zompocalypse

by moonking

Rating: mature
Tags: Slice of Life, Wallflower Blush, Death, Alternate Universe, Thriller, Original Character, Trixie, Equestria Girls, Sex, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Profanity, Violence
Length: 49116

Ash Dagger is a surviver of the zombie apocalypse

Ash was a normal eighteen-year-old who went to high school, hung out with his friends and lived with his family. Now, he and his group try to find supplies and keep there a safe place to sleep at night.

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Published 2019-05-05 15:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-07-06 22:37:05 UTC

Chapter 1

Outbreak

Third-person pov

It started the same as any other day. Ash was sitting in his homeroom morning class, playing on his phone as the rest of the class talked around him. Despite being an athletic student and having the best grades, he wasn't very well known. Girls overlooked him for the jocks; the only time the girls noticed him is when they tried to get him to do their homework for them with empty promises as his reward. Now, that would all soon change when the outbreak happens. Our story begins here, my friends.

Ash pov

I put my phone away as the teacher called the class to attention. We all quieted down as she started our lesson. About two hours into the day, the code red alert sounded, and a principal, Celestia's voice, came over the intercom.

“Attention, canterlot high, this is a code red emergency lockdown. There are dangerous people in the school. Stay in the classrooms and do not try to leave the rooms. Lock all the doors and stay as quiet as you can.”

We heard a crash from over than intercom.

“No, getaway! AHA!”

I blood-chilling scream came, and we could hear something as we listened. It was the sound of chewing on the other end. Silence filled the room until a girl ran up to our classroom door covered in blood. I could see a bite mark on her shoulder as she banged on the glass.

“Help! Help!”

Applejack, a girl, known around the school, jumped up and was about to open the door when two boys grabbed her and bite into her. One grabbed her arm and then took a bite out of her; the other ripped her throat out and then took another bite. I got up and grabbed her and pull her back as blood started to come from under the door. Everyone in the room screamed as they looked at the horror scene in front of us. Four other girls ran over to us and helped Applejack and me up. I looked at the other girls and saw it was most of applejacks group of friends. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. I looked away from the blood and looked over that our teacher saw she was having a panic attack. I looked around and saw a bat in Rainbow’s pack back. I walked over and grabbed it.

“W-what are you doing?”

I walked over to the door as the two students ran off after another scream. “I’m going to check on the little kids. Their classes are right down the hall, and I’m worried, what if one of these guys got into one of the room?”

Applejack and Rarity looked at me. Flash, a guy I knew, grabbed another bat from the other side of Rainbow’s bag.

“I’ll come with you.”

I nodded and walked over to the door, but the teacher spoke up.

“W-wait, what about the lockdown!? We should wait for the police.”

I looked at her and yelled. “WE JUST SAW A GIRL GET EATEN! I can’t just stand here and worry if one of them is in that room!” Rainbow spoke up.

“He’s right. If one of them is there they won’t stand a chance!”

She put a hand up but stopped when I grabbed the handle. “Ok, on the count of three, we go.”

“Right.”

“!... 2… 3!”

I threw the door open, and we ran down the hall as the others shut the door behind us. As we ran, I saw more people acting the same way as the other two did. They were eating other people, and I started to get scared as we ran. ‘The hell was I thinking!? We came out here without really think this through all the way!’ I grabbed and turned back and saw it was principal Celestia, but half her face was missing. I panicked and swung the bat the best I could and hit her right arm, breaking it. She let me go but keep trying to grab me. ‘I-I’m sorry!” I pulled the bat back and swung it at her head. I hit her in the head, and her head hit the locker and slid down the lockers. The other people looked over at me. Flash looked back at me as I hit another guy who tried to grab me. “Keep going; I’ll catch up!”

“Right!”

I hit a girl on the top of the head, which seemed to be the only way to stop them. I hit another three, but one grabbed my leg, and I looked down and saw vise principal Luna. Her right arm was missing, and her guts were hanging from her stomach. I hit her, and she fell to the ground. I stomped her head in before she tried to grab me again. Once I had finished off the others, I looked around and saw I alone now. I started to run again, but before I got too far, I hear crying from inside a locker a man was trying to get into. I ran up behind him then bat the bat at his legs. I broke his left knee then started to hit his head over and over. Once I was sure he wasn’t getting back up, I looked at the locker, I hear a girl crying. I opened the locker and saw a girl with green hair with brown eyes dressed in a long sleeve sweater and blue jeans. “Hey, you ok?” She rubbed her eyes as she looked at me.

“Y-ya, I jumped in here when I heard the lockdown alarm started.”

I nodded, then held my hand out to her. She looked at it for a moment then smile with tears in her eyes as she took my hand. As I pulled her from the locker, Flash ran back around with a group of scared kids behind him with one girl in the back with a yellow jacket, and tiara on her head held her arm as she ran. Flash ran up to me and looked panicked.

“Ash! I just saw a guy walking around with his head on his back! The fucking hell is going on?!”

The girl tightened her grip on my hand and pulled on my sleeve as I talked to Flash. “No idea, but we have to move.” I turned my head and saw the girl pointing to a group of these things coming our way slowly. I pushed the girl behind Flash and me. She walked back and started to look behind us, making sure none were behind us. “Flash, aim for the head. Damaging the head seemed to be the fastest way to kill these things. Since we're the only two with weapons well take the lead so we can get back to the class.”

“Ok.”

We started to run at them when I was in front of one I slammed the bat on the top of one of the things head. It split its skull and Flash swung his bat to the side and sent one into the locker. I hit another one making a hole in the group. I took out another then waved for the other to come on. The girl rushed passed the dead thing, and Flash quickly followed as I hit another one in the side of the head. I ran behind them into the classroom they slammed the door shut. I huffed as I tried to catch my breath but Applejack and Rarity Those things piled onto the snapping their jaws as they tried to get in both girls hugged me. Then spoke at the same time.

“Thank you for saving our sisters!”

I looked at Flash, and she nodded his head as Rainbow hugged him. I sighed then started to get up as the things began to move away from the door when something sounded loud outside the room. I dropped the bat and wrapped my hand around the back of my head while I walked around winding down. “Sweet mother of god, what the hell is going on?”

“Hey, guys what’s going out there? Is everyone ok?”

I looked over at our teacher and nodded my head as I looked at her. “No, I just saw vise principal Luna walking with her guts falling out of her stomach. I don’t know what is going on, but there’s no way I’m staying here.” Everyone looked at me, but I heard violent coughing. We looked over to the kids, and a little boy is coughing hard into his hand. Fluttershy walked over to him and started to check him over.

“He ok?”

He’s coughing got waste, and the little girl looked at me.

“He has asthma he needs his inhaler from the nurse's office.” Everyone looked at Flash and me. We looked at one another I looked down at the boy, and I grabbed the bat again. “Ok, Listen up! Everyone with medical needs made a list, and we’ll try our best to get it all.” Flash nodded as the teacher took out a pen and everyone who needed something walked over to her. After a few minutes, we had a list, and we left again. I ran as quick as I could flash close behind.

“How are you not scared?”

I put my back on a locker and looked around the corner “Oh, I’m ready to kill over from fear, but someone had to do something. Those kids needed to be helped, and I acted without thinking. With you backing me I guess we’re the ones who have to get stuff, but we can’t stay in the room all night.” I ran around the corner and flash ran beside me.

“Ok, but how are we going to get everyone out of here and where do we go?”

We quickly moved through a small group of them before seeing the nurse's office. I slammed through the door. Flash followed me in then smashed the door shut and put his back on it. I grabbed the desk and pushed it in front of the door as Flash force it shut as they tried to get in. When I had the desk force upon the door, we took a step back as the door started to break.

“It's not going to hold for long!”

I nodded and held out the list. “Get whatever you and I'll take care of any that may get in.” He took the list and started to look around, but when he tried to open a door in the back, it slammed shut when he opened it a little. We looked at one another but the main door cracking again drew my attention. “Fuck! Leave whoever it is we have to hurry!” He looked at the door one more time they ran over to the medical supply locker. He smashed the lock and grabbed a bag from the corner. He dumped everything out as the top of the door gave way. They started to pull themselves over the door and desk as flash raked everything in the bag as fast as he could. “Hurry!” I yelled as I smashed the leader's head in.

“I just need a few more seconds!” I swung the bat and hit a girl in the face sending her back over the group. “Shit we need a way out now!” I killed another one as Flash zipped the bag up looked at the door again. I looked away from his as I focused on the front of me. I heard him struggling with something then a woman scream.

“Ash this way!” I turned my head and saw the door lead into the front office. I kicked back the closed one then ran through the open door. Flash and a girl with fire hair slammed the door before those things could get in. I got up and was a group of people with more of those things at their feet. I leaned up and saw a group of crystal prep students in the office with a man in the back with a handgun in hand. I got up and looked at everyone in the room. I counted nine people when I stood up and saw they had the door into the school barricaded with chairs and a large table. I looked at Flash, and he had the bag in hand. “We have to get back there man.”

“Ya, I know.”

“Wait a second you two can’t go back out there!”

I looked at an older woman who seemed to be the oldest in the group. “Looked there a little boy about to have an asthma attack, so one of us has to get back to them!” She back down and a girl with purple hair with pink highlights spoke up.

“But the school is full of the dead!”

“The dead?” She nodded, and the man spoke up.

“On the way in here we saw a man get run over then get right back up. Only something dead could get up after that.”

I sighed then ran a hand over my head as I looked at him then nodded. “Fuck it, and I’m still going back, Flash stay here with them. No reason for both of us to go and risk it all again.” He nodded and held the bag out to me. I took it and threw it on my back then looked at the barricade. The windows could open, and I got up on the table then pushed the window. I couldn’t fit through the window like this, so I climbed back down before looking around. “Damn it!” I around the office and saw another door that may lead back into the school. I walked over to the door but the man spoke up again.

“You don’t want to go that way it leads straight to the lunchroom. Dozen of the dead there.”

“Thanks, but I got to take the chance and I have to ask how you know that?”

“My wife and I tried to get out that way but we got separated when a group attacked us. I got back but I didn’t see her get out.”

They all looked at me as I grabbed a few Muggs from the desk. “I think these things are blind. Flash and I ran past them and they did seem to see it. But, when I stopped and killed one I made a lot on sound then they came.” They looked at me like I was crazy but the girl spoke up again.

“I think he's right. One the way here from our school they ignore people who were hiding in cars in plain sight, but we need to see if that right or just luck.”

I nodded as I walked over to the door but stopped and looked back at the group. “Did you come here on a bus or did you all drive yourselves?”

“We came with two buses but we're all that's left of who came, the others didn't make it on the buses before the school was overrun.”

I froze hearing that, fear of the whole town being overrun filled my mind. My mom and dad would be in this mess. I shook my head from side to side and started to walk to the door again. ‘Think about that later the kids first.’ I grabbed the door handle and a hand grabbed my shoulder. I looked back and the man was holding a knife out to me.

“This is better if you have to fight close range. Now, if your right maybe able to get everyone on the buses and get out of here alive.”

“Alright but take this just in case.” I handed him the bat and I took the knife then put it in my belt and opened the door. Behind the door was a long hallway with blood on the wall. I held the knife handle a mug in my other hand ready to test my idea. When I was about to reach the end of the hall a sound from an office door caught my attention. I saw the door was slightly opened and I pushed it open with the knife in hand. They opened slightly and saw one of them looking at it standing in front of a large closet. It didn’t notice me so my idea seemed to be right. I let out a whistle and the dead man looked at me. Its eyes were a milky white same as a blind man would have. I whistled again and the thing charged me but I sidestepped then slammed into the walk. It just banged against it and tried to bite it a few times. ‘So they can’t see us.’ I pulled the knife out and grabbed the back of his shirt then stabbed him in the back of the head. I let him fall and looked back at the closet. I walked to the closet and opened it to find a slightly pregnant woman. She was dress like the woman with the group in the office. She seemed alright but she had been crying.

“Hello, miss?” She looked up at me and worry all over her face.

“I-is it dead?”

I nodded then pointed to the dead thing. I held a hand out to her and helped her up then she took my hand. I helped her up then helped her back to the office door. I opened the door and everyone looked at me as I walked into the office then the woman walked in behind me.

“CADANCE!”

The man yelled as he ran over to the woman and hugged her. She cried as she hugged him as tight as she could. He looked up at me teats on his eyes.

“Thank you so much.*

I nodded then ran back down the hall to the last door I took a deep breath the slowly opened the door. As the door opened I could hear the read walking around and the sound of chewing. I opened the door all the way and saw at least a hundred of these things walking around. I walked out onto the lunchroom and slowly closed the door. They didn't attack me, didn’t look at me. They didn't seem to notice me at all. I smiled then started to go around them slowly moving trying to stem-like one of them. While I moved a made a little sound but not enough to draw attention. ‘Okay just keep moving Ash keep moving.’ I close the doors then a man ran out of the kitchen's back screamed as an older woman with one arm followed. He had a bite on his hand and he drew the dead to him. I wanted to help but they cleared away from the doors. With one last look, I saw they had started to eat him before I threw the doors open and ran out into the courtyard. There were no died in the area so I ran back into the building on the other side. I opened the door and quietly walked in and saw no dead as I walked. I started to run when I saw I was close to the classroom and ran up to the door. It was still closed and I saw the other looking at me. They opened the door and I quickly walked in. The boy had stopped coughing but was alive. I took the bag off as the others noticed Flash wasn’t with me.

“Where’s Flash Ash?”

I looked at the teacher as I pulled out the only inhaler I had. “We found another group, he stayed behind and I found out these things can’t see us. They can only hear us so if we're quiet they can’t find us.” Everyone looked at me as I helped the boy with the inhaler. Once I helped him and walked in front of the group and everyone looked at me. “We may have a way to get out of here.”

Chapter 2

First night

I had told everyone about the buses, and two young girls spoke up about where we could go. Silver spoon and Diamond Tiara house were right beside each other with large seven-foot brick walls around the houses connected. Altogether they had nearly thirty acres of land that would be a safe zone and the only way in would be two front gates which we could reinforce. Wallflower had also said she lived in a gated house with two greenhouses one for fruit and the other grew vegetables. It was decided the others would go and get behind the walls while I would take Wallflower to her house to get food and to see if her mom was ok. Once we were ready I opened the door slowly and looked around none of the dead were around us. We moved out of the classroom quickly and quietly me at the front the teacher at the back, the little kids in the middle as we moved. We made it to the nurse office, and I saw the door was still closed, but I saw Flash and the guy wait. When they saw us, I waved at them then lifted the desk and opened the door. I rushed the others in and when the teacher was in I closed that door and we blocked off the door again.

“Is this everyone?”

I looked at the man and nodded. “Ya, Is the main doors unlocked?”

“Yes, we got the doors unlocked, and me and principle Clinch will dive the buses, but we don’t have a place to go.”

I nodded then explained the plan, and he nodded. I both opened a door as we could then Clinch and he both took off running for the buses. Everyone ran to the buses as Wallflower, and I ran around the building to where I parked my car. But, when we came around, there were dead all around the parking lot. I pulled the knife out and grabbed her hand then slowly started to walk slowly. She held my hand tightly as we walked past the first few. They didn’t see us as we slowly made our way to the car. When we made it, I unlocked the doors and made her get in before I quickly ran around and jumped into the driver's seat and started to car up. The engine starting up caught the attention of the dead, but I pulled off as I saw the buses leaving the school. I tore out of the parking lot and spread off to the high-end house where Wallflower lives. As we drove, we saw the town burning and people been eaten or trying to get inside builds.

“How can this be happening? How are they walking around if their dead and what if no one can help.”

I didn't have an answer, but I wanted to give her piece of mind. “I don't know but don't worry as long as I'm around I help you out as much as I can at least.” She looked at me a smile on her face as I turned onto the road leading to the houses. I saw the only one with a large and sturdy gate with a smaller stone wall around the Acra sized yard. I saw a van in the drive behind the gate and Wallflower smiled.

“My mom’s van is in the drive!”

I smiled and stopped in front of the house. Wallflower jumped out of the car and ran up to the main gate. She pulled a card out of her pocket and slid it down a box beside the door. She ran in me close behind, and I closed the door making sure it locked. Then quickly followed her inside and found wallflower had stopped dead in her traces. I walked up behind her and saw a woman with long green hair with a bullet hole in the underside of her jaw with a bite mark on her shoulder. I looked down at her hands and saw a pistol. It had a wood handle and a silver body.

“Mom….”

I put a hand on her shoulder, and she turned then hugged me as she started to cry and yell. I hugged her as she cried into my chest. I held her as she cried and for a while, we stood there until I looked over that back backdoor and froze. Wallflower moved her head as about to talk, but I covered her mouth and made her looked at the back door. A man was looking in through the glass door with a man with an axe in hand. I looked down at the gun and threw Wallflower behind me as he broke through the glass. I grabbed the gun, but the man kicked me in the side. I fell over and dropped the gun as the man stood over me. I turn and saw the ax over his head. I rolled out of the way as fast as I could the axe cutting deep into the wood, but it was stuck. I got my feet at ran at him as he pulled the axe free. I tackled him and, he let the axe go as I slammed him into the wall. I grabbed his collar an punched him in the face and threw him over a chair.

“STOP!”

I looked back at Wallflower and saw she had the gun in hand and pointed at the man. He got up and saw the gun pointing at him.

“J-just leave, I don’t want to have to kill you.”

The man didn’t miss a beat then started to run at her but Wallflower pulled the trigger. The next thing we knew he fell back holding his throat blood gushing from the wound. I got up and took the knife out. I walked over to the man as blood pooled under him. “Sorry about this!” I stabbed him in the front of his head finally killing him but I felt like I did him a favor not having to come back as one of those things. I left the knife there and looked back at Wallflower. She had dropped the gun and looked at the man. Her eyes were full of remorse and horror. I walked over to her and before I could try to talk I heard a groan from behind me. I slowly turned my head and saw a group of those things in the backyard. Six at most and that was very worrying and I got the guns then looked at wallflower. I grabbed her hand and quickly man her run up the steps. When we got to the top I opened the first door and pulled her in. I closed and locked the door then ran over to a window overlooking the backyard. I looked down and saw I was right six of them were in the yard. A metal gate was open and it was the only other way into the yard.

“I-I shot him and you stabbed him.”

I turned and looked at her as she started to cry but I couldn’t have that right now. I walked over to her and grabbed her face. She looked up at me and for the first time, I really looked at her. She had a curvy body most girls would kill for and her watery eyes drew my attention to her cheeks and long eyelashes with light freckles on her face.

“A-ash?”

I smiled and pulled her into a hug with my free arm. “No matter what happens you stay until I’ve got that gate closed.” I let her go then walked over to the window.

“W-why?!!”

I stopped and looked at her as she looked at me tears in her eyes as she gripped the lower half of her sweater.

“Why did you even notice my crying in the locker? Why did you save me from these things?”

I hugged her and patted her back then spoke. “I saved you because you need help. As for the crying, only a coward turns his back when someone cries. My father told me that and I’ve never forgotten it.” I kissed her forehead as I opened the door but she grabbed my shirt and I turned t look at her. She had a blush on her face then let me go as she held the bottom of her sweater again.

“Come back ok?”

I smiled as I looked at her and nodded then quietly closed the door. I made my way back down the steps and had my back to the wall when I was at the bottom. I looked around the corner and sat two right at the door and the axe and my knife were between me and them. I slowly walked out trying not to make a sound as I picked up the axe then walked over to the man then pulled out my knife. I slowly walked to the door and kicked the closet one back into the yard then stabbed the second one in the head. The sound got the attention of the other and I ran out and around them. Five I could take as long as the number didn’t grow or I got surrounded. I slammed my shoulder into the gate and it slammed shut. I saw there was a padlock on the ground and quickly locked the gate as the first dead almost grabbed me. I swung the axe and cut the face of a woman clean open. I ran forward and swung the axe and hit the second on in the side of the head. I pulled it free and turned killing another one. I kicked the one I kicked out the door down again and buried the axe into the fuckers head.

“Behind you!”

I turned and saw the last one about to bite me. I grabbed the thing then kicked it’s knee then threw it to the ground and started to stomp the things head in. Once I was sure it was dead I fell back and sat on the ground my blood pumping from that. Took a few deep breathes then looked up at the window and saw a smiling Wallflower looking down at me. I smiled and gave her a thumbs up and got up and got the axe and knife. I looked at the two greenhouses and put the knife in the back of my belt and slowly made my way over to the first greenhouse. I opened the door ready to attack but it was empty besides the small fruit trees some with fruit growing. I walked back out and walked over to the second one. Again the second on was the same as the fruit. I smiled then walked back out the axe on my shoulder. I looked around and saw the dead lying on the ground. I nodded my head then walked back through the broken door. Wallflower ran down the steps as I put the axe drop and grabbed the body of the man.

“You did it!”

I looked up and saw Wallflower running down the steps. I smiled and dropped her body as she jumped onto me. I hugged her and she turned her head the kissed me on the cheek over and over. I smiled and hugged her tighter as I did she grabbed the back of my shirt and I turned my head to look at her then she kissed me on the lips. I stopped and Wallflower pulled her head back then looked up at me. I looked down at her a red tinge to her cheeks and I felt my cheeks a little warm as well. I cupped her cheek as she looked at me.

“W-we need to stay in it will be dark soon.”

I nodded and let her go then grabbed the body again. I pulled it to the door then drug it out into the yard. I stacked the bodies and pulled Wallflowers mom over to the edge of the yard and left her there planning on burying her tomorrow. I walked back in and looked around the house for anything I could use to seal the door. I found some hard plywood in the garage and Wallflower helped me move to plywood sheets we between placed them in front of the back door and hammered in nails to hold it up. With the broken door locked up, I reinforced the windows on the ground floor and jammed the garage shut so no one could force it up. When I had everything locked down the sun started to set as I walked back into the living room. I sat down in a chair near the center of the room and closed my eyes praying to god this place held overnight.

“Ash, can you come here?”

I opened my eyes and looked up at the steps. I got up then walked up the steps to see what she wanted. I looked around and saw a door open at the end of the hall. I walked down to the door then walked into the room then saw her looking out a window. I walked over and saw part of the town burning. I looked around and saw lights flashing my guess it was gunfire. Wallflower grabbed my hand as I watched the town. I pulled my hand free and wrapped an arm around her then pulled her close. She put a hand on the side of my chest and I saw her blush. I smiled then rubbed her shoulder then closed the window blinds. I sighed then walked over to the bed and in the room.

“Is the house locked down?”

I laid back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. “Ya, I made it so we’d know right away if they tried to get in.” She sat down beside me then laid down beside me. We laid there for what felt like hours and night had slowly moved in. Wallflower had fallen asleep beside me and but I couldn’t sleep. I could hear them outside and in the distance, I could hear gunfire. I sat up on the bed and looked back down at wallflower. Nodding I carefully picked her up and laid her back down right with her head on the pillow. I covered her up and grabbed the gun from off the nightstand. I pressed a lever down and the clip fell down I looked at it and counted fourteen rounds left in the clip. I put the clip back in then sat back down on the floor facing the door gun in hand. “I wonder how the others are doing?” I leaned back into a bedpost waiting.

Flash pov

He drove off from the school and raced down the road to Diamonds and Silvers houses. I looked around and saw the town had turned into a hell on earth. While we drove I saw people running and the dead chasing them and a few were after the buses but when something made a loud enough sound they ran after it. After half an hour and driving passed some many people we made it to the houses. There were already two men outside the gate killing the dead and Diamond and Silver yelled as we stopped.

“DADDY!”

I jumped off the bus bat in hand and smashed the head of one that was about to grab the shorted me. “Get the buses inside!”

“Mark open the gate!”

The man closest to the first gate quickly punched in a code and the gate slowly opened. I killed another three before the buses pulled in. Two more men ran out then started to shot the dead that goes in as the gate closed. When the last of them were dead the others got off the buses and ran over to their fathers. Everyone started to walk with the other to the house but I waited at the gate until the sun started to set and I went inside. I got some soup and waited at the door.

"So, who's in charge of this group of yours?"

I looked back at the two older men and spoke up. "Ash, he left with a girl earlier to check on her family and try to get more food before coming back."

"Will do you know how long till he gets back?"

I nodded back before he spoke up the two girls spoke up again. "Daddy he and this guy saved us. This guy got us out of the room and the other guy was killing the things while he got us out." They looked at me then and smiled at me.

"I thank you and when this other young man gets here please let us know. We need some good people to help us get Marks place next door. it was overrun when is staff tried to run away."

I nodded then finished my soup and we all piled into rooms to sleep. I, on the other hand, chose to stay up to take the first watch. I looked up and saw the normal lights of the town where gone. "You better come back, Ash."

