“Find me some water,” Justin instructed Adam.
Justin looked through the sight of the rifle, checking out the petrol station for any of zombies that could be hiding.
“Clear?” asked Adam.
Justin lowered the rifle. “All clear.” Justin looked at Adam as he struggled to find some water from the looted station. “Anything?”
Adam continued looking through the shelves. He came across a half-empty drink bottle. He looked in through the shiny paper, seeing that there was a tiny bit left. “Here, I got something,” he said.
Adam stormed over to Justin, who snatched the half-empty carton of chocolate milk from his hands.
“Here, Lucy drink this,” he ordered.
Lucy struggled to drink the chocolate milk. “I…” she said, struggling to get some words out.
“Rest,” Justin kindly suggested.
Lucy laid back down on the floor. Adam peered out of the window and looked across the street. It was dead out there. “Is she okay?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” Justin kneeled next to Lucy and held her hand. “Come on. Stay with me.”
Lucy struggled to keep her eyes open. “Tell… Tell…” She struggled to say.
“Hey,” Justin said, shaking Lucy to try to keep her awake. “Lucy!”
Lucy opened her eyes for the last time. “I’m… sorry,” she said.
Justin watched as Lucy’s head fell back into his hands.
“Hey!” Justin said. “Come on, wake up!” Justin punched the fridge next to him.
“What do we do?” asked Adam/
Justin looked back down at Lucy. “We move on.”
“Then what?” Adam snapped.
Justin looked at Adam. Before he could respond, a crash was heard. Justin looked up to see one of the infected had broken in through the door. Justin didn’t even have time to shoot. The infected person bit into Adam’s neck. Blood gushed down the side of his neck onto his T-shirt.
“Go! Go!” he heard Adam scream.
Justin got up as more of the infected stormed into the petrol station. “Shit! Fuck! Shit!” he moaned Justin opened fire on the infected. He soon heard a click from the rifle. The weapon was empty. He dropped it to the floor and sprinted towards the back exit. He kicked the fire exit open and ran, able to hear the snarling infected still running after him. He felt a great sense of hope as he caught sight of a blue BMX leaning against the wall of the petrol station.
“Perfect!” he said. Justin jumped onto the bike and pedalled away from the infected as they chased after him.
***
Justin opened his eyes after telling the story of his survival in the outback. He looked up and looked around the office.
“Where's Chelsea?” He asked
“Oh,” Flynn said. “She went for a walk with Rebecca.”
“Can you find her?” Justin asked.
Flynn looked at Boyd as they locked eyes together.
“Where is Chelsea?” Justin asked again.
Boyd knew Justin was starting to get on edge. “Flynn will go find her” Boyd reassured him as Flynn left the room.
“Where is she?” Justin asked again, starting to yell now.
Boyd looked down at Justin. “Hey!” he snapped. “Someone's gone to find her.”
Justin looked up at Boyd silently.
Flynn went to the Outback Bar and Lounge. Chelsea looked up at Flynn as he slowly has started to walk over to them
“Is Justin okay?” she asked, standing up.
Flynn froze for a second. “He is, yes. He is asking for you.”
Chelsea shot off the bar stool.
“Hey, wait!” Rebecca shouted after her. She gulped the last of her drink down before shooting up and catching up to Chelsea.
As this went on, Flynn looked over into the corner of the bar, where he saw Deserine and Toby. Deserine’s eyes were telling him to come over to her, and so he slowly strolled over.
“Hey, you okay?” Flynn asked her.
“No,” she sobbed.
Flynn hugged up to her before she could even begin to cry. “Come on,” he said. “Let's get you back to the hotel.”
Deserine grabbed hold of Toby. They walked out of the bar and headed back towards the hotel.
“I'm sorry,” she cried.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Flynn reassured her, hugging up to her again. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”
Flynn went to walk up the stairs that led up to the hotel when something in the distance caught his attention. A light in the sky was starting to get brighter by the second. He let go of Deserine’s arm. He looked at the lights as they continued to get brighter. It was Andrew Parker’s helicopter. It flew over the hotel towards the town hall. Flynn looked at Deserine. “I've got to go,” he said.
