Mad World

La_Reina

Sexy Feisty Sub
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
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(closed for Proximus)

It was dark and there wasn't a single light on in the small town Alex was looking at. She had ran out of rations a week ago and she was running low on water. She had to get food and some water or risk dying out here. She had survived this long she wasn't about to starve to death.

"Okay Lexy," Alex said to herself. "It's now or never."

Alex pulled her cloak over her head hiding her black hair. There wass a small sliver of a moon out that provided enough light, but even still she didn't want to be seen. As the years passed those things grew in numbers. Alex categorized them into two categories. Walkers like the Resident Evil type and the Runners like the one in those stupid new age zombie films. Zombies; who would have thought the movies would be right.

Alex slipped between the shadows dodging the moans of the walkers and the dog-like sniff of the runners. She had purposely made her cloak smell like death to mask her scent and was able to blend into her surroundings. There was a convenience store ahead. If that one was empty she had two other stores she could try. Alex's stomach grumbled loudly and she put her hand to it willing it to stop. Once she was sure Alex slipped under the broken door frame and walked inside. There was no food, none, it was a convenience store, but there was a small case of water waaay in the back. Alex grabbed it and stuffed it into her small pack strapped to her back.

Alex heard movement and looked around the aisle. There were two walkers in here. Alex sighed in relief. Walkers were easy. She stood up and they turned towards her with arms outstretched and moaning. Damn she hated it when they moaned. It brought more walkers and possibly runners. Alex sidestepped the first walker, ducked under the second's arms and was out the door. She smiled and was walking down the street into the darkness. She heard an inhuman screech and stopped: RUNNERS!

Alex took off her cloak billowing out behind her. She could hear the footsteps behind her. Luckily she was in shape and they weren't gaining on her, but they would never tire and she would. Alex came to a screech and stepped into a doorway holding her head slightly down as she blended into the night. The runners ran right past her. Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Than her stomach grumbled.

One of them stopped and looked back. He sniffed the air slowly coming towards her. Alex stepped from the shadow and unsheath her katana. It wasn't quite as large as a sword, but much longer than a machete. She needed something that was swift, longer than arm's range, and something she could wield easily. The runner opened his mouth and Alex reacted first stabbing it right in the throat cutting off that yell that would bring back the others. It wasn't glorious or anything like the movies as she killed the runner.

She heard a moan behind her and groaned. Were the fates against her? Than the inhuman screeched. Yup, the fates wanted her to die. She might be able to take on one runner or two, but not anymore than that. She wasn't a fighter. She liked the easy way of doing things which was hiding. Hiding kept you safe as others did stupid things and died. Alex jumped up onto a dumpster making as much noise as a dinner bell. She grabbed the edge of a building and pulled herself up and ran the rooftops hoping they weren't following.

After a few moments Alex was in front of another store. The biggest one. She didn't have time to fuck around. The sun would be up and she couldn't blend in anymore. Alex stared up at the Super Walmart. "Okay Lexy ... Let's not die."

Alex Cloak - Click this to see her in her cloak

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Checking his wrist watch, Jack Burton realized that it had, in fact, been almost five years since the outbreak. Some chemists working for big pharma were trying to hit the jackpot and halt human aging. In the eternal quest for the so-called fountain of youth, this had been the single most tragic failure known to mankind. Without a second thought about right or wrong, playing God, or the consequences of failure, they plunged headlong into the research. These fuckers had real power in their hands and all the common sense of a typical garden gnome. While the initial animal testing showed positive results, they never could have expected what would happen when they started human trials.

Calling this a serious adverse event was the modern equivalent of the meteor that took out the dinosaurs. Forget about researching a cure, the infection spread like wildfire, and soon, there were no squints left to even think about what went wrong. The really weird thing was that effected people in two distinct ways. Most humans became these mindless flesh eating zombies who limped along at a snail’s pace, but a rare few kept their wits and dexterity. These were the dangerous ones. Not only could they run you down, but they had enough instincts to outsmart you if you weren’t careful.

Jack had survived all this time by staying away from town, and away from large packs of the infecteds. The stragglers who roamed in small bands were easy enough for someone of his military training to handle. However, his supplies were running low, and he decided to take a calculated risk. There was an old Walmart on the edge of town. If he was lucky, they might still have some medical supplies and who knows what else.

It was about an hour before sunrise when he parked his black Hummer outside the garden center doors. He made a clean sweep around the rear of the building, finding no signs of the undead. Tucking the keys in his pocket, he was just about to head inside, when he saw movement. Quickly, he flipped his night vision goggles down and focused in on the target. It moved too quickly to be a zombie, but there was something about its gait that struck him as odd. The way it moved was almost…. Human?!?!

Could it be? Another survivor? He quickly brushed the notion aside. There were no survivors left in town. They had all been turned or died from starvation by now. Still, this was intriguing. Perhaps it could be a new species of infected that he hadn’t seen before. Jack decided that it required more observation. So, shortly after it entered the front doors, he grabbed his tactical shotgun and slipped quietly into the garden center. From there, he made his way into the main portion of the store. Whatever it was, it was good at concealing itself in the darkness, but he eventually tracked its movements which led him to the food aisles.

In the back of his mind, he wondered what these things needed with human food. Least of all, human food that certainly had outlasted its shelf life. Quietly, he followed it from a distance… constantly checking to make sure they were the only ones around.

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Alex dipped inside and wasn't shocked to see that the lights were flickering if not on at all. She kept her gait slow and even and would blend into the shadows at every sound. She was being very, very cautious. One wrong slip here and this would easily be her last day alive. All wal-marts were basically arranged the same way. To her left was hardware and all that crap, health and beauty straight ahead, and to her right was the foods ... which she could see had either no food or squished food all over the floor. She was wearing combat boots so she made little if no noise at all.

A quick search showed that there was no food at all and even less liquids. Alex's heart dropped. She was going to starve. That's when she looked past the empty milk storage and saw that back of store. She wasn't sure but she thought she could see something back there. She pulled open the door and blinked as a small light lit up. She looked up and glanced around to make sure nothing could see her. She couldn't see with the light fucking up her night vision, but she listened and heard nothing. She carefully removed the shelves and placed them on the floor out of the way. When they were all removed she stepped through the cold, leaving the door propped open for a fast escape, and walked into the back of the house where she saw carton after carton of milk. Famished she opened the first one and thankfully her nose stopped her from poisoning herself.

Dammit, Alex thought. I survived this long and I'm going to die from dehydration. The tears sprang from her. She went further and past the old dairy. There was spoiled meat that had been ripped open and little else. Another turn and she couldn't believe it .. under the desk right at this angle was a small bag of chips. One of those bite size one that someone must have dropped and accidentally kicked in their haste. If she wasn't so down she would have missed it. It took all of her power not to rush to it.

Alex slowly made her way to it and sank to her knees. Once her hand was on it she couldn't stop herself. She ripped opened the bag and devoured the contents even licking the inside wrapper. Too bad it wasn't enough. She licked her fingers and stopped hearing a sniff. She backed up under the desk and heard the stutter step of the runners. Maybe she could dispatch of this one. That's when she saw 4 legs...then more... and more. Alex wasn't sure how many. She stopped counting once she got to 18 different legs. She backed up further under the desk as the legs kept coming. The tears were coming and she couldn't wipe them away for fear it'll attract them.

The legs were gone, but she could tell she was looking at the workers and shoppers who had gotten stuck in there. Some were walkers, but most were runners. She wondered why so many here were runners; why were they traveling in a pack? Can she make it back to the walk in cooler before they got to her.

