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No Good Deed | Lewd Misconduct x Kaigen

Fennec

Who are you when no one is watching?
Joined
Feb 5, 2015
              • Haley was on a trip home from visiting some friends in Canada when everything went to shit. The twenty four year old never even made it back home. On the way there, someone walked on to the tracks before the train had time to stop. It was only later that they realized it was one of those things, a human that turned. No one knew what happened; news broadcasts called it a national emergency and later a world one. Whatever was infecting people was spreading too fast to be contained or studied. They told everyone to get to designated areas before all broadcasting shut down. Haley was too far from any of the points they’d mentioned so she decided her best bet was to get to the cabin that her family used to travel to during the summers. It was dangerous, true, but she knew how to survive out there and the cities were far worse. She hadn’t anticipated it taking two months, but she learned quickly to stay off the main roads. Between staying out of sight, staying fed, and sleeping it wasn’t that bad. Staying fed was why she was in the deserted grocery store contemplating dated canned steak. She made sure to check every inch of the place before gathering supplies. Unfortunately, for her, it wasn’t good enough.

                The quick sound of footsteps made her turn suddenly only for her neck to snap back as a heavy hand connected with her jaw. The blood that immediately pooled in her mouth was followed by a burst of pain and a ringing in her ears as she hit the shelf. Her hand went for the gun at her waist, but before she had time to regain her bearings, it was twisted from her hands and she was being pulled back by the ponytail and dragged down the aisle. An involuntary scream wrenched from her mouth as she felt her individual hairs being pulled from her scalp.

                Fucking, fuck!

                “Looks like we got ourselves a screamer!” A swift kick to her abdomen quieted any of Haley’s cries as her diaphragm froze. The retching sounds that sprung from her throat only seemed to rile her assailants.

                This wasn’t happening. She’d survived for two months on her own. It couldn’t go down like this.

                “As much as I like the sound, we can’t have you calling unwanted attention. Terrance and Luke, keep watch while we take care of our little guest. We know how much you like sloppy seconds.” Blinking through the pain, she managed to see four blurred bodies, and the man dragging her abruptly let go. Wheezing past the pain in her stomach she scrambled to try to get away, her brain in flight mode despite the odds. A sharp laugh rang out at her attempt as a shoe shoved her back onto the ground, her breast pressing painfully onto the cold surface. She tried to push up but didn’t have to energy or upper body strength and felt the first tears of frustration.

                “If only it were that easy, baby. Imagine our surprise when we saw you crawling your cute little ass through that window! You really know how to move.” A hiss of pain escaped her lips as a pair of hands twisted her arms sharply behind her back, bound her with a zip tie, and hauled her to her feet by the back of her shirt. Shock faded as her ire rose at finally setting eyes on one of her assailants. The man in front of her was a little taller than her out 5’4” height, lean, and middle aged. He had the devil in his light eyes and a smirk slashed across his face.

                “Like what you see?” Her only response was to spit in his face, saliva and blood mixing together to create a thick film on face. She saw the anger flare on his face and winced as the man holding her bent her arm at an unnatural angle.

                “I suggest you not waste what little fluid you have. I know how much you cunts hate a dry fuck.” He snatched her face between his hands and moved closer, alcohol staining his words. “And don’t think we don’t plan on using each and every one of the holes you got.” Pushing her face away he turned away and walked through and open door down aisle. The man behind Haley tried to push her towards the door, but she dug her heels in until he was forced to drag her. She did whatever she could to make the short distance harder for him, hoping it would tire him out. There was no real chance that she would make it out of here alive, but she wasn’t about to lay down and just take it.

                The man handling her threw her small frame the rest of the way through the door like it was nothing, her back smacking hard into a desk. The leader pulled her up off the floor by her shirt, effectively chocking her, and slammed her face into the desk once.

                “Now I want you to listen.” Then again.

                “If you’re a good little slut, we won’t kill you.” And again. She felt her vision blurring once more as the room started to spin. They were toying with her and she was barely holding on, but in that moment, consciousness would be a blessing.
                “Fuck up this special moment and we’ll let the eaters get you. Understand?” He mashed her face into the desk as he leaned into her line of vision.

                “Do. You. Understand.” He smiled, waiting. Seeing the total lack of anything human in his eyes made something in her snap, her vision tunneling as she got another rush of adrenaline.

                “You fucking coward!” The words were snarled as she bucked and kicked against him. She struggled against the restraints on her arms despite the prevalent pain in her wrists. “Only a bitch like you would need a bunch of fucking lackys to get a woman! Why don’t you go suck each other off, you fucking scum!”

                “Just remember I tried. Guy’s you know the drill.” The leader smacked her ass before stepping back and letting the other two men take over. Lifting her up, one ripped through her shirt and bra, fingers mauling, pinching, assaulting her nipples and breast while the other took a knife to her jeans and panties. Any attempt to resist or spew whatever filth she could at them was met with a backhand to the face until she was clad in only her boots and the panties they shoved in her mouth. By the time they were done with her she couldn’t stand on her own, not that they wanted to.

                “Back on the table. And tie her legs to each end.” The two did what was asked without a word as her fully exposed breast were pressed against metal the table. She couldn’t tell whether she shiver was from the cold surface, or the feeling of their leader standing behind her. She clenched her jaw as she felt a hot hand on her ass.

                “Hmm small waist, big perky tits, nice ass. I wonder if anybody’s been in it. I guess we’ll find out soon enough. It’s a wonder you’ve managed to make it this long.” The sounds of pants unbuckling made her breath hitch as she started to slowly sit up. That only caused one of them to slam her back down.

                “She really doesn’t learn, does she?” The other two men cackled. Haley wanted to end their lives, pictured throwing their dismembered bodies to a herd of those monsters outside. Even if she died today, she hoped her screams got their attention.

                “Why don’t you teach her then?” There was a slight pause before she heard the clank of metal and snapping sound. Her blood ran cold as her body did the opposite of what she wanted, becoming hyper aware of her senses as it tried to figure out what was about to come. She knew every hit, every cock, every pain would be felt until her senses dulled again.

                “I think I will.” Haley couldn’t stop the scream that followed as the first lick of leather hit her ass. They wanted to make sure she felt the full range of emotions before they were done with her.
 
Tim's dumb luck struck again. He'd made it this long by staying out of sight and only coming to town when he absolutely had to. But it seemed that every time he did he ran into living people. Living people that wanted to either take what he had or to take his life. Which only confirmed his previous belief that people were mostly bad and only acted nice from fear of retribution. Before that meant being arrested and locked away. But now people ran like packs of dogs and only avoiding the dead. The ones still living seemed to only want to cause more death and destruction. To hurt others because of how they themselves had been hurt. So he kept to the shaddows when he came to town. He parked his truck on the outskirts of town. People seemed to avoid the outskirts for some reason, and snuck through buildings and homes in an attempt to stay out of sight. It worked perfectly thus far. He'd already been in the store when he heard something scurrying through the window. Unsure who or what came in he snuck silently behind the counter in the pharmacy and waited.

It wasn't that Tim was unable to defend himself. It wasn't that he was scared of conflict. But rather that over time he realized expending time and energy in a fight only lessened his chance at surviving. He could have easily subdued the woman and stayed hidden from those he saw come in after her. He could have easily cut the four men down and perhaps made a new friend but didn't want to risk injury. So instead he stayed behind the counter, crouched down low, his bow in hand with attached ten arrow quiverand arrow knocked. Waiting for them to finish with her and to go on about their day. But as one of the men began to whip her with his belt Tim decided to take action.

He'd run into these men before. And they were a particular nasty group. Though previous encounters with Tim had depleted their numbers. He thought he knew their ringleader. A trucker from before everything went to shit, Tim used to have coffee with him in a diner just up the road. Theyd talked and became pseudo friends on their many encounters. But friendships went out the window when this sickness spread and decimated the world's population. The first time Tim saw them after the government fell he was relieved. But instead of a firm handshake and kind words the men met him with violence. He killed two of them that day. And a third on their next encounter. With any luck this would be their last meeting.

It wasn't that Tim was a bad man. Before the spores were released and people started to turn he had been a farmer. And a military man before that. He had never been arrested. Never even so much as a speeding ticket was issued to the monster of a man that slowly stood from behind the counter only a dozen feet behind the men that were abusing the young woman. He was simply a man that was born to survive. He was a man that thrived in every environment he found himself in. Regardless of its toxicity.

It wasn't as if he wanted the woman for himself. Though being able to take comfort in her did appeal to him. That however hadn't yet entered his mind. He really didn't know why he decided to take action. He could easily remain hidden and simply wait until theyd had their fun. But action was what his mind had settled on. Wether it was because he disagreed with what they were doing or because he wanted her for himself. He wasn't sure. All he knew was he needed to act, and that they needed to die.

Tim had just came to nearly his full height when he setteled the twenty yard pin on the top of the man's shoulders when he released the bowstring. Unlike when he was hunting deer or pig he did not use the thumb release. It was an easy shot. Not even ten yards. Knocking an arrow and firing was much faster but less accurate without it. Though accuracy didn't matter much at this short of a distance.

Before the first arrow impacted Tim already had another knocked and drawn. As he took his first step he loosed a second arrow aimed at another man who stood sideways, likely in an attempt to find the unusual sound of the bowstring loosing an arrow. Tim aimed just below the second man's ear and sent it toward him.

