E52

  “You have to hurry,” I cough. “Mommy cant breathe.

  I move my head around trying to readjust the collar. It does not work. My airway continues to be restricted until I become light headed, if he does not hurry I will lose consciousness and we both will plummet to the earth below us.

  In a panic, I reach back, grab him by his arm and fling him around. He is safe but not only have I pulled the muscles in my arm I have caused my wound to reopen, blood now drips down my arm.

  I swing my leg over the edge and allow my body to fall freely onto the roof of the patio. The pain I am experiencing in my right shoulder and muscles is unbearable. I try to relax by taking in deep breaths and laying back and relaxing, but nothing is working.

  I sit up and pat the roof beside me. “Come sit with me,” I tell Tommy. “Mommy needs to rest for a second.”

  We sit silently for about twenty minutes. The pain subsides enough that I can concentrate on what I need to do next.

  I stand up, walk to the edge of the roof and look over. The car is not far away, the problem being that it is overcome with the Creetions. They are finishing the remains of John, to the point that bones are all that remains. This is the first time I have seen them eat someone who is already dead. The creatures are getting worse. I shake my head in disbelief.

  “I forgot to close the car door,” I think to myself, glancing back over at the drivers side of the car. “That could be a good thing or that could be bad if one of them is in there.”

  Trying to figure out a safe area to get down I walk to the far area of the porch and peek over the edge. The area is free of any of the dead walkers.

  “Okay,” I think in my head. “We can crawl down that lattice and make it down but how are we going to make it to the car without being surrounded?'

  As I continue to try and come up with a plan I walk back to the area where the car is. There is at seven of the Creetions, all of which are continuing to gnaw on the remains of John.

  I walk around the entire edge of the roof making a mental note of any creatures I might see.

  “Tommy,” I whisper. “Quietly walk over here.”

  Taking small steps Tommy walks over and stands next to me.

  “Yes, Mommy?” He asks.

  “I am going to bend down,” I start explaining my plan. “I want you to wrap your arms around my neck and hold on tight. I am going to crawl down the lattice and once we are down we are going to hide in that bush over there.”

  I point to a large bush next to the lattice.

  “When it is clear we are going to crawl under the porch to the stairs by the car. From there we should be able to sneak out and get to the car,” I continue. “But no matter what, even if you get scared you have to be very quiet.”

  Tommy looks up and smiles. “Okay he agrees.

  Sitting on my knees I can feel the heat of the roof. The sun is shining bright today and it already feels to be around 80 degrees, by noon I expect a scorching 100 degrees or more.

  “Is that to tight?” Tommy asks, holding his arms tightly around my neck.

  “No that is fine,” I state.

  All of a sudden I can feel him adjusting himself.

  “Are you okay?” I ask laying flat on my stomach.

  He does not answer.

  “Tommy?” I ask, turning my head , trying to see him.

  “Yes mommy I am okay,” He explains. “I am hungry and you are bleeding and I don't want to bite you so I moved away from the blood.”

  I am happy that he has enough strength to keep his hunger under control but I worry how long he we will be able to. Without saying another word, I scoot to the edge of the roof and feel for the beginning of the lattice with my foot. One step at I time I work my way down. The bushes that surround the metal lattice has thorns causing my hands, arms and legs to suffer small scratches. I ignore the pain and work my way down slowly all the while keeping an eye out around us, ensuring that we have not been seen or the others have not smelled my blood.

  “It takes but minutes for us to make it to the ground and over to the bush. Never leaving the area I look at the wood at the bottom of the porch around us. There is not a place that we will be able to enter like I had hoped. My plan will fail if I can not find a loose board.

  “Come on there has to be one somewhere,” I think to myself, pushing on each board around me.

  Finally I find one that budges slightly.

  “I want to you to keep looking for any people while I loosen this board,” I instruct Tommy. “If you see any of them coming this way don't say anything, just tug on my dress.”

