The Hunted 3

The Hunted

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The foot steps got further behind us rather quickly but we didn't slow down when we got back to the cabin. We were no more safe so L Joe, who had left little behind when he chased after me, only grabbed some food items and a blanket, tossing things like that at me, along with a worn out backpack. I quickly shove them in, along with anything else I can fit in the bag and I tug at his wrist earnestly begging a quick retreat. 
 
He seemed a little disheartened at the idea of leaving. How long had it taken him to find shelter? I took it away from him in a matter of minutes, so I pause and let him have his way. He only takes a second glance across the now dark room and turns to me with a tiny smile.
 
He stares at me a moment longer than he had the room and pets my cheek, letting his hand fall to mine and he laces our fingers together, forcing me to fallow when he suddenly jerks me toward the exit. My grip on his hand tightens and my footsteps are careful as we head out the back of the woods in hopes of safety and shelter again soon.
 
We are quiet the whole time in the woods, our only communication though touches and looks. L Joe seems so in control, like he knows exactly what he's doing and he's sure of himself in it even though he keeps turning to me for reassurance. In all honesty my mind is racing and I'm terrified. I've never been so terribly out of control.
 
I'm not sure if it's because I was nearly a dead man walking or the fact that L Joe was now in my company. Somehow, even though L Joe is obviously calling most of our shots and very capable of doing so, I feel like he's my responsibility. I have to keep him safe under whatever circumstances. He said I'm his protector and I will be. I can't let him down, not again.
 
It took less time than we thought. Only maybe 2-3 hours of complete silence, most likely closer to 3 because the sun looked about ready to rise but we were off in the middle of nowhere, yet somehow we got lucky enough to find an obviously left behind prison. It was obviously high security, being so off in the country.
 
What terrified me, however, was the fact that in no case should the officers have let the prisoners out of those gates. What reason would there be when they were far more safe behind closed doors, that is, unless somehow there was an infection on the inside. 
 
The walls are still standing, obviously no forced entry and it was completely silent. Why? Were they in there? Nothing living is, otherwise the gates would be bolted shut already. I was cautious and uneasy, watching L Joe's wary eyes scan the building. I latched onto his arm, silently considering we keep searching in favor of the shady resting point. L Joe only sighs, gripping my shoulders and offering a worried smile.
 
"We should try, right?" He hums and I nibble at my lip but offer something of a tight nod to the boy in front of me. He pulls out his pistol immediately and pushes me behind him but I grip the back of his shirt like some stupid kid. God, I've never wished so much that I knew how to shoot.
 
Our steps are nothing more than completely silent as we step into the walls, without so much as a peep coming from inside. I'm holding my breath as we near the entrance and L Joe unhooks my fingers from his clothes, asking me to stay behind.
 
I shake me head frantically and give him a pleading look, liking the idea of leaving more and more. He me cheek and smiles, passing me the hatchet hanging from his pelt loop and steps back with a nod.
 
He his gun and I partly expect for something to come running out of those doors at the sound but it remains eerily quiet, so he continues and I grip the ax more tightly. The door creeks open when he pushes against it and I run up to him, making him go rigid, I assume from nerves.
 
"L Joe, stop. The watch tower, please. I'd feel much better staying there." I beg and his body relaxes under me.
 
"Okay but don't do that again." He chuckles in a strained voice as I tug at his arm, anxious to get him away from the door.
 
That's when I notice a fairly slow monster approaching the boys back, it's on it's belly however. Crawling as best in can, dragging a bloody, tattered torso behind it. It is, not too surprisingly dressed in the inmate uniform on what is left of it's body.
 
I take note of everything about the thing headed toward us. Without a sound or glance back toward L Joe I return my vice grip on the ax and approach the thing, not as effected as I thought I'd be. I grew numb when I saw it approaching and the fact it was only half in tacked helped my weak heart but none the less it was bent on eating what it could, so I step forward, shoving L Joe away from the thing before he can shoot of his noisy gun and I attempt to hack at the creature.
 
It's head, body, and arms are looking no more messy than at first and it is doing it's best to ignore my attack, still crawling as well as it can but I soon turn the thing into something of a bloody, unmoving, pulp. 
 
