“Ok, Aaron… wipe the tweezers off with the alcohol pad,”

This is what Applejack head Burt instruct Aaron to do now that they were in the pharmacy, as Burt had put it earlier. She couldn’t get her mind off the sound from earlier, but kept her attention on Burt.

“The bullet….its acting a cork right now…” Burt said, “You’re gonna have to pry it out…make sure you have the bandages and are ready to clean the wound…”

Applejack watched as Aaron took a metal tool, apparently called tweezers, and move one of the ends towards the wound in Burt’s lower leg. Aaron dug the end into the wound and he speared tweezers a bit before pressing them together. That’s when Applejack heard…the rattling metal once again. She turned to the windows of the pharmacy to see nothing except the market on the other side.

“Ya’ll hear that?” She asked not taking her attention from the window in hopes to see what was causing the sound.

“It’s probably a fuckin’ zombie pushing a kart….seen a few already…er,” Burt began as he returned to the urgent matter, “Just get this bullet out…”

Applejack however questioned it. The rattling seemed to fast…for a zombie. She heard Burt let out a ‘gah’ before turning her attention back to him. Aaron was attempting to pull something right out of Burt’s leg. She saw Aaron breathe in before giving another pull. Something gave way and the tweezers’ end came right out of the wound clutching a small metal object. Aaron proceeded to take a cloth and deal with the wound as it was starting to bleed. She saw Burt give a look reflecting stinging pain as she heard the rattling metal again….but much louder.

“Ah’m gonna have a look,” She stated before moving towards the door to exit the pharmacy.

“Don’t wonder off...ERrrrrr…” She heard Burt say as Aaron proceeded to aid him, “Alright Aaron, wrap the bandages…need to stop this new bleeding…”

Applejack proceeded down the corridor from before and exited to the two metal doors. She was greeted once again with the interior of the supermarket as she began searching around. Passing several stands letting the aroma of food envelop her, she came across nothing… Just an empty and lifeless market. She gave up on her search before heading back to the two metals doors to check up on Burt and Aaron….as she heard a screech of metal making her freeze in place. She turned around slowly coming to face… a creature, whose apron was drenched in blood.

“NO PETS IN MY STOOOOOOOOOORE!” The creature yelled in a booming voice much like Princess Luna's.

The creature’s face was showing complete rage. He was holding onto a kart that contained several sharp tools protruding out towards the front.

“Your owner….is going to pay…” The creature said as if he had to process the next part after another, “OUT OF THE PHARMACY!!!!”

Applejack flinched at the sudden outburst realizing how long this creature had been around.

“I know you’re in there!” The creature roared while motioning to the windows of the pharmacy, “I WON’T STAND FOR LOOTERS!”

“Someone’s hurt,” Applejack said finally finding a moment of silence, “He got nicked in the…”

“RAAAAAAHH!” The creature shouted before moving the kart to where it and its sharp tools were pointing directly at Applejack.

“APPLE...ack…er PONY!”

Applejack wiped her head to the right to see Burt and Aaron at the windows of the pharmacy taking note of the scene before them.

“HE’S OFF THE DEEP END!” She saw Burt shout, “RUN!”

“I. will not. have my store. LOOTED… BY A FUCKING POONNNNNY!” Applejack heard the insane creature shout before drawing in a breath.

It pushed the kart forward in a rage filled dash with an understood intention of killing. Applejack didn’t waste any time and took off out of the way danger weaving around the various sections of food. She turned to see the creature come to screeching halt and violently turn the kart around facing her once again. The creature made several attempts to properly maneuver the kart quickly but to no real avail. She saw the creature pull a metal object out from the kart and take it in hands much like the object used by the creature in the food court. Applejack dashed for cover behind one of the aisles as she heard a loud blast.

“GET BACK HERE!!”

Applejack ran down the aisle as she heard the creature moving the kart in pursuit.

“YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM ME IN MY STOOOORE!”

She came up on the end of the aisle only to be greeted with a loud screeching of metal as the creature blocked her path. She turned herself around as the creature maneuvered the kart into the aisle before perusing once more. Applejack came up on the end of the aisle trying to figure a way to deal with the crazed creature. She noticed several counters with equal space between them right in front of her. She had an idea form recalling how the sharp tools were projecting out of the kart.

“Giddy up partner!” She shouted to the creature as she pushed herself towards one of the gaps between the counters.

Once she had cleared the space, she heard the kart make contact before taking a look back. The kart would have made it through but one of the various tools snagged on one of the counters inhibiting movement. Applejack saw the creature draw for the metallic object once again as she made a dash for cover. She managed to get behind one of the counters as the loud blast came once again. She heard something make contact with the counter before the creature let out another roar.

“LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DOOO!”

Applejack looked over to the two metal doors to see Aaron and Burt exiting the doors.

“I’ll keep him busy fellas!” She shouted to them as she heard the kart screeching once again, “JUST GET OUT OF HERE!”

