by W. A. R.
Her own thoughts soon become drowned out with the sounds of shuffling, moans, and the vibrations of Biters running into the back of the truck. Thump. Clang. Amber shrunk into her seat at the sound of bone pulling and scratching at the side of the truck. Sccccrrreeeech. Fingernails on a chalkboard. Her eyesight adjusted to the darkness, and she eased up on her knees, looking out of the windows. She slapped a hand over her mouth at the sight. Biters were everywhere….searching, smelling, listening. Amber began to panic. Where were Miles and George? What were they doing? Her eyes began frantically searching for them among the Biters, and then it hit her. It was loud, the gunshots, as they pierced the air, startling Amber and making her jump. One, two…and then quiet. No screams, no panicky pain filled calls for help. Her breathing became more and more shallow and she felt her eyes overflow with tears.
The passenger door suddenly sprang open and she felt pressure on her back before the door eased shut, a hand slapping across her mouth before she could cry out in surprise. She turned to look and saw George. He was breathing heavily, and his eyes were wild. Blood covered his shirt and he glowered at her. Relief cascaded over her at the sight of him.
“Get in the floorboard.” He growled at her. She ignored his statement, hadn’t even heard him, and wrapped her arms around his neck, grateful he was alive. He leaned back from the impact, refusing to move, his focus everywhere around them.
“Oh thank God you’re ok.” She said softly, her voice trembling. “Where were you?” she asked in a loud whisper and pulling away from him. He nodded towards a light off in the distance behind the house. An orange light that was drawing the Biters in and away from the trucks. It was a fire. He had built a fire to draw the biters away from the vehicles so they might have a chance to get out. He set his shotgun in the seat behind them.
“Get in the floorboard.” He demanded once again. She stared hard at him, confusion settling in. George was alone. The boy, the woman, and Miles were still gone. Panic once again threatened to consume her. No…it couldn’t end that way. Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach and she felt sick.
“Where is Miles? Wasn’t he with you?” She asked, and immediately George grabbed her and pushed her into the floorboard, pressing his front to her back and wrapping his arms around her.
“SH.” He shushed her and she looked up at the Driver’s window just in time to see two Biters bang on the glass, snapping their teeth and rubbing their rotted flesh against it. The entire truck began to shake with more and more Biters pushing against it and Amber slapped her hands over her ears from the noise. They must have followed George, must have seen or heard him. Thump. Thump. Clang. One Mississippi…Amber was a girl again, watching in shock as her bully slammed her harasser against the wall. The moans grew louder and more desperate. Scrrrrreeeech. Clang. Two Mississippi…Amber was at Jenson’s Farm supply, her life in the hands of some crazed monster of a man. The squeak of the shocks of the truck sounded out as the truck swayed from side to side. Clang. Thump. Three Mississippi…..Amber lay in the hospital bed with her daughter snuggled against her, staring at her newborn son. Amber tried calming her breathing, but to no avail. Clang. Squeak. Squeak. Four Mississippi… she stared into her grandmother’s eyes as she took her life from her, knowing she had no choice. Miles had to come back. He always came back. Amber felt close to hysteria when a loud explosion shook her to her very core, causing her ears to ring. She watched as the Biters turned to follow the noise, and saw a towering mountain of fire mushroom behind the Biters. After a few seconds, the truck stopped moving, the noises stopped and Amber eased up. George held her close, forcing her to stay in the floorboard.
“What happened?” Amber whispered to George, who rose up, keeping his hands on Amber’s shoulders.
“I have no idea.” He said softly and Amber sniffled. George stroked her arm, and sighed, comforting her. His hands were gentle and she shrunk into his touch, feeling overwhelmed. Were Brian and Shelly okay? Where was Miles? A soft sob escaped her and she felt weakened, vulnerable. Had the other three made it? “An explosion. Where are the others?” he asked of her and she shuddered.
