Uugghhh

Ughhuee

These are the noises that bates woke up to. Other wise it was relatively silent. Seeing that the girl was still asleep beside him, he knew that what he remembered wasn’t fake.

‘I need to figure out what happened.’

Already coming to his senses bates decided to peek over the counter. It seemed to be clear so he continued to quietly walk towards the edge of the balcony to see what happened below. Looking at the scene it reminded him of somthing on par of a massacre.

‘they did it.’

There were ‘people?’ Walking around. Though it wouldn't take long for one to realize they were far from people. With blood covering their mouth and skin so pale they almost looked blue.

"EEeEeek!! NOOO!!"

Hearing the lone scream all of those things slowly traveled to the source. After double checking to make sure the cost was clear bates followed the railing to see the source of the scream. When he got to the end of the rail he saw a lone woman and a child.

"Though the child already looks dead."

Observe and gather information that’s the best thing to do. Bates new if he were to blindly rush in there to save some random Person and reveal his presence he would die.

Watching the monsters slowly surround the women. Bates noticed her screaming which got louder with each step that the monsters took only served to be a beacon and lure more in. It didn’t take long for the monsters to reach the women. Grabbing at her cloths and limbs they were biting her over and over again. Even though the women struggled tirelessly it was all for naught. It was a truly gruesome sight. Though bates didn’t bat an eye.

"n-no I don't want t-to die! Please!! Someone help~~hic-hic"

‘When you get surrounded your dead. But it seems compared to the original body they move considerably slower.’

It didn’t take long for the women to die. After falling on the ground the walking corpses dispersed. Bates still watching found something else as well. The fallen women was getting back up. Though bates already knew what happened.

‘They spread the illness After biting the victim. And when said person supposedly dies and can walk around again. I'll probably have to be cautious of being scratched as well.’

Ugggghhh

After confirming the women’s state bates heard something behind him. Looking to the source of the sound. Upon finding said source, he found a crippled old women. Of course she was one of those monsters. Bates quickly seizing this opportunity quietly went back into the weapons shop and grabbed a sturdy-looking knife.

Coming back out in less than a minute bates noticed that the old woman, even though her legs were unusable she used all means necessary to follow him wether it was arms, rolling, ect. Bates got on top of the monsters back, while simultaneously placing his knees on its arms so it had no way to attack him. Using the knife he stabbed deep into its head.

but to his surprise it was still alive. Desperately trying to flail it's arms to get out of his hold.

‘It’s not dead?’

Momentarily surprised bates further formed his hold on the old ladies body and stabbed... he stabbed again and again until it completely stopped moving. Even losing count of how many times he stabbed the monster.

‘It’s head is utterly demolished... I guess that’s one way to kill it.’

what he said was true. This monsters head had so many stab wounds that if there was no body, no one would realize that this was the actual head of a 'human'.

Bates had originally thought this was strangely similar to a zombie apocalypse commonly spoke about and seen on tv. But ruled that theory out because of how much harder it was to kill the old woman.

confirming the monsters death bates got back up. It was strange how even though it was truly a mess to kill the monster bates was still clean.

‘I’ve learned all I can for now.’

Bates walked back into the weapons store to wake up the girl. Simply shaking her roughly was enough to wake her up.

“Hu—?!”

Bates quickly covered her mouth with his hand, and with his other hand put his index finger over his own mouth. She was being stupidly loud. And remembering the last thing she saw before she fell asleep she was far from calm. Though seeing how serious bates was she nodded her head to show she understood him.

After she nodded bates got up to get another knife and handed it to the girl. Aanishah still confused on what was going on simply took it on reflex.

“What’s going on.”

Still keeping in mind bateses orders Aanishah spoke in a hushed voice. Though with a simple point of bates her question was answered. And her eyes started to visibly quake.

‘W-what is that?! A person?!’

Too scared to scream Aanishah fell on her butt. Her stomach started forming knots and she couldn’t hold it in.

“Blaaahh (cough) (cough).”

She threw up. Bates didn’t bother to help instead looked at her with a slight hint of disgust.

