Two Friends (With Icystorm)

[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
The scarred male shot Seth a look. "Most people ask questions with an answer they want to hear in mind. I guess you're different though..." He snorted to himself. It was true though, he thought that he would have a better answer than the one he gave. But it wasn't like he'd tell the other anyway. His past was his alone, and he told himself that it was his to bear. It wasn't like anyone could do anything about it anyway.

Opening the backpack, he tried to distract himself by finding the crackers. Taking a packet out, he tossed it at Seth. "We'll be leaving soon, probably best to eat fast. You any good at hunting?" If he was going to tag along, might as well make him useful. He had weapons and proven himself a good fighter, but it wouldn't help in the long run. Bailey looked down at Seth due to how he had found him; practically living in a castle where everyone did everything for him. Or at least, that's how he saw him. If the other male couldn't do anything to help himself, then Bailey would've been happy to drop him.

Pulling out his own packet, he opened it and began to eat. It was a weird feeling; Bailey wasn't used to having company. While he wanted to say that the other was bad company, so far he hadn't slowed him down yet. He just hoped the other wouldn't talk as much, because Bailey wasn't exactly used to using his vocal chords. While he ate, he made a mental list of what they needed to do. He wasn't running low on supplies, but it was always helpful to stock up as a precaution. Fresh meat was generally helpful, but they didn't have time to make jerky so anything they caught would have to be eaten on the day or a few days after. Sighing, he shot a glance towards Seth and tried to see if he could notice anything about the other's behaviour.
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The right side of his lips curling up in a crooked grin, Seth snorted in return as a response to the other male's words. Yeah, he was different. Always had been, and not just because of how he wanted questions answered. It was always best to have the truth rather than being lied. Lies would only ever lead to problems in the future, the same went with not telling the full truth. Which was exactly why he was in this situation. If he had spoken his feelings in the past then he wouldn't have to have this stranger take him where he wanted to go.

Seth caught the crackers and opened the package, sticking a cracker in his mouth. As he chewed he thought about the question the other man asked, eyes narrowing slightly and head tilting to the side a bit. It took him a few seconds to realize what Bailey was asking, and once he figured it out his head straightened and his eyes were no longer narrowed. "No, can't say I am. Never tried hunting before." With his men and a good stash of food, there had never been a reason to hunt. Some days his men came back with small animals to cook an eat, but how they caught the critters was beyond him.

Grabbing another cracker, he waited to eat it, figuring his answer as is would not satisfy his companion. "That doesn't mean I can't learn. How hard can it be?" He began eating again, keeping his eyes on Bailey so not to miss any physical response to his answer. He had learned to survive on his own at a young age. Living on the streets he had to learn to steal and fight. Certainly murdering animals for food couldn't be any harder than winning a fight against two or three individuals. If Bailey was willing to give him the chance and teach him was another thing. The grin he had on not long ago had vanished. Bailey didn't exactly like him, so perhaps the guy wouldn't teach him, but that would be more of a punishment to the other guy. Wouldn't it? His eyes narrowed again as his thoughts began to confuse him.
 
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[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
Bailey munched on his crackers thoughtfully, mulling over what Seth had said. So he couldn't hunt. There was a lot of things to hunting; however depending on the person, could be easy or difficult to learn. He figured that he would probe more into the other's abilities. "How well can you shoot?" Bailey asked, wondering if he could find some kind of silencer. Even though they would likely be hunting during the day, you always had to be careful.

They could always raid shops along the way, but it had been 5 years since the world had gone to shit and even canned food was starting to go bad. Bailey personally preferred fresh meat anyway, as for some reason it didn't trigger the zombies. Only human meat did. When he knew he was in a safe place, the scarred male even added some condiments when he found them. Salt didn't exactly go bad. Scowling, he forced the thoughts out of his head. He didn't need to be thinking about this now.