Chapter 3

Wallflower and I left the house when the sun had come up. We had left my car behind taking the van so we could fit more food and whatever else we could find in the house and what I got out of the other homes around. I found a lot of medicine, food and found a portable generator with a full ten-gallon gas can. I put it all in the van, and we pulled out of the road. We stopped a few time to stop at stores and grabbed anything I think we may need. In the end, I had stuffed all the canned drinks and food we could get along with all over the over counter meds we found, and I found our second gun in a gas station. It was a revolver a 38 I think, but it was a smaller size.

“Ash, people are coming!”

I looked at her and saw a man walking this way with a woman with white and purple hair. They saw us, and the man quickly walked up to us. I drew the new gun, and he stopped as I pointed the gun at me. “Stop.” He did and put his hands up.

“Son, calm down and hear me out. I want to know if you know if anyone from crystal prep got out?”

I lower the gun a little and looked at them. “A few that were at our school. But, from what I was told most are dead now.”

“W-was a girl with purple hair with a pink highlight in the group?”

I thought back then nodded. “Ya, I saw a girl with hair like that. She was with a group that got out in time.” They smiled then one of the dead was walking behind her. “Behind you!” They turned, and I pulled out my knife and rushed the dead. I pushed the woman to the side and stabbed the dead in the head. I kicked the thing back and saw more coming. “In the van now!” They rushed to get in the van as I popped two more with the gun. I ran to the van and jumped as one started to gang in the passenger side window. I started to van a floored it get away. I hit two dead, and I turned hard and almost flipped us as we quickly moved. Then I saw my dad’s truck, and I saw two bodies in the front window. I blinked then nearly missed hitting a group of them before I saw the two biggest house outside of town. I slowed down when we got close and a male with Flash next him on the other side of the gate. I pulled up to the gate, and the man pointed a gun at us. I got out looking behind us to see if the dead were close. They were slowly coming this way, but there were a lot.

“ASH!”

I looked at Flash as the man lowered his gun then rushed over to a box in the brick wall. I drove us in once it opened and I jumped out as a large group started to walk close. I pulled out the Glock and started to shot them as the man did the same. We shot nearly fifteen before the gate closed. I sighed as I dropped to the ground the dead pilling on the sturdy steel gate.

“Ash!”

Wallflower jumped out of the van and Flash ran up to me a smile on his face.

“I’m glad to see you alive Ash.”

I nodded then looked back to Flash. “Glad to see that your safe man what about the others?” He held a hand out, and I grabbed then he helped pull me. When I was standing Wallflower wrapped her arms around my neck. I smiled as I hugged her and Flash laughed as I saw the other people get out of the van. The walked up to us as the rest of the group from the school walked out of the house. I saw most of the group from crystal prep had come out, and the girl walked out. She saw the man and woman then started to run.

“Mom, Dad!”

When they saw her and started to run at her.

“TWILIGHT!”

They hugged her as tightly as they could as if she would disappear if they let her go. I smiled then got up, and the older man grabbed my shoulder.

“We need to talk.”

I nodded, and Wallflower let me go before we walked off. They took me over to a large garage, and I saw a map.

“Flash told me us how you did one crazy thing, and I was going to see if I could get you to do something crazy.”

I looked down at the map and saw it was of the two properties. There was a large red x over a gate, and a ten small x’s near a house. The man pointed the large x and then started to talk.

“The gate is stuck open by a large truck delivering food to the inside. It crashed into it when the staff next door ran for it. From with I can tell about a dozen or so got in, but the truck is stopping any more from getting in. if we can make sure no more get in we can kill the ones inside and have much more land.”

I looked at the man as Flash, and a few more men walked up with guns, axes, and hammers. I looked at him then nodded my head as I looked at them. “No, way first we don’t know how many may have gotten in where they are or how are we going to move a truck which I may add we don’t know if we can.” They all looked at me then nodded once they understood what I said.

“Ok, then what about helping us set up large tents, so everyone has a place to sleep. We had to stuff everyone into rooms last night.”

“That’s fine what do we have to put up?”

“Six large Cabelas Outback Lodge tents. We used it use them two years ago when the whole family used on an extensive group camping trip.

I nodded, and we left to get then tents. The tents were large enough for two or three people, and all of them had wood burning stoves which would be nice since winter was close. After a few hours, we have the tents up, and the others were trying to see who was sleeping outside in a tent. I told them I would sleep in the tents than to my shock Wallflower chose to sleep with me in a tent. I got into one of the tents and Wallflower quickly walked in behind me. I had also given the food and the rest of the stuff to the people. They took it into the house and added it to a store they had.

“So, were our beds?”

I walked over to the chest for the tent and opened it to see an air bed. I pulled it out to see it was a king size with a battery pack to fill the bed for us. I set it up and started the fill with air as wallflower talked to me.

“Do you think we’ll be safe here?”

I looked at her then looked back to the air bed. “Not sure, but this is the best place for now."

"What about when it's not?"

I looked back at her and nodded my head as I looked at her. “I won’t let it happen not as long as I have breath.” She smiled as she looked at me and the zipper door opened up. I looked back and saw Flash with a few cans, bottles and some of the meds we found in a box.

“Rich told me to bring you something to eat and drink.”

I smiled and took the box then handed it to Wallflower. I grabbed Flash, he looked back at me and nodded my head to the map table where Rich with the man I helped and the guy from the school he nodded, and we walked out of the tent. I knocked on the table, and everyone looked at me.

"Yes?"

I grabbed the map of the town and a red marker next to it. I uncapped the marker then marked the had stations I took stuff from with an x. Then I circled the ones close by. "In the morning I'm going on a supply run. We're well stocked now, and I want to keep it that way." I put a finger down on a shopping center roughly a mile away. "Then I'm heading here; it's a gun shop my dad owns. I he was there when this broke out, and I know he's not there now."

"How do you know that?"

I looked down at the table they spoke. I saw his truck smashed into a tree with two bodies in it when Wildflower and I were coming this way."

"I-I'm sorry."

I nodded and sighed as I looked that the map. “I need two people to come with me if we can spare them.”

“I’ll go.”

“Me too.”

I looked up at Flash and the guy I helped. I smiled then stood back up then pulled the forty-five out then checked the clip. “I got thirteen round left plus the knife; what do you gut have?”

“I got the bat and a hatchet; Shining has a Glock with eight shots with a hammer.”

“Ok, while we’re out there is there anything else we need?” Shinning spoke up when I asked.

“Cadence needs vitamins for her pregnancy. He can find them at the hospital if you think we can get in and out safely.”

I nodded then we all went off to do whatever we were going to do before going to bed. I saw two men down by the gate with a fire beside the gate with an ax and shovel. I saw they had welded metal sheets to the fence just enough to make it safer but would still able to open the gate. I nodded to the guards. I walked back to mine and Wallflowers then when I got there I heard someone else inside.

“Wallflower come on you know you don’t have to stay out here. Sure Ash helped you but why are you adamant about staying with him?”

It was Rainbow Dash then I heard Wallflower, and she sounded mad.

“Why?! Because he pays attention to me! He knows I’m here and he talks to me, he makes me fill as if I matter! He was there for me when I found my mother with a hole in her head!”

“Ok, I get that but come on it’s close to winter you know it’s going to be in the forty's tonight. He can freeze, but you don’t have to besides there only one bed!”

“So?! I don’t mind, and last night he could have done something, but he didn’t so much as touch me! He sat in front of the bed watching the door waiting for something to happen!”

“Listen!”

“GET OUT!”

I quickly moved around as Dash stormed out huffing and I walked off to find some firewood to keep us warm tonight. When the sun set, I had a large pile of wood behind the tent. I grabbed some of the wood then walked inside where I found Wallflower in her bra and panties. He face went red, and I dropped the wood then ran out of the open flap. “S-sorry!”

“I-it’s fine!’”

I stood in front of the zip-up door until she tapped my shoulder. I turned my head and saw she had changed into some loss but warm looking night clothes. I smiled then go back into the tent then started to build a fire as the air got cold. Wallflower sat down on the air bed, and I grabbed a blanket then made a pallet near the heater.

“What are you doing?”

I looked back at her and rubbed the back of my head. “I’m sleeping over here.” She frowned then got up walked over to me then grabbed my arm then tried to pull me up.

“No, your sleeping in the bed with me.”

I looked at her a little blush on my face. “But, why?”

“Because I want you too!”

She pulled on my arm a few more time then I sighed and stood up much to her joy. I took out the Glock then put it down on a small table that came in the tent set. I sat on the air bed and Wallflower laid down on the other side of the bed. I laid down near the edge waiting again. Wallflower moved closer and grabbed the back of my shirt.

"Goodnight."

"Night."

She fell asleep quick enough me not too far behind her.

Next morning

Flash, Shining and I left in a pickup truck heading into town. I road in the back gun in hand waiting for anything to come out. Soon enough we pulled up to the gun shop. I jumped out and ran around back the guys close behind me. I grabbed a fake brick from the left side of the door then opened the door quickly punched in a security code is the alarm would go off. Once clear we started to grab everything we got our hands on. We got twenty shotguns, thirty hunting rifles, and long-range rifles, and six m16's than a ton of pistols and ever box of ammo we could find. Once we had everything loaded we started to drive off when a girl came screaming out of an anyway about fifty feet ahead of is. Her clothes were ripped in her arms and had blood coming from her nose. She had white hair with blue eyes. She was wearing a jacket over a shirt with a skirt and boots.

Two guys ran out after her one with a bat the other with a knife. The girl ran passed a car the was grabbed by one of the dead from under the car. Flash and I both jumped from the truck as the girl kicked her leg free before getting bit. The man with the bat killed the dead one but they stopped when they saw us. I pointed my new twelve gauges and Flash had one of the m16's.

"Come over here miss!"

I heard Shining yell from behind us as I saw my dead come from all the noise. Quick enough the girl ran over to us. She hid behind me as Flash and I held them at gunpoint. The men looked at each other then took off back down the street not liking their odds. We quickly ran but to the truck, the girl jumping into the cab while Flash and I jumped in the back shooting to the dead the got close.

"Get moving damn it!"

Shining hit the gas making us a shot out. Both of us nearly falling out but just hanging on. They started to run after us but we shot the ones who got to close. Soon enough we killed twenty or so of them as we fled. We got away and drove down the road to the hospital, and Shining opened the back window on the truck.

"You two ok?"

"Ya, Ash what about you?"

"All good here but let's find a place stash the truck and get what we need from the hospital."

"We can’t go there!"

I looked at the girl who looked scared for her life. "Why not?"

"The army took it over and was killing everyone inside who was bitten. Or anyone with an advanced medical condition."

I started to reload as Flash talked to her.

"Why are they doing that? What do they hope to do?"

She looked at me as Shining took the right to go back into town. "Shining what's up man?"

"If the hospital is a no go then the only other place is the pharmacy in downtown. Either way, we're not going back without the vitamins she has to have them."

He was crazy and I pointed the gun at him. "Turn around now! Going back into town with all the dead stuared up is idiotic!"

"Then shoot me because that the only way you're stopping me from getting them!"

I looked at Flash and he nodded his head to him as he had to come to a stop when we got to a blocked road. We jumped out the back and I opened the door then grabbed him. I pulled him out fighting but Flash slammed the butt of the rifle into his head and knocked him out. He fell to the ground a little blood coming from his mouth.

"He's not going to be happy when he wakes up."

I looked at the girl and nodded my head as I looked at her. "No, he's not going to be happy, but it's a death sentence if we go back onto town without a plan. Now, Flash help me get him into the back of the truck. We tied his hands together and drove back with the girl and guns.

“You know he’s going come after you right?”

I looked at the girl as I drove. “Ya, I know but he has to think of what would happen if he died and left his wife alone in this hell.” The girl didn’t say anything else but keep looking at me. “What?”

“Why did you all help me?”

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye then looked forward again. "We'll deal with him when we get back to our little safe zone." I drove to the house and as I drove the girl slowly moved closer to me.

"So, what's your name?"

I looked down at her for a second then looked back to the road as I started to drive up to the house. "Ash, you?"

She smiled then gave her name.

"Trixie nice to meet you, Ash."

I smiled as I road up to the gate. I saw they had set up some kind of overlook near the gate when they saw the truck they opened the gates. I drove in and everyone outside rushed up to us. I got out of the truck as Flash cut Shining free and we pulled him out of the back. His wife quickly came over and checked him over.

"What happened to him?"

Wallflower was running to me as I talked to her. "He was going to get us all killed and I understand you need your meds but him getting us killed won't get them." Wallflower grabbed onto my arm when I finished talking and Trixie grabbed my other arm when we heard metal banging on metal. I grabbed my shotgun then ran up the overlook and saw men from town. "What do you want?!"

"We want the guns we saw in the truck and any women, food you may have here. Give us those and we'll let you live."

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at him. "No, leave now or so help me I will kill you." He frowned and walked back into the forest. I lowered the gun as I saw him vanished. Flash ran up then looked over the forest.

"Where did he go?"

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the forest. "Load the guns and get ready." He nodded then we set up a guard schedule. Flash and I took first watch while Wallflower took Trixie to our tent to get her some new clothes.

"YOU TWO!"

I looked and saw Shining storming our way. I stood up holding my shotgun in one hand.

"What the hell were you thinking I need to get those vitamins!"

chapter 4

Two weeks had gone by now but, no attack had come yet. Power had gone out four days ago and I was named the leader of the scavenger team. Shining shut up when I brought him six bottles of vitamins for Cadence. Shining was made the leader of the defender's leader and Rich and mark are the leaders of maintaining peace when we were gone. Trixie two days in ur walls had decided to stay with Wallflower and me as winter set in. Wallflower wasn’t too happy about it but Trixie didn’t want to stay in the house. Flash and Twilight his now girlfriends lived in one of the tents outside. The other two tents were taken by Twilight’s and Shinings parents and Applejack and her sister.

“Hey, Ash do we have any of those soda’s left?”

I looked over at Trixie and Wallflower as they both looked at me. I pointed over to the chest I had in a corner. “There should be a few in the chest over there.” Trixie smiled then walked over and opened the chest and started to look around in it as Wallflower walked over to me.

“Rich asked me to let you know to get more gas when you go out today.”

“Ok, do either of you need anything while I’m out?” They looked at one another then nodded as they looked between each other.

“We need more bra’s and panties as well as lady products.”

I coughed into my hand and looked away from them. “Um, I’m not sure where to get those.” They both sighed then Trixie grabbed a piece of paper then wrote something down. Then before she handed it to me she pulled her hand back then wrote down something else at the bottom.

“Ok, please try and get everything on the list.”

I took the paper and slipped it into my pocket. I grabbed the shotgun then walked out and saw my team standing taking a list of what people need. Flash, Rainbow, Gilda another girl Rainbow found yesterday.

“Alright what do we have today?” They looked at me as Flash was getting the last of the list was made.

“Here you go, leader.”

“Thanks.”

I took the list then read the list. Most important Winter clothes for men, women, and kids. That seemed to be the most of it the sizes taking up most of the page. In the bottom was Rich’s handwriting asking me to get a few pregnancy tests if I can find them. I folded the list up then held it out to Flash. “Alright, we know the drill about this. We get in get out and if we get surrounded then we get behind a door and stay as quiet as we can. If we get split up we all meet back up at the meetup point in front of the forest before dark.”

“Right.”

“Got it, boss.”

I loaded up in the van and Gilda drove us out as the guys opened the gate. We fixed the gate to be swung open and doubled the armor on the gate to make sure no one was ramming through it or breaking it down. We drove off and I pulled out the girl’s list. It had their sizes and request if I can find it. I looked at the bottom of the list and did a double take when I saw the words. I rubbed my eyes as I looked at the list again.

“Something wrong boss?”

I sat the seat and my twelve gauge beside me as Gilda drove. I held the list out to Flash and he took it then started to read it then looked at me with a confused look.

“So you haven’t been doing anything with both those girls?”

I blushed as I looked away from him and looked at the metal we welded over the windows.

“You know, I have some if you want?’

“SHUT UP!”

Everyone laughed as I blushed and stayed silent.

“So, you're a virgin?”

“Shut up skittles!”

She laughed harder and I pulled my knife and they shut up quickly but still smiled. We drove then end of the tree line then stopped checking traps we set and found a few rabbits and a boar in a cage trap. I smiled at this because of our low meat count.

“What do we do with it kill it now or on the way back?”

I pointed my shotgun at its head. “We can’t risk it getting away while we're gone.” I shot the boar and the top of its skull was gone. I could see it’s brain as it dropped to the bottom of the cage. “You all keep watch I’ll cut its guts out real quick.” I opened the cage and took my knife and through the back of its neck and then through the front taking then head off and letting it bleed out real quick. I turned it over and spread its hind legs and saw it was a female Then started to cut it up the gut not cutting into the stomach line. I cut it up to the rib cage and started to cut back being careful not to cut the blader. I finished cutting around it and reached in cutting a little bit of the back lining and started to pull the gut sake up while cutting. I pulled the guts out and threw them a little behind me. I cut the rib cage opened and cut out the heart and lungs. Once everything was out Flashed help me with it. We tied it to the roof and drove into town to the mail where we could get the clothes. We pulled up to the front doors the doors wide open. I pulled out an air horn and the others nodded their heads. I tapped down the horn button and threw it as hard as I could. It shamed through a car window and dead rushed out of all their hiding places then we rushed into the mail. We rushed into the mail and I called out. “Lights on.” We turned on our lights my tapped to the side of my shotgun at the top. “Rainbow, Gilda women’s clothes me and Flash will get men then get back before .”We’ve got ten minutes then we have to go gave everything you can.”

“All right.”

We rushed over to our store grabbing all the bags they had in the store could get our hands. We filled then as fast as we could and I could hear the air running out. “Let’s go.” Flash grabbed his bags and I grabbed mine and we both had six each. We ran out then smashed and the wall and Rainbow and Gilda ran out as many bags as we had. We rushed out and loaded the van right as the air horn ran out. We were making noise and they looked over this way. The Rainbow tripped and Gilda grabbed her as the dead started to run at us. “Get in and go!”

I run into the mail shooting a few shells making the sound much louder and I could see them turning to run after me. The other loaded in the van but didn’t leave. I ran into a stairwell and kicked the door shut than started to run up the stairway. I saw an open door with light and stopped. I put my back to the wall and checked to see if any got in none seemed to then I turned to look at the light. I turned off the then pointed the barrel at the door ready to shoot if I had too. I pushed the door the rest of the way and saw the room was looked like people live here. I count twelve sleeping bag and two cots off to the corner. I looked around and found another way out then rushed down a second stairway. I quietly walked down the stairs and when I was at the bottom I pressed my back into the wall. I pushed the door open and looked out over the area. None of the dead were around but I wasn’t near where I was. The doors were gone and everything was dark. I turned on my light and started to rush down a hall. I stopped when I heard something fall and I killed the light. I saw another light coming and I heard a man yelling.

“FUCK! There so many!”

It was a man voice and I saw them run by me. I was about to move when I heard a lot of feet I stood still in my hiding spot. The dead ran past me chasing the other people. When I heard the last of them run by I turned on my light and checked around the corners. None of them where around then I took off running. I ran around a corner where I saw sunlight from the other side. I saw the door with the van still there Flash looking out the window. I ran for the door then jumped out and ran for the van.

“Get in man!”

Gilda opened the door for me and I jumped into the van. She closed it as Flashed jumped in and started up the van the raced off. Gilda and Rainbow patted my shoulders as we drove to the next stop.

“Your one lucky bastard you know that?”

I nodded and Gilda laughed as she slapped my chest a few times. I sat up in my chair and looked back at all the stuff. “So how much did we get?” Gilda spoke up but t wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

“Not enough, we still need a lot more than we have.”

I sighed then grabbed my bag as Flash pulled over to make it look like the van was abandoned. Ok, the only other place we can go to is the supermarket. The clothes are in the middle of the store but, there a problem.”

“Ya last time we went that far into town we almost got trapped. But, now we have a gang running around and getting ready to attack a day now. If we go down there we’ll be sitting ducks if they attack.”

“We don’t have much choice head that way.”

“Alright.”

We drove down the road until we heard gunfire. Flash stopped the van and we stopped dead as the gunfire got closer. Soon enough the gunfire was right next to the van.

“Did we get them all?”

We all pointed our guns at all windows waiting for something to happen.

“Is that a pig?”

When I saw the ropes moving I opened the door and saw the guy who was at the gate. I smiled as he looked at his fear and shock on his face.

“FUCK!”

I pulled the trigger and sent a full buck stood into his chest blowing a hole in his chest. I jumped out as I pulled my pistol and fired a few rounds at a group of them. They mostly had bats and pipes but a few had guns and bows. I slammed the door shut then hit it a few times after shooting another two of them.

“ASH!”

“Get out of here! There’s too many and we can’t risk everything. I’ll find a way back so don’t worry!” The van started up and they rushed off and I took off into the city heading for my dad’s shop. I could hear them close behind me and I turn back and emptied my clip then took a shot at them with the shotgun. I hit on of them in the leg but as I turned a corner an arrow hit my hip and went through the top poking out of the front. I fell to the ground and turned on the ground loading another clip as fast as I could I shot two more as they ran around the corner. I got to my feet then tried to run to the shop. I saw the gun shop and saw the door was still closed. I didn’t hear any more of them coming and I walked over the back door then pulled out the fake brick. I got the key and got into the side before slamming the door shut. I put my back on the door and slid down the door until I was sitting on the ground. I looked down at the wound and saw the arrow in my leg. I sighed then looked at the tip of the arrow and it was a long arrowhead with no jagged ends or anything like this.

“Who are you!?”

I looked up and saw two women and two babies in the arms of one of them. One a little overweight but her clothes would suggest she was heavier at one time. He had a very light red hair with rose red eyes. The woman beside her was dressed as a nurse with blue eyes and had greyish pink hair and she had a 44 pointed at me.

“Are you with the raider?”

“I’m just trying to get home to my girls and if you're talking about the people I was shooting at then now.”

She lowered the gun and looked at the arrow in my leg. She put the gun in a holster on her side then walked over to me then spoke.

“You try anything I’ll put a bullet in your forehead.”

I laughed then took my bag off then handed it to her then my guns. She took all them and I threw my knife at the feet of the other woman.

“Good boy, now let’s see if we can get that arrow out.”

Wallflower pov

I walked through yard carrying wood with Trixie close behind her arms full of wood as well. I looked over to my right and saw Twilight watching the kids running around playing. I smiled as I watched the kids running around.

"So, think he'll get any?"

I looked back at Trixie a small on my face.

"I'm sure we will besides with both of us pressing our bodies into every night he has to be pent up by now." Trixie laughed a little as we walked up to the tent. We stacked the wood on two pieces of large wood to keep it off the ground. When we finished Sunset walked up crosses crossed glare full on me.

"Why didn't Ash get my new boots as I asked for?"

I sighed as I looked at her a deep frown on my face as I looked at her. “I’ll be sure to tell him to find you.” She smiled then walked off and as she did the lookout call out that they were back.” Trixie and I looked at one another and rushed up to the gate with Twilight close behind. They opened the gate and we saw a huge pig on the roof of the van. I smiled as they pulled up and opened the door and Flash got out of the back Rainbow and Gilda getting out behind him. I felt my heart drop as I slowly walked up to the but Flash threw his bat against the wall and Gilda wouldn’t look at us but Rainbow spoke up.

“Ash isn’t with us.”

We walked up to him and Rainbow rubbed her arms as Flash kicked the van.

“Is he….?”

She nodded and sighed.

“Those guys that came a while back, we ran into them and Ash took off to distract them. We had them outgunned but there so many. Ash told us to get out of there and I just floored it and left him there.”

Before I knew what happened Trixie punched her in the face and was on top of her.

“How could you! If it were one of you he’d never left!”

Gilda and pulled her off Rainbow and I held her as she desperately tried to get free to beat her some more, but she broke down crying.

“Flash what are you say!?”

We looked over and saw Flash getting two m16’s and a metal bat then loaded them into the van. Twilight had her arms wrapped around her trying to stop him as he tried to get back in the van.

“Please stop it’s almost night you can’t go back out!”

She pulled his arm as hard as she could and Shining ran over then grabbed him by his jacket then threw him from the van. Flash got up and looked at him.

“I can’t leave him out there! He wouldn’t leave me or any of us out there at night!”

Flash tried to push past him but Shining slugged him and he fell back out cold. Twilight screamed and got on her knees beside him checking him over. I was on the verge of breaking down fearing the worst nut Trixies sobbing keep me in one piece for the moment. As Flash started to come back around then once up Shining said something that hit home with me.

