Post Humanity

Chapter 2- A new ally?

"Who is it?" Francis turned slightly, feeling the warmth of Lia coming up behind him. Her knife was also drawn, and she seemed to be staring down the door, almost as if she could see whoever was knocking.

"Well I don't know." He quietly retorted, looking at her shorter form with amusement. She glared up at him, and then grinned broadly as another barrage of knocks hit the door.

"Then what are you waiting for you wimp? Open it, let's see who our guest is." She slipped her knife into its sheath, and instead, pulled out her gun, aiming it at the door, ready to fire if necessary. It was his turn to glare at her, hating the fact that he was the one who had to open the door. He would've preferred her to be the one to do that. 

That was the thing about zombie apocalypses. No matter how strong your alliance and bond was, you were still trying to survive. Dangerous tasks were given to your partner. You wanted to protect your friend, and you enjoyed having them around, but, at the end of the day... your life was the one you wanted to keep more than protecting your friends. You valued your life more than your friend's one, unless you were a selfless idiot in which case death would be soon. 

"Stop delaying this, and open the bloody door." He looked at his shorter ally, amused at the unusually serious and focused expression on her face. Lia was rarely serious unless she was fighting. He had yet to meet a deadlier fighter than her. Both of them were pretty talented killers due to the five years that they had suffered in this hell they now both lived in. If whatever that was on the other side of that door wanted a fight, they would get one. Though, for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why they would be knocking on a locked door.

He heaved the wardrobe away from the door, watching it burst open. A girl tumbled in, wild-eyed, chest heaving with fear and exhaustion. She stumbled into Lia, and the British girl responded by grabbing her shoulders and supporting her over to the bed. Francis shoved the wardrobe back in front of the door, before turning and looking at Lia and the new girl, frowning with confusion.

"Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe in... Breathe out." Lia was supporting the girl's back, helping her regain her breath, rubbing circles into it. The kindly, protective, rare side of Lia had emerged. A suspicion nagged at the back of Francis' brain, but he pushed it to one side. 

When the girl had calmed her breathing sufficiently, Francis grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. Lia protested, but a quick glare from him shut her up immediately. He circled the girl, a hunter surveying its prey. He then grabbed her and pushed her face to the side, exposing her neck. No bite marks. She was clean, it seemed. If she was alive, then that meant that the hungry zombies hadn't got her, and if there were no bite marks, then she hadn't been converted.

Those were the types of zombies, they had worked out. There were the zombies that hadn't eaten in a long time, and were hungry. These could go cannibal, and would eat anything to satisfy their hunger. These were the dangerous ones, as they would let nothing get in between them and their meal. Then there were the ones who bit to convert more people to zombies. Not so dangerous.

The girl sat back down on the bed, and Lia glared at him, raising an eyebrow. He had never seen her like this; he had never seen her this... protective before. The girl played with her fingers as she stared into her lap.

"Name." She started with fear at his harsh voice, and looked into his cold eyes.

"Avory. My name's Avory. I don't have a surname- I don't remember it." She was seriously terrified. He pitied her slightly, she was just like them. So young and so scared. Scared of who she had to be to survive in this world that they were all now trapped in. Before he could reply, Lia butted in, wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders, and grinning at her.

"Well, my dear Avory, welcome to Team Survival."

Breaking the atmosphere in the room, Francis tapped on Lia's shoulder, "Lia I need to talk to you," he glanced at Avory his eyes narrowed, his voice sharp as glass, "In private."

Lia cocked her head to one side, confused, 

"Yeah sure," she turned to Avory, "You are safe here, don't worry," she got up and followed Francis into the other room. As Francis settled the door closed, Lia turned around suddenly, her expression thunderous, "Whats your problem with Avory?" she spoke in a loud whisper, through gritted teeth.

"She's a random girl that you've let into our group, we don't know who she is, why are you always so trusting?" Francis spoke quieter, his voice barely above a whisper. Lia's face burned, she knew she was too trusting for her own good, but if Francis knew the real reason why she trusted Avory, he knew he would kick her out, Francis always kept survival as his main priority.

Francis gave Lia's crimson cheeks a curious look, but said nothing as he opened the door and walked up to Avory, 

"So, um... Avory?" she looked up, "people don't last long alone, or without a special set of skills, so whats your story?"

"Well, I... I was with some people, bandits i guess you would call them, they had to pillage and raid to survive, I... had to leave," tears filled Avory's grass green eyes and in a flash, Lia had her arm around her, gently shushing and comforting her. Francis interrupted them sharply, "Avory, you can stay with us," he nodded to Lia, "we won't need to keep watch tonight, the dead seemed to have stayed dead around here."

Later that night, Francis woke to the sound of rustling, 

"Lia knock it off, we need to set off early tomorrow, you need your sleep," the rustling stopped, now only deep snores interrupted the unbroken silence. Francis got off the mattress he had pulled out from the other room and pulled his knife out of his belt, the metal making a silent hiss. He walked past Lia's sleeping form to the dark shadow that was struck against the back wall. With silent steps he approached the hunched figure and forced his knife under her chin, rolling over into a hold that, if she resisted, would slit her throat. Digging the knife in deeper he flicked on his head torch.

Avory screamed and squinted in the harsh light cold soup stained on her face and the can rolled across the floor. Lia had woken up now, Francis shout fumbled behind him and grabbed Lia's gun, pressing it between her eyes. Lia was trying to pull Francis back but he held on to the screaming girl's shoulders tight and shouted, "Lia back off!" He pulled Avory up, "Why were you stealing from us?" Avory was crying, here cheeks red and her eyes blotchy. 

"I..was so hungry," Avory sobbed. Francis shook his head and pushed her out of the door, telling her that she got what she wanted and if he saw her again he wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. As soon as she was gone, Lia collapsed on the floor, her heart broken. Francis knelt down, rubbing her back, 

"I know... I know..." 

He wasn't dumb, and he could read people like open books. He had seen the longing in Lia's heart, the love for Avory that had exploded out of nowhere, the deep wish that Lia had. The wish for someone to love. The wish that the relationship she had lost could be remade, reformed, and the wish that her heart could love again.