"I thought there wasn't anyone in the office?" Dec asks with a frown as he returns his attention to navigating the many obstacles. 

"I didn't think anyone was in the office until he appeared out of nowhere." I mutter, still struggling to process it all. 

"And who are the strays." He nods his head to Karina and Roza who are huddled in the back and shooting him suspicious glances.

"Dec!" I snap, "I'm so sorry, he's not normally so rude."

Karina gives me a genuine smile, "You saved our lives and it's pretty much the end of the world, I can handle a little sass from your boyfriend."

"You hear that mister sassy pants." I snort as Dec rolls his eyes.

"I didn't mean to be rude," He groans, "I'm sorry, just wondering how you found my delightful girlfriend." He throws over his shoulder.

"We didn't really find her, she found us. Saved us from a group with nothing but a fire extinguisher." Karina says, still sounding impressed.

Dec gives me an incredulous look, "Eyes on the road gorgeous." I correct primly.

He obeys but I can still see him sneaking glances, "What made you choose the fire extinguisher of all things?"

"Well it was that or a chair in the reception and at least this gave me more coverage." I reply breezily, "Also I've stubbed my toe on those chairs and they're pretty damn heavy so I didn't think I'd be able to lift one."

Dec bursts out laughing, "Of course."

"So where are we going? Sorry, Dec was it?" Karina asks after a moment.

I smack my forehead with my palm, "Oh right I'm so sorry, that was rude of me. Karina, this is my boyfriend Dec. Dec, this is Karina and Roza."

At my introduction Roza peeks round at me and gives a little smile. I catch Dec watching in the mirror. "You just have to be the hero don't you?" He chuckles.

"Me? You're the one protecting the public every day." I throw back.

"Yeah, but you're the one who wants to actually save everyone."

I laugh, but he's right. I'm a street fundraisers wet dream. I cannot pass a good cause without want to do something or help someone.

"In answer to your question, I'm planning to aim for my Uncle's house. He lives in a little village and has some land which houses a small farm. Hoping it's secluded and self-sufficient enough that we can avoid needing to go near infected areas to often. Need to get some supplies on the way though so I can drop you guys somewhere if you'd like." Dec explains.

"No, no. We umm-" Karina chokes back what sounds suspiciously like a sob, "we have nowhere to go so we'd appreciate sticking with you both if you are sure you don't mind?"

I look back over my shoulder at her and see the pain in her eyes, "Of course we don't mind."

"Thank you. Someone was smiling down on us when you found us." She says softly.

I'm not sure anyone is smiling down on anything right now as I examine the scenery. We are beginning to leave the city now and approaching the more familiar Kent views I love.

"Mama?" Roza asks.

"Yes my love?" Karina's response is instantaneous and I can feel her love from here.

"Will there be ducks on the farm?"

The innocence of the question makes my heart clench. Despite circumstances which will likely force her to grow up far quicker than she should, she is still a child.

"I don't know, why don't you ask Mr Dec nicely?"

"Mr Dec?" My lips quirk up into a smile at Roza's soft questioning tone.

Dec refuses to look at me and I know he's trying not to laugh, "Yes Roza?"

"Are there ducks on your farm?"

"Yes, there's a big pond by the house that the ducks all live in." Dec explains as he swerves around another group of infected stumbling at the car.

The further out we get, the less I seem to see and I am endlessly thankful Dec managed to get to us in time.

"I love ducks." Roza informs us in a happy little voice.

I hope to God that the little ducks are OK when we get there. I have no idea if this virus affects them or if they are in danger from the infected attacking.

"Where are we going to stop?" I ask Dec after a moments silence.

"I was thinking that big Asda before the turn off."

"Isn't everyone going to have had the same idea?"

He shrugs, "Probably, but it's not like we really have a choice."

We all fall silent again as we process the danger we are approaching. My mind is in overdrive as I try to recall every end of the world movie I can think of. I'm not the sort of person designed for situations like this. Physically I am midsized and can only be described as being built for comfort, not speed.

Dec's body is similarly soft, but significantly stronger. A regular gym goer who has to stay active for his job means it isn't exactly surprising.

Karina is waif-like and pale. So slim she looks like a stiff breeze could knock her over. Then there's Roza, a child still struggling to come to terms with the different world we find ourselves in.

We are perhaps the most unlikely of survivors, but I am determined for us to get through this.

As we roll into the car park it is immediately  clear how many other people had the same idea.

"Shit." Dec mutters under his breath.

I'm tempted to scold him for swearing in front of a child, but the words die in my throat in the face of the danger.

