Walk The Aftermath

"Keep running! They're right behind us!"

"I'm re-loaded!"

A grey coated pegasus mare shouted, turning to fire multiple rounds from her sub-machine gun into the crowd of ponies chasing them. A few fell, and the mare turned and continued running, next to her earthpony friend. She looked at the intersection ahead, spotting a few zombies and an alley way past it.

"Alleyway, twelve o'clock!"

"Walls?"

"Yeah!"

The two mares ran past the infected in the intersection, and stopped at the three walls before them. They turned to each other and nodded simultaneously before the pegasus took off and flew to the top of the building. The earth pony took in a deep breath and backed up slightly.

"Legs don't fail me now."

The mare ran at the right wall, jumping and placing one of her rear hooves on it. She pushed off the wall with it and jumped to the middle wall, throwing herself onto an awning. The fabric ripped, causing her to drop through. Luckily, she threw a hoof around the metal frame, hearing it groan as it bent under her weight. The crowd of zombies converged below her, just inches away from her dangling hooves.

"You alright!?"

"Yeah!"

The purple coated mare ran a hoof through her black and green mane, before putting it on the frame. She exhaled heavily, looking down at the hungry crowd.

"Here!"

The mare from above tossed a small green object down to her. She raised a hoof and caught it, the metal creaking more from her sudden weight shift. As she put the object in her mouth, she used her hooves to pull herself onto the frame. She pulled the objects pin and threw it into the crowd, jumping off the metal and onto the roof as she did. Her and the other mare now on the roof, they started running off in the direction they were headed, hearing the loud explosion behind them. Having to jump across alleyways to other buildings, they eventually made their way to a large church-like building. There were several planks of wood leading up to a tower that jutted out of the building, where the mares jumped through. They flopped onto the ground, exhausted from their physical exertion, and panted.

"Ah, well. How was your first time out High Road?"

The grey mare chuckled, looking towards her friend. The other mare smiled and shook her head.

"Oh, just peachy."

"Ah, I'm just joking around. It gets easier once you know what you're doing."

"I hope so. I don't know if I'm cut out for this shit though."

"Well, I thought I'd give you a shot. Better to have you out with me than somepony like Wind Up."

"I hear ya there."

The two mares smiled at each other before dropping down the hatch into the main part of the building. The three ponies inside the building looked up at them, and a stallion walked over while the others continued what they were doing. The stallion was a tall, pale coated, brown maned earth pony. His military garments were decorated with different ribbons and medals, signifying a high rank.

"Status report second lieutenant Windy Nights?"

"Found another gun, some canned goods, and a jug of water Command Chain"

The grey mare stated, pulling the objects out of her backpack and placing them on the table beside her. The stallion nodded and looked at High Road.

"And you?"

High Road blew a puff of air out, taking off her backpack and placing it on the ground.

"I got a few cans of food, some bottled water, and this."

High Road pulled out a small metal box and passed it to the stallion. He took in in his left front hoof and examined it.

"What is it?"

"We're not sure."

Windy nights answered, walking closer. She ran a hoof through her white mane before taking the box.

"We found it lying on the ground outside of the convenience stores we got most of this stuff from. There's a lock on it, so I feel like it just might be important."

"Hmm. Get Firestarter on it, I'm almost certain he can get it open."

"On it, general."

Windy Nights stated, putting a hoof to her forehead. The stallion mirrored her and they saluted concurrently. Windy Nights ran off and up a set of stairs, approaching a small door with the window covered up. She knocked twice before heaving a sigh.

"Who is it?"

"It's Windy Nights, I got something for you."

"Come in."

Windy Nights followed the stallions command and opened the door. The room she found herself in was full of different types of gadgets and gizmos, most non-functional. She walked towards the main desk, which held a vast array of computer screens, and placed the box on it. A small orange unicorn with a dark blue mane turned in his chair to look at it.

"Hmm, locked box eh?"

"Yeah, and I also got you these for if you can get it open for me."

Windy Nights smiled and pulled a small box of brownies from her backpack. She waved them in front of Firestarter and watched him frown. As he turned back to his computer, he sighed and rolled his eyes.

"The fact that you taunt me with my addiction is saddening. I hope you're disappointed in yourself."

"I don't have to be."

"Whatever. You have an undeniable knack for getting what you want. I like that, honestly. Gets on my nerves when you use it against me, but I digress."

Firestarter tapped a few buttons on the computers keyboard, turning on a light and a machine behind him. He sighed as he stood up and took the box on his magic.