“Brian and Shelly made it to the other truck, last I saw of them. Miles…he went after you.” Amber whispered and George sighed. Amber felt the band around her heart tighten significantly. She felt as if she couldn’t breathe. He didn’t have to say it. She already knew what he was going to say. He hadn’t seen Miles since he ran out the back door. Amber shrunk a little more into him, letting him hold her because if he were to release her, she feared she would find a way to escape the truck and find Miles and the boy…to try to save them if it wasn’t already too late.
Suddenly, the driver’s door opened before her, and the little boy scurried to her in the floorboard, Miles behind him. He slammed the door and locked it. Amber jerked forward, pulling the young boy to her chest. Relief washed over her as she held him tight against her, the child sobbing against her as she tried to comfort him. She felt the little boy cry silently, gripping her shirt and Miles’s shirt in his tiny fists. Miles edged forward and covered the boy as well, and Amber heard his heavy shallow breaths. She felt George’s hands rest on her shoulders as she wrapped one arm firmly around the sobbing boy and brought her other hand to rest firmly on Miles’s neck. She knew he could do it, knew he was that man she understood him to be. His pulse beat a rapid rhythm beneath her fingertips. Closing her eyes, she trembled from relief and rested her forehead on his shoulder next to his lowered head. He shuddered.
“Thank you.” She whispered against his shoulder, unsure of what else to say, how else to express her gratitude. She brought her chin up to rest on his shoulder and urged him with her hand to rest his head against hers in comfort. She opened her eyes just as something banged on the driver window. Amber jerked back from surprise and Miles instantly brought his hand to grip the back of her neck, keeping her from moving even an inch.
It was the woman; the boy’s mother.
“Help me! Please! Open the door!” she screamed at them before screaming in Spanish, continuously banging on the window and staring into Amber’s eyes. Amber couldn’t take her eyes away from the woman and her heart hammered away in her chest. Miles forced Amber to look away by bringing her forehead to press against his. She gripped George’s hand, her other hand tensing against Miles’s neck as well from Miles’s actions; their actions. She was in shock, more tears beginning to flow.
“What have we done?” she asked of him, the tears spilling over her lashes. It was her fault just as much as it was his. He looked torn and furious, and with what, Amber didn’t know. She didn’t care to know. He refused to say anything. Instead, he only held her hostage with that saddened look. Her bottom lip trembled and the boy tightened his hold on Amber’s shirt. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” she whispered to Miles desperately. He shook his head and shushed her, attempting to comfort her when he was hurting as well. Amber closed her eyes tightly and pressed her forehead harder against his.
“It will be alright.” Miles told her as the banging continued. His voice was thick, pleading with her. She shook her head, struggling to find the right words.
“Miles, she…” Amber began before Miles cut her off. She removed her hand from his neck and wrapped her arm around the child, wanting nothing more than to blur out the cries and pleas for mercy, for sanctuary, from his mother.
“…was bitten. She was infected, Amber. I couldn’t save her without risking everyone else.” He told her pointedly and she tried once again to pull back from him. He refused to let her do so. He released a shuddering breath and rubbed his thumb against her ear and hair. Amber knew he was right. She knew it. So why did it feel so bad? Some things will just need to be done, even though it feels wrong, the words rang out in her head as she felt his hand begin to shake and he licked his lips and closed his eyes. The woman banged louder on the window.
“Amber, you know we can’t save her.” George told her sadly. He felt her body shake under his hand. Everyone sat
silently.
“I know.” She told him, her words slicing and cutting them deep. Miles shared a look with George before they both turned their attention back to Amber and the boy. Amber stroked his back as he cried. “Elliot, I am so, so very sorry.” The boy cried harder against her and she tightened her hold on him, beginning to rock slightly on her knees. “We will get through this and we will take care of you. I promise. You will be okay.” She promised him with as much strength as she could, drowning out the cries of his mother. Miles stroked her ear with his thumb.