“Think about who you're talking about Flash. Ash has more balls than most men I knew before this shit hit. If any of us can make it out of something like this it’s him. Watch I’ll bet on my life he’ll be at that gate tomorrow come hell or high water.” I looked at him not sure if I felt the but hopped with all my heart he was right. Soon enough we all when to our rooms or tents for the night. Trixie had gotten one of his shirts then slowly fell to sleep. I laid down beside her and hugged her in her sleep hoping this helped her sleep easier.

chapter 5 mature warning

Ash three hours ago

Night came, and I laid back against a wall looking at the leg Red heart had fixed up to the best she could with what we had. An hour before dark, two men came back. Dr. Horse and Mr. Cake were their names, and me being myself told them there was food in my bag if they were hungry. They grabbed the bag then took out a few cans of beans and peaches. They thanked me for the food since they hadn't found any food in the last few days. Dr. Horse checked my leg and told me I was lucky, and if it had hit a little higher, I'd have bled out by now.

"So where are you and your friends hold up?"

I looked at Red Heart as she helps to open a can of peaches. I move to set up, and Dr. Horse helped me move. "We made a safe zone just outside of town, I'm in charge of scavenging things, and that's why I was out here. My team and me we're looking for clothes for the winter. But, right now, I want to get back Wallflower and Trixie have to be freaking out right now." She smiled as the can opened and handed it to the woman holding the babies.

"Is one of them, your girlfriend?"

"I not sure how to answer that miss. I mean both of them are sweet and all, but, I mean I haven't called either my girlfriend." The two women laughed as they looked at me. "I'm going to try and get some sleep if you need anything wake me up." I closed my eyes and slowly passed out after a few minutes. Soon I was woken up by someone pulling on my hair. I opened my eyes and saw everyone no one around except for the little boy tugging on my hair. I smiled as I looked at him then moved around a little and picked him up. He laughed as he looked at me when I heard someone walking around. I held him tie as I reached anything to use as a weapon. I looked up and saw the woman who was holding his earlier. I relaxed as I looked at her, but she looked so frustrated. "Everything ok miss?" She walked into the office I was in and shut the door behind her.

"No, my stupid husband fell asleep, leaving me horny."

I blushed after hearing that, and she seemed to realize what she said. I looked the other way as she stood there looking at me. The small boy laughed as he patted my chest as he looked up at me. I smiled as I rubbed the little guys head as the woman started to walk over to me.

"Can I have my son?"

I smiled as I handed his to her, and she opened the door then walked out. I laid my back onto the wall then a few minutes later she walked back in then locked the door behind her. I looked at her for a second; then she turned around. She had her shirt open, and I saw she had a large pair of breast under the shirt.

"I know this may be crossing a line but can you help me with something?~"

I blushed as I looked at her hands raised. "Now, miss, you're married, and this isn't right."

"Well, my so-called husband hasn't touched me in two years, and I need this. Besides, I may be a little on the older side, but my skills are time tested."

I laughed a little as I started to move back. "Now, Miss Cake, I have a say, and I don't want to do anything." She just smiled and walked up to me then got on her knees then grabbed my face then pulled my face into her breast. I blushed as I took a breath and caught a whiff of some perfume.

"Come on, sweet; I know how you teens think. You can touch all you like anywhere you want."

I blushed as I looked up at her from her breast. I slowly moved a hand slowly to her ass but stopped. She grabbed my hand then placed it on her ass as she held me in her breast with her other hand.

"Come on, and I know you'll like what I can do.~"

I was slowly losing the will to tell her, no, but she moved before I could think. She let my head go then pulled her bra off, showing me her bare breast. I took in a deep breath as I looked at them as they hung right in front of my face. 'Fuck it! tonight may be my last, so why the hell not!' I grabbed her face and locked lips with her as I forced my tongue into her mouth. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I moved my right hand up her breast and cupped it. I pressed my fingertip into the middle of the nipple. Making her scream into the kiss. 'Sensitive breast?' I squeezed hard, and she screamed again. 'Yep.' I groped her and moved my other hand to her pants then slid it under her underwear. I found a large wet spot under them.

"Don't tease.~"

I smiled then pulled her down and hissed as he somewhat fat ass landed on my hurt leg. I started to kiss her neck as she started to get my pants undone. I started to suck on the lower part of her neck where the shirt would hide it. She had my pants open, and I pulled her pants down slightly when she had my cock out of my pants. She started to stroke my cock beginning to make me hard. When I was hard, she smiled as she looked down at my erection.

"My your a big boy aren't you?~"

I blushed as I looked at her. I wasn't huge at only seven inches, but she sure seemed to think so. She stood up then quickly got her pants off with a part of red panties quickly falling them. Her outer lips were soaked, and a small line of fluids traveling down her thighs. She kicked then clothes away and got on her knees above my erection.

"Is this your first-time sweetie?"

I grabbed her hips then forced her further down until my tip was pocking at her entrance. "Ya, but I have to saw for an older woman you have a nice body." I made a point to squeeze her ass hard, drawing a moan out of her. She slowly moved her body down my erection, slowly pushing deep into her walls. Her insides were so warm and wet. Her walls clamped around me as she slid down and sat down on my lap. I felt her wall massaging around my erection a small moan coming from me as she started at pull herself back up.

"I've missed this feeling.~"

She started to bounce on my lap, let out little moans as she bounced on my laps. I pulled her bra off then pulled her right breast out then started to play with her nipple. She bit her hand as she let out a screamed into her hand. Then I leaned in close then started to suck on her nipple. I watched as she bit down hard drawing blood as she screamed as she started to bounce faster. I felt her lips practically gushing then slammed down on me as she cam. I forced her down as hard as I could then came inside her. When we finished she fell into my chest my dick still buried deep in her pussy.

"Sweet mother of god I need that so badly."

I smiled as I ran a hand down her back. "Ya me too." She smiled as she hugged me and started to kiss me as I moved my hands back to her ass. She broke the kiss then looked at me an evil smile on her face.

"We've got all night so don't be so hasty."

She pulled herself off me then got low and started to suck on my somewhat softening cock making me hard again. I grabbed the back of her head then forced the tip of my dick into her throat. 'Man, this is going to bring a lot of trouble when we get to the zone tomorrow.' We spent most of the night fucking but fell asleep a few hours before dawn. We woke up we found everyone else still asleep the nurse asleep next to the babies with her gun in hand. I smiled as I looked at her after a few minutes we woke them up. Everyone got ready as the sun started to come up we left in an old Toyota and I got my shotgun back. I gave directions as we drove through the town. I had them stop near the mall and got out telling them the rest of the way to go. I had to get the rest of the clothes we need even found a little food.

"You sure about this your leg is still messed up pretty bad."

I smiled as I looked at Red heart. "Tell Wallflower and Trixie I'll be back soon with the stuff me need." They nodded then drove off, and I slowly walked back into the mall. I kept quiet and moved slowly getting everything we missed, all in all, I had enough for the meantime plus the stuff the girls wanted with a few boxes of condoms. I walked back into the parking lot behind the mall. I found a lot of locked cars but I got lucky when I found an old jeep unlocked with keys in the sun visor. "Thank god, Now to head home."

Wallflower pov

I sat in front of the small stove the bed was too cold without Ash in the bed with us. Trixie was sitting over to the side on the corner of our bed eating some chocolate Ash had found two days ago.

"Can I come in?"

I looked over at the zipped door when I heard Flash's voice.

"Sure, Flash, come in." Flash opened the zipper door and walked in with a large bag with a box in hand.

"When that idiot gets back here, buck his damn brain out. God knows he'll need it after this."

He threw a box of condoms on the bed, and I blushed as I looked at it. Trixie coughed out a piece of chocolate she was eating. We looked at him for a second then he walked out a smile on his face. We looked at one another and smiled formed on our faces.

"I get first to go first!"

I grabbed her jacket then pulled her in my face.

"I was saved by him first so back off!"

"Well, my body is better!"

'My breast are bigger!" We kept yelling but soon we went to bed. As far away from each other as we could. The morning came and all of us from the school waited on the watch out to see Ash come home. "Where is he?"

I looked down to the ground to see most of the people waiting.

"Something's coming."

Flash yelled as I heard the sound of an engine. An old Toyota came down the road then stopped in front of the gate. A man stepped out of the car his hands up high.

"Who are you!?"

Flash yelled as he held up a hunting rifle as the man spoke.

"My name is Dr. Horse, Ash told us to came this way please we have two young babies."

Flash pulled the hammer back readying a bullet as he looked down at him.

"Let me see them and everyone else in the car!"

We watched as another man and two women got out one with two babies in her arms. Flash lowered his gun then slapped his hand on the gate. The gate opened up for them and they drove in. For the next hour, the doctor and Nurse started to look over anyone who wanted to be checked. Trixie and I waited on the lookout then we heard another engine. the guard raised their guns as an old jeep came speeding up. It stopped in front of the gate the driver door opened. Ash got out then we both banged on the wall trying to get them to open the gate. They opened the gate then Ash got back into the jeep then drove into the safe zone. Once he was inside we ran down then opened the door then pulled him out of the jeep and hugged him for dear life.

Ash pov

I laughed as I hugged my girls but one of them kicked my hurt leg. "Fuck!" They let me go then I grabbed my leg. I looked down at my leg and I saw blood soaking into my jeans. The girls saw it as Dr. Horse ran over. He looked down at me then waved for two men to come over. Flash and Shining came over to see what was going on. Dr. horse looked down at my legs and saw the blood spot growing. He pressed a rag in his hands to my leg.

"He opened his wound back up. Or these girls opened it back up when they pulled him to the ground not sure which but we need to stop his bleeding."

The nodded then helped me up then took me into the house. They set me down in the living room and I saw a lot of the kids running out of the room. I saw the girl with who had a wound in on her arm. She stayed longer than the others looking at me then was pushed out by Wallflower. I took my jeans off and I saw blood seeping through the bandage around my leg.

"Ok, let's see what's going on here."

The nurse started to take off the bandages off as Dr. Horse taking clearing off what was left of the medical tools he had left. I looked down at my legs and saw it was bright red with a purple and the whole thing was swollen. "Fuck that doesn't look good." The nurse nodded as she looked at my leg.

"Ya, but it's infected and badly too."

I laid back down as they touched my leg then I felt a blade on my skin.

"This is going to hurt but I have to drain the infection."

He stabbed the blade in head of the blade into the top of the swelling. Then pulled out the blade then pressed the sides of the swollen lump. Pain shot up my leg as he pressed on it harder than I thought he would. I felt a pop then green puss came out of my leg.

"There we go."

The puss kept coming out for a few seconds then blood started to come off the wound. They cleaned the wound then cleaned the inside of the wound. Once it was clean The nurse wrapped the wound again then Wallflower helped me get my jeans back on. Then she and Trixie helped me get back out the tent. A lot of the people asked if I was ok or they thanked me for the clothes they found in the jeep. Twilight with a blush on her face walked over with the fancy bag I got the stuff for Wallflower and Trixie. I laughed as I took the bag from her hands.

"What's in there Ash?"

I laughed more then nodded for the tent. They helped me in then I laid down on the bed as they looked in the bag. Two happy girls screamed before I heard the bag get ripped open the bag.

"Is this silk!?"

"THEY ARE!"

I laughed then turned over and looked at them. They were holding up two pairs of black and red silk lingerie. I also saw the boxes of condoms pushed under the side of a little desk I brought to the tent after the first week. I smiled then closed my eyes and laid my head down on my arm. As I laid there I felt the two of them load down on both sides on me then wrapped their arms around me.

"Glad your back."

"Me too."

I smiled then wrapped my arms around their shoulders and pulled them into my sides. "Love you'll, night girls." I heard too little epps then they hugged me tighter.

Chapter 6

Ash pov

I walked around in the snow looking over the sidewall looking at the second house. We had about seventy people, and we need the room now. I stomped my leg a few times the pain gone for the most part now that a few days had passed. I nodded then walked down the steps and saw the kids playing in the snow. I saw the security crew and my scavenger crew all over that the command post we'd built. I walked over to them and noticed Cake and Carrot arguing by the house. I ignored them once Carrot his arms up then walked off. I walked up to everyone then slammed my hand down on the map on the table.

"Ash?"

I looked at Flash then tapped the truck on the map right in front of the house. "I think it's time we get that truck moved to block the gate then I'll take a volunteer force in to kill off the dead inside."

"How many do you think you'll need?"

I looked at Filthy then thought about it. "I've looked at the maps you and your friend gave me of this place so maybe ten or eleven. The best place to do this is near the staff houses out back." They nodded as I looked at the rifles we had set up over in the corner. "Then the best shooter we have to use the long-range rifles to take out the stragglers, and we'll kill all of them close-combat style. So, any of you coming with me?"

"We're in Ash."

My crew smiled as they grabbed bats and a few knives with homemade shields. We started to make a plan to move the truck to block the gate as the other when off to find me seven more people to help us out.

"With the truck, jeep, and van, we may be able to pull it right up to the gate. Then we could wield the truck to the metal gate frames."

I looked at Gilda a smile on my face as I looked at her. "I could kiss you right now." She laughed a little then leaned closer.

"I wouldn't stop you, but Rainbow may punch you out."

We all laughed between each other then we calmed down. Everyone left afterward to get the cars as I loaded the rifles.

"I got the group."

I looked over to Filthy and saw a group of nine men. Carrot was in the group, and he was going me a nasty look. I nodded then walked in front of them. "Alright, Were going next door to seal the gate then were going to kill off all the dead inside. Once that's done we start to make a second settlement over there." They nodded then I started to hand out weapons with sidearms loaded with hollow-point rounds. "Alright everyone armed?"

"YA!”

I smiled then heard the engines start up and I smiled. "Aright I need two of you to come with me!" Carrot and Filthy ran to the gate with me then we headed for the gate as the cars come out. We opened the gate quickly then grabbed I had them stand guard as I ran out. I grabbed the chains and ropes from the truck then started to connect them to the front frame and rear bumper. The guys watched for the dead as I did this then one set I ran out of the was as two dead started to come from the inside. “GUN IT!” The engines roared as they pulled the truck back slowly then I crack the head of the dead as they walked out of the large gap as they pulled it shut. A good ten came out, and they quickly started to overwhelm me.

“MOVE!”

Filthy started to shot the dead as I cracked another head, but Carrot didn’t do anything, and I knew Filthy saw it too. When I killed the last one as the truck was pulled into place and we all rushed back into the walls as dead started to run down the road from the gunfire. When the gate closed, I walked over to Carrot, and as he turned, I decked him hard. I fell out cold with some blood coming from his mouth. Everyone watching gasped, and I grabbed his collar then dragged him through the snow then laid him next to the large fire we had burning to cook the large deer my crew got the other day.

“Ash, you ok?”

I looked back at Gilda, who looked at the man laying on the ground just close enough to the fire to keep him warm. “Son of a bitch didn’t do anything as the dead started to overwhelm me.” I walked back over the wall where everyone else. “We’ll wait for the death to go back to their hiding places then we’ll head in before it’s dark.” I turned, then stopped. “Oh, and when Carrot wakes up, tell him to leave me alone, or he’ll die!” I grabbed my bat off the ground then walked over the planning station. I put ten small x at the bottom of the map then looked up, saw Mark, Filthy and Shinning.

“We need to talk.”

I sat the bat on the table then crossed my arms as I looked at them. “Ya?”

“We need to talk about what just happened.”

I took my gluck out then checked the ammo. “Go ahead then.”

“I think we need to have Carrot put on lockdown or kick him out. He just stood there when we were out there. We can’t have a liability like that out there.”

We all nodded then Filthy when out to the yard and called for a meeting of the group. Everyone gathered around the fire, and I tied his hands behind his back. We waited for him to wake up then once awake we explained what was happening.

“Why am I being kicked out for not fighting for all of you!”

I crossed my arms as Shining explained that since he left me for dead, he was a liability in a firefight or the dead. Carrot shot back an edge in his tone.

"So what!? This is a new world, and it's every man for himself!"

I snapped back at him. "You have a wife and two small children! What about their safety and security. I don't know what you are thinking, but I'm sure isn't in their best interest to leave!"

"Shut up! We were doing just fine before you showed up! Now, Cupcake won't look at me or let me near my kids!"

I grabbed him and pulled him up to eye level. "You call starting to starve fine?!" Shining broke my grip on his collar then pushed me back. I clenched my fist, but Shining nodded his head. I huffed for a few minutes then spit on the ground at Carrots feet, "I vote for kicking him out, is there a second?"

"Same here. I have a wife and daughter to protect.”

“Me too.”

Filthy and Mark voted and we looked at Shining who sighed then looked down at him. Carrot looked at him, anger in his soul as he looked at us.

“Sorry man, but I have a pregnant wife.”

“FUCK ALL YOU!”

He screamed as two men dragged him over to the house they tied him to the iron bars in the steps as I walked over to the station. I grabbed a backpack then walked into the house. II loaded up food, water and a few clips of ammo along with a think blanket tied to the bottom of the backpack. I walked back out to the yard and found Everyone around the gate. I threw the bag down beside Carrot, and I ran up to the gate.

“Ash up here!”

I rushed up the steps to the overlook and saw an army hum-v. Two army soldier looked up at us.

“For the last time who’s in charge here!?”

The one on the right yelled, and I drew my forty-five as I looked at her. “Why are you here?” They looked at me and noticed the gun as they both put fingers on triggers.

“Were looking for a man with a scar over his right eyes. We have to look through your group for him. Now, we can force our way in or you can do the smart thing and let us in to look around.”

I huffed then napped my fingers. Twelve men popped up on the other stands pointing rifled and shotguns at them. “Now listen, if I had to guess your the army guys hold up in the hospital, but I’d say there's maybe twenty or thirty of you guessing. But I can tell you where you may find your man. There a raider group in the town I killed a few two days ago. But, we have kids here, and we will keep the high ground and kill you if you attack but the second you start shooting will draw the dead in the forest around here will come running. So please take your chances.”

“Son you know that…”

“You heard him shove off!”

Flash yelled as he looked down at them then they turned then got back into the hum-v. We sighed then Shining called out for the defenders to take up defensive stations. I had my teen get in hiding places if shifts with the group I had for the clearing. I walked back to Carrot then I grabbed the bag then dragged him to the gate Flash and Shining grabbed his arms and threw him out of the gate. I threw the bag out as the door was shut behind him. We walked away, and I went to find Cake. I walked back into the house then I heard babies crying. I rushed down the hall then found her in the room with the babies in her hands. She had a smile on her face as she was feeding them. She turned when I took a step back.

“Oh, hello, Ash, you can come in.”

I walked into the room and shut the seat down beside her when she nodded her head to the empty seat.

“Can you feed Pound for me pumpkin gets fisty?”

I took the small boy then took the extra bottle from her side. I started to feed him, and he began to calm down as he drank the milk. While we feed them, Wallflower and Trixie found us in one of the back rooms. They sat down with us, and I held out Pound to Wallflower. She held him close to her chest, and Trixie watched as she fed him. I stood up and told them that I was going to get ready for the night. I walked out of the room, but Trixie ran out behind me. She grabbed my arm then hugged it to her chest. I smiled, and the two of us walked back into the yard. I walked around, checking counts for our food and weapon conditions. Halfway through Trixie pulled me over to the side of the house without windows.

“Ash, I have a question?”

I looked down at her a raised eyebrow as I looked down at her. “What?” She looked up at me then she looked away.

“D-do think you could use a set of hands in your scavenging team?”

I felt my heart stop as I looked at her then I grabbed her shoulders. She jumped as I looked her in the eyes. “No, that is the most dangerous thing we do. We have to deal with the dead and the living. Dead chasing you is one thing, but bullets and arrows flying at you is something you don’t forget. I can’t bear the idea of something happening to one of my team, but if one of you went out there and something happened, I couldn’t live with myself.” Trixie smiled as she looked at me, then hugged me. I hugged her back and ran a hand down her back.

“Come on, let’s go back to the tent.”

She lead me back to our tent a few guys who noticed whistled with how quickly she was pulling me. We walked in and found Wallflower starting a fire in the tent stove. Trixie got annoyed when she saw her, but I pulled her into the tent, but someone grabbed my shoulder. I turned back and as face to face with Gilda.

“Sorry, but we need to talk now!”

She gripped my shoulder the pulled me away from Trixie and dragged me to the wall overlooking the other mansion. Some of the guys made as many loud sounds as they could then made me climb a overlook they were making so they could shot over the wall. I looked over the was and froze there was at least forty dead in the inner wall that I could see. I saw more walking around. “Fuck that’s a lot.”

“Ya, we need to thin the herd if we want to take the house.”

I nodded then I had an idea. “Do we still have those longbows and all the longbow arrows?” Gilda smiled then yelled for them to get the bow and all the arrows we had. They threw up two bows up to me and Gilda. Then threw up over a hundred arrows up to us.

I strapped both slings of arrows to my side then knotted an arrow. “Go for the close ones Gilda. I have a few years of bowhunting, so I’ll take the father targets.”

“Right boss.”

I aimed at a dead a little farther off as Gilda shot pne through the skull and the arrow went through the skull then went all the way. I shot my arrow and struck the dead through the face. I smiled as I looked at Gilda.

“Lucky shot.”

I laughed then kept going as the sun slowly started to set. Gilda had managed to kill twelve of then, but I took twenty making her mad as she lost are little game. I took my bow and arrows in hand back to the tent. When I walked in, I stopped and saw both of them in the lingerie I had got them. “Girls.” I blushed then looked away from them, but Wallflower got out of bed throwing my bow to the side then took my arrow

“Ash, we don’t want to share the first so not tonight.”

She pulled me to the bed, and when I was on the bed, they snuggled into my sides, pressing their bodies into me. I blushed as they hugged me, and I knew I wasn’t going to sleep tonight.

Carrot pov

I ran down the alley as the sun started to set a large group of the dead chasing me. I rounded a corner and felt my heart drop as I looked at the brick wall in front of me. I quickly pulled they gun I had then started to fire as they started to come around the corner. But, after the fourth shoot, the gun jammed and my heart stopped. They jumped onto me, and I felt teeth sink into my flesh as I screamed until I felt my throat get ripped out.

Ash pov next morning

I stood at the truck the group behind me armored with blunt weapons and sidearms. “Alright, Gilda, Flash and me will be the first over The rest of you come over once we sound the horn.” Everyone nodded, and we climbed over the truck then looked around. I had my bat at the ready as a small group of dead start to run at us. “Not let then stack up!” We ran at them and started to smash their heads. After a few minutes, we cleared the seven of them out, and I nodded to Flash. He pulled out then horn the let out two loud hacks. The rest of the group came over, and she started to clear the estate. We clear the dead moving around in the front yard then moved into the house. All the house was clear, and we moved into the side yards and the backyard. We killed another ten as we went then we came up to the houses outback. We broke up into groups of three then entered the houses. Gilda walked with me up, and Flash looked around the first leave checking for any good food after we cleared it. We cheeked everyone room and sighed as we relaxed then we heard gunfire. All of us rushed out of the house and found a man who wasn’t part of the group in an army combat uniform. He had two rounds in his chest, and I looked over at the group. Two of them looked alright up I didn’t see the girl that was with them.

“Where’s the girl?”

“She’s goo, just shocked!”

I nodded then pulled out a firework rocket. We set it up then fired it, giving the clear signal. As we started to work out who would get what house and would split between the house and maybe still using the tent.

“ARK!”

We blinked then turned back as the man started to move around. I grabbed my bat as the thing got its feet. “FUCK!” It rushed us, and it grabbed Gilda, and she grabbed the helmet, stopping him from biting her. The gloves he wore helped him keep the grip then I dropped my bat then pulled out my knife and stabbed him through the underside of the jaw. He let her go then I dropped him all of us looked at him shocked.

“Fucking hell.”

I looked at Gilda as she held her arm. She took her jacket off and checked her arm. It was okay, and she looked up a look of relief on her face.

“It’s all good, not bites or scratches.”

I nodded then we started to pile the bodies as some of the teams talked over the walls. Once everything was done, we burned the bodies. I sat down on the steps of the house as everyone was getting ready for the first night in the new homes. I had a bottle of wine in hand I found in one of the houses outback.

“Can I get a swig of that?”

I looked up at Gilda, and she sat down beside me. I smiled then held the bottle out to her, and she took the bottle. She opened the bottle and took a long drink from the bottle. She sat down beside me s The others started to moved over the truck. as everyone who we asked for came over. Gilda leaned into me a little and took another swig of the wine.

“Say, Ash, can I ask you for a fever?”

I looked down at her as Wallflower, Trixie and Rainbow walked up to us.

“Ya?”

Gilda leaned into my side as the girls walked up.

“You think you could get me pregnant?”

I pit out the wine in my mouth and Rainbow grabbed Gilda by the collar and Wallflower pulled me away from Gilda and Trixie shoved her away as Rainbow pulled her.

“HE OURS!”

I laughed a little not sure how to go about this. 'of fuck.'

