I can see a heavy barbed wire barricade on one of the bridges leading into South side. That has to be a quarantine zone because there is a line of people almost as long as the bridge. Poor souls. They are dying to get in when it's not much better in there than it is out here.
I have no idea what time it is, but the sun is falling at a rapid rate. The night is snuffing out the vibrant colors of orange and yellow. Blue beams from the quarantine zone snap on and zigzag across the bridge. A couple of gunshots ring out, but they are far off. Probably a shambler or a person unfortunate enough to get caught in the crosshairs of a marksman rifle.
Jessica flinches from the muffled noise but realizes nothing is going to happen. She hasn't been exposed to the outside that much. Even before all this happened, her parents never did much in terms of raising her. They made more money in one day than I ever could in my entire life.
Yet they failed to teach their daughter how to be a respectable person in society. Jessica wasn't allowed to drive even with a driver's license. I know because she wanted me to bring her some gin and tequila one day.
When she let me into the garage, Jessica had a car her parents bought, but she wasn't allowed to drive it. I honestly think they used their daughter as a write off, but that's just my opinion. A lot of good that's doing them now.
The house doesn't look like it's been tampered with. That doesn't mean anything though. I walk up beside Adam and ready my rifle. He pats my shoulder. I turn the house key, and we both rush in. Adam breaks left while I head right and check the basement.
"All clear!" Adam yells.
I grab some heavy-duty rope from dad's workbench and head upstairs. If people are going to be traveling with me, then it would be best to have something they can climb down without depending on me.
Everyone resumes their responsibilities from this morning. Melissa restarts the fire so she can boil river water, Adam is counting ammo and Eric is taking stock of all the food we have in another room. That way we won't cause a panic if we are running low. Lauren hands Jessica and Miss Fleming a random can of soup.
Jessica wastes no time. She pops it open and turns the can up. Yellow fluid leaks out the side of her mouth as she devours the broth inside. Lauren has a shocked look on her face as she slowly cracks her can open and eats with a spoon.
Miss Fleming is having an issue opening her can. She tries to work her finger underneath the tab but it slips, and she has to start all over. Lauren grabs a butter knife and works it under the can opener tab.
SSSS!
The pressure inside releases and Lauren pulls the tin lid off.
"Thank you, sweetie."
Jessica sits the empty can on the table and wipes her mouth with the sleeve of her uniform. Melissa gives her a cup of boiled water, and Jessica chugs it in one gulp. This girl has no idea what it's like to be hungry, and it's kind of funny watching everyone's reaction to Jessica's savage behavior. It's very unusual of her, but times like these bring out our true desires. Jessica's is her poor table etiquette.
"Hey Emily, are you okay?" Eric asks.
She picks up the pace and rushes upstairs. The storage room door slams shut, and the sound of brass pressing into the striker pad of the doorframe rings out. Eric lets out a troubled sigh as everyone goes quiet.
Jessica shakes her head in a disappointed manner. Eric clenches his fists to the point it looks like his palms are about to bleed. I don't know what happened back there, but it must have Emily all stirred up.
I take a deep breath and head upstairs, "I'll go talk to her."
There's no telling what Blair threatened her with, but knowing what kind of scumbag he is, it's nothing shy of atrocious. Emily's probably heard a lot of bad stuff in her life. Considering she used to run with the bitches of the school, but Blair, he is on a whole different level, and what makes his threats terrorizing is he can actually carry them out with no consequences.
My anger grows in ferocity as I remember the things he threatened to do to Samantha. The idea of Blair wanting to inflict something like that on Emily is really making me reconsider whether to leave or not.
Rage consumes me at the very thought of Lauren's name. The way those bastards were going to beat her to death on the bus, and that's if…No. You don't do something like that to someone as young as Lauren. Although I wouldn't put something like that past Blair and his group.
I make my way around and ease to the secondary door leading into the storage room. The urge to announce my presence comes to mind, but with Emily being in an isolationist state, she may attempt to lock me out. If that happens, then there's no way of getting in.
I test the doorknob to see if it's locked. The tumblers inside don't catch, and the brass handle turns all the way. I slowly ease the door open and peek in. Emily must be sitting up against the main door. The sounds of her trying to control her breathing mask my footsteps as I walk into the room.
"Emily?"
