A/N:  As you may be able to tell from how long it took me to update, this chapter was a hard one to write. It feels like a filler chapter to me tbh but it needed to happen so we can move forward. I have a lot in store for the chapter after this though so I hope this will see you through the wait until then. I'll begin writing it right away XD

Jimin awoke to the sounds of quiet chatter and utensils softly clinking on heavy glass bleeding through the bedroom door. He groaned deep in his chest, unable to breathe through his nose. He knew it was from crying so much recently but he couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed like he normally would be. His head was throbbing as well and his stomach growled loud and painful. The pillow pressed against his face was wet with tears and he was so emotionally drained that he didn’t want to ever move again.

Slowly, he rolled onto his back to escape the sodden material of the pillowcase as everything that had happened to him over the last couple days washed over his conscious mind. It was hard to believe that just two days before he had awoken in the arms of his soulmate, jittery and nervous at the idea of finally being on stage in front of a large crowd. He had always imagined it would be the defining moment of his life and it would have been one of his finest moments if everything hadn’t gone to hell directly afterwards.

For the first time, he allowed himself to think about that night. He had been high on the feeling of being on stage as he had danced and sung and all too soon taken his ending pose, sweat rolling down his face and chest heaving as he had panted from exertion. The thunder of the crowd could barely be heard over the exhilarated pounding of his heart. The only thing better than the feeling of being onstage had been lying in Yoongi’s arms, the feel of Yoongi’s lips, the sounds of Yoongi’s pleasure as he made love to him. Yet, before he had had the chance to revel in the experience, chaos had broken out within the crowd.   

He could remember hearing a high pitched scream and then seeing Johnson hovering over a woman who had been watching the stage from just inside one of the open front doors of the Pepsi Center. He had frozen at the sight of blood soaking the woman’s blouse but Taehyung’s voice had broken through the air, pulling his eyes from the horror and then he had been searching for Yoongi and Namjoon, first on the stage and then within the crowd but he hadn’t see them anywhere. Taehyung and Jin had moved to his side, pulling him from the stage, Jungkook and Hoseok hanging onto them tightly so they could move through the throng of panicked people as a unit.

Everything from that point onward seemed like a dream, or a nightmare rather. In fact, Jimin was pretty sure that the rest of his life from that moment onward would be a continuation of the same eternal nightmare. It was almost enough to have him wishing he had been the one bitten instead of Yoongi except, he finally realized that not only would that have been the easy way out for him but it would have also left his lover to be the one to break. As much as everything had come to hurt, he couldn’t help but be glad Yoongi wasn’t the one to have to experience the pain. It was a small consolation but it was something.

It was hard to remember what had happened after losing his soulmate. Only now did Jimin realize how out of it he had been since that moment. The all encompassing agony of bereavement had left him in a fog and only bits and pieces of hazy memory remained. He could remember seeing movement in a convenience store and thinking Yoongi had found him but he had be so wrong. His next flash of memory revealed Namjoon telling him something about his soulmate tattoo but he hadn’t truly understood what it had meant, only that he had begun to yell and fight until the memory faded into a dark fog once again. Finally, he could remember the feeling of freedom as he had run between houses, searching for Yoongi, only to be dragged to a stop again. He could remember his anger at realizing he hadn’t escaped his captors after all. ‘My captors?’ Jimin questioned himself, surprised at how messed up his mind had been. ‘How could I have been so callous?’  

Looking back on his actions, Jimin was mortified. He was coming to realize how horrible he had acted and how much danger he had put his friends in. The world was already dangerous enough and he was ashamed to have added to that. As thoughts of his friends surfaced, he began to remember the looks on their faces over the last couple days as well; the worry and the sorrow and the furtive glances, the exhaustion and the pain. He felt even worse knowing he had caused his friends pain when they were already going through so much misery. He knew he wasn’t the only one hurting but instead of trying to alleviate his friends’ pain, he had added to it.

Jimin groaned again as he wondered how he could ever look his friends in the eye after all he’d done. He would have happily dug himself a hole to hide in, never to be seen or heard from again but then his mind locked onto his memories of the previous night. It was hard for him to differentiate between the real world and his dreams but he knew that Namjoon and Taehyung had both spoken to him, Yoongi as well. He was sure no one would believe him but he knew he had truly spoken to Yoongi in his dream. ‘Dream? Or was it a vision?’ he wondered. ‘It seems more real than anything else that’s happened since…’ he sniffled as he felt his eyes tear up for what had to be the millionth time, unable to finish the thought that would force him to admit that Yoongi was now gone. Waves of sorrow crashed into Jimin’s heart, trying to pull it to pieces again but before he could lose himself a voice rang in his ears, catching his attention.

“Should we wake him?” Taehyung’s concerned voice asked.

“It may be better to just let him be for now.” Jin’s voice answered, sounding sad beyond measure.

Flashes of Taehyung’s hurt expressions flitted through Jimin’s mind once again like in his dream and made his heart seize in his chest for a moment. His friend had always been there for him but he knew that not letting him in now had hurt him deeply. ‘Can you ever forgive me?’ he wondered but then he thought of Taehyung’s pleas with him to rely on their friendship so they could be strong together, even through the pain. It wouldn’t be easy, Jimin didn’t think anything would ever be easy again, but he was willing to try. He was willing to try for his friends. He was willing to try for Yoongi.  

