11 months ago

"I lost the two people I cared the most about in the exact same moment. That night, I stole your whiskey. I drank myself past sorrow and straight to anger. I wanted to punch something, anything. Jasper was the first thing I found..."

Ahren and I were stood at the top of a building in the city, night had fallen and the dead were freely roaming the streets as Ahren tells his story.

"I was just so angry. Jasper had all the reason in the world to punch me as he did. Me, not so much. I purposely ticked him off, I was looking for a fight. Honestly, I'm glad he knocked me on my ass the way he did. I ain't ever liked him much, but that night he didn't deserve me being a dick in his face... especially after he lost his sister like that..."

"I just thought you were angry that he killed Cat... I mean she didn't have to die there."

That night had gotten out of hand. Losing both of them and then Ahren flying off his rocker? It was a long night... 

"That was part of it. He was the one who pulled the trigger on her, but I get why he did it. Goddamnit, his sister bled out on the floor in front of him while he sat there helplessly."

"It all just happened so fast... I wish I could say I barely remember it but that's far from the truth. I see it every time I close my eyes... still, even a month later." It wasn't a small memory, I wasn't in enough shock for that. I remembered it all now, every bitter moment of it.

"I... I don't know if I'll ever love a girl again. After losing both of them... it might just be too traumatic."

"You're not heartless Ahren. It might take time, but you're too much of a player for the game to lose you."

He chuckles at my response. "I hope I find someone... speaking of unrequited love... how are things with Jasper?"

Present time

"She was right here! I swear this is the exact spot that I left her!" Jasper exclaims as he stops in front of a shelf on its side.

"Dude, she's not here..." Fletch says quietly.

"I can fucking see that!"

"Jasper, are you sure this is where you left her?" I ask, cautiously placing a hand on his shoulder.

He spins around, flailing his arm. "Yes, I'm sure! She was stuck under that shelf when I left to get you guys!"

"Keep it down dude, there are still dead around here." Fletch hisses at him.

I ignore them and move to examine the shelf. "Well she obviously didn't crawl out from under it and I really don't think she could lift that off of herself... someone must have taken her."

"Fuck!" Jasper shouts, throwing his arms up.

"Relax Jasper, we can't freak out," Inside I'm freaking out just as much as he is.

"You know how Ahren is gonna react when we show up without Frankie." He tells me.

Ahren. His words echoed in my mind, bring Frankie back. But what I told him is what really struck me. You know I will.

And now here I was, without Frankie.

"We don't know the first place to look... let's just head towards the car and figure things out there, where we don't have the dead coming at us." I look to the dead one that had begun to slowly make its way towards us. "Fletch, would you," I gesture towards the dead one and he nods.

He draws an arrow from his quiver and notches it on the bow before drawing back. He releases the arrow and with complete precision, the arrow slices into the dead one's skull. He goes to retrieve the arrow before joining us again.

"Come on, maybe we'll see something on our way."

We make our way to the front of the mall, Fletch collects his stray arrows from the herd of the dead that attacked us before we went to find Frankie.

A voice echoes off in the distance. "Let's get a move on, I know she wasn't alone."

I signal for the others to stop before I begin to sneak towards the noise. We watch from the door to the mall.

"They've got Frankie." Jasper points to her in the bed of their truck.

"Shit."

"How many of them?" Fletch asks.

"Looks like three men, they've all got guns."

"What do we do?" Jasper questions, looking to me.

"We can't just let them take her... I'll go out first, make them think it's just me. Fletch how quickly can you notch an arrow?"

"Quick enough to shoot and shoot again."

"Alright, here's the plan. I go out and talk to them. Jasper, do you think you can sneak around if I keep them distracted?"

He nods.

"Then while I'm out with them, you move around the truck and try to get Frankie. If things get aggressive while I'm talking with them, Fletch shoots an arrow into one of their legs and you'll pull your gun from behind another one and hold him hostage. That'll just leave one and if he's smart, he'll give us Frankie then leave with his men still alive. We kill only if we have to."

They both nod.

I grip my bat tightly as I get up from our crouched spot by the door.

My heart begins to pound until I can hear the thumping in my ears.

I leave the mall slowly. The men are all distracted when I get out.

"Excuse me,"

The three all swing around, raising their guns at me.

I pray that Fletch has his arrow notched.

"Who are you?" The biggest of the men speaks first. 

I try to keep from looking hostile as I move to the side, trying to distract their eyes from the door so Jasper can get out. 

"My name's Sasha. I came looking for my friend, redhead named Frankie. I saw her in your guys' truck."

The men don't move their guns. "We found her under a shelf being attacked by the dead."

"Thanks for helping her, but we can hold out own. Just let us be on our way."

"I don't think so... you see, we've got quite a few men back where come from and bringing a couple of ladies home might make us the top of the pack."

My stomach churns. The nerve from these men disgusts me.

"We're not going anywhere with you shit-sacks." I spit at them.

"Feisty, I like that."

"Al, why don't you grab that young lady so we can get on out of here."

One of the men begins moving toward me. 

I grip my bat, ready to swing if he gets to close but there's no need. He's barely moved two feet when an arrow pierces his leg and he falls to the ground.

"What the hell-"

Jasper comes behind and grabs another one of the men leaving just the one standing.

"You give us our girl and we won't kill any of you." I explain to him.

"You just shot Al in the leg!"

"You threatened to rape me and Frankie!"

He looks nervously between Jasper and me.

I move towards him, now drawing my pistol and hooking my bat onto my bag.

"Fletch!" I shout for him.

He comes out of the mall.

"Get Frankie free."

He nods and jogs to the truck.

"So you're in charge of these fucks?"

I nod. "What's it to you?"

"You're gonna get your men killed is all. Running raids like this."

"We're not raiding you, we're getting back one of ours." I point my gun at the man.

"Next time you oughta count the fourth man."

"Pull that trigger and your boy's head gets blown off."

I turn to see another man now pointing a gun at Fletch.

Shit.

The man in front of me lunges for my gun and chaos ensues. Now each of us is in a battle for our lives and I don't know who's going to win.

I tear the gun from the man, then bang the pistol against his head. He falls back, clutching his head which has begun bleeding.

I pull the hammer on the gun, someone's arms slam onto my shoulders and my legs buckle under me.  The gun slips from my hand and slides across the concrete.

I quickly side kick the man behind me and he falls as well. It was the man Fletch had shot. I grab the arrow and yank it out of his leg. He screams out in pain and clutches the wound. The other man comes for me but I quickly jab the arrow into his leg.

With both men temporarily down, I run for my gun.

I manage to get the gun before either of them can reach me.

A gunshot sounds, the noise makes everything else seem so small. A million thoughts run through my mind. Had Jasper or Fletch been shot? Hell, had I been shot? Did someone just die?