As the group got closer to the station, a faint humming noise could be heard, the lights were buzzing softly and flickering, Ezekial held a hand up, his eyes were calculated, he surveyed the area. blood. Mixed with the smell of rot. He saw bear trotting/limping forward sniffing the grass. He didn't mind the dog. He then put his hand down and kept walking expecting the others to follow him.
The station doors were half open. The sensor wasn't working.. great. But as he investigated the station through a window, shelves were overturned, and blood smeared on the floors and walls. Drinks were spilled; chips and other things were spilled.. no signs of life inside. No signs of walkers inside either he grumbled to himself and walks to the slide doors he pushed them open.
The doors squeaked as they were forced open.
Stale air rolled out to meet him and the others as the doors finally gave way, warm and metallic. He wrinkled his nose. Blood had a smell you didn't forget.
He walked inside, a low humming noise is all he heard,, maybe some dripping noises. Something he didn't want to go investigate.
He stepped over a fallen display rack, boots sticking slightly to the floor where a dark smear had dried. A crushed can hissed weakly under his heel, releasing the last of its carbonation like a dying breath.
"Great," he muttered, sweeping his flashlight across the aisles. "Real welcoming."
Shelves were gutted, products scattered like someone had tried to loot the place in a panic. But the pattern wasn't right. Too chaotic. Too violent. Something had thrashed through here.
Still no bodies. Still no walkers.
"Fan out. Try to find supplies.. or an area we can set up camp for the night." Ezekial said, he watched as his wife was about to walk off but he grabbed her gently.. "Not you.. you stay with me. You're too clumsy.. may fall." He smirked a little his wife rolled her eyes but smiled and stayed next to him.
The others got a look on. Except Juno, who went to a corner to sit against the wall, her arm throbbed in pain. Her jaw was clenched tight. Ryan, Amara, and Hunter were standing near the entrance, Ryan was leaning against whatever was behind him, keeping pressure off his leg, Hunter was leaning against his brother, his eyes closed, his hair stuck to his forehead, Ryan just put a hand on his brothers shoulder and just stood there, Amara looked at the celling, watching water drip from a tile and to a shelf..
Mateo, Max, and Jasmine walked to the back of the station, trying to open a door to the back. With no luck they moved on to keep looking, all they mostly saw was moldy food, drinks spilt. The floors were sticky, and the smell was horrible.. but they kept going.
With Owen and Hope, were also looking around, they were closer to the right side of the station.. bathrooms. And not too far from the bathrooms was a door. Hope was blabbering some nonsense, but Owen listened to her, he noticed Hope looking back to where Sebastian was, the taller male was off on his own trying to help, Sebastian didn't notice the toddler looking his way.
He was looking through the isles trying to find food. Anything that wasn't expired, nothing that was open. He knew it would be futile but worth the shot..
"Sebby!" He heard a tiny, squeaky voice calling for him, he looked up, he saw the toddler looking at him making grabby hands at him.. "Come wif us!!" Hope's tiny voice came out; she rocked in Owens arms a little as she watched the big man.
Sebastian hesitated but walked over, stepping over crushed cans. He picked at his nails as he stood next to the two, Hope looked up and grinned, only a few teeth could be seen, "Tay wif us" She then reached up and did grabby hands once more, "Up! Up!" Owen raised an eyebrow, Sebastian looked at the blonde, he shrugged and lifter Hope up for Sebastian to hold her.
"Uh.." He hesitated but grabbed her awkwardly and he then just held her at an awkward angle; Hope didn't care she was simply happy to be in someone else's arms. Owen chuckled and helped situate Hope so she and Sebastian would be comfortable,
"There, more comfortable huh?" Owen said and crossed his arms, Sebastian just nodded, Owen kept an eye on the taller man.
Hope was playing with Sebastian's' hair, it was long. And honestly? She's never seen someone with this long hair! Sebastian winced slightly as she pulled on some of his hair, but he said nothing.. "So.. uhm.."
Owen jerked his chin toward a closed door. "Let's check in there."
Sebastian nodded, still awkwardly holding Hope. Her tiny fingers were tangled in his long hair, tugging gently as she hummed nonsense under her breath. Every few steps she swayed in his arms, her head bumping lightly against his chest.
As they got to the door Owen tried the handle which surprisingly was unlocked.. Owen pushed the door open and let Sebastian walk in first, once Sebastian was in Owen let the door close behind, "Try and look around for some first Aid, or anything of use." Owen said as he moved around.
