The sun was hot on their backs as they walked into the middle of a small town. The town’s wooden welcoming sign had blown over and now rested on the ground rotting away. There was a single gas station in the one and only intersection. Its large roof, that once stood proudly protecting the patrons as they fuelled their vehicles, had collapsed from a heavy snow fall many years ago and now it would forever entomb the gas bumps. Across from the gas station was a smashed in general store, which was covered in indecipherable spray paint like most graffiti. The only distinguishable part was a spray painting of a skeleton in a top hat and a white beard pointing out of the wall and below it were the words “I want you.” Beside the main door there was a plastic advertisement that said “we sell live bait” with a drawing of a juicy earthworm. There was several other buildings around, nature was slowly reclaiming them. A mighty cedar tree grew out of the centre of what was once an old family sandwich shop.

Tor set his backpack down beside the entrance to the general store, then he started to rummage through it. He pulled out a flashlight.

“Who’s coming with?” Tor asked.

Maizy violently shook her head. Dy pulled her closer.

“Not you silly,” Dy said, “you will stay here with me.”

“I will,” Alex said after a brief silence.

Tor’s eyebrows rose.

— — —

Light streamed into the store through the door and the smashed in windows, but it was still dark as shit inside. Within the first two steps the fresh outside air was enveloped by the thick damp air inside, it smelt like a crazy cat lady had lived and then died inside. The smell invaded their minds and made it hard to focus. A few shelves still stood upright but they were empty except for the layers of dust and who knows what. Glass and trash littered the floor. They slowly made their way deeper.

Everything useful had been picked over. Tor had been hoping for anything that would bring him back to his previous life. The smell of death become unbearable like it was punching him right in his nose. Tor was sure that at any moment his foot was going to go through the skull of the fucker they were smelling.

*Squish*

Tor paused and closed his eyes. He opened them and looked down. It was only shit. Gross. Who the fuck chooses this spot to take a shit, Tor thought. It was still moist. Tor unholstered his revolver. If the person who took the shit wasn’t the culprit for the smell then he was going to be joining them soon enough. He wanted to breath even less.

He slowly proceeded further. Tor realized Alex was no longer behind him. At the far end of the aisle something clanged onto the ground and it reverberated off of every surface. Tor had to focus hard on keeping his heart rate down. His senses became sharper. He could hear something shuffle far off in the corner. A shape darted past the opening at the end of the aisle.

“Alex,” Tor whispered, “Alex, if you’re fucking with me, I will explode your tiny brain.”

An object flew over the top of the aisle and hit Tor square in the face. Tor squeaked as he swatted madly at it as if fell harmlessly to the ground. Tor quickly started to stomp on it before realizing it was just a teddy bear. He picked it up. A burst of laughter cut through the silence, it echoed through out the store. Once again silence took over. The seal had been broken and there wasn’t anything stopping it. The laughter erupted again.

Tor dashed to the next aisle. Alex was doubled over in laughter with hands on his knees as tears streamed down his face. Alex raised one of his arms. Tor’s stern face broke into a grin as the infectious laughter caught him.

Tor stopped laughing as he heard a faint scream off in the distance.

“What?” Alex asked.

“The girls,” Tor said.

Tor pulled his revolver out of its holster and handed it to Alex, then removed his rifle from his shoulder and chambered a round. He full on sprinted for the front of the store leaving Alex in the dust. Tor rushed out the door but the sudden change in light blinded him. Vital seconds passed as his eyes adjusted and the full scene came into focus. He hid behind an old rusty car with a small maple tree growing out of its roof.

Dy was struggling try to get out of a large man’s bear hug as he carried her towards his once white van. Dy saw Tor come out of the store they made eye contact. She nodded, took a deep breath then rammed her head as hard as she could into the massive nose of the ugly fucker holding her. Ugly dropped her as blood started oozing from his face. Even before he could raise his hands a bullet ripped through the center of his face. He crumpled to the ground. Ugly was no more.

Tor could see two other men. The one closest to him opened fire on Tor as he ducked back behind the rusty car. Alex bursted out of the store and emptied the clip at the closest man. Every single shot missed by a mile, but it drew his attention long enough for Tor to blow a hole through the guy’s chest.

“Fuck, I would have had him if you had ever taught me how,” Alex said still standing straight up.

“Get down here you dumbass,” Tor said as he grabbed Alex’s arm and yanked him behind the car as bullets whizzed past his head.

After the third guy emptied his magazine into the the side of the car he ran back behind the van. Tor snatched the revolver out of Alex’s hand before he even knew what was happening then handed Alex the rifle. Tor loaded the remaining three bullets he had on him into the revolver then swung the cylinder back in place.

“Don’t shoot me,” Tor said lightly slapping Alex on the check. Alex winced in pain.

The engine to the van started. Tor sprinted up to the side of the van just as it started to pull away. He started to run beside it but he couldn’t catch up to it, obviously, it is a van. He was running out of energy as it got further and further away from him. He could see the face of the driver. He stopped planted his feet, raised the revolver then shot at where he predicted the driver to be. The van continued to drive away. It started to accelerate even more, then start to swerve. The van lost control and ran head first into a telephone pole.

Tor holstered his gun as he arrived at the crash. He opened up the back of the van. Wyn lay on the ground not moving while Maizy was sitting next to her clutching her forearm. The passenger side door opened. Tor heard big heavy boots hit the gravel ground.

“Maizy, everything is going to be alright. I will be right back,” Tor said.

