Sky Corruption (Past Tense)

Chapter Fifteen

China blinked, unable to find her words as Bob stared down at the revolver in his hands in complete and absolute bewilderment. "W-what's this for?" He stammered. Jay rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. They all stood near the double doors, out of the slight peeking rays of the sun.

"Protection. You'll have China accompanying you." Jay answered with a cold stare, China started grinning as she tried to peer through the boarded windows, her true passion was staying active and discovering new things after all. "China will teach you how to use it if necessary."

Jay turned to China, "You've been around the bunker so I'm sure you know what we need," Jay implied, earning an eager nod from China.

"You got it!" China answered eagerly.

They continue their way toward the door, Faith turned towards them, narrowing her eyes at Jay as she did so. "Did you tell them?" She asked with a hint of doubt in her eyes as she analyzed China.

"You should start wearing more protective clothes, China." Faith suggested in her usual no-nonsense tone.

"This is autumn season!" China rambled, "You're supposed to wear less clothes during cold weather!"

Faith narrowed her eyes at her, "I'm surprised you're able to put your shorts on correctly in the morning."

Jay shot Faith a glare, one in which his teeth gnashed, his eyebrows furrowing, his fists clenched. "Watch it Faith." He seethed through his clenched teeth.

China reeks of stupidity, she can't even acknowledge being insulted. Faith had thought to herself as she exchanged a glare to Jay.

China shook her head, completely clueless to another one of Faith's underhanded insults, "I gotta build my strength Faith, besides, I'm a natural at this," China asserted confidently. Faith smirked at China's invalid logic as Jay chuckled.

"She's right Faith, she hardly got injured on runs, plus she's pretty agile." Jay added as Faith turned around, pushing the door open.

Faith let out a sharp whistle, "Alright,  enough chit-chat."

The clouds started to gather, completely blanketing the sun. Jay heldbhis hand over his eyes, gazing at the sky, "We're on borrowed time. Faith and I will be out looting in the cars, come outside if you need us." Jay added, putting strong emphasis on the last instruction. China nodded and gently nudged Bob's shoulder.

"Shall we?" China chirped, Bob's racing heart slowed down as China opened the double doors, a whole bunch of dust falling over them.

Their chilling footsteps leave an echo as they walked in, China glanced over her shoulder to see Faith and Jay walking over to a series of rustic cars that were several feet from the store.

China quickly turned to Bob, "No worries, all we need is some canned foods, until we can get the stove to work again, lay off the foods that need to be cooked." She quickly slid her bag off her shoulder and handed it to Bob, "You'll need this."

The grocery store was dark, the white aisles had either collapsed on the floor while the other aisles are completely vacant of food. The white tiled floors had old and outdated packaged foods, grocery coupons and almost all the aisles were blocked off by rustic shopping carts.

There's no doubt that during an apocalypse, it's common sense to stock up on food.

China trudged her feet through the piles of boxes, Bob reluctantly followed her throughout the store, looking around as it grows darker around them. China turned to Bob, giving him a reassuring look.

"Nothing bad is gonna happen in here, but if we can spread out, we can find more stuff." China advised as she set her hands on her hips. "Today is October thirteenth, get food that doesn't have a best-due-by-date on them."

China stepped away from Bob, his eyes widened at the gun in his hands. He watched as China disappeared down the aisle in the farthest part of the grocery store. Bob's nose wrinkled at the stench of something rotten, turning around to find out that there's an aisle full of rotting fruits, flies and squirming maggots swarming all over it. Bob continued down the second aisle, opening China's bag and crouched down to collect several canned goods.

China softly whistled to herself as she checked the aisles, she ran across several boxes of candy, her eyes widened as she noticed the Twix brand candy bars.

Winter would be at a loss for words. China thought to herself while giggling. She carefully eased her way down the store, it's dark ambiance surrounded her even more. A weird feeling brewed inside her gut she chose to ignore it as she caught notice of all the crates in a extra room, with the door was left wide open.

Her eyes widened at the large jugs of water in the spare room.

She quickly jogged her way inside, within her short sprint, she caught something foul smelling, her eyes scanned the white tiled floor to see dark crimson in the shape of handprints smeared all over the floor. China's nostrils got hit with the familiar scent of copper and stomach acid.

"China! Bob! We need you outside!" Jay's voice rings inside the store, China's eyes widened as her heart abruptly skipped a beat.

China found herself crouching down, inching herself closer toward the door, her eyes scanned the large room of the grocery store.

Bob had his back facing China, the muscles along his back tensed as he stood up. China quickly and quietly crawled toward Bob, grabbed him by his mouth, and pulled him closer to her. His eyes quickly glanced over as he slowly turned around.

China calmly placed a finger to his lips. She glanced up at the ceiling, some of the lights had been torn out completely, they should be burned out, unable to give this place light.

But a second passed, and the lights flickered.

"China! I've been hurt! Let me see you!" The voice exasperated, the sound of glass shattering caused them both to wince. China quickly pulled out her gun, she glanced at Bob as his chest rose up and down. It sounded like one of China's comrades, Jay Bailey.

But there was a catch. Jay wouldn't have shown up unannounced, he always made sure to remind China of using a walkie-talkie out of sheer safety.

This wasn't Jay.

Bob, confused, opened his mouth to speak but China clamped her hand over his mouth, a focused look played on her face.

The voice drowned in and out, like a faded radio station which made cold sweat form and run down China's forehead. She made sure not to look at any reflections, or make any sort of response.

"Ezra...I've been hurt..." The voice droned out, it morphed from being Jay's gruff but concerned voice to something else, rather a younger, fainter tone, as if it belonged to a boy younger than Jay.

Who's Ezra? China asked herself, furrowing her eyebrows, she looked at Bob, who's eyes were widening, his face was as white as a sheet.

"Ezra....Ezra...."

Bob's eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head, his body slumped over China's. To China's horror, a strange but tall silhouette appeared from around the corner.