The glass entrance exploded inward.
Hundreds of zombies flooded into Walmart.
"Move!" Breddy shouted.
The survivors sprinted deeper into the store as the horde poured through Grocery, Apparel, and Electronics.
Mason slammed a steel security gate behind them.
CLANG!
The gate rattled as dozens of zombies crashed into it.
"It won't hold forever," Mason warned.
Breddy looked around.
"We don't need forever."
He grabbed a dry-erase marker from a nearby shelf and drew a quick map on the Sporting Goods counter.
"Listen up."
He circled several departments.
"Tyler, start loading every backpack you can find with canned food, bottled water, and medical supplies."
Tyler nodded.
"Got it."
"Mason, grab every box of shotgun shells and rifle ammo."
"You got it."
"Raven..."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You and I clear the hunting section."
She smiled.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
---
The Sporting Goods cage had already been forced open.
Broken glass covered the floor.
Gun racks stood nearly empty.
Someone had beaten them here.
Raven crouched beside a dead zombie.
"This one wasn't killed today."
Breddy knelt beside her.
"The wound's clean."
He examined the skull.
"Military round."
Raven's expression changed for just a moment.
"..."
"You've seen this before?" Breddy asked.
She quickly stood.
"Maybe."
Before he could ask another question—
A low growl echoed through the aisle.
Three zombies stumbled out from behind the fishing displays.
Breddy didn't raise his shotgun.
Instead...
He grabbed a fishing net from the shelf.
Raven blinked.
"What are you doing?"
The first zombie charged.
Breddy threw the net over its head, tangling its arms.
The zombie crashed into a camping display.
Without missing a beat, Breddy grabbed a metal fishing rod and swung.
CRACK!
The zombie collapsed.
The second lunged.
Breddy sidestepped it, swept its legs with a folding camp chair, and finished it with the butt of his pistol.
The third reached Raven.
She fired once.
BANG!
It dropped instantly.
She looked at Breddy and laughed.
"You weren't kidding."
"About what?"
"You really can turn anything into a weapon."
Breddy shrugged.
"If it's sold at Walmart..."
"...it can save your life."
Raven smiled.
"I like that."
---
Tyler ran toward them carrying two backpacks.
"We found food!"
Mason followed behind with cases of ammunition balanced on his shoulders.
"We've got enough ammo for weeks."
Then...
The emergency lights flickered.
The store speakers crackled.
"Backup generators online."
Every light inside Walmart suddenly turned on.
The entire store lit up.
Every zombie froze.
For one terrifying second...
None of them moved.
Then, as if responding to the lights...
They all turned toward Sporting Goods.
At the exact same time.
Raven whispered,
"...That's not normal."
Breddy slowly raised his shotgun.
"No..."
"It isn't."
A deafening roar echoed from the back warehouse.
The floor trembled.
Even the zombies seemed to hesitate.
Mason's face went pale.
"Whatever made that sound..."
"...I've never heard it before."
Breddy looked at the others.
"Grab the supplies."
"We're leaving."
But as they reached the emergency exit...
A heavy steel shutter slammed down in front of them.
BOOM!
The path outside was sealed.
They were trapped.
Walking Dead Walmart
BOOM!
The steel emergency shutter crashed to the floor.
Dust filled the hallway.
Tyler slammed his fists against the metal.
"It's locked!"
Mason grabbed the edge of the shutter and pulled with all his strength.
His muscles bulged.
Nothing.
"It won't move."
The growling behind them grew louder.
Breddy looked over his shoulder.
The horde had reached Sporting Goods.
Hundreds of zombies shuffled between the aisles, knocking over displays and smashing shelves.
Then...
They stopped.
Every zombie stared down the same aisle.
At Breddy.
"...Why are they looking at me?" Tyler whispered.
Raven slowly stepped beside Breddy.
"They're not."
"They're looking at us."
---
One zombie suddenly sprinted.
Then another.
Within seconds, the entire horde charged.
"DEFENSIVE LINE!" Breddy shouted.
Everyone moved without hesitation.
Mason planted himself in the center, swinging his fire axe with terrifying force.
Every swing sent zombies crashing into shelves.
Tyler covered the left side with a hunting rifle, firing only when he had a clear shot.
Raven moved like lightning.
BANG!
One zombie.
BANG!
Another.
She never wasted a bullet.
Meanwhile...
Breddy holstered his shotgun.
Raven noticed.
"You're putting it away?"
He smiled.
