Evan and Luca crept through the narrow alley beside a dilapidated shop, scanning the dark corners and broken windows. The quiet made them both uneasy, and Evan's grip tightened on his Remington shotgun, the metal cool and solid against his sweaty hands.
Luca walked slightly ahead, his Glock at the ready. He glanced back at Evan, rolling his eyes. "Dude, you gotta, like, stop with the whole Chloe thing. It's gettin' kinda sad, you know? She doesn't see you as anything other than a freakin' tool, bro."
Evan shot him a glare, his face flushing with irritation. "What are you even talking about, man? Chloe's cool. She just… she just needs someone who actually respects her, you know? Not like these other guys who treat her like some object."
Luca snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, and she's totally treatin' you like, what? Her knight in shining armor? Bro, she doesn't care about respect or whatever crap you're feeding yourself. She's only nice to you 'cause you're out here simpin' for her like a puppy."
"Shut up, man," Evan shot back, his voice defensive. "You don't know her like I do. She's actually got, like, layers, alright? Just 'cause you can't see past her looks doesn't mean I can't."
Luca cringed, letting out a small groan. "Bro, please. I'm actually embarrassed for you right now. Chloe's got you wrapped around her finger, and you're just lappin' it up like a freakin' idiot."
Evan's face flushed deeper, and he clenched his jaw. "Whatever, dude. At least I'm actually trying to make her feel appreciated. Not every guy has to be a total dickhead, you know?"
Luca rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, bro."
But before Evan could respond, a sudden, deafening sound sliced through the silence—the high-pitched wail of a car alarm echoed across the empty town, blaring out from somewhere nearby. They both froze, their heads snapping in the direction of the noise.
"Shit," Luca muttered, his face paling. "What the hell is that?"
Evan's eyes widened, his pulse quickening. "I don't know, but it can't be good. That's gotta be Morgan and the others. Think they triggered something?"
Before either of them could fully process what was happening, a new sound joined the alarm: the low, guttural groans and shuffling footsteps of a horde, echoing from around the corner. Evan's stomach dropped as he peered into the street beyond the alley and saw them—dozens of zombies, their decaying bodies dragging toward the noise, dead eyes fixed and hungry.
"Oh, fk," Evan whispered, backing up a step. "We gotta go, like, now."
Luca took one look at the approaching horde and nodded, his voice laced with panic. "Yeah, no shit, bro! Move it!"
They turned and bolted down the alley, their footsteps loud against the cracked pavement as the alarm continued to blare, drawing more and more undead toward the sound. The horde spilled into the street, a mass of twisted limbs and lifeless eyes, their groans growing louder as they closed in on the source of the noise—and anyone unlucky enough to get in their way.
Evan's breath came in gasps as he ran, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He threw a glance over his shoulder, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the swarm of zombies shambling faster than he'd expected, their rotting faces twisted in single-minded hunger.
"Evan, stop lookin' back and run, man!" Luca shouted, practically dragging him forward. "We're not getting turned into zombie chow 'cause you're too slow!"
Evan gritted his teeth, forcing himself to keep his gaze forward, focusing on the stretch of road ahead. "I know, I know! Just… shut up and keep moving!"
They skidded around a corner, only to come face-to-face with a smaller group of zombies spilling out from a side street. The undead turned, their vacant eyes locking onto them, their mouths opening in grotesque, hungry snarls.
"Oh gosh!" Evan yelled, raising his shotgun. He didn't think; he just pulled the trigger, the blast echoing off the walls as he blew a hole through the nearest zombie's skull. It collapsed instantly, but the rest of the group staggered forward, undeterred.
"Forget them, man!" Luca yelled, tugging him back. "We don't have time for this! Just run!"
Evan nodded, his heart pounding as they spun and sprinted back the way they came, dodging around the undead as they stumbled after them. The alarm still blared in the background, relentless and unforgiving, each second drawing more zombies into the streets, creating a deadly maze around them.
"Where the hell's the bus?" Evan panted, glancing at Luca. "We're, like, totally screwed if we can't find it in time."
"It's just up ahead," Luca replied, though his voice was shaky. "Come on, we're almost there!"
They pushed forward, their legs burning as they ran, the sounds of the horde growing louder behind them. Evan's mind raced with fear, his thoughts jumbled as he struggled to keep pace with Luca. Every instinct screamed at him to keep moving, to not look back, to not think about what would happen if he tripped or slowed down for even a second.
The bus finally came into view, parked at the edge of town, and for a split second, relief flooded through him. But it was quickly replaced by dread when he saw the scattered zombies shuffling near it, drawn by the alarm echoing through the air.
"Oh, come on!" Evan groaned, his voice edged with desperation. "It's like they're freakin' everywhere!"
"Just keep moving!" Luca snapped, pulling him forward. "We're not dying out here!"
They weaved between the zombies, dodging their grasping hands and ducking past their snapping jaws. One of the undead lunged at Evan, its skeletal fingers brushing against his sleeve, but he managed to twist out of its reach, nearly losing his balance as he stumbled forward.
"Watch it, man!" Luca shouted, grabbing his arm to steady him. "You wanna get eaten or something?"
"Thanks," Evan muttered, his chest heaving as he regained his footing. "Let's just keep going. We can't stop now."
They broke free from the mob near the bus, only to see even more zombies converging on the vehicle from the far end of the street. The alarm was still blaring in the distance, a beacon that was drawing every undead in the area straight toward them.
Evan's throat tightened as he looked at the swarm closing in from all sides. "There's no way we're getting out of here clean, dude."
Luca's face was grim, but he squared his shoulders, gripping his Glock tightly. "We're not dead yet. Just stick close and keep moving."
They sprinted toward the bus, dodging zombies with every step, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Evan fired off another shot, taking down a zombie that lurched too close, but the horde seemed endless, every fallen undead replaced by two more staggering in from the shadows.
The noise, the chaos, the stink of decay—all of it pressed in on them, a suffocating reminder that their lives were hanging by a thread. As they ran, all they could think about was getting to the bus, getting back to whatever safety they could find, and escaping this hellish nightmare of rotting flesh and relentless hunger.
"Come on, man!" Luca yelled, his voice hoarse as they drew closer to the bus. "Almost there!"
With one last surge of adrenaline, they barreled forward, pushing through the mass of undead with nothing but sheer desperation driving them. The bus was just within reach, a glimmer of hope in a sea of darkness and decay.
And as they closed the distance, the only thing on their minds was survival, no matter the cost.
Q: Do you think Evan will stop simping?