Jungkook’s unintelligible murmuring bled through the door followed by another man’s low voice that he didn’t recognize. Jimin couldn’t help but wonder where they were, who else was with them, and most importantly, where Namjoon was. He had come to rely so much on the older man and it felt strange not to have him by his side. Namjoon… Suddenly he saw himself pulling the blonde towards him and… ‘Did I kiss Namjoon?’ he asked himself, eyes going wide. It was still too hard to tell the difference between his dream and reality but he thought maybe he really did kiss the man. Not only that, but the elder man had also said that he loved him. He had been waiting so damn long to have his love reciprocated by the elder and he hated that he had missed it within his grief.

Another loud grumble filled the bedroom, Jimin’s stomach feeling like it was trying to eat itself but he ignored it, not yet ready to face the others. Instead, he thought over Namjoon’s words from the night before. He had spoken of love and loss and the need for Jimin to be strong and survive. The blonde had told him that he had promised Yoongi that he’d keep Jimin safe. His stomach already felt sick with hunger but remembering Namjoon’s pleading eyes as he admitting feeling like he’d never be enough but that he’d at least be better than suicide made Jimin want to throw up. ‘I know I’ve been terrible to you but I do still love you, Namjoon-ah.’ Jimin thought, the knowledge causing a modicum of warmth to blossom in his chest despite his silent tears.

With the feeling of warmth came memories of Yoongi. Closing his eyes, he could see his soulmate’s gummy smile and the permanent look of unconditional love and understanding the elder showered him with. Jimin wrapped his arms around himself, searching for the feeling of being in Yoongi’s embrace but it was nothing like his dream. The dream had felt like reality and what he was doing now was a poor substitute.

Jimin struggled to bring the end of his dream back to the surface of his mind, calling out to his soulmate over and over in his head until he finally felt the ghost of Yoongi’s arms holding him up so he wouldn’t collapse, even as he was lying on the bed. Then Yoongi’s voice was echoing in his head and heart once again.

‘I need you to stop worrying about me and start worrying about you.’ his voice intoned.  ‘Nothing can hurt me right now. You need to let Namjoon take care of you. He loves you as much as I do and he’ll always be there for you. He needs you too, Jimin. Be good to him.’ And then he felt Yoongi lean in to seal his words with a kiss like a promise. Jimin hung onto the feeling for as long as possible but then he heard someone knock into the door and it startled his eyes open.

Jimin was relieved when the door remained shut but he couldn’t help but feel like he should get up. It was time for him to try to live, to try to be a good friend, and to try to give Namjoon the love that he deserved. ‘I’ll do it, Yoongi. I’ll do anything for you, even survive.’ he vowed. He could still feel the press of Yoongi’s lips against his own and it gave him the strength to finally sit up, wiggling his legs out of the twisted blankets and over the edge of the bed.

The movement made him dizzy and he had to rest for a moment, letting his head clear before he tottered to his feet, swaying slightly. His head pounded to the beating of his heart and he had to squeeze his eyes shut until the feeling lessened. His gaze strayed to the ground in front of his feet, watching his steps so he wouldn’t trip on the clutter littered across the floor, and because he was too drained of energy to lift his head. Slowly, Jimin shuffled his way to the door, pulling it open when he got there. The sounds from the main room were louder and he listened to the chatter, growing in volume as he made his way down the short hallway.

Everyone was gathered in the living room, including a man in a wheelchair by a beige couch and a blonde girl that reminded him of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ on the floor next to him. Jin and Hoseok were seated on the couch and Taehyung and Jungkook were on the floor at their feet. Namjoon was just to the left of them, a bowl of cereal with milk in his hands. Suddenly, milk sounded like the most heavenly thing and he wanted some like he’s never wanted any food or drink in his life.

“Jimin?” Namjoon exclaimed when he noticed the dark haired man, a bit of milky cereal sloshing over the side of his bowl and landing on his thigh.

All eyes immediately shot towards Jimin and he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole. The only thing keeping him from running away in embarrassment was his vow to Yoongi. Looking at his feet, Jimin took another step forward and then an arm wrapped around his like an embrace and led him to the couch. Jin and Hoseok had already made space for Jimin to sit between them and he slunk into the space gratefully.   

“You hungry?” Taehyung asked knowingly, releasing Jimin’s arm as he collapsed onto the couch. Jimin nodded his head in assent as his stomach let loose another loud growl. Taehyung chuckled under his breath, turning towards the kitchen but Namjoon had already placed his bowl aside to hurry into the kitchen himself, more concerned with getting Jimin fed than the soggy state his cereal would be in by the time he returned to it.

“There’s ‘Fruit Loops,’ ‘Frosted Flakes,’ or ‘Crispix.’” Namjoon listed off from the kitchen. Jimin looked at Taehyung, not feeling able to speak just yet but he had faith that his bestie would have his back.

“‘Frosted Flakes.’” Taehyung answered for him. “Because ‘They’re Gr-r-reat!’ Right Chim?” Taehyung’s boxy smile radiated warmth and hope and Jimin struggled to hold back tears of gratitude and love. He didn’t feel like he deserved such an amazing best friend under recent circumstances but he was beyond thankful for him.

