“Oh.” Riley replied, “I’m sorry, I thought you were older.”
“Yeah, well it has been a tough few weeks.” Scarlett joked.
As Scarlett and Riley made their way to the vehicles, Riley favouring his own BAW military SUV, Scarlett looked back to see Chino dragging a cage containing a large Alsatian. The dog seemed frightened in its small confines and illustrated this by growling and snarling at his handler.
“Who’s that?” Scarlett asked.
“Number Six. Chino was a dog handler in the army. When the shit hit the fan he rescued seven dogs. Two of them died before he’d even left the base. And after all these weeks on the road, he’s just left with that one. They don’t get on too well.”
Scarlett placed her bag on the floor and made her way over to Chino.
“He’s beautiful.” Scarlett gushed.
Chino looked at her with beads of sweat running down his face from the effort of pulling the cage along the ground.
“He sure is. But he’s also an asshole.” Chino retorted. “I can’t even take him outta the cage anymore without him trying to chew on me. Jack suggested putting him out of his misery.”
“No, you can’t do that.”
Scarlett observed Number Six. He had stopped growling and just looked up at her, ears flat to his head and his body hunched. Scarlett boldly put her hand flat against the metal bars and allowed him to take in her scent.
“You got a leash for him?” she asked.
Chino pulled a chain-link lead from his pocket and hesitantly handed it to Scarlett, who slowly unbolted the cage and knelt down in front of the animal, holding one hand out.
Number Six gingerly made his way out, sniffing at Scarlett and the chain in her hand. With her other hand, she gently stroked the top of his head. Chino looked on, surprised as Number Six’s tail slowly began to move from side to side while Scarlett showed him affection.
“You sure that’s a good idea?” Chino asked, stepping behind the cage.
“Listen, there’s far worse you could be bitten by these days. He just needs some love, he’s terrified. Get him some water. We’ll be in the car.”
Chino did as he was asked as Scarlett led Number Six to the car, making Riley feel a little uneasy.
“I’ll drive.” Scarlett stated. “And I’m bringing Number Six with us.”
“Are you serious?” Riley asked, gaping at the dog.
“Uh… Yeah, why not?” Scarlett retorted as she opened the boot and motioned for Six to jump in. “He could be useful. Are you going to turn down the opportunity to have a military trained canine on your side?”
“I see your point… but I’ve never been keen on dogs.”
Scarlett raised her eyebrows at Riley, who shrugged and climbed into the passenger seat while she walked around to the driver’s side, throwing her axe belt on the floor at Riley’s feet, making him flinch.
“Sorry…”
“I’m sure you are. Our first run together is surely going to be interesting.”
Number Six gave an eager bark from the boot before pouncing clumsily onto the back seat and sniffing frantically at Riley’s ear. Riley recoiled and turned to look at him in disgust.
“My, what big teeth you have…”
Being that this was their first supply run since finding the hotel, neither Scarlett nor Riley had any idea about where to start. They took the highway on the grounds that they didn't yet know their way around the area and it would be an opportunity to siphon fuel from the abandoned cars.
An hour or so into their journey, after filling two jerry cans to take back to their new home, Riley noticed a shopping mall and, leaving the highway, headed straight for it.
On arrival, Scarlett opened the door for Number Six, detaching his leash. Taking the hint, Six eagerly began sniffing at the ground, making his way toward the huge automatic doors. They were closed and the power was off, so while Riley jammed his crowbar between the doors, Scarlett began investigating the only other vehicle in the car park. The door was unlocked, but the keys were absent. Leaning across to the passenger side, she searched the glove compartment. All she found was a small photograph; a man, woman and little girl smiled back at her and Scarlett started to speculate as to what might have happened to them.
She felt a twinge of sadness when she thought about what her life could have been like had the world not ended. She wondered if she and Jimmy would have had children, whether they’d ever have been married or bought a house together. And she wondered if that sort of thing would ever be commonplace again.
