Nightshift 42: Bill's Hardware

[ruthless_hunter]

[from here]Lockdown kicked the door to the hardware store down and barged in. There was already a zombie in here, a big one, who the bounty hunter guessed was the owner of the store. There were also two other zombies with him, so Lockdown was already outnumbered. But that had never stopped the bounty hunter

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[full_score]

One moment, he'd been about to answer Guy's question. The next, everything shifted and changed before their very eyes. He was instantly reminded of that disaster on the bus a couple weeks ago, except this...this was...!

The stains, the groaning of the people-turned-monsters...Claude swallowed down the bile that rose from the back of his throat, his heart pounding against his ribcage. Suddenly, his mind was going everywhere at once. The townspeople were changing -- his friends were in trouble -- the whole town was probably like this, and he and Guy were--!

Someone (a patient, thank goodness) had kicked down the door to the store, and it didn't take long for him and someone else to get involved in a fight a few aisles over. Claude reached out for the first thing he could grab -- a long, blue crowbar with a special grip on the end for optimal bludgeoning. The thought made Claude feel sick for a moment, but he knew it was necessary.

"Let's grab what we can and go from there," he said with a quick glance over to his friend.

[razing_phoenix]

Just as Guy had been taking a step to move out of the store, he felt the floor creak and sag under him in a way it shouldn't have -- his eyes skated across the now stained ground to the walls, which were similarly changed. For a moment he had to wonder if he was imagining all of it after last nightshift. It was still light out -- how could this be happening

[full_score]

Claude saw Guy grab a shovel, but he couldn't help but wonder if they shouldn't try to grab a few more things. Utility belts, flashlights, saws, those sorts of things -- they'd definitely be useful, especially if they were going to spend all night in this hell hole. But it wasn't like they had all the time in the world. Getting ambushed while their backs were turned would be way too easy

[razing_phoenix]

Guy sensed that Claude wasn't following right after him, and so he forced himself to pause and wait, looking over his shoulder while still keeping on guard for anything (anyone, really) that came too close. He couldn't blame Claude for wanting to grab as much as he could carry, seeing how they were probably in for a long fight. Guy personally liked to keep his hands as free as possible, so he was fine with Claude taking care of their light source

[full_score]

"I-I don't know!" Claude could only respond. If it hadn't been one of the creatures, it'd been one of the captives. Maybe he'd just been caught in some friendly fire? He couldn't imagine why anyone would target him, though!

That sudden roar of a motor caught his attention, and Claude wildly looked around, trying to identify the source. It sounded like a chainsaw or something -- not exactly the most comforting realization in the world. Man, he sure hoped whoever had it was on their side!

Claude was yanked out of his thoughts once Guy grabbed his wrist, though, and he was forced to follow him out of the store. As they ran through the exit, he cast one last glance backward, and for a split second he thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar shock of green hair. The moment passed, however, and soon they were outside.

((To here.))