Alex's stomach grumbled and it got really, really quiet. Or maybe that was just her. Spooked Alex bolted from under the desk and made a beeline to the refrigerator. Yup, they were waiting for her,, but they didn't expect her to go for frig door. She just managed to miss a runner when she jumped through the frig and she tried to slam the door close, but she could hear that they were right behind her. She was going to turn left toward the door she walked through, but a huge group of walkers made her turn right. She kept running and could tell in the dark they were having a harder time tracking her. That was to her advantage.

Alex skidded to a stop. She had found the perishables and there were some everywhere; on the floor, on the shelves topped over. She flipped her bag around and was shoving cans in and would look at what they were and if they were still edible later. She didn't have the time to look now. She heard a screech and whipped her head around, her hood coming off, as she glanced around. She ran to the edge of the aisle and peeked around. They seemed to break up and were trying to find her. Alex shook ... what the hell was she going to do?
 
Jack stalked this creature from the shadows. He was certain that it never once noticed his presence, but he was curious what it was doing rooting through aisles of food. Eventually, he trailed it into the stock room and lost sight of it for a few moments. However, at the same time, he began to notice other movements in the stock room. These were the screamers, and lots of them, more than he wanted to tangle with alone, much less with an unknown in the store. As he was attempting to slip back out of the stock room, they all started moving.

In a flash, the dark figure bolted across the room. The screamers obviously thought it was food and sprinted after it. Jack shouldered his shotgun and was just about to pull the trigger when it darted into the now defunct cooler. The unknown creature managed to miss a small group of groaners who were too slow to react to the blazing speed of their prey. Watching the two groups of zombies try to capture it, Jack had to reconsider the possibility that this might be a human after all.

While he was preoccupied with the thought of another survivor, the dark figure darted back out of the front side of the cooler and practically dove at a rack of canned goods. When, suddenly it turned, and the hood it was wearing fell away, revealing long dark tresses pulled back into a pony tail. Jack’s eyes perked up. Not only had he found a survivor, but it was a female survivor. However, before he could even consider what that might mean, he picked up on the movements of the screamers again. This was strange, he thought. The screamers were working like a wolf pack, the likes of which he had never seen before.

They were spreading out and coming down several different aisles at the same time in an attempt to corner her. Jack grinned. He was the one variable the screamers didn’t factor into the equation, and he was about to spring into action. Starting with the aisle to her left, he rounded the corner and lined up three of them in his sights. “BOOM… BOOM… BOOM!!!” Three bodies hit the floor with a thud as the AA12 shotgun blasted their skulls into a gelatinous mess. Jack quickly moved past her as she knelt at the end cap of the next aisle. He yelled down at the corpses sprinting in his directions, “Come On!!! GET SOME!!!” Another salvo of buckshot obliterated the screamers whose lifeless bodies slid along the hard floor surface.

Without missing a beat, Jack moved on. “Die you Fucks!!!” With a bout of maniacal laughter which resonated over the shotgun blasts, he finished off the last group of screamers. At this point, the groaners started slowly plodding in his direction. Turning to the girl at his feet, he barked his orders. “Time to move. On your feet, let’s go!” Taking the time to do a quick 360 degree scan for movement, he grabbed her arm and pushed her in the direction of the garden center. On his way out, he grabbed a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a twelve pack of soap. When they made it to the truck, he tossed everything in the backseat and ordered her to get it. Jack started the Hummer and put it in gear. As he began to pull out of the parking lot, he pointed his pistol at the girl as a precaution. “Identify yourself. What the fuck are you doing out here by yourself?”
 
Alex shook violently as she tried to comprehend what was going on. She had never seen this before. It was weird. Before it was just like a a horde that would just try to take you down with the multitude of them, but this ... this was like almost a smart breed. They had a plan and a goal; to eat her. "Okay Lexy ... um ..." Her eyes darted to the shelves, to the hanging ceiling light, and to the front door. Maybe she could use the light fixture to swing herself up on the top shelf, run along it, and out the door. It didn't seem that hard or like it would actually work.

That's when a weird day went weirder. The noise was so loud Alex didn't recognize it at first. She jumped and slammed her back into the aisle. She was trying to get as far away as possible to the sound. Then she realized it was gun fire. ... Coming from a big gun. Oh wow! ... with maniacal laughter. Okay, so she finally finds another person and he seems crazy. Though it had been what ... 4 years since she seen another person and a year before since the zombie turn. So maybe she would act a little crazy too ... if she was not one of the people who just keep hiding.

He yelled for her to move and she moved more on instinct than on thought or anything else. She was up and running with him at her back guiding her and pushing her where she needed to go. A car! Alex almost stopped, but his push urged her further and she was running out and getting in. As soon as she closed the door and she heard him close his door she had a small knife up at his throat as her other hand was pulling at the seatbelt and clipping it in. In case he crashes she could still walk or limp away.

"Identify myself?!" Alex stared at him with her mouth open. "Who are you?! Why were you in there? Are you the one who masterminded those zombies and ... I almost died!" Alex pressed the knife closer to his throat. "Stop the hummer let me ..." Alex looked behind and could see the runners were still behind them. Her face held the look of fuck me!

"I'm Alex," she relented as she sat back, but kept the knife in her hand. "Just speed up and drop me off at the edge of town. I'll be able to make it out on my own safely."
 
Feeling the knife at his throat, Jack grinned. “Whoa there! Hold on girl… now is that the way you treat a man who saved your life?” It was more of a rhetorical question, but he was trying to diffuse the rather tense situation. His voice was deep and raspy. Growing up in the country, and then spending a dozen years in the Army, he had a little bit of a redneck draw in his speech. “Now where I’m from, helping a lady generally gets at least a thank you, not a knife in your throat.” While he was talking, he kept his eyes on the rear view. He saw the small horde trailing after them as well as she did.

Almost as soon as she asked him to stop, he took his foot off the gas and eased the steering wheel towards the side of the road. He still had his pistol pointed at her with his left hand while he drove with his right. Perhaps this was why she hadn’t noticed the gun yet. In any case, he started to relax a little when she sank back into her seat and took the knife away from his neck. “Now, you see, that wasn’t so hard. My name’s Jack. I was scavenging that store for supplies, just like you. And I’ll drop you off anywhere you like…. Just say the word.” Jack held up the pistol to show her what she was up against before holstering it. “Besides, didn’t anyone ever teach you not to bring a knife to a gun fight?” He chuckled to try to put her mind at ease, and pressed his foot against the accelerator.

As they put some distance between themselves and danger, he couldn’t help wondering how she made it this long living in the city. Who was she and how far could he trust her? From the looks of her, she hasn’t had too many meals lately, and from the smell, she probably hadn’t showered in next to forever. Calmly, he reached into the center console. He had just the ice breaker they needed. Pulling out a Ziploc bag, he opened it and offered her its contents. “Care for some venison jerky? You ain’t one of those vegetarians are you?” With a healthy laugh, he reached in and grabbed a long slender stick for himself and began eating. No, he knew that anyone still surviving would have eaten anything and everything that wasn’t spoiled.

When he got to the center of the bridge leaving town, he pulled the large black SUV to a halt. The coast was clear here and the sun was just cresting the horizon. It was easily defensible if anything should happen, and he needed her to be certain that she was not his captive. Before letting her go, he felt obligated to at least make sure she was going to be safe on her own. “So, do you have a place to safe place to hole up during the day? A place to sleep? I mean, I don’t want to say goodbye to the only survivor I’ve seen in years and have to wonder if she is gonna die because I left her stranded.”
 
Alex had noticed the gun, but thought if he shot her she would surely plunge her knife into his throat killing them both. Alex ignored his words. She knew man. In the beginning she had holed up with many men and when women grew scarce or when they got the itch they came at her worse than the zombies. Alex wasn't going down that path again. She'll kill herself or feed herself to the zombies before she allows herself to be raped.

