd be ready. "Be careful, Tiffany, we can't be having death wish moments," he called after the girl, secretly pleading with her mentally to turn around and not go near the zombies. Be careful, Tiffany.

"Not everything is gone. There's always a reason for something," Liam said. "Don't call it luck, either, call it misfortune." He felt guilty for not being able to lift her spirits. "I think that you should live just to prove to everyone you can. Live for Amy, and all the other people who died without a chance."
Liam was being a hypocrite, he knew. It wasn't all that long ago that he had been trying to end his own life. He wouldn't let that happen to Amy, though. "I blew up all those zombies to save that dog for you. If you are reckless and die, then I will never be able to forgive you for such a waste of perfectly good moonshine."
He tried to smile in the dark, looking at her shadowy figure near the fence, feeling a bit of remorse for dragging her here with him instead of letting her find someplace safe on her own. He certainly wasn't ideal company.

It was nearly a whole day gone by already, it felt more like a year had gone by ever since this all happened, getting worse at every hour passing by.

Wandering the deserted street near the school were Lauren and Karis, all tired and stressed. They were looking for a safe hide out but nothing so far... From such a far distance, a horde of zombies came rushing at them. It was scary, real scary. Karis knew that probably only one of them were going to survive so she kicked Lauren in the leg, leaving her more injured than before. "Bitch, only one will survive and that ain't you" Karis warned. The zombies were getting closer and closer as Karis ran away feeling all innocent. Lauren was in trouble, she knew her only way out now was to force herself into the entrance of the shopping mall.

His knife tore through the packaging savagely, ripping the tape that held the box together. Lifting the flaps open, he almost gagged at the raunchy stench of its contents.
The deputy peered around the corner at the gagging teen, his brow cocked in amusement. “Anything good?”
“There ain’t shit here.” Judas retorted, kicking the box over with brute force. He turned to glower at his companion, enraged by this spontaneous misadventure. “What did you think we’d find here?” he demanded, “This is a mall, for Christ’s sake. It’s not like the food court’s going to have canned food or medical supplies.”
“We can’t make our way across town with that hoard coming,” The deputy told him, “We barely have any means of protection.”
“You’ve got a gun,” stated Judas bluntly, “I’ve got my knife. What else do we need?”
“I don’t have the ammunition to waste on a hoard, Jude. And no matter how badass you think you are, you can’t take down all those zombies with just a knife.”
Judas snorted, “Speak for yourself.”
He pushed past the officer and left the restaurant, making his way to the center of the food court. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one, taking a drag as he took in his surroundings. It had only been a day, but you couldn’t tell by looking at it. The mall had been torn apart on the inside. They’d had to clear out a few of those monstrosities on their way, the reanimated corpses of those who’d been trampled to death when people made their escape in a fear-driven flurry. The inside of the shops had been left in devastation, an aftermath of rioting people fueled by horror.
Everything had gone to shit and it had only been a day.
Judas didn’t know how this all had happened. If any reports of it on the news were broadcasted he hadn’t heard it. But he won’t deny that he was kind of thankful the world had gone to hell.
How do you think he ended up with a police officer of all people? He was in the back of the cop car when people went crazy and the dead started roaming the streets. That deputy back there was taking him to the station. Then, suddenly the radio frequency went dead and the guy nearly killed them both trying to fix it. He’d almost hit a person, but upon further recollection Judas remembered it to be one of those zombie things. They ended up in a ditch on the side of the road. Luckily the impact beheaded the thing or they would’ve had that to deal with.
Aimless walking and reluctant trust—on the deputy’s part—resulted in the two of them working together to find some shelter or some help. But everyone was looking for help.
It’s amazing how a long walk down a stretch of highway can bring you closer to the last person you’d want to connect with. The deputy certainly had formed a different opinion of Judas than he’d first had. He’d thought of him as a lowlife delinquent with a hefty string of petty theft. For a long while the kid just acted like a complete dick but he was beginning to look past that. Judas, on the other hand, was still on the fence about this guy. He contemplated just ditching him quite a few times but, as the cop said, he couldn’t fight of a group of those things with just a hunting knife no matter how badass he was.