She shook the ‘what ifs’ from her mind and started to withdraw from the car. Just as she was about to close the driver door, she peered into the backseat. Lying in the foot well was a crossbow, complete with bolts in its built-in quiver. Scarlett rested a knee on the driver’s seat and reached in to retrieve the weapon. It was heavy. Too heavy for Scarlett to use she realised, but she took it, thinking it may be of use to someone back at the hotel.
“Scar, I got it.” Riley announced proudly after forcing the doors open just enough for the three of them to squeeze inside.
In the mall, Scarlett slung the crossbow over her shoulder and looked at Riley, both of them beaming with excitement.
The mall looked unscathed and, they assumed, that the staff had closed their doors as soon as they'd heard about the outbreak. They each helped themselves to a trolley from the small supermarket near the entrance and began their spree, starting in the grocery store.
Riley couldn't help but smile as he happily swept his arm along the shelves of almost completely untouched tinned food, and Scarlett, shadowed by Number Six, made her way to the bottled drinks, giggling to herself as she loaded the trolley with as much water as she could before turning her attention to the dog food. Opening a loose can, she emptied the meaty contents into a plastic bowl and set it on the floor before doing the same with a small bottle of water. Six began scoffing the food appreciatively and Scarlett moved on, grabbing a pack of tennis balls as she went.
Once they'd retrieved all they could carry, they stood outside the supermarket with their loot, each admiring the other's supplies. Number Six returned to his master with a lump of jelly clinging to his nose.
“I just need one more thing,” Scarlett announced, resting the crossbow on top of her trolley and skipping off further into the mall, headed for a large clothing store. Riley rolled his eyes and set to work on jimmying the doors open wider in order to get their edible swag to the vehicle.
Scarlett thought she might cry with delight as she began helping herself to a few pairs of new jeans, five vests and as much underwear as she could stuff into the large fabric basket. She wandered over to the plethora of shoes; stilettos, sandals, trainers and exactly what she was looking for: boots. Scarlett picked up two pairs, almost identical to the tattered ones she was already wearing, before turning to leave.
She immediately realised how badly she must have let her guard down as she found herself faced with probably the best dressed Biter she'd encountered; wearing a smart uniform, complete with a name badge which read 'Sarah'. Scarlett let go of her basket and retrieved her axes just as the creature grabbed her by the throat, causing Scarlett to instinctively drop her weapons to try to release the shop worker's grip.
She began reaching around her with one hand while she pressed the other against the Roamer's chest in an effort to hold it away. Managing to grasp an ankle boot with a four inch metal stiletto heel, Scarlett swung it with all the force she could muster into the side of Sarah's head. The shoe made a direct hit to the creature's ear, penetrating the soft skin behind it. Scarlett quickly caught her breath as it sank to the ground with the stiletto still lodged in its head.
Scarlett used her shirt sleeve to smear the gelatinous blood from her face before coolly picking up her basket and making her way back to Riley and Number Six.
The group were elated on their return, keenly discussing further trips to the mall with more people to gather what they could befor
e someone else discovered the treasure trove of supplies.
Chapter Four:
Winter was beginning to make its presence felt. Every morning the lawn around the hotel was covered in a thick frost and made a crunching sound underfoot. Since the start of autumn, Jack had sent out a group of four into the forest every other day for fire wood. It was all taken into the dining hall to make a fire on the stone floor in the evenings. Other survivors had collected extra clothing and blankets on their scavenges, and most had taken to using sleeping bags.
Scarlett laced up her new boots and slipped on her jacket before preparing her weapons. As the sun rose over the hotel that they’d inhabited for almost three months now, filling it with warm light and waking the permanently exhausted, confused and frightened residents, Riley knocked at her bedroom door. They were going on a run. Scarlett opened the large oak door and signalled to Riley that Jimmy was still sleeping. He entered the room, loaded with weaponry, ammunition and a couple of empty supply bags and set them down while he waited for his accomplice.
Riley and Scarlett had grown close since settling at Bluehaven. They were two very different people, but friendship happened easily for them. They made a good team, made each other laugh, and one always knew the right words to use to comfort the other.