“I’m so sorry, Amber, I tried. But I couldn’t.” He whispered roughly to her and she realized that he was just as pained as she was. Did it matter then? She wasn’t sure. “Please don’t look. Please.” He begged her, and she felt unsure of what to do. “Try not to listen. Just…” Amber’s tears ran freely now, and she couldn’t stop seeing the woman, the blood on the window, the terror and betrayal on her face.
“There was nothing we…” George began in a low whisper but he was interrupted by the brutality of the scorned woman.
“Help me!” the woman suddenly exclaimed picking up the biggest rock she could find and slamming it against the glass. The glass spideredout, refusing to break for the woman. “That is my son! mi pequeño varon! Please!” she cried, before screaming and rearing back to hit the glass again. The banging stopped suddenly, but the screams grew hysterical and Amber heard shuffling on the ground, outside the truck and she jerked her neck from Miles’s hold, pulling the boy with her as they fell into George.
“You’re alright.” She gathered the courage to whisper to the boy. He sniffled against her, and she continued trying to shush him. Miles stared hard at her as George squeezed her shoulders in comfort. He swallowed thickly and moved closer to her. He reached out for her with his free hand and she jerked, her entire body trembling with anger, with hate, but not at him…at the world…at herself. He held her firmly to him, his occupied hand pressing hard against the back of her neck. She could hear the woman’s struggles outside the door, the hitting and the dull thud against hollow and bloated flesh. She grimaced at the sounds, the whimpers and moans from both her and the creatures she fought against. She wished their torment away, even if it meant the woman’s death. Her heart was beating so hard against her chest she knew that the boy could feel it and hear it. Breathing was becoming a monumental task; it hurt every time she inhaled. Miles grabbed her arm and pulled her and the child to him, George’s hands resting on her shoulders.
“Listen to me, Amber.” He told her and she closed her eyes tightly against the woman’s screams. “Cover his ears. I’ve got you and just…breathe.” He whispered to her gently and she felt George’s hands squeeze her shoulders in assurance. She knew what she had to do, but being near him made her ache; and yet still she immediately pulled the boy closer to her, if that were at all possible. His small hands already covered his ears, and she gingerly placed her own on top of his, feeling the shocking cold that came from his fingertips. Miles sounded far braver than he was, Amber realized as she caught him staring at her with a sadness that reached into her very soul and consumed her very being. She had to stop the sob that threatened to come out as he gently placed his hands on either side of her head, covering her ears. Amber raised her head slightly, her forehead rubbing against his, tears falling down her face. His fingers held tightly against her ears, trying to block out everything. His fingers gripped at stray strands of her hair as their emotions shook them down to their very cores. His fingers held her up as she felt like caving in.
“No! Help!” the woman screamed again, slamming into the window for the last time before falling to the ground. Her cries tore at them all and Amber shuddered. Pain filled screams rent the air, causing them all to jump. The boy began to cry harder, as did Amber. The sound simply couldn’t be blocked out, no matter how they tried. She felt George’s hands smooth across her arms in comfort and her body trembled from the weight of guilt, of survival, and finally of loss. Amber knew that this night would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Chapter Ten
Shelly felt weak and unsure. Brian had sat up in the seat, leaving Shelly in the floorboard after she had calmed down to some extent. She had curled up into a ball, balancing on her feet and leaning against the locked passenger door. Her better judgment, her compassion had gotten the best of her and Brian had to force her to stay put. She had been an idiot. If she would have fought any longer in that house, they wouldn’t have made it out. She would have cost Brian his life. She realized that after the fact. Amber had fought more so, and Shelly envied her passion, her determination; and now Brian had informed her that George never got back to the truck, and after throwing Amber in the truck with Zeus, Miles had ran back to the house. Amber was left all alone in the truck. The Biters completely avoided Brian’s truck, aside from the occasional banging from their bodies and parts hitting against it on their way towards the house. They were focused on some kind of activity going on in and around the backside of the house. It made both Brian and Shelly nervous. Brian rubbed a hand across his face.
