Barton Hollow
Chapter Two: Uninspired
They traveled by bike; Jack always kept a few spares in his garage, thank goodness. He explained to them as they rode out of the neighborhood.
"I don't know what they are…" He said, out of breath from his pedaling, "But they aren't human…Not anymore, at least."
Ralph kept looking ahead. He didn't have the energy to waste on making eye contact during this conversation. "How so?" He huffed.
"Well…They're not alive."
"That's because you killed them!"
"I did not!"
Simon and Alex remained silent; Alex out of exhaustion and Simon out of apathy. Plus, he might as well save his breath for later, when he would need it most.
"What I mean to say," Jack huffed, "Is that they're changed! Like in the video games and movies!"
"Your parents were zombies?" Ralph yelled, "You expect me to believe that?!"
"We have to tell someone!" Jack shot back. Ralph slammed on the brakes and skidded to a sideways halt in front of the red-head. The two stared daggers at each other. Simon sighed.
"Come on, you two." Alex intervened, still panting, "Can you stop and think logically about this?"
"I know what I saw." Jack growled.
Ralph was the one to back up; he knew a vain fight when he saw one. There really was no winning when it came to Merridew. Besides, it was past noon now. They needed to move.
"Fine." He admitted, "Maybe you're right. But, I need more evidence than that. Let's try to get out of the neighborhood a bit. We need to look for Maurice and Roger anyway. That way, we can all see for ourselves."
"Fine." Jack angrily agreed, starting off again. Ralph rolled his eyes, then gestured for Alex and Simon to follow after him as he too set off.
Rows upon rows of identical houses flew by, backed by miles of open fields. It was like this forever beyond the town; just acres of nothingness. Ralph tried to think of moments when he had been out of this town's embrace. Sure, it was a small town. You could easily walk right through it. But it's not like he had much reason to ever leave it. Barton Hollow Kentucky had been able to provide everything his family had ever needed. However, as they left the safety of the neighborhood and rode into the town, Ralph's stomach dropped. Maybe he would be leaving after all.
They were everywhere.
Zombies, if that's what you would call them.
Jack and Ralph came to an abrupt stop at the end of the road, then Alex and Simon, as the dead shambled along about one hundred feet away. Nobody said anything. There was nothing really that needed to be said, at least nothing that anyone could think of.
"I wonder where they're all going." Simon whispered in awe. Alex looked terrified.
"Should we follow them?" Ralph suggested. Wordlessly, Jack took off again, speeding alongside the herd of walking dead. For some reason, Ralph felt inclined to call them that. Walkers, like the chips.
For a while, everyone followed Jack. It was unclear where they were headed or what they would do when they got there, Ralph only knew one thing. As the small home-run stores and drug marts and such rolled by…he was absolutely sure that with every foot of land they crossed there were more walkers. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he pushed himself to continue on pedaling. The creatures didn't seem too concerned about the group of kids: Whatever trail they were following must have been much better. Ralph took at least a little bit of consolation in this. All of sudden, something struck him.
They were heading right for the elementary school.
Without explaining, he raced ahead of Jack and rode faster. Why hadn't he thought of it before!? It was so obvious…the only thing over this part of town, the part known as the hill, was that school! Kids must still be inside! Air whistled slightly beside him as Jack, smiling widely, sped in front again. Ralph shot him a warning glare.
"Jack, this isn't a game!" He shouted. Some of the walkers stopped and started to take notice of their rag-tag group. "They're headed for the littlun's school!"
"Who cares?!"
"We have to save them!"
"We don't have to do anything!"
"Jack!"
"WHAT?!"
Some walkers were following them now. Simon and Alex exchanged a glance before increasing their speed and meeting Jack and Ralph at the front.
"Ralph!" Simon yelled.
"What!?"
"We have a problem!"
"Noise seems to attract them…" Alex panted. Ralph nodded, and swerved hard left. There was a shortcut to the school this way. They might lose some of the creatures on the way…
…After about an hour of pedaling furiously through back-alleys and fields, the boys finally were almost at the top of the gravel road that lead to the back of the school. It was supposed to be for emergency access only, but it didn't look as if anyone was going to stop them now. Ralph looked behind him quickly. They had ditched the last walker some way back, and everyone, himself included, looked exhausted. He jumped off his bike and pitched it by the grass, walking the rest of the way up the hill. Everyone else followed suit.
Ralph froze in his tracks.
"Damnit all to hell."
...
Alright, this chapter was lame. I'll admit it.
But, I NEED HELP.
I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD MORE THAN 50 DOCS TO THE DOCUMENT MANAGER! PLEASE HELP XD
Seriously, though. If you guys could help me out, I'd be soooooo grateful...
THIS IS VITAL TO MY EXISTANCE!