When Your Hope Is Gone... Just Hold On.

Kevin's POV:
Jesse and I exited the vents. The mall was way too quiet for our liking.
"Where do you think they are?" I whispered.
"I don't know, but I don't like this." Jesse said and I nodded in agreement.
"Let's just get the guns and get ourselves out of here. The sooner we live the better." Jesse said and we continued on our way. I looked around in all the stores and found that many were not even on the second floor. If they were, they were easy to evade. I crept toward the balcony and looked down slightly. They seemed to multiple. All of them were heading in one direction.
"Jesse! Come take a look at this!" I whispered and he came over quietly.
"What the..." He watched as I did.
"Is there a basement in this mall?" I asked.
"I don't know why?" Jesse asked.
"Well if there is, these zombies are getting smarter by the minute. They could be planning something, and it could be potentially big." I explained.
"Let's just get what we need and hurry up and get back." Jesse said and He led to the gun shop.

Jesse broke the lock on the door as soundless as possible. In my opinion it was a miracle they didn't come running. It was a little gun shop, but there were enough guns to at least last us. Jesse started filling his bag with all of the ammo he could find. "Grab anything useful, don't leave anything here unless we have to." Jesse said and I nodded. I started filling my bag with the ammo I could find and anything other types of weapons. Jesse and I started grabbing the guns and laoded two shotguns before leaving the store.
"Alright, now lets get back." He whispered. He started to head towards the store with the vent. I grabbed his arm and pointed as he looked at me.
"We can't go that way. Thats where another group are forming. If they see us in that vent they will follow us and everyone is dead. We can't take them all ourselves." I said and he sighed.
"So what do you suggest we do? Sit here and wait for them to move their little party? We'd be dead by then." Jesse said losing his patience.
"We have to go through the main door." I replied.
"How?! Its sealed." Jesse exclaimed.
"Will you keep your voice down?! I don't care how, we have to. We'll think of something! First of all, we need to see how to get back to the security room without being seen. Think you can keep your voice down long enough to keep us alive?!" I said.

A scream echoed through the mall. Jesse and I looked at each other with wide eyes.
"Where did that come from?" I whispered alarmed.
Another scream filled the mall.
"That girl needs to stop screaming!" Jesse whispered harshly.
I followed the scream as quickly as I could. Being soundless didn't even matter anymore. Every second that I got closer to her was another second of them hearing her scream.
The scream sounded again and I quickly turned my head to the sound and saw her on the ground across the mall in a store. She was using a chair to try to get the zombie away from her. I lifted the shotgun, aimed at the zombie's head and pulled the trigger.
She screamed again as she covered herself. I quickly ran over to her with Jesse following.
I touched her arm gently and she screamed again.
"Hey its alright!" I whispered softly.
She moved her arms and looked at me.
"Can you walk?" I asked and she shook her head no.
"My ankle is broken..." She spoke finally.
"Whats your name?" I asked.
"Alexis." She said shyly.
"I'm Kevin and this is Jesse." I introduced. "We have to get out of here. I'm going to carry you somewhere safe ok?" I said and she nodded.
She wrapped her arm around my neck as I picked her up bridal style.

"We have a problem..." Jesse said looking out the doorway.
"What?" I asked and then stopped when I looked at the zombies beginning to flood the second floor again.
"Just perfect." I said sarcastically. "There are no other vents?" I asked.
"No, not for a little ways down. I'm sure that the zombies have it covered. Let's just hope that they are too dumb to know how to get in the vents." Jesse said.
"Jesse, I'm going to need you to watch my back because I obviously can't shoot anything." I said and Jesse nodded.
"Alright let's go." Jesse said and We ran as fast as we could to the security room.
The inhuman high pitched screams started one by one.
"Run faster!" Jesse yelled.
I ran as fast as I could without dropping her or losing my balance. I ran straight to the security room while Jesse blocked off the main door with the difficulty of zombies pushing on it. When he finally got it shut he blocked it off and we stood in front of the security door.
"Now what do we do for your master plan?" Jesse asked.
"We have to break it down somehow!" I exclaimed.
"Wait isn't there a tool room here or something?" Jesse asked and started searching some of the rooms.
The bang from the door down the hall continued to echo through the hall.
I started to think of the last time we saved someone.
"You're not bit right?" I asked.
"No. I'm not. I would have shot myself first." She said. I nodded in response but knew I might have to check her anyways.
"Think this will work?" Jesse smirked as he held a sledgehammer.
"Possibly." I grinned. He motioned for me to move out of the way and I stood away until he finally got the door opened.

Normal Annamolly's POV
"Wheres everyone else?" Kevin asked as he carried in a girl who was obviously in pain. Her ankle was dangling pretty lifeless. From what I could tell, It was broken.
"Hiding. We thought you guys were zombies." Joe said.
"I'm going to go get everyone." I said and Joe nodded.
I went into each spare room looking for them until I finally found them all and told them it was safe to come out. When we all went back to the main room I saw Joe and Kevin helping the girl that Kevin brought with him. I was just praying that we were going to end up having the same problem as last time. Jesse continued to seal up the door not paying attention to anyone.

"Is she bit?" I asked and Kevin shook his head no.
"No I already asked." Kevin said and I crossed my arms.
"You didn't check?" I asked and they all just looked at me.
"Well I believe her." Kevin said.
"Of course you do! Youre probably just siding with her because you find her attractive!" I exclaimed.
"Hey! I'm right here you know!" She shouted.
"Look, its no offense to you but we've already had one casualty from something like this and I'm not willing to have another." I spoke harshly.
I was suspicious. I didn't want a huge risk again.
She glared at me as I glared at her.
She helped herself up even after Kevin ans Joe's protests. She balanced on one foot and stared at me.
"You want to know so bad come see if I'm bitten." She said and I jsut stayed in my spot.
When I didn't move she laughed slightly and shook her head.
"I didn't think so." She said as Kevin helped her sit back down.

"We're all stuck here. This isn't even far from the beginning and we are no where near the end. If we want to survive, we're going to have to trust and help eachother."

Her words stuck in my head that day. She was right. All these days had passed and we weren't even close to the end of it.