Trapped

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^*Matt’s POV*^
Terrance and Zan had everyone lined up at the front of the store now, Terrance sat in front of us all while Zan had run off to find Parker and Harper.

“Why do you have to do this? Why can’t we just all exist in this building in peace?” Jimmy snapped, and Terrance glared at him.

“Because, you pose a threat to us.” Terrance growled.

“I’m not-we’re not a threat.” Johnny corrected himself.

“I give up, I’ll find the bitch later.” Zan walked around the corner with a snack bag of cheese puffs in one hand, and a shotgun under his arm. He finished the cheese puffs, and tossed the bag at Johnny, who grimaced as it hit him in the head, and threw it in the other direction.

“Dude, the fuck? Were you searching for the girl, or for food?” Terrance stood up, and for a moment the gun was aimed away from us, and then before anyone knew what had happened, Zacky had run up and tackled Terrance, and he fell over, and Brian took the opportunity and grabbed the shotgun from him, and aimed it at Zan’s head, as Zacky threw a punch at Terrance. Zan had his gun pointed at Brian within seconds.

“ZAN! FUCKING HELP M-” Zacky threw another punch at Terrance and he was out, his voice cutting off.

“Brian, don’t put it down.” Zacky told Brian, and Brian nodded.

“I wasn’t about to.” Brian said, and I looked over at Johnny to tell him to go sneak up behind Zan and get his gun, but he was just staring at the scene in front of him, in shock, so I turned to Jimmy.

“What?” He asked, and I pointed at Zan, who was trying to convince Brian to put the gun down.

“Go get a bat and sneak up behind Zan, and knock him out with it, but make sure he doesn’t see you.” I whispered, and he nodded and got up and snuck away. I stood up, and walked back to where we kept the guns under the service desk. I grabbed a shotgun, and headed back to the front of the store, where Jimmy still wasn’t back, and Zacky was tying Terrance up in a corner. I cocked the gun and stepped up beside Brian.

“C’mon, you know you two can’t beat me, this is our store now.” Zan said with a smirk. I saw Jimmy behind him, but I kept my eyes on Zan.

“I think you’re wrong.” Brian said smiling slightly, and Jimmy brought the bat up, and swung it down, hitting Zan in the head, a shot was fired at the contact, and I felt something rip into my side, splitting the flesh. Zan fell unconscious, and I fell in pain.

“Fuck!” I yelled, falling onto my knees with a hand on my side, trying to ignore the stinging surging pain that rippled out from the wound.

“Matt!”

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^*Harper’s POV*^
“No!” I yelled at the sound of a gunshot, and Parker held onto me and put her hand over my mouth as I tried to make a run for the exit.

“It’s okay, Harp, it’s okay.” Parker insisted, and I fell back, shaking my head.

“But Zacky’s out there.” I said softly, and things got so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. “And Jimmy.” I said almost silently.

“T-there okay. We can’t leave.” Parker insisted, but I could hear the worry in her voice.

“No, I’m not risking it, I’d rather get shot then Zacky get hurt.” I said, and started feeling around for the crowbar, and once I found it I started prying at the box. It fell away, and my eyes were taken by surprise by the light, but I didn’t wait for them to adjust correctly, before I climbed down the mountain of boxes, and took off, Parker running and yelling behind me. I ran through the double doors, and down isles until I got to the front of the building, and I slowed down, and crept around the corner, Parker right beside me. I peeked around the checkout counter, expecting to see the guys lined up, and Terrance and Zan circling with guns. The first thing that came into view was Johnny, Brian, Zacky, and Jimmy all crowded around someone lying on the floor, but everyone was blocking my view. For a second, I was hoping it was Terrance, or Zan, but then once I looked around further I saw Terrance and Zan bound with some nylon rope over in the corner, and I immediately looked back at the guys. There was Brian, Jimmy, Zacky, and Johnny, and… I didn’t see Matt, that’s when my heart snapped. Parker rushed over first, and I followed quickly.

“Harper.” Brian noticed me before I could get to them, and he hugged me. “You’re okay.” He stated, and I pushed him away, but he blocked my view.

“Brian, what’s going on? And where’s Matt?” I said, trying to look around him, but all I saw was Jimmy and Johnny holding Parker back as she desperately tried to see around them.

“Okay, first of all, don’t freak out, he’s okay.” Brian said, and I looked at him seriously. “It’s just a little blood, and two little holes, he’s fine. He’s still breathing, he still has a pulse, he’s fine.”

“What?!” I asked, trying to get around Brian, but he kept his hands planted on my shoulders.

“He lost some blood, so he’s unconscious, but he’s fine.” I looked at Brian like he was crazy as I finally got what happened. Most of it, at least.

“He was shot?!” I asked, my voice not exactly working right.

“Yes, but he’s fine, you have to keep that in mind; he’s fine.”

“Brian, if you say he’s fine one more time I am going to hurt you. I don’t want to, but I will.” I threatened, and he took his hands away from my shoulders.

“Fine.” He said, and I ran past him, kneeling beside Zacky, but avoiding the small pool of blood.

“Brian! The hell?” Zacky asked as Brian sat back down next to him. He kept holding pressure to two holes in Matt’s side.

“What happened?” I asked, looking at Zacky, and ignoring Parker’s threats on Johnny’s life. Zacky just sighed.

“Zan shot him, but he’s okay. Jimmy hit Zan with a bat, and knocked him out, but as he fell he must’ve pulled the trigger. The bullet hit at an angle, so it missed all vital organs, the only thing now is getting the bleeding to stop before he loses too much blood and falls into a coma that he never wakes up from. Although, he shouldn’t be in the coma long.” Zacky said like it was no big deal.

“So if he goes into a coma, he’ll wake up from it?” I asked, and Zacky shook his head.