Flynn then focused his attention to Toby. “I'll see you later, bro,” he said.
The helicopter touched down in front of the town hall. Flynn looked at Andrew as the engine on the helicopter finished shutting down. Andrew got out and looked at Flynn. Boyd looked out of his office and saw the helicopter land as well.
Andrew got out. He had a slight bit of stubble on his face. “Flynn!” he called. He stormed over to Flynn. “Good to see you again.” Andrew put his hand out. Flynn looked at Andrew. He slowly rolled his hand out a few seconds later. They shook hands.
“Is Anderson around?” Andrew asked
Boyd slowly walked out of the town hall. “I am,” he called.
Flynn looked over at Boyd as he stood by the entrance to the town hall. Andrew slowly walked towards the stairs leading up to the building. Flynn took one last look back at the hotel. He could see that Deserine and Toby were now inside. He looked down at the ground but had to refocus his attention on the current situation: trying to protect the town from the infected. Flynn stormed over towards the town hall.
***
Deserine took Toby up to their hotel room. Oddly, the door to the room was open. She looked in fear at it. She shook her head in confusion. No one knew what room she was in.
“It’s nothing,” she uttered under her breath. She walked into the room. The bedclothes were still in the same position as they had been when she left for the bar.
“Go to the toilet before bedtime,” she asked Toby nicely.
Toby nodded. Deserine smiled as he slowly walked to the toilet. She sat on the bed. She reached over for her handbag. She pulled out a small picture that had started to crumple. It was a picture of her and Flynn that had been taken about a week before Toby was born. She felt a few tears running down her face. She looked up to see Toby walking back from the toilet.
“Hey,” she said, putting the picture away “Did you go to the toilet?”
Toby didn’t speak for a second. “Michael’s in there,” he said.
Before she had a chance to leave, Michael walked out of the toilet.
“Hello, Deserine,” he said.
Deserine could only look at Michael as he looked down at her. She pulled Toby close to her side. She took a deep breath. He stormed forward, putting his hand over her mouth. “Scream, and I’ll kill you,” he warned her.
Toby only stood and watched.
***
Flynn entered the office. He looked at Andrew and Boyd as they both looked down at Justin, who was being comforted by Chelsea.
“Are you okay?” Chelsea asked him.
Justin nodded.
“So, who is this then?” Andrew asked.
“My boyfriend,” Chelsea intervened.
“Lucky guy aren't ya?” Andrew said. “We could use you on the town lookouts.”
“Excuse me,” Chelsea snapped. “Hasn't he been through enough without you going on at him?”
Andrew went quiet.
“Justin, I have a room at the hotel,” she said. “You can come with me and stay there.”
Justin slowly stood up. Chelsea kept her hands joined to him.
Andrew turned to look at Flynn and Boyd. “Young love,” he remarke
d
Chelsea and Justin left the town hall. Justin looked at the helicopter.
“Woah,” he said. “That's a Ranger!”
Chelsea stopped looking at him. “How do you know that?” she asked.
“My dad loves them,” he replied. “Always spoke about them.” Justin and Chelsea walked up to the helicopter. “What’s that? A Ranger-1?” Justin asked. Justin looked at the name on the side of the helicopter. “Yeah,” he said. “My dad has a book on them. I think this one has a range of 250 miles.”
Chelsea smiled, looking at Justin. He felt her soft skin rub against her palm.
***
Deserine sat down on the bed. She crossed her legs as she looked up at Michael. “So, what are you going to do with me now that you’re in here?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he said. “Just want to talk.”
Deserine looked into Michael’s eyes, trying to keep her nerves at ease.
“Come on, Michael,” Deserine demanded. “What do you want?”
“You.”
Deserine started to shake her head. “Michael, you know it's over,” she said. “You know we are not ever going to get back together.”
“Now, there is no need to be like that,” Michael said with sarcasm. “I only want to talk.”