Both arrows found their mark while Tim drew a hatchet from his belt and charged toward the remaining men. The first impacted the base of the ringleaders skull and protruded from his open mouth. The sharp field point pierced the bone easily and not a moment too soon as he had just about pressed his maleness between the bound woman's cheeks. He fell into a heap on the attractive young woman's back. Dead where he laid. The second man fell dead just as Tim swung the hatchet at a third man's head.

It all seemed to happen so slowly. Almost like time stood still for Tim. The element of surprise and Tim's violence of action gave him an eternity to do what he's steeled himself to do. The sudden sound of his two compatriots dying caused the third man to turn just in time to see the incoming hatchet and the massive hand that held it. He tried to move, tried to shirk away. But it was too late. All his movement did was cause Tim's blow to connect with his neck instead of his head. The sharp blade cut through the soft skin of his neck and tore through muscle and sniew. Tim had every bit of strength he had dedicated to the blow. He knew from dealing with the eaters how hard it was to cut through the skull. So when the sharp hatchet connected with the soft skin and muscle of his neck it nearly took his head off. It severed an artery and blood splurted through the air and sprayed the side of Tim's face. Finally the hatchet stopped just after it severed the man's spine. But because of the depth of the cut and the sudden dead weight falling to the ground Tim lost his grip and with it the hatchet.

The fourth man turned in shock and tried to run. But Tim was already on him. His free right hand reached out and grabbed the skinny short man by the hair. To the casual observer he may have looked like a giant crashing through a forest of flesh. A man who seemed more comfortable during the height of Rome in a colosseum swinging a sword or ax for the entertainment of Cesar. But he was just a man who had enough of the neighborhood bully.

Tim easily took the thin man off his feet and sent him careening into the table that held the bound woman. He tried to plead. To beg for Tim to stop. But Tim's mind was blank. His hulking physique was in attack mode and wasn't going to stop until he destroyed the entirety of the four men that set out to beat and rape the young woman. As blood dropped off his face and through his thick dark beard Tim lifted his heavy work boot and brought it down on the fourth man's head. A sick wet thud filled his ears while he crushed the man's skull. Blood and greymatter shot from the open cracks in the man's skull and peppered Tim's blue jeans and square toed workboots.

Then there was silence. Complete and utter silence in the wake of the violent acts he committed followed by a wet sound as he pulled his bloody wood handled hatchet from the man's neck and then a thud after he pulled the ringleader's corpse from where it has fallen on the nude woman.

Tim towered over her bound body for several long moments as the fire slowly extinguished in his dark chocolate brown eyes. He was a mountain of a man. Well over six and a half feet tall and ruggedly muscular. No. His body was not cut and chiseled like some model. But rather largely built with a barrel chest and tree trunks for legs. Dwarfing the other men hed just sent to whatever afterlife existed he stood there staring down at the attractive young woman who was now also covered in the blood of her attackers. His own white shirt was covered in the crimson liquid from the grotesque slaughter.

After several long seconds he frowned and began to untie her. Once she was free he ripped a leather jacket off the ringleader's body and offered it to her. "Come on." He said in a deep gravely voice. "Let's get you some clothes and get the fuck out of here." Tim wasn't exactly sure what he was doing. Or what he was going to do with her. He did well by himself. He enjoyed his solitude. But the sudden prospect of having someone to talk to appealed to him. So while he pulled his arrows and their sharp field points from the two dead men he continued to speak. "I'm Tim." Figuring that last names really didn't matter. "Your screaming probably got someone's attention. So I reckon we don't have long."
 

              • The reaction to the belt was immediate as welt after welt raised on her delicate skin. Any attempt not to show pain was useless with the sensation of each lick building on top of the last. By now a steady stream of tears slid to the table as she stared at the wall to their side where I picture of family hung, eyes staring faces smiling, waiting for the next hit that never came. Instead she was met with the sound of pants unzipping and her entire body tensed, causing her already sore muscles to protest the sudden pain, but she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t stop the way her body trembled from the fear of what was about to come. The steady tremble of the floor confused her as she was aware enough to know it wasn’t her own body. The feel of the leader’s head sliding between her cheeks her nose to flare as she tried to prepare herself. The wet thunk and sudden weight on top of Haley was disorienting as she listened to a flurry of quick commotion and struggles. She could feel blood flowing from her back before the man slid to the ground as well as the sudden tremors on the ground with each dropped body. The sudden impact of one of the men on the table made her gasp through the underwear in her mouth as a large body stepped into her line of vision. She watched his thick powerful thigh lift and slam repeatedly into the man’s head, blood splattering on the wall and his pants as she listened to his skull fracture and cave. Her heart beat heavy in her chest as she closed her eyes against the sight in front of her.

                It wasn’t long before all was silent and she squirmed in the aftermath, her humiliation at being so exposed, so weak finally rearing its ugly head. There was no movement, but she could feel someone behind her, sense their heat and energy. Her eyes opened as she breathed deeply, waiting, wondering if he would kill, help, or rape her like the others before him wanted to do. Haley jerked in surprise as she felt hands working at the tie on her wrists before moving to the others. Her muscles protested her movements when slowly pushed herself up from the table and turned as quickly as her body would allow. Haley’s eyes immediately focused on the man in front of her and the tremors she felt only minutes before suddenly made sense. The instinct to take a step back was natural as she looked up at the man’s face. Rare was it for someone to have the height and build that this man possessed. And for him to take out those men so quickly, she knew the strength that accompanied it. She took the jacket that was offered and slid her arm into it, wincing as she felt her shoulder pop more securely into its socket and zipping up the front. Her eyes followed him as he made quick work of retrieving his weapons, mind still working to catch up on the sudden change of events.

                He saved her. Haley blinked at the sound of his voice, some of the alertness she lost trying to return. Tim saved her and wanted her to come with him…unless she wanted to die. She remembered time was no longer a luxury.

                “I’m Haley.” She stepped on the piece of shit on the floor on her way out of the room, following closely behind. “I just need to get my bag.” Her voice was nearly unrecognizable to her, raw from abuse. Every movement was stiff as she tried to minimize the pain on her bottom, but that didn’t stop here from grabbing whatever edible food there was along the way. As she picked up her belongings and grabbed the jar of Nutella she’d first found, she knew she looked worse for wear. Her face was swollen and bloody, scalp red, body riddled with bruises and scrapes. It didn’t matter as long as she was alive, she could fix herself up later. The sight of her gun a few yards away gave her some sense of relief at being able to defend herself again and she picked it up. The familiar weight was comfortable in her hands.

                “There are some clothes towards the front of the store.” Haley forced herself not to stare at the man as they headed in that direction. They didn’t have time and it was rude. She just didn’t know what to make of him. Why did he save her and what use did she serve? He certainly didn’t need protecting, and from the sheer size of him he looked like he could take few bullets and a severe beating before he was down for the count. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe it was out of the goodness of his own heart. She considered herself good and had left many to die, knowing her presence wouldn’t be of much help. Even so, she was injured and in a bad way. He could protect her and unless she misunderstood, he was offering it. They’d go their separate ways when the time came but for now she didn’t her any other options.

                They reached the section without any issue and she immediately set to work getting whatever she could find. It wasn’t long before she settled on some black leggings and a purple long sleeved tshirt. Gritting her teeth, she slid the leggings over her ass and turned away from Tim to pull on the shirt before putting the jacket and her shoes back on. She stuffed a pair of jeans, two shirts and some underwear into her bag before joining him and snatch a snatching some sports bras on the way. No one really bothered taking clothes when food and water was the real necessity, but even before everything went to hell, Haley knew she wouldn’t last long without something to keep her breasts bound in place. Right now, she was just in too much pain for anything that constricting. With her goals accomplished she scanned the front of the store and immediately cursed at the sight of four infected shuffling towards the entrance.

                “Looks like they’re here.” She was sure there were more of them coming and thought about going through the back window she originally used before looking at Tim with a hint of annoyance. There were no doubts in her mind that wouldn’t be able to fit through the small hole. There were other exits but no way to see what they would be walking out to.


 
He stayed quiet as they moved across the store to where the clothes were. Even as she dressed he simply scanned the area looking for eaters. He knew they couldn't have much time before some showed up. He never paid much attention to the stray zombies that happened by. They were slow and showed no ability to think ahead or plan. Individuals and small groups weren't much of a threat. A group of them however could easily overwhelm one or two people. They waged an unthinking war against the living. A war of attrition.

Tim made no attempt to look away as she suddenly turned modest. Something that made him chuckle softly. Only minutes ago she had been nude and exposed to him. He could have done whatever it was that he wanted. Though he decided not to take her by force.

He already heard the low growls and hisses of the approaching dead when she confirmed what he heard. And already his mind was working through their options. He was in fact too large to slip through the window she used. And the doors he came through were the ones he used. Tim was sure he could deal with four eaters. But he had no clue how many more there were. But he was of the same mind as his new companion. Or so he assumed. There would be no telling what laid beyond the closed doors of the emergency exits. There really was no good choices available to him. These dead seemed to follow each other. And if your broke off from a group because they heard something the others didn't. Then the others would have soon followed them. So instead of dispatching the four eaters that had just stepped into the store, he turned and took off at a quick walk tapping her shoulder as he passed. "Come on girl." He said in the same gravely voice with a twinge of a southern drawl. "There's a ladder to the roof in the pharmacy." He said as he quickly moved back the way they came.

