The group heads back inside of the school to formulate their plan. Mason is pacing back and forth, while the others are sitting at a table in the library racking their brains. Mason stops dead in his tracks and whips around towards the group. “So, since our phones don’t work anymore, we’ll need maps to figure out where we’re going. The train station is full of them, so it’d be a safe bet to go there first, Then we can see what’s along the way and plan from there.” Roxxy snarks, “You got that excited over that weak excuse for a plan?”

“Hey, at least I came up with one.”

“Whatever.” Roxxy smacks her hands down on the table. “So let’s get going then.”

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    The train station was only a few minutes walk, but they kept their guard up. The sky was a sickening grey as if it is was also horrified at the tragedy beneath it. The streets were painted in blood, and nothing showed signs of life. Groans could be heard in the distance, far enough to not warrant attacking, but close enough to instill fear. The teens stayed huddled together, the warmth of their bodies a sharp contrast to the chills in their bones.

    Thia Terminal soon came into view. The large mahogany brick building towered over them, making them fear what horrors could be inside. They were right to be afraid. Bodies were torn apart and strewn across the platform. The parked 8 train was further than its intended stop, and  had dead Reapers crushed beneath it, with some Reapers being squished to the front like bugs.

    Brendon turns around and promptly vomits in the trash can. Mason and Amy consider doing the same. Trying their best to ignore the ghastly sight, they tread lightly over to the information office. The door, unfortunately, was locked. “Has anyone got a hair pin?” Brendon asks, his voice still sickly. Amy pulls one out of her hair, her bangs falling softly back in front of her face. “Here.” Brendon flushes slightly, but accepts the pin.

    “What are you planning on doing with that? Don’t want you hair to get dirty when you throw up your insides again?” Brendon stiffly shakes his head at Roxxy’s comment.

“Nah, I don’t think his hair is long enough. I know Mason’s coiffed hair is, and he’s practically green just look at him.” Aaron gestures towards Mason, who bats his hand away and mutters ‘asshole’ under his breath. Aaron grins.

    Brendon takes Amy’s hair pin and inserts it into the office’s lock. He crouches down to be at eye level with it and gets to work. After a few moments of giggling the pin and a satisfying click, the door unlocks. Roxxy gapes. “Seriously?! There is no way in hell that this Ron Weasley wannabe has enough street smarts to know how to lockpick.”

Mason nods, “Yeah I’m curious, howdya figure out how to do that?” Brendon was a bit shook, Mason was invading his personal space, eyes beaming. Aaron pulls him back, but gives Brendon a look that goads him to explain.  He gets up and enters the office, the other follow suit.

“Well...I-um spent some time in a mental hospital, and during the nighttime, the doors to the rooms were locked from the outside, and all the crafts and book were in their own separate room, or at least that’s what it was like for my floor.” He pauses for a moment and scans their faces. Everyone looks enraptured, especially Mason, and even Roxxy looks likes she gives a shit. “I hated not having anything to do, so when I found a hair pin on the floor one day, I took it and tried to see if I could unlock my door. It took me a couple weeks, but I eventually figured it out. I started stealing books from the activity room, and I would return them when I was finished. No one ever noticed.”

“Huh, I was gonna gives you props, but when you said you snuck out just to read I was dissapointed. Also, why were you in there anywa-” Robin cuts Roxxy off.

“You asked him why he could lock pick, so he told you, and that’s all he has to tell you. Plus you should never be nosy about someone’s mental state like that.” Everyone is surprised at her outburst, especially since she had barely spoken the entire time they were together. Brendon gives her a soft smile. She didn’t smile back, but he could see the understanding in her eyes.

    A giant map of the nation was postered on the wall, with a little yellow star saying ‘you are here’. Mason grabs a yellow highlighter from the pencil cup on the desk and draws a line from the star all the way to a road that enters Selenus. “This seems like the most straightforward path. We should go this way.” Robin grabs a blue highlighter and draws a different path, this one contained more turns, and went through green areas. “While your path is straightforward, it follows a highway. Granted there might not be any cars to hit us, but we won’t be able to find food, water, or shelter on a large patch of asphalt. This way follows areas that have towns and forests, so if we need to satiate any of our basic needs we can either loot and stay in an abandoned space, or hunt and campout.” Mason smiles at her “Nice plan. So how long should it take us?”

    Roxxy pipes up. “Well if you weaklings are up for some heavy walking, 6 hours a day will take us two weeks. Also, we’re gonna need to grab some weapons; We’re going to be out in the open for a long time.”

“So are we gonna go full Dead Rising and have makeshift weapons, or are we actually going to get guns, cause I’m not sure I’m capable of shooting a gun without injuring myself.” Roxxy rolls her eyes at Aaron.

“There’s a hunting store nearby that me and my grandpa go to. I know enough about weapons to match you guys up with something that suits you.” Though her comment was meant as help, it only succeeds in making the other slightly more afraid of her. They each grab a smaller copy of the map, while Robin marks the path on each. Brendon, Amy, and Mason each took a deep breath to brace themselves before returning to the gory platform. They all managed not to vomit, and the group was finally off on their journey.