On a Piping Run II

"No problem, Brother. Let's go wake her up." I say coming in Prince tries and fails to leap into my arms all the while whining about it.

We knock on their bedroom door, but there's no reply and a sinking feeling begins to set in my stomach. I slowly open the door revealing a bundled-up lump on the bed. No signs of movement save for the faint rising and lowering of the blanket mound.

I slowly approach the mound with my shotgun drawn before calling out, "Chanen… You there?"

*Grrrr*

A low growl escapes the mound of blankets before they shift and a figure rises from the mound…

"Where's the coffee?" Chanen groans as the last of the blankets fall away to reveal a middle-aged woman with brown hair and sunken brown eyes from many long nights of harsh studying.

I sigh before flipping the safety on, on my gun, "Jesus woman, I nearly blew your head off." I say starting to realize Lawrence's pain.

"Why're you here? Why are your eyes like an acid trip? And when did you buy a shotgun? Also, you're bracing it wrong." She corrects me while still half asleep, "Now about that coffee."

We decide to get her a bottled Moondollar coffee and wait for her to wake up before trying to explain everything involving the apocalypse.

After hearing me out she turns to the window, lights a cigarette, taking a long drag before speaking, "Well ain't that the fuckin' shit… Finally finished the last paper of my last class before I get my degree… And the world fucking kicks the bucket. HAHAHA!" Bursting out into laughter causing me and Kully to stare at her in concern.

After she wipes the tears from her eyes she asks, "Well, what's next?"

"I got the start of a survivor camp going at the dorms, and I plan to pick up the rest of the gang while on my way to complete a mission to set up our water supply."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's load up. Still in that beater?" Chanen asks.

"Yup, let's load everything we can eat and drink into Betsy's trunk and head on to the others apartments." I say beginning to help them pack up, though the hardest part was finding Diva. Their siamese cat that looked like a toasted marshmallow. As she loved to hide around the apartment.

Luckily it only took about 30-45 minutes to get everything loaded and back on the road. Leaving me as the designated chauffeur as we continue on our way, weaving through the cars and debris.

We see several terrible scenes of bodies torn to shreds and individuals with their heads blown off... But it's strange seeing the dead bodies litter the streets... It makes it feel... Real? It was real before I guess, but with there being no dead bodies near the camp it just never fully sunk in until now.

As we drive, the occasional gunshot can be heard echoing through the streets and the odd shambler getting bumped away if they get too close to Betsy's bumper.

It was smooth sailing getting to my other friends apartment block. It's in a slightly nicer part of town, though that distinction means next to nothing given the state of the city as a whole.

Instead of makeshift tents, the G.D.C.A. only had a few trucks parked outside these apartments along with some transport buses which are all abandoned. I notice that the number of dead bodies dwindles rapidly as we approach their apartment building. Though I'm hopeful as I see Axcel's truck and Miveh's car in their parking places. Though Minnie's car seems to be missing.

"Take this, if I'm not back in an hour-" I say to Chanen, handing her the shot gun before she interrupts me.

"Leave you and tell you tale to all those we meet? No problem." Chanen says with I nod before thoroughly examining the shotgun.

"What?! No! I was going to say come in and get me! Why the fuck would you just leave me behind like that?!" I ask in shock.

"In my defense, the guy always says that in the movies before he goes off on a suicide mission." Chanen says with a shrug as Kully laughs.

"She's got you there, brother!" Kully says.

"I'm just running up a flight of stairs! How is that a suicide mission?! Don't fuckin' jinx me like that!" I say while I grab a tire iron from the trunk before heading up the building.

"If I nearly die up there I'm blaming the two of you!" I say, getting the last word in as they wave me off.

Going up the stairs I noticed a familiar scene to when I was outside Kully and Chanen's apartment. Signs of fighting and blood splatter but no bodies to be seen.

I approach their door only knocking once before Axcel throw the door open and hits me like a fucking freight train shouting, "Die you zombie bastards!"

I'm barely able to bring up my tire iron in time to block the downward swing of his great war machete.

"Axcel! It's me! Stop!" I shout out, stopping his attempted murder frenzy.

[Host... Why do all the people we meet that you ally with... Attempt to kill you? ⊙⁠.⁠☉]

I decide to ignore Pima as Axcel regains his footing.

"Oh, it's you. Sorry about that..." Axcel says pulling back his machete and reaching out a hand to help me up. His voice loses its passionate rage as he mellows out and his voice becomes monotonous.

"Hey? Where did all my dead zombies go? I swear I quadruple tapped them." Axcel says wiping their machete before putting it away in its sheath.

Axcel is a slightly pale heavyset guy with dyed black hair that settles just below his pierced earlobe, distant hazel eyes, and softened features, who comes up to just above my shoulders. But don't let the squish fool you, that tackle wasn't a fluke, he's an absolute unit under that soft exterior.

"Quadruple tap? How do you even do that with a machete?" I ask in confusion.

"Chop the head, then decapitate, before removing both arms. Duh." Axcel says looking at me like I'm an idiot.

"Why just remove the arms?" I ask after processing his explanation.

"How else are you supposed to disarm someone?" Axcel says giving me that same look.