I'm a bit disgusted with myself but mostly just the fact it ended so violently. I sigh, offering myself a once over and note my bloody, shaky arms but nothing is missing or bitten, so I must be fine. I step away from the door. Fairly sure that thing was alone, or one that had legs would've probably been here by now.
 
L Joe looks surprised but not disgusted, so I approach him, offering for him to take back the ax with my nervous hands. He does, offering a single chuckle and nods toward the watch tower and I nod back mutely.
 
"Thanks." He mumbles and I giggle softly.
 
"I can handle an undead torso with an ax. I just didn't want you to be noisy with your gun." He laughs again as we approach the door of the watch tower. I become a little hesitant when we get close but L Joe pulls the dirtied ax this time and tangles our fingers together as we ascend the stairs. Literally nothing was inside. It was a small room, tiny even. More like a lighthouse but it would do as shelter for a day. 
 
"I'm gonna go down and lock the door." He offer, sounding nervous. He was probably a little shaken that we're staying where one of those things just attacked. We didn't cause enough ruckus to drawl attention from anything that wasn't already here but better safe than sorry, so I nod laying down the backpack I brought and shuffling through the things. By the time I pulled out our food L Joe is back and breathing easy, so I offer a smile.
 
"What happened to your family Chunji?" He ask softly and I look up to him at the seemingly unrelated question while he takes a seat.
 
"We got separated during the outbreak. I tried to find them for a long time but after six months...I decided, I think I'd rather not." He nods in agreement but remains quiet for a moment longer.
 
"Is that the first one you've killed?" He mumbles again and I watch his expression. Taking his hand into my bloodied one.
 
"Yes, I had no weapon, so I mostly just avoided them. I spent a bit of time, while looking my parents, noting behavior patterns and ways to escape." I explain and he nods again. 
 
"What about your family L JoeYou're taking such good care of me after all." I smile and he bows his head. I freeze and purse my lips unable to apologize before he explains.
 
"They got bitten. I got those things off before my family became scraps but..." He stops, when his voice goes raw. "They didn't really get up the same. After a couple of days they woke up monsters. I didn't...know what else to do." He huffs out and I pull him into a tight hug, still unsure of what he's trying to tell me. "I should have run. I should have left and never come back...but I didn't. I shot them dead and I...I mean, I killed my own family. My mother and father were in front of me and I shot them." He hiccups, finally letting traitorous tears fall. I pet his hair, crying with him. 
 
"They didn't want to be monsters L Joe. You saved them from hurting others." He shakes his head and tries to collect himself.
 
"I won't let anyone else become one of those things. I'll rebuild the family I once had. That starts with you Chanhee." He looks up at me with a new determination and I nod in agreement, hoping he won't cry anymore.
 
"And that's why you came after me in the woods?" I mumble, uncomfortably reminiscent. He nods, steadying his breathing.
 
"Yes. I couldn't watch you go through that." I smile and his shoulder, making him relax.
 
"That thing in the woods...It was fast." He lifts his head and smiles at the change of topic.
 
"There are a few different breeds, for lack of a better word." He pauses but I stare at him and he continues. "There're the usual, you know, the ones you see in old horror movies. The new born, they're only slightly more impressive than what you usually see. There are these weird stalker zombies, it followed me for days for no apparent reason. I still don't know why but other than it's creepy tendency it's fairly normal. Slow and dumb. You ran into one of the dangerous ones. They are hell of fast. I'm sure there are more out there. Who knows." He finished, leaving me antsy.
 
"Thank you." He his head in question, looking exceptionally adorable. "For saving me." I explain and a grin spreads across his face.
 
"Well, now I think we're even." I giggle and shake my head.
 
"Please. You could have gotten away from that thing. I just wanted to beat your gun to it or we wouldn't have been able to stay here for the night." He chuckles and pulls me against his chest.
 
"But now you're all dirty. I can't kiss you when you're dirty." I feel my blood run cold and I stare up at him, looking horrified. "I'm kidding. Relax. I don't want you running back 5 miles into the woods." He jokes and I relax into his hold. 
 
"You can kiss me whenever you want." I finally mumble in a whisper. He hums in question, not hearing me and I stare out the window. "I said you can kiss me whenever you want. I won't run away L Joe." He his brow at me but ends up offering that stupid seductive smirk from back in high school.
 
