The two groups stared at one another, were they a threat or not? The older man observed the group of teens his wife whispered to him, he slowly put down the gun he was holding, it was put down to his side but up far enough to if he needed he would shoot, "None of you are infected, right?" the older woman spoke, her voice weary her eyebrow raised in question.
"None of us are," Ryan spoke up his eyes trained on the older man in the group, Ryan clenched his jaw ready to strike at any moment, he didn't care if the older man had a gun, he would protect his friends and brother at any moment. As he observed the others, he noticed that they seemed calm except for the old guy.
The older woman walked a bit closer to the teens her hands held up as a sign of trust, "My name is Judy, this is my husband, Ezekiel. Do any of you have a slight clue on what is going on?"
Ryan and the others looked at one another, Owen glanced back at the group in front, he saw who he assumed was Ezekiel grumble something under his breath, Owen rolled his eyes thinking to himself he mumbled out, "fucking sunshine."
"We don't know. Were just guessing that its some kind of infection going around," Ryan said, he looked at them, "We are just as confused as you are."
Judy nodded. She sighed aggravated, a hand ran down her face, stopping on her jaw she glanced round at the teens one last time noticing the pregnant woman, she said nothing for a moment, "Are any of you hurt?" she glanced back at the woman one last time. "She's sick."
Mrs. Sky, Judy pointed at her, she shrinks back a bit, her chest feeling tight, a knot forming in her stomach, her hand insensitively went to her stomach, her face looked a little green, Ezekial cocked his gun back, Owen tensed up and got right in front of his mother, he stood there as a shield he wouldn't let anyone hurt his mother. "You try to hurt my mother I won't hesitate to hurt you." he growled out at the old man.
Owens eyes narrowed, Juno rolled her eyes, Mateo bumped her with his elbow giving her a look, she scoffed a bit but looked away, the two groups kept talking trying to defuse the tension between them, Owen stayed close to his mother, as he did, he would glance at the girl behind the old guy. The girl noticed him glancing over, she raised an eyebrow and got closer to her father her nose scrunched up from annoyance Owen noticed his cheeks started to heat up he looked away.
Owen looked at his feet, his hand reaching back to make sure his mother was still right there. Ryan glanced over at Owen he raised an eyebrow; he went back to listening to Judy, his eyes trained on her face, his grip got tighter around hunter, the young boy looked confused he put his head on Ryans shoulder as he just listened to what everyone was saying, he let his older brother hold him tight, hunter focused on the conversation and what was going on behind them.
"Why do you have a gun...??" Ryan asked, the older male, the said male gave Ryan a weirded outlook and scoffed.
"Are you stupid or something?? Why? Why? Don't you see what is going on kid? PEOPLE ARE DYING, and you're asking me why I have a gun! People are turning into monsters, hurting others, their own families, I won't have my family get hurt in the process of this." Ezekial snapped at the black-haired male.
"Stupid question Right." Ryan muttered and sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He put his hand down to his side, "Well. Uh, do you have any clue on what or how this might be happening?"
"You already asked me that." Ezekial sighed and thought to himself, "they all are going to be dead in the next hour"
As the group talked to one another, Owen's attention went onto his mother who had let out a grunt of pain. His hands reached out to steady her; her body shook, "momma? You, okay?" He tried to talk to her, but she didn't respond, her nails dug into her skin leaving moon shaped crevasse, her shirt felt tight, too tight, everything was bright, her body felt heavy or light. Owen speaks to her; she glances at her son with blurry, double vision. She saw his lips move but no words only ringing and humming, her head swam with fuzz, she suddenly doubled over in an instant blood came gushing out of her mouth mixed with foam, her eyes rolling back into her head, Owen let out a panicked scream, "MOMMA?!" He lunged forward, grabbing onto her so she wouldn't hit the concrete below.
