[img]https://i.imgur.com/tCRVKgc.png[/img]
The teen had been right: Jess and Kiley were the exact same size, at least the jeans-part. Kiley’s black top did feel a bit too tight around the chest and arms. Overall though, Jess would not be one to complain. She quickly caught up with the others inside the mall. Entered through what was suppose to be the exit of a grocery store. 

The first thing Jess noticed was the smell. The SEARS store pretty much seemed as pillaged as Jess would have imagined. At least the grocery-part of it. Empty shelves and bottles. Shattered jars of what she hoped was marmalade. Then there were things like stockings and soap which seemed completely untouched by the apocalypse.
[i]Someone has been here. Of course, someone has already been here and cleaned it out. Damn…[/i]
Jess sighed and scratched her wrists. They had been itching for some time now. Then she saw a slightly trembling figure of a person. Bronze hair, about her size. [color=f7976a]“Kiley, right?” [/color]Jess said, walking up to her.
[color=6ecff6]“Huh? Eh, yeah, yeah,”[/color] the girl answered. Seemingly occupied by staring strait ahead in the dimmed lighting. 
[color=f7976a]“Thanks, for the clothing. It was a real lifesaver in this weather.”[/color]
[color=6ecff6]“Sure. It… wau, it actually looks better on you.”[/color]
Jess laughed as friendly as she could. [color=f7976a]“So, what are we looking at here?”[/color]
Kiley answered her question by nodding straight ahead.
It took a moment for Jess to notice the dark shape on the floor. Quite a few rows down, next to the place all the rotten fruit and vegetables were on display. A broad Afro-American man lying perfectly still. Trying to focus on something that far away made her head hurt, as her glasses were the first victims of the apocalypse.
[color=6ecff6]“Is he …” [/color]Kiley asked and didn’t breathe, until Jess had answered.
[color=f7976a]“Don’t know. Has he moved since you saw him?”[/color]
The girl shook her head in a way that would have amused Jess under different circumstances. Like a person in a hurry, who meanwhile got seasick by moving her head so fast. [color=6ecff6]“Could you check? You’re good with that thing, right?”[/color]
She must have referred to the huge, Japanese sword on Jess’ back. [color=f7976a]“Actually, my teacher claimed my defense was far too unbalanced,”[/color] Jess joked. [color=f7976a]“I… eh, I’ll take a look.”[/color]
Her hesitation was real, as she approached the unknown figure. Sure, Jess was in peak condition and wanted to hide it, as it meant everybody (including enemies) would underestimate her. But the fight, she had been training so long for, hadn’t been to the death. When she punched for hours until her knuckles turned blue, she hadn’t had killing in mind. Therefor a very real fear gripped her heart in the final seconds, before she stood there, sword raised, and looked down at the guy.
[i]Ah, the smell! I wish the bad apples would disguise his sent more![/i] Jess thought.
[color=f7976a]“Hello. Wake up” [/color]Jess mumbled and kicked the man, who had his face in the floor. She poked him with the tip of her Nodachi.
Nothing happened.
She drew a deep breath and then leaned down, grabbed his shoulder and turned him around, only to fight in order to hold down her puke.
[color=6ecff6]“Is he dead?... I mean, like, really dead?”[/color] Kiley asked from a distance.
[color=f7976a]“He’s dead alright, and then some.”[/color] But just to make really sure, Jess lined up her weapon and pressed it through the corpses head. It penetrated with a wet sound, not at all like the movies.

For a while all Jess did was walk amongst shelves and got disappointed over and over again, until she came across some misplaced mustard in a plastic bottle. There, between some toys, it stood. In the old days she didn’t even like mustard, but now: Jess grabbed the bottle. In one clean cut from her sword the lip came off and she put the content to her lips and started pouring it down. Her eyes watered, her nostrils closed. However, it provided the energy she had needed.[i] Amazing what a little food can do,[/i] she reminded herself.
Only then did she notice the door. A big and retractable one. In itself there was nothing special about it, but one thing separated it from all other doors: This one was locked. And a locked door meant one thing: No one had managed to get inside; no one had had a chance to pillage it. For all Jess knew, there could be enough food to last for months, maybe more.
Her smile was interrupted, when she thought, she heard something. Over by the entrance. For a second, she could have sworn, she saw a shadow slip inside. Now it was gone.
Then came the growl…
[color=f7976a]“H-Hello?” [/color]Jess called out.