[center][u][b]Kate[/b][/u][/center] “Don’t think about it too much babe,” Selina murmured, planting a gentle kiss on her partner’s forehead. Kate nodded mechanically, before leaning in to bury her head in the crook of Selina’s neck. It was hard not to think about [i]it[/i]. Outside disgruntled moans mingled with the terrified, bone chilling, shrieks of innocent civilians. Kate could imagine them being ripped to shreds the way her naïve uncle and loving aunt had been. What would she tell her cousins, she wondered, presuming she would ever see them again. That she had allowed their parents to be attacked by those mindless monstrosities? That David and Selina had bashed their skulls in until they were unrecognizable. She could barely stand to look at their clothes. Both were smeared in dry black blood, none of it their own. Feeling bile rise up in the back of her throat, she swallowed screwing her eyes shut and cuddling closer to Selina, who wrapped her long arms around Kate’s waist. --- [center][b][u]Selina[/u][/b][/center] They had taken shelter in an empty Deli, barricading the front entrance with tables and chairs. Every now and then, the doors would lazily press inward as one of those [i]things[/i] attempted to push its way through. A few of them had their faces pressed to the window, and Selina could see as the flesh pulled away from their bodies, exposing decomposing muscle, and bare bones. Even between two layers of clothing, Selina was keenly aware of the small bump forming in Kate’s belly. She had been a few millimeters bigger this morning. A few millimeters of more baby to take care of, Selina had thought. At the back of the Deli, David was practically dismantling shelves, looking for salvageable food items to stuff in his bag. He had already destroyed the vending machine up front for two bags of potato chips. It was clear others had already ramsacked the half-full deli, taking as many unexpired items as possible. The small group of three had been late to that party, and were left to scavenge through what little items were left. “What are we doing next,” David practically growled, sounding dismayed at what few things he had picked up. “The pharmacy across the street,” Kate murmured, peeking up from Selina’s shoulder, “We should check it out. Anything first aid-ish could help us. Painkillers, band aids, antiseptics.” Selina smiled, running her hand through Kate’s fiery red hair. That was her Kate, tough as nails, and [i]smart[/i] too. “We’re going to have to be fast," Selina murmured, "Those things look slow, but they’re fast when they want to be. I saw a lady get absolutely wrecked by one she thought was dead. It just snatched her up real quick…and…well…” All three of their faces contorted as the bloody and mangled bodies of Kate and David’s aunt and uncle came to mind. Readying themselves, the three pulled their backpacks on, heading for the front entrance. The plan was simple. Selina and David would clear away the tables as silently as possible. David would lead the way out. He was the broadest among the three of them, and his swing had the widest girth. Selina would bring up the rear, and Kate would be tucked away safely in the middle. Their hope was that they would be able to briskly out-walk those, monsters. Running seemed to attract their attention, with the noise and clatter it caused. Fast walking had been their tactic since they had discovered the things were attracted to noise. Still, none felt very confident. After the doors had been freed from constraint, they took position. Selina could see large beads of sweat rolling down the side of David’s head. She couldn’t blame him. Her back was soaked, and she could feel her tank top plastering itself to her body. “On, the count of three,” David nodded, and Selina proceeded to countdown, “1…2…” On three they pushed out of the Deli, walking with as much speed as they could to the adjacent pharmacy, and managing to dodge the creatures whose attention they had aroused. The walk felt like it took hours. Selina's fear doubled when she thought she heard deep breaths coming from Kate. Was she hyperventilating? Turned out, it was her own breathing she was hearing. --- [center][u][b]Kate[/b][/u][/center] David, obviously, reached the pharmacy first. Tentatively, he pressed his weight against the doors. “It won’t budge,” he whimpered, looking wild-eyed at the two women. The monsters were beginning to slowly amble towards the three of them. “Ram into it,” Kate hissed. Turning towards the door, David shoved against it hard, causing a loud crash on the other side, as whatever barricaded it began to fall apart. Selina joined with him, and together, the two of them ran into the doors. They budged slightly, and the pair prepared themselves for what they hoped would be a finally round. Behind them, the things were beginning to pick up the pace. Kate could imagine what they were seeing. Three tasty, floundering morsels attempting to escape. “Hurry,” she, squealed, as Selina and David, for the third time, crashed into the doors. They flung open, and Selina practically wrenched Kate off the ground and craned her over a lopsided table. Then she and David rushed in, slamming the doors behind them, and pushing back tables and chairs to barricade the doors once again. Turning, Kate’s eyes went wide as she was greeted with the barrel of a gun, aimed right at her. In a matter of seconds, Selina had placed herself between Kate and the gun. She loved Selina…but she disliked the fact that her wife, her [i]equal[/i] partner was so willingly placing herself in danger for her. She hated it. She didn’t want anything to happen to Selina, because of her. Shockingly, the three were face to face with a young girl, probably twelve or thirteen. “Don’t shoot us, sweetie,” Kate said from behind Selina in what she hoped was a placating voice, "We're...not one of [i]them[/i]." "Aren't you too young to use a gun," David said, twisting his face uncertainly. "This isn't New York, Dave," Selina said, snorting and rolling her eyes, before turning her attention to the kid, "You got parents around....or..." Kate could hear the thickness in Selina's voice. That was the hard truth. Kids were losing their parents, parents losing kids...everything was going to hell.