He flashed his gun at her while giving his name. Alex continued to ignore it. She also ignored his little joke about the knife to the gun fight. She didn't find it funny and didn't think it was a serious question. But then the man mentioned food. She looked it over, decided it wasn't poisoned, and began eating like she was starving ...which she was. It was so good. She moaned as she tried to savour the delicious taste, but too soon it was gone. Her stomach grumbled and she closed her eyes. There was never enough food. She dug in her pack as they drove and looked at the cans... in her haste she hadn't realized most of them were empty and the few that weren't were rotted. She closed her eyes and leaned back fighting back the frustration.

The car stopped and Alex put her hand on the doorknob. His words stopped her and she turned to look at him. "I'll survive. I've done before." Alex opened the door and stepped out. She took 2 steps and raised a hand to her head. She had food. She had eaten a bag of chips and a strip of venison. She'll head home, drink the water she had hidden, and find food tomorrow. Except Alex hadn't had water and the little food didn't help her situation.

She took one step and the world went black as she hit the ground passed out.
 
Jack shouted his final words of encouragement to her as she stepped out of the vehicle. “Watch yours… Kick theirs!” However, before he could even shift the truck into gear, he watched her drop to the pavement in the side mirror. “Shit,” he muttered. Quickly, he exited the driver’s door and spun around behind the SUV to assess the situation. "Fuck!" For once, he was glad that his constant attention to his defensive position was always on. If they were anywhere else but in the middle of a bridge, this would be a lot more dangerous. Even still, he felt exposed and vulnerable with the sun now shining brightly over the city.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" There was no way he could leave her here. She would be zombie meat within ten minutes for sure. While he knew that she didn’t trust him, he really had no choice. As quickly and as gently as possible, he laid her out on the back seat of the Hummer, pushing his supplies to the floor. Propping her head up on a rolled up pair of sweatpants, he made her as comfortable as possible before slamming the door closed. It didn’t seem like it took that long, but a quick scan showed a group of groaners massing at the south end of the bridge. Luckily, he was heading north.

He raced back around to the driver’s side, jumped in and threw the truck in gear. Pressing his foot hard on the accelerator, the vehicle took off for the clear end of the bridge. When out of nowhere, a pair of screamers appeared in front of him. This immediately brought a smile to his face. This rig was modified for just such an occasion. From watching so many horror movies, he had seen too many zombies jump on the hoods of vehicles and try to break through the glass. For that reason, he had replaced the front bumper with a steel beam and mounted several sharpened steel spikes to it. Jack floored it. The two screamers ran straight at him and were impaled on the spikes with a dull thud. “YEAH, take that you stupid fucks!” He giggled like redneck for added effect, even though there was no one but himself to be entertained by it.

Eventually, he found a deserted stretch of highway to stop, decapitate the dead, and kick off the rest of their bodies before heading home.

Home… if that’s what you call it. He didn’t live in a house anymore. It wasn’t safe. But back in the 1950’s, his grandparents built a bomb shelter in the side of a mountain near his parents' farm. They had always just used it as a root cellar to store extra food for the winter, but they never imagined ever having to use it. But that’s exactly what Jack did. To call it Spartan was being polite. It had all the necessities: four concrete walls, a steel frame bed with a mattress, shower stall, toilet, rinse tub, table and chairs, and plenty of shelves full of supplies. The fresh water came from a hand pump that was drilled deep in the mountain, and he also had a small generator if he needed electricity.

Jack parked the SUV under a make shift garage with some camo netting, and then carefully carried her limp body inside. He peeled off her rotten smelling cloak and laid her in the bed. Then, he closed the heavy steel door and bolted it to keep anything else outside. Lighting a few candles to see what he was doing, he washed his hands and got the medical kit off the shelf. He pulled off her boots to make her comfortable and proceeded to work on that nasty bump on her forehead. Even though he was being gentle, he really hoped that she would wake up soon.
 
iAlex woke up like she did every single fucking time. She forgot about the incident. Her eyes fluttered open and at first she thought Jack was her old boyfriend, Mitch. She smiled at him and stared up into his eyes. Then slowly she realized her surroundings and the thoughts came back just as Mitch materialized into Jack. Alex sat up abruptly stopping Jack from touching her anymore.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Apparently yelling made her head swim and she brought her hand up to her head where she had a nasty knot and a small cut. She sat back while trying to glare at the man. She had the nagging thought she had passed out again from lack of food and water. She stood up suddenly, which also made her head swim, and brought her attention to the fact she had on no shoes. She stared at her feet with a blank look as she tried to comprehend while the man would take off her shoes. Her shoes! Really? What a sick pervert!

She stared at him and could feel the edges of black creeping in. She held her hand out at him in a threatening gesture. She reached for her pack and downed a bottle of water. It felt like bliss, her scorched throat felt better. She felt renewed, invigorated, ... sick! Her empty stomach couldn't handle all that. She ran to what looked like a bathroom and threw up all that water.

Alex stared at the bowl for along time. All that precious water was lost. Lost. She knew from before that when you haven't eaten in awhile to take it slow or you could throw it all back up and she had acted like an idiot; from the first time she starved and loss so much food. How could she be stupid? A creak made Alex turned and she stared at the man with her eyes squinted. "I passed out. You took me somewhere safe I presume. It doesn't mean I owe you ..." Alex trailed off thinking sex. She knew men.
 
He fully expected her to freak out a little when she first woke up, so her reaction didn’t really surprise him. However, when she chugged down a bottle of water, he knew it was probably coming back up. Sure enough, moments later, there she was, heaving her guts out. Silently, he shook his head. He knew she was practically starving. Frankly, he was amazed that she was even still alive, having to scrape and claw for the basic necessities in town. But he knew exactly what she needed.

As she sat in despair, staring at the toilet bowl, he walked over to one of the shelves and grabbed a protein bar. Next, he picked up a small hand towel and laid it over his shoulder. Getting a plastic tumbler from the sink, he moved over to the hand pump and began pumping fresh clean water out of the underground well. First, he filled the glass, and then he soaked the towel and wrung it out. On his way past the table, he placed the glass of water and protein bar in front of one of the chairs. Then, he made his way quietly over to her side, where he was met a bit of hostility.

She was right to be wary. It was a good survival instinct. Hell, if Jack was female, he wouldn’t trust most men either. But, he needed to say something to reassure her. “I couldn’t, in good conscience, leave you in the streets to die. So, I brought you here. We’re in an old bomb shelter on my parents’ farm. You are safe. The door is bolted from the inside, but it is not locked. You are free to go.” His voice trailed off for a moment, as he thought of the memory of his parents, and how they raised him to be a gentleman. “You owe me nothing, other than to continue living.”

Next, Jack wrapped the cold wet towel around the back of her neck. He knew it would help with the dizziness and headaches. He gave her a moment to absorb its comforts before continuing. “So let’s get something straight. I can tell you that I have no intention of raping you, but words don’t mean shit… only actions. For now, just know that as long as there is nothing wrong with my right hand, we’re good here.” Then, he stuck out his hand to help her to her feet. “Take my hand. I’ll help you to the table. Have something to eat and some fresh water… but go SLOW this time!” He snickered softly. “While you eat, I will dig out and assemble that old Army cot I have stashed on the shelf." Then, his voice changed from the somber, serious tone he was using to his normal good-natured tone. "Because, while I am generous with my food and water, there’s no way I’m giving up my bed just yet.”
 
Alex stared at the man noting the damp towel in his hands. Now what the hell did he plan on doing with that? She leaned back a bit away from him as she glanced around. She did notice that he hadn't searched her and she could feel her knife in her back pocket giving her some comfort and support. She felt much better and in control of the situation if he should try anything funny

So they were in a bomb shelter on his parent's farm. Interesting. She glanced at where she presume the door was and did see it bolted, but no locks or anything else that would prevent her from opening the door. That's twice he had given her the option of leaving. Could he really be a decent man? Then again Chris had started out decent and then one day he had just attacked her. Alex felt her hunches coming up again as she ated at him.

