the greatest;

The fact that she took what she wanted didn’t mean she was spoiled or egotistical. It just meant she’d learned to deal with the world. She rolled her eyes and didn’t bother returning the bottle. “Give me a break, it’s not like a couple shared sips will kill you.”

“They might,” his eyes took in every movement she made before a huff escaped his lips. She was annoying. Cute. But annoying. That was always a deadly combination. “How do I know what you have? You could have mouth herpes.” 

“And what are you going to do about it?”

“Hopefully annoy you until you fuck off.”

“Well find somewhere else to be fucking content then,” she responded, letting out a mildly irritated sigh. 

“Oh, terribly sorry, do you own every inch of this five mile radius or...?”

“Avoidance. Peachy.” she didn’t think he was that Anti people, she didn’t really care about those she came across. Abel was a whole different store. “How long do you plan on running?”

“Hmm,” Abel shrugged, moving about a second later to try and find something that he could stuff into his backpack. Food. Supplies. Something. “As long as it takes to make people leave me alone for good.”

“That’s what you call it? Fine, I’ll just keep looking, I’m sure someone still has a heart and will help. Or maybe I can come with you on a hunt.”

“Not likely, kid. Hearts make people weak. Being weak in this world is a death sentence. You should know that. It’ll keep you alive.” 

“Yes, shhh.” She laughed a bit, but then got really quiet. She could play the quiet game although it was rather boring, so she started looking around. 

Abel let out a soft sigh of relief. The air around him was silent finally and he could hear himself think. Though the girls eyes darting around was enough to put him on edge once more. “What are you looking for? And should I be scared about it?”

“Like running is going to make things better. Suck it up.”

“I’m only here for supplies. Running short on some food. And after that, I’ll run all I want.”

“And I wish you’d get out of my place but hey, can’t all get what we want can we?”

“Yeah, no, I’m pretty content here right now. Though, keep talking and I’ll be gone before you can blink.”

“Maybe I’d shut up if you passed the bottle,” Olivia ripped the object in question from his hands and then, before pressing it to her lips, muttered a: “jackass.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Abel pushed himself up to sit quickly and glared at the girl. She had just stolen his alcohol. What the fuck? “Find your own, little girl. Hand it back over. Now.”

“I will after you answer my question, do you know where some water is?”

“No. I haven’t needed to go on a water hunt, so...no idea. Will you shut up now?”

“Yikes. That doesn’t sound like a good way to go. Do me a favor and spare me though, will you? I’m not that bad.”

“I’ll spare you if you’re just quiet for ten minutes. Let me think. I need to sort out my list of supplies that I came into town to collect, hmm? Just...shhh.”

Was he really always this much of a five year old? Get told to stop talking and then do it more? She was starting to believe, despite how many excuses he gave, that he was doing this on purpose. He wanted her to get killed. Seconds were passing like hours as far as she was concerned. Zombies outside and she still found it in herself to be irritated with him. “The only voice annoying me right now is yours.” Ingrid bit back, breathing in deeply. Now was not the time to fight him, not when they were possibly seconds away from death. Oh my God, you just do not shut up. She tried to keep her irritation to herself, eyes rolling softly, though her head stayed resting against his chest. As much as she was annoyed, she was even more afraid. “Seriously, if you do not shut up, I will make you.” Ingrid groaned, though moved her knee as much as she could. Really, there wasn’t that much room in there, where did he expect her to go? She wouldn’t admit that she needed this, needed to be closer to someone, someone stronger and older, someone who could protect her.

For a moment or two, Abel kept his mouth entirely shut. It was the first and only time he had done so in ages. Though it didn’t last long. He was curious at this point. What did she mean when it came to making him shut up? What was going on outside the door was entirely lost to him now. He needed to dig and find out exactly what she meant. And he would find out. Even if it meant rambling on and on about absolutely nothing. “You’ll make me, huh? You’re so tiny. How exactly are you going to make me shut up? I could go on for fucking days and not get tired, girly. Trust me.” the corners of his lips tugged up into a lazy smirk as his eyes studied any part of her that he could in the darkness. There was such a large part of him that despised how intriguing she was to him. On top of how annoying she constantly was. He wanted to know, more and more, what made her tick. What made her so full of anger for such a tiny little thing. Unless that anger was for him alone and no one else was given the pleasure of seeing it. “C’mon, girly, cough it up.” 

“Haha! Nope. The only drug I’m taking is positivity towards the possibility that we’ll all survive long enough to see this apocalypse come to an end. Hey? That rhymes! And for your last question… I don’t really know?” 

She was amused by his reaction. She figured he’d be appalled by her energy.

“Listen, if your loudness drags any of those things towards us, I’m shoving you in the way and running. Because you’re far too noisy for a world like this. You’re going to get yourself killed. If I don’t do it for you.”

Even scared down to her bones, this man still made her want to rip her hair out. He was certainly right, he was entirely unable to stop talking, the exact reason she disliked him so much. He kept talking, and talking, and talking, and he never really had anything nice to say. She was almost convinced he was incapable of saying something nice. Nice was not synonymous with his name—shit, she realized she didn’t even know his name. Stuck in a closet with a stranger who would rather give insults than his name… not that she had been all that nice either. Still, she was having some shitty luck today… well, she supposed he wasn’t the worst looking man to be stuck in a closet with. Ingrid peered up at him, chin resting on his chest as she blinked with brows creased. “Please, just this once, try to stop talking.” She whispered, moving her head back to stare at the shadows dancing beneath the door. Instinctively, she pressed herself harder against him, eyes squeezing shut when one of the undead came incredibly close.

Surely, there had to be more space than the girl was allowing him. There wasn’t though. No matter how much Abel squirmed, his back was pressed firmly against the wall. It made him feel claustrophobic. Though he made sure not to show that. He was never one to show weakness in front of anyone, though he felt an even deeper need to keep it hidden from her. He was sure she would be eager to use it against him if he let it show. “I’m trying. It’s not easy,” he hissed, making sure to keep his voice as quiet as possible. The walkers were so close and Abel’s grip only seemed to tighten on the girl. She was pressed so close already but strangely enough, it was starting to feel like a comfort. Though, again, he would never admit to that. “Even at home, alone, I talk all day to fill the silence of that fucking house. Yet, I come here...into town...and every other voice annoys me.” he was nervous. Abel didn’t deal well with nerves and he was sure that’s what was setting off his rambling. Oh, he so wished he could shut up. The shuffling and moaning outside the door was getting louder and he hated it. “Your knee is digging into my leg, by the way. It’s so bony.”

“I have no fucks to give on that remark. Relax Abel.”

“You relax. Perhaps I should simply vanish back into the forest. It’s so quiet out there.”

“Block them out.” she sighed.

“That sounds so easy but when an entire town is irritating...well, it’s far more difficult.”

“Make me! I am like a can of non-stoppable energy!!” 

She hoped she didn’t come off as intimidating. No, no, that was not her goal. Crystal was this way with everyone. Always energetic, but did know when to be serious. Right now though, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Holy fuck,” Abel eyed the girl up then frowned. He had never met someone with so much energy. Kids, sure, but adults? They were normally so done with life by this point that energy was hard to come by. “Is there something wrong with you? Are you on something? Hard drugs? Where do you even find drugs at the end of the world?”