2 Routine

Within 3 years, you learn a lot about the beings that caused this world's downfall.

They seem to be the regular, stereotypical sort of undead. Grey skin, lasting wounds, blind eyes and heavy groans. They have no ability to distinguish pain, taking fractured bones and ripped flesh like it was nothing. Each one having no sense of awareness as they stumbled about. Bumping into each other every so often and always cawing out that same lonesome tune disguised groans.

And yet... There were things I can't explain about them.

Despite the fact that their brains should've rotted away, they still remembered a parts of their old routines.

The routines of the old world.

During the weekends the streets are packed, bodies clumping together as their footsteps mix into a thunder. The weekdays are quiet, most off the streets and you might be lucky to spot those coming home at sundown. Maybe a part of them still remembers what they used to do. Their old routine heavily ingrained in their psyche that

As I climbed down the fire escape of the tarot room I was holed up in, I pondered about that strange aspect of them. The downtown rain poured relentlessly causing my clothes to stick to my body as I clutched the straps of my backpack. Legs slowly moving forward as I checked the corner right out of the alleyway I was in.

Only a handful remained but I knew better than to let my guard down. If I am correct about the day, then not many of them should be visiting the mall. Monday's were always a slow day from what I remembered.

With each step I took, water splashed all around me. Rushing forward where the large mall used to be as I pulled my bat from it's sling, clutching it tight in my right hand. Those who are left slowly turned as I sped past them. Hands, or lack there of, reaching towards me but not close enough to touch me.

The rain must be slowing them down as well. On any other day, I wouldn't have resorted to this. I wouldn't be running out in the open like this. Then again, it's not like I could've avoided it. Either I risk being out here or I starve to death in that tiny room. The latter is something that I just couldn't allow.

I rounded the corner, my eyes faced the huge metropolis of a mall. A great sense of dread filled me as I stared up at it. The sky scraper sized mall stared down at me with a looming gaze. The bright lights that once covered the building now dimmed due to years of unuse. Windows and walls alike were cracked from what must've been the result of the chaos that befell on Z Day. With how much people that usually went to this mall, it's not hard to imagine the blood bath that must've taken place...

"Graa...."

The voice pierced through the wall of rain fall causing me to spin to find the source. I couldn't find the Z but the sound was closer than usual. This time more prominent than it's usual place of being background noise.

Slight alarm building in the back of my mind as I quickened my pace, simply finding one of the many broken windows to go through. I hurried to pass by the shattered glass to track the supermarket there. Hopefully, there are still items left on the shelves. Last I've been there, there was still a good shelf or two left. Then again, this isn't the best of place to be with how many Zs that were still here.

"Alright.. uh..." I began to whisper, finding myself in front of the large super market and the entire mess that littered the insides of the store. Gulping as I looked towards the main opening only to find that piles upon piles of carts were placed there. The food that once were held in them strewn about just meters outside of the cluster, the perishables already rotted away but the smell was still there.

"Inside... inside... Okay just... um..." I paced back and forth the entire entry way before eventually settling upon vaulting over the counter to get to the other side. Shoving my bat back for a brief moment so I could pull myself up and over. For a brief moment I got to see what the rest of the store looks like and to be honest, it made me not want to go any further.

Entire shelves were thrown to the side as if something big crashed into it. Large clusters of flies hovered near the back where the produce was but also in small pods in between isles. Items seemingly covered the floor and made it clear that if I keep going, there is no way I could travel across the floor without knocking stuff over.

With a curse, I bit my lip before pulling my bat out again. Staying on the tips of my toes as I cautiously made my way to where I last saw the can isle. My dismay only grew as I saw the depleted state of the area. Many of which was the spilled and crushed cans that lay on the floor.

"Shit... Come on there's bound to be one that's okay." I found myself whispering as i headed to the knocked over shelves trying to sift through what little cans were left.

It wasn't long until I nabbed the last of it.

"I'll need to move base soon... there's not much left here..."

CRASH

someone's here.