I can't even begin to thank everyone who is sticking with my story, I'm having fun creating it, too! Yay! ...Anyway, next chapter is completed. I'm writing this story as I'm posting it so I do apologize if sometimes I am a bit lacking in my updates... I'm dog sitting again and this house doesn't have WiFi either for me and my lovely macbook, BUT FEAR NOT! I live about 10 minutes away from here and will hopefully update soon :) I suppose I should stop going on a tangent here and start my next chapter...ONWARD!

Stuck In Reverse

"You alright Alex?" Charlie asked, and I shook my head

"Yeah, fine." I got out of my memories quickly. Pretending to be normal again, I went over to the bag of guns to arm myself. I figured I would be getting one sooner or later anyway.

As I was opening the canvas bag a large hand pushed me out of the way. Michael opened the bag quickly and grabbed a smaller automatic weapon and held it out for me.

"Here, this one won't break your arm." Was all he said to me.

I inspected the gun carefully, this being my first actual time I've ever held one.

"We need to block all openings" Michael spoke to the group. "Anything that can be used needs to be. We have until night fall before they start coming."

Like little automatic gears in a clock, everyone went to work without question. I placed my gun onto the diner counter and helped out (who I learned to be named Kyle) as he was bracing the front door with a table. My mind was set in my work, but I would catch myself stealing glances at Michael, still questioning myself.

He seemed distracted as well, there would be moments where we would accidentally lock our sideways glances before looking away, convincing ourselves to keep working. Focus Alex...End of the world is all we're fighting here...

I didn't have a chance to confront him, to demand what memory kept spiking to life inside my head. I was too busy preparing for war, and nightfall was coming quicker than we wanted it to. As the sun was setting our small band decided that it was enough shielding to hold at least something back.

Kyle kept glancing through the blinds, never letting go of his handgun. Others were mentally preparing themselves for what exactly was going to happen. I was sitting on the bar, having a staring contest with my newly acquired firearm. I had never wanted anything to do with weapons like this before, so I was afraid of the powerful device. Was I strong enough for the recoil? Heck, was I strong enough to keep it steady at all? If others could hear my mental conversation right now they would probably shoot me for talking too much.

I glimpsed Michael walking up to me in my peripheral view. He grabbed the object of my current nervous fit and placed it forcefully but gently into my hands. I looked up to his gaze, he was firm but soft.

"I will protect you." He was whispering so softly I had trouble hearing "But you must protect yourself as well." His eyes were pleading.

He walked away then, grabbing one of the largest guns he had. We were ready, we had to be. I watched several of us glance around at each other, seeing that they weren't alone and getting strength off of it. I clicked off the safety switch to my weapon and slid down from the counter onto the floor. Something was coming, and it gave me chills.

With a gentle click, everything went dark. Something had killed the lights and my heart began to pick up intensity. I heard Audrey give off a short scream that caused myself to jump. I was in the void, unsure what was in here with me.

"Everybody stay calm." I heard Percy whisper loudly.

In a short moment I saw light again. Someone had found a few flashlights. Whoever was holding one did a quick head count, shining the beam into my face for only a few seconds. My heart began to relax.

One of the larger beams focused on Michael and I heard Kyle ask what we should do now. Michael shifted his gaze from forward to up and said only two words.

"The roof."

It was decided that Percy, Michael, Bob, and Kyle were to go on the roof. That left the 6 of us as ground backup. I could hear their footsteps move towards the front of the diner. Then I began to hear something else.

"Music?" I thought out loud.

Everyone went to the blinds to look out. A pair of headlights came alone down the road, the music getting louder as they were brighter. It wasn't long before an ice cream truck came into focus.

"What the hell?" Jeep said as the vehicle turned into the lot, shining it's lights through the window at us.

Everyone involuntarily stepped back except for me now. I remained looking at the truck, only a hint of fear building up so far. I had to know what we were fighting against.