While Namjoon got him some food, Taehyung sat back on the floor, now between Hoseok and Jimin’s legs. Jin had been watching the damaged man closely, hesitant to speak to him but he wasn’t about to let his reservations stop him from showing the younger man that he still cared.

“Did you sleep well?” Jin asked, the reticence in his voice audible despite his attempt to hide it.

Jimin closed his eyes for a moment, trying to collect himself. He could tell he had hurt Jin too and he wanted so badly to find a way to be what his friends needed but it was so hard. A lump had formed in his throat and he was afraid it would be impossible to push words past it but he tried anyway.

“I think so.” he answered, his voice just a breath that he could barely hear himself. He didn’t know if the others had heard him but his four friends surrounding him seemed to be watching him so close that they had to have at least seen his lips move, right? He was startled slightly when a gentle hand landed on his thigh and squeezed in an attempt to be reassuring. One glance and he knew the hand belonged to Jin. He tried to give Jin a smile in return but could feel how wrong the expression sat on his face.

“Here you go.” Namjoon interrupted the moment, handing Jimin a bowl of cereal and then taking his seat again so he could finish his own food. The others had been finishing up eating when the lanky man had joined them about fifteen minutes before Jimin had appeared in the entryway of the kitchen so they were already finished.

“Thanks” Jimin mumbled, already spooning a bite of cereal before Namjoon had even sat back down. There was something very odd about the milk he discovered with his first bite but he was too hungry to really care.

“David, Rachel,” Jin turned his attention back to their hosts so Jimin could eat in peace. “Do you have any idea where we can find an SUV or something that we can all fit in?” He figured that it wouldn’t hurt to ask since they were from the area and might know what vehicles their neighbors had driven. He was thankful for the hospitality they had received but he wanted to leave sooner rather than later despite this fact.  

“I do.” David hedged with a nod, a plan abruptly hatching in his head. “I propose we make a deal for the van I have in mind.”

Jungkook had noticed David was a shrewd man and he couldn’t help but respect his tenacity. “What kind of deal?” he asked, intrigued.  

“As you’ve seen, we’re running low on food and water. I’m sure you’re going to need some more soon as well. There’s a grocery store not too far from here but I can’t make it there and I don’t want to send Rachel on her own. I’ll even let you take the van as long as one or two of you stay here. Then we can split the supplies and you can be on your way whenever you’re ready.” David sounded sure of his plan

“How far away is this van?” Taehyung asked, wanting more details before he signed on the proverbial dotted line.

“It’s close.” David assured. “It’s in a safe place too so you won’t have to worry about zombies while you pack it up.”

The six young men looked from one to another, Taehyung bubbling with glee to see Jimin cognizant and showing interest in what was going on. Following the brief nonverbal conversation, Jungkook answered for everyone, already making a plan of action. “Okay, we’ll do it.” he nodded. “We’ll need directions to the store and a list if there’s anything specific you need.”

“Who’s staying here?” David asked, wanting human collateral to make sure they would come back with the supplies instead of just taking off. He felt the boys were trustworthy but he had learned long ago that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Again the six men shared a silent conversation before Hoseok offered to stay back with Jimin. The latter had mixed feelings about being left behind. He knew he wasn’t ready to face danger yet but he didn’t like feeling like a burden. He felt like the others didn’t trust him, didn’t feel like they could rely on him and it hurt even though he knew it was justified. He also didn’t want to be apart from Namjoon. He could tell by the blonde’s fidgeting that he felt similarly.

“Yay! Field trip!” Rachel squealed, bounding to her feet and dashing out of the room, all eyes following her with varying looks of bewilderment and amusement.

“Um… She’s staying here, right?” Namjoon asked David.

David snorted. “You don’t know her like I do. If she says she’s going, then she’s going and I suggest you don’t argue with her. It’s not smart to piss her off when there’s already so much danger around.” he warned.

“We can’t guarantee her safety.” Taehyung spoke seriously. “There are no guarantees of safety anymore.”

“I know.” David replied. His voice was steady but his eyes were guarded. Jin could see that he didn’t want her to go but he seemed to think he had no other choice in the matter.   

“She can give us directions and she’ll know what’s needed here.” Jin said placatingly, trying to reason around the situation. He didn’t like it but he had discovered David to be wise with a good head on his shoulders. He trusted the man’s decision.

Jimin ended up eating two more bowls of cereal, one bowl of each kind, and drinking a bottle of water while the others prepared weapons for their trip and waited for Rachel to return. After the second bowl, he got his own cereal and discovered that the milk tasted off because it was soy milk but at least it hadn’t needed to be stored in the refrigerator.

“I’m ready!” Rachel announced as she scurried back into the living room a half hour later dressed in tight, short jean shorts and a glittery black halter top. Her hair was up in a ponytail with a glittery bow to match her shirt and she had applied fresh makeup. Large gold hoop earrings dangled from her ears along with a gold chain necklace around her neck and a gold bracelet on her left wrist. A strong floral perfume wafted throughout the room with her entrance too. On her feet were black with white suede tennis shoes… with four inch wedges. She looked like she was ready for a date or a day of shopping at the mall.

“Uh, can you run in that?” Jungkook asked her doubtfully. He was not looking forward to taking the delusional girl out into the real world.

