Surviving Earth: Makayla's Journey Continued

by Cora A. Murray

  "Be careful,” Clara whispers. “If you're not back in an hour, Levi and I will be coming to find you."

  Kira and I walk out onto the landing of the small building. When we don't hear anything, we proceed, carefully. With our backs against the wall of the building, we keep our eyes focused on the road ahead of us and turn ever so often to the road behind us.

  Kira cringes at my side when we hear muffled shouting ahead of us. "Aige, com bak to us."

  Kira shakes at my side and her eyes grow huge with fright.

  "What?" I finally ask.

  "Not good. They will tear this town apart to find out who did this to their god. We need to leave. Now!" She hisses.

  "I'm not going anywhere until we get the meds to help Makayla. So either get your fucking act together or just go!" I snarl.

  If I cross the road ahead, it will leave us bare and we’ll stand out, but our other options are going in the same direction as the shouts or circling back and walking a wider trek through the neighboring streets. Kira is gradually backing away from the noise and from where I stand. Indecision races through my head as I think over each option. I move away from her and the noise ahead, I race across the road and don't stop until my back is against another building. I watch the road for movement, I see Kira as she ducks behind another building. Oh well. I was better off without her scared ass.

  I duck down alleyways and make the turns as Kira directed. I arrive at the back of the pharmacy. The door stands ajar, the interior pitch black. I slip the flashlight from my pocket, and shine the light inside, movement to the left has me backed against the door, as I wait for the attack which I know is imminent. When nothing happens and the rustling stops, I shine the light back inside, but see nothing. A mouse skitters across the floor frightening the next twenty years off my life. I try to catch my breath, and move farther into the back room, boxes and debris cover the floor. Each ripped open, the contents spilled, there are zero useable items scattered across the floor.

  I move toward the door that I know will put me in the pharmacy itself. I turn my flashlight off, and walk through the door with care. I glance up and see straight across from the pharmacy is where all the commotion is coming from. Fifteen or so freshies are gathered around the bodies of their slain leaders. Their moans and whining continue to fill the night. My fervent hope is that they are too engrossed with their loss, and I can get what I need and get out. I know the minutes are ticking down and soon Levi and Clara will come to find me and walk straight into the mourners.

  I cover the light with my shirt, turn my flashlight back on, try my best to keep it dim so as not to bring any undue attention my way. I start searching the shelves, at this point, any antibiotic and pain med I recognize will work, but I also need to find the bandages. I scan the shelves rapidly, see they've been ravaged by everyone before I got here. Most are tipped on their sides. Others are empty and tossed around. I find two different bottles of antibiotics, I grab both of them, and shove them in my pockets. Next, I go to the aisle labeled PAIN, but finding it more destroyed than the previous aisle makes me sigh aloud. I move bottles aside as I look for anything that will help Mak. I grab a bag that was tossed on the counter, and fill it with everything I can reach. Going back to each aisle, I fill the bag to overflowing with medicines, then head to the very front of the store with another bag.

  Bandages, alcohol, and peroxide fill that bag. I look up at the window, and notice the freshies have dispersed and are moving in all directions. I need to hurry and leave before I'm trapped, I rush back through the pharmacy and out the back door. I survey the area and make my way onto the street when all is clear.

  When my ankle is jerked I flatten against the side of the building. "Shhh, they're out there searching,” Kira says in a frantic voice. “Under here."

  "I have to get back. I've been gone too long." The sound of shuffling feet along the side of the building makes me wish I crawled under the building with Kira.

  "Aige, is gone, por Aige, por me."

  Slow footsteps continue past the building, as the freshie keeps whining about poor Paige.

  I slip around to the edge of the building and look around the side in both directions before walking out onto the open sidewalk. The dark of the night surrounds me on all sides. My only comfort is knowing that Kira follows from under the buildings.

  When I hear a roar ahead, I duck behind the nearest building.