‘Disgusting. Maybe I should have just left her if she's this weak?’

bates waited for the girl to stop hurling. When she finally got a hold of herself all did she had to ask a question.

“Did...did you kill her.”

“....”

Bates didn't answer, he knew if he were to do that all it would do is lead to troublesome things. Plus when he looked at her trembling eyes, it was obvious she didn't want to know the answer. Thinking something along these lines–he quickly jolted his head to look down the hallway.

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worried about this sudden action Aanishah again asked another question.

"W-what's wrong??"

‘Footsteps...’

Acting quick on his instinct he quickly pushed the girl over behind the cash register of the weapons shop.

“W-what are you—“

Putting his hand over the girls mouth he listened intently. And soon voices came from outside the shop.

“So there was a weapons shop here nice thinking....um what’s your name again.”

“My names zea.”

“Well let’s get some weapons.”

At first bates thought they were those undead creatures but seeing how they were talking bates made his presence known by standing up. He believed that right now the best chance for survival was probably to accompany this group of people.

“!?”

‘A kid? How can a lone kid still survive through all of this?’

The first to figure it out was a more buff man though with soft facial features with both blue hair and blue eyes. He was surprised that a kid that looked to be only 12 or 13 to still be alive. For the blue haired man it made perfect sense for kids and crippled to be the first to die.

‘Not only that but he looked completely unfazed too.’

At first everybody in the group understandably thought that bates was another one of those monster roaming around the mall. Though soon every body caught up on the situation.

“Is that....a kid?”

“But how?”

Bates looked to his right where the girl was. With a small bodily gesture from bates Aanishah new it was ok to come out.

‘voices?’

Still terrified out of her wits she couldn’t hear very well over the sound of her own pounding heart. Still a bit hesitant Aanishah came out into the open.

“A girl too?”

Upon inspection bates saw that the group mostly didn’t have anything to do with each other. Not family or friends just a random group of survivors. in total there were five of them. Some were scared out of their minds others had a determined face to survive. The first one to come out to bates and the girl was one determined to live.

“Hey kid my names jack. And the people behind me are the ones that seem to be left in the mall. Well besides you two. I don’t know what’s going on but if you want to live through this it’s your best bet to come with us.”

The girl was the first to speak. Believing she was saved Aanishah let out a truly relieved face.

“I-I’m Aanishah and this is...”

The girl looked at bates to get his approval. Bates simply looked away and she accepted it as her confirmation.

“This is bates he’s not much of a talker.”

Jack who heard her introduction was a bit confuse because the look in the boys eyes were unlike any other he’s ever seen before from a kid.

‘Not much of a talker? but the air he gives off is so subtle but intense at the same time... is he really just a kid.’

For the brief second that he took his eyes off bates he was already next to the rail. Peering down at the situation below.

“Right we should probably get going.”

Jack who was leading the group thought it would be best to keep moving.

“Jack shouldn’t we be trying to get out of here.”

A brown women with a worried look in her face. She looked to be so terrified her knees were shaking her what seemed to be her sister was trying to comfort her.

“What?! Are you serious. Do you not see all those monsters down there.”

Another man probably early 30s or late 20s responded to the woman with displeasure. Having a grimace on his face that seemed to show how stupid the idea was.

“Every one it’s going to be alright. There’s no point in worrying we’ll figure something out.”

Jack trying his best to be the middle man was prioritizing himself in trying to stop the conflict. Aanishah was also carrying a worried face as she just came to the reality that they were still in grave danger. Bates on the other hand had a calm collected expression.

‘They keep being loud it’s like they want to get caught. well except for her.’

Looking at a girl that was probably 15 or so bates noticed that she was keeping quiet instead of making a racket like the rest of the group. Even though she tried her best to hide it she too carried a subtle petrified expression.

“Alright everyone has their weapons right we should continue down this hall.”

On jacks orders every one grouped up behind him and got going. In a kind of jog the group continued down the hall.

Still a bit cautious, Aanishah who didn’t know any of these people stayed next to bates.