Despite his hulking physique Tim seemed surprisingly light on his feet and his long strides covered nearly twice the distance of his compatriot. So he was back by the counter he previously his behind in seconds. As he passed it he grabbed the pack of things he scavenged and slung it over his shoulder. Then began to climb the ladder that ran up the wall to the high celing and eventually pushed the heavy metal door up and entered the mid day sun on the roof. Then still with his bow in his hand he trotted over to the nearest wall. But when he looked over it he saw exactly what he didn't want to see. The streets were litterally littered with eaters that had followed the four.

The didn't run to check the other four sides. By the sheer volume of dead that wandered below he knew what he would find. So instead he slumped down and leaned against the short wall. Then loosed a sigh. It looked like they would be spending a bit of time on the roof. He knew from previous experience that they would eventually hear something someplace else. And would move to it. That is of course after they devoured the four dead men in the store. "Do me a favor." he called out. Next time shut up and just take it."
 

              • It seemed they were both at a loss for a moment as they stared at the eaters coming towards the building. Tim’s voice cutting through the silence gave her a small bought of relief as she moved with him, thinking that he knew a safe way to get out. She frowned at the mention of the roof but followed him, ignoring the pain shooting up her backside. She felt more like she was running than walking as she tried to keep up with his pace. Her eyes watched him climb the latter for a moment before taking one last look around the back counter of the pharmacy. She didn’t know what half the shit was in there, but she took whatever she could and dumped it in her bag to sort later. Haley wasn’t a hoarder by any means, nor was she a druggie, but she wanted to be prepared in case something happened. Satisfied she climbed up the latter just as she heard the sound of something hitting glass.

                Haley dumped her bag on the roof before crawling up the rest of the way to find Tim slumped against the wall. Now wasn’t the time to rest. She was about to open her mouth to let him know that when he beat her to the punch. His words were a punch in the gut after what she’d just went through and she felt her blood run cold for a moment as she wondered for the billionth time why he saved her. Unfortunately, for him her anger soon got her blood running again as she walked over to the edge to see what was happening below. The string of expletives that left her mouth were decidedly unlady like as she took in the sight before stalking towards Tim. She didn’t give a damn how big or strong he was, he had no right. Even so, it unnerved her that sitting down, he still so close to meeting her height.

                “Where to hell do you get off? Oh, I’m sorry, you felt like playing god, did you? And now you regret it?” Haley shook her head. “You can go fuck yourself. Any my name is Haley, not girl.” She walked back to her bag before going to sit a little ways away from him. Opening her bag she took out the pills, clothes, a can of peas, corn, peaches, Nutella, an extra magazine, and a first aid kit. She cleaned her face with a wipe knowing it would never replace a shower. Slowly, she moved the band through her long hair to relieve some of the pressure on the sore follicles and felt for wounds. There were three that she made quick work of cleaning with a cotton ball and some alcohol, not wanting to draw out the pain any more than necessary. When she finished she took a small sip of the alcohol before diluting it with a dose of water and swishing it around the cuts in her mouth. Her oval eyes narrowed in pain as she replayed the events of today and spit the concoction out before turning to Tim. Something was off.

                “Just how long were you there to know that I’d been screaming loud enough for eaters to hear?” Haley’s voice was even, despite sounding so rough. She already knew the answer, already know that he let them beat the shit out of her whip her, hotdog her fucking ass before he decided to do the gentlemanly thing. They muffled her pretty early on in their assault. It wasn’t something she was likely to forget. Were these really the kind of men that were left? Crude, sadistic, shameless shadow of humanity? Was he the hero that she was supposed to rely on? Moral only when it suited him? If that was the case then maybe she was better off dead. At least then she’d be in better company.

                “What do you want from me?”


 
He sat there almost chuckling to himself while she begun hollering at him for his comment. Sure it was insensitive. Sure He could have worded it differently. But months of solitude and the constant loss and death around him had hardened his emotions more than they had been. Even when he was in the Marines a lot of his junior guys thought of him as a big softie. They knew that while he was hard on them that he didn't like conflict within his men. And usually did his best to quell it before it started. They knew that he was the type of guy that would put himself in front of a bullet for his guys. Or the guy that would jump on a grenade.

But that all seemed like a long time ago. And he wasn't the same man he once had been. Not by a long shot. Though instead of lashing out and beating her. Or raping her himself He remained mute and dug through his pack. Then pulled out a package of baby wipes and started to clean the blood from his face. Then pulled the 1911 with its attached flashlight from its hiding place in the holster inside his waistband at the small of his back. He figured theyd be there a while. So he might as well get comfortable. After he pulled the two spare mags from his other hip he returned to digging in his pack.

"I was in there before ya come through the window." He said a little calmer than before. But still with the same southern drawl. "I was gonna just let em have ya. Kinda learned that meeting up with folks doesn't turn out well. So yeah. I was hoping theyd fuck ya then leave. Dick move sure. But ain't many folks around now that'd do any different anymore."

As he pulled a bottle of whiskey from his pack he continued. To speak. "And yeah. I even thought bout fucking ya too. But changed my mind. But figured I never raped a girl before. Don't need to now. But who knows. Keep up with your bitchy attitude I might change my mind." With the bottle open he took a long pull. Then wiped the reminants of the smooth rye whiskey from his beard and held it out to her. "Now come on over here and help me drink a bit of this so I can get us the fuck outta here." Yes he came up with an idea. But wasn't sure if it would work. But it was better than doing nothing. Across from the store was an old stick framed building that someone used as storage for a basket factory that built wicker baskets and hampers.

When she didn't immediately come over he sighed and took another pull. "Look girl, Haley. I got running alcohol to start a fire with. But a dammed plastic bottle won't break that window over there. And I'll be dammed if I dump out good whiskey. So come have a drink."
 


              • “Well I wouldn’t be so bitchy if you didn't say such rude shit.” The laws were gone, replaced by instinct and the need to survive. Haley knew she couldn't blame him for his thoughts, not when she did the very same thing a few times now. It made her feel sick to know that she left those people to experience what she almost went though. Sure she didn't have Tim’s strength or presence, but she was unmatched when it came to her aim. What's done is done. You can't change the past. Shaking her head, she looked at Tim for a long moment before opening her mouth, her words sincere.

                “Thanks for saving me.” Although, it wasn't long before the dryness slipped in as she continued on. “And I'm so glad you decided to take the high road and not rape me. My faith in humanity is restored.” She offered a tight smile, not wanting to reopen the wound on her lip, not that she'd give him a wider one even if she could. The man put out his foot in his mouth every chance he got. Even so, she valued the honesty and knew where she stood with him. Would she be on guard? Hell yeah, especially if she was going to be on a rooftop with a soon to be drunkard. She eyed the whisky and gun warily before turning eyes on him. Tim seemed like smart man. She'd give him that, so why he was being an idiot when they needed to stay alert, she didn't know. Her question must’ve been clear on her bruised face because she soon had her answer.

                Her brow one as she considered his words and looked at the building a ways over. He was strong sure, but the building was entirely too far for him to hit any of the windows at the facility. Far be it from her to bruise his ego though. She gathered up her things and crawled over next to him before sitting down gingerly and with a slight groan. Maybe a little whisky was actually what she needed. Until she could figure out what the pills were, taking them was out of the question but she needed something to numb the pain in her body. She took the offered bottle and took a sip, her face scrunching up with distaste. She didn't mind whisky, hell she favored Jack Daniels on those really bad days, but this was rank.

                “What is this?” She steeled herself as she took a bigger swallow, forcing it down as quickly as she could. It burned going down and coming up as she soon discovered with a particularly warm burp sprouted from her mouth. “Jesus, perfectly good my ass.” The words were unconscious as she gave him the bottle back.

                “I'm not saying I'm a lightweight.” She came from a family of drinkers. Any event you could think of came with an array of beers, whiskeys, tequilas, and vodkas. “But you're much...larger than me and I feel like I'm drinking homemade moonshine, so I'll take whatever you can't finish.” True enough, the warmth in her stomach was growing the the minute. Maybe a bit of Nutella was in order. She opened the jar and dug out a plastic knife before dipping it in and licking it like a Popsicle. It had been so long since she had anything other than canned corn and she couldn't help the small sigh she let out. It was the simple things that got her by these days. She was about to take another sample before pausing and holding the jar out of him. Haley didn't want the man starving. Although looking at him, it looked like he ate each and every meal of the day...maybe he did.

                “Common courtesy. What are you thinking with the building? I know they tend to follow sound but you always get a few who stay behind and the ones in the store might not hear it.” She moved closer to him and kept her voice low as she considered their options. They could distract them, but they still needed to get back inside and would still be leaving through the front. They didn't even know what direction the eaters came from, although that was a simple fix. “Before we do this we should watch them, see what direction is actually open so we don't run into more.” More eaters and more people. It was clear this place was magnet for both and they needed to leave before it got even more out of hand.


 
Tim was mostly quiet while she ran through her thoughts out loud but when she thanked him he looked her in the eye and gave a little smirk. But despite his cocky half grin his dark eyes had a timeless look to them. A knowledge of decades of hardship. A dozen or so deployments before deciding hed seen enough ugliness and death left a scar on his soul that was clearly evident in those dark orbs though there was still a hint of humanity in them that as slowly waning with the current state of the world.