"Go away…"
She's scrunched up and leaning against the door she locked. Her head is buried between her knees, and her body flinches with every breath she takes. I make my way over and take a seat beside her. Emily turns her back to me, "Leave me alone Matt…"
Thoughts of all kinds come to mind. What do I say? What do I do? The only experience I have with situations like this were the times mom and dad would talk to me when I was feeling down. Back when we actually talked that is, but even at that, I was the one they were trying to reason with.
"We've hated each other for as long as I can remember, but what you did back there was the bravest thing anyone has done so far. My question is, why did you protect me?"
Emily's body stops shaking. Almost like she's holding her breath. The squeaky sound of water peeps out as Emily's wrist rubs against her eyes and face.
"I don't know what they threatened to do to you, but as long as I am alive, I will kill anyone who puts their hands on you or anyone from my group."
The truth is, I'm going to kill everyone in Blair's group anyway. That decision was made the moment he backhanded Emily across the face, and then dry fired his gun when it was pressed into her head.
Blair will be back. I know it, and he knows that the quickest and most effective way to me is hurting those in my group. The plan remains the same. Find everyone a safe place then head for the state line, but until Blair is dead, I have to protect what's mine.
"I won't lecture you anymore, but I really hope we can put our differences aside, and learn how to work together someday."
I get up and leave the room. There's nothing left to say. She doesn't want to talk, and she more than likely didn't listen. Didn't stop me from trying though. I make my way into the kitchen where Eric is.
"How's the food looking?" I ask.
"We should be good for a couple days."
I cross my arms and sigh, "Good, I think tonight, I'll go on another supply run. Would you be interested in coming with?"
"Of course. After all, you'd stand a better chance out there with me watching over you." Eric teases.
"If you say so."
His words cause me to chuckle under my breath.
"Hey Matt, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"Back at the restaurant, I thought you left us there to die."
"Eric, I wasn't about…"
"No Matt, Listen. I know a lot of your trust issues with me and Emily come from what happened over the years. I wasn't the best friend I promised to be, and I was never there for you when things got tough, and I want to say sorry."
"Eric, I don't blame you for thinking I ran away. My whole life, I'd done nothing but run, but I couldn't leave you to that scumbag. I told Melissa this morning that once we find a nice little place to settle down, and the group is safe and supplied, I'm going to go my own way."
"I figured you would say that, but just know that you will always have a place in our group."
"Ah, you mean your group." I tease.
He laughs and stores the food under the kitchen sink. It looks like we have about twelve cans left plus what we already had in the house. We have a stockpile, but we are going to have to go out and do some searching just to be safe. If we keep it to one can a day, we'll survive. I head back into the living room. Lauren is teaching Jessica how to play Blackjack while Miss Fleming deals.
"Eric and I are heading out tonight to look for some supplies."
"I'll come." Adam says.
"Why do you want to come all of a sudden? Last night, you wouldn't dare step foot out there." I state.
"Well I know a place, and it's going to take all three of us to search it."
Adam hands the AR-15 to Melissa, "you are in charge until we get back. If anyone steps through that door that isn't me, Matt or Eric, drop them. No questions."
The three of us fill our canteens back up with freshly boiled water and prepare. Climber's belt, revolver's got spare ammo, rifle is good, some heavy-duty rope, and my knife. Eric and Adam check their weapons and make sure they have a round in the chamber.
"Alright. Let's go." Adam says as he throws grandpa's service rifle over his back.
I lock the door behind us and Adam leads the way. He is taking us towards a bridge with a quarantine zone that's almost constructed. Survivors are running across and lining up at this place just like the last blockade I seen.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
The crackle of firearms ring out here and there. Dread grabs hold of me, and I dive behind a mailbox. Those sounded close. Real close. Adam and Eric hide in a dilapidated coffee shop while I stay exactly where I am. Several yellow beams erupt around the corner two blocks away.
I pull out my binoculars to try and get a better look to see who we might be dealing with. A group of survivors appear out of the darkness. There's about six of them and something tells me they have no intentions on going to a quarantine zone. If they leave us alone, we will leave them alone, but a gut feeling tells me that's not how it's going to play out if we cross paths.
"This isn't such a good idea." One guy says.
"Well you are free to head back to the house, but I'm checking that clinic first!" This girl with short pink hair says. A dirty black tank top covers her torso.
"This is suicide! How far are you going to take this!?" Another guy says.
"As far as it needs to go! I'm not about to head back empty handed!" The pink haired girl replies as she reaches into her brown cargo pants and pulls out a cylinder-shaped object.