He had moved so fast she wasn't sure what the hell he was doing til it was later. Than she felt the cool cloth on her hot skin and she almost sighed allowed. It helped a lot and she wondered how he knew that little trick. Alex gingerly took his hand and he hoisted her to her feet with little effort. She felt as though he could pick her up as if she weight less than a bag of potatoes. "I know to eat slow," she said somberly, "this isn't the first time I've starved. Just the first time I've starved for so long."

Alex slowly went to the table and took her time unwrapping the bar. She took a small bite and had to forced herself to chew it until it was mush and then swallow. This taught her patience, control, and helped her body get acclimated to eating again. Damn, she really wished she didn't have to go through this process again. She watched him move about and she noted the pump where she presume he got water. She finished the bar and her stomach grumbled. "May I have another?"

She stood up feeling a bit stronger. The water and bar had helped alot. Than she found the oppulent bedroom where he did have a bed. She turned with big eyes. "You do have a bed. A real bed." She glanced toward where there appeared to be a shower stall and she eyed it with a look of pure wanton lust. "And a shower? In here? It's ... unreal." She wondered if it had hot water. She wondered if she could take a shower. She wondered if she could take a shower and trust him not to get rowdy no matter what he said.
 
Jack was busy assembling the box of parts into a six foot long, two foot wide canvas cot for her to sleep on, when he heard her stomach grumble. He felt bad for her. When he was in Ranger school, they made him go through similar starvation training so he would know how to handle himself. So, hearing her ask for more food didn’t even phase him. Without even looking up from his task, he waved his hand towards the shelves in the kitchen area. “Help yourself, but don’t overdo it, or you’ll be back at the toilet bowl.”

In the last few months, he had kept himself busy by laying up all kinds of non-perishable food supplies. At first glance, the shelves just looked like they were stacked with plain cardboard storage boxes, but they were loaded with MREs, snack bars, and his home made venison jerky. He knew that he had plenty of food, but if she decided to stay, there would now be two mouths to feed. Although, at the moment, keeping her alive was more of a concern than running out of food, so he brushed it off.

When the cot was finally assembled, he rolled out a sleeping bag on it and grabbed an extra pillow for her to make it more comfortable. In his mind, he could only imagine where she might have laid her head for the last four years. His suspicions were confirmed when she began raving over his simple steel frame bed. To him, it wasn’t all that much, but to her, it seemed like the world.

Then, she found the shower. Even without words, her look told him that she desperately wanted to clean herself up. In these times, he would never begrudge her for smelling bad, simply because personal hygiene was a luxury that not everyone could afford. So, he stood up and showed her how it worked. “Well, the water is only room temp. I have to pump the water out of the well and fill up that bag. Then, hoist the bag up high enough for gravity to do its thing. I generally keep the bag full all the time, since the well water is fairly frigid. It does let you know that you’re still alive though.” He chuckled.

Reaching for a clean towel, he placed it in her hands. “If you want to take a shower, I’ll step outside for a bit, maybe cut some wood or something. But when you’re done, it’s your job to fill the water bag. I’ll lift it for you if need be, but you fill it.” He looked her right in the eyes for the first time, and he could have sworn that he saw her face soften, almost as if she wanted to smile. Breaking the silence, he continued giving her instructions. “The toilet works on gravity too. If you need to flush, fill that bucket up and wash it down, got it?” He waited for an acknowledgment, and then headed for the heavy steel door that led outside.
 
Alex turned when she heard him moving towards her. She saw her new bed for the night and blinked. So she was sleeping over she guess. It was better than sleeping on the cold pavement, in a stairwell with her back to the wall and every echo waking you up for impending doom, or not sleeping at all. Hell, she could probably sleep in peace for the first time. But did she trust him?

Alex almost missed what he said. She nodded as he explained the workings. Ingenious. It was simply genius. She stared with big eyes. She had never thought of such. She felt the towel in her hand and almost brought it to her nose to smell the fresh clean smell of it. It smelt like summer and she could tell it had been hung outside to dry. It had that smell of the fresh outdoors that laundry carried when it had been washed and clean outside then hung to dry. It smelt like normalcy. It smelt like home. It smelt safe.

Alex had to fight the smile that threaten her face as he gave her a job. It felt like he saw her as a partner to stay alive. He wasn't going to do all the work and therefore start to think she owed him or start thinking her a burden. She wanted to be clean then she refills the source. For some reason that ... that right there reassured her. Then he turned and left her alone with all of his stuff. She just stared at that. What if she robbed him? Took his weapons, food, water? He could have cameras and not be scared of what she'll do, but she could. ... did . ... he trust her?

Alex turned back to the shower and for the first time bathe properly and not in a rush. "Okay, Lexy you've been in here long enough. Finished washing your hair with soap and then get out." Alex sighed and rinsed her hair out. Sometimes she was tougher on herself. She dried off, but just couldn't put on her dirty clothes. She rinsed out her undergarments and her pants and shirt and hung them on the shower rod to dry. She didn't know where he cleaned his clothes, but this left her with a predictament. She had no clothes. Great! She decided to wash her dirty clothes with no replacement. "Good job Lexy," she scolded herself.

Alex did the only thing she could. She went into his bedroom and found a shirt and a pair of shorts and put them on. Then she refilled the bag and spilt a good bit of the water back on herself as she replaced the bag. She didn't have enough liquid in her body to use the bathroom yet. Her stomach grumbled again and she remembered he did tell her to help herself so she only took another protein bar and began eating it.

Alex went to the door and peeked her head out at him. "I uh .. you said I could have another bar so I um .. thank you. But .. I washed my clothes and I wasn't thinking. I don't have anything else to wear. Please don't be mad. I swear I didn't rummage through your things only the most likely place clothes would be and I borrowed this shirt and shorts." Which were too big and falling off her smaller frame. She kept having to pull up the shorts and readjust the shirt from showing off what she didn't want seen. Still hoping he wouldn't be angry Alex quickly rambled on. "But I refilled the bag which is why this shirt is now wet and sticking to me which I'm sorry about. As soon as my clothes are dry I'll wash these and replace them. Or I could just leave. I didn't want you to see me with a towel wrapped around me and I thought. ... I wasn't sure ... I should have asked first. I'm sorry."
 
After he walked out, Jack was kicking himself for the profound act of stupidity that he just committed. He left this strange girl alone in his bunker without even considering that she may lock him out, or worse. Still, men usually tend to do some pretty stupid things where women are concerned. Shaking his head, he convinced himself that she was just a survivor in dire need of assistance. In either case, he still had his combat shotgun in the truck if things went south. So, he figured that there was not much else to do but get some work done.

It was a rather warm autumn afternoon, so he pulled off his shirt and grabbed his axe. Sure, there was no need of firewood on a day like today, but winter would be here in a few months time. Then, they would need to have a good supply to keep the concrete cave at a reasonable temperature. With it being built into the side of the mountain, it would never get below 50 degrees anyway, but he preferred to stay a bit warmer. After about twenty or thirty minutes, he had worked up a good sweat and put a dent in the wood pile, when he heard the groaning of the heavy steel door opening. ‘Damn, I need to oil that thing,’ he thought.

When he turned around, he couldn’t believe his eyes. There she was, in all her glory, wearing his shirt and shorts, and soaking wet. He felt himself stifle a chuckle, but then he noticed that the wet fabric was clinging to her full round breasts, the likes of which he hadn’t seen in ages. Worse than that, her dark areoles were clearly visible through the white cotton shirt, and the light breeze had caused them to plump right up as she spoke. After her shower, she had cleaned up very well. Her hair was no longer a matted mess, and her skin glowed in the sunlight. Jack had to stop himself from staring at her for too long, otherwise she would get the wrong idea about him. Still, he was a man, and it had been over five years since he had gotten laid.