Applejack ran from cover back the way she came to be greeted with the mad creature charging at her. She veered off to the right and came around the kart. She heard the creature turn the kart around taking his attention from Burt and Aaron. She ran towards the stands of various foods as an idea formed. She gave the nearest one a kick sending several pieces of the food onto the ground. She heard some make a ‘splat’ once they hit the ground before being drowned out.

“NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOO!!!! MY STOOOOREE! YOU’LL PAY! YOU’LL PAY!”

That’s when Applejack heard it, the sound of the kart screeching once again and the sound of its rattle fading away. She turned to see the creature going back behind the aisles in the direction towards the pharmacy. She went after him knowing well who he was shifting his rage towards.

“HEAD FOR THE DOOR!”

She came to a halt and whipped her head around to see Burt and Aaron rounding a corner of the aisle near the stands of food. Applejack was in mid turn for the main entrance…

“BURT!”

She turned to see Aaron pushing Burt away causing him to fall onto the ground without the support…the creature came right out of nowhere and rammed his weaponized kart into Aaron. Applejack saw several of the sharp tools tear right into Aaron’s torso ripping the flesh right off him and causing blood to fly onto various foods nearby. The creature pulled his kart to a stop and pulled back quickly causing Aaron to slide right off the impaling tools and fall onto the ground…lifeless…like Gil.

“AARON!” She heard Burt’s voice yell at the top of his lungs.

Applejack watched as the creature pulled the same metallic object from before and walk right over to where Aaron’s lifeless body rested. Burt was moving himself backwards on the ground towards Applejack as she saw the creature reach down and pick up Aaron’s body before tossing it over a stand. The body landed right near Burt causing him to let out a scream as the sight of his friend. Applejack noticed the creature aiming the object right at Burt with the sadistic smile curled on his face. It was in a split second the creature adjusted his aim and the loud blast was heard once more accompanied with a flash of light from the object. In that same second, Applejack saw Aaron’s head exploded in a bloody mess with chunks of flesh scattering. Bits of the flesh found itself on Burt’s face, which let out another scream as his frantic backwards crawl had him arrive near Applejack.

“GET….OOOOOOOUUUUUUTTTT!” The creature shouted with full body rage.

Applejack helped Burt as she could to his feet as they made their way quickly, despite Burt’s newly wrapped injury, towards the entrance of the supermarket as they both heard it.

“CLEAN UP! ASILE ONE!”

Applejack let out a sigh as she and Burt exited the supermarket reentering the North Plaza, as Burt had called it. She couldn’t get the image of Aaron’s death out knowing well Burt had seen it close up.

“He’s dead…..fuckin’…he was…gonna live,” She heard Burt exclaim in his state of shock, “didn’t deserve that….”

Applejack felt a wave of uneasiness come over here as she scanned the area of the plaza. It was still filled with zombies that were no making their way towards them. She knew they would have to make a run for it but Burt’s injury limited that possibility and his state of mentality wasn’t helping.

“I get to live while he gets a fuckin’ buckshot to the face….” She heard Burt say sensing the anger rising, “I mean... WHAT THE FUCK!?”

“Burt!” Applejack shouted gathering his attention, “You’ve gotta pull yurself together. We need a way out of here.”

“Errrr….fine…” Burt grunted out before a sob came over his voice, “But why…why him…why the fuck him….”

“Ah’m gonna getcha out of this place,” Applejack insisted, “Aaron would of wanted that…BURT!”

Applejack saw Burt start to make his way down the other corridor of the North Plaza. He was making a decent pace as the zombies were starting to follow him. Applejack quickly caught up with him as they were closing in on a large group of zombies.

“What in tarnation are you doing!?” Applejack shouted trying to get Burt to stop his suicidal advancement.

“We can’t go back the other way…” Burt explained in a tone of lost hope, “…the park is our best bet for now…”

“But don’t you see the…er never mind,” Applejack started before shoving the matter aside and proceeded to buck kick at the zombies obstructing Burt’s path.

She quickly looked around to find something of use as her sight came across…another structure much like the one near the supermarket. However this one ran the length of the left wall just over the zombies’ heads.

“Get up on there if you insist...” Applejack said as she motioned to the structure with one of her hooves.

Frank and Otis were making their way across the wide park. It stretched all over the area incased by the walls of the mall and had several pathways strewed about it. Trees were scattered about and the area was well accommodated with zombies wandering around. However unlike the inside of the mall, the zombies were more dispersed in the park aside from the crowds of them by the entrance to the Food Court. Frank and Otis were able to make their way to the food court at a steady pace with longer moments of not having to deal with zombies. However, they kept their weapons at the ready when the situation did arise.

“Looks like the only thing safe here is the fishes,” Otis commented as they passed the park’s pond.

They saw zombies moving about the water as the fishes darted in one direction and then the next in a matter of seconds.

“Let’s just hope someone is alive over there,” Frank replied with his attention still on the entrance to the food court in the distance.

