Chris couldn’t will himself to move as the wall of walking dead started toward him. It wasn’t until Jafar spoke that he realized he’d come to a stop next to him. Carlos caught up and his eyes locked on what lay ahead.
“We must try to get through,” Carlos said. “We have to do it now before they gather.”
Several gunshots in the distance got them moving again. Carlos was limping badly as he tried to keep up. Jafar was out in front, leading them toward the thinnest point in the line of undead. He took carful aim and fired as they drew nearer. The first shot hit a zombie in the face and snapped its head back. He moved his gun with precision and dropped two more.
The line of the dead broke, the ends turning in toward a group of survivors stuck in the middle of the field. Chris picked up his pace and the muscles in his legs burnt from it. The moans of the dead filled his ears as they closed in near enough to see their decomposing faces. The tattered remains of their clothing hung about them caked in dried blood and bits of half eaten flesh. A wind swept across the valley from the west carrying with it their putrefying stench.
Chris stumbled and felt his knee give out. A second later, he was on the ground with the full weight of Angie on top of him. In a frantic struggle, he fought to get up. Angie’s legs flailed about, catching him twice across the face and the blood from her wound smeared across his cheek. Carlos grabbed her and rolled her off as the chorus of the dead intensified. Chris caught sight of stumbling legs closing in as he got up to his hands and knees.
Jafar fired, but there were more zombies than any of them could count. He threw the gun at them after he pulled the trigger again and nothing happened. The dead were moving in from all sides and by the time Chris got to his feet, they were lunging toward them. “Wait.” Chris heard Jafar and quickly discovered the source of his ire. Carlos had Angie’s arm around his neck and they were making a run for it.
The dead were all around. Chris snatched his gun off the ground and stumbled back out of arm’s reach. He retreated several steps with Jafar by his side. They watched as Carlos and Angie were surrounded. The dead got hold of Carlos and pulled him to the ground, dragging Angie down with him. The full weight of two dozen zombies collapsed upon them and Chris could do nothing to stop the feast of flesh. Another wave of undead pushed past the human buffet and blocked out the full view of the bloody mess. Carlos’ horrible shrieks rose up from the tall grass and joined the death cries of the others trapped in the valley.
Chris felt Jafar pulling on the back of his shirt and he finally gave in. They ran south around the base of the hills leaving a majority of the gunfire behind them. Fear and adrenaline kept Chris going, but he couldn’t be sure how much longer he could hold up. In his heightened state, his fears drifted to Jenn and the kids. In his heart, he knew they were dead and his gut churned at the thought, knowing he should have done more to help.
Jafar came to an abrupt stop and slid down on his knees. Chris followed his example as the sound of stomping feet interrupted the distant screams. He tried to catch his breath as his heart beat wildly in his chest. His legs ached and he didn’t know if he could force himself to run again if he had to.
Jafar stood up, and then turned to Chris holding a finger to his lips. His eyes were wide, sweat streaming down the sides of his face. They were moving again, this time at a painfully slow pace. It was several minutes before Chris understood why they had slowed. The voices were low, but close.
“We should go around the other side,” a man said.
“Let’s regroup first then move together,” another man countered. “We’re never going to be able to catch anyone alive.”
Jafar edged around a group of trees as he locked in on the direction of the voices. Chris scanned the dense underbrush keeping close to it. He involuntarily dropped to the ground when he caught a glimpse of movement. Three men stood out in a clearing beyond the trees, each one armed and on the hunt.
Chris looked around for Jafar and panicked when he couldn’t find him. He called after him without thinking and regretted it the moment the words escaped his lips. His eyes went back to the clearing and found the men silent, all studying the trees in his direction. There were several terrifying moments when every breath sounded like a tornado in his ears.
One of the men whispered to another and it was only then that Chris realized he’d lost sight of the third. Chris held his breath as he considered what to do. He was about to risk a step when the snap of a twig pulled his attention back over his shoulder. He found the third man close behind, his rifle aim directly at his head. The man smiled, his teeth parting a thick mustache.
“I got one-“
The thump that followed caused Chris to flinch. The man took one step forward, and then collapsed to the ground. Jafar stood behind him, his eyes focused on the clearing. He snatched the man’s side arm and pointed toward the rifle he’d dropped. Chris secured his shotgun in one hand, then grabbed the man’s rifle as Jafar started back in the direction they’d come. They didn’t make it far before the men in the clearing discovered their comrade.
Jafar was running. Chris pushed aside the pain in his legs and did his best to keep up. They burst from underneath the tree coverage out into the open. A quick look revealed the line of the dead further to the north, but they were far from safe. A pickup truck sped across the valley towards them the moment they emerged from cover. Chris grabbed Jafar by the arm.
“Come on, let’s go back.”
Jafar jerked away.
“No, we have to get across. Give me the rifle.”
Chris did as he was told and Jafar got down on one knee. The truck sped up and Chris found himself backing further away. He reached the trees when someone pulled themselves out of the truck’s passenger side window and aimed a gun in their direction. Jafar fired first and the shot went wide. Chris was hidden behind a tree when the passenger returned fire.