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Boys are so stupid.” she said, mostly under her breath, before looking Jungkook in the eye. “Of course I can. I bet I can outrun you.” she challenged, then winked playfully.

“Let’s just do this.” Jin urged, lips pressed in a grim line. David had already given him the keys to his camper van while they had been waiting and he was eager to check it out.

“Alrighty then. Just follow me.” Rachel sing-songed with a bright smile, leading Jin, Namjoon, Taehyung, and Jungkook through a plain wooden door near the heavy grey door they had entered through. They had originally assumed the door led to a coat closet but instead there was a set of stairs leading up into the main house.

The small basement living room fell silent as the sounds of feet climbing up the stairs and crossing overhead receded. Jimin found the silence uncomfortable but didn’t have the mental or emotional capacity to break it. Luckily, Hoseok did it for him.

“How are you feeling, Jimin-ah? Are you okay?” Hoseok knew the questions were inadequate but he wasn’t sure how else to try to get the younger man speaking. He watched as a full body shudder overtook his friend’s slender frame before he spoke.

“No, Hobi hyung, I’m really not okay.” Jimin finally replied in a quiet voice with a head shake. It felt cleansing to admit it out loud at last. “I don’t think I’ll ever be okay again. But I’m gonna try. I’m gonna try to live.” Once the words were out of his mouth, his intentions vocalized and, even more importantly, heard, he knew he had to live up to them. The knowledge of the struggle ahead, the promise to shoulder the agony day after day, the enormity of knowing what lie ahead for the rest of his life, overwhelmed Jimin and he couldn’t help but to break into loud sobs of grief.

These tears of grief were different than the ones he had shed up to this point. Instead of mourning the loss of his soulmate, he was mourning the loss of himself and all the good and happiness that he was sure would be forfeit to his life forever. The promise of what felt like an eternity of misery and the knowledge that he’d have to shoulder it all for the others weighed too much for him to stand but he knew he’d have to fight through it anyway. He felt utterly unhinged; helpless and hopeless for the rest of his days.

Hoseok wrapped Jimin up in an embrace, lending him his shoulder to cry on. He rocked the younger man back and forth, rubbing his back and whispering soothing words into his hair as he let the man release all his pent up tension and fears and grief. He was glad to be there for Jimin and only wished it were Taehyung instead because he knew how much the distance between the two best friends was eating at his lover. Yet, he had hope that things were finally making a turn for the better.

Jimin cried for a long time, the session leaving him drained and tired but he felt a little lighter as well. When he finally felt like he could at least sit up on his own, he released Hoseok and pulled back to look him in the eye. He felt like and was sure he looked even worse but Hoseok just gave him a sad little smile as he raked his fingers through his dark hair, smoothing the sweaty fringe back from his forehead.

“Thank you, hyung.” Jimin croaked, clearing his throat to try to get the lump out of the way to speak. “I’m… I’m sorry. I’ve behaved horribly and put you in danger and it’s inexcusable.”

Hoseok tsked. “Jimin-ah, you’re hurting and we all understand. There’s nothing for you to apologize for.” he reassured.

“But-” Jimin began before he was startled by the sound of a throat clearing. He had forgotten David was in the room and now that he remembered, his cheeks heated with embarrassment at having his crying jag be witnessed by a stranger.  

“I’ll never profess to know the pain of losing a soulmate.” David began, seeing both sets of eyes looking at him. “But I have seen it before and I think maybe you’d like to know what I’ve learned.” He paused for a moment, giving the men a chance to stop him from speaking but when neither man interrupted him, he continued. “This house used to belong to my grandparents. My mom died in childbirth and my dad was a pilot and was never home so my grandparents pretty much raised me.

“When I was in high school, my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer and died about five months later. He and my grandma were soulmates and when he passed, my grandma just... gave up on life.” David shrugged slightly. His eyes were far away, reliving his memory as he spoke. “She wouldn’t eat or drink, she wouldn’t move from her bed, I’m not sure if she even slept although she’d close her eyes for several hours at a time. But whether awake or asleep, it didn’t seem to make a difference because no matter which state she was in, all she could do was cry and all I could do was watch. I was terrified she was going to die too and leave me here all alone.” David’s eyes had misted over but he didn’t allow a single tear to fall.

“I took care of her the best I could but, I could see she was slowly wasting away and I knew I’d have to call an ambulance to take her to the hospital if she didn’t snap out of it. After a week I knew neither she nor I could take anymore. My dad was supposed to come home that evening so I planned to make him take her to the hospital. While I was waiting for him to come home, here in this living room actually, she finally… ‘woke up’ I guess is the best way to put it.   

“She was so weak from not eating for so long. I’m not sure how she made her way down here but somehow she did. I was so surprised, I couldn’t even speak at first. A couple years later she said I had looked as if I had seen a ghost.” A small, fond smile twitched at the corner of David’s lips. “She told me she had talked to my grandpa.”

At this point, David took the opportunity to search Hoseok and Jimin’s faces. The few times he had told this story he had been met with skepticism and derision. He’d been told both he and his grandmother had been fools by his own father even. Now, Hoseok had a guarded look in his eye but he wasn’t refuting his story. David thought perhaps he was more concerned with how his friend was coping with the story rather than with the validity of it all. Jimin however seemed to watch him with knowing eyes even as he hung on every word from David’s mouth as if he was searching for a message of salvation.

