George shook his head with a soft smile at Roger's self-depreciation. He hadn't intended it to be like that at all, but more a statement of need. A quiet plea to not lose anyone else that he cared about.  He was sure that his heart wasn't going to be able to take something like that again.<br/>"Ok, tomorrow then."  George agreed with that tender smile still on his face.   George was utterly oblivious to the purpose of the shift or anything that was going on in Roger's mind about the closeness.  The fact that Roger preferred men was a thought buried away somewhere in the back of his mind.  There was no time for thoughts like that, no time but when he was alone and craved the contact from another.  Nights when he pleasured himself and wished he wasn't alone.  Everyone had those nights, didn't they?<br/><br/>"Yes. Just one night fits."  George laughed as he was shoved. That playfulness from Roger brought a true grin that went all the way to his pale eyes and made them light up with life, even if it was for just a moment before he collected the dirty dishes and stepped out of the room.  "I will see you bright and early,"   George said before he closed the door behind him.<br/><br/>George returned the dishes to the mess hall and chatted idly with the few stragglers still there.  He told them their plan to leave in the morning and gathered a few things he thought they would need and the camp could afford to spare, then went to sleep himself.  A soft knock at Roger's door while the sky was still a soft purple of early morning.   He had their backpacks packed. One with flashlights, some rations, clothes along with a handful of bullets and a crowbar.  The gun was set on top of Roger's bag for George did not like the thing at all. It was too loud for him and besides, he couldn't hit shit with it.	He had a long hunting knife in a sheath at his hip and a shorter one in his boot.  The other bag had a few extra bags inside and 20 feet of rope tied to the side. Wishful thinking it was to be able to fill them. On the bottom of each of the bags was a blanket rolled up and tied there so they didn't need to sleep directly on the ground.<br/><br/>~<br/><br/>The pair had walked to a small town nearby. It had taken nearly two days of trekking through the woods, staying off the major roads just in case of people who might not have their best interest in mind.  The sky was turning a deep blue and a few of the brighter stars already hung in the sky by the time they found a small gas station. The wind blew sharply through the empty streets making the leaves dance down the pavement.  "Let's check this out... Probably wiped clean though." George whispered softly.   He quietly went around the building to see if there was a back door, which too was boarded up.  Claw marks and blood marred the door, but nothing else was visible.  George pulled the crowbar from his bag and started on the door.  By the time he pried enough board from the door to squeeze in it was completely dark.  "Maybe we should just find a house instead, wait for dawn."   He sighed at the thought then shook his head.  Would a house be any different?  They stumbled upon this place too late in the evening. Camping in the woods so close to town was unsafe because of how many walkers milled about and busting into houses could result in a house full of walkers just as easily as this place could.  "hold the light. I am going in."<br/><br/>George dropped his bag in first, then set down the crowbar quietly before silently sliding in through the boards.  He stood and clicked his own light on as he waited for Roger to get in.   Roger was about halfway through when a walker came around the corner of an aisle. "Walker," George whispered.  He moved into the room to dispatch of the woman in tattered clothes.  The blade slid through her open mouth easily enough, but when she fell to the ground, George was not quick enough to pull the blade back and catch her.   Her body crumpled into a rack causing the whole thing to clatter down noisily.  Moments later the sounds of groaning and shuffling of at least three more walkers filled the store.   "Fuck!"  George cursed under his breath as he backed up toward Roger.