When she mentioned food, he just shook his head. “Really, it’s OK.” As she talked, her hands kept pulling the shorts up and holding them at her hip. Jack wanted to reassure her. It would be nice to have someone else to talk to after all these years. “I don’t mind if you eat conservatively. Just don’t waste anything.” Then, she started rambling on about her lack of clean clothes and the reason for her wetness. But this time, he couldn’t stop himself from laughing a little. “I wondered what you were going to do when you got out of the shower, but I didn’t want to barge in on you to ask. Now, I’m not particularly pleased that you went through my clothes, but it won’t do any good to raise a stink about it. I’ll forgive you this time.” Really, he had nothing worth hiding anyway. With a heave, Jack stuck the axe in a block of wood and grabbed his shirt. Wiping himself off, he tried to absorb the lather of sweat that was coating his hairy chest. It wasn’t like he was ripped, but he had good muscle tone and broad shoulders.

Walking towards her, he felt himself staring at her again, only this time, he was gazing into her eyes. “Alex, can I pay you a compliment without things getting weird between us?” He paused for just a moment and then continued. “You are truly a beautiful sight to behold, especially considering the current state of affairs.” Tilting his head back, he looked to the heavens to thank the powers that be for bringing them together. “Let’s see if we can find you some dry clothes, and maybe a pair of shorts with a draw string so you can have both hands free.” He would worry about doing laundry later. For now, he needed to get to know her better, and not just because she was gorgeous. No, having someone to share things with might just make surviving this whole mess worth it. “Eventually, we’ll hit a store and get you some new clothes.”
 
Alex sighed a bit when he said it was okay, but had that undertone that this was a one time thing with her going through his drawers. Alex watched him swing the axe and it sunk into some wood. Alex, for a moment, stopped thinking and just watched him pick up his shirt and wipe himself off. He wasn't grotesquely muscled, but just enough that a woman could feel his muscles under his skin and feel safe. It was like he was moving in slow motion and Alex saw everything from the way his muscles rippled as he walked towards her to the way the sun glistened on his skin.

Alex stared at his lips and for the first time in years realized how much she missed being touched. It was a fantasy of course. The last few guys had all ... Alex had to divert her thoughts. Which to her relief Jack was asking her a question. She dumbly nodded wondering what kind of compliment he had in mind. The words that came out of his mouth had her speechless. They weren't some cheesy pick up line or something about her body parts, but a genuine beautiful compliment. Something that probably would have spoken if they were on a date, in a restaurant, getting to know each other instead of running for their lives with fucking zombies and next to no humans left.

"Thank you," she said, but wasn't sure if he heard her as his head was tilted toward the sun. She arched a brow in question. Was he afraid she was going to get angry and didn't want to see her face for fear of the look she would have given him? Did she really come across as being that wound tight that a simple compliment would set her off? Alex thought back and nodded. Lexy you have been acting like the man was going to jump you at any moment? But I had to be careful. Yes, but not paranoid and all he's been to you was helpful, supportive, and kind. Lexy sighed.

"Hey, thanks for everything." She reached out and touched his arm lightly. She let it stay for a moment then brought it back. She didn't want to give off the wrong idea and she had been right. She could feel those strong cords in his arms. "For the bump, food, shower, even the cot. I ... don't know how to repay you, but I will."

She shrugged when he mentioned the new clothes and store. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to just stay with him. She didn't want to be alone anymore. He had better weapons than she did and seemed to be in a better guarded hideout then her too. She just didn't see what she was offering to him in trade for the glorious world he was offering her. Plus she was still grappling with trusting him. It didn't help that her libido was deciding to kick in and now she wasn't trusting herself.

Alex turned and headed back inside. She sat down at one of the chairs and glanced around taking in everything again. This place felt safe and it was stocked with food. Why would he offer that to her if not for sex? Alex sighed. Was she being paranoid? "I'm Alex Sinclair. I know you told me you're name, but maybe I can get to learn your background too. I mean I know your parents were farmers and were really great at seeing the future and fixing this place. You can handle a shot gun. What did you do before ... this?"

Alex knew she was asking really too much. Too open one self up to the past, to a time where you probably didn't have to worry about love one or friends being killed and eaten or worse turning and trying to kill you. It was easier to just think of today and worry about tomorrow tomorrow. "I worked for a big company. When the outbreak hit I was actually on vacation." Alex chuckled. "I was sitting at home listening to the news thinking this was bullshit or some movie stunt. It was when I came back into the office and things ... went bad. I barely ... I .. " she swallowed. "I survived and been hiding ever since."

Alex wasn't sure if he knew the company Sinclair Industries. They were rivals of Revlon and Maybelline. Yup, she made cosmetics. He was a man and she doubted he recognized the name. Hell, it was good she knew cosmetics which was a form of art. This art helped her blend into her surroundings. She knew what to use to disappear in plain sight. This was how she survived. She wasn't a fighter, not like how she sensed he was. She hid and if she had too could cut a head off, but mostly she ran and hid.
 
She thanked him. Twice even. It was nice to hear her let her guard down a little. Again, if he was in her situation, he would be equally defensive around a strange male. Jack knew full well what most men were capable of, even in the best of times, and this was pretty fucking far from the best of times. He smiled and acknowledged her gratitude, but then she mentioned being in his debt again. This, he could not allow to stand between them any further. Sternly, he scolded her. “Listen Alex, I told you before. You owe me nothing but to stay alive, and I meant it!” Then, he softened his tone with her. “It’s been YEARS since I’ve seen another living, breathing human being, much less an attractive young lady. You have given me HOPE... hope that we might survive this whole mess… and no one can put a price tag on that!” Then, he shrugged. “Besides, it would be great to have someone to talk to besides myself.”

As he moved towards the door, she touched his arm and a chill ran up his spine. In that moment, he realized how dearly he missed the touch of a fine woman. It was such a simple thing, but at the same time, it was remarkable. Although, he didn’t dare return the gesture. As much as he might want to touch her in kind, he wasn’t sure that she would be receptive to it at this point. It would be better if he didn’t give her the wrong impression of why he wanted her to stay.

Once they went back inside, he listened to her story. While doing so, he found a dry dark grey t-shirt that would be less see-through than the wet white one, and he pulled out a pair of gym shorts with a draw string. If tied, they would hug the curve of her hips and not fall down as she walked. Returning to the kitchen area, he handed them to her gently. “Here, put these on so you don’t have to worry about exposing yourself to me, and I don’t have to keep looking the other way.” He chuckled at his own remark. “Use my room if you want.” His bedroom didn’t have a door, but there was enough of a wall that she could have some privacy to change, as long as he stayed in the kitchen area.

When she finished talking, he sat down at the table opposite where she had been sitting and piped up with his own account of the events that lead them to be here. “My full name is Jack Burton. I was raised by my parents on the farm at the bottom of this mountain. It belonged to my grandparents before that. They raised me to always do what’s right, no matter the cost. After high school, I joined the Army. They figured out that I was pretty good with a gun, so they sent me to Ranger school.” He smiled when he talked about his time in the Rangers. “They refined my skills, if you will.” He raised his eyebrows at that comment, giving her the indication that he was pretty good at killing things. “After that, I spent two tours in Iraq. I finally rotated back state-side, and moved back onto the farm to help out my family.” Then, he took a deep breath and sighed. “I was here all of two months when the outbreak started. Mom and Dad were at a doctor’s appointment in town and never came back. I looked, but never found a trace of them, other than their car.”

