[hider Before Today]
[b]12 months ago[/b]
"[color=deepskyblue]I swear June it'll only be for a month. I haven't seen my mom in three years.[/color]"

[b]11 months ago[/b]
"Mandy! Victor! Run." Elenore had tears on her face, her leg was broken. There was no hope she'd be able to make it out of the city like that. She held a lighter waiting until the two were gone to click it on. Each second that ticked by the room filled more with the gas used in the stoves, propane. Victor dragged Mandy from the kitchen, he was the only left of the restaurant staff.

[b]4 months ago[/b]
"I can't." His sign was weak, but Mandy understood. 
She tapped her chest with her thumb, all fingers splayed out. She didn't wait for his response; she turned around and walked away.

[b]Two weeks ago[/b]
"Don't move!" Victor yelled. Mandy moved not hearing him. He paused before shooting as the girl came into his range. That face, though thinner than he remembered, was familiar. He lowered the gun "Mandy?" He signed. She blinked and nodded, tapping her heart with a V hand shape. Victor dropped the gun the rest of the way and pulled Mandy into a hug. "I never thought I'd see you again."
[/hider]


[b]Victor & Mandy - Street of Walker, Louisiana - Each other[/b]

Mandy was watching their backs as Victor checked ahead. So far the pair had been lucky in Walker, Louisiana. It was if someone had just been through clearing the very path they were taking. Victor took the street slower than he normally would have, expecting at any moment an ambush of living people. 

Victor waved, the movement catching Mandy's attention. A universal come on gesture and Mandy caught up with him. Victor's sign was lacking so when he had particularly important stuff to say that he didn't want misunderstood he wrote it down for Mandy. The white board had some old tic tack toe marks on it that Victor whipped away. He wrote "[b]I don't think there is anyone living near by. I see a store up the road we should head for it, see if there is anything in it.[/b]" Mandy nodded in response. Victor slid the white board into the side pocket of his back pack, then started down the street again. 

Mandy read the name of the store [i]Fresh 'n Easy[/i]. She smiled. June and her would have made a joke about it. Victor didn't smile, even when Mandy pointed at the sign. He was just so... plain. 

He started to push open the door, but stopped. Mandy nearly ran into him. She raised one hand and held it at a slight angle all fingers out and slid it side to side. Victor gave her a shushing sign in return. That was no answer. Mandy held back a heavy sigh, and waited. Victor made a P hand shape and made a circle with it. Mandy froze.

People.

Her heart speed up. Zombies were one thing... people were a totally different thing. They were more dangerous. Victor held up a hand in the universal stop, and then pointed to a spot away from windows for Mandy to stand and wait. She did as told.

Victor pushed open the door, and in his best kitchen boss voice said, "Hello?"