Tor quietly closed the back door then moved around to the left side of the van. He stood behind the wheel and crouched down and looked underneath the van. He could see the large boots of the last man who was gingerly walking towards the back of the van. Tor dashed like a ninja to the next wheel. He waited a second then moved to the crumpled up front of the van right beside the telephone poll. He peered under the van again. The man was nearly at the back of the van. Tor poked his head out the side of the van. The large muscular man was carrying a camo fully automatic AR-15 with a scope on the top. He was limping.

A rifle shot rang out. Tor didn’t think twice. He sprinted around the corner just as the man had turned around and started to raise the gun Tor tackled the man, like a train hitting a Volvo, onto the ground. Tor grabbed onto the gun and wrestled it out of the man’s grip. He smashed the butt of the gun into the man’s face again and again until he went limp. Tor rolled off the top of the man and laid on his back. His heart raced, his chest raised and lowered as he closed his eyes. He heard small foot steps above him. Tor opened his eyes and tilted his head back so the world was upside down. Maizy was standing at the end of the van still clutching her forearm. Her bright green eyes were wide open. Dy came up from behind her and pulled her back behind the van.

“Are you ok?” Dy asked Maizy. Maizy held out her arm as she pouted and a tear started to well up.

“You’re a brave girl, aren’t you,” Dy said. Maizy sniffled.

“Ya,” Maizy said.

“You will tough it out and be good as new in no time,” Dy said as she gave a giant calming smile.

“You better take a look at Wyn first,” Tor said as he came around the side of the van.

Tor helped Dy up into the back of the van. He knelt down on one knee and hugged Maizy.

“Ow,” Maizy said.

“Sorry, sorry,” Tor said as he released his bear hug. He brushed back a few of Maizy’s curls to reveal a small cut on her forehead.

Wyn was unconscious but still breathing. She had a big gash on her forehead. Dy got to work and opened up her hemp messenger bag. She searched through it her small med kit. She didn’t have any more of the serum but she had some clean bandages and disinfectant. She cleaned and dressed the cut. Tor gently picked up Wyn and took her out of the van. He laid her down on a soft patch of grass near the store. Alex sat down next to her his rifle still held tightly in his hands. Maizy also sat down on the grass and Dy knelt in front of her. Dy cleaned and put a bandaid on the cut on Maizy’s forehead then examined her arm.

Tor went back to the van and opened up the drivers door. He yanked out the driver out of the car. The lifeless driver flopped into a heap on the ground. Tor checked through the driver’s pockets he found a lighter and stashed it away. He moved onto the front of the van. There was a old purple backpack in between the two front seats. Tor pulled it towards himself then unzipped it. It was Tor’s lucky day. He found a unopened bottle of scotch, a small bag of weed, he opened up the bag and took a deep inhalation, it was fucking fresh too. Where the hell did this come from Tor thought. He rummaged a bit more. He felt some soft fabric thing and pulled it out of the bag. It was old used panties. Gross. He quickly tossed them away. He found some jerky made of an unknown type of animal, it all tastes like chicken anyways. The rest was just crap. Tor then noticed a shiny pistol lying on the floor of the van, it must have fallen out of the driver’s hand, he stashed it in his backpack.

He checked over the other three dead guys. He collected another assault rifle a few full spare magazines, and a hunting blade curtesy of Ugly. He found some bullets for the pistol in the glove box.

In the back of the van there was a bench on one side with two sets of ropes hanging above it. Towards the front of the van there was an old brown lazy boy that had been permanently installed in place. Tor opened a small toolbox beside the lazy boy. He found box of bullets in good condition for the assault rifle. Tor wisely left behind two rusted cans of dog food. Tor made his way to a large wooden chest in the corner, etched into the top of it was a large dick and balls with a very full bush. Tor giggled to himself as he shook his head. Those sick fucks Tor thought. He opened it up. The smell of silicon, lube and gross sex nearly knocked him off his feet. He covered his nose with the inside of his elbow. It was filled to the brim with the biggest assortment of sex toys that has ever been amassed in a personal collection. There was small ones, big black ones, and dolphin shaped ones. There was chains and wipes and restrains and gags and things Tor had only a vague idea of their purpose. Then there was a big bottle of lube. At least they were considerate rapists. Tor quickly closed the chest before he caught something.

Tor wiped his hand on his jeans and made a mental note to wash his hands thoroughly before eating next as he hopped out of the van. As he walked past the driver he gave him a swift kick in the side. Tor placed all of his spoils onto the grass in the center of the group. He hugged Maizy again and lightly kissed her on the Dora The Explorer bandaid on her forehead.

“I’m ok, alright,” said Maizy.

“Her arm wasn’t broken just a deep bruise, I think,” said Dy.

Wyn was sitting awake but groggy with a bandage wrapped around her head. Alex was still tightly grasping the rifle.

“Great shooting out there, champ,” Tor said with a big grin.

“I missed everyone by a mile because your dumb ass wouldn’t let me practice,” Alex said.

“A little practice wont fix that horrible aim,” Tor said as Alex punched Tor in his thigh.

“I’m kidding, I couldn’t have done it without you, seriously,” Tor said, “we got some new guns and a few extra bullets, maybe I will teach you how to shoot one of them… if you’re not a dip shit.” Tor placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder. Alex lit up like a stoner who found a bag of weed.

Tor almost forgot. He walked back over to the rusty old car in front of the general store. He picked up the teddy bear still lying on the ground. Tor wiped off as much of the dirt and dust on the bear then he gave it to Maizy. She lit up at the sight of it and hugged it tightly.

“It needs a name,” Tor said.

“Hmmm, Peter,” Maizy said.

Next Chapter: Chapter 4