I would like to clarify that I do not and never have had anything against Billy Joel's music. I enjoy it. What I don't enjoy are careless jackasses who blast their music for everyone to deal with.

"We didn't start the fire! It was always burnin since the world's been turnin." Jacob could not sing for the life of him but that didn't stop him.

Nicole shoved her nose into her painfully thin comic book. Something told me she wasn't desperately excited to find out what happened next... In fact she'd probably read it before.

She needed some fresh material. And some sound canceling headphones.

My foot shifted. I stared at it. I needed new footwear. At least this was zombie proof.

I also probably needed a shower. All of us were garbage monsters. Blood, dirt, sweat, and just general human filth rested on our bodies. Not exactly pleasant.

Thirty minutes or such into our journey Jacob turned down his tunes.

"You guys are so quiet. Who died?"

Oh not a funny joke. I shot him a glare. As cold as ice.

Based on his behavior so far I could tell he was an extrovert. He craved other people. He needed attention. No wonder he was so on board with me tagging along. He wanted to annoy as many people as possible probably.

I was the type to stay away from people even before zombies showed up. Annie and Mason had been my only friends. I wasn't good at talking to others. People annoyed me. And Jacob annoyed people.

"Maybe we can lighten the mood a bit. What's good about the apocalypse?" Jacob asked. "Look on the bright side, you know?"

I glared at him some more.

I heard the fluttering of thin pages as Nicole set her comic down.

"No school. That's something I don't miss."

"School's good for you." I said.

"It's a broken institution where dreams go to die." Nicole retorted.

Jacob just laughed. "Yes! Dramatic, I like it. What else?"

"No homework." Nicole states.

I had to relent. Homework sucked, and while that wasn't a major plus or anything it did make the apocalypse look a fraction of a fraction of a fraction bit better.

"No traffic?" I suggested.

Jacob snapped his fingers. "Definitely a big plus. Nothing stopping me from driving like a maniac."

He pressed the gas to the floor and suddenly we hit ludicrous speed. I grabbed onto the door handle, inhuman noises escaping my lips as I screeched. Nicole did the same.

As quickly as it happened it stopped. Jacob resumed doing a safe and not at all terrifying speed little, laughing his head off at us.

"You should have seen your faces!"

"You know," My heart pounded against my chest. "Another plus about the zombie apocalypse is that there are no rules. No speed limits. No stop lights. No need to hide a dead body." I hissed.

Jacob gulped, before the smile slid back onto his face. "Wow it did not take long for you to threaten murder, did it?"

"And who's to blame for that?"

"Children, children, settle down." Nicole's voice held as much life in it as a plank of wood, or perhaps a zombie as she spoke. She continued leafing through her book.

I huffed.

Jacob pulled off the empty highway, steering towards a more rural route. I whipped around to glare at him as I realized what was happening.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"Um driving? What does it look like, red?"

"It looks like you're taking a detour."

"Astute observation! That's because I am, Locke!" He didn't smile but you could still hear a grin in the way Jacob spoke.

Did it look like we had the time for a detour?

"What is so important that we have to take a detour now?" My eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"I'm sure questioning my leadership was implied to be against the rules."

"I don't follow blindly." I snapped.

He took his eyes off the road- a stupid decision but one that lead to little danger in this case- to eye me carefully. I glared back. A smile slid onto his face, one quite easy to cause to appear I was sure.

"Hmm I like you. You're gonna keep me on my toes for a while." Jacob turned back to watch the road. "If you must know, we're in need of supplies. You're out of bullets- Yes I checked your gun. And we're going to need food so we don't starve. So as captain of this ship I made a decision. Want to question my authority now, red?"

Oh that stupid shit eating grin.

I mumbled. "Fine."

He wasn't wrong. Why'd he have to touch my stuff though?

I crossed my arms, pressing my back firmly into the seat of the car. This was going to be a long trip.

Thoughts? What is gonna happen on their detour? Like the characters? Hate me with a furious passion? Let me know in the comments please!