The Virus

"I'm not violent. When have I ever hit someone? Even when I went through that popular phrase, I never laid a hand on anyone. I threatened 'em, but I never hurt anyone-- I suppose me wanting and begging you to come out to shoot some zombies isn't exactly benefiting that, but they ain't people. If they don't die, we don't live. It's pretty simple," he returned sharply, his quick response lacking its usually joyful tone. He wasn't mad at Zack, far from it. If anything, Logan, who was usually pretty upbeat and oblivious, had fallen silent at the confessions. If Zack could have seen himself shooting Logan when he first showed up, he really had no belief in his friend to keep him alive when the infection intensified. That made finding a cure all the more important.

"I just... what if I got infected, or you? You're the smartest guy I know, and if anyone can find a cure, it'd be you, won't it? So we need to head out and find out all we can, it's important. We can either lounge around and wait until we die, or get a fucking move on~!" He passionately laughed, his earlier moodiness disappearing in a blink of an eye. "Yeah? I mean, don't get me wrong, I like playing at being the hero, but I'd rather be laying at home with a six pack of beer and a sports game on the TV. I'd rather have normality back, Zackarie."​
 
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Pushing off the sink, he warily glanced at the door before reluctantly caving in. He rummaged through the one neat pile of things to tug on a different, clean baggy hoodie, ignoring his bare chest to force back any embarrassment. Once dressed in something lighter, yet sturdier for the rainy, Florida weather. Tugging on a far more appropriate shoe other than his worn out pig slippers, he picked up his equally as worn down backpack and stuffed it with a few things; food, a flashlight, his trusty hammer- which was his only 'weapon' that he used if a zombie neared- and nails, to close the door up properly.

"Look, let's just go, okay? If we're going, I want to be in and out. You really should keep Mars here, I don't want her in the lab. If the zombies are in a condensed space, there's more likeliness that we'll be hurt."
 
"You're actually coming out with me? Oh Zack-- this makes me happier than that time you decided to play soccer with me. It took me months to convince you when we were kids that you'd be safe, and what happened? Nothing. We had fun. So, trust me. We'll get research, we'll have some fun together, and we'll come back later and cuddle up in bed," he teased lightly, tugging back on his shirt and boots, before growing far more serious when it came to Mars. Grabbing almost all the blankets, he set them on the couch and wrapped her up in a few, before setting out some pieces of bread for her to eat in the likelihood they'd be gone for awhile. He had never actually left her alone before, so doing so now did fill him with dread, even though he knew it was the right option.

"...Right, let's go," he nodded, shoving his gun back into his pocket and trudging over to his friend. "It's really important that we find a cure eventually, so as fun as this is gonna be, be serious too. I don't want this to be a colossal waste of time."​
 
" 'Be serious'? You're the one who has been wandering the streets without a stable shelter and barely any food. I don't want to hear shit from you about being serious." He replied sternly, as he began to carefully pull the nails from the wooden boards. Once opened, he shooed the other man out of the apartment so he could quickly put the boards back up on the outside. With his trusty hammer, he physically cringed from each time the bang of the wood against the door could be heard. He knew it would be worth it in the longrun.

Once properly finished, he cleaned his hands before forcing the hammer back into his bag. Giving a good ol' tug on the boards, he triumphantly smiled when they were far more secure than needed. He then turned on a heel and hurried up the flight of stairs to the fourth floor. He always told at least Paul that he was going out, and to make sure the others were safe. They followed his form of security, too, boarding themselves up to protect themselves. Paul, though, was significantly less careful, thanks to his many guns. Being a former cop, Zack often trusted him the most. As was evident from him knocking lightly on the other's door.

The old man eventually emerged, his eyes puffy and his lips adorned with a cigarette between his lips. Paul was a friendly enough man, always wanting to protect those he cared about, and he certainly cared about Zack and the family down the hall. So, once noticing the boy through the peephole, he opened up curiously, especially once noticing the larger figure besides him.

