[36] White knight in shinning armor

The shrill, piercing sound of the car alarm echoed down the empty streets, slicing through the quiet morning air. Ms. Heather, standing guard near the bus, squinted in confusion, glancing in the direction of the noise. "What in the world…?" she murmured, the alarm making her pulse quicken.

But before she could piece together what was happening, a low growl sounded from behind her. She spun around, gasping as a decayed, shambling figure staggered out of the shadows, its empty eyes fixed on her. Panic shot through her veins as she fumbled for the gun holstered at her hip, her fingers clumsy with fear.

"Oh, no, no, no!" she whispered frantically, her hands slipping on the weapon. She pulled it out, but in her haste, it slipped from her grip, clattering onto the asphalt with a loud clang. Her heart raced as she dropped to the ground, scrambling to reach for it, but before she could grab it, the zombie lunged, grabbing a fistful of her shirt with bony, decomposing fingers.

Ms. Heather yelped, trying to back away, but the force of the zombie's grip caused her to lose her balance. She fell back, the creature's hand still clinging to her shirt as she hit the ground with a thud. Her shirt tore in the struggle, the fabric ripping down the middle to reveal her bra, and she gasped, her face flushing with a mix of fear and embarrassment.

"Help!" she cried, her voice high-pitched and shaky as she kicked out at the zombie, desperately trying to push it off. But it leaned closer, its jaws snapping hungrily as it tried to get to her.

A gunshot cracked through the air, and the zombie jerked back, a dark hole appearing in its forehead. It collapsed on top of her, its weight pinning her down for a second before it slid off to the side, finally still.

Ms. Heather looked up, her heart pounding, to see Blake standing there, his .22 pistol still smoking, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and embarrassment. He looked down at her, his face turning bright red as he quickly averted his gaze, scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh! Ms. Collins! I—I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—are you okay?" he stammered, clearly trying to look anywhere but at her exposed chest.

Ms. Heather let out a breath, her cheeks flushed as she adjusted what was left of her shirt, trying to cover herself up. "Oh, goodness," she murmured, giving him a sheepish smile. "Thank you, Blake. You really saved me there."

He cleared his throat, still looking away. "Uh, yeah, no problem! I, uh, just heard you shout and… I couldn't just, you know, let it… I mean…" He trailed off, his face growing even redder.

Ms. Heather gave him a gentle smile, reaching up and accepting his offered hand. "Well, you were very brave, Blake," she said sweetly, pulling herself up with his help. "Thank you. I, um… I seem to have left my gun behind in all the excitement. Silly me."

Blake shook his head quickly, glancing down at her. "No, no, it's—it's fine! I mean, it happens, right? The important thing is that you're safe." He swallowed, his gaze flickering briefly to her torn shirt before he forced himself to look away again.

Ms. Heather noticed his discomfort and chuckled, her tone light and teasing. "Oh, don't worry, Blake. I've been teaching long enough to know when a boy's embarrassed. You did great."

Blake's face flushed again, and he managed a nervous chuckle. "Uh, yeah, sure. Just, uh… doing my part." He fumbled with his gun, clearly flustered as he looked around, trying to regain his composure.

The distant sounds of shuffling footsteps reached their ears, snapping them back to the urgency of the moment. Ms. Heather's eyes widened, and she tightened her grip on Blake's arm. "I think we should get back to the bus, don't you?" she asked, her voice a little shaky.

Blake nodded, gripping his pistol as he scanned the shadows around them. "Yeah. Let's, uh… let's get going. I'll cover you."

They started down the street, moving quickly but cautiously, Blake staying slightly ahead of Ms. Heather. She kept her hand on his arm for support, her gaze darting nervously to every corner and alley they passed. The memory of the zombie grabbing her still lingered in her mind, sending a chill down her spine.

As they passed an abandoned storefront, a faint rustling sound caught their attention, and Blake raised his gun, aiming at the dark entrance. "Stay behind me, Ms. Collins," he whispered, his voice low and tense.

She nodded, gripping his arm a little tighter. "You're very brave, Blake," she whispered, her voice soft and genuine. "Thank you for helping me. I don't know what I'd do if I was out here all alone."

Blake swallowed, his blush deepening. "I—uh, I mean, it's nothing. Really. Just, you know, trying to help." He forced a laugh, clearly uncomfortable but trying to appear calm. "Can't let anything happen to you. You're, uh… you're important to the group."

Ms. Heather smiled warmly. "Well, that's very sweet of you, Blake. I know I'm not the, um, strongest person here, but I'm grateful to have such good people looking out for me."

Blake's chest puffed up slightly, and he nodded, his confidence bolstered. "Of course. I'll make sure you're safe, no matter what." He paused, glancing back at her with a reassuring smile, though his face still held a hint of nervousness.

They kept moving, the sounds of distant groans and shuffling footsteps growing louder as they made their way back toward the bus. Ms. Heather glanced around, worry etched into her face. "Do you think the others are okay? That alarm… it sounded so loud."

Blake nodded, his expression tense. "They'll be fine. Morgan and Jean know what they're doing, and Akira's with them too. We just need to focus on getting back safely ourselves."

Ms. Heather nodded, though she couldn't hide the worry in her eyes. "Right, of course. Just… staying calm. I can do that." She took a deep breath, steadying herself as they moved carefully down the empty street.

As they passed another alley, a shadow shifted just out of the corner of Blake's eye. He spun, aiming his pistol, only to see a stray piece of trash blowing past. He let out a shaky breath, trying to laugh it off. "Guess I'm a little jumpy too."

Ms. Heather chuckled softly, her voice soothing. "Well, that's understandable. This whole situation has everyone on edge. I'm just glad we're still together." She glanced at him, offering a small, gentle smile that seemed to relax him.

"Yeah," Blake murmured, his tone softening as he returned her smile. "Me too."

They continued down the street, the shadows stretching around them, moving carefully but with purpose. The distant sounds of the car alarm faded behind them, replaced by the low, ominous groans of zombies beginning to gather in the direction of the noise. Blake kept his gun raised, his gaze scanning the street, but with Ms. Heather by his side, he felt a strange sense of resolve, a determination to see them both safely back to the bus.

As they neared the edge of town, Ms. Heather stumbled slightly, and Blake caught her by the arm, steadying her. She looked up at him, her face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude. "Oh, I'm so clumsy," she said, laughing softly. "Thank you again, Blake. I think I'd be in serious trouble if it weren't for you."

Blake smiled, his cheeks still pink. "It's really no problem, Ms. Collins. I'm just glad I can help."

They shared a brief, grateful look before pressing onward, each step bringing them closer to the safety of the bus—and away from the lurking dangers that filled the shadows of the abandoned town.

Q: Which guy character do you relate to the most?