Chapter 3
We had been on the road for, in gridlocked traffic for almost seven hours when we finally caught sight of the city of Atlanta. It was dusk and the driver decided that we had been stuck in the bus for way too long, he shut down the engine and opened the door for us to get out and stretch our legs. The man in black, who we had learned was a soldier in the elite army group known as the Delta Force, told us to stay close to the bus and come back the second he called us. I grabbed Camilles hand and put Spencer on my hip before stepping off the bus into the cool evening air. I wandered to the front of the, keeping my eyes out for any trouble and listening to the sounds of people chatting. It looked like most people had stopped and were walking around on the highway. The car in front of us was a rusted old pick-up and sitting in the back was a middle aged woman with close cropped silver hair and a little girl who looked around eleven, they tired and the woman had a large bruise on her left cheek. As I approached the girl smiled at me and the kids.
"Hi," I smiled back, "I'm Zara and this is Camille and Spencer."
"Hi." the girl said quietly looking at her feet.
"Sophia don't be rude," the woman said nudging the girl, "I'm Carol and this is my daughter Sophia." she smiled and winced as the stretching of the skin made the bruise ache.
"Nice to meet you, how old are you Sophia?" I asked.
"Twelve." she answered.
"Do you want to play?" Camille asked her looking hopeful, Sophia grinned and nodded, jumping up.
"Not too far from the car girls!" Carol called smiling, "so, how old's this little man?"
"Um six months, I think." I answered slightly shakily. Carol looked at me surprised.
"You don't know? He isn't yours?" she looked at me suspiciously.
"Well no, his mother handed him to me before she was killed by those thing we are all running from, I've been looking after him, all he has left is his older brother, who is not in any state to take care of a baby." I sighed realising how complicated things had gotten. Carol reached out and touched my arm.
"Well good on you for being willing to help. So from your accent I can tell you aren't from around here. Where's home?" she asked as I sat down next to her on the tailgate.
"Australia. This was meant to be our dream holiday." I sighed again.
"Wow, that's a tough break." she said sympathetically. The two girls came running up with a young boy who looked around the same age as Sophia.
"Look mummy, we found a boy to play with!" Camille bounced with excitement.
"Hi, I'm Carl." the young boy waved to us.
"Well hey there Carl, I'm Carol and this is Zara and Spencer, thanks for playing with the girls. You kids hungry?" Carol asked with a smile. The drivers side door of the pick-up swung open and then slammed and immediately Carols smile dropped. A heavy set middle aged man, with short brown hair stormed to the back of the pick-up, growling the whole way.
"God damn it woman, how many times I have to tell you, stop offerin' ta share our supplies!" he thundered glaring at Carol, "and you!" he snarled, whirling around to look at Sophia, "how many times I have to say stay with the truck!"
"Yes Ed, sorry Ed." Carol cringed as Sophia scurried to her mothers side. Carl and Camille looked to me in confusion. Ed turned to glare at me.
"You better go now." he snarled and I stood up, this guy was three times bigger than me and I really didn't want to risk the safety of the kids, so I turned to Carl.
"Hey Carl, how about you take me to meet your parents." I said and Ed skulked back to the front of the pick-up I put my hand on Carols shoulder when I was sure he was completely out of hearing range whispered to her.
"If you need anything, I'm with the bus group, please don't hesitate." I said flashing Sophia a small smile and following Carl to the car in front.
"Mom, Shane, this is Zara and her baby Spencer and this is Camille, she's four, they're from Australia!" he said excitedly. The woman and man looked up from their conversation and gave me a once over.
"Hi, nice to meet you." I said extending my hand to the woman.
"Hi, I'm Lori and this is Shane." she said briskly and the man nodded at me.
"Come on Camille, let's play tag!" Carl tapped Camille on the shoulder and they took off running.
"Not to far Carl!" Lori yelled as the kids chased each other, "so Australia?" she raised an eyebrow. I nodded and jiggled Spencer slightly as he began to fuss.
"Yeah, we visited Disney World and were on our way to New York when we were diverted here, you?" I asked.
"We are from King County, down the road a ways." Shane piped up, "we heard there was a safe zone in Atlanta so we got in the car and came." he said not looking up from the map spread out on the trunk of the car.
"Shane and my husband were partners at the police department there." Lori explained.
"Oh," I said unsure of what to say, "well Carl seems like a lovely kid."
"Thanks," she smiled, her face softening slightly, "so how old is your baby?"
"Oh he's not mine, his mother gave him to me before she died, before today I didn't know him." I explained.
"Well you seem like a natural with him." she smiled again. Suddenly there was a loud whooshing sound above us. Camille and Carl came running back.
"Look mummy a big plane!" Camille pointed up to the sky, sure enough flying overhead were two planes, they looked military. They were flying towards the city.
