Unity

Iris had been running for awhile. She was slowly regretting not bringing water or a car for that matter. But she knew exactly where Veda would be, she just hoped that it wasn't too late. She paced herself to a walking speed when she saw Veda. She was just standing there in front of where she used to call home. It was infested with zombies inside and out. The look on her face broke Iris' heart and it was her groups doing. She walked up to her slowly, a good few feet apart. "Veda?"

Hearing Iris' voice broke something in her. "You did this." She hissed under her breath. 

"I had not intention-" Iris was interrupted by a very angry Veda charging at her. Iris grabbed the grip of her knife, but realized she couldn't use it on Veda. Something was holding her back and that scared her because that showed weakness. She was tackled by the woman and brought to the ground. Her air was knocked out of her. 

"F**k you!" She shouted before bringing her fists down with all her strength. Left right, left right, Iris tried her best to block them, but her arms were strained and bruising. She couldn't do anything, just wait for her opportunity to fight back.  A jab slipped past her defense and made contact with her nose, breaking the skin followed by a cracking sound. Iris' eyes filled to the brim. She couldn't just lay and take the beating. She remembered what her coach taught her so many years ago. She managed to catch one of Veda's punches and twisted it until she grunted in pain, causing her to loosen her body up for Iris to take advantage and flip her over. Iris held Veda's arms to the ground. 

"Stop this! I'm sorry about your home, but there's nothing here for you! You can hate me forever, but right now, me and the people back at camp are the only people you have left!" 

That's when Veda remembered two people that she sent out to recon the area. She was about to say something before the ground started to shake again. This feeling was familiar to both of them. They looked to right and noticed the same creature that was in the arena with Iris. "I thought that thing got run over."

"Obviously not." Veda stated bluntly. She pondered there options. She had to get to the hotel where her cousins were, but she had to outrun this big guy. I just have to outrun Iris. She thought. "Momentary truce?" She whispered. 

Iris nodded slowly before Veda kicked her in the womanhood and pushed her off before darting it down the main road. "F**k!" Iris shouted before getting up and chasing after her. "Truce my left tit." She mumbled under her breath. 

"Hey Finn, have you seen Iris?"

Finn went pale, "Ummm, last time I saw her she said she was going out for a walk."

"Alone?"

"Yeah, she needed to clear her head."

"That's weird, alright well I'm gonna go on Veda watch."

"No!" He shouted.

"Why?"

"Iris was very clear when she said that no one was to go near Veda. Especially you because you threatened to kill her like two times."

"That's something Iris would tell me face to face. What are you hiding from me?"

Finn started to sweat. "What's going on over here?" Tryston asked. 

"Finn's lying to me."

"About?"

"Iris. Where is she?"

"Out."

"And where is Veda?"

Finn could lie to B all day, but not to Tryston. "Iris might have untied Veda and might have showed her around the camp."

"What!" They asked simultaneously.

"She also might have left Veda alone to take a shower. Also, she might have kind of escaped and Iris might have sorta went after her."

"When was this?" B shouted.

"Maybe a couple hours ago?"

"We have to go after them." Tryston stated. 

"No s**t!" B snapped. "Gear up, we leave in ten."

"She's a bit bossy don't you think?" Tryston asked.

"I'm sure she's freaking out. I mean they are together out there. Alone."

"Do you think they've had make up sex yet?"

Iris got hit in the head with a rock that Veda threw while running upstairs in the hotel. "Ow! Really?" She shouted as she continued to run. The running Z's were still chasing them. They reached the floor just below the top and Veda ran into a room, slamming the door on Iris. "Are you serious right now?"

"Go die you piece of s**t!" Veda shouted as she put her weight against the door.

"Are you really gonna just leave me out here!"

"You destroyed my entire camp, and killed innocent people, f**k yeah I'm gonna leave you out there!"

"For the last time, I didn't do anything!"

"You stabbed one of my men in the eye, repeadetly, in public!"