Eventually, after the deputy scourged the whole food court for any nonperishable items, Judas walked towards the front entrance of the mall. Daylight was slowly dwindling away and that hoard was growing ever closer. It made him on edge thinking about it, his mind swaying towards pessimistic as he imagined how screwed they’d both be if those geeks somehow busted their way through.
He didn’t realize how paranoid he was making himself until a hand grasped his shoulder. Judas jumped back and turned, his knife at the deputy’s throat. Silence strung out between them as Judas calmed down his heavy breathing and lowered the weapon. He tucked it into his belt and turned away, his head held high as he tried to conceal his embarrassment.
There was a pregnant and awkward pause between the two of them until the deputy asked, “You got a family outside these walls, kid?”
Oh great, Judas growled inwardly, small talk. “No. You?”
“A wife and a son.” He responded, his voice laden in nostalgic happiness and worry, “He’s not much younger than you, my boy is. Reminds me of you in a way.”
“You’ve been raisin’ him wrong then.” Judas quipped.
The deputy let out a warm chuckle as his eyes drifted out towards the outside. His gaze suddenly fell on a person in the parking lot just outside the door they’d barricaded. His laughter fell short as he leaned across the tipped over vending machine to get a closer look. It was a girl. A high school girl from the look of it. And she was hurt. He couldn’t tell how badly from here but her leg was definitely part of the problem.
Judas looked at his companion from the corners of his eyes, his gaze following that of the deputy’s and falling on the wounded girl in the parking lot. His face dropped, “Don’t even think about it.”
The deputy sprang into motion, moving to the end of the vending machine to clear the door. “Come help me with this.” He commanded without looking up to meet Judas’s frazzled stare.
“We don’t know this girl! What if she’s turned?”
“Do you see that hoard coming into the lot?” The deputy hollered, dropping what he’d managed to lift to gesture to the outside, “If she is alive then they’ll tear her apart.”
“Good! That’ll give us plenty of time to get the hell out of here!”
“I won’t let an innocent little girl die!”
“We can’t afford that luxury!” Judas argued. “Like you said, we don’t have any means of protecting ourselves. What if the hoard gets too close and we end up dying just because you want to stick your neck out for some girl you don’t even know?”
The deputy groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically as he wielded his pistol, pressing the barrel into Judas’s forehead. “My job is to protect and serve, boy.” He enunciated in a threatening tone, “Let me do my job and help me unblock this door.”
They engaged in a silent battle of will, glaring at each other until one of them finally gave in. It was Judas. He relented, cursing under his breath, heaving the vending machine up vertically again with the deputy’s help. The officer reached for the door but Judas held him back with a firm grip on his arm.
“Give me your gun.” Judas told him, his face composed as he was met with the deputy’s disconcerted expression. “I’ll cover you while you bring the girl inside.”
He reluctantly obliged, handing over his only means of protection to a kid he could barely trust. Judas cocked back the hammer and followed the deputy out, jogging behind as he sprinted to the girl’s aid. The hoard was approaching fast but he wouldn’t waste bullets when they were far enough away. He glanced down at the girl as the officer cradled her in his arms. She was nearly unconscious, with bruises and open wounds from having dragged herself all the way here. Judas shook his head, turning his focus back on the oppressing hoard, aiming at the walking corpse at the front.
“What’s your name, darling?” The deputy whispered, barely audible under the groans and moans of the undead.
The girl shifted weakly, “L-Lauren…”
“Ugh…hey, guy…?” Judas interjected, his voice wavering in anxiety as the hoard traveled closer faster than he’d originally anticipated.
“We’re going to get you inside, Lauren. Don’t worry.” The deputy insured her, lifting the girl up bridal style in his arms.
“Can we hurry this along please?!” Judas shouted, firing off two bullets into the heads of the two corpses leading the hoard. The deputy’s head snapped up as the zombies broke out into a run, screeching and roaring in bloodthirsty hunger. The cop ran towards the door, girl in tow, while Judas fired off shots left and right, never wasting a bullet.
“Judas!”
Judas turned at the sound of his name to see the deputy struggling to open the door. The distance between them and the zombies was lessening considerably as seconds ticked by. Judas slung his attention back to the hoard, crying out when he was met with a zombie face to face, its breath reeking of guts and rotten flesh. He wacked it upside the head and made a beeline for the door, opening it and launching himself inside. The deputy followed shortly after, handing Lauren off to Judas as he felt the undead beasts grabbing him by the back of his shirt.
The sound of his agonizing cry tore through the empty air of the mall as the zombie gnawed at his neck. Judas quickly set Lauren down a considerable distance away and rushed for the door, taking out the geek and running up to shut the door behind the deputy. Weakly and bleeding profusely, the deputy made his way to the opposite side of the vending machine.
“Kid! Move!” he hollered, panting heavily. Judas jumped out of the way and the vending machine came crashing down, blocking the front door.
Judas looked back at them, scratching at the glass door and pounding away, adrenaline surging through his veins. That door wouldn’t hold them for long, he realized. He looked to the deputy for guidance and his gut clenched at the sight of the man before him. He was laid back on the floor, a pool of blood staining the tacky carpet beneath him as the gaping wound pulsated. Judas knelt beside him, reaching up with a shaky hand in an attempt to stop the bleeding. The deputy stopped him.
“Don’t bother, Jude. I’m not coming back from this.” He told him, his voice tired as tears ran down his pallid cheeks.
“What do I do?”
The deputy looked over to the girl a few feet away, “Get her to safety.” He managed, his gaze finding Judas’s once more. “Take the girl and haul yourself in a store and hide. Don’t come out until they’ve cleared out of here. Take my bag, it’s got a first aid kit in there and the supplies we found at the gas station a while back. Don’t let that girl die.”
Judas faltered a moment but nodded nonetheless. He stood, pointing the gun at the deputy’s head. He didn’t say anything as he pulled the trigger, killing the man with mercy.
The gunshot alerted the undead outside, making their efforts all the more determined. Judas looked at them in utter disgust, walking away with the gun tucked into his belt. He rushed into the food court and grabbed the bag before coming back for the girl, heaving her up in his arms the way the deputy had carried her. Jogging swiftly, he found a bookstore towards the back exit of the mall. He knew he couldn’t make it outside lugging this girl around. So he opted for the store.
Judas took the girl inside, laying her and the bag down behind the counter. Moving quick in consideration for time, he knocked over bookshelves and piled them up strategically in front of the doors and windows. There was an emergency exit at the rear end of the store they could run out of just in case, of that he made certain.
Letting out a sigh, Judas fell to the ground on his rear, leaning up against the barricade. With a shaking hand he pulled out another cigarette.