"Oi, Zack, what's going on? Are... you heading out?" The man asked, his voice a near stereotype of a smoker's, it being nearly inaudible. Granted, with Zack's own quiet voice, the two bonded over it in some strange way. "Do you have everything you need? Who is this guy? Muscle?"
 
Despite the other's insistence, Logan whined about 'wasting time' the whole way up to the fourth floor, grumpily shifting his weight from his left to right foot and frowning in protest at what he saw to be an unnecessary event. Shoving his hands into his pockets wisely, to avoid his bandaged hand being observed, the Polish boy at least managed a friendly smile and slight head nod once being looked at by the old man.

"Muscle? See, told you I was tough," he grinned, giving Zack a slight nudge for emphasis. Even in front of strangers, he didn't get spooked and he still continued to be his usually rambunctious self. "Nah, I'm his best friend-- or ex best friend, I don't really know what's going on. Likewise, this is a huge waste of time, Zack, we should get going because Mars doesn't like being away from me-- we're going to find a cure," he continued once observing the ex police officer in front of him, proudly smiling as though they were on the verge of a breakthrough when, in reality, they hadn't even started on the basics yet. It could take years before one was discovered, and yet he only had two weeks at the most before the infection reached fruition.

"So, if you get bit, mate, we'll heal 'ya, won't we Zack? He's super smart, and I'm kinda tough, so it'll be a-okay~"​
 
Glancing over at Logan, the cop scoffed and cracked his back wearily. Offering a simple shrug, he paused the two to return to his home, only coming out to offer a knife to Zack. Paul was well aware of Zack's adventures into the streets, since he had traded with the boy before, but he was also aware of just how scrawny the albino was. If he planned to be out longer than just a brief scour of the streets, Paul had no trust in either.

"Look, take this. Your friend looks messy, and I ain't gonna let you get killed because you two don't know shit. I get that you ain't a big fan of guns or whatever, but I want you to at least have some insurance," the ex-cop murmured, before offering a grunt to the two. With that, the man had returned to his apartment.

"Paul is like... a dad to me, I guess," explained Zack, who warily weighed the knife in his hand. "I feel safer when I tell him where I am, you know? Like, it just feels safer. Maybe, like, if I get in trouble, he'll find out since I wouldn't tell him I'm back."
 
"I don't like him," announced Logan with a genuine frown on his face, which, both things combined, was rare for him. He was usually seen with a bright smile to accompany his lively personality, and he more or less liked everyone he came across. Of course there were exceptions, and he had often spent hours gossiping with Zack in their treehouse about the pretentious preppy girl they bitched about, or how idiotic Kevin from Science was... but generally, Logan gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, and he certainly didn't dislike anyone from five seconds of knowing them. However, the ex-cop was an exception from that.

"He clearly doesn't like me. You haven't been talking nastily about me, have you? Like, about how you had a horrible ex who abandoned you and stuff? I dunno, man, he just... he was looking down at me, both literally and in terms of his frowns. Am I really a mess?" He asked, attempting subtly to smooth the creases from his shirt and straighten his still damp hair. "...I don't think style is that important these days, not gonna lie. Does he expect me to wear a suit to kill zombies? 'Cause damn, I haven't worn one since my aunt's wedding when I was five..."​
 
"You're fine, really. Paul really follows me, you know? With the whole defense tactic, and what not. It definitely confirms how I'm managing this, having a cop agree with me. I'm not some cowardly weakling, let's be honest," he replied, holding back his cockiness as he hurried down the stairs, growing immediately cautious once getting to the first floor. There was a chain on the door, that the tenants owned, though a zombie could probably find a way to break through. The thought was terrifying, hence his hesitance.

"Y-Yeah, aha... I remember that. You looked cute, in the suit. I'm bummed that you don't do that now. I guess the only formal event you'd be going to lately would be a funeral," he murmured, while his shaking hands unlocked the chain with a frown.
 
"Whose funeral? Cause you sure as hell aren't going to die soon, alright? Quit it with the morbid bullshit. We'll be the last guys standing, and when I prove that, I'll wear a goddamn suit for you. I'll probably look dapper, actually. I pulled it off when I was five, I could definitely pull that look off now," he boasted, unable to keep his own cockiness confined to beneath the surface. However, he was intending to try and distract his friend with his boastful declarations once spotting his nervous hands shaking. He would happily paint himself out to be more narcissistic than ever if it distracted Zack from fully realising what laid outside the locked doors.