Wait. Where did she get a suppressor for a handgun!? This girl has to be a killer. I'm talking worse than the military if she's got all this stuff. She's more than likely from Blair's group if they are getting access to this stuff. Some of his main enforcers like Jack had those recon carbines. She's got to be up there with him if she's got that.
I lay down and crawl over to an abandoned car. The broken police blockade in front offers cover from their eyesight. Bolts of light shine through the tiny gaps between the concrete trusses as they get closer and closer.
I press up to the side of a car and work my way around to their blind side. The girl vaults over the barricade and raises up her pistol. Across the street, Adam is leaning out with his rifle while Eric has his handgun ready. Just in case something goes wrong.
Smp. Smp. Smp.
All I can hear is the slide of her handgun slamming back, and a small bird chirp. That has to be a 22. because it's extremely quiet. She guns down two shamblers attracted to her flashlight. The others behind her follow, and they turn left and head back to where the Riverside Grille is.
My heart leaves my throat, and a cooling relief comes over my body. I would have killed them if they started heading in the direction of our house, but it would have attracted the attention of the shamblers in the area.
"You are surprisingly good at this." Eric says.
"It's nothing more than being at the right place at the right time." I say.
We push forward and scavenge for whatever we can from the abandoned cars. Most of them don't have anything useful, but it doesn't hurt to check a second time. Adam and Eric head into a candy store while I check the SUV sitting out front.
The corpse of a man dressed in a blue business suit sits lifelessly in the front seat. His face has a massive bite torn from the side of his jaw. The teeth marks from a shambler leave a grotesque imprint on the side of his face.
Almost all the flesh has been stripped from his cheek. His white teeth are stained with dried blood and orange bile. Thankfully, someone's already shot him in the head, and the throat.
I pull out my revolver and open the door. The light comes on so the vehicle is still intact, and the key is in the ignition. Sacks of food and baby formula rest in the back. Trash and paper stained with soft spatters of crimson glow under the brightness of my dim LED Maglite. Cups filled with melted ice and diluted soda sit inside the front cup holders. The thought that this happened so sudden continues to stun me.
These people were just going to work, getting groceries, and taking care of their families. Never did it cross their minds that something this horrendous would happen so suddenly. Up in the sun visor sits a card, and a picture of the man and a woman holding a newborn baby. My curiosity gets the better of me and I unfold the letter with the new family:
"Congratulations on your wife giving birth to a beautiful baby boy! The people of First State Bank are so proud of you and we wish nothing but the best for you and Hailey!"
The staff of First State Bank
"Holy Christ…"
I pack the card and picture back into the envelope and toss it in my bag. Disbelief eats at my mind as I try to take in what I read. This man just had a child. He was probably picking up a couple things to take to his family during his lunch hour. Now here he sits. Part of his face has been chewed off before shot dead. This SUV became his grave.
The process makes me sick to my stomach. He's never going to see his wife or kid again, and there's no telling what has happened to them. I'd like to think they made it out and found sanctuary in the countryside, but realistically, that's not possible with how fast things happened.
I open the back door and gather up the food. Ten cans of food, a twelve pack of water, a book of waterproof matches, and a pack of pens.
"Did you find anything?" I ask as Adam and Eric walk out of the candy store.
"We found some water and beef jerky. How about you?" Adam asks.
"Ten cans of food, a case of water, some matches and pens."
"That should last a couple more days." Eric says.
I hand them each three cans of food; four bottles of water and I carry the rest. Adam takes us further away from the house and closer to the bridge where the military has an established quarantine zone. The common feeling of fear takes a hold of my mind. We are about two miles from the house right now.
"Adam, isn't home back that way?" I point behind us.
"It is." He replies.
"Then where are we going?"
He remains quiet and continues walking towards the bridge leading to a quarantine zone. A line that is half the size of the bridge sits outside the white plastic sheets covering the entrance. An entire squad of soldiers and police officers guard the front as men in orange hazmat suits examine survivors trying to get in.
"Oh, hell no! I'm not doing this!"
Eric grabs my shirt. I rip away and shove him back. He stumbles backwards but Adam catches him. There is no way I'm going to a quarantine zone. Nothing good ever comes out of a quarantine zone that's operated by the government.
"What the hell are you thinking Adam?!"
"Matt, just listen! Yesterday morning, I heard dad talking on the police scanner before the radios went dark, and he said that he's here! That means Mom is too! I waited for you to return because I wanted us to be together again!"
"This is none of our concern because the quarantine zone is controlled by the government!"