"Amy." Liam smiled, watching her hold the puppy. "I like it." For a moment, seeing Tiffany so lost in the dog, he could forget his terror and just be happy to see something so normal, so average. "She'd be proud," Liam whispered, half smiling. He tossed his things lazily in the bag, stomping out his cigarette on the concrete. He opened the car door, throwing the bag in as well. "Where do you suggest we go now, Tiffany? We could try and stay here, I just am not so sure that the fence will hold them off forever. And food, and stuff, is probably needed." Liam's mind was already once again whirling through all the possible scenarios.

---

The nicotine did its job, soothing the beating heart that threatened to burst out of his chest. Soon his shaking hands began to settle, resulting in a minor tremor as he ran his fingers through his unruly hair. Judas brought the vice to his lips, taking another long drag and exhaling a noxious cloud of fumes into the stuffy air. The shop reeked of old books and the scent of freshly published bindings. He found no solace in this smell. He was never one for reading books, even when he was obligated to. He lightly considered how much better he'd be if he'd shacked up somewhere with more suitable forms of entertainment. Perhaps a GameStop so he could play Left 4 Dead or something of the like. He chuckled darkly at the thought.

Judas hated this. Down time like this often spurred unwelcome thoughts, unwanted feelings. Like the feeling of guilt. His mind went on a rampage, giving him any different scenario that would've saved the deputy. His thoughts went so far as to say it should've been him. That man had a family, a wife and child that would never see him again. Judas had no one. He could fall of the face of the earth and no one would care, he wouldn't be missed. But the deputy...the deputy would be missed. Judas ashed beside himself, taking another long drag as he played over what had just happened like a movie in his head.

He'd like to give himself some sort of credit but his pride wouldn't allow it. Sure he'd taken out a bunch of them back there but not the one that matter. There was a pack of them, and they were so close knit that even someone with the worst aim could've hit at least two of them. He should've shot the one that nearly had him, Judas told himself. It was that same geek that got hold of the deputy. If he'd been thinking clearly maybe the deputy would still be alive. He was in no way a hero.

Hell, he wanted to leave that girl.

He glanced over to the counter, almost relieved that he couldn't see her huddled up back there. Judas wasn't about to check on her, not right now. Not when he was belittling both himself and the deputy for taking such stupid, drastic actions. If only that man hadn't have been so damn chivalrous. If he would've left that girl be he'd still be here. If Judas had fought harder.... Would the deputy have shot him? If he had none of them would've made it out. But surely the man had thought that through. Surely he'd known that Judas would've relented eventually. The man wasn't the brightest cop he'd ever come across but he certainly wasn't far off.

Judas grunted and gripped his knife at his belt, stabbing it into the back of one of the toppled over bookshelves. All this mulling over 'what if' was starting to piss him off. No use with thinking what could've been, he had to think of what to do next.

As he heard the girl let out a soft moan behind the counter, Judas found himself completely unsure...

Zack walked looking for a safe place to stay. He saw a car and decided it would be best to find somewhere to rest. Cautiously he approached the vehicle, making sure there were no zombies in the car.

Liam held up his hand, a glint in his eyes. He saw the man-boy, really-on the other side of the car. Silently, he walked behind the person, and quickly grabbed him around the neck. "Nice to see you're alive, but I would suggest asking permission before you try to steal my car." He turned to Tiffany, smiling at her, never loosening his grip. "Yes, I think that I will need you to drive."
Liam looked at the scrawny teenager he had in a death grip. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Um excuse me. Could you please let me go? I didn't plan on stealing anything. I needed a place to rest for a bit. I have come a long way and I am extremely tired." Zack held his hands up to the arm around his neck, struggling to get free.

"I don't mind I just don't like being strangled very much." Zack still struggled, trying to loosen the grip of the man who appeared to be Liam. He was a bit weak and was tired and hungry. He had not eaten in a few days.

"Don't apologize for me, Tiffany, I can do that for myself." He let go of Zack, looking at him. He ruffled the kid's hair. "You can never be too careful, Zack." Liam smiled to think that in all of this hell he had found himself in, he had somehow met two new people in the span of hours, far more than he had as a bartender. "I'm sorry. You can't just walk up to people like that though. Not these days, anyways." He dusted his hands off, looking at the two people. "Well, I guess we have a new member of our group, because Tiffany wouldn't want you to starve or anything. Although we may starve in the process of trying not to starve, I can swear we will get an 'A' for effort, eh Zack?"

Zack fiddled with his thumbs and turned and looked at the car. "Oh um...coming!" He half-ran to the car and couldn't decide whether to sit in the front or back seat. Finally, he jumped in the back.