"...I have my gun, you know. You have the knife, we're pretty tough and we're prepared. Think of it like one of our childhood games. I know I always beat you when we played, but I can't help being awesome. This could be payback, huh? You storming out of here without a glimpse of fear would be pretty rad, Zack."​
 
"I can't... I can't do that, a-aha..." the man whispered, darting his eyes towards Logan with a weak smile in an attempt to feign some form of confidence. He was often told to "fake it 'til youmake it" by his father growing up, but it never seemed convincing when he tried to act strong or brave. It just wasn't in his nature, after all. Hell, he was scared of the world before zombies roamed wild, so he saw it as understandable.

Once stepping outside, he quickly peered around. While there were a few zombies scattered, none of them seemed close enough to immediately cause alarm. Nevertheless, Zack moved quickly to secure the lock to th complex..
 
Relaxing against the building wall as he surveyed the area, he eventually grinned confidently to himself. The zombies that were around had apparently failed to notice them, which did give them a valuable advantage in being able to get a move on without the added danger of defending themselves, even though Logan admittedly would like a frenzied attack just to show off a little and aid his fantasy of being in some zombie movie he religiously watched as a kid.

"Hey, see? It's pretty calm out here, isn't it?" He smiled, nudging his friend and gesturing broadly over the abandoned street. "Maybe we'll run into my ex. I'd love to shoot a bullet in his forehead, he was such a dick to me... But hey, that's not important. What is important is us trudging off to this lab and getting some research done. It's important to me-- to everyone."​
 
"Let's just go and get to the lab," he murmured quietly, before instinctively taking Logan's hand in his. He was, admittedly, scared, and he always went out alone. Having someone else with him was pleasant, in that sense, though he was significantly less tanky than Logan, hence why he urgently tugged on his hand to move quickly. If there was anything that he was good at, it was fitting in small spaces and running from zombies.

"The lab is, like, a solid mile away. We should follow the tree line, you know?" He whispered, while biting his free hand nervously.
 
"Yeah, let's do what you want, you're the smart one. Just chill out. I'm sure they can hear better than we can, and your thumping heart and panic will make them notice us. I have my gun, as I've said constantly. That ought to really be all the assurance you need," laughed Logan as he trudged along beside him, ideally walking at his own pace but, given Zack's hurry, he did speed it up a little for his benefit. When he was holding hands with Zack and having some embrace, he wasn't going to ruin the moment by deliberately slowing down and freaking him out further.

"After all this shit is over, we should go on a date somewhere-- at least, I'd like that. I've said sorry for being an asshole, and... I dunno, nobody I've been with compares to you. This really isn't the place to chat casually, but I want to get your mind off feeling scared, and the thought of a cute date with me would do that. Maybe we can go to the hold treehouse, have a picnic," he pondered aloud, the sole purpose being to distract Zack, even if he received a resounding 'no' in answer to his proposition. The idea was to just get him to relax a little, and if it did end with a promise of a date, it was a win-win situation. "Anyway, that's until we find a cure, and it's important we do, 'cause I... I don't want to get bit and turn into a zombie. It'd fucking suck."​
 
" You said they can talk and interact sort of normally, right?" He asked in a whispered, while instantly reaching to his heart at the mention of it. "M-My heart isn't beating that loudly... is it? Look, I-I never go out in the day. I'm not, uh... I'm not used to this all, seeing the zombies in this sort of light. They're quick, right? S-So that means we need to be fast..."

While, he understood Logan's attempt - he did the same thing when they were children, especially when he was introduced to bugs - but it usually only barely helped... and, flesh eating humans were very different from a small cricket or a mound of fire ants. Nonetheless, he reluctantly slowed his rushing a tad, though still insisted keeping to the treeline, his face burning red in fear.
 
