BIG GUNS(and a battle)

Welcome to Homemart pt 2

The bullets tore through the air, hammering against our cover with deafening force. The three of us were pinned down, the metallic echo of ricochets filling the parking lot. Diego and Timothy were hunkered behind another barrier a few meters to our left, returning fire whenever they could.

“Alright, listen up,” Sandy said over the chaos. “I count twelve of them” She peeked over the edge, flinching as a bullet struck close, showering her with shards of concrete. The smell of gunpowder mixed with the sick stench of decay carried by the wind.

“Looks like it,” I added, keeping my voice steady as I leaned out just enough to observe their position.

“But we’ve got the width advantage. They’re clustered together; we’re spread across three covers.” In the middle were Sandy, Garrett, and me. Diego and Timothy held the left flank, and Barker was alone on the right.

“Garrett, can you get to their position?” I pointed toward Diego and Timothy’s cover.

He checked the gap and nodded. “Yeah. Short sprint. I can manage.”

“Good.” I turned to Sandy. “Can you reach Barker?”

She frowned. “Yeah, I can…but why?”

“Because you’ll have to convince him for this to work.” My tone left no room for debate. The gunfire paused for a brief moment, probably a reload on their side. “We’ll keep their attention here while you and Barker flank them from the right. They haven’t noticed him yet, and he knows it. Two skilled shooters are better than one.” My eyes met hers, making sure she understood.

Her lips pressed together before she nodded. “Alright… I can do that.” She took a breath, checked her rifle, and gave a half-grin. “Alright, you two, cover my ass and don’t die, got it?”

“Copy that,” Garrett said with a smirk as we opened suppressive fire to give her an opening. She sprinted out, boots splashing through puddles of filthy water as rounds struck dangerously close.

“Heh,” Garrett said between bursts, glancing my way. “Brings back memories, huh?”

I reloaded smoothly, the motion automatic, and gave him a half-smile. “You’re actually enjoying this?”

He chuckled. “You know me, Cover me.” Pumping up his riot shotgun.

Then he darted out, low and fast, making it to Diego and Timothy’s position in seconds.

Sandy slid behind a wrecked sedan beside Barker. He didn’t even look up. “Hey, Red. Lost something?” he said, his voice calm as he aimed through his scope at one of the raiders.

“If you take that shot, we’re dead,” she hissed, ducking low.

“Are you seriously telling me what a good shot is?” he replied, finger tightening on the trigger.

“No,” she shot back sharply. “I’m telling you that if you take it now, we’ll be riddled with bullets. But I’ve got an idea that’ll actually keep us breathing, one that might even make you look good.”

Barker glanced at her, interest flickering across his face. “Go on.”

She pointed to the right flank. “We move through those broken cars, use the wrecks as cover. They haven’t seen us yet, and they won’t if we move quietly. We can flank them before they know what’s happening.”

Barker grunted. “Pretty boy come up with that?”

“Yes,” Sandy replied flatly.

“Then screw him,” he muttered.

“Listen, asshole,” she said, leaning closer, her tone half-command, half-persuasion. “If you follow this plan, I’ll tell Gavin it was your idea that saved our asses. Think about the reward.” Her voice softened just enough to add a touch of temptation. “And maybe a little fame to go with it.”

He smirked. “Tempting… but I want a box of cigarettes, too.”

“Deal.”

Across the parking lot, Garrett signalled me with two fingers. We were set.

I took a deep breath and shouted at the top of my lungs, “HEY! IS THAT THE BEST YOU GOT? I’VE SEEN KIDS SHOOT BETTER THAN YOU LOT!”

I opened fire, drawing their attention. The others joined in, a wall of noise and muzzle flashes lighting the field. Barker and Sandy broke from cover, slipping between rusted vehicles under the hail of gunfire. The enemy took the bait, advancing toward our position and leaving their right side completely exposed.

Moments later, the ambush snapped shut. Barker and Sandy opened fire from behind, trapping them in a brutal crossfire. The parking lot erupted into chaos.

“DAMMIT! FALL BACK!” their leader screamed, but it was too late. Their numbers fell fast; twelve became five, then three. Until the survivors turned tail, sprinting for the treeline. The rest lay motionless on the cracked asphalt.

“Good work, everyone. Now let’s—” Sandy started before Barker cut her off sharply.

“Save the speech, Red. We’re not done. We’ve got company.”

He pointed. A group of walkers had started to shamble toward the sound of gunfire, drawn by the noise and the blood.

“GREAT WORK, RED, BUT WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!” Barker barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. “EVERYONE! GATHER WHAT YOU CAN FROM THE HOME MART! DIEGO, GRAB GUNS AND AMMO FROM THE BODIES!" She commanded with authority.

She looked at them annoyed as if they were waiting for a cue to work. "MOVE! NOW!”

No one argued. His tone carried authority, and fear did the rest. We moved fast, collecting whatever supplies we could; water, food, medicine. throwing them into the truck bed as the moans of the dead grew louder.