Liam shrugged, getting into the car, sitting shotgun considering the car was his. "Let's go to the school, Tiffany." Liam felt safer and better about their odds the more people he got, even though they'd have to get even more supplies. "Zack, kid, welcome to the family, we aren't patient people, but we have fun anyways."
Liam liked the kid, he seemed pretty decent. It was nice to think in the event of his death, Zack would be able to care for Tiffany.

Liam looked at the girl. She was obviously the model type.
'I never did like the conventionally beautiful girls.' Liam thought. He didn't say anything, just observed the girl. She had princess written all over her. She was in it for herself.
Still, she was vunerable, and he felt the same obligation to her as he did to Tiffany, although not as strong an obligation. He still shot her a smile, hoping to seem a little friendly.

((Btw, the GM let me take control of her character while she is on break))

Zack blushed and kept looking down at his hands. He was getting a bit nervous having so many people around. He was used to being alone at all times. People usually avoided him.

Liam coughed. He didn't like the way this girl made Tiffany uncomfortable. "Yes, well, welcome to our group. Do you know of any other survivors?"
He refused to say her name, afraid he would spit it out instead of saying it normally. Afraid, he supposed, to offend her by revealing his dislike towards her. He shot a look at Tiffany, trying to gauge her reaction to their most recent member.

Liam didn't know why he didn't like Karis. She hadn't done anything wrong. Maybe it was the way she reminded him of his last girlfriend, Sara, or the way she held herself as if she knew that everything she wanted was hers.
He just put on a fake smile, hoping she didn't pick up on how on edge she made him feel. He felt sorry for Zack, crammed up in his backseat with her.

"Oh, too bad." Liam felt his nastier side start to come to the surface. "If it were between you and the dog, the dog would stay. She's been here longer, and she actually knows when it's time to be serious." He pointedly looked at Karis, hoping she got the point.
"I think we should go to find supplies, Tiffany," Liam said.
Karis was being such the snot, and Liam knew that somehow it wasn't just the pressure of the whole apocolypse thing causing her to act that way, either. He shook his head a little bit, sighing, accepting that it would be wrong to kick her out to die; and thus, she would stay.

"Karis, we all have to pull our weight around here." He glared at Karis. "You either get off your ass and get your hands dirty, or you don't stay in this car." He smiled at her, the smile he used when kicking out drunk patrons. "You wouldn't have to go home, but you can't stay here. And another thing, Amy has double the brains you have, obviously. She works harder than you ever would, Barbie."
He flinched, knowing he was being cruel, but not really caring. He didn't feel mad: in fact, he felt nothing in particular at all.

Liam groaned. "Karis, if you go any farther, you really are dumber than the dog. You know you are potentially risking our lives, and yours? And if you got us into trouble, or died, I'd make sure that when I killed you for the second time as a zombie, it'd be painful."
Liam strapped his messenger bag across his body, climbing out of the car, crossing his arms. Zack remained inside, and he shut the doors, letting the kid sleep. He owed him that much, since he had almost killed him earlier.

Liam overheard, and clenched his jaw. "Karis, the thing is, Tiffany is brave, smart, and unique. She's leagues above anything you will ever be. I called you Barbie because you have a plastic attitude and there's thousands of others exactly like you. So shut up. You aren't helping anyone or anything."
Liam radiated anger, and walked a few feet ahead of the girls. "We have zombies on our list of enemies, Karis. Do I need to add you?"
He looked back at them, turning, waiting for them to say when they went inside.

Liam just shook his head at the girls. "Look for any food or blankets or weapons. Canned foods, things that will keep." Liam started digging through the ransacked pharmacy aisles. He knew that anything at all would be better than nothing.
He ignored the conflict between Karis and Tiffany for a moment, wondering if all girls stirred up trouble like that, or if it was just the ones around him. He frowned, picking up a first aid kit. Shrugging, he threw it in his bag. I can find a use for it.
As he dug through the stuff, he wondered why he felt so protective of Tiffany. She hadn't done anything particularly out of the ordinary, he supposed. He just wasn't sure.
Girls. Always such trouble. He sighed and kept looking for anything of use.

Liam heard her yelp. He grabbed a can of hairspray that lay on the floor. He ran over to Tiffany, jumping on the back of the zombie, eying the girl with amusement. "Need help?" he asked, giving her a quick smile.

"It's flammable!" Liam called, laughing a little. He returned to looking for supplies as well, a little shaky from having such a close call. He would have to be more careful. He went up to the counter and put several more lighters in his bag, and some more cigarettes, listening for anything inhuman.

Liam sighed, grabbing candy bars for food. He walked to the front of the store slowly, overlooking all the supplies he had gathered. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Now all he needed was a place to stay and defend.
Perhaps he should leave the city. He shook his head. No, that'd be dumb, it's bound to be the same everywhere. He saw Tiffany at the entrance, and he walked over to her. "Any luck?" he asked.

"Well, we'll make it work. I don't plan on anyone dying." He ran his hand through his thick hair, sighing as he did so. "We need somewhere we can keep the hoards of dead things out. Somewhere that is a base, or something close to that." He from Tiffany to the ceiling, thinking, going through all the possibilities. "We could go back to where we were, but we'd have to kill a bunch of those things to get inside." He waited for Tiffany's input, knowing she would probably have something to contribute.

