No Longer Saving Yourself

"What the fuck was that?" Annie shouted, looking over the isle that separated her from the two boys.

"Zombie," Zack said, pointing to the body on the floor. He didn't look so surprised at what he had just done, indicating he was quickly learning what he needed to do to survive. The others would learn in time. Annie was almost proud, in a sick and twisted way.

"Do you think we need to leave?" she asked, looking around suspiciously.

"No. He seemed to be alone." Annie nodded.

"Are either of you bitten?" She asked, slightly scared.

"No. He was crawling on the ground. Broken ankles I think." Annie shuddered.

"Good."

Annie, Jack and Zack continued to make boxes and when they each had five, they moved them to the cars.

"Did you get Twinkies?" Alex asked, rooting around the boxes.

"Yes. And I grabbed the gun from the cash register. There is always a gun. I also grabbed some hygienic items."

"Like tampons!" Jack certainly was a little kid.

"No Jack. I've been too emaciated for periods," Annie explained. The boys gave her a look that said "gross" and "we didn't want to hear that."

"You asked," she said, rolling her eyes. "I meant that ya'll smell. I was talking about packing deodorant, soap, toilet paper. And my personal favorite discovery: toothpaste.

"I think we're ready to go. Which way?" Zack asked when the final box had been placed.

"Good question. Oo! We can get maps from the store." Annie ran back in and grabbed various maps.

"Okay we need to go now." Annie said, shutting the door to the store quickly. "I saw something."

Rushing to get back into the vehicles, Alex, Annie and Zack ended up in the black Hummer with Jack and Rian in the yellow one.

Right as Alex closed the door, seven zombies ran out of the store heading for the cars.

"Fuck!" Annie cursed. She started up the engine and pulled out onto the street, honking the horn to get the other car's attention.

They managed to get away from the zombies without any contact.

"They're running," Rian's voice came through the speakers of the SUV.

"This is new. This is bad." Alex said. There was a collective shudder and an inhalation of air.

"Okay. So we need to find a gun store. And then we go North. We need to go somewhere cold. The reports I stole from the labs said the virus can't withstand the cold. If we make it far enough North, we can relax a little." Annie was a natural born leader, and with the skills she had shown her companions, they were willing to let her keep leading.

They drove for two hours to the next city. It was Texas; there had to be guns.

"There," Alex pointed. Annie followed his gaze and drove in that direction.

The store was locked, with no broken windows. Zack had to pick up a huge rock and throw it at the only unbarred window to break it.

The opening was small and the edges around the window were jagged. Annie frowned. Looking around, she found a green dust covered tarp and had an idea.

"Okay. I'm wrapping up in this and slipping through the window. I'll go unlock the front door." She began wrapping herself in the tarp but Alex stopped her.

"Why can't we just open the door from this side. There's got to be something we could do." Annie stood thinking for a moment.

"Well, I've got an idea from the movies. I'll shoot the lock. I hope it works though. I don't have many bullets left. At the least, I could shoot the crap out of the door and get it to at least break open a little. I'm going to use a different gun though."

Annie walked back to the Hummer and grabbed another gun, one much smaller than the ones she currently had strapped to her waist. When she turned around Rian, Jack and Alex were by the front door, but she saw a zombie come from behind the store, dragging an axe and it was only a few feet from Zack. He was too preoccupied looking through the window to notice.

Sprinting to his form, Annie knocked Zack down as the zombie raised the axe. The sharp blade fell through the empty space and landed on the ground with a thud. The zombie no longer had the ability to hold the weight of the axe and was only able to swing it up and over. Jumping into the air and spinning around, Annie kicked her leg out, knocking the zombie to the ground. She then grabbed the axe and severed the beast's head from it's body before it could bite her or Zack.

"Shit," Zack breathed from the ground. Annie helped him up, his legs slightly wobbly.

"We're even," she smirked.

"How did you learn to do that?" Zack asked, still in a daze.

"I've dissembled over a 100 of these leeches in the past year. You learn a few things." They began to walk towards the other members of their group.

Alex, Jack and Rian looked at the two with a curious expression. They had watched as Annie ran to the side of the building and had followed her.

"Annie's a ninja!" Jack said excitedly. Annie rolled her eyes.

"Hardly. I've been alone for a long time and I get bored." Without another word, she walked over to the door.

"I have no idea what I'm doing. You guys should stand back. I don't know that a bullet can puncture the handle and not rebound onto something else." Annie aimed at the lock, shaking slightly.

"What if you get shot?" Jack asked, breaking her concentration.

"We'll deal with that 'if' later." A shot rang out as Annie pulled the trigger. The lock fell off and Annie smiled at the action, pleased with the result.

"Sweet!" Alex exclaimed.

Annie, per usual, walked in first, gun out and ready.

"Cover me," she told Rian and Alex, handing them the guns from her waist.

Rows of glass cases covered the floor, all locked. They were only waist high, so Annie was confident she could see every corner of the room. She took the gun and smashed the glass with the butt of it.

"Hanging with you is like being in a movie Annie," Rian laughed.

"Am I a super hero then?" Annie teased. She pulled out several guns, filling her holsters first before grabbing other ones for the guys.

"Get a box. We're taking as much ammo as we can." Jack seemed to pull a box out of thin air and he began filling it. He was surprisingly organized about it and Annie left him to it. As minutes passed, the boys branched out, exploring the gun options.

"Is there any we should be drawn to?" Alex asked, picking up a shot gun.

"Nope. Any you think you can handle. And as many as possible. But we should make it quick. That one might have friends."

In five minutes, they were back in the Hummers and heading down the road.

"How do we know which way are we going?" Alex asked.

"A little thing I like to call technology," she said, pointing to the compass on the display. She put her CD in the player and floored it, sending their newly formed caravan out of the city.