“No, he shouldn’t be in the coma long before his lungs just give out, and he stops breathing altogether, and then his heart gives out from trying to work lungs that have basically given up on life.”

“What?!” Brian asked. “You said he’d be fine! Now you’re saying he could die from this?!”

“Brian, he got shot with a fucking lead bullet, not a teddy bear.” Zacky said, and tossed a gauze behind him as he grabbed a new one from a pack, putting more pressure on both wounds. “Jimmy, Johnny, just stop arguing with her!” Zacky called over his shoulder, and the yelling and fighting between Jimmy and Johnny and Parker ended, and Parker walked over.

“Okay, which person do I kill first?” Parker asked, sitting beside me.

“Zan.” I said in a somewhat shaky voice. Matt could die, right here, or maybe next week, but either way that’s a terrifying thought. After what we’ve been put through, for him to not get killed by zombies, but by two fuck heads from our past is a shitty way to go. I’d much rather get eaten by zombies.

“What a shitty way for a shitty person to die.” I muttered subconsciously.

“He’s not going to die.” Jimmy said, and Johnny looked at him.

“What makes you think that? He got shot, not knocked unconscious by Harper.” Johnny said, and they both started arguing again.

“Someone, help me get him to his room and out of this mess.” Zacky said, and Brian volunteered. Zacky taped the gauze to his side tightly, and then him and Brian lifted him up, and carried him out of the way.

“I hope he’ll be okay.” Parker said, obviously more worried now that she knows that he could die.

“He will be, he’s Matthew Sanders, he’s been put through a lot of shit, and he’s survived, a bullet wound is like a kick to the shin.” I looked over at her, and gave her a reassuring smile. “He survived being locked in a bathroom with me for over a day, trust me, this is nothing compared to that.” She smiled, and then looked over at Jimmy and Johnny, now standing up, yelling at each other. Jimmy had Johnny’s hat, and wasn’t having any trouble keeping it from him.

“I’ll take care of this.” Parker said, and we both stood up.

“I’m going to check on Matt.” I said, and walked off.

“STOP! BOTH OF YOU! YOU ARE TWO GROWN FUCKING MEN, NOT CHILDREN!” I heard Parker screaming.

“NO, HE’S NOT A GROWN MAN, HE’S A KID!” I heard Jimmy yell, humor seeping into his voice, and Johnny began ranting on about height instead of Matt’s life. I rolled my eyes, and continued walking, finally reaching the rooms, where I ran into Zacky as him and Brian were leaving Matt’s room.

“Are you alright?” I asked Zacky, and he nodded.

“A little bloody, but I’m fine.” He said, and I smiled at him.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” I said, and he went to hug me, but I stopped him. “You are not hugging me.” I stated, and he looked hurt.

“B-but why?” He asked, sounding genuinely hurt by my words.

“You’re covered in blood. Go get on a new shirt, and wash your hands, then I’ll give you a hug.” I said, and he nodded.

“Got it. Kiss?” He asked, and I kissed him on the cheek.

“Happy?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Do I get a kiss?” Brian asked, and I looked over at him, I had nearly forgotten that he was standing there.

“Not in this lifetime.” I said, and Zacky laughed at Brian’s expression.

“A hug? I’m not covered in blood.” Brian tried, but I shook my head.

“No, look at your hands.” I said, and Brian inspected his hands, which were a slight pink color thanks to the blood seeping from the gauze.

“What if I go cleaned up?” He asked, and Zacky sighed.

“Will you stop trying to have any physical contact with my girlfriend?” Zacky asked, and Brian pointed his finger at me.

“I will claim my hug after I wash my hands and get a new shirt.” He said, and walked off.

“Are you going to hug him?” Zacky asked.

“And then kick him in the balls? Yes, yes I am.” I smiled and Zacky kissed me on the lips before walking off. I watched as he disappeared around the corner, then I walked into Matt’s room, sitting down on his bed, next to him. I watched his bare chest rise and fall slowly; too slowly. I felt like he was already gone. I wasn’t sure why, but I did, and the thought of losing Matt scared me to the core. I tried to keep acting like I hated him, like he made me sick, and like I only wanted to cause him pain, but I didn’t. I realize that now; now that I’ve seen how fast death can rip something away from you. Something that you may, or may not have the slightest attraction to. I never wanted to leave his side, not with him so close to the edge of life. I was scared, I’ll go ahead and admit that. Scared that he could die, and I couldn’t never talk to him again, never see him like he used to be, the old Matt that in a way, I’d come to love. Hell, I’d even settle for him calling me a bitch, I wouldn’t care, just as long as he was back to himself, not lying in a bed with a bullet wound, clinging onto the edge of the cliff of life. I didn’t want to leave him, but I didn’t want to lie down next to him and risk being seen so close to him, so I crawled under the bed, and stared up at where he was laying. His breathing was slow, but heavy enough for me to hear. He’ll be okay, that’s just what I need to keep telling myself. Maybe, just maybe if I keep repeating it in my head, it’ll be true.

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^*Jimmy’s POV*^
I walked with Parker to go check on Matt. Johnny had finally given up the fight, and was in his room, angrily playing COD. But hey, him shooting virtual people is better than shooting me, so I wasn’t complaining. As we reached Matt’s room, from a slight distance I could see Harper curled up under his bed. I was going to go ask her what she was doing, but Parker had apparently seen her too, because she stopped me from getting down and crawling under there.

“I’m going to ask her what she’s doing.” I told Parker, but she shook her head.

“No, just…just leave her. She needs to be alone.” Parker seemed to sense something that I didn’t, because we didn’t even go into Matt’s room, she just lead me away, so I was left to wonder about what was going on between Harper and Matt.