His hands got bloody and his shirt got stained, he didn't care, all he needed to worry about was his mother and baby sister. He heard blood gurgling, like a fossette that wouldn't stop. It hit the ground like how water would hit something, Mrs. Sky, her vision going black, her baby had stopped moving long ago. Her nails dug into her stomach, tears flooded her eyes, Owen's wide eyes met her one last time, Owen tensed as he saw the state of his mother's face, blood mixed with tears. A look of terror on her face. Owen held her close not daring to leave his mother's side; he didn't want to lose her. She was the only one who gave a fuck about him.
"Momma please. -" his voice wavering, he didn't know what to do, he heard panicked voices. And calm footsteps towards him, he didn't glace. Not caring about who it was, he felt a thin hand clamp down on his shoulder. It was Judy.
"She's infected as I said. Sick, we need to shoot her, or she won't hesitate to kill you or any of us, we don't know on how long the infection will spread but-" she got cut off, Owens head jerked towards her. The look on his face pale and maniac, he started to shake his head he turned his head back to his mother who was shaking more violently, Mrs. Sky had finally stopped puking her vision still black at the sides, her hands shook, her head barely lifted to see her son. More tears filled her eyes, rolling down her cheek. Owen got in front of her; they weren't going to kill her not on his watch. Behind him his mother panicked, her vision blurry, her hand still digging into her stomach praying her baby was okay... But she already knew the truth. She heard a gun click she looked up and saw a man pointing a gun at her son, he wasn't backing down, she lifted a shaking hand her nails gently scrapping Owen's leg, he felt the touch on his pant leg, he looks back hesitantly, not wanting to keep his eyes off the older man, when he looks back he saw the pain on his mother's face, his face contorted between worry and fear, his eyes tired he leans down to his mother's level "mamma..-" she shook her head, Ezekial kept his gun trained on Owen, annoyance on his face, his wife Judy looked to him shaking her head, he lowered his gun putting it to the ground, Owen had his attention on his mother, Ryan and the others just watched what was going on, none of them wanted to get into the middle of what was aspiring in front of them.
Owen gently pulled his mother into a protective embrace, doing his best to support her as she struggled to stay upright. Her legs trembled beneath her, and her gaze fell to the ground, avoiding anyone's eyes. Each breath she took was harsh and uneven, betraying the pain she was feeling. When she finally looked up at her son, her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. Owen could distinctly hear the rough wheezing in her chest. Despite the fear and uncertainty that surrounded them, she whispered softly, trying to reassure her son, "It's going to be okay... I promise."
Owen watched in horror as his mother's condition visibly deteriorated with each passing moment. Her skin grew paler and her breathing became more strained. Desperation flashed in Owen's eyes as he shook his head fiercely, his voice trembling but resolute. "I'm not losing you or my baby sister. I won't have that." The words slipped out, heavy with determination and fear. He planted himself firmly by his mother's side, his body serving as a barrier between her and the others, refusing to let anyone approach her. The uncertainty and accusations swirling through the group only fueled his resolve.
Owen's gaze darted around the tense faces before him. "No one is going to hurt her on my watch," he declared, his tone unwavering. "You will not touch her. You're going to have to kill me before you can even touch her." His stance was protective, unwavering in his loyalty to his mother and unborn sister. He was prepared to do whatever it took, making it clear that he would not let fear or suspicion dictate their fate.
Ezekial glanced at his wife, she sighed and shook her head, Ryan walked over to Owen and Mrs. Sky, the taller boy, put a gentle hand on owns shoulder.
"Don't worry about a thing. okay?" Ryan spoke softly, Juno rolled her eyes, her arms crossing, Mateo left his girlfriend's side to go over to the two other boys,
"We won't let anything happen to your mom, we promise." Mateo said gently Owen said nothing his eyes still trained on the older guy, he barely let out a noticeable grunt of acknowledgment, the older man looked right back at the blonde teen the two were having a stare down, Judy just sighed and shook her head, her and Ezekial's kids glanced at one another and then looked back at their fathers back,
"Pa, just let them be. I mean there is no point just let it go." The girl said, Ezekial grunted and turned away from the blonde.
