Laura does not respond. Matthew begins eating the apple.
“So, what have you been doing this entire time?” Kurt asks.
“I’ve been locked up in my house.”
“Really? For a whole month” Timothy asks.
“Yeah. What about you?”
Matthew continues to eat the apple. This is the most amount of food he’s eaten at once for a very long time. Timothy looks at Laura for a moment, and then looks back at Matthew.
“My family and I headed north from the city, and after a few weeks we found Kurt and Francesco. Eventually Desmond tagged along, and now we’re here.” Timothy says.
“Yeah, after everything went to shit, my parents and I met up with Fran and his family. After a few days we ran out of food, and we were getting pretty tired. Eventually a few infected caught us off guard and… you know...” Kurt explains.
“I’m so sorry”. Matthew says.
“It all just happened so fast, and after they get bit, they turn so quickly. Francesco says.
“So, what actually causes them to be like that anyways?” Matthew asks.
“It’s gotta be a virus or something that takes over when you die. If one of them bite you, you get real sick and then die from a really bad fever. But that's not the only way; if you die, you still turn into one of them. At Least that's what we’ve observed. The only way to prevent that is if you destroy the brain.” Kurt explains.
“Jesus. What the hell went wrong?” Matthew asks.
There is a pause. No one speaks for a short moment. Matthew continues to eat the apple Laura gave him. Matthew looks at Laura and wonders why she’s been so quiet this entire time.
“So, you guys trying to get to the US or something?” Matthew asks.
“No… it’s just as bad as here.” Francesco comments.
“What about Mexico?”
“Same situation dude...” Francesco says.
“Why don’t we head east? Maybe we can find a boat or something.”
“Matthew… don’t you know? It’s not just here… it’s everywhere.” Kurt sighs.
‘Wait… it’s global? The entire planet is infested with these things?” Matthew asks.
“Pretty much.” Timothy says, “At first, they told us to wait it out, and that the military would show up to help… but they never did.”
“As far as we can tell… 80 percent of the population is dead… probably more.” Kurt says.
“So, it’s just us? There's nothing left?”
“Yeah… just us.” Francesco says.
Matthew stops eating and looks down. He never considered the world had just ended. He hoped this infection would stay contained in one continent, but he was clearly wrong. He wonders if there are any safe places in the world anymore, or if it's just a waste land. This news changes everything for Matthew.
“Oh yeah, so you’ve been in your house this entire time, right? And you left to look for food?” Kurt asks again.
“I left because some guys raided my house and killed my cat.”
There is silence. Desmond turns around from the door after hearing this. The group all look at each other, cautious and worried.
“What?” Matthew asks.
“How many were there?” Desmond asks.
Matthew turns to Desmond, confused and worried. “I don't know, at least three.”
The group looks at each other again. Matthew looks agitated because of the lack of transparency. Kurt turns to Matthew and notices this. He feels he should inform him on what’s going on.
“We think we know the people who you came across.” Kurt says.
“Who are they?’
“They’re a group of ‘Bandits’. They find other survivors and either steal their shit, or kill them, and then take their shit.”
Matthew looks a little bothered by this news. He begins to think about what could have happened to him if he didn’t escape from this group.
“It’s a good thing you got out of there. They… they killed my stepson.” Timothy says, holding back subtle tears.
Matthew feels sympathetic for Timothy, but then realizes Laura’s step brother was murdered. Matthew looks over to Laura. She is looking at the ground. She hasn't said a word to him this entire time. Matthew is beginning to understand why she seems emotionally disturbed. The cruel reality of life is becoming more evident to Matthew. Desmond walks over to the table where the group is sitting. He looks anxious.
“When did this happen?”
“This morning. Why?” Matthew asks.
“Shit! Matthews house isn't that far from here. They could be nearby, and if they are, they might have heard the gunshots.” Kurt franticly explains.
“Alright, we gotta move out.” Desmond says.
The group stands up from the desk. They all walk over to the door and get ready to leave, except Matthew and Francesco. Francesco pulls out a Glock 19 from his back holster and hands it over to Matthew.
