Shawn had gone through his half of the supplies while he hid and rested. His side now a pink scar was what remained of the lesson he nearly didn't live through. He wore the police vest over a tank top with his hoodie over the vest. He had a back pack with water bottles and a radio charger if he ever found power. He kept a paper map of the city in his back pocket. The knife taped to his arm, one folder in his boot, and his gun in a new leg holster. In his hands was the 3 foot crow bar. The radio was off and by his side clipped onto Shawn's belt. He took a deep breath and looked out at the city as the sun came up. If she was there she would head to the boat. By now the only option is that Shawn would find her. He had to.

The walk into the city was eerily silent. The wind was still and the smell was of the rotters locked in the rooms in the many buildings now death traps. "This pace should be burned." Shawn thought. If he had a battalion of army grunts they could clear the city and cut the bridges making this a starting point for the new world. The issue would be the subway that was undoubtedly packed full of 'em. They always seemed to gravitate to the lower sections for what ever reason. May be run a train through and clear it? No this place had just too many exits. No living person would be mad enough to go there so he would keep his search above ground. He had a map and would go block by block. Working his way out from the docks in a semi circle.

Shawn moved to the first building. First going to the back door, locked, a good sign. He wouldn't bother with the front. Reaching up with the crowbar to pull down the fire escape ladder he climbed to the roof. From his military days he learned to start at the top and work down as to not have to fight the enemy from both sides. No rotters on the top. Shawn moved to the door and pried it open with the bar waiting. The smell told the story of things gone bad. He tapped on the door frame loudly. Waiting a few minutes he tapped again louder. 

Groans and growls as they shuffled out of the dark. not sure how many he moved to the corner of the building using a lead move then hooking them with the bar and forcing them over the edge. It was loud and messy but they wouldn't survive the drop. One after the other lunged at Shawn only to be forced over the edge and fall with a wet splat. Nine in all. With the end of that Shawn went to the door and listened, nothing. 

He moved in slowly, noting no smell of fire inside or able to see and burn marks outside he was sure the stairs would hold. The top floor the door was closed but not locked. He pushed on the bar and the door opened inward. Light streamed in from the end of the hall and gave the area a horror movie look. The smell was no better. He would go room to room. first right the door was locked and he knocked in a pattern so not to panic any survivors. Shave-and-a-hair-cut, waited for a moment and then put the bar to the door. The first room would help him layout what the others would be like so making sweeps easier and more muscle memory. 

The door gave way to a living room that had a kitchen directly off to the left the right was a short hall way with more doors obvious bed rooms. The air was stale and everything had dust over it. Shawn shut the door behind him just as a marker. Who ever had lived here didn't bother coming back. The room had pictures of the family that lived there. A couple with a young boy. He moved to the hall and tapped on the door to his left. Not hearing a sound Shawn opened it to a kids room toys on the floor and a twin bed in the far corner. He kept the door open and moved to the last door on the left to a small master bed room. Empty, The room had a TV and a queen bed in the middle pictures of the family were on the dresser and a few more on the walls. Flipping the mattress, checking the closet, and dresser turned up nothing. Moving back to the living room Shawn slowly opened the door to the hall. Still empty let him sigh in relief. 

He tapped on the door on the left side of the hall. He tried the door it was locked, so he put the bar to it and entered to the sight he never got use to. The smell was just as bad. A family took the quick way out and stabbed themselves to death. The last one with only a single tell. The knife still in his head via the eye. He saw them coming to life and he went after each with the bar in his hands. taking a minute to catch his breath he whispered, "Rest in peace." as he shut the door. He did this for the first floor and found nothing in the way of supplies but even less in the spirit of his hope.

By the third floor he was spent and the smell was making his empty stomach turn. He went to the last room on the right and shut the door it being stale but free of corpses he slid the couch against the door and went to the master bedroom. Again sliding the dresser to the door and then the bed to the dresser ensuring the shove would wake him. Shawn took of his boots and socks he took the bottle water out and drank the last of its contents. "Not munch of a night cap, but you'll do for now." He keyed the radio. " I'm not even done with the first building but I'll find ya. This might not be the best move on my sanity, I just cant believe it wasn't real darlin. Don't give up and neither will I. I will find ya." Laying down on the bed he held onto the bar and shut his eyes. 

The sun woke him and again he went door to door and scene to scene. It was on the third floor from the bottom when he heard it. After the knock on the door, down the hall a whimper and some whispered voices. He took the safety off and pulled the hammer back on his gun for the time leaving it holstered but ready. Maybe it was in his head, maybe not. either way getting shot once was more then enough and he wasn't going to stop looking for Olivia just because of some whispers. He put the bar to the door and pushed it in. The frame split and he walked in shutting the door behind him. A weed poster gave him home and sure enough there was a gun in the dresser. two boxes of ammo and a cell phone. The closet had some dead bushes and a set up for growing. He took the gun and ammo and looking in the kitchen for food. He could hear more whispering. "Jackpot!" These stoners knew munchies. they had a few cans of the good stuff and a can opener. Shawn took the moment to eat standing in the kitchen behind the counter. They were cold but it was food. "Good god chef you are the man!" food raised his spirits. Sticking the other cans in his backpack he tested the water to find nothing. Letting out a sigh returned him to search for more in the apartment. Shawn turned up a few pron mags and some bags of dried weed he kept for barter. No first aid kit, nothing else of interest he took the can opener and left. 

Taking a big chance Shawn spoke up. "I'm looking for my daughter. I'm going now. I don't want trouble so I'm going to leave and not come back. The top floors are clear if you need fresh clothes." not hearing anything he moved down the stair well to the second floor. Growls and moans came from some of the rooms. Glad he ate he moved from right to left down the hall. tapping on doors and some times hearing the dead scratching on the other side. He needed supplies and to know she wasn't there. Each door he worked was an exercise in futility. 

One dead in particular was a fat girl. She lunged at him as the door was opened. Pinning Shawn to the wall behind him  making them too close to use the bar. Snarling and biting at him she had him pinned against the wall. His forearm against her neck and his other hand holding hers away from his face. Shawn put his foot on the wall behind him and pushed off rocking her back off her feet. Shawn's weight made the rotting guts burst out the sides as he fell on her. Quickly he took the knife from his arm and stuck her in the temple. The smell was just ungodly. He tried to stand only to have his foot slide in the sludge. Shawn's second attempt was better, and he retrieved the knife only to slip and land on his ass in the sludge. "Shit." Shaking his head he got up a third time.