Zombies! Run! (malin x littlelady)

[littlelady]

The five o'clock news felt kind of pointless. She really only had it as background noise at work as she sorted lazily through a stack of orders for the following day. They were ready and all but there was no harm in double checking. There was a surprising amount of wedding cakes that needed to be delivered tomorrow.

Dana Wright had been working at the Little Sweets Bakery for three years now and not a single year passed where her bosses thought "Hey, let's do something nice for the kid" when her birthday rolled around. Five-fifteen. Closing time had passed and she had worked most of the day for no good reason other than her friends being busy as well. The blonde rose from her stool in the kitchen, removed her apron, grabbed a cupcake, and headed out. There was only one place to go considering there was a supposed world-ending epidemic no one gave a damn to think about. To the Dark Horse Tavern.

It was chilly in the late afternoon glow of fall. Autumn leaves crunched under her ankle boots as she hooked the small bag containing the solitary cupcake around her arm and stuffed her hands into the wrap sweater she was wearing. Her eyes focused on the road before her as a long blonde braid bounced on her shoulder. She turned the corner and stepped into the bar. Slow as ever, a few tables were filled with burly men and ugly women arguing over whatever sports game was on the small television behind the bar.

A sigh escaped her lips as she settled at the end of the bar and pulled out the cupcake only to set it on a napkin. The barkeep, a haggard veteran by the name of John, moved to her and placed a pint before her.

"No frowns today, missy, drink up and have a little fun before ya go sulking off." She looked up to the sack of wrinkles and smiled as she removed her beanie and shoved it in her shoulder bag.

"No sulking off tonight John, don't you know the world is ending? Some Mayan decided that tonight the world is going to shit." They chuckled in unison and he poured himself a pint so they could toast to the end of the world, not knowing how right they would be.

 

[malin]

"Ruuuugh." Brian let out a long sigh as he shambled part way out of his home to take in the chill of the autumn evening. He worked nights so this was basically his morning hours, and he shivered lightly as he looked around. Seeing his neighbors around was a little odd and everything seemed a little slow for the early evening but it wasn't like he cared. Today was his day off which at this point was basically the biggest holiday he could ask for. Shutting the door he turned around and decided that today he wanted to go out for a drink.

Walking past the answering machine he hit it as it displayed three missed messages. "Hey Brian it's Steve just wanted you to know it's the end of the world. So go out tonight and have some fun, maybe meet a girl or something it can't hurt in the long run!"

Brian shook off the comment about the end of the world who actually believed that crap? and meet a girl? Please he was still trying to recover after what the last one did to his wallet. Brian wasn't looking to date or anything like that he was content... well except for his crappy job as a night guard at the local mall. Speaking of which the next tone in was his boss.

"Brian hey it's Markus listen I don't~" He cut off the recording with the sound of water as he wet his toothbrush shutting it off for a moment. "I mean it's just crazy over here, and I'm not feeling all too~" Brian turned the water back on as he spat and used mouth wash to rinse. Finally turning off the water. "Just be careful out there man... it's the end of the world."

Brian rolled his eyes, seriously again with that crap? He shrugged it off as he walked towards the door and grabbed his jacket. Walking out as the last message started to play the sound of someone screaming into a phone just missing his ears. Stepping into his car he fiddled with the radio for a moment. Seeking past the news channel, and coming to an old rock station that was playing R.E.M.'s 'it's the end of the world' Bobbing his head along to the music he started to drive down to the dark horse tavern pulling out of his driveway.

The trip to the tavern was a little odd he passed an ambulance and had to pull over for a fire truck it seemed like everyone was having some kind of emergency.

Walking into the tavern he shook his head as he sat down next to a girl with a cupcake. "Can I get a Bloody Marie?" He asked to the bar tender with a smile. He came here often enough that it was just a small nod. As he waited for his cocktail he leaned back looking around the pub. Tapping the wood for a moment he looked around at the few people around them this place was always slow and somehow always managed to smell like smoke. Turning to the girl he gave a small smile. He had seen her around a few times before, but as always never really had the nerve or desire to talk to her. Still he gave her a small nod now that he was sitting next to her and seeing that she looked a little depressed.

"Your world looks like it's going to hell in a hand basket, want to talk about it?"

 

[littlelady]

John returned with the cocktail and shoved a half used birthday candle carefully into the perfect frosting of the girl's cupcake and gave her a wink, in return he received a tired but grateful smile. In honesty, she hadn't noticed the guy next to her until the glass clinked down before him and words came out of his mouth.

Dana removed her focus from the gourmet dessert and looked to the young man. He looked familiar, a regular really, but they'd never exchanged words. Usually she was with friends or around with some guy. The fact that these various fellows rarely came back more than once singled her availability. Dana was no whore, she was easily bored.

"Meh, why not?" She shrugged. Why not indeed with all the nonsense that was going on. "I wouldn't use that exact phrasing but today's been a drag. Worked all day, covered shifts because the owner and his wife decided they were going to take a very sudden trip, business was slow so that made my job even more boring...also it is my birthday. My mother has not called me and my friends are ignoring my texts so I have come here with this glorious cupcake," the blonde gestured to the baked good. "Since you decided to sit there I am proclaiming you my birthday guest. John, can I get a light? You know I don't carry one!" She cut herself off to request a way to light the sad candle and the large man tossed her a pack of matches.

Wasting no time, Dana lit the thing and thought a moment before blowing it out. Making a wish that the night would get more interesting. Smoke rose from the former flame and she sighed. The game had cut out for a an emergency broadcast. Everyone's eyes went to the screen. She missed part of it but it was a suggestion to stay inside and call the police about people acting strange. If the police were not available, animal control would be.

"Animal control? Really?" She said incredulously as she tore the cupcake in half and set part before her new friend. John was a diabetic. None for John. "I don't know about you," Dana addressed the stranger, "but I think this is some political bullshit. The government will let people panic then swoop in and fix it so they looked like they saved the day. Big points in the polls, just sayin'."