Sebastian held Hope awkwardly, he had her on his hip.. He didn't know how mothers do it really, I mean he had to look for something while a toddler was falling asleep in his arms. He nodded as Owen spoke he walked around the office looking in the opposite direction from Owen. He was pushing paper out of the way, silence hung in the air, Owen glanced back from his area.
"So..." Owen began, keeping his voice calm and steady. "Back at the nursing home, you mentioned your stepdad." He glanced over his shoulder at Sebastian. "Do you want to talk about it?" Sebastian stopped what he was doing, his gaze dropping to the papers scattered in front of him.
"Well.. uh. I don't really want to talk about it, but I feel it's only fair you guys know my whole story. When I was a kid my mom and stepdad sold me to a lab for six months or longer .. I uh Dunno it was a long time I knew that hah.. I was subjected to different painful tests and medicine. What they were testing I still don't know but I have never felt right since then my body feels tingly most days. I'm not a threat to any of you, I just have a hard time trusting people. My own mother let her stupid husband sell me when I was six to a lab for money to support their drug attic it was stupid.. like. Really stupid. Then months later I had to go back again for the same test but.. They were different this time I guess. Just more physical trauma.. hell. More mental trauma as well.. It was the scariest and most painful time of my life that will never leave me. that will haunt me till I die. Fuck all I could know they made me immortal or some shit hah.." He adjusted his grip on hope who was still grabbing onto his hair her eyes closed she was sleeping. He glanced down at her.. his voice quieter. "The zombies.. or whatever you guys call them. They don't bother me.. I have no clue why.. It's almost like they avoid me, weird I know.. I just can't explain it."
As he stopped talking Owen had stopped moving altogether he was leaning up against the desk. His arms crossed across his chest. "You were sent to a lad..? and you didn't have to go to school..? heh.. sick."
That earned a low chuckled from the brunette, he looked over at he blonde for the first time in a while.. Owen was looking back, "Well. I don't have a sick backstory like yours but.. my father, oh. He was a piece of work. He hated me. I never did what he told me, he was drunk.. my mom. She did drugs for the longest time before I was even born. She stopped once she had me. got a degree in medicine or.. whatever. She worked as a nurse helping others. Then she got pregnant with hope. I really don't know why my mother stayed with him. He beat on her a lot. I got into it with him a few times because he hit on her when I was there, almost got sent to juvie because of him. Heh. Fun times honestly, I know I can't relate to half of the stuff you went through but.. We have at least one thing in common. Shit dads." Owen smirked and hums after he spoke just looking at Sebastian.
Sebastian let himself smile just a bit, "Fun huh?.. I think id rather deal with a drunk dude then one on drugs.. uh.. anyways. Let's keep looking for supplies."
Sebastian's boots crunched over papers and scattered pens as he moved ahead his hands adjusting on hope, the faint smile fading back into the usual guarded expression he wore like armor. Pushing aside a half‑collapsed shelf with his shoulder. Dust rained down, but he didn't flinch.
Owen followed a step behind, hands shoved into his jacket pockets, eyes still lingering on Sebastian like he was trying to read something deeper. "Y'know," he said softly, "you don't gotta pretend it didn't mean anything. I don't talk about that crap with just anyone. I mean yeah.. Ryan and them all knew about my dad and mom. But you? You're a stranger and yet I told you, and you told me your trauma.. bonding."
Sebastian huffed, not quite a laugh. "I didn't say it didn't mean anything. I just—" He paused, jaw tightening as he kicked an empty can out of the way. "Talking about it doesn't change what happened."
"Doesn't have to," Owen replied, voice softer now. "Just makes it less heavy."
Sebastian didn't answer. He crouched near an overturned box, rummaging through it until he found a half‑full box of bandages. He tossed it to Owen without looking. "Heavy's fine. I'm used to heavy."
Owen caught the box easily, but his eyes stayed on Sebastian. "Yeah.. yeah," he murmured, "I can tell. Your stubborn.."
For a moment, the silence stretched—comfortable for Owen, uncomfortable for Sebastian. Then Sebastian straightened, brushing dirt off his hand. "Come on. If we're lucky, the pharmacy aisle hasn't been picked clean."
Owen smirked again, falling into step beside him. "Luck? With us? That's cute."
