Shooter (2)

Inside the clothing shop, the group's conversation was a fragile attempt at maintaining some sense of normalcy in a world forever changed.

They huddled together, their expressions a mixture of exhaustion and grief, the weight of their losses pulling them down.

Jackal's voice broke the silence, a heavy sigh accompanying his words. "Zach's gone. He has to be."

Stalker, sitting beside a shattered window and watching the dim rays of dawn breaking, shook his head, his eyes filled with an unsettling mix of hope and despair. "He could be fine."

Rudy, whose youthful optimism seemed almost out of place in the grim surroundings, chimed in.

"Zach is fast. I knew him from my high school. He was on the track team. He's fine."

Stalker sighed, his gaze lingering on the slowly passing horde outside.

"Were you guys in school when it happened?" he asked, his voice carrying a trace of nostalgia.

Rudy, on the other hand, seemed to sink into the memories of that fateful day.

"I wasn't a good student," he confessed. "I was skipping at the time it happened. I was on my way to go to a shop for some sweets, and that's when everything went wrong. Zach and his parents were there, and this deadhead was biting down on his dad."

"Zach's mom got split up with us when we were running. We were being shoved around," Rudy continued, his voice tinged with regret. "I grabbed his hand to make sure we didn't get split up either. But his dad's a goner."

Stalker's empathy shone through as he reached out and patted Rudy's back. "You may not be a good student, but you are a good person," he said, a small, melancholic smile crossing his face. Rudy returned the smile through watery eyes, grateful for the support.

As the group shared their stories, Rudy couldn't help but express another layer of his personal turmoil. "I have no clue where my girlfriend is either. She was at school when it happened."

Stalker, being the understanding figure he was, inquired, "Who's your girlfriend?"

A spark of affection lit up Rudy's eyes, despite the tears that threatened to spill over. "Her name is Kara," he said. His feelings for her were evident, and he swiftly wiped away the tear that managed to escape. "Shit."

Stalker's compassion was unwavering. "It's fine to cry," he assured Rudy, offering a warm smile to ease the emotional burden.

Then the topic shifted back to Stalker, and Rudy couldn't help but question his decision. "Why don't you go looking for them?"

Stalker glanced at the rest of the group and considered his response carefully. "I have to protect you guys to the best of my ability. That's what my wife and daughter would've wanted."

Rudy, clearly touched by Stalker's dedication, reached out and patted him on the back. "You're a good man. Hell, I think you're a good father. You acted on instinct back there."

Stalker's solemn expression conveyed his regret as he lowered his gaze. "But Logan," he whispered, as if his friend's name weighed heavily on his soul. "Logan was capable of following us. He got himself killed."

Rudy could only nod, understanding the guilt that must have haunted Stalker's thoughts.

The sudden sound of distant gunshots pierced the air, muffled by the building's walls but unmistakably present. Stalker rose to his feet, a mixture of concern and determination etched across his features.

"That might just be our call," he declared, his voice resolute. The group exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting a blend of fear and readiness.

The tension was palpable as the group faced the daunting reality of the impending return of the horde. Anna, her grip on her spear resolute, voiced the unspoken dread.

"The horde will come back," she declared, her eyes fixed on the weapon she held. In this dire world, survival depended on unity.

Stalker, the group's unspoken leader, asserted their collective strength.

"We fight as one," he declared, his own spear held tightly in his grasp. It was a testament to the courage they all needed to exhibit in this forsaken reality.

With a quick glance to Rudy, Stalker took the initiative. "Rudy, open the door," he ordered, his firm steps leading him toward the exit.

Jackal and Zoe followed closely, ready for whatever lay beyond the door. Anna trailed right behind, her heart pounding with determination.

Rudy, understanding the urgency, nodded and swiftly moved to the door. As he turned the knob and pushed the door ajar, Stalker wasted no time.

He rushed outside, his well-practiced movements evident. Without hesitation, he tackled a lurking biter to the ground and plunged his spear into its skull, ending the threat.

Jackal's instincts were equally sharp. He swung his spear with controlled force, sending a biter tumbling to the ground. Their companions quickly joined the fray, pushing back the encroaching horde with fierce determination.

Rudy didn't shy away from the grim task either. He aimed his spear and thrust it into a biter's head, a gruesome splatter of blackened blood accompanying the kill.

Their confrontation with the horde fueled the undead's pursuit, leading them away from the gunshot sounds, only to be met with silence.

Their united front prevailed as they outpaced the relentless biters.

In a matter of minutes, the group witnessed a group of survivors darting into a nearby building, closely followed by the relentless horde. Stalker's keen eye quickly identified Zach among the fleeing figures.

With an assertive grunt, Zach entered the building and fired a single shot from his pistol just before sealing the entrance, preventing the horde from following them any further. The resulting loud bang of the door brought an unsettling stillness to the streets outside.

Stalker knew the situation required quick thinking. "We'll go through the back door if there's one," he instructed, taking charge as he led the group into a narrow alleyway.