Chapter 7 mature warning

Dead winter night

I walked around the forest looking for any big game. As I walked around I heard a branch snap behind me. I put then pointed my shotgun at Gildas as she walked up behind me. She had a few rabbits over her shoulder. I sighed as I looked at her then lowered the gun. “I was going to shot you, Gilda.” She nodded her head as she looked at me then pulled the rabbits off her shoulder. There was five on her shoulder two ok sized but two small ones.

“Everything is in hiding and it’s the middle of the day. Not to mention the dead are moving slow but they’re scaring off most of everything.”

I nodded then looked around then started to walk again and spoke softly. “Have you seen Flash and Rainbow?”

“No, we got split up when a group came upon us. They took off in the way of the safezone.”

I nodded as I walked then we hear branches snapped and I tackled Gilda into a large hole under a tree then we covered ourselves in snow as quick as we could. A large group of dead started to walk near us. We were just out of sight of them and being buried up to our necks in snow keep us hidden from the sight of the dead but I could still see them.

“Ash…”

Gilda very quietly started to talk to me. “Wait till they’ve gone.” She nodded then once I couldn’t hear them anymore we crawled out of the hole under the tree. We were shaking from the freezing cold and I grabbed her hand then started to run the other way. I knew there was an old cabin a little farther off but it was in good shape. After half an hour we got to the cabin then I forced the door open. Gilda ran in then I shut the door and looked for something to jam the door shut with. I saw an old chair on its side and waved for Gilda to grab it. She did and I forced it under the doorknob. With that, down I pulled out my hatch and when to work on cutting up the wooden sleeves and table to make dire wood. Gilda for her part found some paper as well as a box of matches. We crumpled up some of the paper and I split so of the wood to make help make a fire Gilda opened the box and we saw only two matches. We looked at one another then nodded out heads. She took one of the two we had as I crumpled even more paper then placed them and the small wood I cut in the fireplace. When everything was ready she stuck the on the side and fire can to the match. She slowly bent down with hands shaking from the cold and held the flame to the paper. It slowly started to burn as she threw the rest of the match in the middle. Slowly the flame grew and I slowly feed it the small pieces of kindling. Soon we had a small fire going as I added slight bigger piece. After a good ten minutes we had a full fire going. It warmed our cold bodies as we sat close to the fire.

“You know, I never understood the whole by the fire thing until now.”

I laughed then wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Gilda snuggled into my side as the fire started to flicker.

“Guess were staying here tonight?”

I looked down at her then looked at the somewhat boarded up windows. The sun was starting to set and sighed as I grabbed my shotgun then made sure it was loaded.I handed the shotgun to her then picked my hatch up again. “I’ll go make sure were alone so wait here and keep the fire burning.”

“Right.”

I spent a good twenty minutes going around the house and didn’t find any signs of people or dead in the cabin. I walked back down to the living room and froze. Gilda was in was ina set of white bra and panites with her clothes hanging in front of the fireplace. She saw me looking at her and she smiled as she played with her bra straps.

“So… about that baby.~”

I quickly turned and marched back up stairs.

“Be a man and get back here!”

She half yelled and I heard knocking at one of the windows. I ran back down the hatch in hand ready and Gilda had shotgun at the ready as a dead was chewing on the wood. After a minute it stopped then moved on to find something else to chew on. I sighed then looked at Gilda and she looked away from me. I walked over to her then grabbed the shotgun out f her hands. She looked at me fear in her eyes as I sat back down in front of the fire. Then I got back up and walked up the stairs but she reached out to grab me but stopped when I looked at her. “Sit down and I’ll be right back.” She nodded and I gave the shotgun back to her. I ran up the stairs and grabbed a large but slightly thin cover then ran back down the steps. I walked up behind Gilda then wrapped the blankets around her as I sat down. She smiled as she rubbed her head on my shoulder.

“Ash, why do you not like me?”

I looked down at her as she looked at the fire. I sighed as I put the guns and hatch to the side then threw a few more pieces of wood to the fire to keep it going. “I do like you Gilda but I have Wallflower and Trixie.” She looked up at me then tackled me back onto the ground and sat on my lap.

“Well, why not make it three girls? Your a strong man I’m sure you can handle all of us.~”

She grabbed my shoulders and leaned down to my face. I flipped us and pinned her arms above her head. “Gilda, if I had three girls none of you would ever let me leave the zone but.” I leaned down getting horny as she looked up at me. I let her hands go then started to run my hand down her arms as she wrapped her legs around my waist as I cupped her right breast. She smiled as she locked eyes with me.

“Fuck buddies?~”

I smiled as I looked at her as I pulled her bra up her cc cup breast bounced out to the sides. I wrapped my arms around her back then pulled her up and sat her in my lap. She locked lips with me and she pushed her tongue into my mouth as we started to make out. I held then lower part of her back as I held the back of her head with my right hand keeping her lips locked with mine. When we broke from the kiss Gilda grabbed my shirt then started to take my shirt off as I started to rub her through her panites. She started moaning as she got my shirt off then smashed her lips into mine keeping the moans as quiet as she moaned. I pulled the panities to the side then pushed two fingers into her and she gasped then she broke the kiss. She was about to scream then I grabbed her and restarted the kiss. She screamed into the kiss as a gush of fluid covered my hand as I pushed another finger into her. She shoved me down then she all but ripped my jeans off and line her opening up with my erection.

“You better give me a son!~”

Gilda speared herself on my erection with a little blood coming from her flower. I looked at her shocked as she looked eyes with me.

“I’m bisexual, Rainbow is too.”

I grabbed her wrist as I slowly started to thrust up into her. “Cool, but talked about it later.” She smiled as she started to bounce on me as I thrust up into her. She let out moans as she bit down on her lip drawing blood as she bite down. I smiled as I thrusted as deep into her as I could when she bounced a little harder. I hit her cervix and her eyes shot open wide as she covered her mouth then screamed as her walls clapped down on me. She arched her back as she sat on me and a gush of fluid covered my groan as she dropped down on my chest. She huffed as she laid on me then I grabbed her and before she I was ready I started to thrust into her again. She gasped then I took her lips again. She moaned into my mouth and wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her hand into the back of my head. She forced her tongue deep into my mouth as I started to speed up and hardest as I could. She broke she kiss and closed her eyes tight as I felt her walls getting tighter again. “Gilda… I’m about to.”

“Do it inside me, make me your bitch.”

She growled at me as she pushed herself up then started to bounce again making sure I couldn’t pull out of her. I held out as long as I could then she came again and I lost it. I came inside her as she dug her nails into my chest. After she rode out her climax she fell on me again and I wrapped my arms around. We as the fire started to die down after half an hour and I moved one arm from her back to grab a few picks of wood then put them on the fire. When it was going again Gilda pulled herself off me. She fixed her panites then sat up as I fixed my pants. When I had them back on I sat back down and she grabbed my hand and made it cup her left breast over her heart. I felt the beat of her heart through it. Steady and strong as if it was waiting for something.

“You know out of every guy in the safe zone your best to have a kid with. Your strong, brave and willing to help no matter what it may happen.” She pushed me down to the floor again then grabbed the blanket and covered us to help hold in the heat. She kissed me a few times and I help her close as she laid on my chest keeping my body heat as she did this.

“Say, do you think Wallflower and Trixie would mind if I get to keep sleeping with you?”

“Don’t know, but I wouldn’t mind much as a few kids running around would be nice.” Gilda laughed as she kissed my cheek then laid on my chest until she fell asleep on my chest I was close enough for the wood to put it on the fire. I fell asleep for a few hours then woke up to Gilda frantically shaking me. I got up quickly about to jump up but she forced me back down then pointed to the window overlooking the forest. I looked out it then froze. A hoard of the dead stood outside the cabin just standing there in the early morning sun.

“I heard someone yelling outside the door and it was Rainbow and Flash with a new guy.” I looked over to the side of the room and saw them sitting out to the side with a tall man with a bite in his tied hand, He was a tall man with long black hair with a scar over his eye. I got up my bare chest show some scratches marks on the front and Flash laughed as Rainbow glared at me. I laughed a little then got my shirt back on then looked at them. “Are you the only ones out?”

“Ya, we made it back last night and put the place on lock down. We’re the only one who are out today. Everyone else is held up in the walls while this hoard is in the area. If your worried Wallflower and Trixie were helping to keep the kids in the new house.”

I nodded as I got ready then I pointed a finger at the man. “And him?” Flash jabbed him with his rifle and the man glared at him.

“This guy was trying to climb the wall as left to come find you guys. One of those things bit him before we got in and we stopped the bleeding.”

I nodded as I looked at them then I looked over to the window. “So how long has the hoard been out there?”

“A little over an hour fucker.”

‘Ya, Rainbows pissed.’ I looked at the hoard then sighed as I looked around the forest. “No way out right now.” I walked back over to the fireplace then started to look for embers. There was a nice sized pile of embers and I started to get the fire going again. I sighed as I sat down beside the fire and Gilda sat down beside me leaning into my side. I looked at the new guy and he looking down to Gilda a sick smile on his face. I pulled out my knife and he looked at me. “Try it you bastard and it will be the last thing you ever do.” The smile on his face turned to a frown as he looked at me.

“I’ll kill you two and take these bitches.”

I laughed as I looked at him. “Is that a fact?” He smiled then his nose started to bleed as the bite on his hand. He touched his nose and Flash and Rainbow jumped up as blood started coming from his eyes as he tried to clean the blood from his face. Then he started to scream and I ran over then stabbed him in the head and he was dead the scream stopped after a short but loud yell. I looked up and saw the dead hadn’t noticed the yell thank god. I looked at the hoard and saw it starting to thin but not enough.

“How far are we from the zone?”

Flash shrugged his shoulders as he looked at me.

“Maybe half a mile or less.”

I nodded then I looked at the back door. They seemed to know what I was thinking and Gilda spoke up.

“Oh hell no!”

She half yelled as she stormed up to me then grabbed my collar as Rainbow and Flash watched.

“Your thinking of doing another running act!”

I looked away from them and sighed as I looked at her again. “You have a better idea?” I made her let me go as I walked over to the back door then moved the chair out from under the door knob. The followed me in as I pulled out my hatch out of the back of my pants. “I out ran this fucker one I can do it.” Gilda walked up beside me as I looked out the back window. A smaller number but If anymore come I wouldn’t be able to get through. “Ok, looked I’m going out there and I’ll take them as far as I can and circle back around. Flash when you see an opening to get these two back to the zone.” Flash looked at me wide eyed.

“Your insane Ash, there is no way your going to make it through that many.”

“Best bet and I’m the fastest plus I know these woods I’ve been hunting them for years.”

Flash looked at me a worried look on her face.

“You sure?”

I nodded as looked at him and he grabbed the door knob as he looked at me. “Ya, I’m sure I’ll circle around the creek bed.”

“I don’t like this.”

I looked at Gilda as I ready myself.

“Sorry but it’s happening Gilda.”

I nodded and Flash opened the door then I took off. “Come get some!! Come on!” A large part of them started to follow me as I hit metal objects as I ran making as much noise as I could. I heard them running after me.

Gilda pov

I watched as Ash was running into the woods with almost all the dead chasing him. “He better come back or I’ll knife him myself.”

“Maybe later after we have a little talk.”

I looked at Rainbow a frown on her face. I looked at a frown on my face. “I did it once I’ll do it again Rainbow. You’ve known me for years and you know I’ve waited to find a guy I wanted to have kids with and Ash is that guy. And besides, the fact he’s one of the last men standing but the fact that he’s saved all our ass time after time.“

“Did you stop to think of how I’d feel?!”

I ignored her as I ran out the door as they thinned enough. Rainbow and Flash ran after me as I dashed through the trees and ok we were halfway through the woods I heard someone running beside us and Ash burst through the three his knife and hatch covered in blood with a sniper rifle with two bags on his sides. “Where the hell did you get those?!” He smiled as he ran beside me. We got into the clearing and I started to hear the dead coming behind us. Ash ran up to the truck and turned bent down hands locked together after dropping the weapon in his hands. Rainbow ran in front jumping and Into Ash hands and he gave her a boost sending her onto the truck I jumped next Rainbow grabbing my arms then helped me up as Flash jumped up as the hoard broke through the trees. Me and Flash threw our arms down and Ash grabbed our hands and we helped him up with a few seconds before a few of the dead slammed into the truck. I hugged him and smashed his face into my chest, my heart was pounding as we looked down at the larger than we thought hoard trying to reach out to grab us.

“Fuck, ok I’ve never doing that again for real this time.”

I smiled as I helped him up and we jumped down into the second area safezone. I watched as he took the rifle off his back.

“It’s an Armalite AR-50 bolt action sniper rifle. I found a dead soldier and took this a long with his bags of ammo. I’ve always wanted something like this growing up.”

I laughed then grabbed his collar then crashed my lips down on his.

“HEY!”

I pulled my lips back and looked over to the right. I saw Wallflower and Trixie both looked ready to rip me a new one. I smiled as I hugged him as he tried to turn. I mouthed mine as I looked at them. They looked mad as hell then Ash pinched my side and I let him go. He turned and saw them then smiled for turning and running away threw the rifle ban over his shoulder.

“ASH!”

They came out running after him as he rounded the main house. I laughed into my hand then started to walk behind them but Rainbow grabbed my shoulder. I looked back at her and she tightened her grip on my shoulder. I pulled my shoulder free then ran after them. I ran to their house and heard them yelling. I opened the door and found Ash against a wall. “Hey!” Yhey looked at me as I closed the door.

“What do you want?”

“I want to talk to you two about our Ash, Now heavens know this hasn’t been easy for any of us but for god's sake there's two of you! He shouldn’t have been as spent up as he was!”

“Gilda.”

“Ash let me say my piece.”

He nodded then walked up the steps and they looked at me. “You two know he’s a provider, he’s gotten everything we need and he’s one tough bastard. You know he just out ran a hoard of those things out there. He is a badass who can and has gotten the job done. I know what her can and ya we had sex too. I don’t love him like you two do I just want someone to help me with an itch a fuck buddy. Maybe have a baby our two but don’t think for a second that I won’t take him if you two don’t get on the ball. He’s one of the best men here and he’s a hell differents from a lot of the men here. He’s better than them and you don’t know it.” I turned then opened the door and walked out leaving them with my words.

Ash pov

I sat up in the small master room and watched as Gilda walked away. I sighed then looked at the ammo bags. I opened them and saw two ammo cans. I started to check them as the girls walked in one was unopened the other seemed to be half empty.

“Want some help?”

I looked at them for a second then pulled out the magazines. “Not really but I know you two want to talk.” I started to load the magazines if I had to guess I had over three hundred rounds. I had seven magazines and each holds fourteen rounds. I loaded ninty-eight rounds then looked at Wallflower and dropped the magazine in my hand down on the bed.

“We want to know if you want kids?”

I looked at them for a second then sighed as I set the magazine down. “I can’t say I don’t but right now may not be the best time.”

“Yet you fucked Gilda?”

I looked away and sighed as I grabbed another magazine. “Look, it happened ok.” I started to load it as I spoke. “We were horny and it just happened. If she ends up pregnant then I’ll do everything in my power to take care of that baby and Gilda.” They looked at one another then they nodded as they looked one another then looked at me again.

“Plan b?”

I looked at the two of them then I jumped off the bed.

“Trixie find the condoms!”

‘Fuck me.”

Chapter 8

I sat in the forest with a two-seventy in a rough made hunting shelter off the ground on a platform I in a tree. I made a large hut with a door overlooking a clearing I see deer in almost every morning. A light snow was coming down as I sat in my hut waiting for a deer then I heard light footsteps under me. Then another set and another soon I heard. I quietly as I could I laid down on the wood and pulled a white hood over my head then pulled up a white scarf over my face just under my eyes. I looked out trying to see what was under me. I looked down and seeing a large buck. Following him was a few doe’s and I grabbed my rifle and took aim at the buck. ‘Stay right there.’ I smiled as I pulled the trigger then saw the buck took off running but I saw blood on the ground. “Yes.” I quickly got down then started to run after the deer. As I ran I stopped as I saw the buck on the ground. A man almost skin and bones was beside it and I drew my knife quietly coming up behind him.

“Mister watch out!”

I heard a little girl yelled and the man turned a knife in hand I dropped my knife then drew my forty-five. A woman and a young girl were in the tree line both looked half-starved. The man dropped the knife as he looked at me.

“P-please I just want to feed us.”

I looked at him for a second then I heard groaning. They did too as fear covered their faces. “Fuck, quick grab a leg and help me were going to hid the deer. I have a place not far we can hold up in.” He looked up at me for a second then he came to his senses and grabbed a leg. I holster my gun then grabbed the other and we dragged the deer to a tree and I kicked it as hard as I could. Snow fell covering a lot of the deer but I pulled more snow up and the family helped before a dead burst out of the trees. I turned my knife in hand and tackled the dead woman and stabbed in the head. I left the knife as I grabbed the man’s arm pulling him as we started to run.

“Come on!”

They followed as best they could and we got to my hunting area. I got them up the tree as a large group of the dead came running. I climbed up into the blind then pulled up the rope ladder. The dead pulled under the tree and is sighed as I looked back at the family. The man was a little on the older side with black hair in a set of old work clothes. Beside him was a younger woman with brightish purple and white hair. Lastly was a girl maybe ten with curly red hair in a dirty and messy dress. “Names?” They looked at one another then spoke.

“Jet set and this is my wife Upper crust. This is Twist a girl we found not to long after this mess started.”

I nodded then pulled off my backpack as I spoke. “My name is Ash Blade, now who like peaches and beans?” I pulled a few cans of peaches and beans and a few pieces of jerky. I put them in front of them then watched as they quickly grabbed the food. Jet opened the can and handed it to the little girl as well as the jerky. I smiled as I pulled out a large set of wild cat firecrackers. Then set them down beside me as I looked down at the dead as they reached up at us.

“Do you live up here?”

I looked back at the little girl as the man started to eat from a can. “No, I live in a safezone about a mile away. I’m the leader of the scarging team but I’m also the only hunter which is why I’m out here.”

“R-really?”

I looked at the woman then pulled out my back up knife as I looked at them. “Let me guess you want to come back with me?” I looked at them and they nodded. I sighed then stabbed the knife into the wood. “The count with me is seventy, besides me there are three other leaders. Shining Armor is in charge of security, with Mark and Filthy in charge of the zone and the counts of our supplies as well as keeping the peace.” They looked at me as I kicked a leg back and forth in the air as the dead reached out to grab me.

“What does it take to join?”

I looked at the man as he finished his can quickly. “You have to go into a week-long quarantine then you will be given jobs. Twist will be with the rest of the children in the classes to learn farm and help once there old enough.” They smiled as they looked at each other and I pulled out a liter as I looked at them. “We’ll run north following the creek bed, if something happens to me and you get away you’ll find a road with two huge brick walls. A guard will see you give him the code word scanner and they should let you all in.”

“What about you?”

I struck the lighter then lite the wildcat firecrackers. “Giving us an opening.” I threw them as far as I could and a few seconds later the sound of loud cracking came for a little closer than I would have liked. Most of the group took off after the sound and I jumped down when only four were left. I came down on two of them caving in their head I stabbed another one on the head but got grabbed my arm. I grabbed it’s throat as it snapped at me and took me to the ground. As I fought with it a blade stabbed through its skull.

“Come on!”

Jet grabbed my hand and helped me up before we started to run. I ran behind ready to drew any away that may get to close. We ran up to the creek bank and some of the dead started to run out of the trees. We ran fast and busted from the trees onto the road. We started to run down the road and I Saw Flash landing on the wall. "FLASH! SCANNER!" Flash looked our way and saw the dead behind us. He slammed the gate twice opening they quickly as we ran up. I rushed them in as the dead started to catch up. The girl got her hair grabbed as the gates slammed shut the dead pulling on her hair was cut in half. Jet and I quickly grabbed the thing and pulled its hands off of her head. I stabbed the thing in the back of the head then threw it to the side as I stood there looking at it. Then the girl hugged my legs crying as she looked up at me.

“Thank you for killing it!”

I sighed as I looked down at her with a smile thdn rested my hand on head. “It’s ok, I have to protect everyone here after all.” She smiled as everyone crowded around us. I waved at the others and they quickly ran over. Shining, Filthy and Mark ran over. “We have three for quarantine get the doc and have them looked over please.”

“Ok, did you get a deer or pig by any chance?”

I smiled as I pulled the rabbits bag off my side then threw them to him. “Jet here helped me bury a full grown buck in the snow to hide it. Once it clears out there I’ll go and get it.” They nodded and they took them to the tents where I had set up a large pile of firewood with food in the tents with the best blankets to keep them warm. I sighed as I started to walk to the main house on this side and walked into the food storage area. I put what little food I had left back rewriting the count of peaches and beans.

“Ash.”

I looked over my shoulder and saw Cupcake standing behind me a worried look on her face.

“What’s wrong Cup?”

She quickly walked in shutting the door and pulled something out of her pocket. I froze as I looked down at a positive pregnancy test. For a second I didn’t know what to do then I looked at her. She looked scared, really scared of what this meant. I blinked then shoved my fears into the back of my mind. “Well, I knew this could have happened. So, what do you want to do Cup?” She put the test back into her pocket then cupped her lower stomach.

“Well I’m keeping him or her but I don’t know what everyone will think if they find out it’s not Carrots.”

I carefully took her hands off her stomach making her looking at me. “Look, I can’t say I know what the hell I’m doing right now but I can promise I’ll do or get you anything you’ll need. You say the word and it’s done.” She smiled as she looked at me then leaned in then softly pressed her lips into mine. I smiled as I wrapped my arms around her as she broke the kiss. She rested her head on my shoulder.

“I’m so glad you are this baby's father.”

I smiled as I moved my hand to her face then cupped her cheek. I kissed her one more time then after breaking the kiss I looked down at her. “Say we have three rooms in our house so if you don’t want to keep sleeping in an old small side room.” She smiled as she looked up at me then pulled me into another kiss with tongue. We broke the kiss and split up and she smiled as she grabbed my junk.

“Can mommy have a little fun with daddy?~”

She kneeled down and undid my belt but I grabbed her hands. “Not here of all places maybe in a little while later.” She frowned then smiled as she looked up at me.

‘Fine but I want to try some else next time were alone.~”

I nodded the left the room and walked out of the house.I walked over the set of stairs we made to get to the second zone . Once I walked home waving to everyone as I walked. As I walked Gilda walked up beside me a list in hand. I took it and saw a note at the bottom.

‘It a positive for a soon to be pa pa.”

I smiled as I punched her arm as she laughed as she kissed my cheek before running off. “I guess I’ll need a replacement member until everything calms down and it’s born. Maybe that Jet guy would be a good match.'' I walked up to the house and as I walked up to open the door. I opened our door and walked in. I took off my white cloak and hung it on the hook beside the door and put my hunting rifle on the rifle neck to my shoe rack. I looked around the house wondering where Wallflower and Trixie were at. I walked up the stairs and found our bedroom door open. I walked in and found them holding the twins on the bed. I laughed as I walked in taking my gun and knives off my side then set them down on the nightstand.

“About time you showed back up.”

I smiled as I walked over to my desk in the corner of the room. I looked around the walls and saw a large creek going by both walls. I smiled as I looked down at it. I grabbed a pencil then started to draw on the map.

“What are you thinking up this time?”

Wallflower leaned into my side while holding pound looking down at me as t drew a line under the wall. “I;ve been thinking about a way we could get a little power.”

“What about the generator we have?”

“We’d only get an hour or so fro that on one side of the zone only in the main house. Here look at this. If we can dig a new creek bed and set up a few water wheels then we maybe able to get a small amount of power. Plus, we won’t have to race out through the gate to get water everyday.”

“So how are you going to do it?”

I laughed as I looked up and rubbed pounds hair making him laugh. “With good old fashioned elbow grease. A shovel and pick-axe is all we need and this guy is going to grow up strong as long as I have a say in it.” they laughed and I nodded as I sat down on the bed. Wallflower sat down beside me and Trixie leaned into my other side. “Hey ya’ll know our extra rooms?”

“Ya?”

“I offered it to cup so she and this little ones won't be sleeping in a small side room anymore.”

“That’s nice, I hate the idea of all of them sleeping in a small room like that.”

“Ya, I’ll have to get the room ready for them and get some of that old stuff out of there.” We talked for a few more minutes until Pumpkin started to reach out for me. I looked down at her and she smiled as she looked up at me a smile on her face as she looked at me. I smiled as I held my hand out then she grabbed my hand. She wrapped her little fingers around my thumb while she laughed. I smiled as I started to move my thumb from side to side. She laughed as i did this and she pulled my hand to her mouth then started to bite down on my hand. I smiled as I pulled my hand free before standing up.

“WAAA!”