Years of deployments also meant years of liberty in Spain, South America, Germany, and a half dozen other separate places. There he and his men did what Marines did. Drank and slept with about any woman with a pulse. Knowing that tomorrow could mean months in the desert or some unnamed jungle meant they had to take every moment of comfort offered to them. So drinking came as second nature. Even at the rate he drank the whiskey he considered smooth he knew he wouldn't be affected much. So he again nodded when she mentioned the size difference between them knowing that she wouldn't likely handle the strong liquor as well as him. "Its rye whiskey. Them shows about making shine spurred a bunch of distillers to make legal stuff. Smells horrible. But I like it better than bourbon or scotch. But this brand been making it for a hundred years. Nobody seemed to care for it much till then shows come on. Ten years ago ya could get a fifth fer fifteen bucks. Now it's," He paused and chuckled. "Well before this shit happened it jumped to sixty a fifth. Good shit though." as he spoke he looked at the ornate glass bottle with its crisp edges and corked top with its finely printed label. Templeton Rye.

When she offered him the jar he shook his head and reached into his pack which produced a gallon sized zip lock bag of jerky which he opened and offered her a thick piece. "Venison." He exclaimed before taking a bite of the lightly seasoned smoked jerky then continued to speak to answer her question about the building. "I noticed that they also kinda like light. Few months ago some of the country folk that turned kept showing up at night. But after I boarded up my Windows they stopped coming round. I figure we catch that place on fire bout dusk and they'll flock to it like a moth to flame. Maybe they're dumb enough to walk right into it."

As he spoke he couldn't help but look at her bruised face. Though she looked like a mess now he had a difficult time banishing the image of her licking the plastic knife. Today was the first day in what seemed forever that his libido kicked in. He was so busy simply surviving that it never entered his mind. Not until he saw her strapped down to the table. And now that it kicked in He found himself having a hard time banishing the thoughts and images. So he shifted and looked out toward the south where his truck was parked. "My trucks bout a mile and a half that way. I figure if they do like the light then we can get down that fire escape over there. Probably won't be able to get out the way we come in. Even if they do like light. There's four warm bodies inside they'll be eating on."

He knew that even if everything went perfect it wouldn't be easy. Moving that distance through town at night with an overcast sky was difficult enough without eaters roaming the streets. And here they were gathered. Sure it would get easier the further out they got. But even then it was easy to get caught up by someone lurking in the shadows. "You gonna be able to keep up?" he finally asked after taking another drink from the bottle. She looked like she was in fairly good shape. But had probably had a harder time than him. He had a warm place to sleep every night and hadn't missed a meal since this whole thing started. She seemed as if she spent the entire time on the run. Or so he assumed.
 


              • Haley watched Tim with curious eyes as he described the drink. The last time she had any type of conversation had been months ago. Even so, she still recognized when someone was reminiscing about the past as he so clearly was. The hard lines of his face softened a bit and she could even see the smile on his face. For the first time she wondered what Tim’s life was like before all of this. There was little doubt in her mind that he'd been just as rough around the edges, but maybe there was an easy going nature somewhere inside him as well. “Well it's definitely an acquired taste.” She finished off the chocolate on the knife before closing the jar and stuffing both in her bag. The sight of meat had her mouth watering and she took what he offered. Pain flared in her jaw the moment her teeth bared down delicious jerky.

                “Ow, ow, ow, ow.” She looked at the jerky with murder in her eyes as her hands came up to her jaw. This was bullshit. She needed to eat and she wasn't going to let a little pain stop her. Nothing was broken, she was sure, and the quicker she worked the muscles the faster they'd heal. Wrenching a piece off with her hands she popped it in her mouth and began to chew...slowly but chew all the same. Mission accomplished, she caught up with the conversation and nodded. Haley had a lot of questions for Tim but now wasn't the time for them. Traveling at night was something she didn't do and knowing that would soon be the case made her want to utilize that time effectively.

                It was clear to see that Tim was assessing her and she was doing the same herself. Haley couldn't deny that she was tired, but that wasn't an issue. Her last meal of corn, almonds, and crackers was yesterday evening, but she was fairly hydrated and that's what mattered. She was more concerned with her body. Her legs were fine, and while her ass hurt the pain was bearable. It was her ribs and chest she was worried about, breathing through the soreness. Her chest she could take care of, for the rest she would just have to steel through it. Thankfully, she knew what it was like from running track and having a yogi as a father. He was brutal when it came to making sure she was correct in her form when it came to maintaining position and he trained her on how to move through pain when her muscles tightened, tore or strained from a particularly rough track practice. No one ever believed such a relaxed man was such a stickler. The work earned her a spot on the team in college and the yoga kept her body limber and conditioned. There was no way she would've gotten through the window without it.

                Her hands made quick work of putting her hair in a loose braid and tying the end. A ponytail was impossible at the moment. She fished out the sports bra she found, regretting not putting it on in the store before getting up and turning away from him again to change. Tim could chuckle all he wanted to. She wasn't about to just throw modesty out the window just because the world went to shit.

                “I can handle it. Just give give me another swig and I'm good.” The words were muffled for a moment as she slid the shirt back over her small frame. The temperature would drop soon, she could already feel it in the fall air. The whisky would keep the cold and pain at bay until her body was warm enough to regulate itself.


 
Tim was already digging through his pack when she turned to put on a sports bra. He thought about making a smart assed comment about her modesty. But for once his mouthfilter worked. So instead he pulled out a little baggy. A month or so ago when he was looking through a house he found some coke. While he never used before things went to hell he figured that if it didn't come in handy for a trade if he found someone that wasn't trying to kill him He could at least use it to feel better about what was happening around him. Though he had yet to use it for that purpose. Though a week later the toothache he had got so bad that he decided to pull the molar. After remembering a buddy of his in the Marines telling him about how good blow would make part of your face go numb he decided to put a little rock over the gunlm by the bad tooth and wired for it to dissolve. It not only numbed his mouth. But he found he didn't care about much of what was going on around him. It numbed him to the point that he was actually able to pull the tooth in one pull. Something that he worried about being able to do.

It was that point that he made it a point to check for medications and drugs when he was scavaging. A practice that actually placed him in the pharmacy when she came through the window. He chuckled to himself at the thought. Yes it could all be coincidence. Or a strange string of events that lined up perfectly. Whatever it was or why it was it made him chuckle.

"It'll help that jaw of yours. Just stick a little rock under your tongue and suck. Half your face'll be numb in minutes." He exclaimed while he continued to offer her the baggie and slid the bottle across the gravely roof of the building they were trapped in. Then pulled the rubbing alcohol from his old pack and ripped a sleeve off his bloody white shirt.

With the sun setting he knew it would start to get colder. Fall was weird on this part of the east coast. It could be eighty degrees during the day and fifty at night. The steady west bound breezes brought in cold air from the ocean and wiped it across the state. It was nothing to see a thirty or forty degree temperature drop just a few short hours after the sun went down. It always surprised people that hadn't grown up there how hard it was on the body. He remembered many times when new Marines that hailed from further north. Or some other state with harsh winters ended up going down with hypothermia because they didn't pack enough warming layers to deal with the change. And Tim happened to make that same mistake. He hadn't planned on being gone longer than a few hours. He should have known better than to head out with only a shirt jeans and boots. While it was true that he was a large muscular man that could handle cold better than most. He knew it would be miserable if they didn't make it back to his truck soon. So he started to pour the rubbing alcohol into the nearly empty bottle and stuffed the strip of his shirt into the opening. And finally after soaking up the flamable liquid into the rag he stuffed the cork in with a part of the rag hanging out.
 
“What is it?”

Haley took the bag and held it up. Honestly, she had no clue about cocaine if it wasn't in the powdered form people seemed to snort on television. Drugs were never a thing with her. She tried shrooms and was always a willing participant when a bong was present, but between sports and her parents in her ear about all of it being bad, she stayed away from it. Now there were no random drug tests or prying eyes, but there was danger at literally every corner. Did she really need her senses dulled? And would anything happen if she mixed it with anymore alcohol? She looked at Tim before opening the bag with a sigh and looking for the smallest one. She was afraid that it might be something else, a sedative as opposed to an upper. Something that would make her bait or a decoy while he got away, not to mention overdosing. One part of her was wondering what the hell she was doing while the other acknowledged that she could use the numbness if it would get them to safety.

She found one that didn't look as intimidating and popped it in her mouth. It was bitter, but not intolerably so as she felt her saliva glands going into overdrive. Her tongue started to numb so she placed the rock underneath before she lost all control over the appendage.

“How long will it last and does it just numb me? I won't get high if I don't inject or snort, it right?” At twenty three, she suddenly felt like an inexperienced, nervous fourteen year old who should've asked those questions before she put the damn thing in her mouth. Swallowing spit that pooled in her mouth, she sat down next to Tim and handed him his stash back, a slightly fascinated look in her eyes as she felt the numbness spreading across her face. She moved her jaw from side to side before wincing slightly. It wasn't that fast apparently. She watched him get to work on the cocktail and was strangely relieved to know she was with someone who probably knew how to survive without much trouble.