David took a deep breath before he continued, trying to calm his heart as it began to speed in his chest. “He… he told her that they had always been a part of one another, that they were together long before either of them had ever been born to this earth and that they’d still be together long after this earth ceased to exist. That’s what it means to be a soulmate. Whether in life or death and every moment inbetween you are one. You’re never without the other because you reside in one another’s soul and souls are eternal.”

Silence reigned for a few minutes as David let his message set in. He watched as Jimin soaked up his words, clutching his shirt over his heart and squeezing his eyes shut. He seemed to be searching within himself for something. David wasn’t sure what. Perhaps he was testing the validity of what he had heard or maybe he was searching for signs of his soulmate within himself. Finally, Jimin opened his eyes again, slightly relaxing back into Hoseok’s side.

“You know, I asked my grandma why she was telling me everything grandpa had told her. At the time I felt like it should have been private between the two of them but, she told me grandpa said I needed to know. He told her that one day another soulmate would need to hear their story to have the strength to live and love and find happiness once again. Honestly, that’s the part I’ve always had a hard time understanding. I’ve never even met another soulmate until you guys walked through that door.” he admitted, feeling guilty for having doubted his grandparents until now.

“She lived almost 30 years after grandpa died. There were days that were hard for her but mostly she was happy. She loved to sing while she was cooking and she had tons of friends from all the different clubs she was in. Once I was out of high school she traveled the country and even got to visit a few other countries. She was an amazing woman; so strong and so full of love and life. The world was a better place with her in it.”

Jimin wasn’t sure if he’d ever be strong enough to find happiness but it was comforting to know others had. It meant that, some day at least, the possibility existed.  

*******

Jungkook squinted his eyes as Rachel opened the door at the top of the stairs, the open kitchen windows shining bright sunlight on him. He hadn’t realized how dark the basement apartment had been despite the lamps illuminating the rooms. He couldn’t see any movement through the  windows that showed the backyard but he still wanted to hurry along so they wouldn’t be noticed.

The kitchen was so clean it almost seemed barren. Without anything of interest to look at, the group of men followed Rachel past a closed sliding wooden door that presumably led to the rest of the house, to another heavy grey door, opening it without hesitation. The air was warm and filled with the subtle odor of oil and gasoline, suggesting they were headed into a garage.

Jungkook found his assumption to be correct as he walked through the door behind the girl into a two car garage. The heavy garage door was down, blocking the driveway from view and the only illumination at the moment was from the door to the house as the others filed in behind them.

“Is there a light switch?” Taehyung asked in a hush.

“On the wall by the door.” Rachel answered, apparently not feeling the need to be quiet. “Just don’t push the doorbell looking thing or it’ll open the garage.” she warned. Jungkook was glad she at least had enough sense to not want the wide door opened just yet.

When Taehyung flipped the light on, a very clean, organized garage was revealed. A large, red tool box was set next to the door they had passed through, a few larger or more commonly used tools hanging from pegs along the wall above it. A workbench was set up next to it with a circular saw attached. Along the wall perpendicular to the workbench, a riding lawn mower and four wheeler ATV were parked but the large brown van parked along the opposite side is what caught the men’s attention.

The van was taller and longer than what they were used to seeing with an odd tent-like roof. Taehyung was the first to approach, sliding the back door open without reservation. Inside were two bench seats along the sides instead of the usual forward facing placement. Cabinets were placed over the side windows above the seats and a table could be folded forward between them from the back. There was even a small sink and fridge onboard.

“The seats fold out into beds kinda like futons.” Rachel informed the group as they looked through the back of the vehicle. “The roof can be raised too and there’s a platform over the front seats that’s another bed. You’ll have to ask David about the water and refrigerator though.” she added. “Oh, and there’s a bunch of storage space behind the table in the back but there’s not enough room to open up the trunk in here with the garage door closed.” The van was more than any of them had even thought to hope for and they were very grateful.

Once they had taken stock of their new vehicle, they all piled in, Jin behind the wheel and Rachel sitting shotgun. Jin used the garage remote clipped to the sunvisor to open the garage door, starting up the van as the door opened and hurrying through it as soon as it was open all the way. He immediately closed the door again once they were in the driveway, not driving off until the door was completely shut for fear that a zombie would make its way inside without their notice. A couple zombies could be seen wandering out from behind nearby houses at the sound of the engine running but they were moving down the road long before any of the monsters could become hazardous to them. Before they left the neighborhood, Jin stopped by the humvee just long enough for Taehyung to jump out and grab the gascans from the back and then they were on their way again.

The drive to the grocery store was quiet, Rachel the only one speaking as she gave Jin directions. The girl continued to chirp brightly but the others could tell it was becoming more and more forced as she took in the sights of the deserted town, only zombies seeming to inhabit the area. Jin felt sorry for the girl. It was one thing seeing the destruction of unfamiliar places but he could imagine how much harder it would be to see the same destruction somewhere one considered ‘home.’ For the first time he wondered if going to Boulder was such a good idea afterall.

“There it is, on the left.” Rachel finally pointed out, a King Soopers grocery store on the corner a couple blocks down. It had its own gas station to the side of the empty lot facing the road running perpendicular to the one they were on and a small stripmall bordering the other, far side of the store. At first glance Jin noticed a laundromat, a bakery, a Chinese restaurant, a drugstore, a pet store, and a beauty parlor.