We all jumped as we looked down at Pumpkin as she started crying and screaming as she reached out for me. I sighed as I held my arms out then took her from Trixie. A few minutes later she calmed down and smiled as she grabbed a hold of my shirt with one hand, laughing as she looked up at me I sighed as I looked down at her. “I guess you were a daddy’s girl with Carrot uh?” She laughed more as I walked out of the room heading down to the room for her family.nI walked into the bigger of the two rooms Trixie and Wallflower close behind. I saw a dresser and standing closet rack. A small single bed was in the corner with a nightstand in the corner with a blood covered baby crib. “Fuck…” Trixie covered her mouth as she ran out of the room Wallflower ran off with her. I walked out a pit in my stomach as I looked down at pumpkin. After a few minutes Trixie took Pumpkin yelling for me to get that out of the house. I did take it out of the room took out to the yard and cut it up for extra firewood and put it in the huge fire box we keep beside the house.

“Hey Ash.”

I looked to the right and saw Flash with a panicked look in his eyes. As he ran up to me with Shining and Nightlight not far behind.

“What’s wrong man?”

“I got Twilight pregnant and her dad and brother want to kill me!”

I rolled my eyes then threw my thumb back to our house and he ran in quickly as the two men ran up. I got in front of the door mad as hell.

“MOVE ASH!”

I stood my ground and looked Shining in the eye. “Calm down and take a breath Shining, Nightlight. Flash quickly told me what happened and do you think killing him will help Twilight at all? Think of how Cadence or you mother would feel if something happened to you?” They seemed to be calming down so I kept it up. “Flash and Twilight knew what they were doing and they knew there was a chance this could happen so you two need to be there for them. As for Flash I’ll be kicking ass later for this be being as stupid as me and Gilda.” They laughed a little then they walked off and a few seconds later Flash opened the door.

“Thank ma…”

I threw my fist out and caught him in the jaw. He fell back down as I put my hands in my pockets and spoke. “Me and you are both damn fools you know? Hell, neither you nor I can keep it in our pants.” He laughed as he rubbed his jaw as he stood up then punched me a good one making me fall.

“An eye for an eye my friend.”

“Fair enough.”

We laughed and he walked over to the second house to see Twilight if I had to guess. I laughed then walked back to the main zone house to help Cake move her stuff to our house. As I walked through the house heard someone yelling my name.

“Ash!”

I stopped and saw Spoiled Rich waving at me an annoyed look on her face. She had her body hidden from my view. I sighed then start to walk down the hall to the doorway she was standing in. When I was close she grabbed my shirt then pulled me back into the room. It was dark and I heard her moving around then a match was lite and she lit some candles. She sat down in a chair she looked at me,
“Ash I have to ask you for help.”

I looked at her and she held out a list to me. I walked over to her and took the list and froze as I looked down at the list. “Spoiled you know I can’t just find this stuff out and about.”

“Well, where can you find it!?”

“Adult shops maybe but the closet one is over thirty miles away. But, why do you want this and down of all times?” She frowned as she looked at me as she pulled out a fancy box then opened it. She pulled out a cigarette then lit it on a candle.

“My husband hasn’t got me there in a long time.”

She took a puff of the cigarette as she looked at me. I coughed into my fist as I looked at her then she realised what she was saying.

”R-right, well please next time you go out further please try and find some for me.”

“Sure.”

I opened the door then quickly walked down the hall to Cups room. I got there a few seconds later and I walked in to Cup half naked with her chest without a shirt or bra on as she was feeding her babies. I quickly walked in closing the door behind me and I noticed how cold this room was. I locked the door then opened over and sat down beside her then I grabbed her hips and she smiled as she stood up then sat back down in my lap.She pressed her back into me and I wrapped my arms around her and the kids. “When did the girls get the little ones back to you?”

“Just a little before you showed up and they told me you’d come to help me move what little I have in the room.”

I rested my head on her shoulder and looked down at the little ones. “So… am I daddy to them now?” Cup looked at me out of the corner then smiled as she laughed.

“You were daddy when your brought us here. Carrot was an asshole who didn’t care and wanted to do whatever he wanted. I’m glad your our lives now as well as this little baby growing in me right now.”

I smiled as I hugged them tighter and we sat there for a while until Pound and Pumpkin finished and we got them dressed and after she got a shirt on. She packed up what little she had in the room and I took the bag from her. We walked out of the house and over the steps and to my house. I saw Gilda standing outside of our door with a bag beside her foot. “Gilda?” She looked back at me her eyes red with a large hand print on her face. “Cup go inside your room is on the second floor.” She nodded then quickly walked in and once she was inside I sat the bag down then pulled Gilda into a hug. She wrapped her arms around me hugging me as tight as she could.

“R-rainbow hit me and kicked me out of our room. S-she said if I wanted to sleep with a man I could live with him and she’s quitting the scarvaging team.” I sighed now down two members then grabbed both bags and took Gilda to the other room and sat her down onto the bed. I kissed her on the cheek. “Your free to live here from now on and don’t worry for one second Gilda. But, things will be a little tight with just me and Flash going out now.” She frowned but smiled as she rubbed her lower stomach.

“I get it, but I know you two will make it work.”

I smiled as I kissed her before walked out of the room. I walked into the storage room in the house and grabbed two of the kerosene heater for bedrooms we found in the second house. I took them to the rooms and set them up then got them started and left the rooms opened to let the heat fill the house. I found Wallflower and Trixie in our room getting our heater going to add the heat. I sighed as I sat down on the bed and rubbed my face.

“Ash?”

“Rainbow quit the scavenging team because of what Gilda and I did.”

“So it’s just you and Flash now?”

I nodded and looked up at the map on our wall and I was looking for a safe place for us to grab emergency supplies. I looked at the green zone which we have seen the fewest dead but most of the supplies were gone. I looked around and cursed under my breath as I looked at the red zone. The food bank was there but that part of town was over run but next to it was the hospital was close to it. We need the food and whatever else was there but I didn’t want to risk it.

“Ash?”

“I hate this but we’ll have to go to the red zone. It we can get to the food back and those farming hardwares stores. We’ll need to clear land to put crops into the ground and get seed to grow food from.”

“Are you sure about this?”

I looked at Wallflower and nodded as i looked at her,

“Ya, look I’m going to the main house and talk to him we’ll need to really plan this out.”

I stood up than walked out of the house again then ran through the yard and over the steps. I stopped running and saw Flash walking with Twilight. “Flash!” He looked over at me and I waved him over. He nodded then ran over after giving Twilight a kiss. As he ran up to me as I rubbed the back of my head.

“What’s up?”

I sighed as I looked at him. “Rainbow quit the team and Gilda’s pregnant so it’s just us now.”

“Shit.”

I nodded as I looked at him a frown on my face. “And, I’ve got more bad news.”

“What?”

“We need to go to the red zone man.”

“THE FUCK!?”

“We need to get to the food bank and we need the stuff from the farm supply store too.”

“You can’t really be telling me the true man.”

“I hate to say it but ya we have to man. Look, I go with or without you man but I want you to talk it out with Twilight. We both have little ones on the way so you two need to talk about this.” Flash looked at me for a moment them looked down at the ground then locked his hands behind his head.

“Man come on you just dropped this on me?”

I nodded as I looked at him then I patted his shoulder. “Ash…”

“Talk over it with Twilight Flash. Yes or no our families will have what they need.”

“When?”

“I’m leaving tomorrow at first light. And If I go alone and don’t come back watch out for everyone for me ok?” Flash nodded and I held my hand out to him. He shook my hand then we walked away from one another both of knowing full well this could be the last time we see each other.

Chapter 10

Author's Note

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Chapter 10

Ash pov two weeks later

I sat in the office of the main house around the table was Shining, Filthy, Mark Jet with the old man sitting across from me. The room with lite with the fire in the fireplace in the office sidewall. We looked at one another then Mark spoke up.

"Ok, if no one else is going to say it I will. We need to expand sooner or later. We can't keep the livestock in the main zone. People will start getting sick and then we'll be worse off than we are with our low gas and kerosene."

I nodded as I looked down at the table. "He right, but we're hit every gas station in the town but in downtown but the hoard there is too much for us. And, even if we could get in once we start shooting its game over."

"What then?!"

He slammed a fist on the table as he looked at me.

"Your team has six people now. Are you telling us even with that many people we can't get gas or kerosene?! Then there's Twilight, Gilda, Cadence, and Cupcake! All of them are pregnant and Cadence can't but a few months or so, from giving birth. We don't have the ability right now to keep them alive if something happens."

Shining shot him a nasty look but I wasn’t going to just silently take his shit. "You know what, fuck you!" I stood up slamming my hands on the table shocking them all. "My people and I go out there day after day getting what we need. We know better than anyone here how bad it is! We can’t find everything we need and with the small fights were having with the soldiers every now and then is a heavy drain our resources. I’d love to see you do better out there Mark.” I sat back down as he looked at me with an angry snarl on his face.

“Watch what you say, Mark, Ash has a good point.”

We all looked at Shining as he stood from his seat.

“They're out there taking all the risk while we all sit here safe and sound. Ash, Flash, Rainbow, Big Mac, Braeburn, Chrysalis are taking on the most dangerous job. None of us could do the job they do.”

Mark with a look that could kill leaned back in his chair arm crossed as he looked around. It was clear that he wasn’t going to get any of us on his side.

“Ok, what about the next town over?”

We looked at Jet as he stood up. “It was a much larger town so there may be more dead around but they have a hospital that’s meds we need and there is two superstores. It could have what we need.” We all looked at him then nodded as I looked at him. “How far is the town?”

“Maybe four hours but it would take a while to get everything.”

“I get it, we’ll have to stay out overnight right?”

“Ya.”

“Can you all go tomorrow morning?”

“Ya, that sounds like a plan I’m going to see what we have ammo wise. Shining my votes with you is anything that happens.”

“Right, Ash.”

I walked out of the room fixing my coat as the cold air rushed me. As I walked I saw Spoiled Rich walked down the hall with a long coat slightly shaking as she walked. She saw me walking down the hall smiled and waved as she looked at me.

“Hello, Ash, how did the meeting go?”

I rubbed my eyes as I looked at her. “I came close to attacking Mark when he tried to say so stupid shit.” She frowned as she looked at me then nodded her head.

“Yes, he was a CEO before and he can’t take it when someone talks back.”

I nodded as I noticed she had a bag with steam coming from it. “Food for the girl?” She nodded and I smiled as I took it from her. “I’ll take care of it, Filthy will need a hand when it’s said and done.”

“Ok.”

She walked behind me as I walked to the cell room one of the few rooms we still had heated. I looked at one of Shining's guards who was sitting in a chair beside the door. He was a guy about my age with blonde hair with a coat with blue jeans.

“Lunchtime?”

I nodded and he stood pulled out a key and unlocked the door. He opened the door and a small wave of heat came out making both of us smile from a little warm air. I walked in and found the girl in a t-shirt with a thin coat in her army pants. The door closed behind me and locked it.

“Oh hey is time to eat or more questions?”

I held up the bag and she smiled as she walked over to me. She was a cute girl with short black hair with red eyes. I smiled as I gave her the bag then turned to leave but she grabbed my shoulder. I looked at her and she smiled as she looked at me.

“Thanks for bringing me here I hated the army. It sure wasn’t what I thought it would be when I was eighteen.”

I nodded as I looked down at her and she turned then walked over to the bed. I knocked on the door and it opened up for me. I walked out then started down the hall then out the front door. I saw Mac and Braeburn sitting over by the fire cooking something in a large hanging pot. “Guys!’ They looked up at me as I walked up to them.

“Ya Ash?”

I sighed as I sat down in the snow beside Mac as he stirred what looked like a stew. “Well, I’m going to tell it to you straight. Were going on an overnight scavenge one town over.” They looked at me for a second but I sighed as I pulled out my forty-five. I pulled out the clip and checked it. I had twelve rounds in the clip with one in the chamber, this made me sigh. I but the clip back in then holstered the gun. ‘I know I have five shells back in my shotgun at all times and a half-empty box of shells in our house.’ I looked at them then sighed as I looked into the fire as we sat there.

“How much ammo can we get to take with us?”

I rubbed my eyes as I looked over to Braeburn as he pocked at the fire with a long iron stick. “Bare minimum, we’re starting to run low from what I saw on the counts but I still have to look at the ammo itself in a few minutes.”

“How many of us are going?”

“Me, you two, and Flash. Then after Twilight and my girls finished kicking my ass we’ll go.” The two of them laughed as they looked at me. “Think about what you’re going to tell your sisters and your girl Braeburn,” I smirked as they both suddenly turn white as I started to laugh a little. “Good luck.” I stood up then ran off when Mac tried to grab my leg before I ran away from them. I ran over the steps and jumped on the ground then took off to Flash and Twilight’s place. I ran up to the last house in the row of the house me and the others lived in. There were six altogether all taken but Twilight and Flash were the last to move into the house after Twilight’s dad tried to break Flashes arm. I walked over to their front door then knocked on the door twice. A few seconds later it opened and I almost laughed at the shirtless and clearly pissed Flash.

“What do you want?”

He was talking with an angry tone to his voice. I laughed then nodded my head as I looked at him. “Were going out tomorrow for an overnight just you, me and Mac and Braeburn.”

“WHAT!?”

I heard Twilight yell and I turn then ran to my house as I heard Flash yell in pain. I quickly ran into my house scared of what Twilight was going to do. I rushed through the door when it opened then slammed the door putting my back on the door.

“Ash?”

I looked back at Wallflower as she looked at me from the living room. Sat on her lap as Pound cake with Gilda holding a sleeping Pumpkin in her arms. I sighed as I locked the door then walked over to the chair on the corner. I sat down and Trixie walked in with a few bottles of water in hand.

“Here you girls go.”

Trixie handed the drinks to Wallflower and Gilda before walking over and sat down in my lap. I had gotten used to this so I wrapped my arms around her as she leaned back into me.

“Wow, Ash is back before dark.”

We looked at Cup as she walked in drying her hands on a towel. She sat down beside Wallflower taking pound from her. Pound started to throw a little fit but stopped when she put a pacifier in his mouth stopping him before he could get going. I laughed a little as I looked at him then sighed as I cleared my throat. They looked at me then I explained what was going to happen. As expected they were mad at me but understood it had to be done like it or not. Soon we went to our rooms and Wallflower and Trixie’s hand moved as close to me as they could. I hugged them then about an hour later I was woken by a knocking sound. I got up and saw the sun just starting to go down. I slipped out from between the girls then walked downstairs as the knocking came again. I opened the door as Spoiled was about to knock again. She had an annoyed look on her face and I saw very happy either. “What do you want?” not missing a beat she grabbed my shirt then pulled me close to her face.

“Come to the main house in twenty minutes I need to talk to you without someone hearing us.”

I nodded then she let me go when Flash and Mac were walking around the houses with wood in their arms. She walked off and I noticed were as in her dress as she walked with her short coat. “She’s got a nice ass.’ I walked up to the guys then I saw Twilight walk out the front of the house with Sunset close behind with a head of messy hair. They spotted me and I smirked as I looked at them. Sunset blushed then she took off and I laughed as I looked at her running away. I looked at Flash when they noticed her running. I smirked as I looked at Flash and he smirked as he looked at me.

“Your not the only one with two girls.”

I laughed then I started to walk to the main house. I smiled as I walked watching the kids run around playing in the snow. I smiled then walked over to the main zone and saw them gearing up the Truck and jeep adding a little more armor for our protection. They had trailers hooked up with small metal walls around them. I walked over to the house then opened the door and started to head for Spoiled office. I got to the office then walked in to find the girl with her hands tied behind her back sitting in a chair with Spoiled sitting in her chair.

“Ah, Ash ‘i’m glad you came so quickly. Rose would like to join your team as she knows the city as well as she wants to join our settlement.”

I looked at her for a second then smiled as I pulled out my knife I walked over to her then cut her hands free. She rubbed her wrist as she looked at me then I waved her up. “Come on, we have one free room in a house near mine. If your going to stay here you’ll need a place to live.” She stood up then followed me but before we walked out i stopped then took my coat off draped it over her. “It’s a little colder outside and you’ll need that more than me. She smiled then we walked out of the house then through the zone. The kids ran up to her and asked her who she was and what team she was part of. She laughed and told them she was joining mine before her quickly walked off and I took her over to the second house. We walked in then I took her to the spare room not to far from the mess hall. I walked back to the house and found Trixie in the living room with a book in hand.

“Another meeting?”

“No, Spoiled wanted me to let the army girl join in the mission.”

She nodded then marked her place in the book then she looked up at me a smile on her face.

“Everyone’s still asleep you should have seen Wallflower holding onto a pillow like it was a teddy bear.”

I laughed then sat down in my chair and she got up then sat down in my lap I smiled and wrapped my arms around her. She laid her head on my chest but then she turned and laid down on top of me. I smiled down at her as she looked at me a happy smile on her face. “Want something?”

“A kiss maybe?~”

I smiled then grabbed her face and kissed her lips then pulled her up as we laid there. Trixie smiled then started to move her hand lower but I laughed then grabbed her hand. “Not now Trixie, If you and Wallflower can wait a little longer and when I get back I’m all your ok?” Trixie smiled as she laid on my chest then I leaned back.

Eight hours later

I walked down the stairs with Mac, Flash, Braeburn and Rose with me. “Rose your with me in the van. Mac you and Burn in the truck you’ll be on defence. Flash you get into the jeep with the extra armor.”

“And then some.”

I looked ahead and saw Shining standing beside the truck with some hammers and a few spiked bats. “The hell are you doing here?”

“Look, I know this isn’t my beat but I want to make sure everyone comes back ok.”

I looked at him then nodded my head then walked up to him. I grabbed his coat and turned him. “Walk for a second.” He nodded then we walked over to an empty area of the yard.

“What is this about Ash?”

“I want you here Shining incase Mark wants to try something. You saw that look on his in that room. If we both are gone then he’s got free run of this place. Give me someone else if you want us to have extra hands but not you. We need someone who came to keep him in check here at all times. Think of your wife if we leave and something happens there will be no one to protect her or the others.” He sighed as she looked at me then rubbed his chin then looked up to the wall then back to me.

“I see what you mean so just give me ten minutes to find someone.”

“Fine, but we only have five pillows and blankets.”

“I’ll be sure to let him know what to bring.”

I nodded then he turned and ran off to find someone. We waited and soon enough a Spitfire ran up with a thick blanket and a pillow with her. She was in a thin coat and a rifle and scope over her shoulder. I sighed as I looked at then rubbed the back of my head. “You with Flash in the jeep and everyone get one of the hammers or bats. We don’t have a lot of ammo to use and I want to save it as long as we can so only short when we have too.” They all nodded then got one of the weapons. “Ok mount up!” We all got in and drove out of the gate.

Ash pov

We rode down the back roads having only stopped a few times at a couple small gas stations getting as much gas as we could. We raided the stations for canned foods and soda cans. I pulled out a map and looked at the road we were on. “How far out are we?” Rose asked as she drove down the road the sun starting to set. “A few more hours out but it’s starting to get late we need to find a place to hunker down for the night.”

“How about one of those backwoods motels? I saw a sign for one a few minutes ago.”

“That good let me call it in.” I reached down and grabbed a radio I had in the van. “Mac, Flash come back.” A few seconds later I heard them.

“Sup?”

“Ya?”

I pressed the button then started to talk when I saw the sign for the motel. “Were calling it for the night and were parking and hunkering down in a motel parking lot. I know it’s going to suck but were sleeping in the vehicles. It’s safers and with the extra gas cans we have we can sparingly use the heat understand?”

“Ya, I’d rather be safe the sorry.”

“Alright but what are we doing about sleep rotations?”

“Were not the windows and door a reinforced lock down then sleep but no one in the driver's seat we can’t risk you falling on the horn in your sleep.”

“K.”

“Understood.”

Rose pulled over to the motel parking lot which was half empty. I opened the door and got out a gas syphon pump in hand then opened the back of the van and grabbed two ten gallons gas cans we took from the last gas station. Everyone got out and Flash walked over to me as everyone started to look around. I popped the first gas cap as a dead banged on the window from inside the car. I put the pump inside the tank then started to pump.

“So, what do you think we’ll fine?”

I looked up at him as I pumped and heard the gas start filling up the first ten gallon can. “Not sure, but we get everything be can.” A few minutes went by then the car was tapped. I pulled out the pipe like hose then we moved to the next car. I popped the cap then started to pump the gas again as Flash walked off then rose walked over to me bat in hand.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Hm?” I pumped the gas as she leaned on the car.

“How didn’t you shoot me like you did the corporal?”

I stopped pumping then looked at her. “Enough people have died you didn’t need to die too.” I started to pump the gas again. She smiled then kissed my cheek and I stopped and watched her run off around the van and Mac and burn laughed as they looked at me. I nodded then started to pump again and was lucky and found a full tank and filled the ten gallon can then quickly switched to the second ten gallon can. And finished the pump. A five of the can was filled then I moved to the only truck and was the lost vehicle. It was a ninety-five ford one-fifty with two gas tanks. But the were both low bit I still go a two gallons out of it. We loaded the can into the back of the truck with the rest of the gas then locked the camper top.

“Who wants to check the vending machine to see if we can get something still good.”

We all nodded then Mac and Flash walked off to the vending machine around the corner and me, Burn, Spitfire and rose quietly killed the dead in the car then when Mack and flash came back with bottles of soda and of jerky walked back we moved the car to try and make a wall. On either side of the trailer hooked up to the jeep. We made a small but hole filled wall but it was better then nothing. He back the trailer into the hole then we filled the holes as best we could. We loaded back into the vehicles then got as comfortable as we could be as the sunset. We locked the door then I placed the bars we have for extra locks so the door couldn’t be forced open if someone broke the locks. Put the back seats down and we laid on them looking to the roof of the van.

“Can I lay next to you?”

I turned my head and saw she was already laying close to me. We both hand bigger blankets and it would be warmer if we shared them and out body heat. “Sure.” I got up and he moved over butting her blanket where I was laying then I laid back down and she cuddled into my side her pillow right next to mine. I looked to the right of my pillow as saw my Glock and radio. I sighed then I turned and held Rose with my other hand on the Glock. Rose fell asleep after half an hour but I was wake not liking the lack of walls. About thirty more minutes passed and I was finally falling asleep when the radio sound with Flash's voice and he was trying to be quiet.

“Ash! Mac! Guys wake up now we got something or someone right outside the jeep. They can’t see us through the metal sheets but whoever is out there is trying to get in. Can either of you see how many there are?”

I gripped my Glock then moved away from rose who had already woken up from the radio. I moved to the front of the van then turned a moveable part of the van’s armor just a little to lookout. I looked in the mirror and saw a dead in the moonlight. Its arm looked stuck on part of the metal. I looked around and saw it’s another arm stuck on the vending machine we mover to try and block the larger opening. ‘Fuck!’ I holstered my Glock then locked the armor back down. I started to talk to the radio. “There's a dead stuck to piece of the metal in part of the armor. I think I can get out and get it really quickly.”

“No, don’t risk it we don’t know if more are out there. We can just ignore it as it’s not that loud so don’t worry about it.”

“Ok, but make sure all the jeep doors have the bars set to make sure it can’t get the door open.”

“Got it.”

I moved back to the impromptu bed and laid back down and Rose snuggled back down into my side. I pulled my Glock back out and waited now hearing the groans of the dead. Soon enough we fell asleep after half an hour.

Ash morning pov

I opened my eyes and saw the beginning of the sunrise. I could still hear the dead groaning and I got up Rose trying to hold on but me moving woke her up.

“Sun goes back down….”

I laughed then rubbed my face and grabbed my nail bat. I unlocked the driver's door then got out and saw the dead and one more stuck in the same place the first got through. I walked over to the jeep then swung the bat down busting the skull wide open. Then I bang on the metal and then the truck. I walked over to the last dead then caved in her skull. I pushed her body back as everyone got up and started moving around. “Spitfire you, me and Flash are going to get some wood to cook breakfast. Mac the three of you get the cooking pot out of the jeep back and whatever you want to make.”

“Right boss.”

I nodded then the three of us jumped on the hoods of the cars then we walked over the hood then jumped off onto the street. We walked off to the woods then started to gather as much wood as we could. Soon we all had arms full then went back and climbed back over the hood. We dropped the wood then I looked at cars and took the first watch in the bed of the truck. They opened five large cans of beef stew then borrowed the cans into the large cooking pot. They talked and laughed as they sat around the pot the fire starting to pick up while I watched the tree line. But then we heard an engine coming our way. I stood up shotgun ready and the others were at the ready to fight. A junker rolled up to the motel and an older woman got out and I saw a little boy in the backseat window looking at us. She was a skinny woman but not starving yet but as starting to. “Stay right there!” She nodded hands up as she looked at us. She had a large chest with an hourglass figure with a set of beautiful blue eyes. The boy had brown hair with a hat with a fan on the top of his head. He had a brown jacket on with light brown eyes looking at us.