Seth seemed to be proficient enough in other things, however Bailey hadn't seen him with a gun. If he only liked using his fists, they would have a problem. Most animals were skittish unless they were predators, and he wasn't about to see the other go head to head with a mountain lion. And just the thought of trying to teach him how to shoot... The male grimaced. He hoped that Seth hadn't been sitting on his ass all day in his castle.
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Mind slowly clearing, Seth's narrowed eyes opened up more since he was now given something else to think about, and the question was a welcoming one since it was much easier to think on than his previous thoughts. Still, he doubted Bailey would like his answer, but he had a feeling that was going to become a common occurrence. Once they were out of the city, he wasn't sure how helpful his skills would be. He wasn't going to be a dead weight, though.

"Don't really know. I had a gun, but never needed to shoot it. Honestly, I don't really care for guns." He shrugged as if it were no big deal, but after a quick thought he realized it probably was. While fists and knives were good in combat, hunting was probably another story. He was smart enough to know that it would be near impossible to sneak up on a deer, rabbit, or even something like a squirrel. Perhaps shooting that gun of his would have been a good idea, but it was too late for that now.

Grabbing out a few more crackers, he stood up. "I can always learn, though." He ate the crackers he had removed. For once he was still hungry, but he stepped over to Bailey and held the crackers out for him. There was no use eating more than he needed, especially since he was starting to worry how much use he would be during most of this journey.
 
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[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Bailey muttered under his breath. Just how useless was this guy going to be? It looked like he was going to have to be his goddamn baby sitter. His thoughts weren't exactly nice, cursing him and his damned castle. He hoped that Seth would somehow magically become useful later, but that hope was wearing thin. He didn't exactly seem promising, considering that the other had blackmailed him in the first place.

"You better be a fast learner. We can't stay in place for too long, so that means we can't set traps. And we're going to have to raid some stores for more bullets." He was running low on those, and he didn't know the area. It was unlikely that Seth would be able to help much in terms of knowing certain stores since they were out of his area. Ugh... Out of everyone he had to be blackmailed into helping, it had to be a useless one.

Taking the crackers back, he placed them back in the bag. Throwing it over his shoulder, he shot a glance to the other's wound. Had he forgotten about it? All in all, Bailey wouldn't have been surprised. He didn't know if he was overthinking things, but the other didn't seem to notice pain sometimes. It could've just been the adrenaline at the time, but he wasn't sure. "Do you want me to change the bandaging?" He asked after a small deliberation, deciding it was better that it was taken care of earlier than later.
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"I promise to learn as fast as I can. I don't want to be a burden to you, and I'm sure you will also find other uses for me." Seth was starting to itch for a fight. Running into a group of zombies would help show his worth so long as they had to fight to get away. Knowing his companion, running into a group of flesh eaters would just piss him off and put him in a bad mood, but at least he wouldn't feel so useless, and maybe Bailey would start to feel a little friendlier after the adrenaline wore off.

Walking back over to the bed, he sat down and removed the backpack, looping it around his leg. "Yeah, I suppose it would be best to change the bandaging." He removed his shirt and set it a side, giving the covered wound a quick sniff. It still smelled fine. The pain was also mild enough to ignore, but he had no doubt that would change once they got moving. Just thinking about the backpack strap rubbing against it made him want to cringe.

Wiping his mind of that unwanted thought, he changed his thinking to something more productive and tried to remember what this area was like before everything turned to shit. Mapping out their journey so far, going from his home to where they were now, he had a slight idea of what used to be in this area. "I think there used to be a gun store somewhere around here. Can't feel too hopeful that there will be anything left, but if we can find it then it might be worth checking out the area around it." Or he could be completely wrong, but normally his mental maps were reliable. What didn't help was that even before the virus he never came this way much.
 
[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
Tch. It sounds like he's a tool or something, Bailey thought with an eye roll, before correcting himself. Actually, he should be one. It was a nice train of thought, as most tools didn't speak when they were being used and he liked silence. Sadly however, it appeared that he had to train this tool to be somewhat useful.

Seeing Seth sit down on the bed, he sighed to himself and cleared his mind before heading over. His work was quick and efficient; he'd done it more than a few times before, and it wasn't long until he was finished. Glancing lazily over his work, he shrugged lightly before grabbing the other backpack and slinging it over a shoulder. "Let's go."

