"Let her help me first," Alex asked,” I want her to help me.”
"Don't even worry about her," the guy said with a single shake of his head, still pointing the gun at him," she isn’t going to get attacked." Alex looked over at Avery and the stranger," Go." After a moment of hesitating, thinking they were going to shoot Avery as soon as he turns away, he finally turned and walked toward the opened driver side door. He knelt down and grabbed up his and Avery's bags then stood back up and looked at Avery once again. The guy looked at the other of his group near the truck," Jeff," he gestured.
Jeff walked over by Alex and the other guy standing back walked to the Dodge, dug in the back and walked over toward Trevor, handing him zip ties then he walked over to Jeff and gave him zip ties. When Alex realized what was about to happen, he turned and hit Jeff in the mouth as hard as he could, causing the guy's head to whip back as he stumbled and caught on to the bumper of the Expedition.
"Run," Alex shouted at Avery as Nick hit him with the butt end of his weapon, knocking Alex against the Expedition. She snapped back to the reality of being ordered and threw a right fist at Trevor, almost knocking him over after hitting him against the cheek. She ran in the direction they had come from, passing stray zombies as they walked around like drunks and she could suddenly feel adrenaline rushing through her, running once again. Before Nick could hit Alex again, the young guy kicked his right leg outward, kicking the guy against the side of his knee then picked up a shard of glass and stabbed it into Nick's leg, making him scream in pain as he stumbled back. Standing up, Alex made a run for it, trying to catch up with Avery. He looked back and noticed two of the men raise their guns at them while the one he stabbed was pulling the glass from his leg. “Look out,” he yelled at her and the bullets began flying at them. Avery, not wanting to chance being shot and injured, turned left and ran down an alley, feeling bits of the brick wall fly off and hit her while she ducked her head down.
Alex joined her in the alley and they ran down to the end where they were faced with a brick wall in front of them and an opened door to their left. They stood a moment, catching their breath when they heard the men running from down the street, getting closer. Alex shoved Avery through the door opening and he followed, shutting the door silently to avoid drawing attention to them, entrapping them in a dark building.
The group of men- Trevor, Jeff, Charles, and Nick- ran down the street and turned down the same alley, following their trail of shrapnel in the wall. “We should really have a different approach about these things,” Charles almost shouted with anger, holding his gun.
“Yeah,” Nick added,” the others had trouble too.” He limped along, his leg and knee in pain.
“Now we are,” their boss said, violently turning to face his group,” Nick, Jeff, bring the vehicles and grab up their bags. Wait out in front of this alley for us. Trevor and I will find them;” The other two left to retrieve the vehicles,” neither one has a weapon so we should be able to find them easily.” Trevor only nodded and they walked around the corner, seeing only a closed door to the left.
Alex led Avery through the building, going up the stairs as silently as they could, careful not to attract the undead or the people after them like they’re criminals. They searched the second floor, going into a room at the end of the hall. It was well lit from the full moon out in the night sky, for once clear and seeing stars finally after the week long clouds and rain; and they began searching for weapons they could use before continuing with running through the streets. To Avery, it reminded her of when they first came to the city and the issues they faced then with all the hiding and running, finding weapons that don't involve ammo. “Find a knife or something,” Alex told her, searching the small apartment room. The both of them searched the small kitchen, picking up steak knives, a mallet, forks, a butcher knife, and one fillet knife. Alex handed Avery half the weapons, including the fillet knife while he took the butcher knife and put it in the inside pocket of his jacket.
They both froze as they heard the sound of the door being shut and she looked at him, waiting to hear what the next move will be. “We need to leave,” he ordered.
Charles looked around the best he could, only making out shapes. They searched the first floor, not finding anyone while Trevor checked the front door, seeing it was chained shut from the inside. They didn't leave through there, he thought. The two men made their way up the stairs and immediately began searching each apartment room, shutting the doors they had opened that contained any undead. They weren’t important to Charles, not right now anyways. The current mission was to find the two strangers and decide on whether to kill them or not. He had his reasons on his rules.
Avery struggled to force the kitchen window over the sink open, but realized whoever had lived there before had basically bolted the window shut. Alex checked the other windows and seen they were also bolt shut. Why were they shut like that, he had no idea as to why? Possibly they were paranoid and were dealing in drugs. Or maybe they feared the virus going around was airborne, in the pollution. He wished the windows weren’t bolt shut, the smell in the apartment made him sick to his stomach badly. Hearing the sounds of steps coming closer, Avery looked around before finally making her way into the bedroom and hid against the wall while Alex ducked behind the couch.
Charles and Trevor came to the last room and took a view of the small apartment. The living room, dining, and kitchen all basically just one room. A door to the right was the bathroom, seeing the filthy sink and toilet from where they stood, old vomit on the floor. And to the left of the large room was an opened door, likely to the bedroom. Charles walked in and looked around some more, he looked at Trevor and signaled in a discreet way. He knew they were hiding in the room somewhere as he noticed the smeared prints on each window, in a sliding motion like they were trying to open the windows.
