S C A R L E T

We were at the mall again. This time however I wasn't tied up. I sat down on a bench looking at Haviel greet Logan and pretty much the whole reunion all over again.

Logan and Alaina brought the whole group to meet these guys, "it'll be fun." they said. But it's the complete opposite.

So that's what we're doing, or what they're doing anyways. As you can tell, I'm not up for the whole "making friends." Idea. If you ask me, I think we should just let in Zoey and her parents and forget about everyone else.

They seem cozy here anyways.

I rolled my eyes when Zoey starting crying, before tearing my eyes from the scene and looking over at the people who began to come out of the mattress store. I counted the heads silently, and I sighed irritably when I counted thirteen.

Nineteen people, including Zoey's folks were going to join us back at our safe haven.

My safe haven.

It's not like I hated people, and wanted them to die or anything, I just don't exactly like them. Or want them anywhere near what's mine.

Plus, the more people, the more danger. More people need more supplies, more living space, more everything. They're like hungry vultures, all they want is more until there isn't anything left.

I know, it's not that bad.

But in my book, it is that bad.

We've been here for over an hour now and I was bored out of my mind. Nico stayed with me and kept me company for the first couple of minutes before he went to go meet the new people. He tried to convince me to join him but I held my ground and stayed seated. Zack and Zoey were with the adults Logan, Alaina, and Sarah talking with Haviel and Marisa. Juan was flirting with the red head I recognized from earlier and Emmett went on a tour of the mall with the guy with the barbed wire bat.

So basically, everyone was doing something.

Everyone but me.

~*~

"Logan I still think this is the absolute worst idea you've ever had in your entire life." I grumbled, struggling to hold the huge box full of food.

We finally reached the truck, and I quickly placed the box in the trunk. I sighed in relief, massaging my now sore arms.

"Scarlet, that's what you say about all my ideas." Logan chuckled, putting his box of food into the trunk as well.

"Because they're all terrible!" I exasperated.

Logan narrowed his eyes at me while Alaina laughed beside him.

"This isn't a bad idea. The more people we have the better. Watch you'll see." Logan countered before turning to head back to the strip mall.

I followed beside him and as we walked we passed Remy and Haviel who were loading some guns up in another car.

"Yeah but does he have to come?" I pointed to Remy. That guy was an A-class dick. "I don't trust him."

Logan looked over to Remy and he rolled his eyes at me. "Yes, everyone is welcomed to join us." He pulled open the mall doors, and held it for me. "Including him."

I groaned irritably, walking inside. "Fine, I give up. Apparently there's no such thing as a logical person other than me anymore." I told him, looking around the mall for Nico.

I wanted to look around the mall and he'd be a perfect partner in crime. I'd ask Zack but he's currently under critical watch by his hawk of a mother. Also, not to be cheesy or anything, I enjoy one on one time with Nico.

Logan chuckled at my subtle insult as he walked passed me. "You should go around and meet everyone, I'm sure you'll like them."

As if.

I faked a smile, and shook my head. "Yeah no thanks." I dismissed. "I'd rather just look around." I added.

Logan furrowed his eyebrows and turned around to face me again. "Are you going alone? Don't you know that-"

"Yes yes Logan. I know. We are never safe and we'd be dumb to think so." I interrupted him and he gave me a blank look. "Don't worry, I was planning on asking Nico to go with me anyways." I assured

Logan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'd rather you have an adult go with you."

"You forget I've lived on my own for-"

"-Six months I know." Logan said, this time interrupting me. I gave him a slight glare.

"We'll be fine Logan." I concluded. "Plus I have my rifle, and two extra clips in my pocket." I raised my Ar-15 and unzipped my jacket pockets to show him the clips. "Also, I have my lovely hunting knives, great for killing walkers one on one." I bent down and lifted up each pant leg to show him the holders for the knives that were right above my combat boots.

Logan rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Alright, Scarlet. Just don't be too long. We leave in two hours." He told me.

I nodded, looking down at my watch to check the time.

6:35 pm

I raised my eyebrows. Wow time went by really fast.

"Wait we're driving back in that dark?" I asked before he could walk away.

Logan looked at his pocket watch and raised his eyebrows too. He's probably just as surprised as I was at the time. "Seems like it..."

I pressed my lips together, not exactly liking that idea. But we should be fine, we'll have about six cars with us so hopefully nothing bad happens.

"Maybe you shouldn't go after all." Logan second guessed. "It's probably not safe."