Listening to the other, a sarcastic comment came to mind but he didn't say it aloud. "Whereabouts is it?" He asked, hoping it was in the same direction as they were headed or at least close to it. He wasn't about to do a 180 and head back the way they came, but they could manage a small detour. Which reminded him, he had to check the map at some point just so he wasn't wrong as to where they were meant to be headed.
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Seth kept his body relaxed as Bailey walked over and began to clean his wound. He wanted to try to do whatever he could to get on Bailey's good side, to get the other male to become a bit friendlier. Was that even possible? God he hoped so. He wanted to become friends since it had been so long since he had someone he could call a real friend. Mason was the closest thing he currently had, and for some reason it was hard to consider the guy a friend. He was more like a hero worshiper.

Bailey's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he quickly put his shirt back on, grabbed the backpack, and stood up. For now used only one strap and let the weight of the bag rest on his good shoulder. It worried him that he would have to ask to stop and rest before the day was over, but he would tackle that when the time came.

Opening his mouth slightly, he was pulled back into his mental map. While he knew what area they were in, he was not sure of their exact location. "I don't really know. I'd need to find something I recognize and go from their." Was there even anything recognizable left? He could only hope, because right now he wasn't being much help no matter how much he was trying to be.
 
[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
Bailey was determined to keep things between them as distant as possible. He didn't need that feeling of companionship; he'd lived a good 2-3 years without it, he didn't want to know that feeling again. Friends always hurt you, in one way or another. Gritting his teeth, Bailey fought down the rising shame and guilt he often felt when he thought back to his past.

Groaning lightly, he rolled his eyes and looked at Seth. Well, at least this guy was making it easy for him to consider him a dead weight. "Whereabouts do we need to go so you can find your way?" He asked, praying there could be something he could do. Bailey was used to looking down on people, when he met them anyway, and it was definitely showing even if he wasn't saying anything about it.

Food, water, ammo... Those were the main things that were needed constantly. Sure they had restocked mostly, but he had to make plans for how to get them in the future. Not only that, but they were going to be needing things for two people instead now. Holding back a mental groan, he instead decided to ask a question. "Do you know how to hold a rifle, at least?"
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"If we head in the direction we need to go I'm sure I'll spot something I recognize. After that I can be of more help." Finally, Seth stopped and asked himself why he wanted to get on Bailey's good side. Was it really just to be friends? Yes, he wanted a friend, but he also craved attention. Now that he was away from home -until they found Drustan- that feeling of loneliness would eat away at him unless he did something about it. That made his reasoning a selfish one, but there was nothing new there.

Seth took a moment to study his companion, his eyes traveling across the scar on his face. How had that got there? A scar like that had to have a story behind it. He could ask, but he had feeling Bailey would not appreciate the question, or any question really. In fact, he felt Bailey would prefer if he was quiet and didn't speak unless spoken to.

Frowning, he was faced with yet another question that made him feel useless. "No, I don't." At the rate this was going, the questions needed to stop, or he at least needed to be given one that would work in his favor. Too bad it was highly doubtful that would happen anytime soon. "We should get going."
 
[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
So he didn't know where it was, and he didn't know how to hold a rifle. The second part was easy enough, but the first... With a loud sigh, he began walking in the direction they needed to go. "There's a map in my bag, I need to check something." While he did mostly know the way, it was always better to double check and he was in an area he hadn't been to before. And he was doubtful that Seth would even know the town they were headed to.

Looking over at him, Bailey was slightly surprised to see him looking back. What was he looking for? If he had to guess, it was the long scar across his face. Most new people he met always tended to stare, but he had long since let that bother him. It was a story he didn't tell many people, as it was apart of those bad memories he tried to repress. Coughing, he tried to get the other's attention back to his eyes instead. "What's your dominant hand?"