‘It’s ok. It’s ok. It’s ok.’

Aanishah unconsciously grab bates’s hand.

“Let go of me.”

Noticing the girls grip was constricting his movement he wanted her to let go.

“Wh-what do you mean let go?!”

The girl herself didn’t realize what she was doing and immediately let go. Though for bates this only served as a problem because once letting go she got even closer to him.

“Are you scared?”

“What? N-no.”

“Then get away from me.”

“Hey kids shut the fuck up.”

The same man who yelled at the brown women was now yelling at them.

“....”x2

The girl was successfully intimidated by the man probably two times the size of herself. Though bates only stayed quiet because he saw no reason in pointless conversation.

‘Little brats are probably going to get us all killed.’

Looking at the kids with sharp unforgiving eyes, the man didn’t bother to hide it. Though bates saw his cold expression and returned it with his own cold glare.

‘?! This kid!’

As the man was walking ever closer to bates to teach him a lesson jack whispered to the group.

“Look there.”

Blocking their path was a horde of those monsters. 3 to be exact. While everyone was still frozen with fear bates quietly assessed the situation.

‘Three in front. And the cloths shop a little in front of them. And the emergency staircase behind them. We could probably-‘

“Look we can use the clothing store to get around them.”

Of course jack was also quick witted enough to realize a good plan as well as convey it to the other group members.

“Y-yeah I don’t want to fight those things.”

“Do you guys want to give it a shot.”

All the people present in the group nodded their head in unison. With the exception of bates.

Jack entering first put his index finger to his mouth to signal the group to be silent. Everyone following along afterwards carried an extremely stiff expression. After about three minutes of walking bates saw something in the corner of his eye.

‘.....’

Without even a change in his expression bates put on the mask he had been eyeing since he entered the mall.

“Hey kid get your ass back over here now!“

The man that was glaring at him and Aanishah was now calling out to bates to get back in the group. Even though he already on his way back.

“What if there was something over there do you want to get us all killed?!”

Ignoring the man bates continued to walk.

“You!—“

Jack who had been staying silent until now promptly turned around.

“Shh. Nothing came but if you keep talking loud then something might.”

“...Tch, damn brat.”

Ignoring the pouting man bates continued to walk checking the durability of the mask.

Though in reality the walk wasn’t all that long, the suspense that these people felt mad it feel like a short eternity. Having to watch their every single step as well as the person next to the was tiring them out. Even after exiting the clothing store all of them were still in suspense after all the monsters weren’t far behind them. Only after going through the emergency staircase would they be safe.

After all of them went through the door the group let out a sigh of relief.

"Heok!"

Though this relief only lasted for a brief second because of this gasp from a certain familiar female scared out of her wits. Down the stairwell a pool of splattered blood was there. Though there was no culprit nor a way to know what did it.

“Wh-what should we do jack.”

Jack still as stiff faced as the rest of the people quickly formulated a plan.

“Well I think we should just continue.”

“S-so we’re just gonna forget about the blood here?!”

"what?! No...that's not what I'm saying!"

***

While the people were fussing about the next thing to do bates continued on a little further down the stairs. Checking to see if the coast was clear. Though his eyes traveled back to behind him.

“What are you following me for.”

“Well you seem to know what what your doing and compared to all those people I know you best so I figured you’d be the best person to stay by. Besides I’m curious to see what your doing.”

Of course it was Aanishah, even though she was still scared on the inside she tried her best not to show it. To her, it made sense that because they were both in the same age group as well as the fact they’ve known each other for the longest she thought that they would get along well. Though, to bates there was no difference between her and the others. Ignoring her he kept walking further down the stairs.

‘I wonder...why's he always like this?’

Looking at his calm cool expression Aanishah decided to forget about it.

Mask on his face and hands in his pockets bates continued thinking to himself.

‘There’s no way a person could survive losing so much blood. But there’s no corpse. Neither are there any of those monsters down here. So what could have done it.’

“Ugh what’s that smell.”

Indeed there was a smell. The smell of something—

‘Burning.’