"I mean, sure. Like, I've told a few to fuck off here and there, and this old guy told me to 'watch my manners', so I'm pretty sure they can understand and communicate, yeah. Shame, really. If they were all idiots that moaned about brains, I'd be a lot less scared of them. The fact they can talk and run is pretty scary," answered Logan without realising that his efforts of calming his ex, and reassuring him that the zombies weren't that smart, had probably ended when he admitted his own fears. Of course he was worried. He could paint on a brave face, laugh off the idea of being bitten-- but he was evidence of how anyone could be infected.

Awkwardly stifling a cough, and swallowing hard despite his sore throat, he realised that the oncoming of illness was the first sign of infection. It all started off with similar symptoms to a flu, and the sore throat wasn't the nicest feeling in the world. Yet, he bravely smiled it off and trudged beside Zack without letting him in on his sudden sickness. "Chill, we'll be fine, okay? Besides, if we do get bitten, we'll be zombies together, won't we~?"​
 
"Romantic," he drawled sarcastically, before remaining relatively quiet. He wasn't one to talk very often in casual situations, to begin with, and he certainly wasn't up to have much of a comedic back-and-fourth.

Once arriving at the rather busted up campus, after a solid half hour of silence and intense shaking from fear on Zack's park. Staring up at the campus, he rummaged through his pockets to find his keys, one of which was to specifically made for the select few students. He moved quickly, in fear of the zombies that had noticed them, forcing back his panic.
 
"See, we made it in one piece, didn't we?" Commented Logan as he rested his body against the cool of the building, trying to get into the shade as best he could to avoid the strong sunshine. He had gained a decent tan from his time venturing out into the sun to collect food, doing so at all times of day in his fantastical idea of starring in his own little movie, but when the weather was this hot, even he couldn't stand it for more than a few seconds, which did make travelling in it slightly stupid. Nevertheless, he would brave any weather if it meant getting started on a cure. He only had two weeks or so before he fell to the infection, and he wanted to build up a bond with Zack before then.

"Hey, get this door unlocked, I'm literally melting here, buddy," he sighed, fanning his face and groaning for emphasis. "Maybe zombies hate the heat, or something, 'cause there's nobody around here."​
 
Pushing through the door with a sigh of relief, he was more than happy to see that the lab was untouched. Motioning Logan in, he locked the door behind him and tugged a chair to block it for further safety, smiling all the while. Cracking his knuckles, it was the first time in months that he seemed to act like a normal human being. Well, as normal as Zack was capable of.

"Make yourself comfortable. Better yet, you could go and check to see if the backup generator still works. It would be nice to use some of the proper machines, otherwise I have to deal with the old-fashion microscopes.
 
"I don't really want to touch anything, this is your domain. It's the first time I've seen you so confident and not stressing out, so I won't touch anything. I'm clumsy, you know that. The amount of times I've broken vases and stuff is ridiculous, so just... I'll stay out the way," admitted the infected human, nervously sitting down on a stool and eyeing the area with a faint smile at how untouched and normal it seemed. It was rare to find areas in the city that retained the normalcy it had before the outbreak, so to be in a space where no zombie had been was a surprisingly nice feeling.

"Is it bad that I find you really attractive right now, at a time when I should be concentrating?" Grinned Logan flirtatiously, resting his chin on the back of his hand and shooting the other a wink. "Kidding, I won't jump on you and beg to make out, as much as I wanna. You do your thing, we'll talk about kissing later~"​
 
As Zack set up the proper tools, he paused to glance up, a brow raised. He knew all too well of just how sexual his friend could be, and if he had to use that to his advantage to get something done, he would- albeit, reluctantly.

Wandering towards Logan, he nervously set his hands on the other's chest, rubbing it slowly. He may not see himself as particularly attractive, Logan did, and he desperately didn't want to handle getting a sample.

"Hey, I... I was thinking, we're the only two people around from high school, right? You don't have any of those douchebags manipulating you or anything. I would love to be able to properly hook up with you and all, but I have to work. This could all go quicker if you were able to get a sample for me...?" He asked in a murmur, having wrapped his arms around the other's shoulders with a smile
 
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