Part 4

I know it's been a long time since I posted anything and I'm sorry!

In this next chapter may be some irrational things… I have never been in America so I don't know the lay out….. Or I don't know anything about cars but please ignore that! :D

Thanks Donke for helping me out!

The car was driving forward, its lights slicing the dark and foggy road. That grey vehicle had seen its better day's years ago. It creaked and whined on every bump and the steering wasn't the best either. However the most important thing in this world was that the car was moving and kept the passengers safe. On that purpose the grey pickup Dodge was meant to.

Inside the car were four very tired passengers. They had been driving all day long! Driver was very big man how's hands were covered in tattoos. His scary, tired expression was sweeping the dark road's surface. He didn't want to pierce car's tires to any junk that was lying on the road.

"Savannah, 5 Miles", said the sign on side of the road.

- Finally! Driver growled. He poked young woman's shoulder how was sleeping next to him. – Wake up girl.

- Mmmmhhm? Zoey mumbled and slowly opened her eyes.

- We are almost at the city. Man told her.

Zoey stared in front of her and rubbed her eyes. It felt like she hadn't slept at all! The dark road with its foggy glow didn't help.

- Where are we, Francis? Woman asked yawning.

- Almost at the Savannah. Man replied.

Zoey eyed the driver: he looked so tired. Zoey had her life on debt to that scary looking, middle-aged man. Without him Zoey would have been dead a long time ago! Zoey looked at to the backseat and saw other two of her friends: young and slim, dark skinned Louis and old war veteran Bill. They were sleeping on the funniest position that Zoey had ever seen. She was laughing to herself. "Oh God! Wish I had a camera…" She turned back and watched the road. She couldn't see very far, it was so dark! It was very weird to watch that deserted road's surface: it never had been so empty ever since it had been built.

- Have there been any zombies? Zoey asked at the driver.

- No. Very few have come across since we came to this highway. Francis yawned.

- Do you wanna switch? Zoey asked and rolled her pointer between her and him. Francis shook his head.

- I can handle it. Not long way to go anyways. When we get there you and buddies can keep watch and I'm gonna sleep on the soft bed! Man smiled.

Zoey laughed quietly - she didn't want to wake the others. She looked her reflection on the side window. Her brown hair was a mess! She sighed and opened her pony-tail. She waved her hair back and forth and run her fingers through the hair. It was so dirty! She really wanted to shower! Zoey collected her brown hair back to pony-tail and her favorite hairstyle was done.

- Hey! Look at that. Francis interrupted woman's beautification. Man was pointing forward – there were pair of lights.

- A car? Zoey asked quietly.

- Looks like it. Francis answered and slowed down.

White Audi was parked half on the road, half on the grass. The car was still running and its lights were slicing ghostly the foggy after midnight. Francis stopped the pickup truck couple of meters from the Audi and looked out the window. He looked around – the cold wind brought a chill to his face.

- It gotta be trap. Man noted and moved his head back inside the truck.

Besides the zombies; all kinds of bandits were interfering survivors' lives. In this world you couldn't trust anyone. Especially not the living. The sight of white Audi on side of the road, running, was like a copy from ambush one-o-one! Francis was going to leave the scene but Zoey stopped him.

- Is somebody in there? Woman tried to see through the windshield to the other car. The fog and lights were bugging her eyesight. Zoey removed her seatbelt and opened the door.

- Hey! Where are you going? Francis shouted waking up the others at the backseat.

- I'm gonna take a look. Zoey said briefly and loaded her pistol.

- No, you're not! Too dangerous! Man protested and tried grab woman's arm.

- Then look out for me. Woman said smiling and closed the door.

Francis growled and followed the woman with a red jacket with his gaze. He had worried that woman's safety every damn second since he had found her from the barricaded cafeteria on way back. Francis snorted. Zoey had grown so much past this month. She didn't cry anymore of every sound or thing. The girl had grown mentally strong.

- Where are we? Bill asked coughing and waking Francis from his thoughts. Louis were stretching and yawning beside the old man.

- There is a suspicious car on the road. It's still running. It's a trap I say, but Zoey wanted to go and make sure of it herself! Francis growled and gazed that young woman very closely from the window.

- Is that so… Bill sighed.

He took his assault rifle and stepped out. He put a cigarette to his lips and lighted it. His last cigarette from his last pack. He had to find more. Old man enjoyed the smoke awhile and then left to investigate the abandoned cars nearby. Louis stood up from the car too and loaded his pistol. He walked slowly and nervously towards Zoey.