Then, he looked her in the eye. “But don’t sell yourself short. I’ve seen you in action. You’ve got some skills. If it wasn’t for the night vision goggles, I never would have spotted you.” Tapping his fingers on the table, he made his proposal to her. “Like I said before, you are welcome to stay here as long as you like. No questions asked. I think we’ll both feel safer having someone to watch our backs when we go on scavenging runs. If you need something, ask. If I don’t have it, then we’ll figure out a way to get it. What do you say?” Then, he felt a bit of nervousness run through him. What if she said no? How could he let her walk out of his life after having been so fortunate to find her?
 
Alex picked up the clothes he gave her and went into the bedroom. She pulled off the shirt and listened to his tale. So he was a soldier. Soldiers were responsible and trustworthy right? Well, that did explain a lot. She peeked her head out the door to see if he was being situation and when he caught her eye she could tell he meant it. Alex went back to getting dressed. She laid the wet clothes out on the dresser to dry.

"I'm sorry about your parents." And she truly was. No she didn't take them from him, but she felt the pain nonetheless. She had family once too that was now forever gone to her. She sat down opposite him feeling a bit better not having to constantly hold her clothes up. She thought she looked silly with the too big clothing on. The drawstring tied at her waist went well past her knees. She must look extremely funny and for some reason that made her feel better. Even if the mood in the room was a somber one.

He was doing it again. He was looking at her like she was the last woman on earth. Alex almost laughed. She was the last woman on earth... or probably close to it. She gave a slight nod of thanks at his compliment. "Well, if we ever need to blend into the background I'm your girl. And thanks for these clothes. This feels much better not having to constantly tug the shirt up."

Alex blinked twice as she thought on his words. Her heart was hammering. It had been so long since human contact. Even longer since someone she could trust, but could she trust him. Then again he had all the perks, a safe house, food, running water ... it was her best option thus far. Alex lowered her head and thought. Well, Lexy. What you gonna do?

"I guess I'll stay for a little bit, but we must go to my hideout and get my things soon. I can't keep wearing your clothes. And I'll need girly things." Alex didn't mean clothes either.
 
Jack grinned as she thanked him for the better fitting clothes. This was the third time she had done so in the last several minutes, and even though he appreciated her gratitude, it really wasn’t necessary at this point. “You’re welcome… I can’t really have you running around here naked, or practically naked. I’m still a man after all.” He rolled his eyes as the words left his lips. Hopefully, she understood that, while he still had normal male urges, he was very much in control of them.

No, he finally had someone else to share all this with, someone to talk to, someone to help pass the time. He wasn’t about to ruin that by making some cheesy pass at her. Before he met her, he hadn’t really considered how lonely the last few years had gotten on this mountain. Certainly, she was attractive, and he loved her smooth dark skin. In his mind, he could already imagine how she would feel with her body pressed against his in a warm embrace. But, it would have to come from her. He resolved that she would need to initiate anything between them, otherwise, he would risk muddying the waters between himself and what appeared to be a reliable partner.

Finally, she agreed to his request, and he couldn’t hold back a smile. “Cool,” was all he said. However, she had made a few stipulations of her own. They were not unreasonable, but he seriously disliked going too far into the city. “How deep inside the city is your place? I don’t have a problem getting your stuff and helping you move it here, but I need to know what I’m getting into.”

Then, he chuckled a bit regarding the subtle hint at her other necessities. “Yeah. I’m sure you will. I think there’s a drug store off the highway about twenty miles or so out. Since, I struck out at Wal-Mart this morning, maybe we can hit that place together tomorrow? I need some basic medically supplies, bandages and such. I’m not going to die from an infected cut after dodging all the other things out there that can kill me... or us.” He corrected himself, since he now had two lives that concerned him. It wasn't like he felt responsible for keeping her alive, since she had more than proven that she was capable of taking care of herself. The more they got to know each other, the more he actually needed her to stay alive.
 
Alex managed to smile as Jack reminded her he was a man and that her nakedness might effect him. It should have warned her, but he said it so lightheartedly that it didn't put her off at all. Infact, it warmed her. She nodded and when she did she caught a whiff of his scent on his shirt. It was clean and masculine at the same time. She stilled for a moment as she let the emotion wash over her. She hadn't expected it and she liked the smell. It smelled safe. She dipped her head again and just breathed normally as she let the scent enter and leave her lungs.

"My place isn't in the city, but it is near it. It's a small area that's in the hills. It's high up with only one main entrance and a back out through the water, but that's dangerous as the current could take you away to the waterfall." Yup her safehaven had been a cave. The entrance was hidden by the waterfall she had spoken of earlier and very rarely did a walker stumble in there. The runners never seemed to come close enough. She was actually kind of embarrassed of where she was staying compared to him. Still she needed her clothes, weapons, and her own things.

"Okay," Alex agreed to the drug store. "But after we get my things and I change. I can't watch your back in this. It's too long and I won't be any help unless you let me modify the clothes first." The words were stated casually and Alex yawned as she suddenly felt tired. She almost thought the man had drugged her it came so quickly, but she realized no this was just all her adrenaline and nerves catching up to her. She went over to the cot and sat down. "I'm gonna go to sleep now," she said as she laid down and closed her eyes. She smiled. Back in the day she had said the same thing to boyfriends or friends that stayed over to let them know she wasn't listening to them anymore and was succumbing to sleep. It was a nice memory to have and she was grateful for being calm tonight instead of shivering and scared at every sound. That didn't mean she wasn't following him around as he moved just in case his gentleman manner was all a act. Her knife was in her fist under the pillow.

In the morning Alex woke up and stretched. Her hair was tousled and she needed to pee. She used the makeshift bathroom and used the water to clean her face. She used the edge of a towel to clean her teeth and she immediately felt better. She hadn't been able to be this clean in months. Her clothes were dry if not a bit stiff and she slipped on the pants and shirt feeling like herself. She folded his clothes and not knowing where to put them sat them on a chair near the kitchen table. Goodness it felt good to be in clothes that fit.

She wasn't sure if he was a breakfast guy or if he would appreciate her cooking so she just ate some small pieces of jerky and began stretching. She needed to be limber and she wanted to be gone soon. Plus the stretching helped her stiff clothes too. Early morning was when the walkers were the slowest and she didn't know what happened to the runners. But she usually seen them at early evening and night.

"Did you want to hit that store first or my place?" She blushed. It came out wrong, but she wasn't going to correct herself. The store was closer than her place, but she hadn't tell him, but they wouldn't be able to access her home by vehicle. It all depended on what he wanted to do which would be then she can decide on her course of action.
 
Listening to her describe the cave she called home, he felt a pang of guilt. Here he was with a palace, comparatively. No wonder she didn’t refuse his offer. Watching her crawl onto the cot, he wanted to go tuck her in, just to make her feel more welcome. However, he needed to be careful about being too forward. They were still technically strangers, and she would still be on her guard, especially at night. Instead, he went over to a cabinet by the wall and pulled out a flashlight. Laying it next to her, he spoke again. “It gets pretty dark in here at night. This is in case you need to find the toilet.” He grinned as he turned and moved toward his bedroom.

Before he laid down, he looked back toward her. “Sleep well Alex. If you need it, there’s an extra blanket behind that big box on the shelf. Good night!” Then, hidden in the darkness, he stripped down to his boxers and crawled under the covers. Laying there, he thought about the day’s events and felt good about himself for saving her. Any human life was precious, but how much more so was hers? The thought of her sneaking into his room and snuggling with him in the middle of the night gave him a soft erection. He dared not touch himself, for fear of becoming further aroused. It would be quite rude for him to try to rub one out with his new guest only a dozen or more feet away in the next room.