I rolled my eyes and cracked a smile. "I should be back before eight, worry not wolverine." I joked. "We're never safe remember?"

Logan scoffed at the nickname before shaking his head. "Fine, but no longer than eight alright?" He said sternly.

"Sure thing." I said, and waved bye as I went to look around for Nico.

There's not much people so finding him shouldn't be too hard.

But it was, because I didn't see the brunette anywhere.

I spotted Zack talking with Zoey, maybe he knows where Nico is. "Hey Zackie Chan, have you seen Nico?" I asked, unknowingly interrupting a conversation he was having with Zoey.

Zack and Zoey both stopped talking about whatever they were talking about. Zack furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "No I haven't seen him." He told me with a slight frown.

"Why? Is it because you miss your boyfriend already?" Zoey teased, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I looked at her blankly, hiding the ghost of a smile that was trying to appear. "Noo, I want to look around the mall. Since Zack can't come, and you're too chicken, I'm looking for Nico to go with me." I stated.

Zoey rolled her eyes and gave me a look telling me that she didn't believe me. "Mhm sure." She muttered. "-but I saw him heading towards the cafeteria with some other people."

I grinned. "Thanks Zo Zo!"

Zoey nodded and I walked off to find Nico. It's so weird hearing Zoey call him my boyfriend, I mean, we weren't boyfriend and girlfriend yet were we?

How does relationships work in the apocalypse?

I can't believe I'm talking about this right now.

Finding the cafeteria, I glanced around looking for a certain brunet with gorgeous green eyes. Finally, I found him sitting with girls, who all seemed a little too interested in him.

Did I care?

Absolutely not.

Like I said we weren't official.

I walked over to Nico, approaching his table with his groupies.

"Hey Loser." I greeted, coming up to the table.

All three girls looked up at me, I, however kept my attention on my best friend, smiling innocently at him. "Hey." He grinned, before he turned back to the other girls. "It's been almost a year since I got bit. Pretty cool huh?" He bragged.

"Yeah that is really cool. I've never met someone immune before." The blonde giggled.

I pursed my lips, refraining from rolling my eyes.

"Nico, I want to look around the mall. Wanna come with?" I invited, taking a seat beside him.

Nico glanced over at me. "Scarlet, I'm in the middle of a conversation. I can't just leave." He told me in a hushed tone.

I looked at him weirdly. Is he kidding? "You're joking right?" I deadpanned.

"Hun, he said no. Take a hint." This time it was the black haired girl that spoke.

I raised a brow at her. "And you are?" I looked her up and down.

"Katie." She told me confidently.

I faked a smile. "Well Katie, take a hint and mind your own damn business." I said in a sickly sweet voice.

I heard Nico sigh beside me, before he stood up. I stood up after him and we walked a distance away from the table.

"Was that necessary?" He asked me.

You can imagine my facial expression. "Ugh yeah." I stated in a duh tone.

Nico rolled his eyes at me before glancing back at the table.

"So do you want to go look around the mall with me? Yes or no?" I asked getting his attention again.

"Don't you think it's a little dangerous?" Nico asked.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Since when do you care about danger?" I countered. I glanced back at the table putting two and two together. "Oh, I get it. Since really pretty girls appeared." I let out a scoff. "I should have known." I shook my head.

"Scarlet it's not like that." He defended. "It just feels nice to have someone's attention for once."

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh so I don't give you enough attention?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

I shook my head in disbelief. "No of course not." I said sarcastically. "Have fun with your groupies." I pushed passed him to leave but he stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Are you mad?" He asked, his eyes shinning with a hint of worry. Like he cared.

I looked at him blankly. "No I'm not mad, why would I be mad that you'd rather hang out with other girls?" I ripped my arm out of his hold, and marched out of the cafeteria.

"You're mad!" He shouted after me.

"What do you think?!" I replied rhetorically, not turning around and continuing to walk.

I was fuming.

I walked away from everybody, tugging my rifle that was hanging on my back so that it could be on my stomach.

I cannot believe Nico just blew me off. Talking about how I don't give him attention...I do give him attention!

"I'll just look around by myself. Who needs him anyways?" I grumbled to nobody in particular.

Muttering incoherent words to myself I walked to the part of the mall that was dimly lit, and I reached some doors that led to a store. I think I was about to enter Best Buy.

I pushed the doors open, and I was so wrapped up in my thoughts about Nico I didn't fully comprehend the badly written sign nailed to the wall beside the doors right before I entered the store.