With his back turned back from everyone he was watching behind his kids, the two said nothing Judy looked at Owen, "We won't hurt your mother or you, we promise you that, but. You MUST do something if she turns do you hear me?" She made herself clear, she wasting going to make a mistake and kill Owens mother, she could tell she was infected but. She wasn't going to push it for now.
Owen said nothing, he looked at his mom, as the groups tried to communicate the world was slow, tires screeched past or in the distance, people screamed, cry, cars would speed by in a hurry to run, get away...
The group was talking soon and decided what was best, even if they didn't want to do it, they stuck together to survive this hell of a world.
2 YEARS LATER . . .
"FUCK!"
"RUN"
"FUCK! - FUCK! -"
"GUYS?!"
The group ran. A horde of zombies behind them, coming for them, Ryan ran behind the group to make sure everyone was caught up and not falling behind, he let out a grunt as his foot caught on a random piece of brick, the city was a wreck. Everything ruined, everything slowly burning, he stumbled but kept his pace, he saw Mateo slow down a bit looking back at his with worry, "Just keep running!" Ryan yelled making Mateo run at his fast pace again, he held hunter who was pale and sick. He was infected but he never turned. which was weird. The group had been in a grocery store when the walkers had found them, they tried to be so silent. Where did they screw up at? No matter what they did the walkers kept following, Ryan held a pistol he knew damn well it wouldn't do anything but... The walkers were catching up somehow; the horde was getting thinner but not quick enough. Ryan grunted in frustration, he looked back at the group making sure they were ahead far enough which they were he muttered a curse out and then looked back and stopped he started to shoot at the horde, they slowly fell the pavement.
Hunter. weak, he put his head up to see what the commotion was, he saw his older brother shooting those things... Mateo put a hand on the back of the younger's head, hunter said nothing he watched as the walkers dropped there was still too many... Hunter could only watch in worry.
Pain shot through hunters' body, he suddenly puked. Mateo tensed up his eyes widening his nose wrinkling. He could feel the heat of the well. puke sliding down his back he let out a gagging sound. Hunter started to cry out of embarrassment and pain. Ryan heard his brother crying, but he couldn't look back the group kept running, the walkers were getting closer Ryan was running out of ammo. He cursed and started to run back, but at the worst possible time...
A building started to shake. Slowly collapsing, Ryan started to run faster to get out of the way from the falling rubble, "Fuck!" Bricks started to fall and crash beside him, in front of him, hitting the walkers behind him, a wall collapsed splitting him and the others up he heard his name being called but he ignored it he had to think fast he quickly ran out of the way, running to the left trying to find his way back to the others..
A cloud of dust swallowed Ryan as the building groaned again, another section of wall giving way with a deafening crack. He threw himself forward, coughing, eyes burning. The street ahead was barely visible through the haze.
"Ryan!" Mateo's voice was faint, muffled behind the wall of rubble. He didn't answer — he couldn't. Panic clawed at his throat, but he forced himself to keep moving. If he stopped, even for a second, he'd be buried or torn apart.
He sprinted left, boots skidding across broken concrete. The alley he turned into was narrow, choked with debris, but it was the only path not blocked by falling stone. Behind him, walkers screeched, their silhouettes staggering through the dust cloud. Even crushed under rubble, some of them still crawled.
"Think, think…" Ryan muttered under his breath, chest heaving. He pressed his back to a wall, trying to get his bearings. The others had to be somewhere on the other side — but he had no idea how far the collapse had pushed them.
Hunter. The thought hit him like a punch. He had to get back.
He pushed off the wall and ran deeper into the alley, searching for any opening, any gap that could lead him around the fallen building. His pulse hammered in his ears. Every turn looked the same — ruined, burned, abandoned.
Then he heard it.
A low, wet growl. Too close.
Ryan froze. Slowly, he turned his head. A walker, half‑crushed and dragging one useless leg, pulled itself toward him from the shadows. Its fingers scraped the pavement, leaving streaks of grime.
Ryan lifted his empty pistol on instinct, jaw tightening. "Shit…"
He backed up, eyes darting for an escape route — and spotted a narrow break between two collapsed storefronts. Barely wide enough for a person.
He didn't think. He ran.