"Of course, you wouldn't care if mom and dad are here, because you don't give a shit about anyone other than yourself!" Adam spits back.
That comment pisses me off. I grab my revolver and Adam aims his rifle at me. The only thing I can see is a round in the back of the barrel. He flips the safety off, and I pull the hammer back to where the trigger is hair sensitive.
"Guys! Stop this! Are you two really going to kill one another over this!?" Eric states as grabs our guns and pushes them down. I hardly resist and Adam does too.
"Adam, I know you want to see mom and dad. I want to see them again, but with everything that's going on, do you think everyone here is going to give up their spot?"
"It's worth a try!"
"And what about everyone else back at the house? Are you just going to give up and leave the group?"
"Group? What group? The only reason they want us around is because they don't care about anything other than surviving!"
"Listen to yourself! Even you know you're lying!"
"Shut up Matt!" He flips the safety back on and stows his rifle away on his back, "I am going to see mom and dad, and you can either join me, or go fuck yourself!"
Adam storms off towards the quarantine zone. I clench my teeth in extreme frustration and slam my fist into a nearby car. "Fuck!"
"What are you doing?" Eric asks.
"Saving my deranged brother from his fantasy."
I holster my revolver and take off after Adam. This is insane. If something happens on this bridge, then we are screwed. I bend down and hide underneath the sea of people. I don't want the military seeing us with a gun because the snipers will cut us down.
Eric grabs the back of my shirt and we push forward. Adam's blue jeans flicker in the waves of scared people. Mothers and fathers cry out for their lost children while some people get into squabbles with others who cut in line.
A fist fight breaks out between two men over a bottle of water right in front of us. One argues he needs it for his kid while the other claims it's his because he stood in line for it. Eric and I keep moving and try our best to avoid any potential confrontations.
Adam is hiding behind a yellow taxi about twenty yards from the entrance. I slide up beside him and pull out the binoculars. Soldiers and police officers are pushing people back while the hazmat men slowly examine each person. Men armed with marksman rifles patrol back and forth across the catwalk suspended above the checkpoint.
Dad is conversing back and forth with several of the district police chiefs and some military Captains. Dad was an Assistant Chief, but I guess he's been promoted. One of the Chiefs could have potentially died, and he got that position of power as a result.
In-between the metal gates, and the short burst of an entry siren, I can see mom. My heart nearly explodes from the emotional stress and sense of closure washes over me. She's helping some of the nurses and doctors carry injured people into tents for treatment.
Her brown hair is put up into a messy bun and her teacher's uniform is rippled and dirty. Mom and dad are okay. Boy, do I want to go see them right now. Adam and I could get in easy as long as we surrender our weapons since dad is in a position of power now. We'd be fed every day and get to sleep in an actual bed. Mom and dad would be right beside us, and we'd be a family again.
I'm not going to though. As great as that sounds, I'm not abandoning Eric or the others until they get to a safe place of their own. When they are well stocked with food and water, then I might bring Adam back.
"Hey Matt! Look! There's my mom! You were right about them bringing the nurses and doctors here!" Eric points at the woman that's talking to my mom. She's wearing a set of blue scrubs, and they're reading a set of doctor's orders together.
Adam climbs up on top of the taxi and hops up and down. The men at the front gate pay no attention and dad isn't even looking, "Mom! Dad!"
"Get down stupid! We're not going to the quarantine zone!" I say as I try to pull him off.
"I've come this far and I'm not backing down!" He flips his foot up, and the heel of his shoe clips my shoulder. A mild pain rushes through my arm. I step back and rub the sting out.
"What about Melissa!?" I shout.
"Melissa doesn't give a damn about me, so the feeling is mutual!"
"Bullshit! Melissa said she'd consider it once we found a safe place!" Eric snaps.
"And consider translates to fuck off when it comes to girls! Now I found a safe place, and I'd rather be here than with some want to be group of survivors Matt brought home!"
"We can't leave them behind! We are not like this!" I state.
"Since when do you get to make the decisions!? All they did was come in, eat up the food and take our guns! Well, I'm sick of investing in a group that's going to get us killed in a couple days anyway! Now I am getting into that quarantine zone, with or without you!"
"Have it your way you four eyed prick!"
"I'll be sure to put some fake flowers on your makeshift grave asshole!"
