Mistaken Identity
Chapter 1: The Safest Route to Mercy
"Is everybody ready?" Francis the most eager member of the zombie killing team said in his signature deep tone.
The recent zombie apocalypse had started and four strangers, Francis, Bill, Zoey and Louis, had found themselves watching each other's backs in a hope to save themselves from their apparent fate.
All four survivors were just preparing to battle their way through yet another sea of zombies. Ahead of the safe room door was a large jagged hole in the ground revealing the lower sections of the city's underground railway. The war veteran of the group, Bill, was trying to assemble his team for a strategic plan but Francis as ever stood outside the group.
Francis impatiently paced up and down the room breaking away from the group where he re-loaded his gun.
"Wait a minute Francis!" Louis shouted but was ignored by his larger built counterpart.
"If we take these tunnels along to the end of the line then go through the warehouses we can find a route through them to the sewers. You'll find it's the fastest way through to Mercy Hospital"
Over the voice of Bill came the rapid fire of a semi-automatic shotgun. Francis, enthusiastic as ever, had already removed the safe room bar and swung the door wide open.
"Come on guys the coast is clear" Francis shouted in an excited tone.
"Keep your shirt on!" Louis shouted but Francis had vanished in to the hole. The zombies staggering and stumbling over the debris didn't see the bounding Francis heading their direction with his favoured weapon in hand.
Acting quickly the other three survivors cautiously jumped into the hole in order to protect their bloodthirsty teammate, who was glorifying in the massacre of the zombie horde, even at the expense of his own safety.
Amid the battle for survival came the horrific choking cry of Bill, "ARRRGGHHH! GET IT OFF ME!" A Smoker had grabbed unsuspecting Bill from a distance clear of the rapid fire from the survivors. The tall gangly creature used its ability to throw its tongue from only a few feet away and thought it had an easy meal until Francis caught sight of it.
Whilst Zoey and Louis continued to fight the onslaught of the horde, Francis noticed his comrade tangled by the Smoker. All in a blur Francis ran towards his friend being choked to death and fired several rounds into the Smoker until it exploded into a puff of smoke.
"Francis!!" exclaimed Bill. Francis had come one shot to close for comfort. "Jeez, I'm sorry Bill what did you want me to do leave you hanging like a limp noodle?"
"Listen young pup, I'm glad you shot the bastard, but if we're all going to get out of here alive you need to watch your fire" shouted Bill whilst readjusting himself to continue with their mission.
Rolling his eyes as if he'd heard it all before Francis ran ahead muttering inaudible insults under his breath.
Following not too far behind Zoey was making sure that Bill hadn't sustained any major damage. "Bill you ok?" Bill just grunted evidently not used to being fussed over in a battle field. "Here's some pills you might need these" Zoey continued.
The subway was unusually quiet for the time of day. Having stopped to notice this, the survivors now had run to keep up to Francis who was almost out of sight.
"Second pistol here" Louis shouted a little too excited in the tense atmosphere. Francis came over to retrieve an additional weapon.
"Should we let you handle another pistol? You already nearly killed good old Bill over there." Louis sarcastically whispered in to Francis's ear.
"Why you..." exclaimed Francis. Just before another fight could break out amongst the team Zoey said in a motherly tone
"Will you two grow up we need to keep moving before another horde appears or something worse. I tell you if I get dragged off like Bill so help me..."
The team listened to Zoey's orders and headed up to the main platforms of the city's inner-city subway station. The main subway where fast moving trains only a few days earlier were running like clockwork, but now lay silent as ghosts.