"You never know when the hairspray might come in handy," he replied, grinning. He quickly returned to his serious thinking, though. "You're right about the fence, if it isn't gone already, it will be soon. I mean, there's the school, but I really want to avoid that place like the plague." He smirked. "No pun intended."

"Business as usual, eh?" He climbed in the car, putting the keys in the ignition. He turned on the radio, hoping that maybe some music would play.
To his dismay, it was only static. "God bless, has the entire world died out?!" He smacked his hand against the steering wheel, sighed. After counting to ten, he pulled out of the parking lot. Zack was still asleep in the back seat, and Liam worried that he might've died. He wouldn't have, though, he knew he was fine. Liam would just carry them when he found a place to stay.

Liam scanned the road before him. He was looking for anywhere different. He turned sharply on a windy road that looked like it hadn't been well travelled. He had given up on the radio, and slid a CD in the car. It was some type of indie rock, and Liam was murmuring the lyrics under his breath as he drove. He seemed more relaxed somehow, unfazed by the zombies. Liam looked vunerable, much like a child, as well.

"Let's play a game. It's called Silence or You Get Your Face Cut Off." Liam was running low on sleep, and patience. He didn't want any argument. He clenched his jaw, annoyed that Karis didn't ever say anything positive about anyone.
Except herself, of course.

He ignored the girls, focused on other things. With a screech of his tires, Liam pulled into the parking lot of some apartments. Zombies walked around outside, although Liam knew the insides would be empty. "We have to kill them, and then we can stay here." He pointed to the fence surrounding the buildings. "This place will have to do. After we kill all of the zombies." Liam counted in his head. "There's about 5. I say we get this over with." Zombies hadn't noticed them yet, giving them a few moments to prepare. Liam pulled out his rags, alcohol, and his lighter. "Pick what you're doing quickly, I would prefer to not be eaten."

"We can always use Zack as bait," Liam said, looking at the sleeping boy. "He wouldn't know that we used him. And he wouldn't really mind, probably."
Liam shoved the rag in the alcohol. "Well, yeah, I bet you wouldn't like that though. Tiffany, if you get killed, I'll bring you back to life and kill you again." He looked at the younger girl, worried. "At least this will kill them in a group. And maybe there's something salvagable in one of the apartments."
He ran his fingers up and down the neck of the bottle in his hands.

Liam watched, lighting the rag. He closed his eyes, waiting a moment. When the zombies were close together, and Tiffany was far away enough to not get hurt, he threw. He watched the bottle arc through the air, landing in an explosion of flame. He started jogging over to check on Tiffany.

"Sorry. It'll wear off in a little bit." He put his hands on his hips, looking at the apartment complex through the smoke and flame. "Welcome home." He walked over to the gate, closing it, locking it, and thinking of ways to reinforce it. He had a calm expression on his face; setting fires always helped him. Better yet, Tiffany hadn't burned to death, and the zombies did.

Liam sighed. He reached in and tossed Zack over his shoulder. "I'll carry him." The boy really didn't weigh all that much, and Liam could carry him easily. He held Zack with one hand, and put his lighter back in his bag that was strapped across his chest with the other. "So, how many rooms?" Liam locked the car, putting his keys away as well.

Liam walked into a different room, and put Zack on one of the two beds. He lay down on another bed himself, tossing his bag aside and deadbolting the door. He was quickly asleep, dreaming of whatever it was he dreamed of.
Zack's chest rose and fell in a pattern, breathing easily. Liam slept well, too.
The room was dirty, and had bloodstains on the floor. Still, it was home.

Zack wakes up finally and sits up. A million things begin to run through his head. He wonders what all he missed. Zack looked over and saw Liam sound asleep in the other bed. Where am I? How did I get here?

Liam slept on, unaware of the fact that Zack was awake. He mumbled, "No, don't.."
Liam tossed and turned, dreaming of something obviously horrible. He was pale, and shaky, and sweat was on his brow. Something kept him from waking up. "..not me..."
He turned on his side again, groaning in pain.

Zack looked over, worried. What's wrong with him? A nightmare? He stood up and stretched. Scratching the back of his head, he looked around at the room. Still, a bit of wondering went through his head on how he had gotten in the room. He didn't remember walking in. Did they carry me in here? He felt a bit bad, sleeping through a whole day and night. Zack reached into his back pocket, making sure his knife was still there. Finally deciding he couldn't really do anything until the others woke up, he sat back down and watched as Liam slept.

Liam stayed asleep, occasionally crying out.
He was running, faster, faster, but no! There was too much blood, he was drowning in a sea of it, tears the color of rubies.. "Liam, come closer."
He muttered aloud, "..but I can't.."
Again, he tossed, trying to make it to somewhere unseen to the rest of the people in the room.
It had been a long time since he had a nightmare, or even a dream.

Zack continued to stare at Liam. He was getting worried about his nightmare and thought he might want to wake him up, but then thought that may not be a good idea. "Sorry if I caused any trouble sleeping so long. It has been a while since I was able to sleep."

Zack continued to stare at Liam. He was getting worried about his nightmare and thought he might want to wake him up, but then thought that may not be a good idea. "Sorry if I caused any trouble sleeping so long. It has been a while since I was able to sleep."