Several shots went off in rapid succession and the dirt flew up in a straight line a few feet from Jafar. He returned fire, this time with a solid strike that splintered the windshield. The truck swerved, and then pulled back on course. The passenger gathered himself and fired again. The volley was wild, tearing into the trees. Jafar held his aim as the truck roared toward him. He pulled the trigger and the round struck the windshield directly in front of the driver.
The truck swerved hard tossing dirt and grass into the air as it turned sideways. The motion pulled the vehicle forward and a brutal noise followed. The tires dug in and the truck rolled. The first full flip tossed the passenger out the window and the second crushed him as it rolled over.
Jafar jumped to his feet and dove out of the way, as the truck spun towards him. Chris was running for his life when the vehicle smashed into the trees. He ended up flat on his face with his hands over his head. A sudden silence caused him to look back at the chaos. Jafar was lying on his back in the grass. Chris picked himself up and did a quick check for broken bones. Jafar was already up and moving in the other direction when he stepped out in the open.
“We have to go now,” Jafar said.
Chris looked over at the crumpled chunk of metal that used to be a truck. He realized he’d lost the shotgun somewhere in his desperate attempt to get to safety, but Jafar didn’t look willing to let him go back for a look.
“We need to get to the highway,” Chris said, as he started off after him.
Jafar paused for one look back.
“Then let’s go.”
13.
Jenn’s eyes were locked on the field. She was lying prone with one arm around Alicen and the other around Jake. Sarah and Michael were following some distance behind them, but she was too scared to look back to see if they were still there. They had all run out into the field after the initial wave of gunfire. In a panic, they had pushed into the woods across from the hidden tunnel exit.
It was only after the first frantic wave of fire that they realized they were separated from the other survivors. The shooting continued for sever
al minutes and Jenn tried to keep it behind them. She ran out of rounds in the fray and dropped her pistol somewhere in the woods. They headed west and that’s when the screams rose above everything else. They were out from under the tree coverage before Jenn realized what they had done.
Jake first spotted the dead out in the valley. A long line of them erupted from the distant trees in a wall of rotted flesh. They watched a host of the survivors get surrounded before a large group of zombies broke away and turned in their direction. Stricken with terror, Jenn fell to the ground, dragging Jake and Alicen down with her.
“I can’t see anything.”
There was a desperate dread in Jake’s whispered words. It was difficult to see through the tall grass and Jenn was forced to peek at the state of their surroundings. Slowly, she lifted her head, holding her breath as she went. A shifting movement directly out in front of them grabbed her. The lumbering steps gave away the walker.
There was a break in the wind and a slow guttural moan carried across the tops of the grass. Shifting figures caught Jenn’s eyes to the right and left and she knew the dead were all around them. The moans joined in a sick chorus that brought a shiver to her spine. It took all her willpower to keep from jumping up and running.
She lowered her head close to the ground and her eyes went from Jake to Alicen. Tears streamed down the little girl’s cheeks as she kept the side of her face buried in the dirt. Jenn prayed she wouldn’t cry out. She faked a smile and adjusted her grip on Alicen’s arm. Jenn turned her head back to Jake as a shadow swept across her face. The boy’s eyes widened.
Jenn felt Jake’s heart beating against her arm. She took hold of his shirt and tightened her grip, silently begging him not to move. She’d had plenty of close contact with the dead and experience told her that they hunted by sight alone. The moaning continued, but never rose to the lustful calls that came with a feeding rage.
The shadows shifted again, but Jenn never moved. She managed to keep both kids still. It was long after the moaning faded that she finally risked another look. The figures were gone. There was no sign of the dead behind them and only the mass of feeders in the south devouring the lost survivors. Sarah and Michael were close, both looking up through the grass at her.
Jenn didn’t say a word. She pulled at the kids and motioned for Sarah to follow. The group ran together and kept it up as long as their legs would carry them. They were forced to rest only once when Alicen collapsed, but they managed to reach the trees across the valley with no signs of being followed. Jake lurched up on his tiptoes and vomited the moment they stopped. He nearly collapsed before Michael grabbed hold of him and kept him up.
“I’m all right,” he said and jerked his arm away.
Jenn gave them a few minutes to catch their breath. The moment of clarity gave her time to consider what they were doing.
“We have to get back out on the highway.”
Sarah had her hands on her knees trying to take in as much air as she could get. “This is our home,” she said between gulps.
Jenn didn’t have time to argue. She was willing to leave Sarah and Michael behind, but she was certain there was nothing here for them. She took a deep breath and locked eyes with Sarah.
“Your home is gone.”
The weight of the statement didn’t hit Jenn until she said it out loud. Sarah started to reply, but her mouth slammed shut. She looked at her son then back at Jenn. It was only then that the woman’s age showed through her tough exterior. She wiped the frayed ends of her graying hair out of her eyes.
“It’s all we know,” she said, then reached out for her son and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s all we’ve ever known.”
Jake leaned into Jenn, making sure no one could hear him. “I don’t think she’s going to make it.” Jenn looked at him for further explanation. “She’s going to slow us down.”