The large parking lot was barren of vehicles unlike the packed lot of the last gas station they had come across. It felt wrong for the place to be so deserted.

“Where are all the cars?” Jungkook asked in a near whisper.

“What cars?” Rachel asked, confused by the question.

“There’s no cars in the lot.” Jungkook explained. “Didn’t people try to get gas and food before the zombie plague erupted?” He couldn’t help but think of the stories of riots and mad rushes he had heard from survivors at the Pepsi Center.

“Maybe in the big cities.” Rachel conceded. “There was a city wide emergency plan put into effect here where all businesses were told to close until further notice and everyone was told to stay in their homes. Maybe that’s why this town is named Superior… we didn’t have all the violence because we’re just better than that.” she sniffed, nose turned skyward with a haughty air.  

Ignoring the jab, Jungkook began to make plans to get supplies. “Tae, hyung, you and Namjoon hyung see if you can get some gas so we don’t need to worry about running out later. Jin, Rachel and I will head into the grocery store to get food supplies. We’ll meet back here in about 45 minutes.”

Rachel rolled her eyes, not liking being ordered around. Not only that but, she had led the group to this grocery store instead of the closer one she knew David had alluded to because she had plans of her own here. There was something she needed to pick up at one of the small stores of the stripmall but she had no intention of involving the others.

Taehyung was watching the girl closely, thoughts obvious behind her guarded gaze but he couldn’t tell what exactly she was thinking. He decided to let it go, remembering David’s advice not to piss Rachel off. So instead of questioning her, he joined in with everyone’s agreement to meet after getting their assigned supplies as Jin parked in front of the grocery store. Then, they were all climbing out of the van, backpacks slung over their shoulders, attempting to close doors as quietly as possible before dashing off to their designated duties.

Taehyung and Namjoon sprinted off towards the King Soopers gas station. There was no tanker truck this time so they needed to break into the store in search for a gas key to get into the underground tanks.

“I’ll pick the lock.” Taehyung said after pulling on the doors and finding them locked as expected. He got onto his knees as he pulled his lock picking wire from his back pocket. Namjoon just nodded his head, looking through the wall of windows to either side of the door, searching for movement from inside. When he didn’t see any signs, he turned his back to Taehyung, instead letting his eyes sweep the empty lot, constantly on the lookout for zombies.

“Got it.” Taehyung hissed triumphantly a couple minutes later as he pulled the door open a crack. He scrambled to his feet, pulling the door the rest of the way open and gesturing for Namjoon to enter with his signature boxy grin.

Namjoon quietly entered the small store, alert for any dangers, Taehyung tight on his heels. The door swept shut behind them, shutting them in with the pungent odor of rotting perishables and spoiled dairy.

“Whew! I’m so glad we don’t have to wander through that huge grocery store.” Namjoon grumbled, the assault on his nose almost too much to stomach. He felt bad for the other three in their group, imagining how much worse the grocery store had to smell.

“Yeah, I don’t even think a face mask would help keep this smell out.” Taehyung agreed. “Let’s check behind the counter first but I’m thinking we’ll have more luck in back.” he continued, keeping to business for the moment.

Namjoon followed the younger man behind the cashier counter, looking through the few cupboards and shelves. He found keys labeled ‘gas pumps’ but nothing that resembled the heavy round key they had used before.

“Think this’ll do anything?” Namjoon asked, holding the keys up for Taehyung to inspect.

“Probably not since there’s no electricity to run the pumps.” Taehyung replied. “Come on. Let’s check out the back.” He led the way to the back corner of the store where a heavy door with an electronic key pad sat. He pulled on the door, opening it easily. He was thankful the lock didn’t work due to the lack of electricity, especially since it wasn’t the type of door he could pick since there was no outward keyhole.

It was pitch black in the back, no windows to let sunlight in.

“I bet they sell flashlights somewhere in this store.” Namjoon offered, turning back to the aisles to read the signs posted above them. He found an aisle with signs reading ‘HBC,’ ‘Automotive’ and ‘MISC’ so he headed in that direction. Hanging from the wall were several flashlights as well as batteries. Without hesitation, he pulled down one of the flashlights, Taehyung following his lead as he tried to force the heavy plastic packaging from around the light.

“Wait, I saw some scissors behind the counter.” Taehyung stated, running off to retrieve them and returning swiftly. Once he had his own flashlight opened, he cut the plastic from Namjoon’s light as well and then set to work freeing a four pack of ‘D’ size batteries.

As Taehyung readied the lights, Namjoon perused the rest of the aisle. “Do you think we need any of this stuff?” he asked the younger man, pointing towards the motor oil, antifreeze, and circuits. Taehyung gave a noncommittal grunt in reply as Namjoon hunched over, looking along the bottom shelf. “Hey, look at this.” he exclaimed, pulling a box from the shelf labeled as an RV water pump and holding it out to Taehyung.

Taehyung traded the box for Namjoon’s now fully operational flashlight, turning the box over in his hands and reading the back. “Damn, hyung. This is perfect.” he replied with an easy grin. The pump would make getting gas so much easier than their first attempt had been. “Now all we need to do is find that key.” he continued as he headed towards the back once again, turning on his light as he went.