Zack continued to stare at Liam. He was getting worried about his nightmare and thought he might want to wake him up, but then thought that may not be a good idea. "Sorry if I caused any trouble sleeping so long. It has been a while since I was able to sleep."

"STOP!" Liam yelled, his voice filled with terror. He sat up on the bed, chest rising and falling at rapid pace, body trembling.
The first thing he did was get his flask out and light a cigarette. Slowly, color returned to his face, and he began breathing normally. He looked up, seeing Tiffany and Zack.
"Well, you two decided to have a party and not invite me?" he said sarcastically. Of course, it couldn't be taken very seriously considering he was pale and shaky and had just screamed in his sleep.

"Is everything okay, Liam?" Zack looked nervously at Liam. He wondered what exactly had happened in his dream.

"The only obnoxious thing here is you, Karis." Liam took a long drag on his cigarette, letting the smoke out slowly. "I'm fine." He most certainly was not fine. Still, he relaxed his muscles and tried to not let his tension show.
It had been his sister. He had seen her die, had felt it. And her final screams were imprinted on his very being now. He shut his eyes, leaning up against the wall, not wanting to think about it.
"Tiffany, Zack, you guys do whatever. I'm a bit spacy at the moment." He got up, and walked into the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face.

Zack remained sitting on his bed, now staring at nothing but the wall. He looked over at Tiffany. "I noticed in the car yesterday there was a dog. How did you get it?" He loved animals, but wasn't going to show much interest in the dog, afraid of letting them know how much he cared for pets. Especially dogs.

Zack remained sitting on his bed, now staring at nothing but the wall. He looked over at Tiffany. "I noticed in the car yesterday there was a dog. How did you get it?" He loved animals, but wasn't going to show much interest in the dog, afraid of letting them know how much he cared for pets. Especially dogs.

Liam looked at the mirror, seeing his reflection. This was a man who had let his sister die, lost the only woman he ever loved, and somehow had been given survival. He punched the mirror, shattering it, letting the fragments land on the floor with tiny tinkling noises. Blood ran freely from his knuckles, but he didn't regret his actions.
All he had done was preserve his sanity. He resumed smoking.

Zack heard the shatter, but ignored it. He stood up once again. I guess everything gets more complicated as more people come along. He sighed. "You sure everything is okay Liam?" Zack walked over to where Liam was, looking at him.

Liam walked back into the room he shared with Zack. "So, Zack, I have mommy issues. What's wrong with you?" He smoked, again sitting down on the bed, the sting from his hands the only feeling he had at the moment. He got his moonshine out, and poured a little over his wound, wincing. The last thing he needed was an infection, though, so he fought through the pain. The sting means it's working, Liam.
He looked up again at the kid, cigarette hanging out of his mouth, expectant. "I'm waiting."

"W-what's wrong with me?" Zack thought for a second. He looked at the ground. "Everything." He was now in a very depressed mood having someone ask him what was wrong with him. Zack didn't like being asked questions like that, so he always answered without much detail.

"Well, kiddo, we've all been there." He pulled out a bottle of moonshine and a pack of cigarettes, offering it to the kid.
He felt a sense of kinship towards him, he understood what it was like to be depressed, to be empty. "Take what you want, it's not like the cops are gonna be tearing down the door charging me for giving you this stuff." He added after a moment, "It does help for a while, though."
The boy seemed so small and frail, so breakable. Liam kind of liked that about him, but knew that in their current position that he would not stay that way.
Time hardens everyone.

Zack hesitated, but grabbed a cigarette. "Truth is, I have never smoked before. I don't really know how to." He studied it carefully, unsure if he really wanted it. If he says it helps, then I should trust him. I need something to help.

Liam took the cigarette from Zack's hand, shoving it into his mouth. He pulled out his lighter, and lit the cigarette. "Just inhale it like air, and it takes the edge off of things. You might cough, but it'll go away."
Liam smiled at the kid, again ruffling his hair. "We can roll in self-pity, depression, and lately the apocolypse together, kiddo! Isn't that funtastic?"
Liam leaned back against the wall, sighing.

Zack leaned back and closed his eyes, smoking the cigarette as if he had been doing it all his life. "You're right. It does help." He smiled as his thoughts wandered to nothing in particular.

Liam sighed, watching the kid smoke. He dumped his bag out on the bed, only putting the alcohol, rags, and cigarettes back in. He left the food and extra lighters he had gathered in a pile on the bed. He grabbed a candybar, peeling the wrapper off.

He put it in his mouth, and smacked as he chewed. It had been such a long time since he had candy, this was amazing to him.

Oddly enough, it had been quiet in the girl's room. Weren't they supposed to be screaming and squealing and having pillow fights? Oh, yeah. The apocolypse isn't a sleepover.

Liam was stumbling, slurring his words. He had drank quite a bit. Zack was still smoking, lost in his own thoughts. Liam couldn't see straight, and stood up. He promptly fell to the floor.

"Zack, don't say anything," he said, knowing the kid wouldn't. He laughed from his spot on the floor, hopping up quickly.

