Red at Day

We all arrive in Kamloops as the sun gets closer to the horizon. Each vehicle has it's own walkie-talkie in case of emergencies. We're lined up on the crowded streets at the outskirts of town. The city that was once beautiful is now depleted of life. Tall buildings that lit up the streets now sit barren and dull. It's almost as if the color from our world had left along with the living, leaving behind a black and white vision for the rest of us to survive in. No greens, blues, or beautiful hues to keep us tethered to the earth. You only find color in those who are worth finding now. I wonder if I'm a color at all.
“How's everyone doing?” Machi asks over the radio.
“Like I need a six month nap,” Kali sighs.
“Lets find a safe place to sleep for the night,” I suggest.
“Is there anywhere safe in the city?” Rupert asks. We all cut our engines, now keeping as quiet as possible.
“We gotta be careful moving around,” Clara brings up, “We don't want them seeing us.”
“Lets have a few people scout ahead, then,” I suggest, “We could have a few small teams ahead on foot and maybe they can find a small abandoned building or something. I can go if there isn't many people who want to go.”
“Me and Rosa wanna go!” Clara exclaims.
“I volunteer,” Rupert states.
“Okay, yeah!” I say, “Clara, if you and Rosa want to start searching to the right, Rupert and I can go left.”
“Want to be with me alone?” Rupert perrs.
“Not particularly but Clara and Rosa are in the same car,” I reply.
“How are we gonna communicate?” Rosa asks.
“Should we just take our car walkie-talkie's and whoever's left over should chill in another car?” Clara asks.
“I can squeeze two people in my car,” Issa says.
“I can try to fit in two more people but we can figure that out while you guys are out looking,” Bruce says.
“Yeah, everyone just go to a car,” I order, “Lets head out.”
Rosa and Clara leave. They head up the street, keeping low to the ground and out of sight. Rupert meets up with me at my jeep and we head left. As we walk, we make sure to crouch and hide behind anything so we can't be seen.
About half a mile out, Rupert and I find a group of zombies. Three of them walk down the street together. I wonder if they were friends before the apocalypse.
“What's our game plan?” Rupert asks.
“I was hoping we could hide until they go away,” I whisper, “We shouldn't draw needless attention to ourselves.”
“My father taught me never to be afraid,” Rupert whispers, “Those zombies are clearly a danger. If they don't get us, they could get someone else and I don't want that on my conscious.” He has one of those?
“What do you think we should do then?” I ask.
“I can draw attention to myself and while they're distracted, you sneak up and kill one,” Rupert says, “I'll also be able to kill one.”
“But there's three and we don't know if there are any more lurking around,” I sigh, “How about we both just sneak up behind them, then work together to get the last one.”
“I guess now would be a good time to use my new machete,” Rupert brags.
“When the fuck did you get a machete?” I ask, “Where have you been hiding it?”
“Literally on my belt loop,” Rupert says, “You've been on my right side and it's hanging off of my left. I don't blame you for not seeing it.”
“What world am I living in?” I ask myself.
Rupert and I cautiously make our way behind the walking trio. I pull out my knife and Rupert takes out his machete. I grab one zombie's shoulder and stick my blade upwards into the back of the neck, damaging it's brain. Rupert slices into the zombie's head, literally knocking it's cap off. He then turns to the other zombie and does the same thing to it. Rupert almost hits me with his blade, not realizing how close I am to the two of them. I dunk down, narrowly missing an unfortunate event.
Blood is splattered once again on my face and hair. I look up at Rupert, who is unsure of how to feel about what just happened. He looks scared.
“Y-you need to be more careful and s-stay out of my way!” Curt stutters, playing off his own fears.
“Just be more careful next time,” I sigh.
“You're not mad?” Rupert asks.
Ahead, a zombie is in the middle of the street. It's hunched over a recent victim, blood pooling around the two of them. The zombie props itself by putting one hand on the deceased's head and another on it's chest. The zombie's head snaps up, ripping with it the meal's throat. It almost reminds me of rubber the way it came off. The zombie's mouth drips crimson. It spots Rupert and I. The zombie stands and charges towards us. I ready my knife and Rupert pulls out three throwing stars.
“Dude,” I say, “What the actual fuck?”
“There's a lot about me you don't know,” Rupert says.
“What like your hentai collection?” I ask. Rupert defiantly throws all three stars at his target, all of them missing tragically.
“Oh you've fucked us now,” I yell, running towards the zombie. I let it grab ahold of me as I push my knife up through it's jaw, killing it.
I walk back to Rupert, my hands covered in gross rotting blood, where he tells me I unnecessarily put myself in harms way. A better fucking move than trying to grab a group of zombies attention.
“Guys,” Clara says over the walkie-talkie, “Rosa and I found an old hotel called The Thriftlodge. It's weird, it's like one of those motels where the entrances to each room is outside, but there's a second floor thing that we can stay on for better protection.”
“Alright,” I say, “Rupert and I will head back now. Just leave my jeep there for me and we can meet you guys there.”
“You don't want us to wait for you?” Issa asks.
“No, you guys should go help Rosa and Clara. We'll be fine,” I say, “Plus you guys can clear out more danger-zones the faster you get there.”
“Alright,” Issa laughs, “Just be safe and let us know when you get to the car.”
“We will!” I promise. The prey has become the predator. The corpse that was just being eaten sits up, it's skin flapping down and hitting it's chest from the gaping hole in it's neck. Gross. Fuck.