  "Must find peeple, must make em pay for Aige." A short, but broad-shouldered freshie walks by the building where I am hiding in the shadows. These freshies are enraged by the death of their leaders, especially Paige. At least they haven't found my group. Sighing, I scan the area, but with no moon, the small town is covered in darkness.

  "Cole, hand me the bags,” Kira urges. “I can get there faster from under here."

  I’m not sure I can trust her. "I've got it, besides we're almost there."

  "You're three buildings away and I think there's six or so zombies in your path. Be right back, I'll go see,” she whispers as she crawls away. Damn. Her agility under these buildings makes me wonder how long she's been in hiding.

  "Pst, pst, Cole, it's clear up to the next building."

  Rustling back under the building, she moves back the way she came and I walk out onto the empty sidewalk. The sun gradually rises in the east and makes the path easier to find. I hope Clara and Levi are not out looking for the pharmacy or me.

  Before reaching the next building, a whining freshie walks out from behind it. His head lifts and he stares me straight in the face. His lips draw back, letting loose an angry roar. I know the area will soon fill with the remaining freshie population. I drop the bags at the front of the building and hope that Kira is nearby to grab them and head for Mak and the rest. I whip out the pistol at my waist, and aim between the freshies eyes and end his insistent noise. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot several more coming this way, the sound of my gun going off pulls them from wherever they have been.

  I lift my pistol, and start unloading on the freshies that amble my way, some fall while others groan and growl. Their slow walk falls away and they start to run towards me. What the hell! When did freshies start running?

  "Cole, under here quick,” Kira yells from under the building at my back. I crawl underneath the building as Kira shines the light around. I'm amazed at the labyrinth of scurries and tunnels she's etched into the ground.

  "How?" I stutter.

  "As a kid I loved playing under these old buildings. I even made tunnels connecting them, but sadly, some of them have fallen. If only I knew back then what I know now, I'd have kept them up." She fills the hole I crawled through with more dirt.

  "Can they get to us under here, and when did they start running?" I ask.

  "They've never tried coming after me under these buildings. With Paige and Teddy gone they may, but this lot aren't as smart as Paige." She leads the way to the back of the building. Turning around, she stops dead in her tracks with a shocked look on her face. "They ran?"

  "Yes, they chased after me,” I say a little too loudly.

  "We need to get the fuck outa this town." She races to the back wall.

  Chapter Fifteen

  "He's been gone too long, let's go, Levi,” Clara says as she heads to the door.

  "Wait, Clara, give him a few more minutes,” Levi demands. “I have faith in my brother.”

  "Fine. It's on you if anything happens to him, but if anything happens to her, I'll kill you all and feed you to the freshies of this town,” Clara says, as she stalks back across the small room to Mak. Lifting the makeshift dressing, she checks her wound it looks angry and inflamed.

  Clara paces the cramped confines of the building we are holed up in, I’m giving Cole five more minutes, then I am going out that door to find him and the pharmacy. It's not that I don't have faith that he'll come back, I don't trust Kira. Will she cut and run on him if they get in trouble or will she stay by his side and battle it out? She quickly runs a hand thro
ugh her hair and sighs in frustration.

  Makayla moans bringing both Gage and me to her side.

  "What's going on?" she asks groggily.

  "You were hurt fighting that bitch, Paige, and you've been out for a while,” Clara says.

  She tries to rise from the makeshift cot, but Cole runs through the back door with Kira on his heels.

  Standing, I want to shout it was about damn time, but the sight of his dirty bedraggled clothes stops me dead in my tracks.

  "What took you so long?” Levi asks. “Man we were all beginning to worry." He pats Cole on the back.

  He smiles and looks around the room. "Just a damn town full of pissed off freshies." He makes his way to Mak as she leans against the wall with her arm crossed over her stomach. I know the pain has to be excruciating, but she is always one to put on a brave face.

  Handing me the bags filled with the drug store meds and bandages, Cole walks back over to Levi to help guard the door. "Mak, as soon as you're up to it we have to get out of this town,” he says, watching for the rooms reaction.