He acted swiftly, shoving a biter to the ground and ensuring its demise, while Rudy delivered the fatal blow to another. Their experience and coordination were evident.

The group hurried down the alley, the cacophony of growls and shuffling feet from the biters trailing them, creating an eerie soundscape of dread. Stalker, exhibiting his leadership yet again, urged the group to move forward.

However, their route was suddenly blocked by an unexpected obstacle. A figure, smeared with black blood, was picking the lock of the back entrance to a nearby building.

It became apparent to Rudy that this person was armed with a rifle. An accidental crunch of shattered glass under Rudy's foot drew the stranger's attention.

The figure turned to face them, their grin obscured by the blackened blood on their face. They emitted an eerie, unsettling whistle, ringing out into the narrow alley.

The sound of shuffling biters approaching from the surrounding alleyways signaled that the situation was growing increasingly dire. Zoe pointed out the growing danger behind them, emphasizing the urgency. Anna, ever ready for a fight, stood her ground.

"We have to fight our way over," Zoe declared, fully aware of the biters closing in from behind.

Anna nodded in agreement and positioned herself beside Zoe, determination blazing in her eyes.

She thrust her spear forward, the steel tip slicing through the air before striking a biter's head. The impact sent the undead creature's skull crashing into a nearby brick wall, blood splattering in a grotesque spectacle.

Jackal, equally valiant, used his spear as a makeshift shield, forcefully shoving biters backward, creating a temporary barrier of safety.

With precision and unity, Rudy and Stalker systematically took down the approaching biters one by one. Their spears thrust with deadly intent, each strike leading to the end of a frenzied life.

As the situation continued to escalate, Zach and Maddy found refuge in the office building's lobby, an unexpected sanctuary amidst the chaos.

It appeared to be a former dentist's office, a place where dread and discomfort were no strangers. But in their current circumstances, any shelter was a welcome one.

Amid the relentless assault of the biters pounding on the glass and door, Lilah's eyes darted around the dimly lit room.

Her voice quivered with urgency as she warned the group, "Watch out, he could shoot the glass again." Carter's face tightened in response, a silent acknowledgment of the imminent danger.

Jug, still visibly stained with Danny's blood, struggled to wipe away the gruesome reminders.

His gaze met Cob's, who bore a heavy burden of guilt. In a voice laden with remorse, Cob whispered, "I'm sorry," while Jug offered only a slight nod of understanding.

Carter, the de facto leader of their group, assessed the dire situation. "We have no choice but to escape through the back," he declared, his eyes scanning the room for potential exits.

Kneeling down beside Maddy, Zach tore a piece of fabric from his clothing.

His hands moved with a mix of urgency and care as he fashioned a makeshift tourniquet to staunch the bleeding wound on Maddy's leg. She, with a pallid complexion, nodded in silent gratitude, her trust placed in Zach's skills.

"We can't linger here for long. We need to get Maddy help," Zach stressed, his gaze never leaving the slowly cracking glass that separated them from the relentless onslaught of the biters.

Just when the tension in the room reached its zenith, an eerie, ominous whistling sound pierced the air, originating from behind them.

Carter, attuned to the slightest hint of danger, swiftly turned to confront the new threat. The next moments were a blur—a deafening whizzing sound, followed by searing agony as a bullet tore through Carter's leg, exiting in a gruesome display of carnage.

Carter couldn't stifle a scream of pure anguish as he crumpled to the floor, blood spilling from his wound.

Standing before them was the ominous figure responsible for this new nightmare. A wicked grin etched on his face as he lowered his hood, revealing a man in his early thirties.

His beard was unkempt, black hair framed a face filled with malevolence, and piercing blue eyes gleamed with a twisted satisfaction.

"Drop your weapons," the man ordered, his voice laced with authority.

Lilah, desperate to reach Carter's side, made a futile attempt to rush over to him, but the figure's stern warning halted her in her tracks.

He aimed his rifle at her, cold determination in his eyes. "Not a chance," he declared, clicking his tongue.

Zach's eyes remained fixed on the enigmatic figure, his muscles coiled with tension. "So, who was the guy who threatened me?" The figure demanded, his voice growing increasingly impatient.

Seconds turned to moments, yet no one dared to speak. Zach locked eyes with the menacing figure, unflinching and unyielding.

Frustration boiled within the stranger, his grip on the gun tightening. In a shocking display of cruelty, he aimed and fired a shot, the bullet mercilessly finding its mark in Jug's leg.

Jug's anguished scream pierced the air as he crumpled to the ground, his hands desperately clutching at the gaping wound. "OH GOD!" Jug's voice cracked with pain, echoed by Cob's horrified scream of "NO! NO!"

The figure's attention shifted to Cob, his lips curling into a malevolent grin.

"Now, that's what I like to see," he mused, relishing in the chaos he'd sown.

"I recognize that voice. It was you," he declared, his eyes locked onto Cob with chilling intent.