She made sure the safety was flipped on her gun before trading it for her buck knife. It didn't make much sense to turn the eaters attention back to them after they'd just diverted it. With everything in place, she looped the bag on her shoulders, went to peer over the side where the fire escape was and tried to ignore the numbing in her throat and sudden realization that she couldn’t smell anything. Beyond that, Haley couldn't feel any immediate changes but they were there. Her eyes had begun to dilate and faint flush was taking up residence on her face, neck and chest. She might've chalked it up to adrenaline but it was more than that. The eaters on that end were listless but there were too many of them to even consider moving without a diversion. She just hoped theirs worked. She didn't think he was lugging around bottles of liquor so they only had one shot at this. She turned to see Tim still sitting at the corner.

“Are you gonna light and throw it, or just sit there? It'll be dark soon.”
 
Tim sat mute while she seemed to almost nervously ask questions about what he offered her. It wasn't that he wanted to drug her. He just didn't see how it mattered what it was or if she would get high from it. All that mattered to him was that they got off that roof and made it through town to his truck. From the bit her done he knew that it started to numb almost immediately. But found he didn't really feel the true effects of the drug for several minutes. But the way she seemed to get chatty and anxious she seemed to feel it's effects faster. Since he had so little experience with it he wasn't sure if body mass had anything to do with it or not. Regardless he figured that she probably felt the same effects he felt when he used it to remove the rotten tooth. He felt good about basically everything around him. But at the same time felt almost hyper aware of everything. Like he was more alert. So as far as he was concerned it would help instead of hinder their escape.

In the few minutes After she took the small rock Tim placed the magazine's in the leather pockets attached to his belt and slid the pistol back into its holster then put everything back into his pack. Everything save for a short length of rope which he used to make a sling for his bow. Then finally after she started to complain about how long he was taking he stood and shouldered his gear. "Yeah I'm getting to it." He grunted as he moved toward the edge of the building nearest the building he spoke of earlier. He pulled a Zippo from his pocket And sized up his target, a rather large first floor window that looked like it had previously been broken away a bit. As the makeshift wick burned he drew his arm back and tossed it. It sailed through the air but when it hit the remaining glass of the window and crashed through it the burning wick broke away and fell harmlessly to the ground outside on the sidewalk. But he heard the glass break and saw the bottle go into the window. A disappointed, "Fuck" left his lips when he didn't see flames inside the building.

His mind raced trying to come up with another way to quickly light the liquid that had to of spattered across the floor and soaked the flamable wicker inside. He never thought for a second that the tattered sleeve if his shirt would burn away before the glass broke. Hed been worried about missing his mark instead of it not catching fire when he did.

The sound did catch the attention of a few eaters. But the few that shuffled toward the sudden nose didn't even open a small hole through which they could run.

But instead of dispare Tim unslung his bow and started to rifle through his pack. When his hand emerged it held a bottle of hand sanitizer. After he pocketed it, paying no attention to the woman that so recently joined him, he ripped off his other sleeve then doused it with the alacoholic gel. With it litterally dropping from the bloody rag he pulled an arrow with a broadened on it and began to tie it round and through the holes in the razors of the broadened. Then finally a after knocking the arrow he handed her his lighter and said. "Light it as soon as I draw it back." Tim knew that the archers of old often used flaming arrows against their enemy but doubted the rags ability to stay lit as it flew through the air. But it was the only thing he could think of to get the fire going. If this didn't work theyd have to continue to hide on the roof and hope that the herd of dead move on before they die of dehydration."

So he drew the bow with the thumb release wrapped round his wrist and waited for her to light the rag.
 
Haley heard the anger in Tim's voice, but it didn't really register as her eyes were still waiting for the flames, an explosion, something. When it didn’t come she finally look at the man, at a loss for words. She had the intense urge to laugh at the situation, but stifled it knowing it wouldn't work out too well if she did. Instead she walked back over to him as he doused another shirt sleeve with sanitizer. He made quick work of whatever it was he was about to do and handed her the lighter. Her mind was running through all the ways this wouldn't work but she was praying it did, reciting it like a mantra because she really didn't want to die here.

She took a deep breath before igniting the rag and watching its release. Her overworked heart gave a leap as it shot through the window….but no flames...but she could see what looked like smoke. A few seconds later she saw the flames; tendrils rising as it consider what we ammunition was in the building. She let out the breath she’d been holding and jumped up and down and turned to Tim with a genuine smile and a feeling of giddiness.

“You know, I never doubted you for one second.” The commotion and crackling from the fire seemed to cause enough of a distraction for the eaters to move toward it. She went back towards the fire escape and was happy to see that those congregated there were moving as well...slowly. The sun was just starting to set. She unzipped her jacket and sat on the ledge, watching as they milled away. The pain in her body was completely gone now, but it was replaced with warmth and she was actually glad for the cooler nights. She was eager to get off the roof so when she saw the last eater round the corner she waited another minute or two before swinging her leg over the fire escape and pausing. There was a large gap between the floor and the last step of the ladder and she moved back.

“You should probably go first. You're body is longer so the jump won't be as big a shock.” There was no reason for her to injure herself further and if need be she was light enough to catch. She waited for him to go over before following him down.
 
The events that occured after he loosed the arrow were a blur. Even though the fire caught slowly Tim's mind raced as he tried to plan out each step of their escape. But just like during his time in the military, no good plan survives initial contact.

Once his feet hit the street he helped his companion down. Then moved across the street and skirted the buildings sticking to the shadows. He wanted to move through the buildings like he normally did. But with dusk already upon them he figured that would be more dangerous than to move down the streets and get back to his truck as fast as possible. Moving through darkening alleyways and streets was dangerous enough when there were no streetlights and little light in the sky from the overcast clouds. But moving through the buildings themselves with only a flashlight would have been utter suicide.

Everything seemed to go well. The growing flames from the fully engulfed building behind them not only attracted the eaters near the store but did well at lighting the way. Though it cast off shadows, and left the alleys between narrow buildings dark. Other than the occasional eater that crawled along trying to get to the excitement of the fire everything seemed to be going well. The dead that surrounded the store walked mindlessly into the flames and the few in the streets were more concerned with the inferno that lit up the sky behind them than the duo that scurried from shaddow to shadows. It wasn't until theyd moved almost a mile from the fire that things went wrong. They were only a few hundred yards from where Tim hid his truck. But the moment he came round the corner of the residential street he came nearly face to face with another horde. Though luckily for him they seemed to be facing the other way. So he ducked back around the corner and looked back to Haley shaking his head.

The pace he kept had been cautious but quick. He checked often to make sure she was still with him. But never slowed down. That was until he was forced to stop because of the large group of biters on the street where he hid his truck. While the fire a mile or so away still blazed and caused the sky to appear as a dull yellow it must have been too far to catch the attention of the dead this far out. As he silently trotted back to her he pointed toward a narrow grassy passage way between two houses then pulled his pistol and fired a single round into the ground. He needed to get the eaters blocking their path to move. But also needed to vanish quickly Before they caught sight or scent of him so they could get to the truck from another angle. The moment he fired he took off toward the small space between houses and passed Haley.

He heart hammered in his chest and his breathing was labored. Yes he was in good shape. But it had been years since he ran with gear on his back in boots. Though the truck was only a mile and change from where they started the path they took was not a straight one. He several times had to cut down adjacent streets to avoid a small group. So their trek was double the distance had he been able to cut through buildings and avoided backtracking to find a different route.

Finally he emerged from a back yard and saw that most of them followed the sound and opened a path to his truck. So he stopped just long enough to say. "Stay on my ass. Once they see us that path will close fast." and with that said he drew his hatchet, Then took off at a dead run. Half way across the street a couple eaters turned and saw him. Immediatly, without missing a step he begun to swing the blood covered hatchet. Each blow found its mark and cut down another eater. He plowed through them like a linebacker and cleaved their skulls. He paused only long enough to open the driver's door and litterally tossed her inside after turning to her. Then jumped in and pulled the door closed. The commotion they caused caught the attention of the others who were quickly gathering round the truck. But he already had his keys in the ignition of the old diesel truck. But he couldn't just turn it and drive off. He had to let the glowplugs warm a moment. And when they did the old diesel fired to life.

He always loved the smell and sound of this old truck. The sound reminded him of being in a HMMWV when he was in the military. But at this moment he wished the truck was quieter. The sound of the engine running seemed to further enrage the eaters. They clawed at the windows and pushed against the truck. But it was already too late. He slammed the truck into first and took off, running the eaters down as he accelerated and shifted through the gears.
 
Neither wasted any time as they moved through the streets and alleyways, keeping close to the wall. Haley didn't have much trouble keeping up with Tim but she found she wasn't used to having her range of vision obstructed. Not being able to see in front of her was slightly disorienting but she focused her energy on making sure she was covered on her sides. It looked like they were finally going to make it until Tim stopped short. Her breath was visible in the waning light as she looked over her shoulder. There were stragglers. The light from the fire was visible but barely so. She knew those nearby would gravitate towards them, and as slow as they might be, stopping like this was a death wish. Even so, her eyes caught sight of the walkers up ahead and knew they needed to reassess the situation.