  Rising up to her full height, she whispers, "I'm ready,” but falls back to the floor.

  "You are so damn hard-headed,” I say. “You are far from ready. Cole, can you and Levi take what gas we found and go grab the truck?"

  "We can try, but bringing it into this town will have every freshie out there on our tails, and definitely before we can load everyone up."

  "Why not create a diversion, blow up a building, or cause a lot of noise while we get the hell out of dodge?" I ask, moving to sit carefully beside Mak, who now has drifted back to sleep. I treat Makayla's wound with care and look up to see everyone staring. "What?"

  "We're going to have to move her quickly,” Levi says, “There's going to be no time for tenderness once we get out that door." Levi scratches the top of his head.

  "I don't need tender loving care,” Makayla says. “Let's just get this shit over with." She stands from the cot, and I am pleased to see she doesn’t struggle for balance this time. Cole, quickly makes a pipe bomb with what supplies we have in our hiding place. He and Kira run out to plant the bomb.

  I stay close to Makayla while we await the explosion from the pipe bomb that Cole and Kira made and are now planting, four buildings over.

  Cole runs in the door throwing it wide and shouts, "Oh, before I forget, they can now run, watch your backs. Go, go, go."

  Everyone runs out at once, the survivors from the prison all make a break for the truck as the bomb goes off under the building. The sound is deafening in the light of day. Chaos breaks out as freshies flood the streets searching for the explosion. As they all run for the flaming building, we make a run for the truck. Mak stumbles as she runs, but I hold her up as we continue running.

  "They r gettin' away, af ter em,” one lone freshie growls, running after us as we all dive inside. Levi at the wheel, squeals out and away from the town as cheers ring out from the back.

  A few miles outside of town, we pull over so everyone can get comfortable and to arrange Mak in the backseat. She is once again bleeding profusely. Grabbing up the supplies that Cole took from the pharmacy, I change out her bandages.

  "Clara, if something happens to me, please watch over Gage,” she says. “Go back to Lainey and Blu. Get my blood to that mad scientist, Dr. Cilley, maybe it can cure the freshies. Maybe, just maybe it can cure Logan." Never in the whole time I've known Mak have I seen her react this way to anything. Usually she bounces right back, but for her to think she is actually dying pisses me off beyond all measure.

  Standing from my crouched position, I toss the remaining bandage and meds at her. "You get your own fucking blood back to them and don't ask me to do something like that. Besides you're going to be fine." I move to my side of the truck, biting my nails, and wanting to cry. I refuse to let her see the chaos she has caused within me.

  "Clare-bear, I'm sorry."

  "Nope, not this time Makayla. I'm not going to let you off the hook. You are not dying. Get that through that thick head of yours!" I don't even bother to look her way, I fume under my breath. Throwing out random sentences. “Crazy ass bitch if she thinks I'll let her die.”

  After Mak finally falls asleep, I begin to clean her wounds again, applying the hydrogen peroxide and alcohol. Even in her sleep, Mak hisses at the pain. I want to remain pissed at her and tell her ‘Ha! That’s what you get.’ But all she is doing is putting herself in danger to protect her little band of friends and family and this time is no different. So why all of a sudden

  is she so willing to give up on life?

  "We have to get off the road for a while. There are lights coming this way,” Levi says, waking everyone in the truck, including Makayla.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I jerk upwards and look around for a place that Levi can hide us all. The lights up ahead are growing to encompass most of the road.

  "Turn here, Levi, See that copse of trees, get us in there fast."

  "Lay back down,” Clara urges me. “You'll start bleeding again."

  "No, we need to be ever watchful,” I say. “We have no clue what that is coming down the road. Hell, as smart as the freshies are now, it could be another trap." I sit up further. The pain is excruciating, but I can handle it if it means keeping everyone alive and getting them back to Blu and Lainey.

  Slipping out of the truck, I hide in the tall weeds and trees along with everyone else waiting for the light to reach us.