Sebastian rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "Shut up."
They walked deeper into the store, the dim light flickering overhead, shadows stretching long across the ruined floor. Owen bumped his shoulder lightly against Sebastian's as they passed through the doorway—casual, familiar, intentional.
Sebastian didn't pull away.
"..do you want your sister back." Sebastian grumbled lightly, glancing over at the blonde.
"Mmhhhh.. if she will let your hair go, sure." Owen looked at him. Sebastian moved Hope gently. Prying her hands from his hair ends, he then handed her over to Owen. He watched as Owen held his little sister close, he held her tight, she let out a mumble but got comfortable again, Sebastian put his hands into his pockets looking ahead, they passed freezers with expired food.
He noticed a door. "Wanna check in there really fast before we go to the pharmacy?" Sebastian asked as he waited for Owen's answer. The blonde adjusted his two‑year‑old sister in his arms, her tiny fingers clutching his shirt while he thought it over.
"There could be some non‑expirable food…" Sebastian added.
"Mhh. Yeah, let's go ahead and look in there," Owen said. They walked toward the door, Owen shifting the toddler higher on his hip before grabbing the handle and jiggling it to see if it would open.
It clicked.
As he pushed it open, a flash of a shadow darted toward the doorway, followed by a loud growl mixed with a wet gurgle. Owen jerked back, tightening his hold on his sister as she whimpered in fear.
The creature inside slammed against the door again — harder — forcing it open wider. Its arm shot through the gap, clawing wildly.
"Back up!" Sebastian snapped.
The zombie shoved itself halfway out, lunging straight toward Owen and the child. Sebastian reacted instantly, grabbing the edge of the door and throwing his weight into it. The door slammed shut on the creature with a heavy crunch, pinning it hard. It thrashed, snarling, trying to force its way free.
Then it turned its head and snapped at Sebastian's arm.
Its teeth hit skin — and stopped.
The zombie froze, jaw still pressed against him, but unmoving. Its cloudy eyes looked like they widened, almost… confused. It pulled back slightly, a low, uneasy groan rumbling from its throat. For a split second, it looked almost afraid.
Sebastian didn't flinch. He'd lived with this secret for years — ever since his parents sent him to that lab, ever since they pumped him full of experimental serums. Whatever they did to him, whatever they left in his bloodstream… the infected sensed it. And they didn't like it.
The zombie recoiled, trying to retreat — but Sebastian slammed the door again, crushing it harder this time.
The noise echoed down the hallway.
Footsteps thundered towards them. Ezekial and the other three rounded the corner, the older male had his gun already raised.
"What the hell—?" He didn't finish. He saw the trapped zombie and moved in without hesitation. He flipped his gun, gripping the blunt end, and swung.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Each strike drove the creature back until its movements weakened, then stopped entirely. Ezekial stepped back, breathing hard, eyes flicking to Owen and the trembling toddler in his arms.
"You two alright?" he asked, still catching his breath.
Sebastian kept his hand braced on the door, making sure the creature wasn't moving anymore. "Yeah. Just… close call."
Owen nodded, though his heart was still racing. "Let's grab what we can and get out of here."
Jasmine said nothing but she looked at Owen.. "Want me to take her..? So that.. won't happen again." The girl asked Owen said nothing but gave his little sister to her, he thanked her.
Jasmine walked off going back to the front where the others were, the injured sat or lay on the ground. Jasmine sat next to Ryan and Hunter; hope was curled up against her. Trying to fall back to sleep.
Owen and Sebastian walked into the room, canned foods and other stocks. There were only two bodies in the far corner.. Owen scrunched his nose up Sebastian said nothing as he walked over the dead zombie, he went to the shelves to look.. this would take a while but if they could find canned food it would be okay.
Sebastian glanced down at his arm.. No bite. He hoped Owen didn't notice the zombie try to bite him.. if he did whatever. He already explained, but still. He hated it. He didn't know why he was like this; he didn't know what the experiments were because all he knew is that he was different.
Owen hand his arms wrapped around himself as he walked around looking for food, he reached up to look at a can.. His eyes darted around silently as he surveyed the area just in case for any other walkers, Ezekial was with him but still. The older male was helping him silently. His jaw clenched, he grabbed whatever he could.
One thing was for sure though. Owen had one thing on his mind, why did the zombie retreat from Sebastian like that..?