Day 2: Animal Instinct

When everyone was inside the van, Malcolm was one of the people who decided to leave the shelter with the intention of meeting his co-workers. Lawrence couldn't help but shoot flirtatious glances at Hudson and, in appreciation, took him by the hands.

—They both told me you were looking for me... Is it true, Malcolm? These men came to find me because you asked them to? Why? —Lawrence was confused, yet he was happy because he felt safe.

—I had a feeling you were alive... I knew you couldn't die so easily. You will like our shelter, Lawrence... we have a good place to eat, places to rest... my group and I have been cleaning up Grand Mont Plaza, it is safer now than before. It will take us some time before we build the barricades and make it fully habitable. —Malcolm seemed quite happy to see Lawrence alive. —I've been... thinking about you a lot lately.

—Really? What were you thinking about? —Lawrence stroked Malcolm's cheeks and touched his chin gently.

—I'm glad that you're alive.

— I think we should take advantage of all this time we'll have free to get to know each other better and know what we want. First... I want to rest, my feet are killing me from so much walking and running... an asshole has been hunting us, so I suggest you to be very careful from now on —Lawrence attracted the attention of Nikolai and Michael who were in the van.

—I think the post is necessary, Nikolai. Lilly was right... it's not enough for us to simply put up a glass to close the passage so that no one can get in. We have to implement more security. I wouldn't want someone coming in in the middle of the night... —Michael was just stressing out at the thought of the bad things that could happen to the group.

—We have a solid door that we always leave locked before we go to sleep. But I see your point. It's not safe to just stay like that... anyway we have to implement new things to make our shelter solid. Besides... we have to prepare for winter. I'd hate to think how much the cold can affect us. We have to prepare for whatever comes next, together —Nikolai found the necessary words to keep his group from getting discouraged. Unbeknownst to him, he had a good ability to lead.

The group remained silent, though the curious glances, some contented, were easily distinguishable. By the time they arrived at Dark Horse Plaza, they left the vehicle parked, removed the keys and as a group protected themselves from the zombies that were attracted by the noise. The instructions were clear, and everyone was ready to head to Grand Mont.

—Do we have people covering us? —Jason asked Michael.

—The snipers are in position. Some have optimal cover to see us from the second floor.

—Perfect...

The group began to move quickly as the first few floors were still not completely clear. As Jason stayed behind to watch the others' backs, he could hear a woman in the distance.

—Please don't leave me behind! —She shouted. It should be noted that there was a large horde following her. She was carrying some handbags, quite a few for one woman, and she had a dog in her arms. —HELP ME!

Nikolai heard the screams and had a damned feeling that something was going to happen to a certain special person.

—JASON, NO! JASON, DAMN IT! —Nikolai watched as Jason turned back armed with his crowbar and, ran in the direction of the woman who had been held by one of those dead men who pulled her by the hair.

Before the dead man could bite her face off, Jason smashed his head with a single blow.

—Run! HURRY THE FUCK UP AND RUN! —Jason ordered the woman to get up from the ground. She complied and headed for the escalator where the other civilians were.

Jason was about to be bitten by a zombie that took him unawares from behind, but soon the dead man fell to the ground, it turned out that Nikolai took out his rifle and with it began to shoot anyone who was near Jason.

—RUN, YOU ASSHOLE! RUN! —The Serb shouted from afar and was moving away because the zombies began to crowd together. Jason didn't have time to turn around, he didn't even want to. Using his crowbar he would blow up anyone who came near. Jason ran across the escalator skipping a step for every step he took.

There was a moment when all he had to do was dodge and push. The adrenaline had him on edge as he couldn't think of anything else but climbing to the top floor.

—Run, Jason, run! —Nikolai protected the unknown woman who was hysterical. —If he dies because of you, you're going to pay for it! MOVE YOUR FUCKING ASS, FAT BITCH!

Nikolai shouted at her to move faster, she attended, she didn't have time to answer him anything. Nikolai's group was on the fourth floor and Jason was barely on the third.

Everything was getting so slow. Jason could swear that the dead for a moment spoke to him, they were saying things to him that he couldn't understand but he knew they were words, that they meant something. But the dead don't talk, much less communicate with each other. Jason let it go. Between so many blows he gave them he soon began to stain himself with blood.

He noticed how he passed close to some of them and they didn't even pay attention to him, it seemed that they ignored him. However, Jason would push them out of his way by hitting them on the head as they were in his way. His top priority was to get to the top floor.

Nikolai had lost sight of Jason amidst the huge number of dead that were hidden in the tents and the other floors. Painfully he began to tell the civilians to get on the roof and not to look back. Everyone, including the woman, listened and made their way to the roof where other survivors were waiting to lend them a hand and get them up quickly.

Nikolai was the last to go up. Michael tried to help him up.

—I told him not to do stupid things like that!

—I'M SORRY! I was scared and when I saw all of you I thought it was my chance! I've been alone for so long and I don't know if I can go on my own! I'm sorry! -The woman was greeted by Lilly who was trying to analyze the situation.

—Did we lose Jason? —Lilly felt something strange in her chest, a particular pain.

—He stayed behind! There's no way he's still alive! I don't know where the fuck so many of them came from! We had the fucking square clear! But this bitch with her screams woke them up!

The woman just kept crying because of the way Nikolai was yelling at her.

—Jason! We've lost him! HE'S FUCKING DEAD!

Nikolai began to cry knowing that he could not do anything more to save him because it was too dangerous.

—I couldn't protect him... I couldn't.....

Michael tried to comfort Nikolai. The Serb accepted the gesture and cried in his lap.

On the other hand Lilly pointed to the stairs as she saw a bloody hand repeatedly hitting the glass.

—Oh God, the glass!  —Lilly turned away, but Nikolai just stared at the glass being hit repeatedly.

—Nikolai wasn't afraid to reach over and open the glass, only to reveal Jason, completely bloodied.

—Ah... help...

—Jason! —Nikolai ran to help Slater, who had fallen unconscious in his arms.