"I'll have it cracked open in a jiff."

He placed the box on the center of the machines stage, and hit a button on the side. The machine started firing a beam of plasma close to the box, and he inched it closer until it cut through the lock. After shutting the machine down, he levitated the box to Windy Nights and smiled.

"There you are, it's open."

"Thanks, but was the plasma cutter really nessacery?"

"What?"

Windy Nights turned to the desk, where Firestarter had opened the box of brownies and taken a bite of one.

"You really are addicted to those aren't you?"

"And I praise you for keeping me supplied. Now get out, the job is done."

Firestarter ordered, turning back to the computer screens. Windy Nights rolled her eyes and walked out of the room, the box in her right wing.

"I got it open! Or, rather, he got it it open!"

Windy Nights shouted as she walked back doen the rusty metal staircase. Command Chain and High Road gathered around the table she placed the box on and waited for her to open it.

"Just, be ready to shoot in case somethin's about to jump out at me, alright?"

Command Chain nodded and confidently pulled his revolver out, aiming it at the box. High Road nervously went on the opposite side, but out of the line of fire, and aimed her pistol at the box.

"Alright, three, two, one."

On one, Windy Nights threw the top of the box off and jumped back, drawing her submachine gun. When nothing jumped out, Windy Nights looked at Command Chain and nodded, him mirroring her once more. They approached the box and looked inside. All they saw were assorted crummy magazines.

"Ah for fucks sake."

Windy Nights groaned, closing the lid. She walked and flopped herself down on a chair, putting her wing against her head.

"For once can we find something that we have to open that doesn't have stupid magazines or smut? Or at least can we get a good magazine?"

"I guess those are the type of ponies that were around here."

"Great."

Windy Nights scoffed, rolling her eyes. High Road chuckled a bit and walked closer.

"You know, I actually have something interesting that I found too."

"And you're just saying this now?"

"Easy now general. What'cha got?"

"Well.."

High Road started, pushing a hoof into her saddlebag. After a few seconds of blinding fumbling around, she pulled a small wooden box out and set it on the table. This one was different though, in more ways than material. It was completely seamless. The only part on it that wasn't perfectly smooth were certain parts of the grain.

"It's hollow, I know that, and there's something hard inside. I shook it around when I couldn't find an opening, and I was hearing something rolling around. I still can't find an opening, so I figure we can just break an end open?"

"On it."

Windy Nights smiled and pulled the hatchet from the holster on her right rear leg. She closed one eye and raised the hatchet, eying up her target. Aiming for the right side of the box, she swung, hearing the axe tear through the wood and into the table.

"Awesome!"

High Road giggled as she gazed at the splinters and wood chips surrounding the box.

"What in the hell is going in here?"

A tall, white coated, turquoise maned unicorn asked as he walked over and stood before the group.

"Nothing Wind Up, just some stuff we found."

"Well please try to keep it down! I had just got mother back to bed, and you all know how hard it is to get her to bed with her condition!"

"Son, just go back to your mother, I'll be over in a second."

Command Chain walked over and put a hoof on his sons shoulder. Wind Up nodded to him and trotted back to the other side of the building. Command Chain sighed and turned back to the mares around the table.

"Just try to keep it quiet. Get help from Firestarter or Stone Temple if need be. I need to attend to my wife."

"Got it sir. Could you by chance send Stone Temple over?"

"I'll see if I can find her, she always seems to be running off."

Command Chain trotted off in the same direction his son had, but walked past the gurney that bore his wife and to a staircase. He stopped halfway up and looked at the figures pressed up against the front doors. The red that had been smeared across the glass had caked, creating only a small amount of space to see the faces that snarled and snapped at them. His greatest worry was that those barricades would fail. He shook off the bad feelings he had and walked up the rest of the stairs. The stairs turned into a catwalk that ran perpendicular to the stairs, and led to a ladder. Command Chain quickly scaled the ladder and got to the roof.

"Stone Temple? I know you're up here."

A red coated pegasus mare slowly walked out from behind a ventilation shaft and looked at Command Chain. She brushed back her orange mane and smiled.

"Yes?"

"First off, why are you up here?"

"I don't know. Something about the view just really gives me inspiration for...well, anything."

Stone Temple chuckled, looking off at the cityscape and sighed. Command Chain tensed up when she walked over to the edge and laid down.

"Plus it's kinda fun to come up here and look at these little fellas. See that one there? It's one of the only ones that followed me all the way from the west side of town."

"Great, well, when you're done playing zombie petting zoo, High Road and Windy Nights could use your help."

