Desolate

Charlie's body was thrown lazily in the back, and softly massaged the metal of her gun; admiring it like she would if it were her baby. She wasn't in the greatest mood, and Jordan was certainly a pain in the ass; looking at her gun would calm her down. The gun was the last thing she received from her brothers and no matter what she'd never let go of that gun, and she didn't plan on it. The car ride was silent, minus for the earphones that were in Charlie's ears; she's lucky she carries her iPod everywhere she goes, even during apocalypses.

"We're here," Jordan stated, pulling the car over and opening the door; Darren's face appearing from the other side of the door. Smiling, Charlie moved Darren out of the way; she was nicer to boys way more that she was to girls. This new mall had a few guns, and just a bit of ammunition; all of the other gun shops had been raided at the initial wave of zombies. Oliver placed his hand on Charlie's shoulder as they entered, the gun immediately pulled up in front as they scanned the horizon of the mall; sterile.

"There it is," Bianca smiled, turning to rush into the shop; her eyes wide as the gate was closed over the store. "What the hell," she whined, cupping her eyes to gaze into the store; a growl erupted and Dylan pulled Bianca away.

"Stop being stupid," Dylan remarked as she raised her gun, pulling the trigger of her gun and shooting the zombie in the face. Smirking, Alex walked up with a crowbar and catching a hammer that Charlie had thrown her way; placing the crowbar to the lock she slammed it with a hammer. It broke after two hard smacks, and she moved to lift up the gate; the dead zombie laying at their feet.

"That was probably there for a reason," Jordan mumbled, watching as everyone filed into the shop; their fingers pulling at strands of clips and shells.

"Breaking and entering is all we've got," Bianca mumbled, fixing her hair in the reflection of where the security mirror was; making Charlie roll her eyes as she wrapped a clip of ammo around her chest. Swiftly the back room's door was thrown open, typical enough, and a walking corpse flew itself towards us; Charlie barking at people as they spread apart. It made its way towards her and she smiled, moving the hilt of the shotgun to smash it against its rotten face; turning it around to shoot it on the top of the skull. The back of its head shattering, the skull fragments falling to the floor as it lay in a heap; a smirk on Charlie's lips.

"Oh crap," Bianca murmured, watching the four zombies sprint from the opposite end of the mall; their mouth agape with strings of clotted blood hanging from their rotting jaws. "Good job Charlie!" she screeched as she frantically rushed for a gun that hung on the wall; her nails getting in the way as she placed her finger on the trigger.

"Shut up," Jason spoke, making Bianca's eyes widen; sniggering erupted from a few of the guys. "Just use that useless body of yours to kill," he continued, shooting his gun, the arm of the nearest zombie blowing off of its body. It didn't faze it as it marched forward, it's bellow erupting from its throat as it sprinted towards the lot of them; Oliver's gun ringing as he shot bullets into its body.

"I got it!" Darren smiled, running up within ten feet; raising his gun to his level and shooting it's head; the side of it collapsing as it fell to the floor. The other three were moving in fast, making its way as two more appeared from behind them; the store was quickly filled with moving bodies and the sound of guns ringing through the air.

"Fucking shoot it Jordan," Charlie ordered, a zombie making its way towards her as she quickly started to load her gun; her fingers rushing as it neared closer to her. She didn't mind zombies, but she couldn't stand the smell that the decaying flesh emanates; making her gag as it rushed towards her. Jordan quickly pulled up her gun, Charlie stumbling as Jordan shot, the bullet merely smacking it in the shoulder; Charlie fell backwards, hitting the cabinet as it reached her. Cocking her gun once more, Jordan shot again; smacking the zombie on the side of the head, making it roll off of Charlie as she pushed it off.

"Sorry, it was an accident," Jordan apologized, watching as Charlie slowly stood up; watching the blood that poured from her arm. She looked up to Jordan with mixed emotions, before turning on her heel; pulling the gun into her arms and simply shooting down the remaining zombie.

"Accidents aren't acceptable, they let people die," Charlie responded, pulling a piece of her jacket off and wrapping it over it arm; suppressing the blood. "And when people die it remains on your conscience," she continued as Darren rushed over to her; checking the wound as she merely stood and pulled hair out of her face.