Trevor checked the restroom, trying hard not to inhale the smell, he shut the door after checking, and no longer wanting to inhale that aroma anymore. He looked around then noticed slight movement behind the couch. He raised his gun and walked over, spotting the guy. “Stand up,” he instructed in a demanding tone, causing Charles to look over. Seeing Alex raise the steak knife up, Trevor moved aside swiftly, the knife flying by where he had been standing and sticking into the kitchen cabinet. Alex grabbed out another steak knife while Avery watched from the bedroom, seeing the trouble happening for her friend.
Charles ducked down, dodging the next flying knife, grazing his right ear. He then fired his gun, missing Alex while Trevor sat back and dug out his ninja stars from his holsters he had found at a few pawn shops. Alex threw a fork next and it stabbed Charles in his right shoulder. He fell back against the wall, looking at the dinner fork stuck in his shoulder, letting out a sound of pain. Trevor threw the first star and almost stuck in Alex’s left face cheek. Alex dropped down immediately and hesitated on attempting another fork or knife throwing.
Avery, seeing the ninja star almost get Alex, finally decided to help. She noticed the taller guy pull the fork out of his shoulder then he stood up and ran up toward the couch. As soon as Alex stood to throw another knife at the other guy, the taller one tackled him, hitting the wall and causing the things on the shelf in the bedroom to topple over. She looked down at the weapons she had which were the fillet knife, a couple steak knives, five forks, and a mallet. She didn’t want Alex to be facing two of them alone and finally decided on a steak knife. Looking out, she focused on the young guy while Alex fought back against the older guy, and she noticed him about to throw another ninja star at Alex. Without thinking, she threw the steak knife.
Trevor raised the next star in an attempt to help his group’s leader, when he got a sudden stabbing pain in his left forearm, causing him to tighten his grip on the ninja stars that began to cut into his fingers and palm, blood beginning to trickle. He looked at his forearm and saw the knife sticking in his arm. He pulled the knife and dropped his stars with Charles’ gun on
the floor and he ran into the bedroom.
Avery, after seeing him pull the knife from his arm and dropping the stars, could only think, crap. She immediately began to regret throwing the knife blindly and wished she had aimed at his face, possibly even his eye. She grabbed out the mallet next, trying to become creative and as soon as he came into the room, she flung the mallet. The guy raised his arms, blocking the metal mallet from hitting him in the face, only causing pain on his arms.
She grabbed out the fillet knife next and lashed out, cutting his arm once again. Trevor, not ever fighting a girl before, went ahead and grabbed out his combat knife and used it to block the brunette’s moves. He didn’t want to injure her, he usually was the one to deal with the guys and usually it would be Lucinda or perhaps Jeff or Will to deal with the women. The two began fighting, Trevor doing more blocks than attacks. That is until he began to notice she was starting to slow down suddenly, tiring herself out.
Avery felt herself starting to feel weaker from lack of food and water in her system as of late not to mention, lack of sleep. She felt worn out and with one final move, ran at Trevor with all her strength and tried to shove him back so she could make a run out of the room. Instead, she unsuccessfully shoved him, barely budging him, and Trevor shoved her back. She fell on the soiled bed then they rolled off the other side, landing on a dead body that released the stench of death over the two survivors fighting. Both struggled to stand back up and when they did, Trevor finally grasped the fillet knife and twisted her wrist, the knife dropping on the carpeted floor and he dug in his pockets for the zip ties and placed them on her wrists.
No longer caring, Avery stopped struggling and almost fell over onto the soiled bed again, Trevor, keeping a grip on her arms, led her around the ruined bed and returned into the main room.
Charles slammed Alex against the window, his back shattering the glass and he sank down to the floor, his back aching so badly as he rolled over onto his left side. Charles wiped the blood from his nose where Alex had hit him and he looked at Trevor,” zip tie him too.” Charles grabbed Avery’s arms while Trevor zip tied Alex’s wrists now and stood him up. Charles grabbed Alex and shoved Avery aside, Trevor once again grabbing her arms before she fell over the coffee table and they watched Charles hit Alex a few times in the face and then in the ribcage. He watched the young guy double over in pain and coughing. He picked up his gun while Trevor picked up his gun and stars.
"You know you're messing with the wrong group here,” Charles said to Alex then looked at Avery before they moved out of the building and went back down the stairs and out into the alley where they saw the two vehicles still awaiting their arrival. Charles threw Alex inside the truck while Avery was shoved into the back of the Dodge and both vehicles left.
Alex, finally catching his breath, looked out the window then at the two guys in the front. "Where's our friends at?" Alex asked. "Why do you have their car?"
"They're safe and sound, just like the two of you will be here soon," the guy looked around, seeing the undead in the distance down the street ahead.
"I wanted us to ride in the same vehicle if we're going anywhere with you."
"Look,” the guy began, looking back at him,” stop worrying, alright. She’ll be safe with them. Besides, you and she seem to be putting up a fight like your friends had. Don't need the both of you teaming up." The guy turned back to look out the front windshield, Jeff staring ahead, driving them to their hideout. Charles wiped his nose again to see if it was still bleeding.
