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 ^{(it's beta!)}

Through the window she could just make out the shadows of three or four people, arguing by what it looked like, the elongated shadows throwing exaggerated gestures in the early morning light. They were on what must have been the 26th floor of the apartment tower they were shacked up in. Lowering her binoculars Nicola rolled over onto her back, looking up at the sky she inhaled heavily for perhaps five seconds, binoculars rising and eventually falling with her chest. It was funny, she felt almost at piece, here on top of a sky scraper, the sun was warm for this early in the morning and noises from the city below and around her were muted by the concrete structures surrounding her. With the door leading to the roof locked and barricaded behind her a sense of security. She shook herself, she couldn’t get like that, feeling safe was exactly what made you vulnerable.

Standing up she walked over to her bedroll and equipment, stuffing it all in her back pack and attaching her bedding to the top with string. She was going to try and link up with these people, perhaps they were just scarred and useless, or perhaps they would know what they were doing, either way she decided she would be better of with them than on her own, if she wasn’t, well, she could always leave.

The apartment she was headed for was two blocks away, a short walk on the streets, but they were two dangerous, and any way how would she get up to the floor they were on, they would have booby trapped the lower stories if they had any sense, they must have to survive this long. Instead Nicola made her way from roof to roof, down and up fire escapes and the occasional short cut through a building. It took her fifteen minutes to get were she wanted to be, a balcony edge on a hotel. The balcony was perhaps eight foot above the window she had seen the shadows in, a fire escape stairway had been forced out lining the two building together, the survivors must have done this deliberately so they could leave the building and get supplies, or to escape. The metal of the stair case rattled and crashed as she descended it, alerting two people , a man and a women, who ran into the room the window was on, guns raised and fixed on Nicola. When they realised she was too coordinated to be one of the undead they relaxed their aims, never taking the guns fully off her the man opened the window and held out his hand. Nicola took it, pulling her self in through the window frame. Once inside the man let go and stepped back, re-aiming the gun at her head, ‘Strip!’ he commanded in a deep voice.

‘What?’ Nicola stammered, taken back by what she had been asked to do.

‘Don’t fuck about bitch, take your damn clothes of so we can if your bitten or not.’ Her angry voice nearly breaking.

Nicola realised why they had asked her to remove her clothes but her pride wasn’t going to let her do it without a fight.

‘I’m not bitten, put your fucking guns away and let me in.’

‘I say we just shoot her, right here and right fucking now!’ the women screamed, cocking her gun and taking aim.

‘Charley, put your gun down.’ The man spoke softly, Nicola looked at him properly for the first time, he was perhaps 6ft 1, with wide shoulders and messy brown hair. He was young, younger than his voice let on, and handsome, Nicola blushed a little when she realised this. ‘Look I’m sorry but please do as we ask, it’s the only way we can be sure.’

‘Ok.’ Nicola managed, she was taken aback by the man’s calm tone. Lowering her bag to the floor she began to strip away her clothing, taking her shoes and socks off. She lifted her vest over her head and unhooked her bra, her ample breasts bobbing a bit as they the bra came away, the man tried hard not to look. She made sure that her shorts and gun belt was the last items she removed. She stood in the room, fully naked, blushing all over her body, why did he have to be so handsome?

‘Put your arms on your head and turn around slowly.’ Charley said, trying to re-gain her control over Nicola. She obliged, feeling the eyes of both of them burning into her as she turned. The man looked almost as embarrassed as Nicola did, making her blush even more.

‘Ok your clean, put your clothes back on, now!’

The man put a calming hand on the women’s shoulder, causing her to lower her weapon. With and effort he took his eyes off the dressing Nicola and smiled at the Women.

‘Ok, my name is Mike and this is my sister, Charley, I’m sorry about her attitude but it’s been a rough few weeks, if you follow us through into the next room I will introduce you to the rest of us and give you a grand tour.