Three against the world

1

To say the city was deserted was an understatement. The leaves rustled in the soft blowing breeze, the gravel crunched under my boots, lurking in the shadows, and kept an ear out for the moans and groans of the dead that called the city their home, I've been here for a week jumping from apartment to apartment gathering only the essentials, food, medical supplies, feminine products and of course instant coffee.

Today's plan was to leave the city, I got a good abundance of supplies, and just had one place left to check, a thrift store. They were a gold mine for already broken-in shoes and clothes, and the occasional book I picked up to take my mind off the state of the world even if it was just for a chapter. I went in through the back door, gun raised pack secure on my back and my army greens snuggly fit my body, the pockets full of amo, a small first aid kit, and a single pocket bible with a picture of my old military platoon and family, that bible saved my life once, that a story for another time. The bullet hole made it impossible to read but I still carried it around.

I checked every door in the back with my gun raised ready to fire at a second notice, the silencer on the gun allowed me to silently take the walkers down. Once the back was clear I barred every door but the one that led to the alley and the one that led out to the front, I was hungry and that can of cold spaghetti-o's was sounding appetizing right about now, sitting in the back corner hidden behind some boxes full of donations, she could still see the whole room, on the off chance another human did come in. I had the optimal location to not only defend myself but to also have a surprise attack.

Tossing the now empty can to the floor and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand I picked up my military-issue gun. Like every other place I went into I scoped it out first putting a knife into the heads of the dead that were already in there, they might not have been moving but better to be safe than get bitten when looting things I needed later on. The first place I looked was the shoes, I was going to need a new pair with all the miles I put on the ones I was already wearing, the good thing about this thrift store was that they took everything, and a lot of vets lived in this area so I wouldn't have a problem finding combat boots that fit me.

I picked up a hockey bag and picked out a pair of combat boots they were a size too big but they would do. I would probably need a new pair in the future but I had to think of the now, I might not even live long enough to get out of the city let alone think of the future. after loading a few cargo pants into the bag and a few shirts, I also tossed in some sports bras. was it gross, probably but I had more things to worry about than used sports bras, besides all of the department stores were full of walkers, when the outbreak started people boarded themselves in them in hopes of having the food and supplies to last until the military came in and got them, and what happens when there's a lot of people crowed in and no one checking for bites? Everyone gets infected.

I just finished zipping up the hockey bag when the sound of soft calculated footsteps caught my attention, glancing down at the soulmark on my left wrist, a python revolver, I silently prayed he was ok, his mark wasn't gray so he was still alive but the walkers pushed me out of kings country and I planned on going back. he also gifted me a python one time and that gun was safely tucked into the back of my pants his initials engraved into the handle, I reached to the holster on my thigh but the other person in the store was faster, they cocked the gun and no doubt had it pointed to my head. slowly I raised my hands and turned to face the person so I could assess the situation to see if I could overpower them.

It was a young Asian man "you military, or you just loot one?" smirking I could already tell I was going to like him "Sergeant major y/n grimes" his eyes flicked to my wrists, my soul marks, a Colt Python, and a crossbow. "you with them" he sounded sad almost longing even, "No, my husband was in a coma when this broke out, I didn't get a chance to go to the hospital he was in, it was over run and haven't met the other one, I'm just looking for my son now if I'm lucky he's with his godfather" if you've ever seen that episode of grays where April tells the man with a gun all about her life because she watched some program that said telling the person that wants to kill you about yourself to make it personal it puts them off from killing you because they now see you as a person, its mostly true. It just depends on who's holding the gun. he was silent for a moment "you in a group?"

"No been on my own since this started, I deserted my post to find my family" the kid nodded "you finished getting supplies?"

"I think so" he nodded "come with me" I followed him as he went through the back room and up the metal fire escape to the roof. he took a running start and jumped to the next building over "Come on" I chuckled, I knew I was going to like him "you got balls kid" we jumped from the roof roof when we finally got five buildings over something and got my attention.

"what the—" I stopped watching a man on a horse, he made a sharp turn and the horse reared back, he dropped the bag off his back when he fell he fought a few walkers before crawling under the tank, and we couldn't see him anymore "got a radio?" the kid nodded "talk to him, those tanks use a basic radio line, most people don't know about it but it's easy for a civilian to hear us if they mess around and get the right channel" I scoped out the area with a pair of small travel binoculars and formulated a plan to try and get him out, that bag of guns would be useful "hey you" the kid started, "ya you, dumbass in the tank" I smile disagreeing with him on that note.

"Yeah?" the gruff voice of the man in the tank came over the radio, it left a sad pang in my heart, my husband sounded the same way when he was frustrated I grabbed the radio "that's an M1 Abrams, look around for guns, grenades anything, soldiers stalked up before getting sent out it might not have been looted" the line was silent than he came back "got a and a biretta, one clip" that would have to do I handed the radio back to Glenn "alright the geeks are having a horse feast, if you go right a few blocks down ill be in the alley"

The line was silent again, the man probably thinking this overthinking was crazy "you want me to run" Yup, definitely thinks he's crazy, I took the radio back "Look it's your only way out ok, I know what I'm going, most of the time and the kids got some balls, don't make noise don't draw the herd, use your knife" I handed the hockey bag to the kid "take it its got supplies" his brow furrowed "what bout you?" I smiled and gestured out to the trend "he dropped a bag of guns, I'm going to that, I've got a flair if I need to distract the walkers, there feasting on the horse so I think I'll be good"

"You won't be fast enough" This kid was a thinker and I liked it "I saw a bike in the alley the driver dead beside it the key was still in it, hopefully, it got gas if not'll meet you an in your alley" the kid nodded "and if were over run?" I thought for a minute "ill meet you back at the store you found me in, ill wait 24 hours then I'm leaving" I and the kid shared a fist bump now we had a plan "Alright dumbass ready?" I spoke into the radio"