Just the two of them today. This run was to be kept a secret.
It was because of Jack. Being a former sergeant in the U.S. Military, he was a vital member of their group, but had recently proven that leadership really wasn’t for him when one of the newest survivors to join them admitted he had a heart condition, requiring him to take medication for the rest of his life. Jack had decided that supply runs for this medication would not benefit the group as a whole. He insisted that within a few months, this man would exhaust the closest sources. He simply made the poor guy walk away. From the safety of the hotel, and from his family.
So when Scarlett had found a solitary woman walking the dead roads, on the search for insulin, she neglected to mention her illness to Jack. Instead, she confided in Riley who, despite sharing a room with Jack and having known him since they served in the army together, agreed to help Scarlett in providing the unknown lady with what she needed.
There had been some truth in what Jack had said, however; they did have to travel further and further to find the drugs. This didn’t deter them, even if the supply did completely dissipate, they would have prolonged this lady’s life and allowed her to die peacefully in a safe place, where her passing could be dealt with humanely. They couldn’t knowingly let another human being die. It wasn’t in their nature.
Scarlett buckled her weapon belt around her hips and placed her favourite weapons – her pair of M48 Hawk Axes – in either side. They were ready.
Jimmy started to stir and Scarlett and Riley watched, frozen, both hastily stringing together excuses for their little trip as he opened his eyes. Jimmy took a moment to adjust, staring at the pair before him, before finally, sleepily speaking,
“Hey… What are you guys doing?” Scarlett and Riley looked at each other, then back at Jimmy, “Oh no, you’re up to something. Why did I have to wake up? Now I know you’re definitely up to something, and I really suck at lying.” Jimmy said with a sigh.
Much to Jimmy’s distaste, Scarlett just could not lie to the sweet man before her.
“We’re, uh… going on a run.” She admitted, slowly approaching the bed.
“A run? We don’t have another one scheduled for a week yet, Scar.” He said, confused, “Did you guys forget something?”
“Look, Jimmy…” Scarlett began, knowing almost instantly that she would regret this truth, “You remember Suzanne, right?” Jimmy nodded and furrowed his brow, “Well, she’s sick. She needs medicine and we can’t let Jack find out. He’d make her leave.” Scarlett now sat next to him on the bed as he sat up and gave him a gentle kiss, “I didn’t want to tell you because if Jack finds out we’ve gone, you’ll be the first person he wants to talk to and you’re right; you can’t lie for shit.”
Jimmy surveyed her for a moment through heavy eyes.
“Okay, Scar,” he stood and began to dress as he spoke, “I’ll come with you. Jack can’t interrogate me if I’m not here.”
Scarlett looked at Riley with wide eyes, begging him to give Jimmy a good reason to stay. He shrugged. Scarlett rolled her eyes at him before turning her gaze back to Jimmy and smiling.
“Sure,” she said, “But we have to stay silent.”
“We’ve already spoken to Chino and Mouse about providing us with a car and opening the gate and they’re expecting us,” Riley piped up, “So we need to be as sly as possible. Understand?”
Jimmy nodded eagerly as he slipped his feet into his Converse.
Scarlett had a bad feeling about this run. She seemed to spend her life worrying about Jimmy. She’d known since the beginning that the typical male and female roles had been reversed where they were concerned, and Scarlett could only feel guilty as she regularly thought about how nice it would be to have someone go out of their way to protect her. Jimmy silently knew it too, and he was ready to show Scarlett that he was prepared to try, and this, to him, seemed the perfect opportunity.
They approached the cars where Chino was waiting for them, key in hand.
“Hey, Sugar-tits,” he said, grinning broadly, “I see you brought Scarlett with you too, huh?”
Riley rolled his eyes.
“You are the absolute creepiest, Chino.” He responded.
“Hey man, you gotta be good at something, right?” Chino winked.