Jenn drew back astonished by the boy’s comment. She was stunned by the callousness of his words. “This is what we’re going to do,” she said loud enough for everyone to hear. Jenn stepped into the center of the loosely gathered circle. “We’re going to find some transportation, and then we’re going to get the hell out of here.” She focused on Sarah and the older woman nodded. “We have to survive, nothing else matters.”
The pep talk was enough to pull everyone in line. Jenn started walking and she hoped Sarah could keep it together long enough for them to get safely away. Michael sped up his pace and took the lead. He assured Jenn that he could get them back to Dumont. It was the last place Jenn wanted to be, but she figured it was the only place they could find a working vehicle.
It was afternoon when Michael slowed the group. The sparse woods opened up ahead. Jenn’s eyes were on him as he cautiously made his way back between the trees. His whisper was enough to relay the danger ahead.
“Ferry Road is right out there.” He took a few deep breaths then nervously peered over his shoulder before continuing. “Dumont is about a quarter mile south of here.”
“We can’t just walk back there,” Jake asserted.
Jenn shushed the boy and received a scornful scowl for it. “Can’t you get us around it?” she asked. “Can you bring us out closer to the highway?”
Michael considered it then finally nodded. “I can, but it will take some time. Don’t you think Mr. Walker and his men will take the highway back?”
Jenn knew he was right. If they kept to the trees and continued south, they’d run the risk of running into him.
“Maybe we don’t have to.” Sarah’s comment pulled all eyes to her. She was mid-thought trying to figure something out. “In the mornings, I part time at the high school,” she stopped herself, “I did, that is.”
Jenn was hoping there was a useful point to the story and her face showed it.
“So anyway,” Sarah continued. “They have buses, a whole bunch of them. If we could get our hands on one of them, we’d have ourselves a makeshift RV.”
Jenn’s mind sparked to life. “That’s perfect. What are the chances they’re still there?”
“Pretty good,” Michael said. “A group of us were out hunting near the school a few weeks ago and I saw a few still parked out in the lot.”
Jenn knew it was a gamble. There was no guarantee the buses would run. There was an even better chance the fuel had been taken months ago.
“How far?”
“It’s off the highway,” Michael said. “Further west of Dumont. We could cross here and avoid the town altogether.”
There was little to debate. Michael led them to the edge of the woods then kept still for a long time. He seemed unwilling to go any further and Jenn had take control of the situation. The destination on the other side of the road was further than it first appeared.
Jenn went ahead without saying a word. She was in the middle of the road when the sound of a roaring engine came barreling toward her. She didn’t look for what was coming. Jenn pressed herself, moving faster than she ever thought possible. She reached the trees on the other side of the clearing and leapt for cover, landing face first with a hard thud.
She was up on a knee behind a tree when the heavy truck pulled into view. The vehicle was bearing down the road at a high speed and a group of figures stood out from the bed of the truck. It raced by and only then did the truth of the passengers become apparent. A make shift corral surround the bed. A dozen or so zombies clawed at the cab trying to get through the glass at the driver and passenger. The vehicle was gone a moment later and the details lost.
The sudden appearance of the truck increased the hesitation of the others to cross the open space. Sarah went next, followed closely by the kids. Jake could only convince Alicen to run if he held her hand the entire way. Michael went last, bringing the group together safely on the other side. He continued to lead the way with Jenn at his side.
They walked in silence for more than an hour. The tree coverage grew sparser the further south they went and the fear of the dead increased. Several ti
mes, Michael brought them to a stop and urged them to get down. Shadowy figures moved between the trees in the distance, some walking alone while others moved in packs. Their mindless fumbling identified them and the moans echoing beneath the canopy of limbs confirmed it.
Jenn checked her watch. There were only a few hours until sundown. They would have to find somewhere to hold up before the infected were free to hunt. The thought of it brought a frightening question to her mind. Where was the infected hiding? That question lingered as Michael pushed them to move faster. The overhead coverage broke and the heat of the day was gone. Sunlight crisscrossed a dilapidated football field, as long shadows stretched across the fifty yard line. Michael looked to Jenn and pointed at a sizable building beyond the field.
“That’s the gym,” he said. “The main school buildings are on the other side of it.”
Jenn scanned the open space on either side of the building. The highway stretched to the east and west as far as she could see. There was no sign of trouble in either direction.
“Do we have to go in there?” Sarah asked.
Jenn studied the gym as if the walls might offer some answers.
“I doubt the buses have keys in them.”
Jakes ears perked up.
“Let’s at least check before we risk going inside,” he said.
Jenn knew he had a point. They didn’t have much to defend themselves with and the thought of a close quarter fight wasn’t appealing. They moved across the football field with all eyes on the highway. There was no guarantee that Mr. Walker and a group of his men wouldn’t come barreling down from the east at any moment.
Michael gave up his lead position when their backs pressed against the gymnasium wall. Jenn poked her head out around the corner of the building and discovered two things almost immediately. A pair of long, yellow buses sat motionless in the parking lot in front of the main building and the double door entrance to the high school was half the distance to the lot. She motioned for the others to stay put. She was halfway down the side of the gym before she realized Jake was following her. She tried to shoo him away, but his expression told her he wasn’t going to listen.
The Last Infection: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller Page 10