The Rain (Book 2 - The Constant Fight)

Chapter 17 - L'eau et les fenêtres

A/N - I suggest you listen to the song on repeat throughout the chapter

- 2 weeks later -

They crept alongside the wall, holding their guns tight in their hands. They could hear the growling and snapping of bones as dogs ripped into the flesh of another victim. The hot sun beat down on them causing their skin to feel dry and cracked. Bones scuttled across the concrete like bugs running from a predator.

It hadn't rained for days and the air was dry. The sun was hotter than it had ever been and unfortunately, they'd ran through their water in the first few days of being on the run. They were on the hunt for water and it seemed like every other living person had the same idea.

They heard the growling of dogs before they saw them. They were eating the remains of a body right outside the gas station door. Blood stains were at their feet and splattered across the wall, the smell pinched their noses and the copper taste was sharp in their mouths.

Her black hair cascaded down from her shoulder as her head poked around the edge of the wall. She held the silenced gun in her hands, her eyes cautious and squinted due to the blinding sun. She counted the number of dogs and moved back around, pushing her body into the wall. Courtney looked to her right and held up her left hand, showing three fingers.

Ross and Nate nodded and loaded their guns as quietly as possible. The mutts barked and yelped at each other as they fought for food. Courtney nodded her head three times, from one upwards. On three, they stepped out from behind the wall and before the dogs had a chance to react a bullet found its place in each of their heads.

They stood for a moment, waiting as if there were more to come. Nate nodded to Ross as Courtney stepped forwards towards the corpse. Ross turned away from them and whistled as loud as he could. Seconds later, James, Drew, Jane, Bethany, Ben and Jeanette came out through the forest line.

Courtney pushed open the smashed door and shards of glass scraped across the ground. The shop windows were blocked by empty shelves and newspaper, obviously proving that the people who were hiding inside were trying to hide from the dogs. They didn't survive. Their blood and bones were dotted all over the shop.

"Come on," Nate said, easing past Courtney and walking further into the shop. They had one main goal, one objective: Find water. For days they'd been living off fruit juice from tins and any other liquid that could be ingested.

They'd been on the move for two weeks, switching from car to car and fighting dog after dog. Drew had managed to find more weaponry on a run from an old rescue camp. Ever since the close call after fleeing the house, Courtney had been slightly more distant that usual. She stayed focused on the tasks at hand and built up her walls even higher. James killed the dog but in that moment, Courtney genuinely thought that he'd let her die.

They sifted through the debris in the gas station, moving shelves and metal beams. They'd gotten used to the stinging smell of blood and the gore that seemed to follow them everywhere.

Nothing. The place was picked clean. An empty bottle of water sat on a bare shelf. Ross stared at in in anger and with a grunt he slapped it off the shelf and onto the ground. Everyone stood still at the sound. They all turned and watched him as he let out ragged breaths, his eyes burning and frustrated. As if that wasn't enough, he yelled out and pushed the entire shelf over. Drew's eyes widened and he darted out of the way, watching as the wooden boards collided with the ground and separated into pieces.

"Ross." Courtney spat, her face unamused and tired. He showed no sign of acknowledgement. His back was facing her, his shoulders tense and his breath coming out in ragged pants. "Ross." She hissed again. He spun around, eyes wild and irritated.