Gun shots ring out and I can hear distant screams and snarls in the air.

"You all wait here-" Dec starts.

"Like hell, I'm coming with you." I snap.

He sighs as circles to the furthest corner of the carpark, practically parking us in a Bush in his effort to hide us.

Engine off he tucks the keys in his pocket and reaches for a bag in the footwell by my feet.

My eyes nearly bulge out of my head as I take it the small arsenal he managed to collect.

I don't question it as he leans back and holds out a gun to Karina who takes it tentatively. "I don't like the idea of guns in the hands of anyone who doesn't know how to use them, but these are crazy times. If someone breaks in or is coming at you, point at their head and fire." He demonstrates how to hold it with a similar sized gun, before handing me one as well.

My mouth is so dry I'm not sure I can respond or trust my voice so I just nod and state at it. It's heavier than expected I muse. Strange to think that until today I had never even seen a gun in person.

Dec examines the distance between us and the shop, planning and preparing himself mentally. "Ready?" He asks.

I'm not ready and I know I probably never will be, but I nod anyway and we quietly open the doors and slip out. Dec locks the car behind us and I watch Karina and Roza sink down in the seats as they try to make themselves as little as possible.

I pray they'll be OK, but there's no time to focus on them as we jog across the car park.

Thankfully most of the infected are crowding around the windows and doors so they haven't spotted us yet.

Dec moves with swift confidence, his gun raised and eyes constantly scanning around us. I hurry to keep up and end up moving at a sort of half jogging speed.

"We get in and out as fast as we can." Dec orders, "You grab a trolley and fill it with anything that's likely to last, I'll protect you."

I want to tease him and make fun of how bossy he is being, but I can't quite bring myself to do it in case it's one of the last things I say to him.

"Did you bring any carrier bags?" I ask instead.

"Are you kidding?" Dec let's out as surprised laugh, "I'm sorry love, but recycling and caring for the planet were not top priority when I was trying to get to you."

I roll my eyes, "No need to be dramatic, I was just wondering how we are going to move the stuff we get to the car."

"Oh shit, yeah." Dec groans, "We will just have to work something out when it comes to it."

We are so close now I can smell the same awful rotting meat smell from the infected crowding the front.

They seem totally stumped by a revolving door and it's so comical that if it weren't for the danger we are in, I'd probably be laughing.

I grab a trolley and we inch our way towards the gap. One particularly nasty looks zombie swings towards us, her milky eyes and filthy face facing us down. Dec goes to fire, but I'm unexpectedly fast, swinging the trolley into her with such force that she goes flying back into the group of infected and the all fall like skittles.

I let out a startled giggle and Dec laughs too as he pushes me into the gap and we push the door round until we are in the shop.

Apparently someone had a good thought about turning it off because, although it's chaos, there don't seem to be any zombies immediately obvious.

"Go go go." Dec urges me towards the first aisle.

The shelves have been ransacked already, but I start throwing things in anyway. Tins, packets, and boxes soon fill the cart and I dump a load of clothes in there too.

Dec is at my side the whole way, giving his most threatening looks to anyone who dares approach us.

Most people are the same. Too wrapped up in their own fear and getting what they need. We catch two people fighting over the last oat milk as we grab a couple of long life cartons.

I can tell Dec is itching to jump in and put a stop to it, but he doesn't. I touch his arm and he flinches, "Sorry, I think we are done." I say, with an apologetic smile.

Dec nods, "Right, let's get out of here."

At the front of the store the number of infected is growing rapidly and it's clear that if we don't get through them quickly we will be trapped.

A scream sounds behind us and I spin. A man is on the floor, twitching and jerky as his mouth foams. My initial thoughts as seizure as I take a step towards him, but Dec catches my shoulder and shakes his head, "Run." He whispers.

The man stills and begins getting awkwardly to his feet as we run for the door. I glance back over my shoulder and my jaw drops in horror as see him dive on the woman he was with and the other shoppers scatter, screaming.

Dec fires three times as we burst out into the car park with other terrified families. The nearest infected drop instantly at the perfect shots. "Here." He says grimly, handing me the car keys. "Run and don't look back, I'll be right behind you but you need to get everything in the car."

My eyes fill with tears and I let out a small sobbing noise, "You promise you're right behind? I don't want any of that self sacrificing hero nonsense!"

"I promise. The world might be ending, but I'm with you. I'll always be with you, every step of the way."

I try not to focus on how much those words sound like goodbye, "I love you." I whisper and we both start running.