"Any time I want?" He hums, pulling me into his chest and I just nod. "How generous of you." I shift in his hold but he turns me to face him. "I'm not going to make you kiss me, but you can kiss me whenever you want." He reiterates and I frown at his teasing. "Maybe just once." He whispers and his lips are against mine. 
 
I freeze, losing my breath and sigh into the sudden kiss. I turn in his arms and press my lips back against his, wrapping my arms carefully around his neck. I feel him smirking into the kiss but ignore it, swiping my tongue over his lips but he instead forces his tongue into my mouth, causing me to gasp against his lips. Our kiss is surprisingly emotional and needy, but somehow fitting for our situation.
 
I pull away first, letting my heaving breath cover his face and he smirks again, his lips suggestively, making me slap his shoulder, playfully.
 
"You're such a jerk." I huff, turning in his arms. He chuckles into my shoulder and presses his lips to my neck while I try to keep quiet.
 
"Thank you." He sighs and my heart goes soft, realizing how much he truly needs me. The idea that it would have been anybody makes me uncomfortable but I swallow my pride and settle back into his chest, content that it is me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The whole day was fairly uneventful. Aside from the opportunity to really get to know my crush from high school. He's even more cool than I remembered. He likes to rap and has a knack for hobbies. He apparently could pick up just about anything and be good at it, fairly quickly. That was the case with his guns which he promised to help me with tomorrow, right before we leave. So, as of now I am just trying to come to terms with the fact I'll be going to bed with blood all over me. L Joe makes that much easier, cuddling up beside me and promising a shower by tomorrow night and while he can't really know that will be the case, somehow I feel like he's going to come through for me. 
 
The next morning was just as uninteresting until L Joe pulled out his gun and tosses it at me.
 
"You ready? The sooner you learn, the sooner we can get the hell out of here." He offers. I grin and nod happily as he sets up a target across the prison yard.
 
The explanation was easy enough. He gave me an automatic, so not much was involved beside make sure there's ammo and pull the trigger. My favorite part was when he taught me how to hold it, it was no matter that a firearm was in my grasp, L Joe's arms were wrapped around me for most of the lesson and that turned my legs to jelly.
 
He helped me take the first shot, to make sure the recoil didn't hit me in the face but by the second shot I was more prepared and handled it well enough. Maybe it was the pressure of getting out of the prison yard that was now bait to ever zombie within ear shot but I hit the target, at least close. I was happy with it but L Joe insisted one more shot which I also somehow hit.
 
I was grinning from ear to ear when he told me to put the gun in my belt and that I was ready, enough, to leave. I grabbed our backpack and he tucks away his still 4 other guns. He offered me the hatchet as well which at first I refused but decided it best to keep away from anybody I didn't know.
 
We were off long before footsteps or sound approached but we still didn't take our time, knowing the more distance from danger, the better. 
 
Unfortunately that didn't help much when we stumbled upon a deserted town. Towns usually weren't great place to stay for a couple of reasons. People and zombies both considered them favorites but we were running out of daylight and we were still somewhat off the beaten path, so when we found a small enough house with water and nothing 'living' inside, deciding a day or two here would have to do.
 
The first night went well. We even got a bed to curl up in and some food to nibble on besides our own. It was surprising how few people thought they'd survive long enough to use any supplies they had. None the less I got my shower and a decent night sleep. L Joe promised he was a light sleeper and would be woken by any noise but I think it was more like he didn't sleep. At least not much. 

By the second day I left him to sleep, which he declined at first but he's surprisingly submissive when I kiss him. So, I was wandering around the house, in search of anything and everything we could use.
 
I didn't find much, a new backpack, a little food; clothes, which was nice, and other little things that didn't mean much but then I heard the door close. Which wasn't good at all. Zombies, while physically capable of opening doors, would mental be totally unable. That meant one thing. Human. Whoever it was, is alive and most likely not friendly. Almost nobody was friendly anymore. 
 
We attack first and ask questions later, it's just more safe. I know I should wake L Joe but from here the only change I'd have, once again, would be to scream. that, not again, if they had no clue we were here I could get away. So, I remain quiet behind a corner, doing my best to find an angle to see the intruder.
 
A small boy, seemingly no older than 16 is in the house. Unarmed and dirty, was he looking for shelter? Food? In a place like this? A kid like him would have better luck in one of the secluded neighborhoods. 
 
