He heard the noise filtering through his subconscious before he was even aware of it.
The noise woke him and he slowly opened his eyes, only to be met with a blanket of darkness. His mind recalled the last events quickly and he remembered being in the car with Shawn, talking about what had happened to them earlier and how they'd decided to go to sleep in the car. Shawn was still resting against him. As Hunter tried to place the strange noise, like a bolt of lightening it hit him, it was the sound of the infected. He'd heard the same noise at the church when masses of them had been trying to get to Shawn ringing the bell inside.
Part of him wanted to see just what was out there, the other part wanted to lock the car doors, close his eyes and hold onto Shawn so tight, hoping this all was just some crazy dream.
He opted to reach across and lock the car doors before waking Shawn gently. If for nothing more than getting the other man out of the drivers seat.
"Shawn, can we switch seats?" He asked as Shawn started to wake up.
"Huh?" He said, tired laced his voice.
"Switch seats yeah?"
"'kay." Shawn said. He reached for the door handle to open it, before Hunter grabbed his arm.
"Slide across."
Shawn mumbled frustrated but did what he was told. Hunter had moved into the back of the car so Shawn could easily get across otherwise he'd have to struggle to get past Hunter.
Shawn finally got across into the other seat, allowing Hunter to climb in the front drivers seat. He took a deep breath before he started the car. Lights came on automatically showing him the full scene. Stretched in front of him, no more than 10 feet away he could see hundreds of infected.
"Oh shit." He said, seeing the huge obstacle in front of them. Even to get through such a massive volume of people in a car would be tough, not that he wasn't going to try it.
He wasn't able to see how bad thing behind them were, so put the car into reverse anyway and went back with as much force as he could. It wasn't until he heard the first thump that he stopped. He put the car into drive.
Before he went anywhere he caught a glimpse of Shawn next to him, eyes alert to what was happening around them but staying silent, waiting for Hunter to get them out of this.
Hunter shifted the car into gear only for it to stall on him. "Oh come on." He said, turning the key again. The engine seemed reluctant to start.
Shawn watched transfixed on the infected that closed in on them. His thought about getting one of the guns but the amount out there made it seem pointless. Instead he silently prayed the car would start.
"Hunter, look out!" Shawn said as one of the infected reached into the car, grabbing for Hunter through the broken window.
Hunter pushed away at the creature, struggling to get the engine started while battling for control. He heard the sound of glass breaking but couldn't afford to look, he put all his effort into getting the engine started. More glass smashed, he felt some of it bounce off his skin. He started the engine up, out of the corner of his eye he could see one of the infected had broke through the passenger window as Shawn tried to keep it at bay.
"Almost there." Hunter yelled, just as he managed to get the car to tear forwards leaving the infected that had been reaching for them behind. But not before he heard a pain filled cry torn from Shawn.
Desperately trying to steer his way through the crowds of infected, Hunter tried to focus on that, not on Shawn, but he feared for what had happened. He afforded himself a brief glance only to see Shawn arm bloodied as he cradled it close to his body, pain etched on his features.
Hunter drove even faster.
Because he knew that if Shawn had just got infected he'd only have about 30 seconds before he'd change.