JINSEN

I stare at the end of the barrel wondering if he really did have bullets in that thing. It was probably best not to test it. I would have just a day ago if Zared hadn't come back in my life completely alive. But he was and he was here, and there was nothing I would do to jeopardize mine or his life ever again. I take another step back, holding onto his arm that was held against my chest as he tries to protect me from getting shot. I pull him back along with me to get him as far away from that door as possible without freaking out the old man.

"We're not here to harm anyone." Zared carefully states as he slowly pulls me behind him.

Neither of us took our eyes off the gun that was sticking out of the screen. "I've heard that one before. You think I survived this long without dealing with little shits like you? Back away and get the fuck off my property before you both get your brains all over my backyard." He grouches.

"If you survived this long then you would know that's a very bad idea." Zared sasses back calmly where I wanted to smack him upside the head.

That would be something I would say not him. Maybe I rubbed off on him a little bit. I nearly smiled at that thought but refrained since I didn't want the crazy old man to think I thought this was all a joke. Because I didn't. This was so far off from being a joke that Zared's words made me cringe instead.

"Is that so? Maybe I'll leave your dead corpses out on the ground for them to take then. At least they'll get fed and leave me to myself."

"Okay, that could happen, but I don't think you'll chance that."

I stare at the back of his head. Where was this bravery coming from? Did our separation do more damage to his head than I thought it did? I thought I was the one who went all suicidal and gained a 'don't give a fuck' attitude. This side of Zared was something new to me as I watch him take a step closer and then point up to the second floor window.

"Because I'm sure you're doing everything to keep them safe, right?"

I snap my head to see what he was talking about just to find three sets of eyes peering through the curtain windows just above us. My eyes widen when they suddenly vanished leaving the curtain to sway. I look to the old man again. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to point that out because now he could feel even more threatened.

But Zared seemed to have thought of that as well.

"Look, we're really not here to hurt anyone. We're just looking for a place to stay for the night. We came from the woods seeing the overgrown crops and figured we could use the farmhouse to settle down. We don't want to bother you or anyone else that's in there. We have a big group with children and we're all just trying to survive too."

"Are you a part of that group that kidnaps innocent lives and feeds them to the monsters?" He barks pointing his gun out even further.

"Absolutely not!" I was starting to get angry now. "My boyfriend and I almost died because of those assholes and if there are any of those fuckers out here you'll be sure to see me slaughtering them all. Besides, how do we know if you're not a part of that group and this is your way of luring the two of us into your trap?" I snap, pushing myself against Zared as he holds me back from stepping up to the man.

Silence surrounds us after that little outburst of mine and then suddenly the old man starts barking out with laughter. It was rough and crackly as if he was a smoker or something. I look to Zared, and he looks back at me for a split second in confusion, but I wasn't letting my guard down.

The barrel disappears from the screen door as he says, "Yeah, I doubt you're in that group alright. Not if you're two gay little shits who likes to fuck each other's assholes."

We both stiffen at his use of words to describe us and right then and there I knew I was going to hate this man with a passion. Zared reaches down to clasp my hand tightly knowing I was about to lose my shit.

"Oh calm down, you two. I didn't mean anything by it." He grouches again and opens the screen door.

He wasn't what I was expecting at all. Maybe a hillbilly redneck farmer or something. Or a man with jean overalls and a straw hat looking like he could use a good wash but a man who was my size and wore a white button down and slacks, salt and pepper hair that looked neatly cut and not as old as I first took him, wasn't it. He wore glasses and he was sporting a goatee.

"The men who like to snatch others for their gain in this world wouldn't tolerate a gay couple in their mist. Their leader is prejudice against them. Hell most of them are." He then comes a bit closer and squints his eyes at us. "In fact they seemed downright pissed at all gays. Leader went a bit crazy when he found one of my boys", he nods his head up to indicate the second floor, "was a little too feminine."

That surprised me. "You have a gay son?" I ask in shock.

He shakes his head with a chuckle. "None of them are my kids. How about I tell you the story after I meet your group."

Just then a loud noise came from the front, snapping his head behind him in the house. "What the fuck." He growls, cocking the gun.

"Wait, it's just our people! We came in a small group to check the house to see if it was safe. We were told to check out the back." Zared quickly yells loud enough for his voice to carry.

Just then the noise stopped. For a few seconds silence ensued. Then, "Zared, Jinsen everything alright back there?" Lacy's voice carried through the house.

Something catches my eye on the side, and I quickly see that it was Leo sneaking over against the wall of the house. Lifting my fingers a little where I wouldn't catch the old man's attention I make a motion for him to back off. He stops and frowns, trying to lean his head forward a little to see who the man was but from his point of view he couldn't.