Her eyes were wide, alert as Tim moved towards her and gestured to an alternative route. Nodding in understanding, she shifted from foot to foot as you put a bullet into the ground. She took off down the path, but it wasn't long before Tim was in front and ahead of her, forging the path towards his truck. Even with his speed it seemed that the eaters were determined to engulf them, overwhelm them as she just barely missed their grasp. Skeletal fingers skimmed her back just as they reached the truck and she couldn't help the sound her disgust that tore her throat.

Keep going. Keep going, you're almost there.

Haley’s vision tunneled as the truck came into view. She said nothing as Tim propelled her into the front seat, sliding quickly out of the way so he could enter. Her hand immediately went to lock the door as she saw decayed sets of hands against the window, their hungry moans drowning out the sound of her intense breathing as her lungs tried to keep up with her racing heart. She felt lightheaded as her eyes darted from places to place, watching as eaters began to pile against the running car.

“Tim!” Why weren't they moving? As if on cue, he shifted gears and suddenly the vehicle shifted forward. She held on to the arm of the door as the truck bulldozed over bodies for a few hundred yards before the road cleared. She looked in the rearview mirror and could see the mindless abominations attempting to follow but they were far out of reach. Despite having moment of safety, her breathing was still elevated and she was starting to become lightheaded. Her head instinctively fell between her knees as she tried to get a reign on herself.

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Haley's entire body shook as she told herself to take deep breaths. She'd never been in the middle of a horde before. Sure they'd come her way before but she quietly waited them out in tree or in an abandoned car. It was never what she just experienced. But it was done. It was over and she needed to calm down. It was a few more minutes before her body actually listened and the panicked edge left her from. She sat up and felt a small twinge of pain in her side. Nothing bit her, but physical exertion she just put herself through was manifesting despite the drugs and alcohol. She could handle it.

The road had its fair share of vehicles but Tim’s truck seemed to have no problem driving with the unpaved detours. With each passing minute her the pain in her body seemed to multiply. She wasn't just feeling the injuries from her assault. Her legs aches from the running and she could feel how tight her neck and shoulders were from stress. Even her gums throbbed from the jaw clenching she wasn't even aware of. Add fatigue and the sudden drop in adrenaline, well she could barely move. Resting her head against the window, she watched as the houses began to stretch further apart, some sitting far back into the forest. Most of warm colored leaves still clung to trees, but there was still an abundance of it on the covering the ground. It was peaceful and so incredibly deceiving. She shifted slightly and looked at Tim. She wondered how they would get on. While it was true that he saved her, he didn't seem all that trustworthy. He was older than her own 24 year, bigger than she was used to, quietly domineering both physically and in his skill with the multiple weapons he kept in his arsenal.

“Is there someone waiting for you back where you're holed up?” They'd been driving for a while before she finally spoke. She was about to offer up going to her own cottage, but thought better of it. If things went south, she didn't want anyone knowing her only safe haven.
 
The trip back to Tim's home took much longer than it had during the day. There was nothing he could do about the noise while he drove them. But in an attempt to not draw attention He drove with the lights off. Which meant he had to drive much slower than he did during the day. Though even with having to drive slower and the maze of abandoned vehicles the trip back only took less than a half an hour. By the time she finally spoke they were already turning down the gravel road that lead to his modest home set back behind a row of tall pines. "Nope." He replied. "I had a girlfriend for a while before this happened. But she decided to head south to be with her parents just after people started to turn." He added with a shrug.

Moments after he answered her question the truck came to a stop in front of the small house. By all rights it looked completely abandoned. No animals roamed the little cove in the trees. He didn't have a barn hiding cattle or pigs. And all his farm impliments were stored on the other side of his property.

He bought the tobacco farm several years before the world broke. The old farmhouse sat next to the steel building that stored all the equipment needed to cultivate and farm the land. But it had been empty for so long it was cheaper to simply build a new home. Which was exactly what Tim had done. Though instead of building it where everything was stored Tim cleared trees and shrubs where they now sat, on the exact opposite of the several thousand acre farm. It was the only part of the land that hadn't been used. And in retrospect Tim was lucky to have chosen this spot. It was recessed at the end of a long gravel road. So the few living people that roamed the country side largely ignored it. His drive looked more like an access road maintained by the state than it did a driveway. And the tiny one bedroom home was completely hidden behind the pines.

With the truck stopped and turned off he climbed down out and shouldered his pack. The only thing in the small clearing other than the house was a natural gas tank. While the electricity that used to light his home long ago shut off. The tank meant hot water and heat for the upcoming winter. But preserving food was no longer a simple matter of freezing or refrigerating it. What few animals her been able to hunt had to either be smoked or salted to keep it from rotting If it wasn't eaten right away.

Tim's long strides took him across the gravel parking area and up the steps of the small porch. All the Windows had been boarded up in an attempt to keep the candles and lanterns he used to light his home from being seen outside. Even with the woods that surrounded the house, light in the darkness could be seen for litterally miles and Tim knew that surviving meant going unnoticed. And going unnoticed was something her become very good at.

After unlocking the door to the single floor home he walked in and lit a lantern. "Well. It ain't much. But it's home and safe." He said while he held the door open for her. "Let's see if we can't patch ya up a bit. Infection can be a bitch." He offered with a smirk that was meant to be reassuring. He still didn't know why he brought her all the way to his home instead of parting ways once they were far enough away from the horde to ensure she could move on without him. But having company grew on him during the drive to his modest home.

Immediately inside the front door was a mudroom. And past that was a small kitchen. He built the house on a budget. He never planned on having kids before this sickness spread. It was never something that appealed to him. His time in the military always kept him away so maintaining a relationship with a woman was almost impossible. And the thought of children with him always absent never seemed a possibility. Then by the time he moved to civilian life he figured he was too old. At forty years old having children would mean he would be almost sixty by the time they graduated high school. So he built the house just large enough for him to be comfortable. The kitchen opened up into a small living room that was only large enough for a small couch a recliner and a small tv. There was one bathroom in that was attached to his bedroom and an unfinished basement.

"Promise not to bite." he added with a grin.
 
Haley nodded quietly as they came to a clearing. “That makes two of us then.” Before everything went south, Haley had someone who she’d slowly been forming an attachment to, but they never got the chance to solidify it. He decided to stay in New Hampshire while she made her way home. She couldn't blame him but sometimes she wondered what would've happened if she had someone to share the burden, the loneliness and misery. It was hard to keep your spirits up by yourself.

Her eyes scanned the area as she got out of the truck, looking for any sign on eaters before turning towards the abandoned house. It was small, dilapidated, and boarded up. Perfectly unassuming. She gathered her things and closed the door behind her while Tom opened the door. Her steps were stiff as followed him through the door and looked around, surprised to see it furnished. While the outside looked rundown, the inside was much more forgiving to the eye. She couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face at Tim’s words.

“It's more than enough. How'd you find this place?” She walked slowly through the house, noting there were no pictures, no real personal belongings. Continuing through the kitchen, she took in the living room with a shake of her head at the television. They would have to find some other form of entertainment to keep the busy. She popped her head into the bedroom before entering further at the sight the bathroom and starting forward only to pause. Haley wasn't vain, but she had yet to see what damage had been done to her face. Unfortunately for here, there was little she would be able to see in small room. It was dark and even with the small window, no light would come though. With a small sigh she went to sit on the couch, her movements reluctant. How she managed to feel worse than she did before, she would never know.

“Do your worst. No pain, no gain.” She gestured for him to come and work on her as she took the leather jacket off. She wanted to burn it but knew it was a stupid idea with the cooling weather. “Whatever, I just want to get better. I feel like someone rammed me with a car.” Now that she was safe, her body was finally starting to relax, her brain trying its hardest to get her to lay down on the couch. She needed rest but for some insane reason, she felt like it would be rude.
 
As the young woman looked around his home Tim stripped his bloodied and tattered shirt from his powerfully built torso. He was no longer as defined as he was in his younger years. Even though he had put on some weight since hed been a civilian again his stomach was flat and his chest and shoulders were broad.

After he retrieved a flannel shirt from the hall closet and put it on he turned the furnace up. Immediately it kicked in and started to pump warm air through the vents. It wasn't exactly cold in the small house but with the damp chill of the east coast night it soon would have been. "Oh. Its my place. I built it a couple years ago after I bought the land. There's a bigger place in the other side of the farm. But was in pretty bad shape. Wasn't worth fixing and I didn't really wanna put the effort into tearing it down." He exclaimed while he emptied the contents of his pack onto the kitchen table. While the house was new, Tim went through great pains to make the outside look as if it were old and abandoned. Much of his Time during the day was spent out scavenging or hunting. So he wanted the house to look as if no one had lived there for years.

His haul from town wasn't what he wanted. But with the jerky he had in a cabinet with the canned goods from today and others from previous trips there was more than enough food for several days. But more importantly than food he managed to take several large bottles from the pharmacy that were sure to come in handy sooner or later. Unlike her, he knew what to look for and what the various medications that were useful to him was called. So once the medications were out of his pack, along with the small baggy of coke. He deposited his pack next to the wall where his bow hung in the kitchen and grabbed a couple pills along with a small first aid kit and joined her in the living room.

