I'm not that brave that I could stand around looking to see where the bullets are coming from. I dive quickly to the floor, struggling to hide behind the large wooden counter.
I lay a moment, listening. Thankfully I have some kind of defence, with these precious few bullets. I swing my rifle from across my back, and pull back on the hammer, ready to fire. I guess whoever it is, must suspect I have some kind of weapon, otherwise they would have just walked up to me and fired away.
Thankfully the light outside is bright and clear, no unwanted shadows to hide people, or worse, hide things in.
Beside two of the fridges in here, there is a doorway leading out to the rear of the place. It's a good job, because it seems the walls of this place are made of metal, and I would be forced to go out into the line of fire.
I crawl slowly, edging my way along the hidden side of the counter. The floor is dirty as hell, covered in glass and dead bugs, all sorts of garbage. I can't complaint too much, because at least I'm alive.
I get a little too close to the edge of the counter and more bullets fire, this time at random, I can tell they're not so focused on me as a target, because they're scatter firing all over.
I manage to pull myself through the gap in the doorway, and out back. Whoever it is doesn't seem to know I have moved out of sight, because they are still shooting at the counter and into the front windows.
I hadn't seen this place properly until now, but there are boxes, and what looks like it was once a sort of flat bed, bedding, a slim pillow. No need to wonder who the inhabitant might have been, because their skeleton is still laying on the bed. I guess I won't be joining them!
I wait a few seconds, listening to myself breathing heavily. I guess I must have panicked when the shots began, but I can forgive myself, can't help the fight or flight response, and it probably saved my life.
At the other side of this long thin cupboard room, there are no windows or doors out, but there is a vent at the end. I can see daylight streaming through, so it may be an exit.
Whoever is out there keeps firing, and it seems from the same spot. They must have a lot of ammunition.
I move over to the vent, leave my feet facing it, and every time a fire sounds, I kick at it, trying to mask the sounds with gunfire.
At last it gives, bending at first, then dropping out, leaving a gap large enough for me to get out. I crawl through, moving low and keeping as quiet as I can.
An explosion, I can see smoke pouring up from out front of the diner. Maybe they're trying to burn me out?
I am hidden in some bushes, and can see up to where I think the shots are coming from. I see white light ignite from the barrel of a gun, up around three stories high, in the building opposite the road from here. If I go out here I will be a fine target, must move.
I slink away, slowly, then go the the back of the high rise on this side. There is a narrow passageway before the fence, I walk along, hunched over, just in case. I get to the end of the town and circle back.
I peer around the corner of the building on my side, feeling the tension rising now. The shots have ceased. I wonder if they either realized I am no longer there, or run out of bullets. I hope it is the latter.
I can't remain like this, and need to know who it is. I run quickly across the scorched tarmac, gun up, and into the building where the shooter was. No time to wait, I look up, and begin to run up the stairs, trying not to make too much noise. It's hard, there is rubbish everywhere, an old pram, clothes strewn all over, furniture thrown down, all sorts.
I don't have to worry about noise, as whoever is up there makes a huge crashing sound, with a massive thud to the floor above.
I am close now, sprinting up, gun ready, finger on the trigger. In my mind I am ready to move, see and fire, all in a fast deadly motion.
I jump onto the landing hallway, see the doorway ahead and move on through, no hesitation. There, at the end of the short hall, a figure laying, moving around. They're stuck in all the rubbish, fallen over among the debris.
I move fast to them, point my gun, ready to shoot; to kill if necessary!
The person becomes aware of my presence, tries to lift their rifle from underneath themselves, but it is trapped. Any second, I will fire, to the head. They're gonna die.
The prone person, trapped by their own haste, I almost laugh at them. Them my jaw drops open, my eyes wild in shock, as I look and realize I am confronted by...
Judy!
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