Avery remained silent in the Dodge, still feeling a little weak, but a bit relaxed after the issues back in the apartment room. Deep down, she felt thankful for all that ending. She stared out the window and listened to their plans.
"What do you think," Nick said to Trevor," think Charles is gonna kill them?" Trevor was just finishing wrapping his forearm in gauze where the knife had stabbed him. Finishing up, he glanced at Nick and questioned in his mind as to why Nick always asks that question when the response is obvious.
"I don't know," Trevor responded, looking out the window now.
“I hope not,” Nick blurted and puffed on the cigarette,” I know he’s our leader and everything, but we could use the extra help when we do those supply runs. We need more people to help us. We even almost lost three people yesterday.”
“It’s Charles’ job to make the calls,” Trevor said,” so just let that go. If we die, then we die. He doesn't care and neither should we.” Avery looked at the two guys and tried holding her breath each time the cigarette smoke escaped into the back seat. The car ride began to remind her of the ride earlier that day and she could picture it now. Keith driving, smoking the Marlboro cigarette, blowing the smoke out the window but the force of the wind outside making the smoke join her in the backseat. Alex sitting in the passenger seat in the front, talking with a bit of order in his tone while speaking of the plans. Sitting behind Alex was Holly, staring ahead and off and on talking to the others. Jenny seated in the middle, only speaking when she felt like it, most of the time she was messing with that glittered lip gloss she apparently took from a store. Avery saw no point in fixing yourself up when most of the world was dead either. Avery inhaled, trying not to smell the smoke that came into the back seat and she found herself speaking before thinking.
“… Since when do you smoke?” Nick and Trevor both ceased their conversation and they glanced back at her. Nick frowned, still smoking the cigarette while Trevor looked at her.
“What?” He asked her, wondering why she said that. Avery looked to her left and before her eyes, Holly and Jenny vanished like a cloud of smoke and she looked back at the front seats, the guy in front of her no longer Keith but the stranger, and the guy in the passenger seat changed from Alex to the guy she heard was called Trevor. At that moment, she felt dumb and lost. She shook her head and sat back in the seat.
“Nothing,” she mumbled and went back to staring out the window, beginning to fear she was losing her mind. Trevor looked at her, studied her expression and knew what was going on. It was something he has always been quite familiar with. He turned back to look out the window, passing the streets and he began to no longer feel so alone now since they found someone else who knows what it’s like to have the mind and thoughts that he has always suffered with.
Nick looked at Trevor and recognized that distant look on his face, he then looked at the girl in the back through the rearview mirror and noticed the same distant expression then went back to watching the road. Great, he thought, I’m stuck in the car with two disturbed people. He cleared his throat and began making small talk. “What’s your name?” Avery didn’t look up until he repeated his question,” what’s your name?”
“It’s Avery,” she finally answered.
“I’m Nick and this is Trevor,” he gestured and blew smoke out again,” how old are you? You look like you should be in middle school.”
"19,"she replied," I’ll be 20 in March." Nick looked surprised.
"Trevor here is 24 years old," Nick said,” and I’m 27 years old. Most of us are adults in our group. Well, all of us are. The youngest is Trevor. We did have another who was young too but… some things happened. Who’s the youngest in your group?”
“15 years old,” was all Avery said, not really wanting to release names at the moment.
“And the oldest?”
“Alex,” she answered, since they knew him already,” he’s 20 or 21 years old.”
“Our oldest is Charles,” Nick responded,” he’s in his late 30s to early 40s.” Avery looked out the window again, watching the undead walk along, a few attempting to follow the vehicle down the streets and the turns. “How many you got in your group?”
“It’s just Alex and I,” she spoke. Nick and Trevor could tell she was lying but decided to play along.
“Must be tough making it out there with just you two,” Nick said, looking at Trevor,” we have seven. One girl and six guys. Like I said,
there used to be more of us. Were there more in your group?”
Avery thought a moment and she realized that it's always just been her and Alex this whole time. Jenny and Holly had drawn away long ago, back in Oklahoma when Joel and Zackary had joined the group. And Keith had been long gone after Kansas happened. They've changed and there's no fixing that. She stopped thinking and spoke,” there was. But they're gone now. They just do their own thing now after the group leader disappeared. So that's why it's just been Alex and I.”
“ Understand that,” Nick responded,” it's hard losing people that begin to matter.”
“Sure it is,” she mumbled, staring out the window once again.
They slowed as they drove under a bridge, finally coming to a stop. Avery looked out the window, and saw a paddy wagon parked; she could see a woman and guy leading Keith and Holly into a dark area, dimly lit as she squinted before realizing it was an underground tunnel opening. She instantly began to realize they caught her lying when she claimed it was only her and Alex. The two men with Alex got out, the one named Jeff pulling Alex out of the truck, basically almost dropping him face first on the ground and taking their weapons and bags with them.
The Dodge stopped as Nick got out and Trevor did. The door on the back passenger side opened and Trevor climbed half way in and pulled her out of the vehicle while Nick grabbed up his and Trevor's bags, Trevor holding Avery's tied wrists as they joined the others in the tunnel.
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