  Taking a stick I find on the ground I use it as a crowbar and pull as hard as I can on the wood plank. Once it is far enough out I reach in the opening and use my hands to continue loosening the wood. The wood makes a loud screeching sound as the nails rub against the tight holes. I pause every few seconds so that if I am heard where the sound is coming from will not be apparent. I continue the ritual until the nails finally release, allowing the wood to be removed.

  “Do you see anyone yet?” I ask Tommy in a whisper.

  He shakes his head indicating that he does not, so I continue making an opening large enough for us to fit through.

  What seems to be hours later I finally remove enough boards. It is very hot out now and sweat is dripping down my face, I am thirsty and worn out. I wipe the sweat from my face.

  “I am going to crawl in first to make sure there is enough crawl space,” I state to Tommy.”When you see my hand poke out of the hole I want you to crawl in.”

  The first thing that I come in contact with is large spider web. The feeling of the web against my face gives me the creeps, I want to scream, but I remain silent. Although I am worried that I might come in contact with a poisonous spider, I am willing to take the risk over fighting the Creetions.

  Once in, I turn and face the opening, stick my arm out of the hole and whisper to Tommy to follow me. He does not hesitate, he crawls in.

  “It is dark,” he whispers, “and smells yucky.”

  “Shh,” I whisper, “You have to be very quiet.”

  I take lead and we continue on our hand and knees crawling our way over to the opening by the car. The closer we get to the opening the dry dirt turn to mud, causing our hands and legs to be covered in the slippery muck. My hands begin to slide in the slim, causing me to constantly lose grip and my arms to slide out in front of me. My face is now also covered in mud.

  Tommy tugs on my dress.

  “This is fun,” He chuckles.

  Trying to to get a small child to be quiet is like trying to get a dog to not bark at a cat. Once again I have to remind him that he can not talk.

  When we finally reach the opening, I am happy to see that it is as big as I had thought it was. We will both be able to exit without a problem.

  “I want you to go in front of me but donot stray away,” I instruct whispering. “That way if something goes wrong I will know where you are at all times.”

  Tommy nods his head indicating that he understands.

  “We are going to crawl over to Mommy’s side of the car,,” I continue. “Once we get there, I want you to crawl in and get down onto the floor board and do not move. I will be right behind you.”

  “Okay,” he whispers.

  “If the Creetions spot us, I want you to run as fast as you can,” I continue. “Run back to the road. Do not stop and wait for me, I will find you.”

  “But,” Tommy begins.

  “No arguments", I state. “You do what I say.”

  I peak my head out and look around. It appears that most of the creatures are still on the other side of the house, leaving only about five for me to worry about.

  “Are you ready?” I ask Tommy.

  Tommy looks scared but manages a smile.

  “Yes.” he answers.

  Tommy slowly crawls out of the hole. Keeping as close as I can I am only inches away from him. Within seconds we are out in the open and can be smell
ed by any of the walkers.

  I have learned that when there is a pack of walkers that it only takes one to spot you and the next thing you know they all now where you are, I want to tell Tommy to hurry but I am afraid to speak so I nudge him; he does not crawl any faster.

  In hopes that he will follow my lead I pick up my pace until I am beside him. I gesture to him by slightly moving my head. Now inches in front of him I reach the car door first. It is closed. One the Creetions must have pushed it closed during their hunt. I kneel on my knees and as quiet as I can I open the car door. Extreme heat escapes from inside the car.

  “Get in and get down,” I instruct him.

  Taking great care in not making a noise I close the car door and push on it slightly until I here it latch. I glance around. One of the walking dead lifts his head and then another. I need to hide! There is not enough room for both Tommy and I to hide in the front floorboards so I crawl to the back of the car and try to hide beneath some clothes. Peeking out, it is obvious that I had been seen. The inside of the car becomes overtaken by shadows as the Creetions come closer. It takes only minutes before the entire inside of the car is shadowed.

  For over an hour they continue to walk around the car.