"Great, I'll be right behind ya."

Stone Temple stood up and walked over to the hatch in the roof. Command Chain rolled his eyes and went through the hatch. He had only gotten halfway down the stairs before he saw a red flash fly over to the table on the opposite end of the building. He shook his head and continued down the stairs.

"How is she?"

Command Chain asked when he approached his son, who was leaning on the gurney that held a yellow coated unicorn mare with a turquoise mane.

"Better, but her fever is still high, which worries me. That's one of the first signs of infection."

"What? That's impossible. She hasn't been outside since we established this base."

"I know, but we have no idea what kind of bugs or parasites or vermin may have carried the infection in here."

Command Chain looked at the mares face. Her eyes were closed, but her lips were slowly moving, as if she was speaking.

"Son, does she usually do this?"

"Do what?"

"Command Chain! We have something you'll want to see!"

Windy Nights called from the table. Command Chain sighed and mumbled under his breath.

"Nevermind. I'll be right back."

After nodding to his son, he ran over to the table surrounded by the three mares. He gasped at what he saw.

"Wh...why that's military grade plastic explosives! Why do you suppose they were in that box?"

"Maybe it was somepony's last resort? Doesn't seem like a bad idea."

"I think Temple might be on to something. What if this was somepony's last line of defense but they didn't get to use it? Do you suppose we should consider that our plan now?"

"I don't know High Road. Either way, one of you should take it to Firestarter, he'll keep them locked in a safe place. Is there a detonator?"

"Yep, I got it, and I'll take them to him."

Windy Nights said, whipping her white mane out of the way of her eyes and picking up the explosives. Command Chain watched her run up the stairs and then turned to look at the sunset through a high window.

"You two, you should start getting to bed, lights out is in half an hour."

Windy Nights tossed around in her sleeping bag, and woke up with a small scream. She moved to an upright position and panted for a few moments.

"Why with that dream again?!"

She whispered to herself. It was starting to get to her. She had the same dream every night, where the same zombie cornered her mother in the same way, and...

"I need some air."

Windy Nights stood up, but she only got a few steps away from her sleeping bag before something came back to her. She walked over to the stairs to Firestarters office and mover a board beside them. She reached her wing inside the space and pulled out the plastic explosives she had stashed there after she presented to speak with Firestarter. She quietly crept over to the stairs on the opposite side of the building and climbed the stairs, then the ladder. The trapdoor creaked loudly as she pushed it open, and she tried to close it more quietly. When it was closed, she walked over and laid down near the edge of the roof, the explosives and detonator beside her.

"All of them, I swear I could get all of them."

She skimmed through the crowd, trying to make out any distinct figures in the dark. After about two minutes, her smile faded and she gasped. She saw, right in the middle of the crowd, not moving, the exact zombie from her recurring dream.

"It's....him."

An angry frown spread across her face as she stood up and grabbed the explosives in her wing. She mulled over the thought of throwing it in the crowd and setting it off, but she was torn. It was a decision that she just simply couldn't make. Suddenly, she heard a low growling noise from behind her. When she turned around, she saw a bloodied pony walking towards her. She gasped and dropped the remote detonator before the figure leapt on top of her. She used her wings to block it from her face, but the creature still snapped at her. She looked to her right, seeing the explosives in her wing. In a swift motion, she moved her right wing, shoved the explosive in the zombies mouth, and kicked it over her with her hind legs. She rolled onto her stomach and watched the zombie fall into the crowd below, hitting the ground with a crack. She panted for a moment before hearing another growl behind her. She gasped and went to move back, but a silenced gun went off, and she saw the figure drop. A feeling of relief washed over her when she looked to her left to see Firestarter.

"Thanks."

"Sure. What the hell are you doing up here?"

"I think the more important question is what are they doing up here?"

"We can worry about that later. I see the detonator, where's the explosive package?"

Windy Nights opened her mouth to say something, but no excuse came to her.

"Uhhh."

"Yeah. That's what I thought."

Firestarter sighed. He walked closer to Windy Nights and levitated the detonator close to his face. He adjusted his thick-rimmed glasses and looked at it.

"Hmm. If we get back to the lab without waking anypony, I can get this disarmed. However, you'll have the unfortunate task of telling everyone else what happened if so."

"I guess I could just tell them the truth?"

"It's your flank on the line, not mine."

Firestarter stated as he started walking back to the ladder. Windy Nights quickly followed, and they both and ascended back into the building. Windy Nights very gently closed the hatch, and then started walking back to the main section of the building.