It had been awhile since he had been drunk, and the sensation was familiar and bubbly. He felt so light.

"Oh, hey Tiffany!" Liam grinned. He giggled for no reason at all, and everything in the room faded in and out of focus. He stumbled back to the bed, looking at the girl. She didn't seem all too happy with his condition.

"Sorry, we just wanted to relax." He drew out the word relax and made it sound as if the word had a million letters. He was smoking again. "Where were you? You smell like the outside." Liam looked at her, now curious.

Liam sighed, hitting his head against the wall. "Dammit." He always did this. Guilt washed over him. She was right.

He was beyond caring again. The last time he had felt like this..well, he hadn't ever felt like this. He opened the apartment door, yelling, "TIFFANY! I'M SORRY!" He hiccuped, and slipped, falling again. Zack still sat on the bed, smoking, laughing a little at Liam.

You're such an idiot. Don't say that. I'm not saying that, though, I'm thinking it. God, she'll never forgive me. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Liam yelled her name again.

Zack sat up and stomped on his cigarette, then threw it in the bathroom sink. He still couldn't think on the real world. Just dreaming about his ride over the rainbow. When he saw Liam and realized he was the one yelling, Zack walked over to him, setting his hand on his shoulder. "What seems to be the problem here? Tiffany mad at us or something?"

Liam nodded, feeling sick, looking pale. He looked up at the younger boy. "I'm such a douche." And then he started laughing and crying, looking more than a little insane. "I was so dumb to think we could ever make it. I know why I lived now." He stood up, leaning against Zack for balance. "I lived only to get hope and have it ripped away."

He sobbed, wishing that he had just jumped when he had the chance that night.. "Zack, tell me I'm a good person. Lie to me, please." He was begging, and he sunk to his knees again, feeling so weak. "Please.."

I'm begging for redemption that I don't deserve.

Zack set his hand on Liam's head and stroked his hair. "Liam...You're an amazing person and that's not a lie. If it wasn't for you I would most likely already be a part of the living dead creeps. Don't every think you're a bad person because you're not. I can't survive without you. Truth is..." Zack looked down at the man at his feet, the same guy who had tried to kill him the day before, and smiled at him. "I need you Liam. Years I have searched for someone who understood me, and now that person is right here at my feet"

Liam looked up, his vision blurry. "Zack..." He could only murmur the boy's name, and then he stood up, somehow getting strength from his words. "Kiddo, it's refreshing to hear that.." Liam was touched, and a bit taken aback.

"I'll try for you."

Liam said those words, feeling no regret or remorse. He spoke them as a solemn promise. He didn't know how the boy felt about him now, but he was so glad to not be alone. He turned, stumbling inside, collapsing on the bed, still crying. He was broken.

Maybe, just maybe, the boy outside could be his reason to be okay. I always wanted a brother.

Zack followed Liam back into the room, sitting on the same bed as him. He gently rubbed his back, trying to comfort him. It was unusual for Zack to be this comfortable around a person. He would usually be in the corner rocking himself back and forth until something was to come and force him to get up.

Liam closed his eyes. "Tiffany," he whispered, worried about the girl. "Tell me she's okay.." He sniffled, trying to pull himself together, and failing. Everything that could've possibly gone wrong, did.

He pretended he was home, and it was his sister rubbing his back, telling him it wasn't his fault. "..but it is," he mumbled.

Why did he do this every time he got trapped? He sighed, liking the fact that someone was beside him, comforting him.

Wait a second...could he..

"Everything will be fine, Liam. I'm sure Tiffany is okay and will come back soon...I hope." Zack looked at his friend. He felt bad being unable to tell him the truth. Zack hated lying. Especially to those who mattered most to him. Maybe I should... He shook his head and stood up, walking back to his bed. He pulled out his knife and slowly made a cut on his wrist with the tip of it. Zack watched as the crimson blood ran from the mark on his left arm and splattered on the bed.

Liam looked, and sat straight up. "Stop that. Right. Now." Liam felt angry. The kid had no right to sit there and hurt himself. That was the zombie's job. "I'll leave you here with Karis, totally alone, if you ever do that again."

Liam walked over to the kid, pulling off his t-shirt, and applying it to the kid's wrist. "I thought you would've been smarter. Don't be such a dumbass," he said lightly, concern in his eyes.

He stayed focused on applying pressure, shivering a little. "We can't play this game, Zack. We have to survive, and that means no self pity." He looked into the kid's eyes. "For both of us."

Zack shyly looked at Liam. "I'm sorry...it's just a habit of mine. I promise I won't do it again. Just don't leave me here alone."

"Damn straight," Liam said gruffly, suddenly sobered. "We can go hunting for Tiffany or leave her. I'll let you choose, kiddo." Liam noticed that the bleeding had stopped and took the bloody t-shirt, putting it back on. It was warm and sticky against his skin.

Well, atleast I'm not the weakest here. It's probably a tie at this point.

He sighed again, smoking a cigarette. Tiffany wasn't here to care, so he decided it might help him think.

Zack nodded. "We need to go find her. We can't just let her be alone, she could die." He looked down at his wrist. It hurt. Idiot. Why am I such an idiot? I know better than to do that.