"Alex!" Charlie whispered harshly to me. She was behind the counter now, her gun at the ready.

I clung tightly onto mine as well, forcing myself to grow more confident with it as the time came to use it.

The way the man moved to get out of the van was almost sickening, as if he didn't have a spine. It was almost a slither, his tall and skinny frame adding onto the inhuman way he showed himself. But the thing of it was, he was a human, or at least looked a heck of alot like one. He walked slowly to the front of the vehicle, scanning and smelling his surroundings. I watched him curiously.

Suddenly he snapped his head quickly to the ceiling, I could almost hear the cracking of his neck. His expression turned demonic as his jaw opened up wider than any normal creature. It's scream was penetrating, I took a few moments to shake it off. I watched as its arms began to grow and twist into a new figure, something horrible.

It was laced with bullets as soon as it began running towards us, twitching a few times before it died. Everyone waited for what was next. That's when I began to see more headlights coming from the roads around us.

"Cars," I reported, "Alot of 'em."

Bullets began firing again from the roof, attacking the army coming towards us. I got out of my position to move back towards the counter. Getting a better view of the action and making sure nothing was sneaking up on me. Several explosions lit up the night. A bazooka?

They still came for us. People, like I would see every day on the streets, parking their cars neatly and walking towards us like they were going to a fair. Normal human beings, of all ages and races.

No matter how many were killed, they didn't show any hesitation as they walked towards us. No fear... something was gone from these bodies, they weren't human at all any more.

Something broke through one of the front windows and everyone jumped. I didn't know what got in, and I couldn't find it. There was a moment of panic.

I heard Sandra and Audrey starting to scream and saw Howard sliding away from them. My reflexes took over and I dropped my weapon to help them win the tug of war for Howard's life. I was on Audrey's left and got a good fistful of his shirt. Charlie and Jeep came lending their help as well, filing in next to me. A hand snapped through the blinds and grabbed Charlie by the wrist, pulling her forward in a quick jolt.

"Charlie!" Jeep yelled, grabbing her other arm.

"There you are..." Someone through the window hissed.

"No!" I screamed. Whoever held onto Charlie turned to me and was, for a moment, confused.

It was enough for me to reach and steal Charlie's wrist back from his grip. I was then pulled sharply away in the other direction by whatever was pulling her. I landed hard on the floor as I saw Michael sink a blade into the man who had held onto Charlie, making him sink away, bringing Howard with. Gunfire strobed into view as Michael sent a brigade of bullets into the open frame. Then everything went quiet again.

I heard a mixture of emotions as I brushed off the glass that I had fallen into. Sandra was pleading with Michael that Howard was still alive. Audrey was taking a moment to recover from the trauma she just endured, and Charlie was stumbling to regain herself after the rough fall we shared.

Michael came over to Charlie and she weakly thanked him, clutching her stomach.

"I told you not to do anything brave." Was all he said, scolding her.

A sharp piece of glass sliced my forearm after all my tries to be gentle. I quickly sucked in a hiss of air as blood trickled down my arm in a slow but steady drip. Jeep and Michael turned to me still sitting on the floor.

I covered my arm in vain as I quickly got to my feet. They had more important things to worry about then a slice.

"You alright?" Jeep asked me.

"Yeah, of course. Just a cut." I found the first aid kit and began to search for some gauze. Michael was watching me quietly. Kyle came running from the back.

"We got 'em running!" He was almost excited about it.

I saw Percy and Bob coming into the room as well.

Only when I placed a makeshift bandage on my arm did I see Michael turn to Kyle.

"What happened?" Kyle asked, seeing a broken Sandra and Audrey on the floor embracing each other.

"Someone needs to be on the roof." As short and simple as he always was

"I'll go!" Percy did a 180 but was stopped abruptly by Bob.

"Hold on!" Bob began, "You better start talking."

I looked over to Michael and saw him sigh. Yeah, you better.