*******

Rachel approached the main doors of the grocery store, pulling up short just before walking straight into the glass. She frowned slightly, having expected the doors to swoosh open as they pulled to the sides just like every other time she entered the store. Jin and Jungkook had stopped several paces away and were staring at her like she was stupid. She could feel her cheeks flush in embarrassment as she asked, “How do we get in?”

“Let’s move those carts,” Jin suggested, pointing at a rectangular opening to the left of the main doors where shopping carts could be pushed into the store for easy retrieval by the customers. “We can get in that way.” He and Jungkook got to work, pulling most of the carts into the parking lot before pushing the remaining carts farther into the store so they could hunch over and squeeze through the opening.

“Oh, .” Rachel moaned as she stood up on the inside of the store, covering her nose with one hand. “I think I’m going to throw up.” The stench of mold and rotten produce and meat was strong and cloying and sickeningly sweet. She was afraid all the food inside would be ruined by the smell.

Jin and Jungkook felt a little sick as well but not only had they seen and smelled worse, but the need for supplies helped them to easily overcome the urge to escape the horrendous smell for the blessedly fresh outside air.

“Let’s just hurry and get this done so we can get out of here.” Jin prompted, getting an affirmative head nod from his boyfriend. “Fill up this cart as quickly and quietly as you can.” he instructed as he rolled a cart in front of Rachel. “Start with the first aid products and pharmacy,” he continued, pointing towards the section near the rows of checkout aisles. “And Jungkook and I will start at either end of the other aisles.” Then they were pushing their own carts in opposite directions, leaving Rachel alone in the front of the store.

‘ this.’ Rachel thought to herself as she waddled, practically bent in half, back into the clean outside air. She inhaled deeply, trying to get as much of the fresh air into her lungs as possible. She knew she’d have to go back inside eventually but first she had her own mission to complete.

Rachel’s dad was an airline pilot just like David’s own father had been. She thought that’s why the man had been so supportive of her over the two years she had lived in his basement apartment. He would often come to check on her, make sure she had eaten and finished her homework. Honestly, he had been more like a father than her own dad but she wasn’t willing to admit that aloud to anyone. Ever.

Even now, with the world in chaos and her dad absent not only for a week or two but for a whole month, David had been there for her. Before her dad had left, he had told David he would pick up his new prostheses for him on his way home. He was only supposed to be gone for ten days and the new legs were supposed to be ready by then. Rachel figured the least she could do for the man taking such good care of her was to get his legs so he could get around easier. She owed him at least that much.

With this thought in mind, she scurried away from King Soopers. The first shop along the stripmall, hidden from view by the corner of the grocery store, was a prosthetic lab where she was sure David’s legs still awaited pickup. As she rounded the corner, she saw the familiar darkened windows of the shop. She hurried over to the door, pulling on it and finding it locked.

“Figures.” she whispered to herself as she pulled her galaxy backpack from her shoulders. She had come prepared however, rooting through the pens and pencils in the small front pocket of her bag until she found the glass cutter she had used in her stained glass art class last semester.

Having found what she was looking for, she abandoned her bag, turning her attention to the glass door. Thinking for a moment, she decided to cut a square about four inches from the lock closer to the middle of the door. The tool was about the size of a pen with a metal cutting wheel on one end and a heavy metal ball on the other. She pulled the wheel along the glass, one line at a time, until she had a square scratched into the surface. Then she turned the tool over, tapping along the lines she had made with the heavy ball. The lines grew more defined as the glass cracked along the cut and beyond but the square stayed firmly in place.

“Hmm.” Rachel hummed aloud, trying to think of a way to safely push the glass out of the way. With no other obvious solutions present, she grabbed her backpack, using it as a shield for her hand as she pushed at the center of the square. It took more force than she had expected but finally the glass let out a seemingly loud crack into the silent air followed by the sound of the glass shattering on the floor inside the store. Her hand, as well as the top portion of her bag, were pushed into the square hole and she had to carefully maneuver her hand so she wouldn’t get cut as she carefully pulled it out. Then she hastily pulled her bag out as well, dropping it next to the door without a second thought. She threaded her hand back into the hole, easily reaching the deadbolt and unlocking the door.

It was eerily dim and quiet inside the tiny storefront. It consisted of a small loveseat and two chairs, one of which was knocked onto its side, on one side of the room and a countertop with a cash register across from the front door. There was no need to display items throughout the store because everything purchased was prescribed by an orthopedist so the only other thing to be seen was a door behind the counter leading to the back storage room. Rachel was used to seeing the top half of the door anchored open, the bottom half being a swinging door that moved both into the waiting room and into the backroom depending on which way the proprietor pushed it but now it was closed tight.  

Not sure where to look for David’s prostheses, Rachel decided to first check behind the counter. She found two plain, narrow but long cardboard boxes on the low shelf built into the counter with the names of the intended recipients on them but neither was for David. She sighed to herself, disappointed that she’d have to go into the back room. She was sure it would be dark and spooky in back but she steeled her nerves, willing to do anything to make David’s life a little easier.