"If you need me, I'll be working on this. And please, don't need me."

Windy Nights rolled her eyes at Firestarters comment and walked back to her bed. She lifted up her blanket with a wing, but turned back to the front doors. She sighed as she walked over and looked through the small clean spots in the glass.

"Ugh, they're relentless. It's sickening."

She frowned and continued looking the hungry, bloody figures. Meanwhile, Firestarter was back in his lab, frantically trying to shut off the bomb.

"C'mon you little red wire. Come on."

He carefully levitated the wire cutters in the device, getting closer to the wire he needed. The moment the blades of the cutters were on either side of the wire, he cut it.

"Wait a minute, that wasn't the red wire."

Firestarter realized aloud, raising his head and looking to the door. He shot out of his seat and burst through the door.

"Get up! Everypony get up now!"

Windy Nights turned around and saw the fear in Firestarters eyes.

"What do you-"

We're the only words Windy Nights could get out before the explosives just outside the door went off, tossing dirt, debris, and furniture all around. The glass of the doors shattered, sending shards carreeming towards all the ponies in the room. A bench that was barricading the door flew over and landed seat down on Windy Nights, covering her fully. The sleeping ponies in the room shot up and looked at the swarm of infected that were now pouring into the room.

"What the hell is going on!?"

Command Chain yelled as he stood up, drawing his revolver. Firestarter ran up the stairs and into his lab. Seconds later, he ran out the side of the room and onto a small platform. Behind him was a lever, and he quickly pulled it before running to the mounted machine gun on the front of the platform.

"Come on then!"

Firestarter shouted before aiming down the sight and firing into the crowd. Stone Temple was standing on top of some stacked boxes and firing into the swarm of infected with her sawn-off shotgun. Wind Up had run over and was standing in front of his bed-ridden mother, but the infected were quickly closing in.

"Son!"

Command Chain ran over and picked up his son, continuing to shoot the zombies around him. The crowd was slowly diminishing, but they were running out of ammunition.

"I'm out!"

"Me too!"

"I'm not!"

Firestarter shouted without ending the stream of bullets. The barrel of the gun was turning a shade of deep yellow, and Firestarter looked at it.

"Damn. This things overheating!"

Stone Temple and Command Chain looked at each other, and Command Chain thought of something.

"To the roof!"

His command was followed instantly by Stone Temple, who flew up and out the hatch To the roof.

"Dad..."

His sons words were weak, and he could hear the sadness in them.

"We have to."

He shot his way through the crowd and up the stairs to the ladder. The zombies were close on his tail, and he put his son down.

"Go up the ladder!"

His son weakly nodded and turned to run up the ladder and onto the roof. Command Chain fired the last five rounds from his revolver into the zombies before him, then ran to the ladder. He stopped at the base and looked at his wife. The zombies were already tearing into her, and she didn't make a sound. He shook off his emotions and walked up the ladder to the roof.

"Alright, what the hell happened?"

"Don't ask me, I was in the middle of a dream where I was on top of a giant cake."

"I was asleep too."

"Alright alright. Where are Firestarter and Windy Nights?"

Command Chains question remained unanswered as he looked at the two ponies in front of of him. They both shrugged and had blank looks on their faces.

"Well, what do we do now dad?"

"I don't know, I guess we wait."

Command Chain put a hoof around his son and sat down against a vent. Stone Temple laid down where she had been before, looking over the edge.

"I guess they'll leave if we create a distraction elsewhere."

Stone Temple whispered. Without warning, she drew her gun and started flying into the night, firing rounds at the zombies. Their attentions now caught, the zombies started shuffling towards the mare in the sky. As they were slowly drawn away, Command Chain and Wind Up ran back downstairs to the main building. Firestarter was just levitating the bench off of Windy Nights, and they both stood up.

"You good?"

"I'm good. Shaken up, but I'm good."

"Mind explaining what the hell hell happened then?"

Firestarter looked at Windy Nights, who sighed and looked at the floor, eyes closed.

"It was me. I did it."

"You...you did this?"

"I didn't mean for it to happen!"

"Explosives were involved! How the fuck, could you not see this coming?!"

"Calm down man, she didn't mean to do it."

"You shut your fucking mouth Firestarter. My wife is dead because of you!"

Windy Nights looked down in shame. She could hear Command Chains heavy breathing.

"I want you both out of here, immediately."

"Both? What did I do?"

"Where's the remote, huh?"

Firestarter looked at his office, then back to the stallion in from of him.

"Immediately."