We could see the tire place from one of the windows. So after plotting the best route, it was decided that Tim, Samantha, and I would make for the place tomorrow morning before sunrise. The plan would be for Antonio to open the big door and retreat to the RV. Then, they would drive out very slowly, go six blocks up the street, and just wait. As most of the zombies would likely follow, the three of us could make a run for it with the best chance of success. It would be risky, but, we had few options at this point.
Antonio and Rodney went to work on a pulley system that would hopefully allow the door to be opened from someplace safer like the roof of the RV. Reggie went in to make dinner, but before she did, she pulled me aside.
“Once we get out of this…I want to get to know you better,” she was looking up at me with those beautiful brown eyes, her hair hanging down in her face like a veil. Then, she kissed me on the cheek, spun on her heel, and vanished into the RV.
I was with Tim and Samantha, picking out places we could run for if things went bad. Also, we were trying to identify likely places for those things to be ‘hiding’. Seriously, some of those bastards are like trapdoor spiders…just waiting for an unsuspecting tidbit to wander past.
The scream startled us all.
I turned in time to see Reggie come stumbling out of the RV…with Amanda draped on her back. Blood was already streaming from a nasty rip on the nape of Reggie’s neck. Amanda’s teeth closed on the meaty part of the top of Reggie’s left arm, just below the joint. She tore away a chunk of flesh causing Reggie to scream in agony.
Greg was closest and grabbed Amanda by the hair, jerking her head back and jamming the 9mm that seemed to just appear in his hand against her forehead. He fired, the blast echoing throughout the big, open warehouse.
Reggie fell to the ground, sobbing and moaning in pain. Greg tossed Amanda aside and joined me. I had run to her along with Samantha and Tim.
Apparently, while she was making dinner, she never even heard Amanda come up behind her. Not that any of us had any reason to think she’d been bitten. But then, nobody had thought to check her after that incident in the house.
Greg was blaming himself and all of us were so shocked. I had Reggie in my arms, so I should’ve noticed when she picked up Greg’s gun where he had dropped it after shooting Amanda.
Without warning, she jerked away from me, shoved the gun in her mouth, and pulled the trigger. We all sat there in stunned silence. Nobody could blame her really. I mean, who wants to come back as one of those disgusting abominations?
Only…she never said goodbye.
Saturday, March 22
We’ve decided to wait a day. I mean really…where do we have to be? Nobody felt like doing much of anything. You’d think that loss would be acceptable now. I guess, if we ever do reach that point, we’re no better than those things outside.
We couldn’t bury the bodies. So, after saying a few words, we closed them up in a bathroom. Antonio found some paints and painted a cross with a vine of flowers climbing it. On each arm of the cross he put Reggie and Amanda’s name.
Greg is still blaming himself and hasn’t spoken since the incident. We will not let their deaths go to waste. From now on, we do full body check-ups anytime somebody comes back from being outside. Julia has agreed to check everyone out. Her being a nurse, it just seemed like the logical choice. Then, one of the gals can check Julia. We started today. Everyone is clean.
Sunday, March 23
About a third of those things outside have wandered off! We’ve stayed quiet. The hope is that more will leave. If we can just be patient, perhaps this gets a bit easier.
Still, don’t want to be too optimistic. Everybody is staying away from the windows. We talk in whispers. Only Joey is having problems with this since he can’t play with his ball anymore. I promised he could play with it as soon as we get on the road again and find a big open place.
That made him smile.
Monday, March 24
It feels great to be back on the road again. Our waiting things out for a couple of days really helped. Only about a hundred of those things were outside when we got up early this morning.
As soon as it was light enough to see, we got everybody loaded into the RV. Antonio was able to pull the door open, and Rodney was rolling out before those walking bags of pus could react. Those things are, thankfully, quite predictable. They all stumbled after the vehicle, and of course the engine noise attracted more attention, but it was all going away from where Tim, Samantha, and I were headed.
We bolted as quick as possible out a side window and ran for the tire store. As I reached the corner, one of those damned things caught me. It was really just a torso with arms and a head. Both legs looked to have been physically ripped off! This poor bastard had to have suffered some horrific pain. Torso-man was naked and had chunks missing from all over. I mean this guy was a mess. One eye had burst, and the jelly had mixed and dried with the blood all over its face.
So, Torso-man grabbed my ankle as I passed and was trying to pull my leg to its mouth. I kicked it in the face with a steel-toed boot, shattering teeth as well as lower jaw. This thing didn’t even register the blow. Tim kept running and Samantha glanced back, but we all agreed, each one must take care of themselves until we get our prize. In the back of my mind, I heard a raspy Vulcan say, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few…or the one.”
I kicked again and rolled away. Five or six more of them were around me, the closest within striking range, the farthest about fifteen feet. I was on my knees and just as this farmer straight out of that painting American Gothic was lunging, I launched myself backwards. I literally rolled heels over head and popped up in time to set my feet and swing my bat at Farmer’s waxy, bluish forehead. It was enough to open an escape route, and I was gone.
I caught Samantha and Tim as they were climbing through a rectangular window that was running lengthwise on the garage side of the place. They had already pushed a Dumpster into position and broken the glass. I jumped up and dove through, landing on the hard concrete just a bit awkwardly. I felt something give in my knee and the pain made my vision go white for just a few seconds.
I tried to stand, but the pain renewed its intensity. I fell to the floor, crying out. Tim and Samantha shot me a look that had me considering my options. I could see the true concern and sympathy. I also saw looks that told me there would be no help coming. If I could not fend for myself, I was screwed. They were already scanning the stock for the right size tire. Once it was located, the next part of the plan would be relying on Samantha and I to go to the front of this tire store and draw attention so that Tim could slip out the side window we had entered through, jump from the Dumpster and catch the lip of the roof, then pull himself up. All before being noticed and having something grab his legs.