The rifle had a recoil, and Bailey had shot the other in the right shoulder. He wouldn't be able to hold it if it kicked back into his wound, setting them back even further. Maybe he could do the hunting himself and send Seth to go fetch water or something. Or scavenging for more cans. He could tell by the frown that the other was realising how useless he was. Maybe you should've gone out more... Scowling, he faced away from Seth and picked up the pace.
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Seth managed to follow Bailey for a few steps before he had to slow his pace while he noticed his companion had picked up his. Swinging the bag out in front of him, he grabbed the first zipper he could find and unzipped it, and was glad to see that after a quick search he had chosen the pocket the map was in. Holding the map under his chin, he zipped the bag back up and swung it back onto his shoulder. He should really learn to read a map since it would be useful for when his mental map failed him.

Eyes moving back to look at Bailey after he caught up, he found it hard not to continue looking at the scar, but by the cough from before, he could tell that it wasn't good to stare at it. "My dominant is right. Why?" What did it matter what his dominant hand was? He couldn't figure it out, but he was sure there was a good reason for the question. He had quickly learned that Bailey wasn't one to dick around with pointless information.

"Oh, and here is your map." Seth held out the map for the other guy, trying to focus on where they were going and finding something he recognized as opposed to looking at Bailey. What was it about being rebellious that something inside him felt oh so attracted to? It was becoming harder not to look at the scar, and the need to ask about it was growing.
 
[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
Bailey wasn't the type to look back. He knew Seth would follow, but did not make sure. Either he caught up or the male would leave him behind, and he knew that the other sure as hell wouldn't want to be left behind. Hearing the zipper open, he paused for a moment to remember which pocket each of his belongings were in. Realising the picture was in the hidden pocket, he relaxed and continued. Seth wouldn't accidentally come across it.

His dominant was right? Well there went his plans on teaching him how to hold a rifle. "All rifles have a kick back. You're meant to brace it against your shoulder." He turned to look pointedly at the other's wound. He knew that he was the one that had made the wound in the first place, but it wasn't as if he had planned on him coming along. That, coupled with the fact that Bailey already disliked him, made him not want to take any of the blame for the injury. They could make do, and the scarred male knew there were other things he could do. If they found the gun store, and it hadn't been raided completely, he would still likely take a couple more guns as a just in case.

Bailey took the map, unfolding it as they walked. He could feel eyes on him; was Seth still staring at his scar? Generally people were more polite, or they asked him soon after. He had a feeling that the other was going to ask him at some point, but for once the eyes on him were bothering him. He lasted another five seconds before he snapped. "What?" He asked, although a little rudely. Bailey knew exactly what, but he wanted to hear it from the other's mouth.
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"Oh." Seth's tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek, his eyes right and down, and realization for what that meant hit him. He wouldn't be learning to use a rifle until his wound healed. Noticing that Bailey looked at his right shoulder, his own eyes found their way to the injury, and even though he could not see it, now that he was focusing on it he could feel it. It wasn't too painful, but the day had only just begun, and they had a long way to go. It was going to cause issues later on. Bailey only had himself to blame for this one. He was the one who pulled the trigger.

His eyes stayed on his wound for a few seconds before looking up at Bailey. The gun wound was going to leave a bit of a scar, but at least his face was scar free as opposed to his companion. Thoughts having taken hold, he jumped when a voice suddenly broke through, pulling him back to reality. Fuck. He had been staring at the old wound. That was not going to do well for getting on Bailey's good side, but it was too late to do anything about it now.

Running a hand through his hair, he looked forward so he stopped staring. "I'm sure you are going to mind me asking, but how did you get the scar?" While waiting for an answer, he took a look around, squinting as something ahead caught his eye. Not too far ahead was either a statue or a pile of rubble. He prayed for a statue since those were normally something he recognized. Perhaps there was hope yet that he could get them to the gun store.
 
[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
At least he seemed to understand. Seth wasn't stupid, but he sure wasn't bright and clearly did not know when to stop staring. Bailey had already been prepared to snap a 'None of your business,' but something made him pause. Judging from how the other had asked him in the first place, the scarred male knew that if he had replied with that then Seth would've backed off. But they were going to be spending a lot of time together, so he may as well reply with something that could hopefully satisfy his 'companion'.