"Just a cut, I don't think it was from the zombie," he announced, motioning towards the amount of broken glass around the cabinet; hearing Oliver crack up from the corner, everyone's eyes moving to him.

"What? We all know that even if she were a zombie, she'd still pick up that gun," he chuckled, shuffling his hair as he scratched his head. "Then we'd be screwed," he laughed again, picking up the remaining ammo, and putting them into his pockets.

"I'd just shoot her," Jordan responded, slinging her arm to her hip as Charlie rolled her eyes; fingering the cloth around her arm. "You'd be dead anyways," Jordan responded, moving to exit the store; Charlie's gun appearing over her head. "What the fu-" she went to finish her sentence as a gun shot rang, the sound of a body hitting the floor; her eyes turning to the twitching body beside her feet.

"You're still the newbie," Charlie muttered as she slung her gun over her shoulder; pulling her hair back slightly. Jordan let a growl from her throat, pushing Charlie into the wall of the shop; watching her wince as she pushed herself back off of it. Jordan pushed her again, moving her back into the position that she had previously been in; her hand forming a knot in her hair as she growled.

"And you're still the bitch," Jordan commented, watching as Zakk's arms pulled her away; Charlie instantly moving up, her fist connecting with Jordan's face. People stood still as they stared at each other, no one wanted to get caught up in the middle of it; Oliver hesitantly moved, starting to move Charlie out of the way.

"You're not the only one in the world, just because you almost got eaten by something doesn't mean anything," Charlie started, Oliver's grip becoming hard on her shoulders. "You have to act tough in this world, or else you'll be the first to go. It's called being the force of the group; and I have enough nagging on my brain, and I don't need you," Charlie screamed as Oliver pulled her completely out of the store; everyone looking between each other as Jordan crossed her arms. Oliver pushed Charlie against the wall as she looked down at the end of the mall; mumbling beneath her breath.

"Stop it," he ordered, making her scowl; his fingers wrapping around her arm, making her growl in pain. "You blame yourself for your brothers, I get it but don't take it out on others," he continued, softer this time but still with the rough edge. "Where's old Charlie hmm?" he questioned, a small smile on his face. He was the only one to have known Charlie from before this whole mess, and he wasn't content with how she was now; talk about a u-turn in personality.

"I know. How am I supposed to control this diverse group of people then?" she questioned, crossing her arms; moving herself out of his grips. He laughed, letting her go as she raised her eyebrow in confusion; people hurriedly coming out of the store.

"Be normal Charlie, but with that bad ass charm," he responded, making her smile as she pulled her gun over her shoulder more. "Alright, quit staring let's get going before more arrive," he ordered, watching as Jordan stared at Charlie. She didn't move when Charlie slowly walked past her, muttering a quick sorry into her ear before nearly sprinting towards the car.

"Oh so she has a heart now?" Jordan questioned, watching Darren's hard eyes; his hand patting her head as he walked past. "What?" she defended, moving her gun in her hands, watching as Dylan followed quickly after Charlie as back up.

"Don't start," was all Alex had to say as everyone crammed into the cars; ready to once again hit the road. When they say that this travel was difficult, you could always look on the bright side; you could be walking. Charlie peeled off the cloth off of her arm, the cut was red, and the blood was slightly drying; biting her lip, she pulled the first aid kit from under the seat. Unscrewing the bottle of alcohol, she contemplated whether or not she wanted to do it; Jordan moved to sit down beside her, fidgeting her hands in a nervous manner.

"I suppose I'm sorry too," she muttered lowly, "Let's just try to be cool for now," she mumbled, removing the bottle of alcohol from Charlie's hands and dabbed the top of it with a cotton ball. She put the damp ball on top of the gash; watching as Charlie hissed, in pain but not moving away. Nothing was sterile anymore, who knows if she could be getting an infection of bacteria, or anything for that matter!

"Friends? Good," Dylan muttered, moving towards her normal seat; kicking up her feet as Charlie and Jordan merely glanced between each other. With a shrug, Charlie moved to pick up roll of bandages from the kit; slowly wrapping it around her arm. Secretly she hoped that the cut hadn't come from the zombie, because she wasn't ready for that; no one would be safe in the van.