“C-can you please spare some water?”

I looked at the boy then looked down at Mac and Burn. “Guys move the vending machine and threw a few more cans into the pot.” The quickly moved it then I walked out Rose and Spitfire close behind me. I pulled out a few bottles of water and a couple of sodas. The boy popped out of the car and up to me and asked for the cola I had in my hand. I smiled then gave it to him as well as a bottle of water then have the mother if I had to guess. Two more bottles of water then we welcomed them into the little safe area. We placed the vending machine back in place and they sat down near the fire. I got back on the bed of the truck but the boy kept looking up at me. I rolled my eyes then slapped the sides of the truck and he smiled then jumped up. He ran over then climbed up over the back of the truck. He sat down beside me on the toolbox and he talked and talked but I didn’t mind much. But, a few more minutes they brought us small bowls of stew. The boy quickly eats his bowl then I gave him mine seeing he need it more. He thanked me then eat the stew quickly and then looked over at his mother.

“Hey mom can we stay with this group?!”

I grabbed his mouth then looked around my Glock in hand. No dead popped out and I looked down at him then put a finger to my mouth. “You have to talk quietly the dead come running when they hear something or see something moving.”

“Ok, sorry.”

I smiled then patted his head before I looked down at his mother. “Flash.” He nodded then jumped into the bed of the truck and I jumped off then waved for her to follow me. She followed me and Rose quickly followed us. I holstered my Glock then started to talk to her. “Your free to come with us but were heading to the larger town a few hours from here. Were looking for food, meds and whatever else we can get our hands on. If you two don’t mine riding in armored cars and waiting when we gather things your free to come back.” She smiled then grabbed my hand as wide smile on her face.

“Yes! Thank you!’

I waved her down as I looked around trying to look for something that wasn’t there. “Look, we need to be quiet. Look, We live inside a walled zone and it’s nice and safe but you have to earn your keep so what did you do before the fall and your name?” She nodded then spoke in a quieter voice.

“I’m Cream heart, I was a baby care expert and wet nurse.”

I laughed then smiled as I looked at her. “Well, you’ll be a lot of help we have women carrying right now and on is close to giving birth in a few months.” She smiled then clapped her hands and we walked back over to the fire. The sun was coming up and I ate what was left and we got the gas out of her car and grabbed a few pillows and blankets from a room where we didn’t find any of the dead. We loaded them into the van with us then we left driving a few hours stopping at gas stations filling up with as much gas as we could. We found boxes of canned food and lots of water filling up the first trailer with all that and we locked the trailer up then we reached the edge of the city. We saw the first superstore and we circled up the got out in the center making a wall all around us.

“We’ve got a lot of food and water now and we still have a large store of food back at the zone. I say we go back with the stuff we’ve got and focus on getting everything we can meds and equipment to handle this stuff.”

“So the hospital?”

“Ya, that would make the most since so we need a plan going in. What are we looking for and how much can we get?”

“I can help you with that.”

We looked at Cream as she pulled out a notepad I kept in the van. She quickly wrote down a lot of stuff then spoke as she read off the list.

“Look for painkillers or epidural, Penicillins, Cephalosporins, Macrolides, Fluoroquinolones more more commonly called ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin. But the most important thing we could get our hands on would be Amoxicillin.”

“Don’t people use that as a drug?”

Cream rolled her eyes then started to talk again.

“It’s an inexpensive drug used to treat certain kinds of bacterial infections which we could really use if the other meds don’t help. A large hospital would have all of these and we could raid a pharmacy to get even more meds.”

Everyone looked at me and I sighed as I rubbed my eyes then looked at Cream. “What would we need for a birth?”

“We don’t really need the full set up but a tool kit or two would be great if we need and emergency c-section or have a breach birth.”

I nodded then looked around at the signs above our head and saw a sign for the hospital. “Well hit up the hospital first then the well hit a few pharmacys then we'll leave I don’t want to be in the city at night. No walls around us armored or no armor we could get surrounded then were stuck.” They nodded then we loaded back up then and drove into the city. I grabbed the radio after a few miles then hit the button. “Has anyone seen a dead in the last few miles?”

“No.”

“I was hoping not to see one and this would go smoothly.”

I nodded then we rode up to the hospital. I pulled my Glock out then held it out to Cream and she looked at it. “You know how to use it?”

“Ya, but I’m out of practice.”

She took the Glock and I nodded as I loaded my shotgun then looked at Rose. “You stay here with Cream and her son.”

“Got it boss.”

I got out with the others waiting with duffle bags in hand. I waved two fingers to the closed doors then we rand over. I looked at Flash then he held up a crowbar the we forced the first door open I banged on the glass door and sure enough a dead ran up to the half open door I slung the twelve garage over my shoulder then pulled my bat out. I crushed her head then we pulled the doors open. We turned on our lights then moved in and over to the desk where they keep a floor listing. I spoke low as i heard a few dead groaning and moving around behind a door. “Pharmacy is on the fourth floor and maternity is on the second story over in the second building. Well hit the maternity then head up to the fourth floor.” They nodded then we headed over to a stairwell. I opened the door bat ready and it was as good as when I opened the door two dead were waiting. I hit the closest one down the steps as Flash stabbed the second one with his knife. I moved up the stairs quickly not wanting to stick around after the sound of the dead falling down the steps.

“Guys!”

Spitfire slammed a door opened then we rushed into the second lever floor ready to fight. Nothing came out and we broke up then started checking rooms. The whole floor is empty after we looked around everywhere we could. We filled it with clean needles, all the meds in the cabinets then we broke into the supply room. We found a ton of the meds Cream wanted us to find with boxed of medical tools. I tipped then two to a person then we walked down the steps and checked for any dead that may have come in. Two had walked up and were standing in the doorway. I looked at everyone and saw I or Mac would have to deal with it. I sat the boxed down then got ready. They nodded then I rushed out the door and cracked the first one and the others ran as the second jumped on me and I shoved the handle of the bat in its mouth. He locked his grip around the bat then Mac came running back in with a single hand hammer. It hit the back of the dead’s head with the end someone pulled out nails with. He ripped him off me and grabbed my hand then we ran out me leaving the bat behind.

“We need to go now!

I looked around and saw a mass of dead come running the main street. We jumped into the cars then gunned it out of the city and didn’t stop till we reached the motel. We got out and looked around then took stock of what we had now. We got a good stash of meds along with a few hundred different things. So ivs, ten general purpose procedure kits, A four staple guns for a c-section and stitch kits with everything else you could think of.

“We still need more.”

I nodded as I looked over at Flash as he spoke an annoyed tone to his voice. “Ya, but going back is a go. Best bet would be go back and drop off we have and hunker down for the rest of the winter. We have well over two hundred gallons of gas and that should be good enough for a while.” We all nodded then drove off another hour before locking down and laid down for the night. I was sleeping in the passenger seat then i felt the van moved and Rose was looking at me.

“I’m worried about that hoard we saw do you think it’s following us?”

I sighed then nodded my head before I spoke to her. “Not sure, just pray it doesn't.” She nodded then I closed my eyes as she moved back over to the two other people in the van as I fell asleep.

Gilda pov

Morning had come and I was dressed ready for the cold air and looked at myself in the mirror. My stomach was till flat but my breast had started to swell a little. I smiled as I put my hand on my stomach then walked out of my room and found everyone in the living room. Wallflower was reading with Trixie was playing with Pumpkin with Cup cooking some brown rice and some fish Rainbow and Chrysalis had gotten from traps Mac and Braeburn set up before they left. I walked out into the snow covered yard and saw Applejack and some of the others working on making usable wood from trees to help finish the fence.

“Hey miss Gilda!”

I looked to my right and waved at Applebloom as she was sitting with her friends next to a fire keeping it going. I smiled then waved at them as I walked over to the main house. I walked in seeing the guards sitting out in front of the supply room. I walked up to them and they looked at me. “I just need more toilet and paper towels.”

“In the back on the right Gilda.”

I looked back and saw Spoiled as she walked out with an arm full of papers. “Thanks Spoiled any sign of our boys?” She nodded then walked into the room with me.

“No and so you know Mark is out for Ash’s blood. He’s pissed everyone is siding with Ash and not himself.”

I grabbed the items we needed then looked at her. “You know as long as he’s acting like these he’s going to lose what little power he has.” She nodded then we left the house and I dropped the items off then we walked to her house. I walked into the house and we went to the office she had then I was sitting down in a nice soft chair. She opened her windows letting light in and I picked up a few of the papers from the pile then started to look at them. ‘Gas thirdy gallons, Canned foods four-hundred items, seven hundred boxes with a list of mixed item while long shelf lifes.’ I leaned back in my seat then looked at the next sheet of paper. ‘Low meds counts with almost all the painkillers are almost gone.’ Pregnancy vetements were still doing well as Cadence was the only one taking them. I smiled as I read that but I couldn’t help but wonder why these were on the list.

“Spoiled!”

I heard mark yell as a bang came from the door. I saw a smile on her face as she sat in her chair. “Go away Mark, Filthy told you after the fiasco your not to be anywhere near this house.” he was quiet then he hit the door again and I drew my forty-five. He yelled then walked off yelling and cursing as he went. I holdstered my forty-five then looked back at her as she smiled at the door.

“I’m going to ask for vote when Ash gets back to have him removed from power. He’s a danger as long as he thinks he’s some kind of a king.”

“I guess you're right but he and Filth play a roll we need when the whole counsel isn’t here.” We talked for an hour until we finished and I walked out of the office and walked home.

Chapter 11

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 12

Ash pov

I sat up in the office with Wallflower in my lap as I leaned in my chair. I had finished writing some papers out for my crew. I smiled as I wrapped an arm around her.

“Knock knock!”

I looked up at the door and sighed as I yelled out. “Come in!” Spoiled walked in and laughed into her hand as she looked at the still half asleep.

“It’s time to send Mark off. Filthy wants as many guys he can get in case Mark tries something.”

I nodded then moved my arms around then picked her up as she started to fall back asleep. I nodded over to the side door. Spoiled closed the door then walked over and opened the door for me. I laid her down in the bed then walked back out. I closed the door and Spoiled put a hand on my chest then pulled out a box and letter from under her coat. I took it and then looked down.

“Filthy need to talk to you and Shining.”

I nodded then walked over and sat the box down and opened it. There were some bullets in the box. I looked at her and smiled at me. I nodded then pulled my Glock out then pulled my clip then loaded it up then put the rest of the bullets into the lowest desk drawer. I walked back around and Spoiled kissed my cheek. I laughed then shoved her a little and she laughed. “Alright, we need to go and get this done. Wallflower will be mad if I’m not back when she wakes up.” She laughed as we walked out of the room then started walking down the hall.

“So, you know the counts are still good with food but the bullet count is low. From what I’m hearing the old man is setting up a team to help spread the walls out using the trees. Even talking about making a waterwheel to get some power again.”

I laughed as I nodded my head before bumping shoulders with her. “Hell, we’d better off getting some of those solar panels. Get the houses back up using those.” She walked into the yard seeing Mark's hands tied in front of him, the men around making sure the engine was good. I saw Filthy over by the gate with the jeep. I walked over to him and he looked over at the jeep then opened the door letting me see Flash.

“I need you two to make sure he leaves.”

I nodded but he stopped me before I got in.

“If he won’t go you do what you have two understand?”

I pulled out my Glock nodding then got into the driver's seat then closed the door. The guards forced Mark into the car then threw the door shut and locked it behind him. They used a steel pad then brought the key over to me as Mac got into the car’s driver seat.

“Ash!”

I turned back and Gilda came running with my bow and two slings of arrows. I smiled as I took them and the bow. I set them in the back of the jeep then turned to her and gave her a kiss before I jumped into the jeep. I looked over seeing Flash looking at me with a smirk on his face.

“Haha, so got names picked out yet?”

I laughed as I nodded my head then opened the slot for viewing. The gates opened and we drove out. I watched the trees go by as we rode down the road.

“So, how do you think this will go over?”

I sighed as I put up the Glock in my hand, “I think this is how this is going to go over. We both know he’s not going to get away without a fight. Mac knows that and that’s why we had his hands tied. Hell, we need to name a replacement for Mark now. We need someone to help lead the zone while the rest of us are gone. Shining’s got his hands full with the guards and Filthy can’t handle everything by himself.”

“Well, who do you think should take over for him?”

“I think the old-timer would be best. Or maybe we could get Twilight to help him since she’s smart.” I looked over at him and he seemed to be thinking about it.

“Ya, Twilight would be good at that.”

We laughed as little then he punched my arm as he drove. Flashed looked back ahead through the open hatch then spoke up again.

“You know, a lot of people would be happy if you’d step up and take his place. You command more respect than you think you do Ash.”

I nodded my head as I watched the trees run pass. “Ya, that would be nice but then who’s going to save your ass from the dead?” He burst out laughing hitting the steering wheel as he drove.

“Ash, come back.”

Mac stopped the car and we stopped as Flashed stopped laughing as I picked up the radio.

“What’s up Mac?”

“We got a group on the side of the road right on the corner. Four men, two women, and a little girl but it doesn’t look like they’ll be any trouble. They haven’t seemed to notice us yet. What do you want to do?”

I licked my lips as I looked up the road as best as I could. An RV and large truck on the side of the road. The little girl was off to the side playing with something with a big guy sitting on the top of the RV but not looking our way. I pressed down on the button then spoke. “We have a few days worth of food and water. Let's see if we can bring some of them back with us. The old-timer wants to build that wall soon. Mac, you come up with us but keep Mark’s mouth shut.” The car shuck and Mac came back over the radio.

“Ok, he’s out.”

I laughed as I looked over at Flash. Seeing him laughing his ass off as I leaned over the steering wheel.

“I- Haha! I love Mac sometimes!”

We laughed for another minute then I waved my hand as we got underway. We turned down the street up to the RV. The man turned his head looking at us as we pulled up twenty-foot away. I got out Glock in hand above my head as he and everyone else but the kid pointing guns at me. I smiled as I looked at them. “Hey now, I came to ask you something.” The man on the RV jumped down a high power rifle pointed at me.

“What do you want?”

I smiled as I took the clip off the popped the one in the chamber before putting it back into my holster. “Well, I’m not going to dance around with my words. I want you all to come with us back to our safe zone. We’re planning to expand once winter is over. We have food in water to hand out even if you don’t want to come with us.” He looked at me for a second then lowered his gun as he looked at me.

“Your fucking with us. Nobody just hands out food and water these days.”

I laughed as I waved him over to the back of the jeep. He slowly followed me while his others watched our weapon at the ready. I opened the back and he looked in nearly dropping his rifle as he looked at the four boxes we hand with six gallons of water.

“We can really have all this come or not?”

I smiled and nodded as he looked at me, Flash laughing in the driver's seat.

“You can believe Ash when he tells you something you can believe his words are good as gold.”

“Ya, it’s yours come with us or not.”

He looked at me and I noticed something about him. His face and hair looked a lot like Gilda’s, even had the same purple highlights but his hair was yellow. I turned and looked at him for a second then I noticed the other woman had white hair with the same eyes as Gilda.

“Um, son you ok?”

I blinked as I looked at him then nodded as I pointed at him. “Um, hey do you know a girl named Gilda?” His eyes widened so he dropped the rifle then grabbed my shirt.

“That’s my daughter's name!”

I laughed as I put my hands up as I looked at him. “Well, she’s at the zone and um…”

“He knocked your daughter!”

This guy's face formed a snarl as he looked at me.

“Shut up FLASH!”

“YOU WHAT!?”

“FUCK!”

Gilda pov

I sat next to the fire with the Pound in my arms. I smiled as I held him and his sweet little smile on my face as he looked at me brought a warmth I’ve never known. ‘I wondered if my child would bring me this warmth.’ I looked at the gate waiting to see Ash come back wanting to talk with him about going to get some stuff from that fancy baby store in town. We all looked at the gate as it opened up as the gate opened up and the jeep came with a large red truck with what looked like my parents old RV. I jumped up Pound in my arms as the jeep came to a stop. Ash got up as I ran up to be stopped when I saw he had a black eye with some dried blood under his nose. But his right hand looked hurt too. “As…”

“My baby!”

I looked to the RV seeing my mother running over with arms open wide. She hugged me and Pound, shocking me to the core. Then I saw my father stumble out his whole right jaw swollen with a huge bruise on his face. I blinked then looked back over at Ash’s hand. My mother laughed as she let me go then looked at him.

“Ya, that boy of yours knocked your father out with one savage hook after your father punched him. But, one to a more serious point: when will my first grandchild coming?”

“You want to get the fuck knocked out of you again!”

“The fuck did you say!”

We looked and saw Ash and my father in each other face Ash with his hurt fist pulled back my father with his left ready to punch.

“You two stop it, oh and Brase you're too hurt to be fighting like this. Besides, Ash’s already proved he’ll knock you on your ass if you over step.”

They looked at us as Wallflower and Trixie came walking over. But, they stopped when they saw the two of them about to rip into each other. They walked up to us looking at the two of them waiting to see what was going to happen. They looked at each other for another second then Ash’s snarl faded as he let out a long breath. He let go of my dad then started to talk.

“Look, you are in our zone. You have to listen to me and the others who lead this place. Besides me there are two other leaders. Shining and Flash both have a say if you stay or not. Bu, before all that you go into quarantine for a week our doctor and nurse will look you over.”

Ash grabbed his shirt collar and got in my dad’s face shocking me.

“But, I think for even a second you're going to do something or hurt someone. I will personally beat you to death understand?” My dad looked ready to fight but he huffed then shoved Ash back.

“Fine, but if I don’t think your or these others are up to the task of leading I’m taking my whole family and leaving.”

Ash narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.

Ash pov

I glared at this fucker then nodded, pulled my belt buckle off dropping everything. I kicked the knife and gun away as I looked at him. “Fne, you want to play the big bad motherfucker. I’ve laid you ass out once already in the two hours I’ve known you and I’m about to do it again.” He looked at me for a second fist clenched, eyes locked with mine. After a second he unclenched his fist and lowered his gaze. I huffed as I walked back and grabbed my stuff then put it all back on.

“Ok, everyone who’s in there come with me and we're going to look you over.”

I looked up, seeing a red heart walking over a clipboard in hand. The rest of their group followed her but Gilda’s father stood in front of me clearly not happy.

“Dad go.”

Gilda walked up beside me and he huffed as he kicked the dirt on me before he walked off. I sighed as I nodded my head then looked back over at the jeep. I walked over to the back then got my slings of arrows and my bow.

“Ash?”

I looked at Wallflower as I knocked an arrow. “I'm going hunting wallflower. I saw signs of deer and hog actively near the abandoned bridge about a mile out. There are lots of old houses out that way I’ll see if I can find anything.” I put a large backpack on then started to walk over to the gate.

“Hey Ash.”

I looked back seeing Applejack with a piece of paper in her hand. I turned then grabbed the paper when she held it out to me. I looked down at the paper and saw she needed bads and sets of panties. I looked up at her to see a blush on her face.

“Were out and um…”

I held a hand up as I looked at her. “Got it, I’ll see what I can find Aj.”

“Thanks”

I nodded as I slapped the gate then it opened up slightly. I walked out the gate closing behind me as soon as I was out. I started to jog down the road then slipped into the woods. I slowed my jog to a slow walk. I looked around knowing the dead were all over the forest. ‘I’ll check my traps while I’m out here.’ For the next hour I grabbed six rabbits from my traps and four more with the bow. I looked and smiled as I came across a fresh set of deer tracks.

“Ragh!”

I stopped as I heard the grounding of the dead. I turned around and looked for anything moving.

“HEY!”

I looked to my left seeing a guy running while holding his arm. Two dead were behind him and one looked like it had just turned. I pulled my bow back and aimed at the close one. I shot and put the arrow through its head and the arrow went straight into the neck of the second one. It dropped to the ground but was still moving around. The man stopped beside me looking back at the one still moving. I looked at him seeing hair a lot like Trixie’s with slightly darker skin and from the way, his clothes hung he’d lost weight.

“Thanks…”

I dropped my bow and slammed him to the ground pressing my knife to his neck. “You bitten!?” He nodded and uncovered his arm letting me see a deep cut with some metal still in his arm. I pulled him up looking around to see if any more dead were coming. “Name now.”

“R-royal Pin.”

I nodded then pulled him back onto his feet. He looked around as I pulled a large rag from the side of my bag. “Keep an eye out I need to pull out the metal or you’ll keep bleeding.”

“Wait!”

He held up his hands as he looked at me.

“I’ve got a camp not too far from here. Some others and I went out on a run into town to try and find some food. Things went from bad to worst when one of those army hum-v’s came up. They started shooting when we would come back to the hospital. Please if you can help me back you can have anything you want. We don’t have a lot of food but we do have two doctors if you need any help.”

I put the knife to his neck again, shutting him up. I put a finger to my lips as I looked down at him. “You're talking too loud and too much. I helped him up and pulled out my knife. He took it then nodded his head as he started to lead the way as I knocked another arrow. “To your camp now.”

“R-right.”

He started to run through the woods on a well-used trail. I ran behind him looking around as we ran out onto a dirt road. We were going the opposite way I should be going back. I needed to get him back to his people and If they were good I could bring them back.

“Just up ahead kid.”

I nodded as we ran up to a large barb wire fence. A young woman and a guy around my age were stabbing the dead through the fence. They sat us coming and they opened a hole in the fence letting us run into the area.

“NO!”

I turned seeing that a dead man had grabbed the open hole they opened. I dropped my bow grabbing my knife from Royal then ran up and stabbed the dead woman in the head then kicked the body back out. She closed the fence then looked back at me as I looked around the area. It wasn’t the largest area but the fence was maybe three or four layers thick.

“PIN!”

I turned ready to stab but stopped as I saw a man running up a thirty-eight in hand. I sheathed my knife as he ran up to us. He grabbed Pin pulling him over then started to talk as I got my bow then unknocked the arrow then set the bow over my back with the string pulled tight over my chest. I looked around seeing a half-burnt house with a few tents.

“Do you need any help?”

I blinked as I turned my head seeing a man with a set of knives on his belt. I nodded as I looked at him then saw a few kids looked at me from around a tree. I smiled as I pulled the rabbits off my shoulder and kneeled down looking at them. “Are you two hungry? I got more than enough for two strong and brave kids.” The older one a girl came out from around the tree, definitely scared but wanting them. I held them out to her and she touched the rabbit. She looked at me for a second then took the rabbits as she looked at me. I smiled as she looked at me then smiled.

“Thank you.”

She whispered before turning and running off back to the tents. I laughed as I watched them run off while others knifed them through the fence. I smiled as I stood back up seeing the kids as the big guy walked up to me thirty-eight in hand.

“My Daddy forged that but he’s gone now.”

I drew the sword seeing a razor sharp blade with a rope of some kind wrapped around the handle. I put the sheath in my belt and a small block of wood stopping it from falling out. I smiled as I sheathed the sword thinking of hanging it in the office. I looked back at the man and nodded as I looked at him. “How many people do you have here?” He frowned as he crossed her arms as he looked at me.

“I don’t think I should tell you that son. How about yourself?”

I crossed my arms as I looked at him. “About eighty or so if I’m not wrong. With more than enough firepower to stop anything or anyone who wants to take on our walls.” His eyebrows raised as he listened to me.

“Walls?”

I smirked as I leaned back on to a tree as I looked at him. “Yes, a good ten foot tall wall.” He looked at me for a minute then spoke up again.”

“Thirty-four before now we're thirty.”

I nodded as I looked at him. “I see well, we're open to trade or help once winter is over we're going to start expanding the walls so we need more manpower. I also need more power on my scavenge crew so we can get into that farming store. Getting some of those tools and a tracker build a farm and large grazing area for the cows and a nice big pin for the pigs.” He seemed to be thinking as I turned and started to talk back over to the area that could be opened. “If you’d to talk you’ll find me about a mile to the east in a tree with a homemade tree stand in the morning.”

“Ok.”

A man opened the gate for me and I started jog off.

Ash pov four hours later

I hummed a tune as I dragged a doe and the buck that was after her back to the zone. I pulled them up to the road and stopped as I looked at the smoke coming from inside the wall. I saw a few of the guys on the wall looking down on the road waiting to see who or what was coming. I smiled as I walked out onto the road and smiled as they opened the gate for me. Flash and Mac ran out helping me pull the deers in as a few of the slower dead came out of the forest. We pulled them in and the gate slammed shut before any dead could get in. I let the rope go then looked at the gate.

“Is that a sword?”