After a long pause, Bailey finally opened his mouth to reply. "Humans," he said quietly, and the tone made it clear that it was not open for discussion. Maybe it would've given some reason for having shot him, but Bailey didn't care. Seth could interpret it however he liked, just as long as he didn't press for any more information. Trying to distract himself from further thinking about it, Bailey looked over the map. There was a bit of rustling as he adjusted it so that he could hold it in one hand. Thinking to himself, he traced the path they would have to take and his tracking finger suddenly stopped.

"We're going to have to take a small detour. The next town over is controlled by another group, and we don't want to run into them. Might add a few days to our journey." Bailey prayed that Seth wouldn't argue. After the question about the scar, this was probably the worst thing he could've found out. He had the area on the map circled red, and it was a pretty large area. A few days was an underestimate. It would likely take a week or even more to fully get around the town, but since the other didn't know how to read maps then it was likely he wouldn't understand. He would likely explain later, but already he was irritated and annoyed enough to want Seth to not argue with him. Not that the other had so far, but Bailey had a feeling there would be decisions that clashed sooner or later.
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Mouth hanging open slightly, Seth thought about that response and began "to wonder if the scar was part of the reason that Bailey acted the way he did. In this world it was far easier to live in a group. Not only did it provide protection, but it also provided a way to explore farther and find more useful supplies. Bailey would still rather avoid that. The scarred male didn't like to be around anyone. Seth had to hand it to the other guy, he had excellent survival skills, and if he had to be out here with anyone, he was glad it was someone who knew what they were doing, especially since he himself lacked in certain skills.

Hearing that Bailey wanted to take a detour was not something that settled well with him, but he didn't say anything yet. He would bring it up in a minute, but first he wanted to check out what he had spotted. By now he could tell it was a statue, and after a minute of silent walking it took the shape of a giant bird. It was a landmark he knew, so he waited until they reached it before stepping in front of Bailey, stopped walking, and faced his companion. So much for becoming friends, because he was going to piss the guy off if his stopping already hadn't.

"The gun store is two blocks from here, but I'm not liking this whole detour plan. If it is faster to head through the next town, then I don't see why we shouldn't. I don't know about you, but I'm not scared of some group, and if they know what is good for them then they won't bother us." He crossed his arms and kept his dark blue eyes locked with Bailey's ice blue. No way in hell was he wasting more time than necessary. Time was already limited, so he was not missing his chance on seeing his friend, so long as his friend was still alive.. No, he couldn't think like that. Of course Drustan was still alive, and he would find him sooner rather than later.
 
[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
After Seth hadn't spoken for a while, Bailey assumed that the answer he had given was enough, and that he agreed to the plan. He relaxed, glad that they could have some more silence for a while. Or so he thought. Warning bells went off in his head as Seth stepped in front of him, and stopped. They were near a bird statue of sorts, was this something the other had recognised? He hoped so, because so far the other had still been useless.

What came out of the prince's mouth was both good and bad. Good, because he knew where they were, and bad because well... Bailey's eyes darkened considerably. Of course. How could he even have considered that the other would've gone along with his plan? Sure he had been good so far, but if he was searching for someone, then time was always on his mind. But something the other said was bothering him. I'm not scared of some group. Biting his cheek to stop himself from yelling at him, he took a breath before talking.

"You fucking idiot. Do you know how big this group is? How violent they are? Not every damn group is like yours. These fuckers will kill us if we go anywhere near their main base. That, or they'll feed us to zombs just for their own fucking entertainment. If you knew what was good for us, we won't be going anywhere near them." After his spiel, the scarred male stared at Seth with anger clear in his eyes. This clearly meant a lot to the both of them, but Bailey sure as hell wouldn't put finding his friend over dying. "You forced me to be your guide but if you plan on getting us both killed, which you are, then I'm not helping you."
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Taking a small step towards Bailey, Seth's eyes darkened dangerously, not because of the name calling but because his companion didn't believe he understood how people could be. He had dealt with the scum of humanity, the dangerous and the unstable. You don't live your life on the streets and not experience the worst of the worst. Something stopped him from taking another step forward and speaking his mind. If it had just been himself, then he would have taken the risk and walked right through the heart of the group's territory, but there was also Bailey to think about.

