Chapter Twenty-Six

I quickly dash inside the dark shack and, already aware of the insides because of my previous search, and go directly to both items that interested me the most, ending with a sturdy ax on my left hand and a nail hammer on the other, unable to sheath the ax in any way and without time to figure a way to do so either.

The first zombie reaches the entrance before we could leave, his hunger and eagerness making him drag his left twisted leg hurriedly like it was nothing.

I test the weight of the hammer in my hand, opening and bending my legs, getting ready to strike when the light that passes the wooden cracks on the roof illuminates the undead's face, his row of teeth exposed as the lips and mouth seemed to have rotten away- no, rather, been eaten away, having a crocked edge on the rotting pale skin.

The nose was missing too as well as the fleshy parts of the ears, the only thing truly remaining amongst the rotting flesh was the white dead fish eyes that were currently staring me down as those extremely rusted limbs still manage to drag that rotten body forward.

As the long yellow broken nails reach forward and try to grab me I swing the hammer and hit his head with the part used to take nails out, the longer metal caving in the skull without difficulty, or rather, far deeper than necessary, dirtying my glove with goop.

Ewww!

Just because I was better at dealing with this kind of stuff now doesn't mean that it does not affect me to some degree, or rather, zombies would disgust anyone, myself included, so it was a natural reaction while dealing with them.

As I try to pull the weapon out, however, I realize that I had used too much strength and got it stuck inside the zombie's skull, and in my attempts to take the weapon out, even going as far as to using my feet, instead of freeing the weapon I broke its neck and took the head out, having it hanging on my hammer and swinging in the air, the jaw-dropping and the dirty hair flowing in the wind.

Double eww!! What the hell dude, seriously?!

As the next zombie reaches the entrance I smash the head on the window, having brain matter fly all over the glass and on the floor, but at least freeing the hammer only for it to immediately sink in the next zombie brain, but this time without getting stuck; though it was still hard to take the weapon out since I still had to get used to my own strength.

However I didn't have the same luck on the third zombie, I went to strike it with the hammer, getting it to pierce the skull without being stuck, only that, this time, because of the force that I put in each strike until now the wooden handle… broke in half.

Well so much for a weapon.

Wanting to rely on my ax just in extreme cases since it would lose its sharpness with time and use I run back in the shack to survey things quickly since I had not walked too far anyway and take a weapon that I had my eyes on and did not take because I thought that it would be too heavy to use beforehand.

That much I guessed wrong for sure.

It was another hammer, but this one was used to break down walls, being round and big and very heavy, almost like someone had stuck a handle on a brick.

At least it wouldn't get stuck this time.

Another zombie comes in, wearing a tie that was loosely hanging on his neck when I get close and try my new found toy.

I bring it up, then down with strength, aiming at his head, the skull simply caves in with the impact, contorting like a deflated ball filled with brain matter and eyes and teeth and white fat worms and-

Ew ew ew!

Fucking awesome!

But ew!

Satisfied with this hammer I finally leave that place, running out until I was far from the commotion and the upcoming zombies.

No need to rush all the way now, especially with Kira hurt, stomping like a crazy horse would kill her before we reached the place.

I jump over the wall with a single crouch and launch, jumping on the next house and walking over its garden, doing it so until I finally reach the center, getting rid of any zombies in the way while keeping away from the streets that could bring far more undead than this private mostly closed gardens.

I just stop to take the place in as it comes to view.

Is was a charming little store that brought a relief sigh from me when I read the name on the board, The Fairy Dogmother, Veterinarian, right on the side of the shop as the front has big windows and green-blue fading paint, as well as what used to be a small potted garden full with weeds and dust.

I jump down beside it, eager to finally have something for Kira, to finally take this heavyweight from my heart.

Quickly getting in I have to hold in a sneeze when mere walking brought a puff of dust up. It was foggy and dark inside with all the clouds out there hiding the sun, even more with the dirty windows that let in almost no light, but it must have looked lovely when it was still active.