“Here, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Matthew hesitates, but inevitably grabs the gun. He never thought he’d have to hold a gun for protection, and this is his first time wielding a firearm to begin with. Matthew used to play army simulators with Michael and his friends on his computer, so in theory he knows how to properly hold and fire a weapon. In practice is a different story. Matthew is nervous now that he has this gun in his hands. He would think he would feel better being armed but being armed with a gun implies he might have to use it. Matthew tucks the gun away in between his pants and his back.
“Thanks.”
Matthew and Francesco leave the cafeteria with the other members of the group. They all exit the building and slowly walk through the parking lot toward the street. Timothy and Kurt walk in the front with their rifles. Behind them is Desmond and Francesco. Desmond is armed with only a handgun, like Matthews, but Francesco has a fully automatic Colt m4 Carbine. Next to Matthew in the back is Laura. She is armed with a Remington 870 shotgun. It’s a long weapon that happens to be almost half the length of her body. This surprises Matthew. He’d never expect such a tiny person to wield such a large weapon.
The group reaches the street and walks in the direction of the large Church in town. The group walks almost in the open of the street, not trying to stay hidden whatsoever. This surprises Matthew. He expects these people to be more cautious, but he assumes they know what they are doing so he doesn't bother questioning them. Laura begins to pick up her pace and walks ahead. Matthew doesn’t want to be left alone in the back, so he catches up with her and thinks of something to say.
“Hey, I’m sorry about your brother.”
Laura turns and looks at Matthew for a short moment, “Thanks.”
Laura looks away, but Matthew keeps looking, expecting to continue speaking. She says nothing. Kurt turns around to speak to the group.
“I just realized that booby trap in the food bank may have been set up by them. I know they like to stay around this area, so there might be more.”
“We gotta get somewhere safe for now.” Timothy says.
“You know, sometimes Churches have food drives for charities. Maybe there's still some food left there?” Matthew suggests.
“Not a bad idea, Matthew. Alright, that's where we go next.” Kurt explains.
Matthew feels a little happy to hear Kurt's validation. Already Matthew is beginning to feel a part of the group. They all continue to walk down the street, and they quickly approach an intersection. To get to the Church, they would have to head left, so they do. The group arrives at the intersection and turns left. No one in front bothers to look anywhere else, so Matthew looks down the right side of the intersection to see what might be on that street. As soon as he does, his heart sinks. Just a few blocks away is large herd of infected. There are probably a hundred or so of them. This is the largest amount of infected any of them have ever seen before. Matthew stops walking in shock of what he sees. The group continues ahead, but Laura notices Matthew is not next to her anymor
e. Laura stops and turns around to see Matthew staring at the herd.
“Fuck!”
The rest of the group turn around and see the herd as well. For a moment, the entire group is in awe of the sheer size of the infected herd. Matthew is stunned, not knowing what could be done to avoid this. All his strategies from before; fighting, hiding. None of those options would work. The infected already have sight of them, and fully intend to eat them alive. Matthew turns around and faces the group.
Knowing only one thing might work in a time like this, Matthew screams, “Run!”
The group turns around and begins to sprint down the street toward the church. The church is a few blocks down, so they are going to have to run fast and far if they want to lose sight of the infected before they get there. The Church is on the right side of the street, and on the left side is a small 3 story apartment complex. Past these two buildings is a road block formed from multiple abandoned vehicles. The group now has two options as they get closer; they can hide in the buildings they pass or hide in the Church. It only makes sense to hide in the Church because of the possible supplies that await, so that's where they decide to go. The group approaches the bottom of the steps which lead up to the Church. As Matthew climbs up the stairs, he realizes this building is more of a Cathedral. The bell tower and the tall wide double doors to the enter the building prove this. Surprisingly, the doors are already open. The chances of finding supplies are slim. The group enters the Cathedral for sanctuary. Matthew stops at the entrance to close the large doors, but they are too heavy, and he is too tired. Matthew quickly gives up and meets the group in the center of the Cathedral. They are all resting and catching their breath in the isle of long seats. Matthew realizes he has created quite some distance from the large herd of infected.