  The gasps and whispers finally reach where I am beside Cole and Gage.

  "Oh my God,” Clara cries, holding a hand over her mouth. The light spreads out before us.

  Behind a flatbed truck are row upon row of freshies and sitting on the back of the truck, using a loud speaker, is a man that looks to be in his thirties. If he is a zombie, he is extremely new. His voice radiates from the loud speaker. "Follow me, my darlings, and we will take over the rest of the world and gorge ourselves on human flesh." He is extremely dangerous. I watch in horror as more freshies file out of the surrounding woods to follow his magnetizing voice.

  "Shhhh,” I whisper to the group who have become unsettled.

  The truck and its lone passenger moves past us, the freshies following along behind steadily getting larger. Shit, what can we do against so many? I want to help those in the path of the coming destruction, but I also want to get back to Blu and Lainey and test my blood. Maybe that is the better option. I might be able cure all of those freshies out there wanting to take over the world. I know the battle within will wage on until I am positive of the outcome.

  Soon the horde passes us, moving on to cause death and destruction in their wake.

  "What do we do, Mak?" Cole and Levi ask from my side.

  "We get back to Blu and Lainey as quickly as possible, have my blood tested, and hope it can save what remains of the human race." I walk back to the truck and see the looks Gage, Clara, Cole, and Levi pass between each other, but they have to know I’m right. One, our group is too small to take on the horde that is steadily growing in numbers and two, I think most everyone hopes my blood is indeed the key to solving the zombie virus.

  Back on the road, the small towns all but deserted. A few remaining stragglers aimlessly wander around. Most of those make the turn into a zombie, which of course equals a mindless eating machine. Finding fuel is becoming harder and harder as we drive onward. We find a gallon here and there, but never enough to fill the tank. Most of the survivors are beginning to worry about having to finish the rest of our journey on foot. I definitely don't want Gage out there on foot, but it appears as though the freshies are clearing out and moving forward.

  Two states from where we started, the truck sits empty on the side of a deserted road.

  Sighing, I cast my eyes in either direction. This is my worst nightmare. Gage and Clara close to my side, we move out. Heading home to see Tessa, Blu, Lainey, and Survivor.

  I turn my head as we crest a hill, I look back at the old black truck that h
as gotten us through many rough times. I am sad to have to leave it behind.

  "Mak, how far are we away from Tessa and Blu?" Gage asks.

  I check the horizon and wrap my arms around his shoulders. "Maybe six or seven hundred miles. It's going to take a while to get there without the truck. Keep your eyes out for fuel. Let’s keep trying even as we walk away,” I say reminding those with us that the truck is still important.

  A few miles later, we reach a town called Plantersville. The homes here are large and Victorian. With the sun reaching for the horizon, I know we need to find a place to hole up until morning, but I want to check the town for vehicles and gas. "Cole, why don't you and Levi check out a few of these homes and we'll look around for a car and gas,” I say, gesturing between Clara and Gage.

  "Sounds like a plan,” Levi says. “How far out should we go do you think?" He glances at the surrounding area.

  "I'd stick close to town, but be careful. I've come across houses with survivors that are none too happy to have visitors."

  As we walk into the town, my hand stays on the hilt of my katana, ready for any danger. I hate taking Gage and Clara into a new place without first checking it out, but I know they won't stay behind or go with Cole and Levi, which is also a dangerous mission.

  "Look, Mak,” Gage says, pointing toward an old store. “That looks like the truck." Sure enough, our old black truck sits in front of the store, but with new owners.

  "Shhhh, get behind that building." I move them from the wide open road.

  "What do you plan on doing?" Clara asks with a gleam in her eyes.

  "Get our truck back." I edge to the corner of the crumbling building. Sliding my sawed-off shotgun from my back, I wait for whoever took the truck to walk outside.

  Minutes tick into an hour and still no one has walked from the store.

  "Stay here while I go check it out,” I say.