“Well. We’re gonna have to clear the entrance or lure them away,” Otis said as they were past the pond and ever so closer to the food court as he took notice to something, “Well I’ll be…”

Frank shifted his attention to what Otis had noticed. Right next to the entrance and mass of zombies was… a lawnmower.

“Hmm...” Frank muttered as he began to form an idea, “Otis. Could you draw their attention?”

Otis only gave a nod as he parted from Frank to focus his path towards the group as Frank quickened his pace towards the lawnmower. He came up on it just as Otis had started to make a ruckus to get the group’s attention. He reached down and was about to pull the cord when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He could of sworn he saw something orange speeding past trees. He proceeded to pull the cord while shoving the sight off as nothing, before the roar of the lawnmower ringed in his ears. He gripped the handle bar and pushed the front towards the slowly moving zombies. He heard the gears grinding as the mower took in a zombie’s leg resulting in a splurge of blood and the sound of cracking bone. Frank kept pushing forward as the blood was flying out from the gears like a person gargling out water. He notice Otis making his way towards the entrance while keeping his mowing frenzy up just long enough to give some leeway. Turning his head to see Otis entering the food court, Frank gave the lawnmower one last push before rushing for the food court. He swung one door open and pulled it shut before finding time to let out a sigh. Turning away, he and Otis were greeted with the food court absent with zombies, but they could hear the moaning off to the right. They preceded forward coming to the center of the area before looking to their right. There was a corridor leading towards another section of the mall with zombies slowly making their way across towards the food court.

“Anyone in here!?” Frank shouted tearing his sight from the oncoming zombies, “Hello!?”

“Frank…look.” He heard Otis say before feeling a tap on his shoulder.

Frank turned with the hope that Otis had seen someone…well he had… Lying on the floor with no sign of life was a man, who appeared to be in his late 30’s, dressed in a rugged black coat and pants. As Frank and Otis approached him, they could see his clothes were drenched in blood that seemed to originate from several wounds in his body.

“Dear lord…” Otis said they both noticed the wound directly in the middle of the man’s forehead.

Frank and Otis then noticed the smell radiating from the man and the bloodshot appearance of his lifeless eyes.

“Must have been drunk and wandered into cross fire,” Frank commented as his mind began to ask, “But between who--”

“Frank…” Otis said silencing Frank’s question, “You hearin’ that or is it just my hearing?”

Frank tore his mind from his thought as he listened….it was muffled but he could tell it was...the sound of loud bass… It appeared to be coming from out in the park.

“No...I’m hearing it too,” Frank replied as he took one look back at the dead body before kneeling down and closing the bloodshot eyes with one hand, “Think it’s the speakers?”

“No, we never play stuff like that here,” Otis answered as they moved towards the entrance to get a good look.

They were greeted with the same zombie filled park as the bass was still muffled. Frank scanned the park from their position as he began to recall...

“Sounds like its coming from the parking lot near the entrance to the roads under the mall.” Otis commented while looking towards an edge of the park.

Giving it another close listen, it seemed to be…getting louder at a rapid pace. In a second they saw a heard the noise come to full volume and vocals were heard. In that same second a green vehicle which Frank identified as a military Humvee came charging into view. There were three people in it. One was operating the steering wheel, another in the passenger seat, and the third operating the 50. Cal mounted machine gun. Frank took notice they were wearing the same...orange uniform.

“What the?” Otis asked as they saw the Humvee come to a sudden stop as the three riding it started to laugh like a bunch of maniacs, “How in the world did they get that in here?”

Frank watched as the men in the Humvee calm their laughter as one looked over to the food court before motioning to his two companions. Then in a swift motion, the one on the mounted gun produced a small cylinder object from a bag by his feet before tossing it towards the entrance.

“LOOK OUT!”

As Frank and Otis retreated from the doors in a rush, before diving towards the floor as the sound of an explosion and shattering glass filled their ears. As soon as the noise had faded, it was replaced by the sounds of three pairs of voices laughing above blaring music.

“Fire in the hole, motherfuckas!”

“Hey let’s hit the one over there man,”

“I’m on it!”

The sound of an engine veering and tires ripping into dirt filled Frank’s ears. He got to his feet as he felt bits of glass slide of him as he turned and saw the entrance of the food court now destroyed with shattered glass on the floor. There were traces of blood and the flesh of zombies mixed in the mess. Frank heard Otis start to shuffle a bit before kneeling down and helping him up. Once Otis was on his feet and he and Frank carefully made their way across the sea of glass before having a good view of the three men taking off in the Humvee.

“Best avoid the park for now…” Otis commented at the sight, “Those entrances are going to be like fish in a barrel for them.”

Frank grabbed his camera and, once again using the viewfinder, zoomed up on the men in the Humvee. He shifted his view higher coming across an entrance to another part of the mall. This one however had a flight of stairs leading to it….as well as someone coming out the doors along with a…orange figure.

“Oh no…..”

Author's Note

This one took a while longer then I had hoped. School has been kicking in high gear recently so I've been more focused on studies and occasionally getting some time to write, but either way. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading.