#//yes with a little school bus icon and a sandwich lmao

[rioreeve]

Zach nodded to confirm that was the gun he was talking about, and when Ash offered him a little gift, he smiled. "Thanks. Now I'm good," he said, putting it in his jacket's pocket, for quick and easy access. He was aware they should avoid shooting at all costs; stay as quiet as possible unless making more noise was absolutely necessary. Relying on a weapon as quiet as his knife was something Zach preferred in this scenario, despite the close distance it required. The best option, however, was not letting the infected spot them at all – there would be many many more waiting for them out in the streets than what they had faced a few days earlier. "Sure. Let's not get caught," he summed it up with a wink, but all the things they had discussed were like a mantra in his head, playing on a loop to make sure he remembered their plan. One stupid mistake could cost a life out there.

Oh, if only the streets remained so empty. What a wonderful gift it would be! Unfortunately, such wishful thinking could get them killed and Zach got rid of it before the thought even set in his mind. "They know where survivors are, and they probably manage to get inside buildings from time to time, and camp there," he replied. Not all survivors were lucky enough to properly board up the entrances to their hiding spots, and the infected people's heightened senses made it easier for them to take advantage of those mistakes. Horrible as it sounded, if a bigger hideout had been discovered and broken into by the horde, they would stay there until they ran out of food again. Staying as quiet as possible was important now and this topic definitely made it easier for Zach and Ash to do so – neither of them seemed eager to discuss why the zombies were headed in a different direction, for they both knew what possibilities were on the table.

The men walked in silence, successfully avoiding smaller and larger groups of the infected, clutching their weapons when they spotted something but praying they wouldn't have to use it. When they reached NYU and Ashton's campus, and he slowed down, Zach automatically followed suit. He could see the hesitation, a flicker of hope, especially when he told him it was his campus. The last thing they needed now was to get sentimental and let the emotions take the lead, but he thought it wouldn't be such a senseless side quest. First of all, there could be survivors trapped inside, scientists and people smarter than an average person, worth saving for this reason alone if someone didn't feel empathetic enough to find a different one. There could also be some useful resources inside, things worth taking with them. Finally, Zach thought that stopping there could, at the very least, boost morale; maybe it would make Ash feel better if they peeked inside, especially since a separate/second trip would be far more dangerous. "Anything worth checking?" He asked quietly, studying their surroundings. It was quiet, the question was – was it a good sign, or a bad one?

"9mm pistol?" Ashton asked for confirmation, seeing the gun Zach had on hand. He reached for the side pocket from his bag, pulling out the box and handed Zach at least a clip's worth with a small smile, "better to be prepared, just in case." Pretty sure they could scavenge and find more next time, for now what matters is that they both feel 100% ready. "Just remember though," a grave reminder for them both, Ashton noted in a murmur, "..if we fire, that's it, they will come for us. Aiming for their legs slows them down, can't chase you without them." In a high enemy volume situation, evasion was their only option, no point trying to land a head shot if there's twenty of them coming at you. They already discussed this in length but like before a mission it felt important to lay it all out again, "if shit hits the fan, we retreat, there'll always be tomorrow." As long as they made sure they were still here tomorrow. Ashton took a second to inhale deeply and exhale a long breath before he looked back to Zach, "I'm good too."

The thought of thanksgiving was a mixed feeling for Ashton, it was a nice gesture, perhaps for morale as Rosie would sometimes say. But also it weighed heavily that most residents would've probably been halfway home to family at this point, including himself. "They have that talent to do that for people," hopefully they make it back in time, hopefully they make it back, period. Ash stepped outside, closing the door shut, no turning back now. He kept his guns aside for now, one hand holding into a combat knife, and another free for emergencies. "Should be clear for awhile if we go fast, I thought it was strange that they were heading North.. maybe ran out of things to eat." A dark thought, that the South of Manhattan could be completely empty for the zombies to devour anything else anymore. Ashton gestured with his head, nodding towards the direction they should head, silence was their best friend for the rest of the day.

They kept at it, trekking through the streets, taking detours when the main street were overran, distracting with sounds before they moved forward, taking it street, by street, avenue by avenue. An hour in, they made it through halfway south to the harbor, it was easily recognizable in his mental map by the familiar campuses of NYU came into view. It was quiet on the streets, but who knows... what may be going on inside. Ashton for the first time since they left slowed down his pace, gaze flashed with concern when he scanned the windows of the familiar campus building. What was he even looking for? Signs of life, signs of hope, maybe. "..that's my campus," almost just a soft, inaudible whisper.