Matthew walks in the isle of long seats and looks around the room while he catches his breath. The Cathedral look so much larger from the outside, but in here, it seems like a tiny Church. The interior looks completely abandoned and is covered with dust and useless items left behind. Matthew notices subtle footprints formed on the dusty floor. They lead up to the front of the room where the altar is. Matthew looks to the altar and observes. He is surprised at first to see there is no large cross of Jesus. He wonders if all Churches have a crucifix in them. Apparently not. The thought of this not being a catholic Church comes over his mind but is quickly dismissed when he turns and sees paintings of Jesus carrying the cross on the walls near the back. Matthew looks back to the front and notices there is a chunk of wood, possibly debris of the Crucifix. Maybe it was taken down, but he doesn't know why that would be the case. He stops thinking about it, so he can focus on what really matters. Matthew walks over and sits on one of the seats to catch his breath. The rest of the group seems better now, and Francesco stands up in the isle facing the door.
“Maybe we should close those doors.” Francesco says.
“I tried. They’re pretty heavy.” Matthew explains.
Francesco turns around to speak, “Well maybe we can both tr-”
Out of nowhere, and unexpected bullet flies through Francesco's face. He quickly drops to the floor, dead. It all seems like time stops right there. Matthew just sits and stares at his dead body. Suddenly, rapid fire bullets fly into the church from the front entrance. Matthew dives in between two of the long seats, evading the passing bullets. Kurt does the same but on the other side of the isle. Matthew is scared and in shock. He has never seen someone be shot in the face before. The realization the group is under attack from what is most likely the same people who raided his house becomes very clear. It would only make sense at this point. Matthew lays there, not knowing what to do, or not knowing whether the rest of the group is okay. Matthew turns around to face one of the sides of the Cathedral. He sees Timothy, Laura, and Desmond all on that side of the room, hiding from the front entrance. Matthew looks back at Kurt. There is no way for Kurt to make his way on the same side without being shot. The two are completely split up. Matthew turns back and begins crawling toward the rest of the group. As he crawls, more bullets are fired it the Cathedral. Some bullets hit the seat next to Matthew, only barely missing him. Matthew crawls faster and reaches the group. Matthew stands up and looks at them. Laura looks terrified, Timothy looks panicked, and Desmond looks angry. He underestimated this group. Matthew was wrong to assume they knew what they were doing. It all came together in his mind. The gunfire from the food bank attracted these bandits to their position. Now they are trapped and are being hunted by these lesser humans. Matthew pulls out the Glock and turns off the safety. This is where his gun knowledge gets thrown out the window. Matthew is so tense and nervous that his hands begin to tremble. Even if he wanted to shoot someone, he would miss every shot, especially from this distance.
“What the fuck do we do?” Laura says while panicking.
“I don't know!” Timothy shouts.
“Don't yell at me!” Laura cries.
She begins crying and breaking down. Clearly, she has never been put under this kind of pressure. Maybe she is thinking about her brother, and what these people did to him. She’s probably expecting herself to end up the same way. Matthew stands still, thinking of a plan.
“Everyone stay calm. We can’t fight them, so we are just going to have to run.” Desmond explains.
Kurt crawls toward the isle in the direction of Matthew and the others. He knows he can't get across, but he wants to peek out to see where the bandits are located. Kurt reaches the isle and peaks. Before he can get a look outside, all he sees is Francesco's body lying there. His brains are spilled out, and a pool of blood lays underneath him. Kurt stares at the dead body of his friend. Rage fills his soul. The thought of being targeted by other humans makes Kurt infuriated and vengeful. The simple fact his friend is dead for no good reason makes Kurt enraged. Kurt gets onto his knees and picks up the rifle which is laying on the floor next to him. Kurt holds the rifle, ready to fire, and does a countdown in his head. He is nervous, but he wants to avenge his friend more than anything. Kurt bolts up and aims is rifle out the front entrance and fires. Before he can fire a second round, Kurt is struck by a bullet in his upper shoulder. Kurt falls onto the ground in between the two seats. He is either unconscious or dead because he is unresponsive. Matthew turns around to see his friend on the ground, shot.