“Well, when you discover what that is, come tell me and we’ll throw a party and make cookies and stuff,” Scarlett interjected, “but right now, all I want from you is a car.”
Chino snapped out of his playful mood and adopted a more serious disposition.
“Sure thing, Foxy-- uh, Scarlett.”
Scarlett took the key and used it to unlock a small black hatchback – the only car that Jack wouldn’t notice missing – and loaded her bag and weapons into the boot, before ushering Jimmy and Number Six into the back seat.
Scarlett drove for what seemed like an hour or two, before Jimmy finally asked shyly, “So, uh, where are we headed?”
“The only place we haven’t raided for drugs yet,” Scarlett hesitantly answered, before following it up with, “The City.”
Jimmy felt his body tense involuntarily as fear rose from the pit of his stomach.
“The City?” he echoed, “I remember our last little trip there… Not sure I want to repeat that. Are you sure it’s a good idea?”
“No,” Riley chuckled, “but with you here, we have an extra pair of hands, right? You’re good to cover us both?” he glanced behind him to see Jimmy shifting awkwardly in his seat.
“He’s just kidding.” Scarlett grinned, “All the Roamers have moved on from The City. There was nothing left for them there.”
Jimmy felt reassured as Scarlett smiled at him in the rear-view mirror.
The outskirts of The City were much the same as they always had been; dark, dull and empty. But as they approached the burnt out and abandoned cars, tall and intimidating buildings and the streets strewn with litter and scattered bodies, Scarlett noticed something different.
Walls. There were makeshift walls constructed out of obsolete items; TVs, furniture, suitcases, car parts. Seemingly anything whoever built it could get their hands on. It stood what Scarlett estimated to be about ten feet high.
Curiosity got the better of her and she began driving around it, looking for a way in. She wasn’t disappointed. A gate, matching the walls in height, stood before their stationary car. And a guard.
“I don’t think we should go in there.” Jimmy said, his nervous tone returning. Scarlett and Riley looked at each other, and Scarlett shrugged and got out of the car. Riley stayed put.
“You’re letting her go alone?”
“So are you.” Riley pointed out, “She’ll be fine, really.”
“Is she always like this?” Jimmy asked, doubtful that he would get an answer that he liked.
Riley turned to look him in the eye, “You have no idea.”
As Scarlett approached the guard, he pointed his automatic weapon at her. She raised her arms.
“Don’t shoot,” she said, smiling, “We’re friendly. None of us are bitten or dying.”
“We’re all dying.”
“That’s gloomy.” Scarlett slowly lowered her arms.
“You have to pay if you want in.” He grunted, “Food, medication or ammo.” He slowly relaxed his gun as he spoke.
“We don’t have anything like that with us. We came looking for supplies ourselves.” Scarlett glanced in through the gate before the guard deliberately blocked her view.
“Then you can’t come in.” he insisted.
“Who’s in charge here?” Scarlett enquired.
“Who’s to say it’s not me?”
“It’s not you.” Scarlett bit back. “I want to speak to whoever runs things.”
Jimmy, Riley and Number Six watched from the car as the guard opened the gate for Scarlett and allowed her in. Six became agitated, concerned for his master's safety.
“What is she doing?!” Jimmy worried, “We don’t know those people! What if she doesn’t come back out?”
“She will.” Riley assured him. “Trust me, Jimmy. You need to give her more credit. She’s got good instincts. She wouldn’t put herself in potential danger unless, A, she thought she could either talk or fight her way out of it, and B, she thought it would be worthwhile. Usually she’s trying to provide for particular survivors in our group, or she’s trying to find more. Scarlett’s got a good heart. And she’s a badass.”
Jimmy chuckled.
“Yeah.” He sighed. “I just wish it wasn’t her having to look after me all the time. She could have at least taken the dog for protection.”
“She’s okay, Jimmy. Would you be happier to allow someone in with a big, aggressive dog, or a young girl who’s all on her own? She knows what she’s doing, and she wouldn’t do it if she didn’t want to.” Riley said in an attempt to comfort him.
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