Along with the antibiotic and the large pill that would full her pain he carried the lantern in with him and set them all on the coffee table. Then while he started to clean the cut on her lip with a qtip and iodine he continued to speak. "Dad owned some land near here when I was little. But got sick and couldn't keep it going. He sold it off a bit at a time till it was gone." There was a hint of sadness in his deep voice while he spoke of the past. His father and him did not have a bad relationship. Nor did he run off to join the military to get away from this rural life. Rather Tim wanted to do something that he saw as more important than farming tobacco. It wasn't until his father passed away that he wished he could have done something to keep the family farm going. "He tried leading out the land before selling it. But didn't find too many folks that wanted to pay him what it was worth to farm it."

With her lip and the other smallncuts cleaned he handed her the two pills and leaned back into the soft couch. "I was able to buy some of the land back after I came home." He continued, his voice was thick with the back woods southern drawl he tried to hide in his younger years in the Marines. But corporate farms bought most of it up." He added with a little shrug unsure why he even opened up to her about it in the first place. It wasn't as if she asked for his life story. But for some unknown reason he wanted to tell her.

But with it said. He found himself unable to think of what to say next. So instead he stood and walked back into the kitchen where he removed the bloody hatchet from his belt and started to clean it under got water in the sink. "It ain't much." Talking about his home. "But I got heat and hot water till that gas tank runs empty." With the blood cleaned from the hatchet cleaned of blood and Gore he sat at the kitchen table and laid out his pistol hatchet and a kife. Of one thing was clear about Tim, it was the fact that it had been a while since he was required to carry on a conversation. His thoughts seemed to bounce from one subject to another with frequency. So as he oiled the hatchet and began to sharpen it he continued. "Ya can shower if ya want. But keep it quick. I don't wanna run out of gas mid winter."
 
Haley realized she spoke to soon as he rubbed the iodine into her wounds. She settled for closing her eyes, digging her nails into her thigh and concentrating on his voice while he worked. She really couldn't believe her luck in finding someone so useful. She wasn't sure there was anything he couldn't do. As Tim continued talking, she opened her eyes when his tone shifted. She could hear the sadness and wondered what happened and why he didn't mention his mother, but she didn't pry. It was strange having him so close and open when he seemed to make a point of keeping his distance. She took the pills he offered, rolling them around in the dim light before attempting to speak. She paused as he suddenly stood up and walked into the kitchen. The smirk that appeared on her face was innocent enough as he confirmed her suspicions. She couldn't tell if it was a force of habit or she made him uncomfortable. Either way she found it amusing.

Her eyes widened at the mention of hot water and she immediately stood up, much to her body's anger. “Fuck my life. Sorry for cursing so much. I promise not to be long and thank you for offering.” She really was a good person, nice, friendly and generally helpful but she couldn't lie that pain would turn anyone into a bitching sailor. She didn't waste any time as she went into his bathroom with her things and shut the door behind her. She could see much of anything but that didn't matter as she shucked her boots off and slipped out of her clothes. After rummaging through her bag for a bar of soap, she felt for the faucet and handles, trying her best not to smile as she adjusted to temperature of the water and stepped in. Eyes closed, she let the warm water just wash over her skin for a moment, rivulets moving through her hair, down her spine and using her curves and dips for direction. It had been so long since she'd been clean, it was a wonder Tim never said anything about the smell. It had been easy enough in the beginning when things were still running, but that didn't last long and soon she was left to make do with what ever stream or lake she managed to pass by and that was only if one of those idiot eaters weren't caught in them.

With a sigh she picked up the soap and made quick work of getting as clean as she possibly could, as fast as she could. The heat helped with her muscles and while the cuts stung, it was bearable compared to what Tim had done. The thought of him made her think about her own parents. She tried not to dwell on it, but in her heart she felt like they were gone. She hadn't heard from them on the way home that day, not a call, nothing. Even so, she wanted to make sure, wanted to not worry about it anymore. They said if there was ever an emergency to meet at their cottage and she’d been on her way there. It was a two days drive from where they'd originally were but she wouldn't ask Tim for anything more. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to far that reality just yet.

Five minutes later she gently rang out her hair and stepped out of the shower feeling marginally better and much more relaxed. Feeling, smelling, and looking clean will do that. She slipped on another pair of leggings, and red long sleeved, fitted thermal, choosing to forego a bra before gathering her things and heading to the kitchen. She watched him work for minute before sitting next to him with a slight smile. He didn't look as intimidating sitting there. He was still broad shoulder as ever in the plaid, and he had brooding down to a tee, but he looked at ease in his home. She watched the muscles in his arm move as he worked and wondered what he was like as a kid. Her tired voice interrupted the silence as her eyes shifted to his face.

“Thank you for offering the shower. It was five minutes in heaven. There’s...junk food and a few canned vegetables in my bag if you're hungry and wanting something different. ” She rubbed her nose, still rosy from being wet, and now a little cold, before pulling out the pills from a pocket in her bag and setting them on the table.

“Can you give me what I had before? I'm not trying to take your stash, and fuck it all if I become an addict at the end of the world, but it really helped with the pain and I'm not quite ready to go to sleep yet. I also don't know what those are.” It was true enough. Haley couldn't picture asking again after this. She wanted to stretch before she slept to prevent her muscles from locking up any worse and there were some things she needed to think about. Like what she was going to do now that she wasn't alone and no longer on the right route.
 
In addition to being unused to company Tim had a routine that he really didn't even know about. Humans are and always have been creatures of habit. Wether they knew it our not humans found routines. They felt comfort in them. And Tim was no different. After he returned from a run he sharpened his knife and hatchet, whether he used them or not. Then cleaned his bow and pistol. It was a habit he picked up when he was in the Marines. Just like when he was in and went out on an opp, he cleaned his weapons upon returning wether he used them or not. It was something that had been instilled in him from the first day of boot camp. His weapons, then his rifle and now the blades pistol and bow, were and now are the tools he used to keep himself alive. So he always made sure that he took As good care of them as he did himself.

When she returned he hardly noticed her oresence. It wasn't until she sat and spoke that he actually looked up from the long bladed KaBar and smiled at her. His only response to her thanks was a nod. It was a small kindness as far as he was concerned. Yes it was one less shower that he would get down the road. But there were ways to make hot water if he really had to. As were there other ways to hear his home. He really wasn't thinking that far ahead anyway.

It wasn't until she asked for more of what she's had earlier that he looked back to her and kinda chuckled. Because he really didn't use it often he saw no harm. Yes he liked the little high he got from it. But because he fell so far into simply surviving he never really thought of it as a precious commodity. So he turned to where it and the other meds say on the counter and pulled the baggy. Toward him. But as he laid two rocks on the table He said. "I don't need your food. Keep it." there was always good to be had. He learned that a long time ago. All you had to do is know how to find it.

Tim really didn't eat for pleasure. He honestly didn't care anymore how things tasted. He only ate because he had to. He didn't miss pizza or steak. If he wanted steak he could get it. Because the dead hadn't yet ventured this far out deer were plentiful as were cattle that escaped their feed lots. But company was in short supply. Humans were social creatures. Like rats, humans have been known to go insane and mutilate themselves after being removed from contact with others. So as he used the knife to cut up the two rocks he spoke almost quietly. "I could care less about this stuff. But my hospitality isn't boundless." He then used the knife to separate the cut rocks into two far lines. "I could give ya all of it and wouldn't miss it. But I gotta tell ya Haley. I kinda got to tell ya. I need someone to talk to." Tim always saw himself as a warrior. He used to live for the fight when he was in the Marines. He lived for his Marines. But after he got out he lost that part of himself. Now he only fought to live. And simply surviving wasn't an option anymore. There was no point to simply getting through another day. So he made his offer in hopes that she would stay. "So if ya want more I want you to agree to stick around."
 
“I didn't say you needed it, but if you’re sure.” Haley tilted her head, amusement in her eyes. He didn't seem to care much for worldly luxuries, and if she knew what was good for her, she should stop searching for them as well but they made her feel good. It made her feel human. A shower, her favorite food, a warm bed. None of it was necessary but it made things a little more bearable for her. She knew there would be a time when it all ran out but she was prepared for it. She felt her cheeks warm when he chuckled at her request and made a mental note to count each time he felt it necessary to laugh her. So far she was at three.

She frowned as he took out two rocks. Did she really need that much? Her eyes shot back to his as his tone changed and her back started to tense. She wasn't asking for a hand out and she didn't have much to offer but...he wasn't asking for more than companionship. Her gaze held his for a long moment as she considered the weight of his words. This was the first time she'd seen anything resembling vulnerability in his eyes. She could see that he was a quiet man, maybe he preferred solitude. But even the most introverted, recluse needed some dose of interaction and it was clear that not having it was taking its toll on Tim.

“I appreciate the,” She shook her head and looked down at the table. “That’s not what I want to say. I understand what you mean and I want to stay, but I need to get to Massachusetts.” She crossed her arms as she sat back in the seat. “I need to know if my parents are there. We have a cabin there right next to Walden Pond. It's stocked with everything we...I could need and has a generator.” She wouldn't ask him to come with her, to put himself in danger for her own peace of mind. She was already asking too much.

“If you could just let me stay here until I'm healed, it would mean a lot. I'll stay out of your way...or keep you company whenever you need. It's been awhile since I've had any type of conversation and I clearly miss it since I can't stop talking.” For the first time, she felt like she was making the wrong decision, but this wasn't about comfort.
 
