Harem in a zombie apocalypse

[53] Booze heist

We parked our car near a liquor shop. I got in the store first to scout.

My breath hitched as I stepped into the first liquor store. Dust swirled in the afternoon light pouring in from the broken windows, the silence in the room deafening. The sight of empty shelves where bottles of whiskey, rum, and other spirits should have been made my heart sink.

Despite the grim circumstances, there was a peculiar kind of beauty to the desolate scene. It was a stark reminder of the world we once knew. The contrast of the dilapidated store to its buzzing past was a bitter pill to swallow.

I tread lightly, weaving my way through the broken glass littering the floor, inspecting every shelf, hoping to find some unclaimed liquor hidden somewhere. My fingers brushed the cold, dust-covered shelves, my mind echoing the emptiness of the store.

Emerging from the desolate shop, I was greeted by the anxious faces of Cassidy, Hazuki, and Kaya. I could see the anticipation in their eyes, their hopes riding on the success of this first stop.

With a heavy sigh, I relayed the news, "It's clean. Not a single bottle left." The disappointment on their faces was hard to bear. Cassidy's fingers tightened around the steering wheel, Hazuki lowered her gaze, and Kaya just nodded, her face a mask of stoicism.

"Alright," Cassidy said after a moment of silence. Her voice was strong, resilient. "We try another one." Hazuki nodded in agreement, while Kaya remained quiet, her eyes fixed on the desolate liquor store.

As we drove away, the empty shop became a speck in the rearview mirror. The barren store was a stark reminder of our reality – scavenging for resources in a world that had fallen into chaos.

Navigating through the deserted streets of Pocatello was an eerie experience. Dilapidated buildings lined the roads, their once vibrant facades now just a ghostly reminder of what they used to be. The city had a post-apocalyptic aura to it, its desolation seeming to whisper tales of the end times.

Finally, another liquor store came into sight. It was larger than the first one, its exterior somewhat intact. A glimmer of hope ignited within us. As Cassidy parked Endeavor near the store, the tension in the air was palpable. All of us were bracing for another wave of disappointment, yet hoping for a better outcome.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the vehicle, ready to venture into another relic of the past. Cassidy, Hazuki, and Kaya watched me, their expressions a mix of concern and hope.

As I walked towards the second store, I made a silent plea. 'Please let there be something left,' I thought before stepping into the 2nd store.

A wave of relief washed over me. Rows of glistening bottles reflected the scant light piercing through the boarded windows, showcasing their various hues from clear vodka to amber whiskey. The sight was akin to finding an oasis in a desert, a beacon of hope in a desolate city.

This store was evidently larger than the previous one, and I imagined it must've been quite a hub before the world fell apart. The musty smell of aged spirits mixed with the scent of damp wood and dust filled the air, a bizarrely comforting reminder of a time when one could simply walk into a shop and purchase a bottle of their favorite liquor.

However, the relief was short-lived. An eerie, haunting groan echoed through the store, the sound of the undead shattering the brief moment of tranquility. A cold shiver ran down my spine as my eyes adjusted to the dim light, revealing the harrowing sight of several zombies mindlessly roaming the store. Their grotesque forms moved sluggishly between the aisles, their lifeless eyes devoid of any awareness. It was as if they were shoppers from another time, stuck in a never-ending loop of their past lives.

Seeing the undead in such close quarters was a terrifying sight, their decaying bodies a chilling reminder of the world's grim reality. I could see their ragged clothes hanging loosely off their skeletal forms, the haunting sound of their shuffling feet echoing through the otherwise silent store.

But among all this chaos, one thing was clear – they hadn't noticed me. It was as if I was invisible to them, a phantom moving amongst the dead. The strange phenomenon left me both relieved and apprehensive, making my mission of retrieving the liquor both feasible and hauntingly surreal.

Their lack of interest in me gave me the upper hand, allowing me to navigate through the store with a relative sense of security. Carefully, I moved from one aisle to another, picking up as many bottles as I could carry. Each step I took was measured, ensuring I maintained my distance from the wandering zombies.

Every so often, I would pause, my heart hammering in my chest as a zombie would come dangerously close. Yet, each time they would just shamble past me, completely oblivious to my presence. The bizarre scenario felt like a scene out of a surreal nightmare, the line between reality and horror blurred.

Now if I can just get back into the truck...

Then, as if on cue, Cassidy launched the massive truck straight through the liquor store's wall. The sound of shattering glass and splintering wood filled the air, drowned out by the roar of Endeavor's engine. Zombies were caught in the vehicle's path, their bodies hurled aside or crushed under the truck's merciless wheels.

The sight was chilling, yet also strangely cathartic. Each fallen undead was one less threat in this nightmarish world, one less predator stalking the living.

But Cassidy wasn't done. In one swift, fluid motion, she hopped off the vehicle and drew her twin pistols. Her movements were effortless, a dance of deadly precision, as she opened fire on the encroaching undead.

Her shots rang out, echoes of gunfire reverberating through the desolate city streets. Each bullet found its mark, their impacts sending zombies sprawling backwards or collapsing in heaps. She moved like a storm, unyielding and relentless, her pistols spitting out death in swift, lethal bursts.

Even amidst the chaos, there was a certain rhythm to her actions, a deadly ballet of gunfire and agility. She twirled and sidestepped, her body weaving through the zombie horde with an almost supernatural grace. Her fingers danced over the triggers of her pistols, each pull sending another bullet flying with pinpoint accuracy.

After the first wave of zombies were cleared, Cassidy turned back to the girls on the truck and said: "Well girls? Let's start packing the booze!"

Q: Do you drink?