So you can imagine my surprise and immense fear when I entered a room full of walkers. Hundreds of them.

I stopped, feeling frozen in my spot. My eyes roamed every single body counting them, while my brain tried to get my legs to move.

The walkers still haven't noticed me, so maybe if I just back away slowly...

"Click."

I froze again and cringed slightly at the sound of the door closing behind me.

To my horror all the walkers turned their heads to look my way, before growling. My eyes widened and I quickly turned around to open the door, to leave. I could hear the rotters beginning to limp towards me, and I glanced back to see them a couple of feet away.

My heart was pounding.

I pulled on the door, but it didn't budge. So I pulled even harder. "It's locked!" I said outraged.

Who locks a door in the freaking apocalypse!

I quickly turned back around to look at the mob of walkers. There was so many of them I could only think about how my chances of surviving this was slim to none.

Why am I still standing here?! Run dammit!

I quickly sprinted down the aisle, dodging the hands and arms of walkers I passed. I glanced behind myself, seeing the herd struggling to get to me. I smiled, ha dumb walkers. Without warning I fell onto the ground, hard. My face hit the floor making a "smack" sound as it did, and my vision got blurry for a second. I blinked, my head was pounding from the fall. My nose stung too, and I felt something warm run down it. With my fingers I touched the wet spot and looked at it.

Blood.

It's dark red color stained my fingertips and I groaned. I felt the rotter that grabbed my foot pull me again and without a second thought, I kicked the shitface multiple times. It wasn't until it's head was bashed in and it's brains was splattered on my boots that it finally released me. Once free I quickly jumped back up onto my feet and took off running again.

I was now heading towards the second exit, the main entrance to Best Buy. However my slim chance of an escape was quickly crushed when I saw the many chains and locks on the doors from the outside.

It's like these people wanted to keep everything out and everything in.

"FUCK." I was getting tired, running around and dodging dead human beings wasn't the easiest thing to do.

I was stopped in front of the doors, searching the big store for another exit. I turned around, feeling my nerves go haywire. When I turned to go right I halted when I saw the crowd of rotters making their way to me from that side. So I then tried to run left, but another group emerged. I looked up ahead, but I knew that the other mob was already closing in on me. And it was.

My eyes darted from side to side, looking at which side would be the safest to run towards. But none of them were safe.

They were coming at me from every direction.

I backed up into the doors, panting hard, the feeling of helplessness starting to settle in.

I should've listened to Logan, I shouldn't have gone alone. Shit!

I lifted up my rifle, and started to shoot the head of the walkers. However, since I was slightly panicking, I kept missing most of my targets. So by the time I ran out of ammo in my first clip, I was upset to see that I barely put a dent in the mob of walkers.

My heart was going crazy, and I felt like I was in a slow motion movie. Thump thump thump thump thump. The rhythm was consistent.

The shots were loud, and for the first time I was thankful that they were.

Thank you Zack for taking my suppressor.

Hopefully, the sound wouldn't just attract the dead ones, but my group as well. They have to hear it, they just have to! They'd be deaf if they didn't.

I pulled the trigger to shoot down what seemed to be the hundredth Walker but my eyes widened when the gun clicked empty. I quickly held the button to take out the second empty clip. I let it fall onto the ground with a short thud before I reached in my pocket for my last clip of ammo.

With fast hands, I slid the very last clip in and immediately resumed to shooting and aiming at the rotters.

My ears were beginning to ring from the loud shots, and I felt myself start to even out my breathing.

Please God, let me get through this alive.

I was starting to loose hope of escaping this alive. Especially when I saw more walkers appearing, stepping over their fallen buddies. My group should have been here by now. Why haven't they came yet?! I shot down another Walker, before turning right and aiming at one that was getting too close.

I refuse to die today.

I stopped shooting to turn to the left. "Somebody help me!" I yelled loudly aiming closely at a walker. "Anybody!" before pulling the trigger and aiming at a large security guard before shooting him down too.

Please God, not like this.

My heart dropped when my gun clicked empty again.

"No!" I screamed, my eyes starting to tear up.

I quickly took the strap from around my neck and dropped the rifle by my foot. I reached for my hunting knives. The adrenaline didn't fail to pump through my veins, and I felt like my senses were heightened.

I got in a stance ready to start killing but as I looked at the walkers I realized there was still too many of them. Before I could even make a dent, I'd get tired, and weak.

I can't fend them all off by myself.

I gripped onto my knives tightly, swallowing in fear and sheer panic.

Please lord, not like this.