I looked back over seeing Shining as he walked up to me. I laughed as I looked at him then I walked up to him, my arm resting on the handle. “Well, I found another group and traded ten rabbits for information and well this.” I patted the sword and smiled as I looked at him.

“What do they have? What is the count and skills?”

“Thirty and two doctors among them. They made a nice area with layers of barb wire keeping all the dead away from then all the way around. I think the age of walls has returned to the world.” He laughed then pointed back over his shoulder to the tents.

“Gilda’s father is going to make life here hard.”

I crossed my arms as I looked at him. “Why?” He sighed as I heard yelling from the tents.

“What do you mean I’d have to work under that brat if I join the scavenging team!? I’m more than twice his age he’ll listen to me if that's what you want me to do!”

I felt my eye twitch as I looked back at him.

“He’s not joining my team. You brought him here, you deal with him.”

I sighed as I rubbed my face then nodded as I looked at him. “Ok, ok I’ll handle it. But, you with your team have to deal with him for the rest of the week, not me.” He frowned then narrowed his eyes as he looked at me.

“Touche Ash, touche.”

I laughed as I pulled my knife then turned around. “Go get the grill ready We got over three-hundred pounds of deer meat to cook.” He nodded then turned and jogged off to the crew who helped when we needed to move. I shook my head then got on my knees and started skinning the buck.

“Um, Ash?”

I heard Applejack’s voice and I pulled the bag from my side. I held it out as I looked to see how much fat was on these guy.”

“Thanks.”

I nodded as she walked off and someone else walked up to me.

“What can we take from these?”

I looked up seeing Silver as I started to skin the right hineleg. “Well, besides the back straps, legs. The liver, kidney, and heart are all edible and, when properly prepared, can be incredibly tasty but It’s been a long time since last I’ve had anything like that. But, how is your mommy doing today?”

“She’s good, and I like how quiet it is now that my daddy is gone.”

I frowned a little at that then nodded my head as I started to skin the other leg.

“What are you going to do with the skin?”

I smiled as I looked back at her as I stopped cutting. “Well, I was thinking of trying to tan it but I’ve never done that before.” She nodded then turned and ran off as the heart fell out of the chest. I laughed then started to work again. “Sweet girl.”

Chapter 13

Ash pov

I hummed a song Gilda leaning into my right side with Cup leaning into my left while knitting a thick blanket thanks to mac and Flash grabbing a shit ton of yarn the last time they ran out without me. I thought they were crazy at the time, but now I was glad they did. It helped some of the older women calm their minds.

“Say, did anyone show up this morning?”

I stopped humming then nodded as I looked into the fire. “No, I really thought someone would come but I was wrong.” Gilda frowned as she looked at me, and I sighed as I moved to get up. They moved to let me up as I turned to see the old-timer and the other apples walking on a small smokehouse.

“Hey Ash!”

I looked back over to the house, seeing Filthy waving me over. I started to walk over as Spoiled walked up in a pair of jeans and a thick jacket on. I walked up to them and crossed my arms as I looked at him. “What’s up?”

“I- I can not believe I’m asking you this but. I need a favor from you right now. Spoiled needs go into town and I want someone I can trust to go with her.”

“And, I told you if you didn’t get someone to take me out to where I want to go then I’d go alone.”

I looked at Spoiled then back at Filthy, and he nodded as he looked at me. I sighed as I rubbed my eyes then nodded as I looked at her. “Ok, ok. Where are we going?”

“To the edge of the town to our old maids out. I remembered her telling me her husband used to reload shells and bullets in their basement. So there should be gunpowder and all the other stuff we’d need and I’m the only one who knows the way and I can’t just write them out as I’m used to the drive.”

I sighed then nodded my head as I rubbed my eyes. “Fine, fine but, were going to bring Mac and Flash as back up.”

“I’m fine with that.”

I nodded, then I turned and started to walk. “I’ll be back once I get the truck and jeep.”

“Ok, oh and can I please get a pistol to protect myself with?”

I stopped then looked back over to her, then nodded. I pulled my Glock out then checked the rounds count. It was full, and I nodded then walked back up to her giving her the gun.

“Hey, Ash!”

I turned as Applejack came running up in a thick coat with her hat in her hand. She stopped in front of me and looked up at me.

“If you're going out can you take me with you? I need to go to the farm house.”

I sighed as I rubbed my eyes then looked back at Spoiled. “I’ll have Mac and Burn take you Applejack. I need to head head out and see if Spoiled’s right. So, can you go get the two?” Applejack smiled as she then took off back to the second house. “Spoiled I’ll get my shotgun then meet you at the jeep.”

“K.”

I nodded then I jogged off to get my shotgun from the house. Then I saw MAc walking with a blush Pinkie Pie at his side with a very angry Applejack close behind. I saw Mac’s shirt pulled out of his pants with a wet spot over his crotch. It didn’t take long to figure out what Applejack had walked in on.

I quickly rushed off to the house and tried to avoid Applejack’s gaze. I slipped behind a set of barrels. We had them catch rainwater or, at this point, snow. The walked passed me, and I ran for the house and quickly walked into the house, seeing Cup teaching Wallflower and Trixie how to knit through Cup's door. I smiled as I walked into my office and got my shotgun.

"Going out?"

I turned, seeing Shining standing there with his arms crossed. I nodded then turned to face him fully. "Ya, Spoiled thinks she knows a place for us to get some reloaders for ammo. Mac, Burn, and Applejack will be going to the farm in a little while." He smiled, then nodded his head as he looked at me.

"Well, if you come across anything you think we could use grab it."

I nodded, then walked back out of the room and quickly out of the house. I found Spoiled waiting next to the jeep Diamond standing with her. I smiled as I walked up behind Diamond, grabbed her shoulder, and jumped as she turned to look at me. I laughed as she puffed up her cheeks and started to punch my gut.

"JERK!"

I laughed a little then rubbed her head before looking at Spoiled. "Ready to go?"

"Yes just give me one moment."

She looked down at Diamond, then kissed her forehead then spoke.

"Diamond mommy, we'll be back. Mommy and Ash are going to get a few things."

"Why can't I come!?"

Spoiled looked up at me, nodded my head, and then put a hand on Diamond's head, and she turned to look at me. I got down on one knee and looked her straight in the eyes. "Diamond I'm not going to lie to you. It's to dangerous out there for little kids like you. Do you remember those people at the school then ones me and Flash were hitting with the bats?"

"Ya."

"There are many of them out there, and you're too young to go out there right now. One day, when you old enough, I'll teach you how to make it out there." She looked up at me then frowned as she looked down to the ground. "Do you understand Diamond?"

"Ya."

I smiled as I roughed up her hair a little, then we stood back up. Diamond ran off to the house, then we got into the jeep, and I opened the armor up as the truck started up. We pulled out, and we turned heading for the old end of town.

"So, Ash who is Gilda and Cupcake doing?"

"They're doing well Spoiled but I fell that you want to ask me about something else." She smiled as she reached over and grabbed my junk through my jeans, making me jumped for a second. "Spoiled!?"

"I was telling the truth about the reloading and gunpower but I would like to take it again. Plus, with us out of the zone, you and I can go at it for a lot longer. Plus, I know for a fact this house is like a small bunker thanks to the husband's obsession with safety."

I grabbed her hand then pulled it off my junk while driving. "So, that's why you had me come out here with you."

"Ya, plus I wanted to try and take it up the ass this time.~"

I blushed as she pulled her hand free then slipped into my pants as she spoke.

"We'll go down this road for another twenty minutes."

I huffed then pulled her hand out of my pants as I pulled off to the side of the road and drove onto a side road then parked. I looked at her and looked nervous as she looked at me.

"Too far?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, and she laughed a little then looked away hands in her lap. I pulled back out and started driving again. She was quiet now, only telling me which way to go. Soon we arrived, and I had her stay in the jeep as I walked around with my knife in hand. There was a large wooden fence around the house made with what looked like deck boards going both up and across. It would be over three inches thick, and I saw a ton of bloodstains on the wood, but the gate was open. I walked up to it, seeing a snapped padlock latch on the ground still locked. I had a look around, seeing no dead in the area. I looked around, seeing what I think was about four acres of land was filled with many killed dead. I looked down at the others and relaxed as I looked around. I nodded, then walked back to the jeep and got back into the jeep and drove in. I turned around and turned to put the nose of the jeep in front of the open gate. We got out, and I closed the surprisingly heavy gate then had Spoiled pressed the front it the gate. With that done, we headed for the house, and I had her stay outside of the house. I found even more of them inside all dead massive holes in their heads. The dead trail went up the steps, and I pulled them away from the steps and made a pile in front of the empty living room. 'God who killed all these?!' looked at the pill of ten or twenty corpses. I walked up the stairs, and I finally heard something moving. I looked at the door at the end of the hall, where the last of them was laying on the ground. I walked up to the door and knocked on it. A second later, two bangs came from the other side. I nodded and cursed as I nodded my head as I raised my knife. 'Please just two.' I slammed my shoulder into the door and threw the dead back and stabbed the bigger one than the smaller one. I pulled back and didn't see anymore in the room I opened all the doors ready but didn't find anymore.

"Ash?"

I turned my head, seeing Spoiled in the doorway. I nodded at her then sighed as I put my knife back into the sheath then walked over to her. "Let's get the stuff and maybe tell the old-timer about that huge fence we could reuse those deck boards." She nodded and had a sick look on her face as I pulled her back down and set her down in the yard as I started to try and get into the garage since I didn't find the reloading stuff in the house. I broke the side door open and jumped back, waiting with my hand on my knife. Nothing came to the door, so I grabbed a rock from the ground then threw the rock as hard as I could against the door. It let out a loud bang. Nothing came from the inside, so I walked over and opened the door. I looked around seeing what we were looking for. There stood two shell loaders and rifle reloaders set up.

Shotgun Shell reloader

Rifle reloader

I smiled as I looked around and found a row of large boxes holding gunpowder with a massive ammo can. I walked over then popped it, seeing it full of primers. I smiled, then closed and locked it back before nodding. "God yes!" I did a victory dance, then walked back out to the yard and saw Spoiled holding herself as she looked around. I sighed then walked to her.

"I shouldn't have come out here."

I nodded as she looked at me, then I sighed. I stood back up. "Look, once this is done. You stay where you belong in the zone. Spoiled it's do or die out here now." She nodded, then I nodded and started to move all the stuff. Spoiled after getting herself back together, she helped to move everything else. Once I'd made sure nothing would get damaged, I closed the back and climbed onto the jeep. I looked out, seeing a few had gathered up but enough to stop us from leaving. I jumped back down and saw Spoiled already back in the jeep. I knocked on the window, and she looked at me. She rolled down the window, and I spoke. "Get in the driver's seat and lock the window armor down. There are a few of them out there so I'll have to jump in as soon as we're out. Do you think you can do that?" She nodded as she looked at me, then she opened the door leaving it craked.

"Yes, yes I can."

She walked over to the other side, quickly getting in, then started up the engine and pulled forward. I pulled the doors open, and I ran back to the door then jumped in as she threw it into reverse and pulled out. I locked the door as she pulled off, driving passed a small hoard. I laughed as we drove, and Spoiled looked at me as if I was a mad man. I laughed a little more then nodded my head. "Three times I've gotten away with something crazy." She nodded as she drove us back down the road.

chapter 14

Ash pov

“Come on!” The others ran up behind me as we reached the farm store, and I broke open the back door. We got in, and Braeburn ran over to the tractors. Mac is doing the same quickly as Flash, and I held the door shut. I could feel my feet getting pushed back, and the door was opening,

“Get ready to move!”

I looked back as an engine roared. Burn was on a tractor which thankfully had gas. Mac ran back over and helped us close the door. Burn lowered the bucket as he drove over. Mac and Flash jumped to the side, and I jumped into the bucket once he was close enough. He forced the door shut then dropped two side legs keeping the tractor in place. I sighed as I sat down on the top of the bucket and rubbed my face as I looked at the door. “Fuck! Brase what the hell were you thinking!?” I yelled at the older man as he huffed and looked at me.

“Well sorry, I didn’t think firing at one that far away would draw that many in!”

I sighed and nodded as I rubbed my eyes. “Next time we go outside of these doors silent weapons only. And Brase if you shoot one more dead without me saying so I will knock you out again!” He spat on the ground and nodded as he looked at me.

“Alright, I know I fucked up but I’m used to just doing this alone.”

I sighed and nodded as I got off the bucket. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry, I just wasn’t ready for that shot. I don’t think any of us were ready.” I pulled a hatchet off my side and my flashlight. “Alright, Brase, Mac, and Rainbow yours with me. Flash you take Burn, and Chrysalis and see about rooms we may be in here for the night find the safest place in here. We’re going to go around make sure this place is sealed off from the outside. I don’t want to risk it.”

“We meet back here in thirty. Let’s move.”

Flash waved and they walked off to the right and I started to walk left. “Brase on me. Rainbow you cover Mac’s back. I want you two go see if you two can find gas heaters or maybe some propane while we check around.”

“Right.”

I started to walk along the wall with Mac and Rainbow head across to the front wall lights showing the way. I started to walk and I looked ahead, my hand tight to the handle. We were quiet for a few minutes until I spoke up. “Look I get it you're not happy with having to follow me. But, we both want the same thing. To make sure the people we care about are fed, clothed, and protected. And, I like it or not Gilda is carried my child I will do everything in my power to keep them alive.” He was quiet for a minute and we stopped as I opened a door to an office.

“Sorry about last week. I wasn’t thinking when I punched you.”

I laughed as I looked back at him. “Don’t worry about it. I get it we were both way over our heads for the last week. And, Gilda has been asking me to try and get along with you and your wife. You have a very sweet wife but Gilda is much more like you most of the time. She’s tough as nails.” Brase laughed and I did too.

“Ya, she is. And, my grandchild will be too. With a mother like her and a father who’s got the balls the do half the stuff, I’ve been told about.”

I laughed before a bang and we jumped and put our backs together before we heard Mac call out.

“Sorry, we knocked over an empty porpane can.”

“Fuck I hate shit like that.”

“Ya.”

We stood up and we started to walk again. I looked at the loading bay doors and looked at the doors. They were locked and I sighed as Brase walked a little as he spoke.

“I used to work in a place like this. Warehouse area’s usally connect to office area’s or hallway to the front offices.”

I nodded then I looked across the way and saw Mac and Rainbow. We finished and meet back up then started to look around.

“Did anyone see where Flash and the others went?”

“Right here.”

We looked to the right as Flash came walking over. He smiled and a second later the lights came up. I laughed then looked at him. “They had a backup genarater?”

“Ya and a few fifty gallon barrels of gas.”

I laughed and nodded as I put my hatchet back on my side. “Well, I’ll be damned. What about offices? Maybe something we can use to get out of this place?” Flash nodded as he looked at me.

“Not really much, there are a few rooms but it’s going to be close quarters. We did find a few dead down there but they were pretty old and slow.”

I nodded and sighed as I looked at him. “Okay, Mac you, Burn and Chrysalis to an office and we’ll be in another. Or we can do what we can to make a closed off area and do what we can to make it comfortable. How do you want to do that compared to being in small offices?” Everyone looked at one another then nodded as they looked back at me.

“Let’s get an area made.”

I nodded and we broke apart grabbing palate jacks. I grabbed one and grabbed an old pile of soil and pulled it to where everyone was making a barricade. It took us a little while but we made a nice area.

“What about the lights?”

I looked up at them then nodded as I looked back to flash. She’s right, once the sun goes down this place will drow them here like a moth to a fla...” A gunshot ring out and I pulled my gun up and put my back on the soil. A few more rang out then a door slammed.

“Come on!”

I could hear the groaning and I felt fear run up my back. I knew we’d be fucked and I looked back at the others. They nodded and I nodded back before I pushed the soil back. It made a loud screech as I shoved the half-lowered jack. I jumped out and saw a large group of ten adult and two teens. I saw two of the larger men trying to hold the door shut. “Don’t make me regret this!” I threw my shotgun over my shoulder and grabbed the jack as Mac and Burn did the same with two others jacks. I started to pull them over and a few of them ran around the plates and started to push. I got the doors blocked and we all took a few steps back as the groans came along with a few bangs on the wood. I looked that the man that seemed to be leading the group. We all looked at one another for a minute until he spoke.

“Well leave as soon as the walkers clear out.”

“Walkers? Oh the dead. Ya, that fine we'll be gone as soon as they clear out too. But first I need to get the generator shut off. They'll never leave as long as there are signs of people in here.”

“Do you need a hand?”

I looked over at a guy around my age. I looked at him for a second and I saw he only had a little meat on his bones, the same as the rest. I looked at them all for a second then looked at Mac. “Mac you dropped that gym bag right out in front of the alley right?”

“Ya about a twenty or so feet away but with the alley it be hell to get.”

“Hell but what about we had extra food in there right?”

‘Ya, but you don’t come back, Gilda is going to kick all our asses.”

“Dude, look at them. They're like skin in bones plus we may be here all night and what little food we have won’t cut that.” I dropped my bag and pulled out my knife and hatchet.

“I think I can help if we can get on the roof.”

I looked over at a woman from the group and she dropped a backpack. She opened it and I saw it filled to the brim with fireworks. I nodded then looked around and smiled as I saw a latter. “Okay, Flash and Burn you two take her on the roof and set those things off. And yell down once enough clear out. I know we can’t get away with them all stirred up like they are. But, we can hold up and keep quiet they should move away from this place soon hopefully.” They nodded and they went up before her and once she was up I went over to the door. Mac got on the tracker and I heard the fireworks going off a minute later.

“GO!”

Mac pulled the tractor back and Rainbow grabbed the doorknob. She opened the door and I ran out killing the closes dead. I charged down the alley killing a few more and ran onto the street and grabbed the bag. I looked over to the front. A wall of dead pressed up alongside the building but a few looked over at me and started to come at me. I took back off at a run. I ran in and Rainbow slammed the door shut as Mac started to drove forward. He reblocked the door and I sighed as I dropped the gym bag and sighed as I sat down on the floor, heart pounding in my chest.

“You okay son?”

I looked up at one of the larger men asked as he looked down at me. “Ya, ya, that’s the third fucking time I’ve done something crazy like that. Anyways, everyone get something to eat.” I threw the bag over to him. He smiled and everyone gathered up around and all of them started to split up and food. I sighed as I wiped the blood off my hatchet and knife. I stood up and put my weapons away and started to walk. “Okay, Generater time.”

“Hey, I’ll come help you.”

I looked back at Rainbow as she ran up with a couple of bags of dried meat we made. She threw me one. I nodded before we started to walk towards the sounds. “What did you hear?”

“That guy about our age was talking about the hospital. I think they may have made a run from that place. Plus, doesn’t it seem like there are more dead in the town the last two or three weeks?”

“Good point. And the fact we haven’t seen any of that army unit around. dDes seem to make since. Well, we’ll do the same deal as always. Keep tight and ears open tonight.”

“Right.”

We reached the generator and I walked over and hit the kill switch. I sighed as I turned on the light and looked over at Rainbow as she leaned on the wall knife in hand. She looked at me and I nodded as I killed the light and pulled out my hatchet. Sure enough, a sound came not a minute later. Slow and steady with no other sound came with it. ‘Someone alive.’ As we waited for something a light turned on.

“Ash where are you guys?”

I sighed hearing Flash’s voice and Rainbow turned on her light.

“In here Flash.”

He walked in and I looked at his hands and stopped. I looked down a recurve bow in his hands with two side quivers in his hands.

“They said they wanted to thank us and all they had to give was a bow they took when they ran from the hospital after it was overrun. None of them know how to use it.”

I laughed then slipped my hatchback into my holder then held my hands out. “Time to thin the herd.” Flash smiled as he looked at me.

“Maybe you should teach some of us to shoot these things. And we got a lot of let over pilates of soil and wood chips.”

I gripped the bow and nodded before grabbing the string and tried giving it a pull. “No, recurve is not my preferred type of bow. Plus, the draw weight is up there and I’m not sure how high.”

“Well, how high does it go?”

“I think the heaviest is like two hundred or something like that.”

“Damn.”

I nodded as I looked at Rainbow. Then slipped the bow over my head before I waved for Flash to start walking.

“Do you think we should bring them back?”

“The quarantine tents should be restocked now. Were in the middle of winter they will die out here.”

I nodded my head as I crossed my arms as looked at him. “You make a good point.” We walked back into the warehouse and I saw everyone expanding the walls we made. They walked over and started to help them as I looked on.

“I guess you’re the one in charge of this group.”

I looked back at her and she was an older woman with an older set of glasses and had on a grey shirt and black jeans with slightly gray hair tied back into a bun.

“Well of this team the zone appointed me as scavenger team lead.”

“Zone?”

She sat down beside the other finished making the wall. “We built a community around the two estates just out of town. The bulk of us came from Canterlot high and the rest we’ve found and brought in.”

“Could you take in more? I have three more daughters hiding out at our rock farm.”

“Well, that may help but we need to survive tonight first.”

chapter 15

Ash pov a week ago

I opened the door and saw no dead around the back of the farmer's supply store. I saw a few down at the end of the street on the right. I looked to my left and saw a few more walking past. I nodded and looked back at Mac and Burn as they finished loading the trailer for the tractor. I stepped back in and closed the door as quietly as I could. A few of the guys set the pallet back, blocking the door. I sighed as I looked at Mac as he climbed into a closed tractor cabin. “You two sure you have enough gas for a ride like this?” Mac closed his door, and Burn did too. He looked at me with a smile on his face, and I sighed. I walked over to the door to let the tractors out. Brase grabbed the chains to both doors. “Don’t get eaten!” The doors flew up, and they started to drive out. I jumped into the tailor Mac was pulling and Brase up over the other side. I held my knife and hatcheted tight as we rode out the door.

“Here they come!”

I braced myself as they came running. I stood up and looked at Burn’s tracker and saw the dirt and boxes of seeds. Behind him was Flash standing with his AR ready to shoot if one got to the door. Dash was behind her twin, forty-fives in hand. We started to ride down the road heading for the cars. I looked over and saw a small hoard around us. “Protect Mac and Burn!”

“We know!”

I put my knife away and grabbed my forty-five. They crashed into the bucket, and they drove over them. I laughed as we drove over them and started to head for the jeep and the hum-v. I looked over at Rainbow, and she nodded as we turned the corner. I saw the jeep and smiled as Mac started to drive closer. I jumped onto the jeep and got in through the skylight, and Rainbow jumped onto the hum-v. She jumped on the fifty mounted and climbed into the hum-v. The hum-v roared to life, and I started to the jeep and slammed down on the horn. Some of the dead not already around us started our way. I threw the jeep in reverse and kept my hand on the horn as I tore ass, backing up and running a few over. I turned hard and gunned it, keeping it up with the horn Rainbow close behind. I heard an air horn as we drove down the street. We gunned it once we reached a straight road, and I let off the horn, and the air horn was gone. We turned at the end of the street and headed down the back way to the area they were heading. We made a few more turns before we rounded another corner and saw them coming our way with the much thinner hoard.

“Ready to go again?”

I grabbed the radio and hit the button. “Ya, bu…”

A gunshot ran out behind us, and the dead looked our way as a few more rang out. “Rainbow, kill your engine!” We killed them as what sounded like a gun battle started behind us. They started to run past us as the last few clung to the tracker and trailers. A few minutes later, the gunfire stopped, and we started back up the engines. We drove off as the others used some of the long-handled hammers we took to kill the few still around them. As they reached the forest, they killed the last few.

Ash current pov

"Anything out there, Ash?"

I took my eye off the scope and looked back at my crew. I nodded as I looked down, seeing the old-timer and his small working crew building a wall around the cabin with the leftover wood from the maid's house. "Nothing, which is worrying, but it is a nice sign the dead may be moving on."

"Maybe, but we still have a problem."

I looked at my crew and then over to the three cots he was looking at in the corner. "Oh ya, well, I'll be one of the first to stay the weekend here."

"I'll stay too."

I looked at Rainbow as she hadn't wanted much of anything to do with me since the night I slept with Gilda but worked with me.

"I'll guess I'll stay too."

Rosa spoke up, and I nodded as I set the rifle down. Then we walked downstairs, seeing the old-timer teaching some of the guys and a few girls basic construction. I walked up to the table and saw they'd also reinforced the window and had completely removed the back door. I cleared my throat, getting the attention of everyone. Someone called in the others, and once we had everyone in the house, I started to talk. "Alright, Me, Rainbow, and Rosa will be the first to stay the weekend here. So here is what I need everyone to do. Make sure the fence is fully set up. Had the extra wood set to the house's side with any tools you can spare for us? We'll work on more defenses over the weekend. As well as start a map of the area to find wood to be made into lumber for construction at the zone. If you have questions, please talk with me once the weekend is over as you only have an hour or two left to get back before the sun sets." They all looked at the older timer, and he laughed and then spoke up.

