We're Still Alive(Book1)BEING REWRITTEN

Seventy-One

Cora let Aydin off his leash, knowing he was faster than her and would make it to Jared first. She watched as Aydin jumped on the unsuspecting figure, clamping down on his arm and almost swinging over his head from the momentum. The hit pulled him to the ground, and Cora ran to Jared while Aydin held the stranger down. He flinched at first, then relaxed when he realized who she was. Looking him over, she pulled his shirt up over the wound on his side. By the looks of it, the bullet had only grazed him, but it still left a deep cut that could kill him if the bleeding and infection wasn't stopped.
   "Keep your hand over it, and press down hard." She said, guiding his hand to his bleeding side. He listened and didn't say anything. Cora grabbed a random shirt laying on the floor and tied it around him so that the thickest part was pressed against the cut, staunching most of the bleeding. He winced but didn't complain or object. Once done, she sat back and for the first time, she realized that she had one of their attackers as a hostage. "Out!" She yelled to Aydin and pulled him away. "Sit. Watch." She pointed to the man as she said it, the turned to him and crouched down. "Who are you?" He didn't reply as be held his bloody and torn arm to his chest. "How many are in your group?" Again, he stayed quiet, and she noticed his eyes flicking to Aydin every few seconds. "Okay, fine. Don't answer." She called Aydin closer and crouched over him as he lay down, holding the handles on the back of his vest. The man tried to back up, and Aydin growled menacingly. "Move again, and I let him go." Cora warned. The dog was still, but she could feel his muscles bunched up and knew he be on his victim as soon as she allowed him. "Who are you?" She repeated. To her surprise, the man smiled, then started laughing quietly.
   "It doesn't matter." He chuckled, and Aydin growled louder. "All you need to know about us, is that we're the people that are killing yours, one at a time." His smile lasted a few seconds longer before Cora's expression changed, and he didn't have time to run before she left Aydin go and returned to Jared.
   "Did you see anyone else?" She asked, helping him to his feet.
   "Yeah." He winced. "There's others in the store just next to this one. Is anyone else coming down?" She hesitated. Yes, someone else was coming down. Actually, everyone was.
   "Yeah. We saw zombies running into the parking lot, and with all the windows shattered, we don't have a good way to defend this place anymore."
   "Dammit." He muttered as they made slowly their way into the other store. Aydin followed them, leaving the stranger to bleed out. "Don't shoot."
   Jay lowered his gun right away and came to help. "What happened?" Casey was quick to join them.
   "I got shot, what do you think happened? I was lucky Cora and Aydin were close."
   "We're leaving, now." Cora added as she let Casey take her spot by Jared. "Zombies heard the shooting, and they're already attacking the guys in the parking lot. The windows are all shot through, so we can't stay here any longer." She let everyone get up and get their weapons ready, and once they were, they headed out of the store and towards the parking lot, hoping to meet with the rest of their group.