“Talk about what?” Deserine demanded.
“Anything you want.”
“Listen,” Deserine said. “If you go now, I won’t tell Flynn that you were here.”
Michael got up off the bed. He put his hands around her throat. “Don’t tell me what to do,” He said with great anger.
Toby stepped back. He started to sob. Michael looked at Toby as he started to cry. “Go see to him,” he ordered, “and stop him from crying.”
Deserine walked over to Toby. “Hey,” she whimpered. “It’s okay.” Deserine hugged up close to Toby. She tried not to cry.
***
Chelsea walked with Justin towards the hotel. Justin looked at Chelsea. “What do you want to do?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” Chelsea replied.
Justin froze. He spun around, hugging Chelsea.
“Hey, what's up?” she asked.
“Just promise me one thing,” he pleaded.
“What's that?”
“Promise me we are always going to be together,” he begged. “Please promise me.”
“Justin, of course we're going to be together,” she said.
Chelsea hugged up tightly to Justin.
“Come on,” she said. “You need the rest.”
Justin and Chelsea walked towards the hotel. She looked across the street. Brett was there, looking down at the ground and trying not to make eye contact with Chelsea. He looked up as she slowly walked up into the hotel. Brett got up and went back towards his house.
Chelsea looked away and back towards the hotel. “Come on,” she said. Justin and Chelsea entered the floor where her room was. “Mine is just down the end.”
“Perfect,” Justin said.
Chelsea put her hands and arms around him and pressed her lips on him. “I’m so glad you’re alive,” she said.
“Me too, babe,” he replied. “Me too.”
Chelsea pulled Justin towards the bedroom when she noticed that Deserine’s room door was partially open. It seemed to be very quiet in there, though. She looked at Justin and then stepped forward, giving a gentle knock on the door.
“Hello?” she said. “Deserine, are you there?”
Michael shot up off the bed. “One false move and you’re history!” Chelsea and Justin heard him shout. Michael stepped back into the toilet. He kept his eyes locked onto Toby and Deserine.
Chelsea and Justin entered the room. Deserine looked up at Chelsea.
“Oh,” she said. “Hey, Chelsea.”
Deserine averted her eyes, trying not to look at Michael.
“Toby,” Deserine instructed. “Go and say hello to Chelsea and…”
“Oh, this is Justin” Chelsea informed her.
Deserine looked shocked.
“Yes,” Chelsea said.
“Toby, go and see Chelsea,” Deserine said.
Toby went over to Chelsea. Michael flinched.
“No, hang on,” Deserine said, pulling Toby back.
Chelsea frowned as Deserine pulled Toby back away from the doorway. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m good,” Deserine replied.
Justin could see that something wasn’t right in the room. Chelsea went to walk into the bedroom.
“No, its okay,” Deserine said. “Toby, I think, has a small case of the flu. Don’t want you guys falling ill.”
Chelsea frowned, looking at Toby. “Are you okay?” Chelsea asked Deserine again.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied straight away. “Just so tired from today.”
Michael suddenly stumbled. Justin looked up and saw Michael enter the room from the toilet. Justin gasped as Chelsea walked in behind as well. Michael brought his handgun up and stared down the sight at the small group. Chelsea opened her eyes wide with fear.
“Very smart,” Michael said. “It had to end like this, didn’t it?”
Deserine looked at Toby. Chelsea and Justin could only stand and watch. Chelsea’s heart was pounding. She was looking down the barrel of the handgun.
“This is what we’re going to do,” Michael said. “You, me, and little Toby here are going to leave town.”
“What?” Deserine gasped.
“This is what we’re going to do,” Michael repeated with anger in his voice.
Justin looked at Chelsea. She was starting to shake with fear. Justin reached for the lamp behind him. He slowly put his hands back, trying not to catch Michael’s attention.
“Pack your stuff!” Michael demanded.
“Look, Michael,” Chelsea pleaded.
“I said pack your stuff!” Michael shouted.
