We're Still Alive(Book1)BEING REWRITTEN

Forty

Ohio

   Jared sat in the back of the Humvee with Martine, feeling his healing shoulder. It was easier to move it now and shooting wasn't a problem. He was pissed at first, but it was hard to stay mad at Paige. After meeting her group and talking for a while, they agreed to travel together. They finally made it to Columbus, only to find the same horrible sight that Jared and Cora had discovered weeks before. Instead of leaving right away though, they'd followed the line of tall fencing and blockades all around the city of Columbus.  Seeing the broken and abandoned vehicles and houses, along with the blood and body parts strewn everywhere, Gavin couldn't help but think of his parents. He liked to think that maybe they got away. Maybe they were lucky. But he'd started to accept that they were probably dead after the first few weeks.
   Now they were driving away, Gavin didn't know where. The horse trailer rattled in front of them. They'd decided to have Adam, Allison, and Paige drive in front so if any of the zombies tried to sneak around to the horse, they would know. Gavin was just starting to get on the horse's good side. The thing terrified him so he did his best not to piss it off. Buddy, on the other hand, got along great with the others. He'd actually been switching between the pickup and the humvee between stops. Now he was in the hummer. Gavin chuckled as Martine yelled something in Spanish after being half-soaked in slobber when Buddy shook himself.
   He'd fallen asleep shortly after that, not caring that it was barely 2:00 in the afternoon. When he woke again, it was later. He could tell from the setting sun, but he didn't know what time it was or what time he'd fallen asleep.
   "What is it?" He asked tiredly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Max and Wes were getting out of the hummer, so Gavin and Martine exchanged a glance and followed. They were at a mall. Normally, that
wouldn't surprise them. They'd stopped at malls before to grab extra clothes or anything else they thought they might need. But this was different. For one, they couldn't even see inside the windows, which
were still intact, because of all of the signs and posters stuck to the windows. They were faced with girls in summer dresses and makeup and shirtless guys with six-packs that looked completely photoshopped.
The fact that none of the windows was broken was enough to cause suspicion.
   They were walking towards the second group, who were whispering to each other. Actually, it was just Adam and Allison. Paige was unloading Cobalt from the trailer.
   "Might as well let him stretch his legs." She said when she noticed Gavin staring at her. He made sure to avoid the horse as he made his way to the other group. He wasn't surprised to see Martine doing the
same.
   Suddenly Bud started barking just as the front doors of the mall opened and five people walked out.