A Day In September - BTS Zombie au

11: Until the Very End

After walking for a while and hearing nothing more, the pair reluctantly let it go. There was only so much they could do to avoid others, especially when they didn't know if there were others or where they were.

They could only wait in the building next to the hardware store for around thirty minutes, hoping that whatever was making noise was gone. Mara had calmed down but stayed on high alert, sharing a wary look with Jimin.

Mara was first to enter the shop, her eyes scanning for anything inside as she wielded the machete, Jimin standing by the entrance behind her. She saw nothing inside, stepping in. Once both entered, they took in the dark and dusty place.

"It's mostly empty," Jimin commented, skeptical eyes shooting Mara a glance. The girl nodded, "Yeah, but it's better to check. Just in case something's left."

The shop extended far back, the tall ceiling adorned with dysfunctional lights and ceiling fans. Along the glossy varnish of wooden walls were the mounted heads of several taxidermy animals. Goats, deer, ducks and many other animals watched with their glass eyes as Mara and Jimin looked around the dark interior. Light filtered through the windows up front, though not enough to fill the back end of the shop, leaving leaving the rest in partial obscurity.

Racks that once held display shotguns and hunting rifles were cleared, as were most of the display cases. There were miscellaneous remains, which were practically useless, scattered on the ground and left abandoned. Canoes were once stacked together beside where the tents used to be — all gone, too.

Mara felt a slight disappointment, but nevertheless made sure to check everywhere. The clothing section was important to her, but not as important as finding Jimin something to protect himself with.

Jimin stepped forward, but was stopped by Mara's hand. She held him back, knocking the blade of her machete on a cart laying beside her. Jimin and Mara waited patiently as the sound reverberated, silence following suit. A minute rolled by and Mara began with giving the place a quick sweep, stopping occasionally to listen for any noises. Jimin stood by the entrance, eyes flitting from the entrance to the shop and back and forth.

Can't be too careful.

Mara walked back towards Jimin, giving a nod before the two were off. Jimin followed beside Mara, not too far from her, as they both searched the aisles. Every now and then he would glance at the girl, her busied eyes and hands urging him to look further.

Mara took a gander at where the tents were, hoping that maybe something was left behind that could possibly serve a use. When she saw nothing, Mara decided that looming over everything was not enough.

Mara dropped to her knees, hands and cheek pressed against the floor. She looked under the shelves, finding scattered items, perhaps shoved and kicked in the initial chaos. She reached for them, sweeping them out into the dim light. Amidst these items were dead rats, but Mara got passed the rodents with a disgusted grimace and rummaged around them.

"Broken fletching...Cup holder...air freshener-" Mara paused, giving the small can a long hard look before shrugging and shoving it in her bag.

Jimin watched from afar with amusement as he said, "Looking to make your place smell nice?"

Mara was still avidly swiping her hands under the aisles, far too occupied to feed into the conversation. Jimin waited patiently for her to respond, but he was left hanging.

"Just get on your knees," Mara muttered, paying no mind to Jimin's grin or at the unintentional risqué demand.

He wiggled his brows suggestively, "Yes ma'am."