Justin grabbed the lamp by the bed. He swung it around, trying to hit Michael on the head. Michael aimed the handgun at Chelsea.
“No!” Justin screamed. He pushed the handgun away from Chelsea just as the trigger was squeezed.
The gunshot was heard in Boyd’s office.
“That came from the hotel,” Boyd said.
Flynn spun around and ran out of the office. People looked around quickly, fearing that the infection had breached the town’s fence. Flynn ran out of the town hall, followed by Rebecca and the rest of the small group. People gathered near the hotel. Flynn pulled the handgun out of the back pouch as he approached.
Inside the room, Chelsea looked at Justin and saw blood. The bullet had blasted through the top of his arm. He had stopped the bullet from hitting her.
“Justin!” she screamed.
Michael looked at the huge blood stain on the wall. He looked at Justin in shock. Chelsea began to walk over to him.
“Hey,” he grunted. “Don't you move!”
Chelsea struggled not to cry. “Please, let me help him,” she asked.
Michael pointed the handgun at Deserine.
“You,” he ordered. “Grab your bags. We're leaving.”
“What?” she snapped.
“Pick up your bag!” he yelled. “We are leaving!”
Flynn dashed up to the hotel. He looked up and saw Michael walking out of the hotel with his handgun pointed at the side of Deserine’s head.
“No,” Flynn muttered. He looked up at Michael. “Hey!” he yelped.
Michael saw a car outside. It had been parked outside of the hospital for a while now. He thought he could hotwire it and use it to leave the town.
“Hey, Michael, listen. I don't want any trouble,” Flynn pleaded “Just let my son go, and we can talk this out.”
Michael didn't answer. He kept the handgun to Deserine’s head.
“Let Toby go,” she pleaded, “and I'll come with you!”
Michael looked at the fear in Toby’s eyes as he continued to cry. He gave a quick nod.
“Toby, come here,
” Flynn called. “It’s okay.” Toby ran over to Flynn. “Good boy,” he said.
Flynn hugged Toby, and he then looked up to see Chelsea and Justin. He saw the blood running down Justin’s arm.
“Phoebe,” he said. “Can you take Toby for me?”
Phoebe took Toby.
“Daddy?” Toby called.
“Don’t worry, sport,” he said. “You look after Phoebe for me, okay?”
Toby rubbed the tears away from his eyes and he then looked over at his mum.
“Hey, Michael!” Flynn called. “You okay, man?”
Michael looked to see one of the town ambulances. He looked at the medic by the vehicle. “You,” he said to the medic. “Keys. Now.”
“Hey!” Flynn called again. “Come on. Don’t do this, man.”
“Get in,” Flynn said to Deserine.
“What?” Deserine gasped.
“Michael!” Flynn shouted again as he walked towards Michael.
“Get back!” Michael shouted.
Flynn put his hands up. “Michael, please…” Flynn watched as Michael forced Deserine into the ambulance. “Michael!” he called. “Michael!”
Flynn watched as Michael got into the ambulance, the gun still at Deserine’s head.
“Shit!” Flynn uttered under his breath. Flynn watched Michael drive away from the town. He ran over to a police car. “In,” he ordered the officer standing outside it.
The officer and Flynn got into the car. Boyd Anderson noticed over at the commotion going on outside of the hotel. He also got into the police car next to Flynn.
“After them” He ordered
Flynn looked out the front of the police car as they sped away from the town. He looked ahead at the huge fence. It was just about finished. Flynn watched as Michael zoomed through the opening of the gate. The officer kept the accelerator down to full.
“Hey,” Flynn asked the officer. “This thing got enough fuel?”
The officer looked down at the fuel gauge. It was at just under a quarter of a tank. “I hope so,” he said.
“Shit,” Flynn uttered. Flynn then looked down to see the radio. He could see a small switch that turned the car’s megaphone on.
“Hey, Michael,” he said, his voice blaring from the megaphone “Please, let Deserine go.”
Michael looked into the mirror as he continued to speed along the dense outback road.
Fear The Outback Page 14