Dead city: beginning of the end

They all sat in the van. No questions asked.

Raven was driving. 👁️👄👁️✋

Jade practically exploded from the backseat,

Jade:"THAT WAS AWESOME 🫡😆 — AND DEADLY 💀!!"

Blake(clunching his chest like an old man):"I think I just lost six years of my life." 💀

Grayson (groaning):"Six? Bro, I think I lost my whole soul." 😭

Virin(hyped):"That was the COOLEST thing EVER!!" 😆😆

Then Austin turned toward her, tilting his head:

Austin:You jumped well. You do leg day?" 👀

Virin(blinking)"What?" 😂

Raven (chuckled, explaining):"Austin's actually a gym freak. That's why he asked you that." 😅

Virin( half-laughing):"Ohhh okay 😅"

Jade(smirking):"You still hit the gym?" 😏

(Side note: Raven, Jade, Austin,Blake and Grayson were classmates. Jade had only gone to boarding school this year. She'd be back next year 😆)

Austin (puffed out his chest):"Yeah, but I'm lazy with leg day. Still, for SOME DAMN REASON—

I CAN DO A BULLET SQUAT." 😭

Virin(clearly baffled):"What even is that?" 😅🤔

Austin (miming it wildly):"Squatting on one leg with your hands out in front till shoulder level." 🦵

Blake(wiping his face):"Where are we going now?" 🤔

Raven (narrowing her eyes):"We need higher ground."

Orion:"What about that mall near the city's crossing?"

Raven(nodding immediately):"You're right."

Jade (instantly lit up):'YESSS LET'S GOOOO TO THE MALLLL!!" 🛍️🏬🛒

(They still had all their bags and supplies, in case anyone was wondering 😅)

Eventually, they arrived at:

THE MALL. 🏬

They stepped inside.

Silence.

No movement.

No one there.

Jade(muttering):"Yasss, finally peace,😭🤚

But Raven wasn't so sure.

Raven(cautiously):"We still have to be careful,"

Jade(nodded solemnly):"Malls are the worst places in movies." 😭😭🤚

Raven took a breath. Then made…

Noise.

Silence.

Peace. 😭🤚🤌

They made their way into a store selling walkie-talkies.

Everyone grabbed one.

Raven looked around and said:

"Let's split up. We've got walkie-talkies now." 😅

Teams were made:

Austin, Grayson and Virin

Jade and Blake

Raven and Orion

Jade and Blake head off to raid the skincare, medical supplies, extra clothes, and bags.

Austin's team split off for clothes and whatever else they wanted and sleeping bags.

And that left…

Raven and Orion.