"How many of you are there?" He barks out looking unsettled now.

"Nine of us." I quickly say. "Two in the front, us two here. One is over there on the side of the house," Leo jerks at me outing him like that. "And four checking the shed."

"The one calling out has a shotgun of her own." Zared states. "Lacy! Weapon down! There are people here in the house and he's just protecting his family!"

We don't hear anything after that. I wasn't sure if she heard him or was taking precaution of the situation. The old man raises his gun slightly. "Where's the other one? The one by the house that you mentioned?"

"Right here. Don't shoot." Leo calls out as he slowly comes out of hiding with his hands raised.

He comes to stand next to us slowly giving me the stink eye since I told the man all our positions. But for the life of me I couldn't sense danger from him. Especially if he was protecting others. We all hear crunching of footfalls as Lacy and Christina come from the side of the house as well. Looking a bit pissed and curious she doesn't lower her gun as she comes right in front of us holding the barrel of her own gun at the man. Who in turn does the same thing.

"Sorry old man. We were just passing by checking the place out. If you're really protecting your family here then you wouldn't mind lowering that weapon and letting us all go. I don't want bloodshed, but I will shoot you if you do any harm to my own family." Her tone was hard and final.

He doesn't lower his weapon. "I want to see the other four first. I won't lower this gun until I see you all standing right here in front of me."

Leo turns towards the shed and cups his mouth with his hands. "Hey guys! Head over here...now!" His tone broke some warning for them.

It only took them a few minutes, but Seth, Mateo, Jacob and Lani finally make an appearance. Seth frowns seeing the situation and was about to say something when he looks over to the old man and his eyes widen.

"Holy shit, Ricky?!"

The old man jerks and instantly lowers his gun when he looks just as shocked as Seth did. We all watch as our friend comes rushing over. "Holy fuck man! This is where you've been all this time?"

The man named Ricky comes down the steps ignoring us all now as they collide in a tight hug. "Seth, what the fuck are you doing here?"

Pushing back from him, he looks him over. "Dude, everyone has been looking everywhere for you. You just vanished and none of us knew where you were." Then his shoulders slump. "No wonder we couldn't find you, because you're here."

"As are you." Ricky's face becomes downcast. "Damn it, I hoped no one I knew in our world would ever come here but seeing you...damn it!"

"Uh little info here please. Seth you know this man?" Lacy asks, slightly lowering her gun with confusion written all over her face.

"Yeah, he's my neighbor. He's been missing for nearly half a year before we all got stuck here. At least now I know you didn't run off on your wife and kids."

"Mary...how are they?"

For a few moments they talk about their families back home. Looking back up at the second floor I see more faces in the window looking down with curious eyes. Before there were three of them. Now there quite a few more. I wondered just how many of them were up there. Seeing me looking up Zared does the same and waves like the idiot he was. Some jerked back from the window but one of them stayed, smiled, and waved right back.

Quirking a brow I look to my man whose smile broadens and looks to me. "Think we aren't going to find any privacy here." He whispers and my mind went straight to the gutter with that sentence.

"Well, fuck me." I whisper back in annoyance.

"Trust me babe, I'm trying too."

Heat flushes my face as I push him playfully. "You perve."

He grabs my waist and pulls me closer to him where he whispers in my ear, "Only with you love."

My heart flutters with joy and then squeezes remembering how lucky I am to have him here with me, whole and healthy.

"Alright, let's all head inside." Ricky states after he gets done talking to Seth. He then walks over to me and Zared. "Sorry for shoving my gun in your faces but well you know how it goes." He shrugs not looking sorry at all.

"No worries. I would do the exact same to protect mine. We're just thankful that Seth knows you. It makes it a whole lot easier for all of us." Zared tells him, not letting me go, making the guy look down at the way he was holding me.

"You two really are gay, aren't you?" He blurts causing Seth to moan in embarrassment.

"Ricky, come on man, really?" He winces.

"What? There's no shame in who you love. Gay, straight, lesbo, trans...a furry, whatever rocks your boat is fine by me." He shrugs nonchalantly.

"How do you even know what a furry is?" Seth looked a bit appalled by that.

"What the hell is a furry?" Lacy asks, looking dumbfounded.

"You know what, lets all just get inside." I quickly say needing this conversation to be over asap.

"Right, follow me and meet the others. It's been a good minute before we saw anyone else who wasn't trying to use us as feed."

That statement was unsettling at the very least. Because if we were all the way out here and they knew who the bastards were then maybe that group we encountered isn't the only one doing it. At that was even more unsettling.