Forest green eyes stared in awe at the beauty the sleeping man next to him radiated. His plump lips rested slightly open, soft breathes being blown at Tabb's face. Long, oily, black locks tickled his nose and he gently combed it away. Cash's tan skin was sprinkled with scars and bruises from years of mishaps.
His right arm draped over the smaller man, his bare forearm showing off a long white scar. He had gotten it protecting Ollie years ago. Tabb sighed at the memory, moving closer and resting his wild hair under Cash's chin.
He couldn't let anything like that happen again. He looked back up to Cash's snoring face, gently caressing a purple bruise that had blossomed on his cheek right below his eye. All the horrible case scenarios that could happen on this trip ran through his mind like a marathon. The drive was almost two days long, how could something not go wrong? They had to rely on three cars, one of them not even protected by metal or weapons.
"Tabb..." Cash mumbled quietly,
"stop being creepy and let me sleep."
Heat filled his cheeks and he quickly looked away.
"It's not creepy."
Cash took a deep breath before finally opening his eyes and looking down at the blonde.
"I woke up to you staring into my soul and caressing my face."
Tabb chuckled before wrapping both his arms around Cash, letting his head rest on his chest as it gently lifted up and down.
"Do you think this bunker is really the answer?"
"I don't know... I hope so. Ollie seems to think so."
"Ollie thinks the slightest glimmer of hope will turn back time... Nothing will ever be the same."
He tightened his grip,
"Babe, I can't breath."
Cash chuckled although he sounded winded. Tabb couldn't help the tears that surfaced in the corners of his eyes as he pushed his face into his boyfriend's chest. What if he couldn't keep him safe? What if something happened and Cash was killed or turned?
Even worse, what if they made it to the bunker and Cash saw how useless and needy he is and left him?
How could he even think that?
Being left behind was better than Cash dying. He would walk through hell if it meant Cash got to live a happy life.
"Tabb?"
Cash's voice was tinged with worry.
"Hey..."
He lifted Tabb's chin, wiping at his tears. He couldn't help but admire how beautiful Cash looked when his hair was down like this.
"Everything's going to be okay. We'll make it to the bunker and before you know it we'll be eating like kings."
He pushed his lips to Tabb's, before squeezing him tightly.
He lifted his arm and checked his watch, the glass cracked down the middle.
"It's already three."
He sat up, taking their blanket with him and the cold engulfed Tabb.
"We should probably start taking everything out to the garage."
He wiped the sleep from his eyes with a yawn before pulling his long hair back and using the rubber band on his wrist to tie it into a small bun.
"Don't worry. Nothing bad is going to happen."
Cash got up, sliding his pants and a shirt on. Tabb watched him carefully. He was tense and moving frantically.
"Do you really believe that?"
He turned back to Tabb, his brows furrowed yet his stance stayed confident.
"We have to."
•••
"Why do I have to drive Dax?"
Mable growled in a quiet tone, her eyes glaring daggers at their leader.
"The plan up until this morning had been that I was going with Violet, Tabb, and you."
Cash rolled his eyes.
"Listen, you got your wish for them to come. Now you have to drive them there."
"Okay. That's not fair, Tabb also voted for them to come and he's not being punished."
"Yeah, but you're not sleeping with him."
Ollie butt in with a light snort, Cash pushed the smaller boy. Ollie stumbled, sticking his tongue out at him once he found his balance.
"I cannot sit in a car for two days driving that asshole like I'm his chauffeur."
Cash looked over the bags filled with water bottles, food, clothes, weapons, and first aid shoved into the back of the challenger.
"I don't know what to tell you."
Mable rolled her eyes with a huff and Cash couldn't help but chuckle at her defeat.
"If it gets too bad you can walkie-talkie Violet to keep from killing him."
"Haha, you're hilarious."
She spat back in a sarcastic tone.
Cash closed the trunk, looking past Mable and at Finn, who was pouring fresh gas into the Jeep.
"You ready to roll out?"
She gave a thumbs up before closing the gas tank.
"Mable, it's just two days."
He rested two reassuring hands on her shoulders,
"I believe in you."
"I hate you."
He smiled,
"I love you."
She rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Dickwad."
Tabb's leg shook uncontrollably in the passenger seat as he waited for Cash. He had tried to reassure the nervous man over and over again that nothing bad would happen. They would drive out the garage and not stop until they made it to safety. It sounded simple enough but for some reason anxiety crept up his spine and circled his brain.
"Don't worry Tabb, we'll be there before you know it."
Violet's small hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. She was so much like her brother. He smiled in her direction, although he couldn't help the fear that sat in the back of his mind.