"You heard him get moving!"

They did as they were told as I helped the old-timer gather his stuff in the house and then took them to the trucks. Once everything was done, we let them out the gate, then I shut and locked it, then bared the gate, then Rainbow and I set up the supports to make sure it stayed shut as Rosa moved the wood into the house as it was already a cold day, so the night was going to be freezing tonight. With the gate secure, we walked into the house. I bared the door and then looked at the two of them. They looked at me, and I sighed as I looked at the room lighted by the lanterns we had on. I nodded as I turned to the steps and then started up them. "Rainbow, get the fireplace set up, Rosa; you start on dinner for the three of us. I'll get the cots down, then make sure the whole lower level is locked up in case of someone thinking of jumping that big ass fence."

"Right."

I got to the top of the steps and walked over into the room. I grabbed the bags holding a few thick blankets and three pillows. I walked them back down, set them in the corner, then walked back up, got the cots, and walked back down with a bit of trouble carrying them down. I sat them down and then started to them up. Rainbow finished setting up the wood as Rosa opened a few cans of beef stew. I finished setting up the cots as Rainbow sat down in the recliner chair, let by whoever owned this place. I stood up and then walked around the room, checking the board windows with a second layer of fixed bars across them. Satisfied, I walked back to the living room and then closed the door to the side room to keep what heat the fire gives us over the night. Rosa had finished cooking and walked back in from the kitchen. I walked in, then made sure the windows were ok; I closed the door. We all took a wooden bowl full of stew and sat on a cot.

“What’s the first thing on the list?”

I looked at Rose and looked up at the roof. “Well, I guess you two can stay here tomorrow and set up marks for pit traps outside if you can scout out the woods near here. I’ll be heading into the woods to get a map started and do some hunting. I saw some dead hickory that looked dry. I’ll get as much of that as I can so we can smoke some meat whenever we get it.”

“Sounds like a plan but, I have to ask why you, Shining, and Filthy want to make this place an outpost?”

I chewed on a piece of meat as I looked at Rosa. I wiped my mouth as I sat the bowl down beside me and then reached for my bag. I grabbed the strap then, pulled it over, opened the front pocket, and pulled out my notebook. I opened the third page and turned to show them the small map I was making. “This area is near where four creeks intersect to become one. I’ve also found medical herbs around this area. There must be more, so Shining and Filthy asked me to get an outpost in this area so we can take control of the water and the herbs. If we have this, we may be able to make some meds as well as if we pull it off rerunning water.”

“That would be nice. If only now and then a warm bath would be nice.”

I laughed as I looked up at the roof. “I was also thinking of some of the fruit trees I’ve seen and some of the barriers bushes and blackberry patches around. My dad taught me how to make juice and wine. Both of which we could use for trade if there are other settlements out there. I even saw a lemon tree near here. Lemons can kill mold, germs, and some bacteria, but not all of them but that basic fruit could help save lives.”

“Alright, we got a plan then.”

I nodded as Rainbow finished her bowl, set it down beside her cot, and spoke for the first time.

“So, we’re going to mark sites for pits and some looking within the site of the cabin.”

I nodded as I looked at her. “Ya, But, if a lot of them surround this place, set off some kind of signal for me, so I know to find another way.”

“Right.”

“Say are you going to use that sword you brought?”

I looked over at my bag and saw the sword leaning on a chair. “Ya, I’ll be teaching myself to use it.” Rainbow laughed, and Rose nodded her head as she looked at me. “Alright, let's get some rest; we have an early day tomorrow.” They nodded, and Rose took all the bowls and set them up on the hearth. We laid down, and I set my Glock down on the ground beside me. I sighed as I locked my hands behind my head. I looked up at the roof. I closed my eyes with my guard up.

Chapter 9

I sat in front of the gate on the hood of the jeep I drove back in. Some of the people had fixed up the jeep and had metal bars over the windows and rear windshield. I had a trailer on the back to hold more stuff.

“Ash.”

I looked back over and saw Flash and Twilight looking at me a frown on their faces. “I see, well this is so long then.” I jumped off the hood then walked over to them. Twilight hugged me and Flash shook my hand. I let his hand go and I turned but Flash grabbed my shoulder.

“Ash take these.”

Flash pulled a few sticks of dynamite and I smiled as I took them. I put them into my jacket pockets as I looked at them. I grabbed Flash’s arm and Twilight’s arm then pulled them both into a hug. “You two take care of my girls if anything happens.” They hugged me back and we broke the hold. Flash patted my shoulder a few times then I walked over to the jeep got in. They happened the gate and I drove out. As I drove into the town I noticed all the dead were nowhere to be seen. I put my hand on the holster on my side and looked in the rearview mirror to look at my shotgun. I looked back at the road and saw I was ten miles away from the hospital and I knew the food bank was a little ways away from the hospital. As I got deeper into the town I started to get scared as no dead started to show. ‘The hell is going on?’ I pulled up near the food bank and waited in the jeep to see what was going on. Sure enough, I heard gunfire a little ways away and I jumped out of the jeep shotgun in my hand as I ran up to the door. I was locked and I heard gunfire getting closer. I kicked the damn thing as hard as I could and cracked the door. I kicked it again but it still didn’t give way then I heard running. I turned my head and saw two men and a young girl running this way. They saw me and started to run this way. ‘SHIT!’ I slammed my shoulder into the door and it finally gave way. I held the door open and I was waving for them as a hoard of the dead were behind them. They ran in and I and the bigger guy threw ourselves into the door to stop the dead as they slammed into the walls and doors.

“Braeburn!”

I looked over the girl and saw she had green hair and darker skin. “You two get something heavy to block this damn door!” The second guy had blonde hair and was dressed like a damn cowboy looked around. They threw everything off a big desk then as quickly as they could they moved it over to the door. We moved aside as they forced the desk up to the door and we ran over picked up another desk then set it on top of the other desk. The door shock from the dead but it would hold for a little while. “God damn!” I kicked a computer and as I rubbed the back of my head while holding my shotgun.

“Hey, man thanks a lot.”

I looked over at the guy that helped me hold the door. He was a big guy with blonde hair and he had lost so weight in I had to guess but he was still a huge guy. He had green eyes like Applejack and kind of the ascent. “No problem, but fuck how the hell am I getting back to my jeep.”

“You’ve got a car?”

I nodded as I turned on a light taped to the front of my shotgun. The sunlight wasn’t as bright as this flashlight. “Ya, and I need to get the food out of this place the zone needs it.”

“Zone?”

I looked up at the two as they spoke together. “A safe zone made of survivors from Canterlot high and crystal prep as well as anyone I found about in town.” I opened the door into the rest of the building and I looked back at the group. “Hey, just incase I don’t come back up here.” I pulled out the forty-five I left it on the desk next to the door before I walked into the dark.

“Wait up!”

The cowboy ran up to me a knife in hand. “You sure about this?”

“You helped us when you could have left us for dead but you didn’t. I’m sure you’re a good guy so ya I got your back.” I pulled out my spare light and threw it over to him. He turned it on then we walked in back room and started to look around.

“This looks like a records room man. I think they store canned and boxed foods in the basement.”

“Alright, I’ll take point and you get ready to get but to your friends if this goes south. But, let’s have a look in these desk and see if there’s anything we can use.”

“Okay.”

I walked over a desk then opened the drewers and this guy did the same. We found a few bottles of painkillers, headache powered and a few bags of cough drops. We threw them into the back pack on my back. Then moved on to the basement door and found it. We walked up to the door I grabbed the handle then threw the door open and I pointed the barrial down the stairs. I hit the door a few times and nothing came to the steps. “Let’s go.” We walked down the stairs and at the bottom was shelves of canned food with some boxes off to the side.

“Sweet mother of god…”

I smiled as looked around and we looked at one another and smiled then I cut my light lose then we started to move the boxes to the main room. When we came back with the first few boxes they came and helped us move the boxes. It took us half an hour to get them all up to the room and the big guy walked up the stairs after we’d finished to see who many were still outside. I sat down in a chair in the corner, and the girl walked over to me with a bottle of water in hand.

“Here.”

I smiled as I took the bottle from her. “Thanks.” She smiled, then walked over and sat down beside the cowboy and leaned into his side as he smiled, then wrapped an arm around her. “So… what're your names?” They looked at me then laughed a little.

“I’m Braeburn, and this is my girl Chrysalis. The big guy upstairs is my cousin Big Mac.”

“Big Mac? As in Big Macintosh Apple of the Apple family?”

They looked at me, shocked then Bareburn looked at me a happy look on his face.

“Ya, how do you know his full name?”

“Both his sisters are at the zone.”

“WHAT!?”

We looked over to the steps leading upstairs, and Mac was looking at me. I laughed as I looked at them him then nodded as I looked at him. “If you all want to come back, you have to go into a week-long quintain.”

“How many people do you have at this zone?”

“Over seventy.” Their eyes went wide as they looked at me, but I stood up as I looked at Mac. “We can talk on the way, but what’s going on, but for now, how many are out there?” He sighed as he looked at me then sat down on the desk next to the wall.

“A good few, and we have way too much stuff to move. We’ll get overrun the moment we go out the door.”

“Fuck, we need sunlight for this and going out at night and we're good as dead food.”

“Ya, but we need to swing by the farm and get the others.”

I looked over at Mac as he pulled out two knives. “How many at this farm?”

“A five more adults one can’t walk because of a hurt leg. We even have most of our livestock thanks to the barns we kept them in overnight.”

I smiled as I looked at him, then I looked over at Braeburn, and he had the forty-five. “If we can have a good bit of this out, we can go to the zone to get more cars, and you all can come to the zone. Nice high walls and lots of people and guns.” They looked at each other; then Mac nodded as he looked at me.

“Fine, but we need another way out; the front is a no go.”

I nodded, then put my hand in my pocket, felt something in my pocket then I pulled out the sticks of dynamite. “Maybe we can go out the front.” I showed them the dynamite, and they smiled as I pulled out a zippo lighter I found in a desk. “You three get those desked moved and get ready to move. Mac Chrysalis get that door fixed, so none get in. I’ll keep the one this doesn’t draw off occupied.” I pulled the keys out of my pocket then threw them to Chrysalis. She looked at me as Mac and Braeburn pushed the desk out of the way, and I ran threw the door, lighting the first stick of dynamite. “Here, hoping!” I put a buckshot through the head of a dead woman as the dynamite went off farther down the street, drawing most of them away. But a few were still coming at me.

“Move!”

Mac hit the close one to the door with a huge hammer killing it with one blow. I shoot another shell before the other two made a run for the jeep. I looked at the door and saw a Braeburn and Chrysalis pushing a small car smart car in front of the door. When they were done, they ran to the jeep, and Braeburn jumped onto the driver's seat, and Chrysalis jumped into the front passenger seat, and we jumped onto the trailer. The jeep started up, and we sped off, but a few of the dead were holding on. I kicked one off the side, and I shot another one. The last one fell off the side, her hands still on the side of the trailer. We sighed as we rode down the road, and I laid back into the gate of the back. I looked at the hands then slammed the butt of the shotgun knocking them off

“Damn.”

“Ya, you won’t believe the shit I’ve seen these days. But, I need to get that food and more meds.”

“There’s other food out there.”

I looked at him while we started to drive out of the downtown area. “Not enough, with a group as big as ours, we burn through a lot. The food back is the best bet, and the farmer's store down the street has everything we need to grow our food once the winter is over.”

“Eeyep .”

I laughed, then looked around and saw a small mom and pop shop I wanted to hit. I waved in the air, and the jeep slowed to a stop as I got up and jumped off the trailer.

“What’s up?”

I pointed to the shop, and they looked at it. “The place is locked up last time I was in town. I missed my chance to get the stuff out of it. There won’t be much, but they sold over the counter antibiotics, plus that survive foodstuff that takes years to go bad, and he had six months of dried good in the back. A few months or not, it will all still be good, so I’m going to get it. From here to downtown was a little over a mile away. I should be able to break in without getting the attention of the dead downtown. But If you all want to go and we’ll go, I don’t want to go back without something.” Mac and Braeburn looked at me, and then both got a look in their eyes.

“Braeburn!”

He looked back to her as he opened the door.

“Sorry, hun, but he’s right were low on food, and we got a guy who gives us a real chance. Think of nice walls keeping the bites out instead of having to pill into a house with an old wooden fence we have to fix every time it gets knocked over by a bitter. The barns ain’t going to hold up forever, neither.”

She looked panicked but nodded her head as she looked at him.

“You still got my forty-five?”

She held it up for me to see. I nodded, then pulled a few clips from my pocket and walked over to her door. I opened it then help them out to her, and when she took them, I pulled out my other knife. “Braeburn, give her the keys in case something happens so you guys can jump back on the trailer.

“What about you?”

I nodded my head as I looked at the ground. “I’ve taken this road more than once a man.” I turned my back to them then started to walk over to the front door, then slung my shotgun over my shoulder and pulled out my knife. I put the tip of the blade onto the glass and slammed the palm of my hand, busting out the window making a loud sound, but none of the dead seemed to have heard it.

“Let’s hurry.”

“Ya.”

We quickly walked in, and I looked around and found the bags and started to grab all the over the counter meds I saw while Mac and started to run the food back out. I ran the meds out two bags full and threw them in the back before running but in grabbing more food as the others ran out. We spent a good hour running in and out before a large group of the dead started running our way as Braeburn was running out with the last of the six months supply. Mac and I killed the first few that got close, and Braeburn jumped in and started the jeep up. We jumped in and started to drive off as a small hoard that came running.

“HELL YA HAHA!”

Braeburn yelled as we drove out of town the food on the food on the trailer holding on. I smiled as I leaned back into the seat as we drove, and Mac grabbed my shoulder and shook me. I smiled as we drove down the roads heading for the only farm in town.

“Say Ash was it?”

“Ya.”

“I was wondering if you have a girl of your owe?”

I laughed as I looked at him. “Three and one is carrying a baby for me.” They all did a double-take as I smiled and started to explain. The school the few months and how I’ve lost most of our scavenging team do to mine and Gilda’s actions.

“I could join when we come back.”

“Eeyep!”

I looked at the two of them and smiled as I looked at them. “Well, before that, you all have to go into quarantine for a week and answer some questions.” They smiled as we raced down onto a dirt road heading for a burn and farmhouse with a thick but hold fence around the two with another burn a little further off. I saw a man on the roof of the burn with a rifle aimed at us. He was a much older man with a grey beard, but he was a large man. Braeburn took his hat off and waved it out the window. The man lowered his rifle as we rode up to the small gate. Chrysalis jumped out and opened the gate quickly, and we drove in. Once we came to a stop, everyone came running, and I got out last as the other jumped out of the jeep. All the others looked at me as I leaned on the side of the jeep.

“Who this?”

I looked at the older man and saw him with three women all looked like they were in their late teens with a second man with a handgun on the porch. They looked like the three sisters who were new to the school. I waved to all of them and got off the jeep. ”Names as, and we need to talk.” We walked inside, and I explained everything I told the others. I asked them to talk about what they wanted to do, and I would wait outside on the porch. A good ten minutes passed, and the older man walked out and closed the door.

“If we come with you, I want to know whos in charge?”

“Three other people and I run the place. I lead a team to get food, meds, and anything we need from the town or the surrounding area.”

“Who else would we have to talk to, so I know my family and these girls are safe.”

“The two who keep peace in the zone are called Filthy and Mark. We also have a third man security team named Shining. Since I go out to get everything, they trust me to find safe people to let in to the zone. We have a lot of women and children in the zone with a lot of people who can’t take this world now.”

“How big is this zone?”

“Fifty acres, and if you have a map, I can show you where.”

He opened the door and yelled for the town map. A few second later and Mac held a arm out to him.

“Here you go.”

I pulled a red sharpie out of my pocket then quickly and roughly drew out the area then marker the area used as the area of the zone itself.

(best I could find)

“I see.”

“Well, this is the main area, but I’ve been over a hundred acres out to hunt.”

“Do you think you could clear an area for farming?”

I rubbed my chin as I looked at the map then put my finger down to the north were a tree was sparse. “Here would be the best area as it’s it on a small hill so anyone who's working could see whatever come around. We could even use the wood to build a cabin or small house for shelter and protection, maybe even a wall around the farm area.” the old man looked at me for a second then nodded as he opened the door again and yelled for everyone to get ready to move. I heard them start moving around as he walked back in. I walked over to the jeep, then cleaned out the far back, and the other quickly came out with some bags.

"Well, need a minute."I nodded as I watched them move around quickly then I heard the sound of a truck engine. I looked around a corner and watched as a massive truck came around the side of the barn. I looked at Mac and he smiled.

“We got ten cows and a dozen pigs left. We can take them with us and if we can take some of the wood from around the barn then we can build pins for them.”

I nodded and Braeburn, the old man and one of the girls ran over. We grabbed large boards of wood and fence posts as the others helped the man into the jeep before we all moved the cows into the trailer.

“What about the pigs?”

The old man closed the door and looked back at me.

“They’re taking them with them to your zone me when they come back for me and you. I want to lock the house down before I leave it.”

I nodded as I looked at him and told the other where to go then gave Mac the code word scanner. They left and the old man and I tore the fence down then started to hammer boards on the outside and inside of the house. We barred the back down and sat up in the barn once we locked the doors sitting across the barn from the pigs.

“So, have any little ones?”

I looked up from my shotgun at the man.

“Ya, one on the way and two I’ve taken the father place for the mother.”

“What happened to him?”

I watched as he took out a pocket knife out of his pocket. I sighed as I looked away from him as he looked at me.

“Son?”

“We got rid of him when he let me and a few others out for the bitter you called them?”

He looked at me for a second then nodded his head as he looked down at a piece of wood he started to cut on.

“Did you kill him or…”

“We kicked him out of the zone but may as well have killed him.” The man nodded and we sat there for a while until we heard an engine. It didn’t sound like the jeep or truck so we looked out the window seeing a hum-v.

“Not them again.”

I looked over at the old man as he loaded a round into his rifle. “You’ve seen these guys too?” We watched as the two of the soldiers got out hum-v.

“Ya they came by about a week ago and that’s when my cousin's leg got hurt. They tried to force us to come to the hospital. We don’t know what they want but it almost ended in gunfire.”

I nodded and we waited for the two soldiers got out. I busted out the window then old man doing the same with his window. “On the ground now!” The first soldier a younger woman dropped on the ground and the man pulled his rifle up and the old man put around through the eye dropping him. He looked at me and I pointed to the girl and then myself. He nodded and I quickly ran out the door looking around as I quickly walked over to her and ducked behind the hum-v beside the woman. She looked at me scared and I pointed my shotgun at her. “You get up and keep your hands on your head and get in the barn got me?”

“Y-yes Sir.”

She quickly stood up and but her hands on top of her helmet as she walked through the barn door and I ran from my place behind the hum-v. I shut the door quickly and the old man had her at gunpoint.

“Hun, I don’t want to put a bullet in your head too so you need to start giving us some anwears about what’s going one.”

She looked at us scared as she got down on her knees as I looked out the window.

“Look, all I know is this thing is global and we are tofine every survivor we can. We lost contact with the higher ups about a month ago. There are only a dozen of us not counting the guy to just killed.”

I looked over to her then asked her and ask a question.

“What was a sniper doing near our safezone?”

She looked at me as her face drained of color. I pointed my shotgun at her making sure she got my point. She nodded as she looked at me.

“Same deal but I heard they were looking for a mercenary that was with them. He raped a woman and ran off he had a scar but I don’t know where.” I nodded then threw my shotgun over my shoulder then looked around. I saw a rope on a wall then I walked over to the wall and grabbed the rope. “Miss please put your hands behind your back. Were going to take you and the hum-v with us when we go.” She looked between us and did as I told her and I tied her hands behind her back. Once I had her hands tied we heard another engine this time it was closer to the sound I knew. I looked out and the jeep came up to the farm. They pulled up to the farm Rainbow and Flash got out first as Braeburn jumped out a rifle in hand. I walked out of the burn the girl with us.

“Ash!”

I got a look at Flash and I burst out laughing as I looked at him bruised face and black eye. He looked at me pissed then spit on the ground.

“Ya, ya laugh it up when we get back Gilda is going to have your ass for taking off without telling her.”

I froze and started to sweat as Rainbow and him laughed under their breath. “Oh fuck…”

“Ya your girl was mad as hell.”

I looked at braeburn and he had a bruise on his face too.

“When I got close to her she damn near knocked my lights out.”

“Ya that’s Gilda and I hope you didn’t hit back she is pregnant.”

He nodded as he leaned against the jeep and rubbed the bruise. “Ya, an older lady with pink curly hair talked her down but she was cursing up a storm as we left.”

I gulped as I wiped the sweat from my brow. As he looked at me and then I slapped the sides of my face and we all loaded up in the jeep and hum-v. It took me a good minute to find everything and Rainbow for her part made her tell her to load and fire the fifty cal mounted on the roof. Rainbow smiled as she started to play with her new toy. I laughed as we drove back into town to head to the food bank. Rainbow with a smile on her face started to fire into a huge group of the dead ripping them apart with the larger rounds. Once it was cleared we drove over the dead and rode right up to the still placed door and the security team came driving down in the van and truck we had reinforced. Shining and his teamed jumped out quickly started to fire as we got out of the Hum-v and jeep. Me and Flash pushed the car out of the way and me and five other ran in grabbing boxes and moving them as the gun fire drew even more dead in. Rainbow gave a blast of the fifty cal anytime the dead started to pill up to much. We held for a good ten minutes before we had more than half of the food out. I pushed the car back and we jumped back into the vehicles and I lead the way in the hum-v.

“Hell YA!”

Rainbow yelled as we drove down the road to the zone. I laughed as I looked over at the girl and she was looking down at her feet. I smiled as I reached over and shook her shoulder and she looked up at me.

‘When was the last time you’ve had real meat?”

She looked at me with wide eyes and slight drool on the side of her mouth. I smiled as we drove into the forest and after a few minutes we pulled up to the gates and saw the rest of the security team on the wall. Rainbow waved at them and they opened the gate and we drove in. Once we got parked and the rest of the team got out to start unloading and I heard a scream. I jumped out hum-v and saw a man on the ground with a man on the ground with blood coming from his nose and eyes. I pulled my knife and ran at him as he started to scream as blood flew from his mouth. I kicked him onto his back and slammed a knee into his chest then stabbed him in the head. I saw a blood stain on the shoulder and I grabbed it then I pulled the knife out then grabbed his shirt and pulled it down. A bite was right on his shoulder with a good bit of blood coming from it. I sighed as I stood up and looked down at the man. He was one of the guys from the school I think his name was Grable. I sighed as I stood looking down at him then looked around. “Bite check everyone!” The guards that didn’t come with them ran up and started to check everyone on by one and didn’t find any more bites. I looked at Filthy and mark as they got close. “I’ve got something for the two of you.” I reached into the hum-v and grabbed the girl then helped her out.

“A soldier!?”

They ran over and the girl tried to run but I kicked her legs out from under her. She fell to the ground as they got over to us. They helped her back up then grabbed her hands and took her to the room we made into a cell. We had sealed off the rooms side room and set bars onto the windows. The goor was turned so the lock was on the other side. I wiped my hand on the grass then walked over the wall as the others unloaded the boxes. Once I was over I saw all my girls waiting Cup had her children. Gilda, Wallflower and Trixie all smiled as they ran over to me. I smiled as Wallflower and Trixie jumped into my arms and Gilda grabbed my shirt then hugged all of us. Cup smiled as she looked at us and I let them go once Gilda let go. Then Gilda punched me in the face dropping me to the ground. I rubbed my cheek as I looked at her. “I deserved that one I’ll give you that.” Gilda huffed as she walked back to the house. I laughed a little then and I heard someone running as I stood up.

“ASH!”

Two bodies crashed into my side and I dropped my shotgun as we round on the ground. I landed on my back and looked up. Applejack and Applebloom were on top of me and I saw Mac running up. I laughed as I got them off me. Wallflower and Trixie helped them up as I got to my feet. Once I was standing Applejack hugged me and Applebloom hugged me around the waist with her head buried in my gut. I ruffled her hair and patted Applejack’s back. “Ok, ok come on now. Let me go I want to go sit down.” AppleJack let go but Applebloom held on and I noticed my shirt was getting wet. I looked down at her and she softly sniffing.

“Bloom?”

Applejack put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at us. Her eyes were puffy and red with tears running down her face. I sighed as I pushed her head back into my stomach. “Get it out of your system.” She muttered a thank you and she hugged me tighter. I hugged her back and I waved the girls back to the house. I had a job to do here as emotional support for Bloom. They waved and walked off while what was left of the apple clan walked over. I smiled when MAc put a hand on my shoulder. He smiled at me then nodded as the old timer and Braeburn looked on.