Jeff glanced down at Ray’s leg. He fought to keep the emotion off his face, but it was hard. The blood had soaked through most of the layers of shredded shirt he had wrapped around it. The bleeding might stop, but the virus was already racing through the kid’s system.
Hearing a new noise, Jeff lifted his head and noticed several shapes in the field behind the building. They were moving through the thick grass at a slow clip, but were only about a hundred yards away. He looked back down at Ray, who was pale but lucid. Ray feebly lifted his weapon, his hand flopping over on its side.
“I think you better take the gun. I don’t think I can fire too well anymore.” He held the Beretta out with a blood-drenched hand.
Jeff shook his head. “Nah, you keep it. I think you know how to handle it pretty well.” He stared at Ray, who had been trying to pull out the last clip from his pants pocket but stopped at Jeff’s response. “Besides, I have this.” He held the shotgun up next to him and smiled down at the teen.
Ray tried to return the smile, but nodded instead, the arm holding the gun dropped into his lap, his eyelids fluttering. He had no energy left to argue. Jeff worried that he was about to pass out.
“Ray?” The kid’s eyes opened again, a questioning look on his face. “You ready to go?” Jeff propped the shotgun on the wall as Ray nodded and reached for Jeff’s hand with his own. The boy’s hand was covered in blood, but Jeff didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Ray’s arm and wrapped it around his shoulder. Ray was heavy, but Jeff was able to carefully lift him to a standing position. Ray whimpered, and his head swayed, but he stayed conscious as he put his weight on his left foot and balanced himself. Jeff stood still for a few moments, half expecting the teen to collapse. When he didn’t, Jeff snatched up the shotgun and inched forward, testing Ray’s ability to move. Again, the boy seemed strong enough to handle the activity.
“Let me carry him,” George said as he moved up next to Jeff, sliding the pack off his arm.
Jeff shook his head firmly. “I’m taking him out of here.”
George began to protest, but Jeff cut him off. “I’m responsible for him, George. Get Teddy and move out.”
“Jeff, this is crazy! I’m stronger than you. Let me carry him!” George pleaded, but saw the look in Jeff’s eyes. It was clear that unless he wanted to waste precious seconds arguing, Jeff wasn’t letting Ray go. As the sounds of moaning grew louder all around them, George nodded, his shoulders slumping as he picked up the pack he had just dropped.
“Grab my bat, okay? Let the kid keep the rifle.” George looked down and spotted the bat where Jeff had dropped it. Teddy had already picked up his rifle and looked ready to move out.
The baseball bat seemed tiny in George’s oversized hands, and Jeff had to stifle a laugh.
“Get going. Get the hell out of here and head back to Michael and Frank. Ray and I are going to give you a head start.”
George and Teddy looked at Jeff simultaneously. Ray was hanging on him, looking as pale as a giant blob of rice pudding. The strips of Jeff’s shirt on his ankle were drenched with blood, and his glasses were close to falling off his nose once again. His eyes were open, but looked hazy.
Teddy was the first to step forward. He was shaking his head, but Ray spoke before he could say anything.
“Teddy, you have to go.” His voice, stronger than expected, hit his friend like a Mack truck. “You have to get back. Jeff and I will be fine. I promise.”
Teddy looked at him, the tears flowing freely down his face. “I’m so sorry, Ray. I screwed up so bad. It should have been me who got attacked, not you. It should have been me… ” He trailed off, giant sobs shaking his shoulders uncontrollably. George moved up and wrapped his arm around the boy.
“Teddy. TEDDY!” The younger boy looked up, his vision blurred as he stared at his friend. Ray looked mad and concerned for Teddy at the same time.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. You watched out for me. You did everything you could. Now you have to go, bro. Go with George and get back to the van.” The anger was gone, and the smile crept back. “Don’t worry. We’ll be right behind you.” Jeff adjusted, and Ray moved slightly higher up on his shoulder.
Teddy shrugged out of George’s grasp and moved up to Ray. He sniffled and fought back more tears as he hugged his friend gently. The bigger boy awkwardly wrapped the hand holding the pistol around his friend. They embraced for a moment, and the tears came for Ray as well, but he blinked them away furiously.
Teddy turned and moved back toward George. Neither boy spoke further.
“You don’t have to do this.” It was George this time, submitting his last-ditch plea to Jeff. “The four of us might do better together instead of splitting up.”
Jeff ignored the offer. “Go behind the buildings on this side of the street. Keep running and don’t stop. You can cut back onto the street if you see it’s clear. Just get back to Michael and to the van. Don’t wait for us.” When George heard the last sentence, his eyes widened in shock.
Jeff smiled as he moved through the parking lot toward the street. “Don’t worry about Ray and me; we’ll be fine.” Then he winked.
Jeff glanced back and saw a crowd of walkers coming their way down the street before focusing on the direction in which he needed to head.
George studied the back of the building. The ghouls out in the field had closed the distance to about fifty yards, and more were strung out in a long line behind the first small group. He looked to his left and saw a clear path in the direction he and Teddy needed to go, but their window of opportunity was closing fast.
Jeff and Ray kept moving toward the street, and Jeff looked back at George one last time.
“One more thing!” he shouted over the ever-increasing cacophony of moans. “Tell Michael that Marcus was bitten and turned. Tell him I had to put him down.” Jeff paused, letting the comment sink in. “Make sure you tell him it was me who did it.” He gave George a meaningful look and then turned back toward the street with Ray in tow.
“Go! Now!”
George sighed, feeling helpless as he looked over at Teddy. All the decisions had been taken out of his hands, so the only thing left was to do as Jeff suggested. He had to get Teddy to safety.
“Are you ready?”
The boy stared at him, his thin chest heaving. After a quick glance at the grassy field, he nodded. Teddy took a deep breath and bounced on his legs, getting into the starting position for a fast run. George gripped Jeff’s bat and surveyed their position relative to the nearest ghouls, who were already too close for comfort. They took off running, leaving several dismayed and puzzled-looking infected in their wake.
Undeterred, the decaying creatures followed, their stiff frames moving them forward at a slow but persistent pace. When they lost sight of the man and boy around the corner of a building, they sniffed the air and tasted it with their tongues, seeking out the stench of sweat, blood, and flesh. They plodded forward, tracking the scent as they marched onward on their endless quest.
Chapter 16
Megan was a nervous wreck, doing her best to avoid both Cindy and Jason while she waited for George and Jeff to return. Lydia had delicately suggested she give Jason some space for the time being, that he would come around soon enough. Lydia promised that she would speak to the boy as a neutral party in the hope that he might actually listen to her. Megan agreed and steered clear of the RV after the men left.
It was fairly easy to avoid getting in Cindy’s way, because the skuzzy tart had no interest in guarding the camp like Michael had implied she would be doing. Instead, she had remained in her RV.
So for a while, Megan sat in one of the chairs in the courtyard and plotted an escape from the camp for her, Jeff, George, and Jason, mostly to preoccupy her mind. Otherwise, all she could think about was the others who were outside, risking their lives for no good reason. Those thoughts were offset by a fantasy that itched and tickled her brain involving Michael and Frank being eaten alive by a pack of the infected.