I consider greeting him. I had my gun, so if for some reason I needed it, I'd be okay but before I finish my thought, the boy is in front of me with a huge friendly grin. He looks so happy to have seen me. I was in a shadow, how the hell did he know I was living. This kid is gonna get himself killed. 
 
"Hi! I'm Ricky, 17 years old." He spouts pleasantly and I let my brow . He's so cheery for a kid that's been alone for a year. Where was his family? What reason did he have to be happy? Damn it, if this kid is trying to disarm me he went about it all wrong.
 
"Chunji. 19." Is my wary response, as I give a quick once over, which he appears entirely comfortable with.
 
"I'm so happy to meet you, everyone is so crazy out there. They'll do anything to keep themselves alive." His face falls and he looks far more human, like a broken child and I feel immediate sympathy for him, knowing well what he means. "You don't know the things I've seen." He whispers, his voice dropping to a sad, small voice.
 
"I think I have a clue." I sigh and stare at the boys dirty face and his nervous demeanor. Whatever reason he had to be so perky when he saw me seemed to have disbanded, which for whatever reason makes me more comfortable. "Why are you here...by yourself?" I ask, still fairly uncomfortable.
 
"Where do you suggest I go? I'm a sitting duck out there. No weapons, I'm all alone." He hums and I purse my lips.
 
"What about a reservation?" He frowns and shakes his head frantically.
 
"That horrible place. They...took my family." His eyes immediately become glassy and I bight my lips, completely taken by the young vulnerable boy. He needs help. 
 
I suppose I'm help. Then I hear L Joe's voice break the pause.
 
"We have company?"
 
I know it seems really rushed in the middle
but for almost 2 days nothing really happens.
 
I wanted them to meet Ricky so the story could move so don't get pissed off at me, okay??
                                       Good! 
So, I know I was going to post "Love Loves Lust" first but I got in the mood for some angst and this just kind of wrote itself.
Hehe 
I'm excited to start moving the story along. This should be where it picks up again.
                                 
I hope this chapter is good.
                                                                                                      I worked hard. 
I love you and hope to post "Love Loves Lust" very soon. Maybe not today,
but I do hope so. 
Tell me what you guys think, please.
I know this isn't what I usually write and some of my subbies are confused but I'd love feed back.
                                                                                    ...IDK
It could be a wonderful thing haha I'll see you all soon! <3
Comment. Subscribe. Upvote. 
My beautiful sugar plums...I should come up with a nickname for my subbies. I get jealous of the other authors that have nicknames...what would I call you? Sarapbabies? 
Hahahaha 
That's as good as my nicknames get...You could Comment that?
What do you want to be called? 
If I get a few I can make a poll. Anyways. Love you ______ <--That's for the future.
 
 
                        

 

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choi_syra #1
Chapter 22: -please update if possible-

gomawo ^^
BaekMeACake_12
#2
Chapter 22: update soon~~~
ItsJustSarax
#3
I'm loving this so much so far ;;^;; my chunjoe and changrick are spot on and I'm not saying this because I'm baised (okmaymbealittle) but NAP exceeded my expectations (I really love Niel hahaha bias of course) I think the way Ricky was portrayed was so cool, him having 2 faces like woah and Changjo, just how old is he here xD? i really feel like ricky's 15 and changjo's 25 or something xD This story is really really great, not many Teen Top stories are this awesome lol so I really hope you still have motivation to continue writing (prettyplease) and will be able to update soon, fighting!!!♥
fantasylovemusic #4
I need my changrick closure, update soon please!
livingthewildlife
#5
Chapter 22: I hope there is an update soon! :)
Kpoplover4ever4321
#6
Chapter 22: So what your name? And kaseyslove plz tell me her name I will add both of you as a friend (add strangers)
Kpoplover4ever4321
#7
Chapter 21: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0qw42YzVj1rqo3mbo1_500.gif this is call ( lol hahahah) and plz reply to me
Kpoplover4ever4321
#8
Chapter 20: Every thing was so sad then My Himchannie cheer me up and Niels mother and father Is a zombie now?
Kpoplover4ever4321
#9
Chapter 19: I am so happy Changrick is geting together
Kpoplover4ever4321
#10
Chapter 18: I almost thought Chunji was gonna die.