Instead, he wondered if he had made a mistake. Certainly, she might try to kill him in his sleep. Then, she would have all this to herself and not need to worry about being raped. But something inside told him that she was having the same thoughts about him. As he slowly drifted off to sleep, he remembered the gentle touch of her hand on his arm. One last deep breath and he was under.

Jack awoke the next morning to the sounds of movement. He jumped and grabbed his pistol form the nightstand and moved toward the noise. Finding her doing some stretches in her own clothes, he had to chuckle. “Sorry, I forgot you were here. I thought someone or something broke in.” He quickly realized that he was still wearing only his boxer shorts. Thank heavens that he didn’t have morning wood. He would have scared the poor girl out of her wits. Ducking back in his room, he shouted to her. “Sorry about that. I guess I shouldn’t run around here practically naked either!”

After jumping in his clothes, he returned to the kitchen area. He grabbed a snack bar and a glass of water before sitting down to eat. “It would make sense to hit the drug store first, then your place. It would sounds like it’s on the way.” Then, he laid the pistol down on the table. “So, I know you can hide, but are you any good with a gun?”
 
Alex heard the pounding of feet and she stopped with her head down near her ankles, her arms out to her side, and her face turned towards him. The gun had her heart in her throat and she couldn't move from her position. He gave a small laugh and she stood up glancing at her coat and the cot where she had folded the blanket up and her knife was still under the pillow. She turned back towards him as he spoke and she relaxed. He wasn't trying to point that thing at her. Then he blanched and she couldn't stop the laugh coming from her throat as he bolted from the room realizing he was practically naked. She was still laughing as she heard his muffled apology and it felt good to laugh. Really laugh for the first time. She sobered up and went to the cot putting the knife in her back waistband.

She glanced over as he came back into the room this time fully clothed. She gave a small grin, but busied herself with straightening up the room. "Okay, we'll hit the store first." She knew it was daylight and it would be harder to hide like this, but there shouldn't be as many walkers/runners out.

Alex glanced at the gun and shook her head. She shrugged on her coat and glanced at the wall. It was all concrete. She looked in her bag and took out one of the empty cans she had picked up from the store that she thought had food in it. She placed it on a shelf on the opposite wall and walked back to Jack. "I find guns are loud and scary. I never had to carry one and the few times I shot one the kick back made my hands numb. Plus I never know what bullet goes in what gun. Did you know there's like a million different bullets and every gun takes a different kind?" She was sure he did, but she was trying to tell him how naiive she had been.

"So I stopped using them. I usually use this ..." she pulled out her short armed sword. It was shorter than an actual sword, but longer than a machete. "I usually take this everywhere if I go outside. For long range combat..." Alex had her back to the can and she suddenly turned and as she turned reached inside two spots on her chest that looked like black patches, but were actual sheaths and pulled out two combat knives. She threw them at the can and they sunk in deep, she did the same thing with two knives near her abdomen, her thighs and in her pockets. The can had turned and she was able to get every knife in the can, but 3 which had hit the can, but could find no room to stay and fell out to the floor. Obviously, for 5 years she had practiced and gotten good.

"I found a huge box full of these, but I don't like to loose them. Sometimes the walker will still be there when I venture back into town and I can recollect my weapons. This is what I use when I have to and when I run out of knives or when pulling a knife out is stupid, I run. I'm very fast and limber." She was obviously proud of how well she had survived. Hell, she was sure she could beat most pro-athletes in a race now.
 
It wasn’t like he sheepishly jumped back into his bedroom to hide, nor was he even the slightest bit embarrassed. No, he had no modesty to speak of. But for some reason she found his actions humorous, and she laughed. It wasn’t a cackle, or a snort, or an otherwise obnoxious laugh. It was just a normal pleasant laugh… something he hadn’t hear in next to forever. Jack smiled to himself as this was just another reason to like her.

As he was loading a pair of 20 round drum magazines for his shotgun, she displayed her skills with throwing knives. Grinning from ear to ear, he nodded to her. “That works for me!” He had to admit that she was good at what she did, but he wondered where she might have learned how to do that. “Just let me know if you want to learn how to shoot. I’ve got several guns here with almost no recoil at all.” Stacking the loaded magazines in his pack, he stood up and headed for the door. Turning back to her, he tried not to sound like he was barking orders at her when he said, “Let’ mount up.”

Moments later, they were driving down the mountain and getting on the highway. As he drove, he looked over at his new partner in crime. Opening the center console, he revealed a stack of CDs. They were mostly rock, classic rock, and a little country, but he hoped he had something she might like. “As the co-pilot, you’re in charge of music!” He wasn’t sure what she liked, but he assumed that it had probably been some time since she listened to anything. In order to keep the drive from being too boring, he tried to engage in some light conversation, while once again reassuring her of his intentions. “You know, seeing you with those knives back there, reminded me of something my mother taught me about treating women with respect.” He chuckled. “She always used to say that a man’s gotta sleep sometime.” Rolling his eyes, he looked right at he when he said, “Remind me never to piss you off.”

Eventually, he slowed down and exited the highway. Just off the exit ramp there were two intact buildings: the drug store he mentioned last night, and a gas station. He knew the gas pumps didn’t work without electricity, but he had a hand-cranked pump in the back. Pointing to the gas station, he expressed his thought out loud. “If everything goes well in the drug store, I may try to see if they have any gas left in the tanks. My supply for the generators is running low.” Slowly, he pulled into the parking lot of the drug store and parked the SUV for a quick exit should things go bad.

He scanned the surrounding area and there didn’t appear to be any movement. Then, he looked over to her and a seriousness washed over him. “Stick together, no matter what. We’ll get what we need and get out.” So, this was it. He was putting his trust in her that she would have his back. Although they had only met yesterday, he could think of no logical reason that she would wish him harm, but you just never could tell. “Alright, let’s do this,” he said as he exited the truck and entered the building… shotgun in hand.
 
Alex liked his grinned. He wasn't laughing at her or thinking she was inferior for just using melee weapons. He actually seemed genuinely surprised and elated that she had some sort of skill. He didn't even try to change her to get her to use the gun claiming it'll do better than what she was capable of doing. Then it hit her. He was giving her respect. He did offer to teach her how to shoot, but it was up to her to take him up on it. He didn't add anything else to it that would make her feel like she had to. She appreciated that. Then it was time to go.

Alex retrieved her weapons and put them back in place. Normally her backpack was the sheath for her sword so she swung the empty sack onto her back. Even empty it kept her sword upright and in a position where she could reach for it if she needed too. As they were driving he gave her the okay for music. She found he had no R&B, hip hop, or rap, but he did have other genres she liked. She was a chameleon when it came to music adapting and liking almost anything, but slow country. So when she found Disturbed and Daft Punk she picked those up and popped in Disturbed; Hard Metal.

"I haven't heard music in ..." she didn't even try to calculate how long it's been. When 'Another Way to Die' began to play she sang along softly as she looked out the window. The lyrics, the beat, the guitar riffs everything fit with their current situation. Music was always her passion; well listening to it. She hadn't realized how much she missed it and it pumped her up. She turned to him and smile at his joke. "Yeah, except back in the day I probably would have just had you blackballed from society." She shrugged. So differently her world then and now. It was any wonder she survived.

Alex thought of all the black tie affairs she went to. How she was 'high class' and vacation in remote islands. She should have been one of the first to die. But she was a survivor. People forgot that Alexandra wasn't always in the inner circle. She fought to get there and like now she fought to live.