Tim continued to cut and break the rocks into lines. As he did the dim light from the lantern seemed to sparkle off the powder, a testament to its purity. Before the spores spread people would have called it fish or Dragon scale because of how light shunned off it. But that was something Tim was unaware of.

Ice the two lines were finely cut and even he rolled a piece of paper into a tube while he listened to her talk. It wasn't until she finished that he showed any emotion. The thought of having someone around grew on him even in those few moments before she spoke of her family. For a brief moment he looked up into her eyes with an almost sad look. But said. "That's a pretty long haul, especially on foot." he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay in this house forever. Sooner or later all the food that was left would vanish, and the ground in this part of the state made growing food crops difficult.

Last summer he tried a garden. But it didn't yield much. Even though he replaced the sandy dirt with topsoil from the local farm supply store didn't help much. In actuality it wasn't the soil that caused his garden to founder. It was his inability to tend to it every day. In between planting and havest Tim made extra money by working on the pipeline. The long hours and time he spent there was what made it difficult to maintain a garden. Though he hadn't realized that.

The growing season was much longer this far south than it was up north where she planned to go. But the mild winters meant that insects we're much more difficult to deal with. And while they didn't seem to bother much with the tobacco plants, they did attack food crops with a vengeance. Yes. Leaving wasn't a bad idea. But he wasn't ready to voice that idea. So instead he offered her the makeshift short straw and said. "Well then. You're welcome to stay till you're healed. And once ya are I'll help ya get set up to leave." He knew that gas would be getting difficult to find. And the longer it sat the more it would degrade. By this time next year any gasoline that hadn't been treated would be almost worthless in a car or truck. But diesel kept better. It didn't break down the way gasoline did. Over by his barn where his farming equipment was stored he had several thousand gallons of it that would keep for several years.

He was already thinking of a way to carry enough diesel to make the trip with some to spare. But he wasn't ready yet to admit that he needed to leave this place as well. So he looked back to her and said. "If ya short that the effects will be more potent and lasts a bit longer. I'll do a line with ya."
 
Hearing his words made Haley relax as she leaned on the table and took the tube, rotating it between her fingers. “It is, but the distance is shorter than what I've travelled so far. All I've been doing these days is walking.” True enough, she'd started off on the outskirts of Louisiana after visiting a college friend in New Orleans. She remembered thinking it might've been safer to go back since it was closer, but her family ended up being an unwavering priority and it wasn't long after that when entrance to major cities started to close off. She would've been in North Carolina much sooner, but he stayed longer in houses that had food and made it a point to avoid others whenever she could. It didn't take long for the people to degenerate into something worse than the eaters they had to deal with at every corner. They turned out to be preferable.

Haley looked down at the shimmering white line and couldn't help the frown on her face. Her mind immediately went back to her childhood and the idiotic occasion where her friend dared her to snort the candy powered from those flavored bottle pops. She'd never been in so much pain before and had a berry flavored nasal drip for days after. She stood up and leaned over the line with the tube in one nostril while she closed the other off with a finger and inhaled deeply while moving across the powdery white substance. She felt a burning sensation that completely went away after a couple seconds, the numbing sensation working much faster than before. Sitting back down, she rubbed her nose and watched as Tim took his own hit, waiting for something. Anything really, but she felt the same pain and same emotions as before.

“I don't feel any different.” She swallowed the mucus in her throat before rummaging through her bag and placing her knife on the table. She wasn't sure what she thought would happen, but in her mind it should've been instantaneous. Maybe it was just a different beast in powder form.

“Can you sharpen my knife too...or teach me because I'm a fairly capable human being.” The blade was sharp enough and she was happy with how good it was, but she could feel the drag when it sliced through things and it took bit more effort to pierce through stubborn objects. She also pulled out the pill bottles and began sifting through them, looking for any that she knew was useful. There were two bottles of buprenorphine, one bottle of hydromorphone, and two bottles of amoxicillin. She also had albuterol and benadryl that she always stowed away during trips. The rest of the bottles she couldn't speak to and she already knew depressants or birth control were a non issue for her. She was neither depressed or capable of having children, much to her disappointment. Although in some sick twist of fate that was a good thing now.

“If any of the the rest of these are useful to you, have at them.” She paused for a moment to sniff a drippy nose and took stock of herself. Her limbs didn't feel heavy anymore and she recognized the boost of energy from before, but it was better. She felt...lighter both mentally and physically. The pain, surprisingly enough, wasn't completely gone but she could barely feel it as she experimentally folded her legs in the chair. This high felt intensely better. Her heart was still hammering away in her chest and she probably didn't need the heat on with how warm she was becoming but the stress was gone.

There was alot in Massachusetts. There were cattle farms there. Apples and cranberries were on practically every corner and some cornfields in a few places. The cabin had its own apple tree and cranberry bushes. Her mother would grow tomatoes during the summer and everything she needed to make preserves was there. Not to mention the never ending supply of wood available for the harsh winters. She wanted Tim to come with her, but she wouldn't push, persuade but not push. And for that, she needed to get to know him.

“What were you like before this? What was your life like?” Her eyes had dilated once more and filled with curiosity, wondering what made him keep going through all of this.
 
Coke hit different people differntly. He knew that from what others told him in the past, weight or size really didn't matter when it came to effects. What mattered was brain chemistry. All of what someone snorted went straight into their blood stream. Other than what was collected in their nose. It bypassed all of the body's natural defenses the same way smoking something did. But on top of all that was how a person's brain was wired. She seemed to have it hit almost immediately. Even if she didn't realize it at first. Tim, after he took in that far line, felt nothing other than awake. He didn't feel high. Or feel euphoric. He sinly felt as if he had someone shoot a stimulant into his heart. After he took that bump his chocolate Brown eyes went wide and dialated. "Wow!" he said just before he tried to follow her words as she set the meds before him.

After he picked up her knife he ran his thumb across it from side to side. It was almost as if he enjoyed the sensation. "Yeah. I can teach ya." his eyes then went to the bottles she pulled out and laid out. He didn't know all of them. But remembered some from before. From what he remembered they were useless for anything other than people with adhd or other mental problems or if someone didn't want to get pregnant. But remembered one of his Marines talking about other uses for many of them. So he smirked and said. "Thanks."

Already the drug was working its way through his system. And like before he found he didn't care what was around him. But this time he saw something in front of him. Something he wanted But wasn't willing to admit to until now. So his hand set her blade down on the table and took up her hands.

His face was flushed and his gaze more profound. Always a very blunt man, Tim lacked propriety. So while he held her hands in his he looked deep into her eyes and said in his deep southern voice. "You've been trying to be modest all day. You turned away and his yourself when you changed your shirt." he continued to hold her hands while he stood. "Would you mind satisfying my curiosity and taking that top off?"
 
Haley stifled her laugh at his reaction to the line. They'd spent over half the day together but she didn't think she ever heard that amount of excitement I his voice. His mood seemed to raise instantly, his whole person opening up as his face relaxed. She was surprised by it after sitting with a quiet man, not two seconds ago and wondered if she was the same. Maybe it was because she was already so talkative that she didn't notice the change in herself. Whatever the case, she couldn't say she was upset by it, even if it did cause her brows to raise as he took hold of her hands. What could he possibly say in response to her question that he needed to take hold of them and look at her so intently, she didn't know. Her smile faltered slightly as he mentioned her modesty.

“Some things don't change, no matter fucked up the world gets.” Her gaze locked with his own as he stood up and she shook her head, confusion and a bit of hurt in her eyes. “I thought we'd talked about your shitty sense of humor.”

She tried to remove her hands from his grasp but he held fast. Her chair scraped across the floorboards as she stood up as well, taking in the glassiness of his eyes and the way he stood over her, trying to figure out what changed. He’d been a little rough around the edges but he'd been nice, kept his distance. He'd been respectful. Really now? And the laughing? He knew what you could be to him and lured you in Haley. But he could’ve taken advantage of her when she was in the shower! Before she even set foot in his house. Her eye caught sight of her knife on the table and she tried pulling away from him one more time. He just wanted to get you alone and helpless. There's no one around and barely any walkers around these parts. Your knife and gun aren't on you. There won't be a second savior for you this time. Haley shook her head in denial, refusing to believe she would have to be assaulted twice in one day.

“Come on Tim. This isn't funny. This isn't you.” And it wasn't, her mind realized. She didn't know anything about coke, but it seemed to affect him differently. He wasn't like this a few minutes ago. He'd been talking about friendship and conversation when he asked her to stay, not sex. Not rape. He might not have said it, might not have done it if was high, but the urge was always there. Maybe next time you won't be so quick to trust, if there even is a next time. Her already racing heart went into overdrive as she tried not to panic. Knowing it wouldn't get her anywhere and wondering what the fuck was wrong with her conscious as she tried to quiet it. She swallowed before trying to something different, her voice barely above a pained whisper.

“Tim just let my hands go. Please. I'm not going to leave but it doesn't need to be like this.” And Haley wasn't sure she would leave him completely. She knew she needed to get outside and away from him until the drugs were out of his system, but she was contemplating what she would let slide when the only option was death and loneliness. She could flush a bag of coke, but protection like this didn't grow on trees and she knew he was better than this.

But this...if he raped her. It would be so much worse. So much more depraved because he planned it, made sure he earned her trust before he destroyed her and that scared her more than anything because she didn't know what he was capable of.
 
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