C.5 : First Battle

"Don't move, if we run, it will hunt us down one by one!" The girl wielding the golf club spoke gently, but the fear in the air made Lyn want to leap over and frighten them, so that is exactly what they did. Lyn rushed out, steps silent as ever, but their hands easily gripped the baseball bat as they pushed the James downwards, making him unable to attack or retreat.

The other three snapped out of their daze and rushed over, but Lyn pivoted and tossed James into the other boy lightly and dodged both a pan and a club aimed at their head and neck. The girls, seeing the zombie release James, backed up as no human would want to stay within close proximity to a zombie.

"We need to distract it!" Lyn rolled their eyes because now that they had said so, why would they allow themselves to be distracted? A metallic clang sounded behind Lyn and a quick glance showed a can had fallen to the ground after being thrown by the other guy.

He didn't seem to have thought that one through because Lyn could smell and hear zombies converging on this location steadily. Lyn crouched low and then shot forward, fingers wanting to grab one of the kids but a cart slammed into their side and sent them tumbling to the floor.

A low and raspy growl rumbled in their throat as they slid and rolled to their feet, nails gouging lines in the ground. The girl with the pan looked frightened but she was the one who had sent the cart their way.

Because of the noise and zombies enhanced senses, Lyn straightened out of their slight crouch and looked at the four of them who had gathered together. If Lyn wanted to actually harm them, it was easy to do so even without their extra features, but they were only passing time.

Lyn turned, much to their surprise and walked back to the register, sitting on it and biting into another piece of meat. If they tried to leave now, they'd be hard pressed to survive and would be lucky to even manage to get a single cart of the four they had filled with food back to wherever they resided.

"Why is it just sitting there? It should be desperately trying to eat us." The boy who was almost at the receiving end of Lyn's attacks spoke hesitantly but didn't rush over since last time taught him the result of such an action.

"Is that meat? I don't think it's human meat if there's no bodies around, so is it something like a vegetarian zombie?" The girl with the pan spoke up nervously and the others looked at her with confusion, but the zombies who had been alerted staggered into view.

"Shit! The zombies are coming!" The four backed up but if they used the carts, the zombies would be drawn to them, but even so, between food and their lives, they chose to live. Lyn didn't react and looked at them silently as they ate.

"Knock down the closest ones. Try to keep your distance and do not let them grab you!" James used the bat to knock a zombie down, but the growls outside caught their attention and the finally realized how bad the situation they found themselves in was.

"Outside is blocked by at least ten zombies!" If there wasn't that zombie which was extremely fast and strong sitting nearby watching them, they might be able to escape, but how could they fight at ease with a mysterious zombie behind them?

Lyn sniffed the air and turned and looked at the glass which was being crowded by a small group of zombies. If they didn't figure out how to get in, they'd most likely not get in, and if they timed it right, the humans could force the zombies outside to enter through the door and dispatch them in a way far easier than being surrounded.

"That zombie isn't moving aside from eating." Seeing the other three fighting for their lives, the pan girl turned and looked at Lyn who stiffened and with a loud snarl punched out at a zombie that had gotten to close to them.

If the humans weren't aware of the disparity between them before, they had a clear picture now as the zombie who was punched flew back five meters with a dent in it's chest, it's still and lifeless organs within smashed, but even when it landed on the ground on it's back, Lyn knew it was still alive.

Snorting, Lyn resumed their meal but the humans were shocked because they had never heard of a zombie attacking another zombie, and given the fact it was less than a week since zombies appeared, there was still too little information on them.

Lyn didn't have to punch the zombie, but invasions of their personal space seemed to set them off. Because Lyn's coat was on and they had pulled their hoodie up before encountering the humans, they had no idea what Lyn looked like either.

Just as Lyn was enjoying themself, a loud roar sounded from outside in the parking lot and Lyn's body became alert. A few seconds later the glass door shattered and a male zombie rushed through the door, bigger than Lyn's smaller body size and faster than humans, but Lyn could feel that it wasn't evolved beyond their level.

Seeing the zombie focusing on the humans, Lyn felt a bit uncomfortable because even if they didn't intend to eat them, what would they do if something else ate their toys? Lyn got up and a loud feral roar left their lips, causing the zombie to skid to a stop a warily while looking at Lyn.

The zombie didn't seem to have much intelligence but kept growling, but it was better than a normal zombie who seemed to lack awareness in every aspect besides eating. The zombie sniffed the air and growled at Lyn who stalked over, slipping into a crouch with a rumbling warning growl.

If Lyn had to guess, then it would probably be at the level of a wild beast fighting them for food. Seeing Lyn not backing down even after it's growling made it leap into action. Lyn moved to the side fluidly and with precise movements, dug their hands into the zombie's stomach and pulled as they retreated.

Even if the zombie didn't need their organs, Lyn could guess it would be highly uncomfortable for someone to dig them out just like that in a fight, and the zombie didn't seem to like it because it punched at Lyn who blocked but flew back and landed softly three meters away like a graceful predator.