Liam dragged Zack out of the apartment complex, locking Karis in her room. "TIFFANY!" he yelled while the wind cut like a cold knife. He kept Zack close, ducking his head in the wind.

He leaned forward, whispering to the boy, "And this only proves that women are idiots."

He kept close to the kid, liking the warmth.

Zack didn't complain about being in the cold. He knew he was doing a good thing trying to find Tiffany. He didn't want anyone he knew to die. He had already lost so many people in his lifetime, he refused to lose another. "They cause nothing but trouble. That's why I usually avoid them."

Liam kept his arm slung casually around the kid's shoulders. "Yeah. We should avoid them." The wind was bitterly cold, and Liam shivered.
"TIFFANY! I'M SORRY!" he yelled. He kept screaming her name, shivering, making sure that Zack didn't get too cold. His throat was raw and sore from yelling.

He knew zombies would show up, and felt happy that Zack had his knife and he had his messenger back.

Zack huddled closer to Liam. He didn't care at the time if Liam minded him that close. All he knew was that they were both freezing and needed to find Tiffany soon.

"TIFFANY, I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP SOON, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN." Liam was shivering now, his teeth chattering.

He pulled out his lighter, alcohol, and a rag, noticing the zombies starting to surround him. "Zack, we can't stay. Get your knife ready." His hands shook, and he prepared the Molotov, trying to steady his grip. He turned his head, and the ends of his hair brushed against Zack's cheek. "Sorry," he said, quickly.

Zack could hear Tiffany yell. He sighed and drew his knife. We came all this way to help her, and she just decides to be on her own. "Looks like it's just us now Liam."

"Zack, if I get bit, kill me before I become one of those things. Who better to kill me than you, eh?" He handed his homemade bomb to Zack, quickly explaining how it worked. "Now, after I get them in a big group, just throw it, okay? Light it, and throw." Liam ran into the middle of the horde, getting the whole group on his back.

He ran for is life, eyes shut, praying mentally. He knew Zack wouldn't fail them. He couldn't.

HE thought of Tiffany, wondering what he had done to ever think she'd come back. He knew she was strong from the beginning.

And then Zack, poor kiddo. Without him, he'd die, and vice versa.

As soon as Zack noticed the large group, he lit the rag, then threw it. He hoped he hadn't missed. He mostly hoped he didn't hit Liam. Zack whispered to himself. "If Liam dies, this is your fault Tiffany."

Liam turned, distracted by her harsh words, just as the bottle hit the ground, exploding into flame.

Tiffany's words hurt worse than the flame that was burning Liam's calf. The zombies all quickly fell, and Liam screamed in primal pain. He had burned himself before, sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally, but the combination of her words and the flames were just too much.

A soft rain started falling, putting out the flame before it could scorch him too badly. The zombies all lay on the ground, ash and smoke now.

Liam fell to the ground, trembling, clenching his jaw to silence himself, not wanting anyone but Zack to know that he had almost died.

Regardless of her actions, he still didn't blame her for his almost-death.

Zack gasped and saw that he had accidentally hurt Liam as well. He ran to his side, falling to his knees beside his hurt friend. "I-I'm sorry Liam...I didn't mean to hurt you." Zack began to shake, realizing what he had done. "I'm so sorry."

"Zack, you saved my ass." He stood up, ignoring the sharp pain in his leg. "We need to go." He looked at the boy. "You know what, Zack? You're right, women are idiots." He took a few steps towards the boy, looking down at him, messenger bag still strapped across his bloody t-shirt.

What the hell are you thinking, Liam?

Zack's face began to turn red. He looked up at Liam who was, not very surprising, taller than him. Zack quickly looked back down and began to kick at the ground.

Come on, just do it already! Zack's face began to turn a deeper shade of red. On the count of three...one...two...three!
The boy took a deep breath and walked up to Liam. He stared up into his eyes for a second, then, he pressed his lips up to Liam's. Zack had to stand on his toes. He was a bit embarrassed, but liked the feeling of Liam's soft lips on his.

Liam felt shock, first of all.

What the hell, kiddo?

For some reason, he didn't move away, but he didn't kiss back either. He was frozen in place, either in fear, bewilderment, or..perhaps love?

Liam broke away finally, gasping a little. "That was unexpected, kiddo. Very unexpected." Liam smoothed his shirt. "Well, um, let's go back to see if Karis is alive, that's important." Liam put his arm around the kid's shoulders again, and started talking about random things to fill the silence.

He was no longer cold.

Zack's face remained red and he couldn't look Liam in the eyes. He commented every once in a while when Liam would say something. Hey cheer up. At least he didn't try to kill you or anything.

Karis looked out the window still locked up in the apartment. She saw all the action that occurred out there between Zack and Liam. She was shocked, more like petrified.

If this boy is going to steal my man then he will pay for it!

She was happy that Tiffany had left the two men for her to play with but she was really worried in case she found Lauren. She knew that Tiffany was heading the way that she left Lauren. She probably is already dead, if not then Lauren better not say a word she thought to herself while slightly smiling in a dark way.

"Lauren... Lauren... Lauren, if only you weren't there, i wouldn't have needed to kill you" she spoke out to herself not knowing that Lauren had probably survived it.