  “It is hot Mommy,” Tommy whispers.

  With the high temperatures outside and not having any airflow inside the car, the heat is becoming unbearable.

  “I know honey,” I state. “Mommy can not do anything until they leave.”

  “But my head hurts,” he continues, his voice shaky.

  Headache is the first sign of heatstroke, I am feeling it also. I am afraid that if we stay in here very much longer we will suffer permanent brain-damage from the heat or possible death.

  “I reach my hand under the back seat and feel around until I find Tommy. I hold his hand tightly in mine.

  “I love you,” I whisper.

  “I love you to Mommy,” He answers.

  I will have to make a desperate move and if it doesn't work I want to know that that no matter what, I have always loved him.

  “Do you see the keys?” I ask him.

  “Yes,” He answers.

  “Okay, I am going to crawl back over and start the car ,” I tell him. “I want you to stay down in case something happens.”

  I have to be slow and quiet as I crawl over, as any noise that I may make could cause the Creetions to go into a frenzy. What should only take a few seconds takes me over 5 minutes to accomplish. I turn the key. The engine does not start. I try again.

  “Are you fucking kidding me!” I think in my head. “I left the headlights on all night. The battery is drained.”

  Tears fall freely down my face as I begin to cry. We are now worst off than we were before. There is no way of escape without the monsters outside getting us. Together my son and I will die from the heat. With the temperature reaching well over 100 inside the car, there is no way we can last very much longer..

  “Don't cry,” Tommy states, rubbing my hand.

  “Mommy messed up,” I sob.

  Between the heat and the persistent creatures outside my mind becomes frazzled and I lose control of my emotions.

  “There has to be a way out of this,” I think in my mind. “But how?”

  As I rest my head against the steering wheel, sweat pours freely down my face and into my eyes; they begin to burn.

  I lift my head briefly and peek around the car. My eyes are irritated and blurry from the salty perspiration, but I can see that some of the walking dead have wandered off. However, there still remains about a dozen of them lingering around the car.

  “Tommy,” I whisper. “Can you look around the area you are sitting for anything that Mommy might be able to use as a weapon?’

  Knowing that there is nothing in the backseat, my only hope is that there might be something by him that I can use.

  Tommy looks around and informs that there is only a pen and a couple of empty coke cans.

  “Try looking under the drivers side seat,” I instruct him.

  I am afraid if I move to much that the creatures outside the car will become more curious.

  “Do you see anything?” I ask.

  “No, mommy,” He answers, his voice sounding weakened.

  This is it, I will have to make a decision. We will either sit here and perish or take the chance and get attacked by the ones lurking outside the car. Either way things are looking very bad.

  As I rest my head against the headrest, something in the rearview mirror captures my attention. There is a light coming from the backseat cushion. It is a sign from the Heavens above.

  “Oh my God. How could I have forgot,” I whisper. “Thank you.”

  It is not until that moment that I remember that there are guns in the trunk, Loaded guns.

  “Did you find something?” Tommy asks.

  “I sure did,” I answer.

  Although I must worry that if the trunk is open that one of the Creetions could be inside, I must take the chance to pull the backseat down and grab what I can. If I get bit I will still have enough time to kill as many as I can and give Tommy a chance to survive. Being cautious I slowly crawl back over the seat and pull one the backseat cushions down. It falls forward.

  The trunk is not fully open, allowing just a stream of light to enter. I will not have to worry about being bitten. One at a time I pull guns from the trunk, gathering the ones that I believe to have the most shooting power. I lay them on the floorboard and slowly close the seat so that my scent will be masked once again. Reassuring myself that the guns are as I believe, I check each gun ensuring that they are loaded and ready to shoot. I come across at least six that are ready to go.

  “Mommy found some guns,” I whisper. “So this is what we are going to do. When the time is right I am going to jump out of the car and close the door behind me. I want you to stay hidden until you see me open the door. If I don't come back, you wait until you see noone around and you leave this car and run as fast as you can to a safe place.”