Zoey was carefully circling that white car and looked around. She didn't see anybody. It seemed though that there was somebody in the car. The driver side window was smashed. Woman walked slowly towards it and peeked inside. There was young man on the driver seat with a blue and white cap on his head. His clothes were dirty from blood and dust. Man seemed to be sleeping but the color on his face was telling a different story. Zoey stiffed. From her opinion a dead person was far more dangerous nowadays than alive one. Zoey opened the door slowly and pointed her gun towards the young man's body. It didn't move.

- Is he dead? Louis asked sadness on his voice.

Woman nodded. It was sad to see body of such a young guy but she had seen so many already that she didn't feel anything for them anymore. How could Louis be so sympathetic towards the dead? Sometimes Zoey thought, that Louis had crown up much more on deep care than her before the epidemic. When she was certain that the body wasn't going to move she reached over it and eyed the passenger seat and glove compartment. They were both empty. The back seat was empty too… Waste of their time then. Zoey touched the car keys and turned off the engine. The noise was irritating her. But then she heard mumbling right beside her ear.

- Zoey! Look out! Louis shouted and pointed his pistol towards young man's body which had turned its head towards red jacketed woman.

Zoey could feel her hair rising up, her heart starting to pound like crazy. She flung herself with quick move away from the corpse and pointed her gun towards the man's head with trembling hands. Corpse was looking right towards her with his bright blue eyes. Zoey hesitated. She couldn't shoot. She just stared those eyes.

- …angel… You're… an angel… young man mumbled and closed his eyes.

- Wha- What the hell? Zoey said with disbelieve. Did she just hear right?

- Why aren't you shooting? Louis asked distressed and pointed his gun toward the man. Zoey grasped Louis' hand and shook her head.

- He talked and for my knowledge zombies don't talk. Woman said and tried to feel the man's pulse. She could feel very weak beating under the skin. – Help me! Zoey yelled and grasped quickly man's yellow shirt.

Louis gripped man's blue overalls feeling very confused. Normally Zoey wouldn't acknowledge anyone and she was very suspicious towards new acquaintances. What made this guy so special? They pulled that young man out of the car to the asphalt. Broken glass was falling towards the road's black surface. Both of them were puffing from exhaustion and they were staring at the body that they moment ago thought were dead. Man's chest was rising in every breath that he took.

- What's going on there?! Francis yelled from the Dodge.

- This guy is alive! Louis yelled back.

- What the fuck? Francis mumbled and drove little closer.

Zoey kneeled beside the young man and eyed him carefully. His blue and white cap had fallen beside him revealing nasty wound on his forehead. Zoey looked at it and winced. It looked like it was made by very hard blow.

- Hey? Hey?! Can you hear me? Woman asked and shook gently man's shoulder. No respond.

- What's that? Louis asked and pointed the hole in the yellow shirt and the blood trail which continued all the way down to his overalls and boots. Zoey gripped the shirt and pulled gently up. Scarlet red, very poorly made bandage was covering man's trained stomach which was rising on every breath. Zoey and Louis winced with compassion.

Bill walked towards them blowing last of the smoke away from his lungs. He dropped the cigarette to the ground and stepped on it. He was very sour because he hadn't found any cigarette packs from those abandoned cars. Now he was looking that wounded man thoughtfully scratching his beard.

- That guy is here alone. I didn't see anyone else. The old man noted. Zoey nod quietly.

- Francis. Help me to lift this man into the pickup. Woman asked.

- Are you serious?! We are not taking him with us! The tattooed man cuffed with his hands crossed over his chest. – He's only a burden.

Zoey was furious and was about to shout something but Bill interrupted her.

- We aren't leaving anyone behind. Not even you Francis. Bill said shortly. Francis only snorted with anger.

It was long time ago since they had seen any person alive. Bill didn't want to admit but he missed new company. He missed people. And bigger group is always better.

Zoey looked old veteran gratefully. No-one was arguing and together they lifted yellow shirted patient to the platform of the Dodge between all those orange gas cans. Zoey jumped onto the platform to keep him company, holding that blue and white cap in her hands. Francis was pouting and took quickly one of the cans and a tube with him. He didn't want to look the woman in the eyes. He was so annoyed with Zoey's nursing towards that John Doe, it made his blood boil.

- Did you find anything from those cars? Francis asked from the veteran.

Bill just shook his head and sat on the driver's seat. Francis snorted and walked towards the Audi. He opened the petrol tank and filled the can with was left mumbling to himself. Bill was laughing when he saw Francis expression. He sure knew when look stupid! Francis put the half full can and tube back to the platform right beside the patient's head and moved back inside the Dodge. He ignored Zoey completely. She was just smiling to his friends pouting. They continued their journey with the new passenger and couple of liters gas richer.