Features softening, he took a step back in hopes of ending some of the hostility he had created between them. He couldn't take Bailey somewhere where he could get killed -plus the guy already refused to get too close to the group- but he also couldn't take too long with the detour. Either one of them was going to be unhappy, or they were both going to have to give a little. He was willing to give a little, but would Bailey be willing to?

"Alright. I'd rather we not run into the group, but I'd also rather we not take too long going around. How about we stay inside but closer to the edges of their territory? That way it should be faster and there is still little risk of running into them." And if they did end up running into the group then he would take the fall. He wasn't willing to let Bailey die because of his decisions. The guy may think whatever he wanted of him, but he would protect the asshole with his life.
 
[fieldbox=Bailey Fallen, #e0ffff, solid]
Bailey wouldn't admit it, but he had been worried when Seth took a step forward. He knew that in a fair fight he would lose badly, but Seth needed him and it was unlikely to ever come to that. However the look in the other's eyes wasn't a good one. Bailey hated the situation he was in. He was forced to come along with someone who had barely any survival skills, probably never killed a zombie in his life, instead ordering other people to do it for him. And he needed to keep him alive, until he found his friend that they didn't even know was still alive or not. No matter which way he looked at it, there was nothing for him in this. All it was doing was opening him up to more ways to die.

What Bailey didn't want to accept however, was that it gave him a purpose. He had been wandering, alone, with no goal in mind except survival. That hadn't been living. That wasn't what he promised her. He would deny it, but he was glad that now he finally had something to do. Anything was better than the life he had been living, despite how much he currently disliked his blackmailing companion. It gave him something to stride towards, something to take his mind off the constant guilt and shame that always plagued him.

Was Seth trying for a compromise? Bailey's scowl faltered slightly as he listened. While he still didn't like it, he didn't want to argue any more. "Fine. But if I say run, you better fucking run like your life depends on it because it does." Was it a coincidence? The one time he had to be forced to do anything, they had to run into that group. He wondered if he explained to Seth what had happened, would he be more willing to take a detour? But Seth knowing his past was not something he wanted to happen, so instead he would deal with the increased danger. Some choices he had.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to get rid of some of the ugly feelings that were rising up inside of him. Bailey tore his eyes away from Seth, instead looking to the statue. "Lead the way." He didn't say more, didn't want to say more, instead letting his silence do the talking. While they had overcome another hurdle, there were still plenty more to come.
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Seth was unable to hide his surprise at how quickly Bailey agreed to the compromise. The other male had sounded certain that he wanted to avoid the group at all cost, and now that he thought about it, possibly even scared to run into them. If they were as bad as Bailey made them out to be, then he could understand, but he still wouldn't be scared of some low life punk asses that wanted to pick on everyone on God's green earth. That they would hurt or even kill someone innocent and get joy out, it was disgusting, and he wanted to give them a beating to remember him by.

Nodding to Bailey, he began to walk in the direction the bird was pointing. He couldn't remember why he had been in this area, it certainly wasn't to go to the gun store. While he had a gun, it wasn't gained in legal ways. He had taken it off some druggie after telling them to leave and not return to his city. Fucking druggies. He hated every last one of them. All they did was destroy their body and fuck of the lives of those around them. Not that he could say much about the latter point. It wasn't as if he hadn't fucked up the lives of those who cared for or had cared for him. But that wasn't the point. The point was..well, he just couldn't stand drugs or those involved with them.

Turning his head, he looked back at Bailey for a quick second and realized it could be worse. Instead of being stuck with mister Fuck You and Where You Came From, he could have been stuck with some addict. An addict he would be ok pushing around, though. With his current companion, he didn't want to push him around often since things went smoother when they tried to get along. Facing forward again, he stayed silent for the rest of the walk. Thanks to some rubble and broken vehicles, it took a few extra minutes to walk the few blocks, but he soon stopped in front of a building. "This is it." It did not look promising in the least. All the windows were broken and upon looking in the store there seemed to be nothing left. Although, perhaps they would get lucky and find a safe or something that people didn't want to bother with.
 
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