  I know that if I were to die that he would lie here and die, unless I instruct him to run.

  “Promise me,” I tell him.

  “I promise,” He answers.

  With most of the guns tucked within my clothing and one firmly in my hand I take a quick glimpse outside. There still is no way of escape.

  “Change of plans,” I instruct Tommy. “I want you to sit on the drivers side of the seat and pound on the window. This will get their attention so that Mommy can escape from a different door. After you hear the first gunshot I want you to hide under the dash again, but if any of them break for the window I want you to get out of the car and run and hide.”

  “Okay Mommy,” He agrees.

  It is a lot for a young child to understand but I am hoping that he will do as told and everything will go as planned.

  “Okay do it now!” I scream out.

  Tommy leaps up and begins pounding on the drivers window. Instantly the sounds captures the attention of every Creetion surrounding the car. They run to the side of the car and begin clawing at the window. My area is free so without hesitation I open my door, aim the gun and start shooting. The creatures are caught of guard, making them all easy targets.

  The first dozen Creetions are killed easily, but the noise has attracted others.

  “Hide!” I scream to Tommy.

  With the first two guns out of bullets I throw them on the ground and crawl onto the hood of the car, continuing my way to the roof. Deciding to take my stance on the roof has proven to be a bad idea. Although I can see the entire area, I also have left myself easily accessible to our enemies.

  “This was a bad idea,” I think to myself.

  I leap from one side of the roof to the other, trying to escape their deadly grips all the while shooting and killing as many as I can.

  “Where are all of you coming from?” I cry out.

  Just as I think I have things under control, I look to the left of me, at least ten more are
only feet away. I pull the trigger but nothing happens. Another gun is empty. I have but three left. All I can do is pray that none of them fail me and that they have enough bullets to kill the rest.

  The first gun I pull out will not fire, it is jammed. I do not have time to fix it. I throw it on the roof beside me and grab another. My hands are shaking with such tremendous force that my finger slips and causes the second one to go off. The bullet barely misses the car beneath me and embeds into the ground next to the car.

  “Keep it together,” I tell myself. “You can’t lose it now.”

  I aim the gun and pull the trigger. Perfect hit; one of the largest of the group is shot in the head and falls to the ground. I shoot again, taking down another.

  We are going to be safe! I only need to kill about seven more and the area should be clear. Three rounds, three zombies killed. I am on a roll now, nothing can stop me.

  “What in the hell?” I scream.

  My legs are pulled out from underneath me causing my body to be hurled to the ground. Caught off guard my face slams in the ground, my arms unable to brace the fall.

  At any moment I will be lunch to the person that has me. I must get myself turned around. With every bit of hatred I have for these monsters I gather my energy and flip around. The monster that has me is a large man, his face half eaten, leaving but a few pieces of flesh hanging from muscle and bone. He looks to be one that has recently changed. His mouth opens wide as he lets out an immortal scream, calling to the others, informing them that he has caught their next meal.

  “No!” I scream out kicking the man as hard as I can.

  He is powerful and is not affected by my strike. He lunges forward with his mouth open wide. His target is the flesh he so desires, mine. I move my body to side just as the man is about to bite down on my neck. The smell of my flesh puts the man in a frenzy. He continues to lunge at me, each time missing my flesh by mere centimeters. I hold him back as best as I can with my legs and one of my hands. When I had fallen I had lost my guns. I must find them! Frantically I move my other arm around the ground in hopes that I will come in contact with one of the guns. They are no where near me! I reach to the side of me and grab whatever I can find. It is a large rock. I strike him repeatedly over the head until I certain that I have caused enough damage to kill him. Blood splatters my body and his head caves in. He falls forward, his body blanketing mine. I am now hostage to his dead body and the Creetions are now surrounding me. If I try to escape now I will be taken over. There is only one hope for me now. I must lay here and pray that the smell coming from his rotting body will mask the smell of my living flesh.