They stopped beside a gas station and small store. She nodded her head at his orders. "We need to try the drug store first for some things I need. We go in and clear it out." She unsheathed her sword and took a deep breath. She let him enter first and then she went right looking for any sign of movement. It looked empty, but it always look empty. She slowly, stealthily, silently walked up the aisles. Her eyes looked everywhere even up making sure nothing surprised her. She found the aisle she needed and even though everything was pretty much trashed and on the floor there were still some pads in the back of the shelf. With a practiced move she swung her bag around and shoved stuff inside. Her eyes looking around her, to what she was taking, then back up and around. She was too paranoid not to keep her head on a swivel. She also picked up a toothbrush, toothpaste, and some deodorant (she had a shower now and could afford the luxury) though she got one that wasn't too big on the scent. She didn't want to attract runners because they could smell her flowery smell. She nodded signaling she was ready to try another aisle for anything he may need. As they were walking away and Alex was staring at Jack's back to her left she saw condoms. Without thinking she grabbed some and shoved that inside her pack too. She wasn't sure why and she was glad he couldn't see her so she wouldn't have to explain herself. She wasn't planning on sleeping with him.

Alex stopped moving hearing a noise. It wasn't a normal noise and she could feel her body wanting to panic. She took in another breath and looked Jack in the eyes. She cocked her head to the side indicating she thought the noise was coming from that way. Most people, she found, would want to investigate and see what it was. Alex wasn't most people.She didn't survive this long by trying to find out what every noise was. She backed up away from the noise keeping her head on a swivel and her attention on where the noise could be coming from. If Jack needed anything he could get it now. They could even try the gas thing outside, but she didn't want to stay in this small space for much longer than she needed. At least outside she had room to maneuver and there wasn't much room for her and her sword in here.
 
Jack nodded as he snuck in through the front door. Taking point, in case there was any immediate trouble, he crouched low as he walked, like a tiger stalking its prey. With the light shining through the windows, there were only small pockets of shadow lingering inside the drug store. They carefully made their way up and down a few aisles, collecting the things they needed. Finding the bandages, tape and gauze, he stuffed his pack with everything he could scrounge. He even found a few more bottles of rubbing alcohol and peroxide, for cleaning wounds. Then, his eyes landed on something he hadn’t even considered in ages.

He found two packages of disposable twin blade razors. As he stuffed them into the cargo pockets of his camo pants, he grinned briefly. The thought of shaving hadn’t crossed his mind in all these years alone. Sure, he kept his beard trimmed so that it wasn’t unruly, but he had no one to actually look good for. Maybe she would warm up to him a little more if he didn’t look so rugged. Right next to the razors, he located a couple of cans of shaving cream. Quickly, he slipped them into his pack and moved on.

Just then, he heard movement… or was it a grunt or a groan. It didn’t matter. He froze in his tracks and gave her the hand signal to stop. Looking over his shoulder, he caught her gaze. To his surprise, she looked concerned, but she didn’t panic. She knew how to control herself, which was a good thing. He motioned for her to back out of the store. It was time to go. They had what they needed. Still uncertain what was roaming around in the back of the store, Jack made it to the Hummer. With a grin, he gave her the signal to mount up, and they quietly pulled out of the parking lot.

Once inside, he finally spoke. “That was close. You handled yourself well. I’m impressed.” He gave her a smile as he pulled into the gas station. Avoiding the mini mart and the pumps, he pulled up next to the round metal plates in the middle of the parking lot. To most people, they looked like manhole covers, but Jack knew that this is where the trucks filled the tanks on delivery day. He put it in park, but left the engine running. “OK. I’m guessing you probably know how to drive. Take the wheel. I’m gonna get as much gas as I can get. I’ll be out in the open. If anything goes wrong, we’ll get out of here faster with you all ready to go. Feel free to stand up out of the sun roof so you can see better.”

As he got out and connected the manual pump, he smiled and whispered his one last instruction. “Just don’t leave me here, please.” Yeah, he was putting a lot of faith in her. Maybe too much. At the same time, he was glad to have a partner for this. Getting gas was always a risky affair. He had to hand-crank the pump and monitor the fuel level, which distracted his attention. Then, if he was attacked, he always had to run around to the driver’s side and jump in before he could take off. With Alex here, he had another set of eyes looking out for him. This would be the safest he ever felt when doing this.

So, he opened the back of the SUV where the pump was mounted. He connected one end to the fuel tank of the Hummer, and lowered the siphon hose into the hole in the ground. From the smell, he knew there was some gas remaining down there, and for this, he was thankful. It didn’t take long before the truck was full. Next, he started filling the two five-gallon gas cans in the back. He was almost finished with the second can, when he heard a scream. It wasn’t a human voice either. Without hesitation, he grabbed his shotgun and ran for the passenger side door. “GO… GO… GO,” he yelled. Before he could even close his door, a couple of screamers were running at them from the drug store. Their noises had apparently awakened more of them from the mini mart at the gas station.
 
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Alex shrugged at his compliment. She wasn't sure how she impressed him. She hadn't done anything, but grab what she needed and bolt. Alex almost laughed. Of course she knew how to drive. Did she have a driver back in the day, yes; but that was only so she could continue to get work done during rush hour or commutes. She nodded her head as he told her the plan then it dawned on her. She could easily leave him. She could put her peddle to the metal and be gone before he could even get a shot off. Why the hell would he put himself in such a vulnerable position? He didn't even know her and yet he was trusting her so completely? Then she heard 6 words that almost brought her to her knees. Just don't leave me here, please. He knew what he was doing.

"I won't." She said those two words with as much conviction and faith that she could. And she meant it. Why? Because he had saved her. He hadn't touched her when she was passed out. He had given her a warm bed. A safe place. And sought to her needs first in the store before anything else. Because he was a decent human being and she prayed nothing changed that, because ... she slowly realized. She was tired of being afraid by herself. Not tired of being by herself, but of being afraid ... by herself.

She watched him work and at first she was vigiliant. Then it got boring. She had just glanced at his collection of CD's and was working through them when she glanced up seeing something and then back down. Her eyes lifted up in alarm once more and before she could find her voice she heard the scream. Her eyes flickered to the rearview mirror. The passenger door opened and she reached for one of the knives, saw it was Jack, and was flooring it as he was half in and half out of the truck. She prayed he wouldn't fall out and trusted his instincts to keep him in. She spun out and could see the screamers coming at them.

This time Alex didn't floor the truck; she pulled out fast, but not too fast so the tires could find traction and they were gone. Except ... Alex didn't know this area. She slammed on the breaks. They had ran into a dead end.

"The back door is open." Alex commented as she glanced into the rearview mirror. She flashed momentarily back to the De ja vu she was experiencing. Same scenario, except she wasn't the driver. Tara was and they were facing the runners as they came at them. Her and Chris were in the back. Tara thought to run the fuckers over, but they clung to the truck and broke through the glass. She screamed for everyone to bail and she tucked and roll as she opened the door and fell out. The truck crashed into a tree and Alex bolted looking back, but not seeing anyone following her. She had broken her toe and sprained her shoulder, but by the grace of everyrhing holy hadn't sustained harsher injuries. She should have been the one driving. She had taken defensive driving and done training with nascar drivers for giggles. It's what the elite did when they needed adrenaline. Still ...

"I'm going to try something crazy. Still have that gun right? i hope you can shoot in a moving vehicle. I'm going to drive backwards. You shoot, okay?"

She floored it feeling the suv slide as she fought for control. She couldn't hear if he was firing or anything. Her heart was pounding too loud and she was trying to keep the car steady and not throw him out. She gulped. They were going down, but too many. They were gonna jump into the car. She slammed on the brakes, pulled on the emergency break, and turned the steering wheel hard. The Suv turned and she could hear multiple things slammed into the side of the SUV. She released the emergnecy brake, and pulled out again laughing almost hysterically.

"Do you know how many times I failed that trick at the track?!" She was looking in the side mirrors trying to see if they had any clingers, making sure they weren't being followed, and keeping her eyes on the road.
 
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