Rachel approached the back door stealthily, holding her breath as she slowly turned the high door handle. The door made no sound as she slowly pulled the top half towards herself, opening it wide until the magnetic strip along the top of the wall held the door open. She paused, listening for any signs of movement but when nothing happened, she slowly pushed the bottom half of the door inwards, stepping into the dark back room.

A little light bled in from the dim storefront but she had to wait for a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. After a minute or so, she pushed herself forward, searching the closest shelf of plain cardboard boxes like the two in the front of the store. It was hard deciphering the names on them in the dark but near the bottom she found two identical ones that she was sure had David’s name on them. Her skin was crawling with nerves, goosebumps breaking out along her arms and legs but she pushed the feeling aside as she scooped the boxes into her arms, the shape long and awkward in her haste to get out of the dark room. She knocked them into the doorframe with a decisive thud as she speed through the swinging half of the door, practically tossing them onto the counter so she could check the names in the light and make sure she had the right ones.

Rachel sighed a deep breath of relief upon reading David’s name on the boxes. The last thing she wanted was to go back into the dark but she was happy to see she wouldn’t need to. ‘What if daddy comes to pick these up like he promised and they’re not here?’ she wondered to herself. She didn’t want him searching through the dark but she couldn’t leave them at the store either. Then an idea hit her. She scurried out of the store, opening her bag and grabbing her notebook that she had left inside as well as a pen from the smaller front pocket. Inside again, she began to write a note to her dad.

My dearest daddy,

I’ve been waiting for you at home for so long now. What’s taking you so long? You were supposed to be home weeks ago. I’m okay though. David has been taking good care of me and we’re just waiting for you to come home so please hurry. I miss you so much and I love you. I need you to come home to me. You promised you’d always come home even if work took you away for a while. I even picked up David’s legs so you don’t have to. That way you can come home sooner, right? No matter what, I’ll be waiting for you.

Love,

Rachel

Rachel looked around the small storefront once again, trying to figure out the best place to leave the note when a small sound caught her attention. She froze instantly, her body and mind on full alert. She could sense something moving towards her and she jumped away from it just as a cold, clammy hand came in contact with her bare shoulder. She had turned around as she had jumped away and was now facing a rotting corpse.

“M-mr. R-robinson?” she squeaked, the zombie shuffling towards her vaguely resembling the store’s proprietor. A second, unfamiliar zombie was behind him, also inching towards her. Fear coursed through her veins, immobilizing her, turning her legs to jello. Her chest hitched as she subconsciously took in breath to scream but before she could let it loose, the heavy hand was grasping onto her shoulder again. She tried to scramble away but not only would her legs not obey her, but her canting upper body was pushing up against the wall right behind her. She had nowhere to run even if she could get her legs to move. The realization had her wheezing, no longer enough breath in her lungs to scream.

“Rachel?” a voice called in a stage whisper from outside but she had no breath left to answer. Her eyes were locked onto the two zombies, ‘Mr. Robinson’ grasped onto both of her shoulders now and was pulling her towards his gaping mouth. She closed her eyes, knowing there was no way she’d live through this and praying her end wouldn’t be too painful.

“I think she’s in here.” a second voice called out and then Rachel could hear the door to the shop opening. Her eyes fluttered open as her head turned towards the sound. “.” Jungkook gasped, instantly running towards her. Before she could comprehend what was happening, that she may be saved, the man was driving his dagger into ‘Mr. Robinson’s’ temple and then he was turning to dispose of the second zombie as well.

Moments later, Jin was rushing into the store. Jungkook was standing over two lifeless bodies, panting slightly and Rachel was leaning against the wall, silent tears streaming down her face and the front of her pants wet, urine beaded along the inside of her legs and most likely sloshing in her shoes.

“There, there.” Jin sighed, as he took the girl in his arms, rubbing her back soothingly. “It’s okay. You’re okay.” He led her to the loveseat, supporting most of her weight, then sitting her down and taking the spot next to her as he spoke soothingly to her, waiting for her to calm down and stop shaking. Finally, he was able to question her. “Are you hurt? Did they scratch you anywhere?” He hadn’t seen and signs but he knew he needed to ask anyway. Rachel shook her head ‘no’, unable to speak.

Meanwhile, Jungkook had been pacing the small store. He was trying his best to reign in his anger at the girl. He had found the two boxes with David’s name on them as well as the note Rachel had left for her dad. He knew the girl wasn’t handling reality well either. The last thing she needed was for him to yell at her no matter how much he wanted to do just that.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Jungkook finally asked as Rachel seemed to be calming down. “We would have helped you.”

Rachel didn’t have a good answer though so she chose to keep quiet. When it was obvious she wasn’t going to answer, Jin decided they should get back to the van. Jungkook grabbed the two boxes and followed the other two out of the store.

A/N:  Well, Jimin's finally beginning to get his together. Rachel on the other hand... She simply lucked out. If Jin and Jungkook hadn't found her she'd be dead. I hope David doesn't get mad at them for letting her wander off even though it's completely her own fault. Tell me what you think of this story so far in the comments please. It always makes my day to hear from you, my wonderful readers. I hope this chapter wasn't too boring. The next chapter will be better, I promise. 

I don't think I've ever mentioned but, I don't have anyone to read through/edit my writing so sorry for any mistakes. Also, I want to thank you all for sticking with me. All comments, subscriptions, and upvotes are greatly appreciated. See ya next time!  <3