Cash moved to the corner of the garage, pressing a button before the large doors began to creek and moan. They lifted up to reveal a thick forest to their left and a clear field to their right. The beautiful sunrise right over the horizon reminded Tabb that there was more than just darkness in this world.
The driver's door opened and Cash sat down, shaking the entire vehicle as he slammed the door.
"You guys ready?"
He looked back at the two preteens buckled to their seats.
"Ready."
Ollie smiled brightly, excitement clear in his voice. Tabb bit his lip as they pulled forward, followed by the Jeep and then the Toyota.
They were almost off the field and to the road when out of nowhere screechers ran from the shadows of the forest. Tabb's heart sank as he watched a dozen of them attack the last vehicle of the group. They smashed into the small car with all their might, sending it flipping over as if in slow motion. Cash slammed on the brakes, as did Finn behind them.
"Mable!"
Violet screamed for the other girl of the group, her eyes wide with fear and surprise. She unbuckled and stood up, opening the sunroof and grabbing the machine gun Xzavier and Finn had installed on top months ago. The car was upside down now, the windows smashed from the weight of the screechers jumping on top of it. They tore the protective metal pieces from the front of the Toyota with ease, chewing on it in displeasure before moving onto the rest of the car.
Mable and Dax crawled through the windshield to make a run for it and Tricia shot at any of the screechers that attempted to follow them. Jude and Rory were still in the backseat, screechers tearing at the crushed doors.
"What are they doing?"
Ollie cried,
"Why aren't they running?"
"They might be hurt."
Cash spoke up, the grip he had on the gear shift turning his hand red.
The trunk of the Jeep opened and Mable and Dax jumped in before also opening fire.
Violet shot at the remaining screechers surrounding the car before Jude started out the windshield, pulling something out behind himself. With four screechers still surrounding the two boys the gun began to make a clicking noise.
"Damn!"
Violet yelled, slamming a hand on the top of the challenger in frustration.
~
It happened in an instant, with no warning. One second Jude was begging Rory to buckle his seat belt and the next thing he knew his head was being slammed against the window and the car felt like it was flying through the air.
Everything around him went silent and all he could hear was a buzzing noise. He looked around. The window to his right was broken and everything was upside down.
"-ude!"
His head was killing him.
"Jude!"
Was someone calling his name?
He closed his eyes in attempt to stop the throbbing of his brain but it didn't help.
"Dax, run!"
Everything came rushing back with the sound of Mable's yell. A deafening screech came from right outside his window along with the sound of gun shots. Jude turned to his left finding Rory folded upside down on top of himself, his neck bent at an unnatural angle.
"Rory?..."
Jude lifted a hand to the top of the car, unbuckling himself and falling over with an 'oof'.
"Rory?"
He tried again. A screecher was right behind him, reaching in to grab at his foot before it fell to the ground with the shot of a bullet.
"Hey, wake up."
He grabbed the blonde, pushing him onto his back and shaking him furiously.
"Wake up!"
He was dead still and Jude felt a sob escape his lips. He couldn't have died. Not from a car crash of all things.
"Rory, please!"
When no answer came he grabbed Rory's arm, refusing to give up as he pulled him through the windshield to avoid the screechers on either side.
He was heavy, too heavy to run with.
Once finally out the front a screecher met his eyes. It came at him, moving in an inhuman way.
His instinct kicked in. He let go of Rory's limp body and ran.
Wind pushed his tears back, he almost tripped in his frantic state but steadied himself. Mable and Dax grabbed his arms, hauling him into the cramped trunk and closing it behind him. He sat up, turning around to look outside the back as they drove away.
Rory had been pulled completely out of the car, one of the screechers tore into his stomach while another chewed on his leg.
Tears fell from his eyes like waterfalls. How could he leave him there?
"You didn't have a choice."
Mable's gentle hand rested on his shoulder and he quickly pushed her off. He curled into himself, shaking in hysteria.
"I could've done more."
~
"Fuck!" Finn slammed her hand into the steering wheel surprising Ezra and Kyle in the backseat.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
Xzavier stared at his shoes with wide eyes, terror clear in his expression.
"We lost the Toyota..."
"God damnit!"
"What? Why is the Toyota so important?"
Ezra sat up, holding onto the front seats so their speed wouldn't push him back.
"The gas..."
Xzavier trailed, his eyes unblinking.
"What? What do you mean the gas?"
Kyle butted in with a yell, also sitting up to hear the conversation better.
"We moved the gas to the Toyota to fit the food, water, and bags in the back."
It was silent.
Ezra stared at the two in disbelief.
"Please tell me I didn't hear you right."
"All of it?..."
Finn wiped her face frantically, panic settling in.
"You put all of the gas in one trunk?!"
Ezra yelled his question this time.
"Yes! All of it! We put all of the gas in the Toyota! It was protected! We thought it was safe!"