"Ammo's too valuable."
He reached into a nearby display and grabbed...
A full-size aluminum baseball bat.
A zombie lunged.
CRACK!
Its skull caved in.
Another grabbed his arm.
Breddy trapped its wrist, twisted it with an MMA joint lock, and slammed it into another zombie.
Both fell.
A third rushed him.
He dropped the bat...
Picked up a camping hatchet from a display...
And buried it in the zombie's forehead.
Raven couldn't help but smile.
"You really don't stop."
Breddy kicked another zombie backward.
"I've stocked these aisles for years."
He grinned.
"I know where everything is."
---
The fighting continued.
Bodies piled across the floor.
Broken shelves blocked entire aisles.
Blood covered the white Walmart tiles.
Then...
The lights flickered again.
The store speakers crackled.
"...Attention associates..."
Static.
"...Manager assistance needed..."
Static.
"...Please report to Receiving..."
The message repeated.
Receiving.
Mason's eyes widened.
"No..."
Breddy looked at him.
"What?"
"Receiving has its own emergency loading dock."
Raven caught on immediately.
"It leads outside."
Mason nodded.
"If we can reach it..."
"...we escape."
Breddy looked toward the back of the store.
Between them and Receiving...
Hundreds of zombies.
He pumped his shotgun.
"We're making a path."
The group formed up.
Breddy in front.
Raven beside him.
Mason protecting the rear.
Tyler in the middle with the supplies.
Breddy looked at everyone.
"No one gets left behind."
Raven smiled.
"Now that's a leader."
Together...
They charged straight into the horde.
Walking Dead Walmart
– The Sword of Survival -
The battle through Walmart raged on.
Breddy led the charge, smashing through the horde while Raven covered him with precise pistol fire.
"Mason!" Breddy shouted.
"Keep Tyler moving!"
"You got it!" Mason roared, driving his fire axe through another zombie.
The group pushed deeper into the store.
Finally...
They reached the Sporting Goods stockroom.
Boxes were scattered everywhere.
Broken shelves leaned against the walls.
Then Breddy noticed something.
A long wooden crate had fallen behind several pallets.
Across the side was a faded shipping label.
DISPLAY ITEM – DECORATIVE MEDIEVAL COLLECTION
"Huh..."
He pried the crate open with a crowbar.
Inside...
Wrapped in cloth...
Was a massive claymore sword.
Nearly five feet long.
A polished steel blade.
A leather-wrapped grip.
A heavy crossguard.
Raven walked over.
"Please tell me you're not thinking what I think you are."
Breddy slowly lifted it.
It was heavy.
But balanced.
He swung it once through the air.
WHOOSH!
The blade sliced cleanly through a hanging cardboard display.
A smile spread across his face.
"...Feels good."
Raven blinked.
"You actually know how to use that?"
Breddy rested the sword on his shoulder.
"My grandfather taught me years ago."
"I never thought I'd need it..."
"...until now."
The warehouse doors burst open.
Half a dozen zombies rushed in.
Raven raised her pistol.
Breddy stopped her.
"I got this."
He stepped forward.
The first zombie lunged.
SHHHNK!
One powerful swing cut it down.
The second reached him.
He pivoted and drove the pommel into its face before bringing the blade down in a clean finishing strike.
A third came from behind.
Without turning, Breddy spun, the claymore tracing a wide arc that knocked it to the floor.
The warehouse fell silent.
Even Mason stared.
"...Remind me never to make you mad."
Tyler's eyes were wide.
"Dude..."
"...that was awesome."
Raven walked up beside Breddy, looking from the sword to him.
She folded her arms with a playful grin.
"You've been holding out on me."
Breddy chuckled.
"I've got a few tricks."
She leaned in just a little closer.
"I noticed."
For a brief moment, they simply looked at each other.
Then...
ROOOAAARRR!!
A monstrous roar echoed through the building.
The lights flickered.
The floor trembled.
Mason's smile vanished.
"That's not the Climber..."
Tyler swallowed hard.
"Then what is it?"
A deep, heavy thud echoed from Receiving.
THUD...
THUD...
THUD...
Breddy tightened his grip on the claymore.
Whatever was coming...
It was big.
He looked at his team.
"Stay close."
"No matter what comes through that door..."
"...we face it together."
The massive Receiving doors slowly began to bend inward.
BOOM!
A huge dent appeared in the steel.
Then another.
And another.
Something on the other side...
...was trying to get in.
[End of Chapter 6.]