There were a lot of vases, now with only dead plants in and yet with a moisty soil from being watered recently, and a blue counter to the side, as well as some comfy armchair and magazines.

A very well kept place, something you would expect from the region.

I stop appreciating, however, when the urgency hits me and I walk to the back, ears perched for any sound or creature that may be living in there.

I walk over some doors, pass some offices, and reach the back where there were some transparent refrigerators and shelves, going straight to the last one since anything in the refrigerators would be far gone by now.

It was a mess there, a bad sign, empty boxes throw around, pills on the floor together with empty pill casers.

I add to the mess when I start to go over it all, pushing to the ground what I didn't need, this newfound confidence making me care less if I was heard, searching for the medicine faster, anything that could fight the infection off.

I search, then I search, keep looking as the medicines became fewer and fewer on the shell, many empty already, others useless, some even expired.

I separate some, look though the medicine leaflet to separate what they were used for, and it takes me far too long to separate everything.

By the time I'm done Nolan appears out of nowhere, first opening the front door and making me think it may be a survivor; or one of the chasing werewolves; but Luna dismisses it as she can feel his wolf around.

I'm sitting down on the side by the time he reaches me, cuddling Kira on my arms and watching her sleepy face as she slowly breaths.

He stops in front of me, restless, as he answers even before I ask anything:

'I-I went to grab some supplies… Sorry about… about back there…' He says, putting a big camouflage bag on the floor as he licks his dry black lips, still unsure of what to say after being ignored by me and after running away like that.

'Is she… is she alright? Did you get the medicine?' At that I move my hand up without taking my eyes off from her, feeling a lump grow at the back of my throat as I say:

"Yes… but there are only three pills and they have been expired for a while." This time I'm the one to feel my throat drier. "It won't-it won't be enough, she needs far more, it will only buy us some time before… before…" Before it spreads, before she 'dies'.

I stop speaking and simply hug her closer to me, lulling her to sleep as I prepare to give her the medicine in hopes of helping her recover.

"I don't- I don't even-" I stop trying to talk once the words start to sound like sobs.

There are only three pills.

That's not possible, right…? No way that I would be this close yet so far… No way right?

I clench the plastic, moving it while having my mind full, taking one pill off and giving to her, crushing it in tiny pieces so she wouldn't need to chew, helping her with some water even though I knew only three would not be enough, but still hoping that it would help somehow, that those mere pills could save her now.

It couldn't… but at least bought me time.

But time for what? There is nothing left here, I already checked, maybe I could check other clinics, but the amount of time it would take to at least localize them, even more in this huge infested city… it would be a nightmare.

I could feel the never-ending despair wanting to grow, creeping in from my chest and spreading its roots to my whole body.

Nolan approaches me then with smooth steps and stops right in front of me, but seemly coming to a decision he approaches, kneels down, and hugs me, his warmth engulfing me like a thick wool blanket.

It felt so right, him there, hugging me.

All the despair that threatened to surface vanquish like fog, slowly, as I let a heavy sigh out as his other arm reaches forward and embraces me harder.

And I let him, I let myself be carried away by that warmth, by that sensation, so overwhelmed with fear and disgust for so many years that all that weight seemed to push me down and crush me from inside, like an ever so present presence at the back of my mind pulling me down, deeper and deeper…

I hug him back, not as tight as I wanted since Kira was in the middle, and rest my head against his soft fluffy fur.

'Shh shh shh, is ok, we are going to help her out, don't worry ok? She will live through this, we all are.'

I close my eyes and let his words sink in, even though I did not believe him, in any luck that could help us, in no destiny, in nothing really, but still, even after all the bad odds life taught me, I still wanted to believe him, and that part of me proved to be very stubborn.

And I don't know why my mind, at that moment, felt like running its mouth nonstop as I start speaking, but not about something ordinary, but something that I haven't talk about with anyone before…

&&&

For those angry with hubby for leaving did he make up for it now? Heheh

And yes! The evil cliffhanger! Muahaha ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡~)