“Kurt!”
Kurt doesn't respond. Matthew becomes emotional. He believes his friend is dead, and that those bandits outside are responsible. Matthew looks angry now, but he doesn't have the same drive as Kurt to avenge his friend. Matthew walks over to the edge of the wall near the entrance of the Cathedral.
“Where you going?” Desmond asks.
“I’m going to see where they are.”
Matthew reaches the edge and slowly peaks over. As soon as he does, one of the bandits fires at him. The bullet hits the wall right next to his face. Matthew quickly jolts back into cover. For the short glimpse he got, Matthew saw the silhouette of the shooter in the second story of the apartment complex across the street. Matthew turns to face the group.
“They’re in the apartments. We gotta get out of here!” Matthew explains.
“There's an exit out the back, through that door I think.” Timothy says.
He looks at the door Timothy is referring to. It’s their only option. Now that Kurt is dead, it seems it’s Matthews turn to take charge. Matthew is ready to make a move, but quickly remembers something; the herd. He recalls the time a month ago when he lured the infected to the fence and killed them. The infected are attracted to noise. All this gun fire is going to lead the infected straight toward the Cathedral. Matthew realizes they must escape now.
“That herd is going to be here any minute now. We need to leave!”
They all stare at Matthew. Matthew nods and looks at every member of the group. Desmond and Timothy still look tense and nervous. Laura still looks emotional but also terrified. Matthew walks past the group, and they follow him. They go through the back
door of the Cathedral with their weapons drawn.
The back door leads them into an alleyway. To their right is the street where they were getting shot from, so they can't go there. To their left is a wall and a dumpster. All they can do is go straight through the alley way. They slowly walk through the alley way and toward a cross road in it. Once they get there, they are faced with a choice; go right, or go left. The reach the two paths and look to their right. The herd of infected are right on the street, only a few dozen feet away. The herd slowly turn and notice the group in the alley way. They change paths and head straight toward them. Matthew begins to panic and turns to face the other path option. It is another alleyway, but they are blocked by a fence. The only option is to climb over the fence.
“The fence! We gotta get over it now! Matthew shouts.
Matthew runs toward the fence, and the group follows. Matthew feels a great amount of courage and strength at this moment. Once they get on the other side, they will be safe from the dangers of the infected. They reach the fence, and Matthew allows the other to climb over first. Laura and Timothy begin climbing over the fence. Matthew waits for them to get over before trying to climb himself. Matthew and Desmond turn to face the herd of infected. They are getting much closer. Matthew and Desmond raise their weapons and begin firing. Their accuracy isn't the greatest, but they manage to take down a few infected. Matthew runs out of ammo quick, as he is only using a hand gun. Matthew turns around to see Laura and Timothy on the other side of the fence. Matthew quickly grabs onto the fence and begins climbing. Desmond is still firing his handgun at the infected. He is unaware he can climb now.
“Come on! We gotta go!” Matthew screams.
Desmond is startled and quickly begins climbing the fence. Matthew continues climbing. The infected get dangerously close to them now. Matthew reaches the top, and so does Desmond. They are about to get over, but suddenly feel resistance from below. The infected grab onto their feet and begin pulling down. Matthew gets pulled down slightly. He begins to panic and looks down at the infected. Matthew begins stomping on the heads of the infected trying to pull him with his free foot. Matthew manages to break free. Desmond on the other hand is getting pulled lower than Matthew. Desmond tries to kick but misses one of the heads of the infected. One infected grabs Desmond’s foot and bites his calf. Desmond lets out a loud scream of excruciating pain. Matthew is shocked by this but continues to climb. Matthew gets over the fence and drops down on the other side. Matthew, as well as Laura and Timothy look back at Desmond. The infected pull him down to ground level and begin to bite into every part of his body that they can. He is completely trapped and begins screaming louder than they ever heard someone scream before. Timothy grabs Laura and she begins to cry into his shoulder. Timothy looks away from the disturbing site. Matthew on the other hand just stands there, watching.
Mankind Page 4