"Because he killed my sister! You would've done the same thing if you were in my shoes."

Veda noticed the hurt in Iris' voice. She tried hiding it, but Veda knew her. "S**t." She opened the door and Iris fell in, landing on her side.

"Warn me next time?" She asked as she got into a sitting position. 

"This doesn't change anything between us. I'm obviously going to need help getting to the top floor and you're the only one here."

"What's at the top floor?"

"My cousins."

"Chester and Ellie?" Iris asked shocked.

"Yes, I sent them to scout the area, lucky for them, they weren't there when your people fucked us over."

B took a knee and noticed a knife on the ground, not too far from a trail of scattered blood. She picked it up and noticed it was Iris'. "Son of a b***h."

"Which way did they go?" Finn asked.

B scanned the area and saw a bloody footprints all going in one direction. "North, we're going North."

Iris looked around the room for anything to use as a weapon, but came up empty handed. "Do you ever wonder what happened to that big Z?" She asked. 

"I don't really want to think about that right now. I haven't heard anything in awhile, this is our time." Veda said as she opened the door and took the lead with a metal pipe she found earlier. They stepped in the hallway to find it empty. Veda started to run but was stopped in her tracks when a large mutated man turned into the corridor. 

"What the f**k is that?" Iris asked under her breath. 

"I don't know, but I'm gonna kill it." She said before charging at it. 

"Wait!" But it was too late, It grabbed her by the neck and started to chock her. It had no intention to bite her, just cause her pain. "Hey!" Iris shouted, getting its attention before throwing her boot at it. The beast quickly dropped Veda as she hit the floor, it ran it Iris and back handed her into the wall, causing it to crumble and fall around her. "Go get your cousins." Iris struggled. Veda nodded and ran to the stairwell. The creature placed its massive palm against Iris' sternum and pushed down, coming face to face. Iris was struggling for air, but managed to punch it in the face, causing her hand to crack. "F**k!" She shouted, releasing the last bit of air she had left. The creature screamed in anger as it gripped her by the neck, lifted her up and power slammed her to the ground.

Veda made it to the last door on the left and did a series of knocks. Then a few locks were being undone before the door swung open and she was embracing her two cousins. After a few moments, she finally spoke. "Please tell me you have guns." Chester just smiled. 

Iris was going in and out of consciousness, wishing this a*****e would just kill her and get it over with. But something in her was telling her to fight. She got up and charged at the creature, ramming it in the abdomen and it felt as if she hit a wall as it threw her back. "F**k you!" She shouted. She got up on her kneed and was ready for the next attack, but was sent to the ground with a ringing in her ear. Gun shots filled the hallway with a booming sound. Blood scattered all over the place as the large bullets pierced the creatures flesh. It took a few steps towards its attackers before falling over and making the floor shake. Iris got up slowly, using the wall for support to see two familiar faces. "Chester! Ellie!" She shouted with excitement.

"Iris!" 

They had a group hug before being interrupted by Veda clearing her thought. "Not to ruin the moment, but can we hurry this up? We have to get going."

"And go where Veda. We saw the camp. It's gone." Chester stated.

"We can build again."

"You guys are still welcome in my camp." Iris butted in.

"The hell we are going back there. Come on you two. We're leaving."

"No." Chester said, crossing his arms.

"Excuse me."

"Iris has something we don't have. If we go with her, we live. If we don't, we die. You may not like it, but we have to go."

Veda knew that when Chester put his mind to something, there was no changing it. He did have a point. She cared about her families safety more than anything in this world. She bit her cheek. "Fine. But just until we find something better."

They all grabbed the extra food, water and weapons that Chester and Ellie had and exited the hotel just to run into Iris' group. "Looks like we have our ride back home." Iris said to herself.

"Are you ok?" B asked as she ran to hug Iris. 

She hissed in pain. "I'm fine. Thanks."

B looked at her up and down. "Where's your shoe?"