“There are so many. At least a hundred, if not more.” Brian told her in shaky voice, giving a rough estimation of all of the Biters that had gone by. “It is dwindling down though.” Seconds ticked by as Brian watched through the window at the flurry of activity around them, keeping her updated. Shelly knew that everything that had happened was now eating away at Brian, but it had all happened so quickly, no one had time to think, or was in their right mind. “I hope she’s ok.” Brian said absentmindedly. Shelly cleared her throat.
“I’m sure she is, honey.” She reassured him as the banging against the back of the truck stopped. A gunshot resonated through the air, cutting through the moaning excepted silence. Shelly jumped and Brian pasted himself against the window. Another shot rang out and Shelly felt herself hyperventilating. “Who is it Brian?” she asked, her heart slamming against her ribs. The shots were so close that she worried it was Amber. Shelly felt shamed and she could sense the regretful flush crawl up Brian’s neck. They had simply left, had run, leaving everyone, including his sister behind. But, Brian had entrusted her safety to Miles. Shelly could only hope that the man followed through.
“I don’t know…but…” he paused, swallowing and his voice dropped low and trembled. “The Biters are turning back towards their truck.” He gulped. Tears began to fill his eyes when he saw a light in the distance and saw George sneak his way through the passenger side door of the truck. He breathed a sigh of relief. “George is there. The genius ran off and started a fire.” He told Shelly in astonishment, and then froze when he realized that the Biters continued toward the truck anyways. They had heard George.
“Thank God. Have you seen Miles?” she asked him and Brian shook his head, speechless as Biters began clawing at the truck. More and more came, pushing against the truck. Brian glanced at the fire in the back of the house when his eye caught Miles in front of it, throwing a big round object into the fire. He then ran into the house.
“Miles just ran in the house.” Brian told Shelly excitedly, his mouth going dry. Within seconds, the fire exploded causing a mushroom shaped fire behind the house. The truck shook with its force and Shelly gasped and gripped the seat and dash as hard as she could.
“What in the hell was that, Brian?” she asked fearfully, trying desperately to keep her voice low. Brian stared in wide-eyed fascination as the Biters turned from the truck and began towards the, now huge fire. That crazy son-of-a-bitch did it.
“I’m not sure…Miles threw something in the fire and ran in the house…wait…” he said eagerly “There he is…and he’s got…oh, Shelly,…he has the boy…” he said, his voice dropping. Shelly sprang up and leaned over Brian shoulder, watching as Miles ran through the yard, the young boy’s arms wrapped around Miles’s neck and clinging to him for dear life.
“Oh my God…” Shelly breathed, covering her mouth with a quivering hand. They watched as Miles dodged Biters, shovin
g some and killing others, keeping the boy out of harm’s way. He finally disappeared on the other side of the truck and they heard the door shut. “He did it…” she said softly, squeezing Brian’s shoulder. She let out a nervous laugh. “He actually did it! Oh no…” she trailed off as they watched the woman running screaming to the truck. They heard banging and screaming. Shelly felt her eyes burn. “Why won’t they let her in?”
“They can’t.” Brian said softly, and she looked at him. He felt her eyes rest on him in shock and disapproval. He sighed and rested his forehead against the window.
“But…” Shelly began but Brian cut her off as the screams continued. He felt his shirt get damp on his shoulder from Shelly’s tears.
“She was infected Shelly. You know we couldn’t. We didn’t have time.” He told her as the screams stopped. Everything became silent as they watched the fire and the truck. Seconds ticked by, anticipation becoming heavy until he saw the brake lights of Miles’s truck come on and Miles began to reverse. “Buckle your seat belt.” He told her before turning the key in the ignition. Shelly sat back and did as she was instructed, watching as Miles backed into a Biter. She looked and saw more Biters coming their way.