After the Fall - (Haru and VampiressAngel)

Fourteen days.

That's how long he'd been on this godforsaken highway. Scavenging from the dead, collecting what weapons he could. Moving. Always moving. He'd seen the random group of walkers now and then and either lay low and wait for them to pass, or skirt well around them if he could.

Now and again he'd run across a lone walker and dispatch it. It wasn't like they were extraordinarily difficult to kill. Sever the spinal cord at the base of the skull, or destroy the brain. Easy. Still, it was a small target if you were surrounded and they were intent on eating you. Panic always threatened to set in.

So Ben avoided the groups.

He'd managed, over time, to scavenge several dead that were very helpful. A fallen policeman yielded a nice .40 Smith and Wesson, along with two full clips of ammo. That, by far, had been his best find. He also had a pump 12-gauge shotgun, but only one shell. Those firearms, along with various knives and a baseball bat, made up the entirety of his armament. For rations he had a nearly full canteen and a couple power bars. That was it. He had no idea how far the next rest stop or gas station was. The last sign he had seen had said that Chicago was another 150 miles. Damn.

Then... off to the right, a movement caught his eye. The pistol came out and Ben took a deep breath. He thought, momentarily, of shouting out a warning. However, if there were walkers about, they'd hear. In fact, they'd hear the gunshot too. Putting the gun away he grabbed his bat. Slowly he crept that way, bat cocked back and ready.

Been a long fourteen days since the breakout began and Becca had been on the run. Very few survivors she met and they were on the run not wanting to stop and stay together. At least the walkers well that's what the news station called them at the end stayed low and only got attracted by loud noises. Or when someone stayed in a place to long. Right now she was sitting in her car with the doors locked in front of a convenience store wondering if she should go in. Food was low for her and she needed supplies but what if there was something or someone in there that was dead. She was at home watching a television show when an alert came on so she switched and the news channel spoke of this breakout. Becca had watched many zombie movies and played games so she knew what to do to survive. Right now she had a metal bat and small handgun with a few bullets left she had already had to shoot a few of them one being her mother. There was nothing she could do her mother had been bitten and she knew what was going to happen moments later she was on the ground dead. The one person that was supposed to keep you safe ended up almost killing herself it was hard for her to do. Little did she know that Ben was not far from here and hopefull he would stay with her. Slowly she moved her car up closer incase she had to make a fast getaway and got out of the car. Locking the doors she headed towards the front door slowly with her bat ready to fight.

Moving out wide Ben saw it. One of the walkers, bent low, feeding. It had somehow caught one of the vultures that were constantly feeding on the dead. Black feathers littered the pavement, glued in place by the red ichor that gleamed dully in the mid-morning sun. Ben knew he'd not be able to sneak past. The thing would catch his scent and be after him. They didn't tire. They didn't sleep. No, best to deal with it now.

Moving deftly around the burned out wreck of the car that was between them Ben closed on the walker. Twenty feet. Fifteen. Ten. The walker lifted its head, scenting the air. Five. It stood, and Ben swung, the wooden bat connecting solidly with the back of it's skull and vibrating in his hands. The walker let out a single inarticulate growl and dropped. Ben hit it again, then one last time to finish it off, the bat covered in gore now.

His eyes darted around, but he spotted no more. This one must have been alone. Good. Carefully wiping off his bat in the grass at the side of the road he soon continued on his way.

===

The next several days were uneventful, thank god, but by the time he neared anything resembling a convenience store he was famished. His water was gone as well.

He approached the store with no small amount of trepidation, and his hand resting lightly on the pistol at his side. With the utmost caution he entered.

The convenience store was actually quite dead no pun intended there were a few dead people on the ground but no one that would attack. A sigh of relief escaped her throat as she grabbed a few big bags to put some supplies and items in it for herself to put in her car. Just as she was going to pick up a can she heard someone coming into the store. Dropping the bags she put her gun towards the front of the store and headed down towards the door. Maybe one of them had followed her or caught her scene. "Hello? Show yourself." She said pointing her gun straight at the guys head but could not see him because of the shelf in her way.

As he entered the store, bat at the ready, Ben had to step over some of the bodies near the entrance. They were long past ripe, not much more than a collection of bones covered by tattered clothing. The vultures and ravens had been hard at work. The interior of the store was stifling, no air conditioning and all the glass it acted like a greenhouse. Still, warm water was better than no water.

He didn't even see her, nor hear her. Not until she told him to show himself. Which was better than the grumbling hisses of the walking dead. At least this way he knew she was alive. His hands went up, slow, but he didn't relinquish his weapon.

"I'm alive." he called out softly, showing he too was alive, and not one of the walkers. Now he just hoped she decided not to put him down and take his weapons anyway.