CHAPTER 2
"Dude, what.. What—" Christian stuttered out, trying to process what he'd just seen.
The smell reeked, as Perry stared in horror. She took a few steps back, not taking her eyes off the creature. Perry glanced back, seeing the other three also frozen and staring ahead. Turning her head back, the creature was still. Unmoving, and only stood there, as if it didn't know what to do next.
"Why don't we… leave?" Perry suggested, unable to tear her gaze away.
"Good– good idea." Ruby mumbled back. Reluctantly, Perry turned around, not wanting to turn her back on the thing, but did so.
Christian being at the very front once they turned around was now at the front. He moved forward, that was, before bumping into something—or someone. Slowly, Perry and Ruby turned their heads towards him. Christian was terrified; but chose to keep silent.
The 'thing' seemed to groan a lot, a keen observation made by Perry. Though, it didn't really seem to know where it was going. Perry swore it'd fall over down the atrium. Yeah. Definitely blind—but not deaf. It could hear, that was for sure.
Just then, a few more of these brainless creatures turned the corner. They noticed immediately. There's no way Perry would lose to a bunch of brainless.. Things. She couldn't. It was her birthday.
She took a cautious step forward, hoping Ruby got the message and started walking forward as well.
"Move a bit faster, would you?" She spoke to no one specifically. Perry couldn't help but sound a bit demanding, considering their current situation.
Without arguing any further, Christian led the way into god knows where, Perry and the rest just hoped it was a safe place.
He led them to a nearby tech store, one Perry and Nicole had checked out earlier that day. It was quite empty for being extremely crowded only a few hours ago.
Slowly, yet surely, they managed to quietly and safely get inside the tech store. They weren't sure what kind of precautions to take just yet, but what they did know—they had malicious intent. After catching their breath, Nicole locked the door, just to be safe.
"That should do it for now. Right?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
"Who knows. Those creatures are.. Like, mental." Ruby stood up from the ground, and approached the door, looking outside.
"Do you think they're blind? They sure did act like it." Ruby asked, glancing back.
"They're zombies. No less, go argue with the wall." Christian stated, scooting over closer to Ruby to take a look outside as well. Perry felt as if she was living inside a dream. This didn't feel real, not in the least. Not normal either—especially not that.
Again, as normal as eating onions for breakfast.
"Even if they're zombies, shouldn't they have sight?" Nicole questioned, as if anyone in the room would have the answer.
"I'd really like to know too, Nic. But right now, if we want answers to that, why don't you go ask them yourself?" Christian gave him a look, sighing and leaning against the glass door.
Perry snapped back into reality, glancing at all three of them, then around the room. Safety should be the first priority. But she had questions, and many.
"Let's.. At least get something for defense." she stated, looking around.
None of them disagreed, thus, they were now looking for something sharp—otherwise something they could fight with.
They quite literally didn't have a mind of their own. So there was no telling what they'd do next. Better safe than sorry, right? They split up.
Perry went roaming through some aisles, ending up in the storage room at the very back. She looked around, spotting a box cutter on top of some unopened boxes. Yeah, that's got to do it. For now, at least.
Nicole looked around, questioning his spot inside the TV's aisle. What was he going to do with a TV? Smash it onto the zombie's head? Not useful. Nicole raised an eyebrow at his own stupidity, and left that aisle, walking into an aisle with hairdryers. He wasn't sure what he expected—It's not like he'd be finding kitchen knives. So as idiotic as it was, he took a hairdryer. Now what would he do with that? Dry the zombie's probably blood-soaked hair?
Ruby was lost, in the simplest terms. Surrounded by mouses and keyboards—she wasn't sure where to go. Better than bare hands, right? That's what she thought, so she unboxed a keyboard, surprisingly heavy. She held it in stance, just checking how it'd be like to swing it.
Christian was.. Inside an employees only room. Thankfully, luck was on his side, and he found a scissor. He wasn't sure if that would be too weak, but better than a pair of headphones we found earlier.
Within a good 15 minutes, they were all back near the entrance. Perry looked around at their weapons before raising an eyebrow at Ruby's. Nicole's one was alright, in her opinion, at least.
"Ruby, is that a keyboard?" Perry asked, though the answer was clear. She sighed. "Whatever—all of you got something?" she asked no one in particular.
"Are you blind or am I?" Christian rudely replied. Perry rolled her eyes.
"Should we leave now? Or well… are we staying here?" Nicole asked, looking at them for an answer.
"Let's at least check the state the mall is in now." Perry suggested. Since there weren't any targeted complaints—mainly what would be heard out of Christian, Perry turned to the door.
"Lead the way, smarty-pants." Christian complained, though weaker than usual.
"Would you like to instead?" Perry scoffed.
In the absence of further speaking, Perry warily approached the door.
She slowly opened the door, looking both sides as if crossing the road, but really just trying to cross a few square tiles across the floor.
"Wait—where are we going?" Perry glanced back, expecting a proper answer.
"Uh… what about the rooftop?" Ruby proposed.
Perry nodded, and looked ahead. It was strangely empty. From what they had seen not even 30 minutes earlier would possess them to believe it'd be at least a bit crammed with zombies.
Not to mention it was getting a bit late now. Being past 6 PM, the sky was a mix of a light vermillion and pink hue.
Since the place was still lit, they didn't need any extra equipment for that.
As they navigated towards the rooftop, there weren't many signs of life around. Saturdays were supposed to be busy. Not this untypically vacant.
Once making it up the few flights of stairs leading up, they looked around before Perry stepped outside first. After her, Ruby, Nicole, then Christian.
"It's kinda silent.." Nicole muttered, standing up properly and looking over the city.
"Okay, Nicole—I'm not sure if you're also going deaf or not, but I hear sirens." Christian responded, crossing his arms.
Nicole only half-heartedly rolled his eyes.
"Some places seem to have blacked out." Perry stated, looking around.
It was silent—until the silence was broken. Not by them but by a deafening shrill.