"I wonder what's going on?" Lori asked looking at Shane but he didn't say anything, his eyes fixed on the lights of the city ahead. Then, without any warning there was a huge explosion and the horizon lit up in flames, we could now see that the planes were dropping bombs on Atlanta.
"What's going on?" I asked no one in particular, "isn't that supposed to be the safe zone?"
"Oh god, Shane what's happening?" Lori cried watching the carnage. Shane remained silent, never taking his eyes off the city. Camille huddled into my leg and Spencer wailed as another explosion ripped through the Atlanta skyline. The soldier and a few other men ran past.
"We are taking vehicles into the city to see what is happening, we've lost radio contact. Everyone stay with your vehicles until we return!" he yelled. I stood dumbstruck as one final bomb went off, I looked over to Lori who was now crying and Shane took her into his arms. When the last explosion had died down, everything was deadly quiet.
"We can't go to Atlanta." Shane said flatly.
"But where can we go?" Lori asked shaking slightly from crying.
"Our best bet would be to gather as many people and supplies as possible and set up camp somewhere nearby, in case someone comes to help." he replied.
"We can't stay on the road though." I said looking into distance.
"Why?" they asked at the same time.
"Well, what if those things are the reason they dropped those bombs? What if they missed some, this road is the main road in and out right?" I replied and Shane nodded, "if those things decide to leave the city, they would take the road. I've seen what they can do, we don't want to get in their way." I finished shuddering at the thought of what happened to Sienna and Lydia. Shane stared at me for a moment before turning back to the map.
"She's right, we need to be off the highway." he agreed his eyes flicking quickly as he searched. He stopped and pointed to a spot on the map, I peered over and saw what looked like a quarry.
"This quarry is disused," he said looking at Lori and I, "it is sheltered, near fresh water and close enough that help could find us but not so close that any wandering monsters would stumble on us so easily. This place is our best chance of waiting whatever this is out."
"Sounds good." Lori replied looking at Shane with adoration. Shane turned to me.
"You in?" he asked. I was surprised, I had just met these people and they were asking if I would set up camp with them. Talk about Southern hospitality. But I knew it was the best chance I had of getting the kids somewhere safe.
"I'm in, I just have to talk to the rest of my group." I answered.
"How many are you?" Shane asked searching my face.
"There's me and my daughter, my twin brother Max, his girlfriend, Spencer and his big brother Ethan. Also I would want to ask the family in the pick-up behind you. They look like they could use a helping hand. Plus there are a few others from our bus, but I can't speak for them." I answered, Shane thought for a moment and then nodded.
"Well you go talk to them and let us know, we are leaving in twenty minutes, so don't dawdle."
I nodded and raced back to the bus with Camille and Spencer. I found Max sitting with Ethan on the bus steps, I explained the situation and he wasn't convinced.
"Zara, you just met these people! What if they are serial killers?" he asked and I laughed.
"Yeah totally Max, two families with kids are killers. Look you saw as well as I did what happened to the so called safe zone and you also saw what those things can do."
"Walkers," Ethan mumbled, "the soldier called them Walkers."
"Right. The Walkers are dangerous. We have to get off the road. We have to keep the kids safe." I implored him. Max sat quietly for a moment and put his head in his hands.
"I'm sorry." he muttered.
"What?" I replied confused.
"This is my fault, I brought you here and look what happened!"
I kicked him gently.
"Max, it isn't your fault, shit happens ok? We need to focus on what to do next." I said.
"Ok," he looked up at me, "I'll get Anna, you grab the bags." he got up and headed over to where Anna was talking with someone from the bus. I walked onto the bus and grabbed my bag, the small backpack Max had been carrying and Spencer's diaper bag. As I exited the bus and began to walk towards Shane and Lori, I noticed Ethan wasn't following. I spun around and went back.
"Ethan, are you coming?" I asked gently. He didn't say anything and kept staring into space.
"Ethan?" I asked again putting my hand gently on his shoulder.
"No!" he screamed flinging my hand away, "no, you aren't my family!"
"I know that buddy," I sighed, "and I wish that your mum and sister were here, but it's just you and Spencer. Your mum gave me Spencer, so I have to look after him and I want to look after you too, I know you are hurting, but right now we have to do whatever we can to be safe. Right now that means going with these people. It's your choice of course, I can't force you, but I really hope you will come with us." I said wanting so badly to give the poor kid a hug. Ethan looked at me with tears streaming down his face and then looked at his little brother. Camille let go of my hand and walked over to him.
"Please come." she said quietly taking his hand. He looked at her and nodded, I gave him a smile, grabbed Camilles hand and headed towards Shane and Lori. Shane seemed to know what he was doing. All I hoped was that he would help keep us safe and that my trust wasn't misplaced.