“That’s enough!” Sandy yelled, her voice cracking with urgency. “The horde’s too close! Everyone on the truck, NOW!”

I hesitated, spotting Mitchell’s body lying a few feet from the front bumper. He hadn’t made it. “What are you doing?!” Garrett shouted. “Get in, NOW!”

I grabbed Mitchell’s pack and slung it over my shoulder, running hard as the first walker lunged toward me. I vaulted onto the truck, tossing the pack and his body into the trunk before Garrett hauled me inside.

The engine roared to life, the suspension groaning as we sped away. Behind us, the horde flooded the parking lot, devouring what was left of the scavengers.

After what felt like hours, we finally broke free from the horde, the truck bouncing violently as it tore down the cracked highway. No one spoke. The only sounds were the growl of the engine and the muffled thuds of loose gear in the back. My hands were still trembling from the adrenaline wearing off, muscles twitching, breath uneven. The copper taste of blood lingered on my tongue, and the faint smell of smoke and decay clung to everything, even the cold night air that streamed through the shattered window.

When we were far enough, Barker pulled the truck to the side of the road. The engine coughed once and died, leaving behind an eerie quiet broken only by the ticking of the cooling metal.

Sandy was the first to move. She pushed open the passenger door and stepped out, taking a long breath like she’d been holding it since the gunfight.

“Everyone okay?” she asked, her voice low and hoarse.

One by one, we gave quiet nods or murmured “yeah.” It wasn’t really an answer, just a way to fill the silence.

“That was close,” Timothy said, his face pale but composed. “At least we got as many supplies as we could.”

I ran a hand over my face, feeling the grime and sweat. “Who were those guys?” I asked, inspecting one of the crates to make sure nothing had broken. “They weren’t random scavengers.”

Barker scoffed, slamming the truck door shut behind him. “Who cares? Probably some desperate bastards thinking they could loot the place, just like Gavin warned you.” His tone was sharp, accusatory.

Sandy turned her glare on him and flipped him off. “Stop being Gavin’s lapdog for one damn second, Barker.”

“She’s right,” Garrett said, stepping in. “No one could’ve seen them coming.”

“I don’t remember asking for your opinion,” Barker shot back, his voice rising. He squared up to Garrett, his shoulders tight, eyes burning with anger.

“ENOUGH!” I barked, shoving myself between them before it could escalate. “A kid just died today, and this is what you two decide to do? Trade punches like idiots? Are you both brain-dead?”

Barker jabbed a finger toward me. “You keep your mouth shut, you’re not even one of us!”

“He’s more of one than you’ll ever be,” Timothy said sharply. “At least he had the guts to recover Mitchell’s body.”

Barker froze. The words hit harder than any bullet could. For a long second, the only thing that moved was the wind through the empty road. Then, without another word, he turned, slammed the driver’s door, and sat inside the truck, silent and seething.

Sandy exhaled slowly, rubbing her temples. “Forget him,” she muttered. “He’ll drink himself stupid tonight and wake up pretending none of this happened.” She looked around at the rest of us, her voice softening. “Thanks… all of you. Despite everything, we made it out with what we came for.”

There was a weary chorus of nods. Diego approached me, eyes heavy with exhaustion but grateful. “Hey, thanks for bringing the kid’s body,” he said. “We’ll make sure he gets a proper burial. He deserves that much.” His words lingered like a promise before he walked off with Timothy toward the truck bed.

As they climbed in, I found myself staring at Mitchell’s still form under the tarp, just a kid. Couldn’t have been older than sixteen. The world didn’t care about age anymore.

Sandy came to stand beside me. The wind tugged at her hair, streaked with dust and dried sweat. “You didn’t have to go back for him,” she said quietly.

“Didn’t sit right leaving him behind.” I stated coldly.

Her eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary, studying me, maybe understanding more than she let on. “Still… it was the right thing to do.” Her tone softened, just enough for the edges of her usual toughness to fade. “You’ve got more heart than most people left in this world.”

For a second, I didn’t know what to say. The exhaustion pressed down like a weight, and the space between us filled with everything unsaid; the shared tension, the guilt, the strange pull that had been building since the firefight. I gave a faint smirk to deflect it. “Don’t let Barker hear you say that. He might start thinking I’m stealing his spot.”

Sandy actually smiled, small but real. “Please. He couldn’t fill your boots if he tried.”

Garrett called out from the truck bed, breaking the moment. “You two done flirting, or should we give you a minute?”

Sandy rolled her eyes, hiding her smirk as she turned back toward the truck. “Get in before I change my mind about saving your ass earlier,” she shouted back.

As I followed her, Garrett gave me a look…half amused, half knowing. “You sure you still want to stay here?” he asked, tone quieter now.

I stared out at the empty road ahead. “Do we have a choice?”

He gave a tired smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach the eyes. “No. We never did.”

As the truck rumbled back to life and we drove off into the fading light, the horizon stretched out before us; vast, empty, and uncertain. The world had ended long ago, but for some reason, we were still fighting to live in its ruins.