Fragile Hearts [DANGEROUS FELLOWS]

⚠️FIFTY-SEVEN: FREAKING ZOMBIE BUGS⚠️

If there had been bodies littering the mall at one time, they had all been reduced to broken bones now.

"This must be the all-you-can-eat for zombies," Jay said, keeping his eyes high to avoid looking at anything unpleasant.

All of these bones had once been people. Living, breathing people with families and friends. Any of these remains could belong to people you once knew.

You forced the thought out of your mind.

Everything in the food court would probably be spoiled, so you didn't bother going there. Instead, you saw a general store attached to the side of the mall; that's where you started your hunt for food. The bell above the door chimed when you walked in, and immediately your senses were bombarded.

"Dude," Jay complained, clamping his hand over his mouth and nose. "It smells rancid in here."

You covered your face as well, the smell almost nauseating. One look at the produce section gave it away; all of the fruits and vegetables were rotting, several sorts of bugs and small animals eating away at them. You looked away, fighting down the sick feeling that crept up your throat.

"Let's hope that not all of the packaged food was taken," Ethan said, turning towards a canned goods aisle. It was looking a little bare, but there were still plenty of cans on the shelves.

"Don't tell me we're going to be living off of cold chicken soup," Jay complained.

"Better than cold chicken nothing," you sighed, taking off your backpack to fill it with a few cans.

Jay came up beside you, picking up a can. He dropped it with a yelp, making you jump in surprise and almost lose your backpack.

"What was that for?" you demanded, but then spotted the big cockroach on the ground. It was gigantic. You felt goosebumps break out on your arms.

Ethan didn't look fazed as he smashed the roach under the tip of his bat with a crunch and a squelch. It oozed a sticky yellow-brown liquid that made your stomach churn.

"I don't think that was any normal roach," he said, scraping his bat against the ground to clean off the guts.

"I can deal with zombie people. But freaking zombie bugs? No way, nope, can't do it." Jay started to pace back and forth, rubbing his arms.

"Let's hurry up with this food then," you said. Every little tickle on your skin felt like little scurrying legs. You were ready to get out of there.

You heard another crunch, and turned to see that Ethan had smashed another roach. His eyes trailed the ground, and you followed his gaze until you spotted a crack in the floor, only big enough to stick two or three fingers into.

"There," he said. "That's where they're coming from."

"C'mon guys," Jay pleaded. "Let's just leave."

"Do cockroaches bite?" Ethan asked absentmindedly, bending down the investigate the hole.

"Bad idea, man," Jay went on.

"I don't think so," you replied to Ethan. "Then again... maybe?"

"Guys," Jay hissed. "This is so dumb. Don't you think messing with their hole is gonna make them come out?"

"Yeah, you're right," Ethan agreed, straightening back up. "We should cover it."

The can of chili Jay had dropped earlier was still by your feet. You picked it up, wedging the corner into the crack until it stuck.

"You think that'll be good?" you asked.

"Let's just hope zombie roaches don't have super-strength," Jay muttered. "We need to go somewhere else. Those things give me the creeps."

"Caterpillars give you the creeps," you teased, and his face flushed.

The two of you followed Ethan out of the store,
not wanting to agitate the roaches any more.

Where else could you find packaged food? The jewelry store was barren, anti-theft locks and ring boxes scattered across the floor, and there was no food to be seen in any of the shoe stores.

"I know," Jay declared with a snap. "They usually have snacks at those trendy clothing stores. By the checkout."

"You shop at trendy clothing stores?" you asked in amusement as he led the way to one of the shops. He just rolled his eyes, cheeks reddening from embarrassment.

It was so quiet that if you listened hard enough, you swore you could hear Zion's group from across the mall. There was no cheery pop music playing from the speakers. No chatter of the shoppers. Just silence.

The store was almost untouched compared to the other raided shops. The jewelry store had been turned upside-down by people looking for valuables. Here, everything was still neatly folded on displays or hung up.

You weaved through clothing racks towards the cash register, and sure enough, on the table and hanging on rows of little hooks were a variety of snacks. Candy bars and fruit gummies and chocolate and potato chips. Your stomach growled.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Jay said proudly as Ethan began filling his backpack.

"Thank..." you began, but trailed off. On the ground scurried a fat roach, antennae twitching. You stomped it quickly, ignoring the crunch under your shoe.

Jay's face went pale. "They're here too?"

"Are the cockroaches here?" asked Ethan, not looking away from his bag.

"Yeah," you said, looking around at the ground. You didn't see any cracks. Maybe it had just stuck to one of your guys' legs?

"Holy crap," Jay whimpered, pointing under a rack of jeans. "L-look."

You did. Another hole, big enough to stick a foot into. You caught a glimpse of a mass of roaches all scuttling around on top of each other and you shuddered, backing away.

"I got everything," Ethan said, zipping his pack. "Ready?"

"We should cover this one too," you said, your voice wavering a little. Looking around, your eyes landed on a bundle of ankle socks.

"Careful," Jay warned nervously as you bent down, raising the socks over the hole. You quickly shoved them down, stuffing the crevice. Was it your imagination, or did you just feel the roaches skittering underneath the floor?

"We've got a lot of food," Ethan reported. "We should try to find the others for now."

You nodded, scraping the bottom of your shoe on the ground before following him out. According to the plan, the others should be just on the other side of the mall.

"I'm starving," Jay announced. "And tired. I can't wait until we get back to the-"

A scream. Loud and shrill, and at such a high pitch you knew instantly it was Hailey. You stopped for a second, the shock of the noise freezing you in place. Seeing Ethan run forward snapped you out of it, and you dashed after him.

The screaming went on. Out of the corner of your eye you saw the exit. The logical part of your brain was screaming at you to run out, to run back to the bus where it was safe.

But the emotional part kept you running after Ethan.