Well, this moment sucks. I don't want to go my separate ways with my brother, but it doesn't seem like I'm going to change his mind. Eric sighs and motions that we need to get going. Even if Adam is right, I already took an oath to protect the group until they are safe. If this is what Adam wants, I can't stop him. He can tell mom and dad I'm dead, and that can be the end of it.
There is quite a fuss a couple feet away from us. A group of people are arguing with a woman that's trying to protect a little girl. Shouts of "contaminated" and "leave the girl alone" are the only things I can hear. My heart races as I stand up on the hood of the taxi for a better look.
The kid has blood running down her arm. Orange fluid mixed with black drips onto the asphalt below. This is attracting the attention of the military. A small group of soldiers walk out, and the crowd opens up a pathway leading to the woman.
"Oh God this is bad… We need to get out of here now!" I state as I shake Adam and point to what's going on.
The girl goes ballistic and bites one of the men on the bridge. He screams in pain and yanks away. A bone crunching squelch echoes across the bridge, and she gobbles down the man's thumb. For a split second, there is absolute silence. Everything seems like it is going in slow motion. I grab Adam and dive off the taxi onto the ground.
A blanket of bullets whiz by, and an ear busting siren rings out. The soldiers kick the little girl down and shoot her multiple times in the head and throat. They douse the girl's body with some kind of fuel and toss a match onto the liquid pooling around her. Fire swarms around the girl and quickly engulfs her body. One soldier grabs the man that was bit and shoots him in the throat as well as the head.
"Eric! Get behind the engine block!" I yell as I force Adam to stay in line with the taxi's front axle.
Eric squeezes over as I try and think of a plan. The checkpoint goes into a frenzy. Soldiers from the catwalk, and the security on bottom open fire. My dad dives behind a concrete barrier with a scoped rifle and opens fire. Bullets tear people to shreds and blood mists through the air from their wounds. There was just that one incident, but now everyone on this bridge is going to die.
"Fuck you!" Someone on the bridge yells as he runs up and shoots one of the soldiers in the side of the head with a handgun. A massive chunk of the soldier's head splatters out the side as his motionless body hits the ground
Bullets pepper the assailant's body, and he falls back. Several people on the bridge take up defensive positions and fire back at the quarantine zone. The small group of soldiers turn and make a break for the entrance. Bullets bounce off their armor as a couple of them stumble around. One takes a bullet to the back of the neck, and he drops instantly. His body viciously spasms as countless rounds bounce off his armor.
My dad takes aim and fires. One of the attackers roll back as red gushes out the back of his skull. Dad repositions and takes another shot. Another man with a gun drops as he slowly works his way towards the side of the bridge we are on.
A bullet skids across the top of the taxi's hood as several more rip through the tender aluminum frame and ping off the engine.
"Dad! Sto…"
I put my hand over Adam's mouth. He tries to hit me, but Eric catches his hand, and I slap Adam in retaliation, "Listen dumbass! It's too late! We have to get out of here!"
Adam works himself free, "I'm not going anywhere!"
"Then don't expect me to cry over your death!"
Eric and I hit the ground and crawl under cars and trucks. Rounds hover over us and penetrate the vehicles. Windshields fracture and sparks from the cars taking damage rain from above. It is absolute chaos. I reach into my pack and pull out a smoke grenade I made earlier.
Maybe I can shift the attention back over to the other side of the bridge. I strike a match and light a smoke grenade. The sparkler turns red and lets out a green light. Magnesium and sulfur fill the air as I toss it over a semi-truck. An explosive belch of thick, dirty smoke rises up from the other side. The attention on us shifts to the middle and left side of the bridge.
Bodies of people hit the ground almost every second. Some are trying to hide behind cars like us, but are unable to move without getting shot at. A woman sees an opening and dives off the side of the bridge and into the water below. There's no telling how deep that water is, but it's better than sitting here and waiting to die.
Eric and I make our way to the other side of an armored security truck. We will be safe for now. There's only one way off this bridge, and it's going to be down. I take out some heavy-duty rope from my backpack and use the trucks axle as an anchor.
Eric tosses it over the edge of the bridge. It's about a forty-foot drop, but I have no idea how deep the water is. If it's knee deep, then that will be a broken leg, and we can't have liabilities. A pair of hands burst from underneath the armored car.
"Oh shit!" Eric pulls out his handgun.
"No! It's me!" Adam cries out. He whoops and hollers as he tries to reach the other side with us. Copper pings off the side of the armored truck and Adam squeals from the anxiety of being shot at.
"Don't stand there and look at me you dumb son of a bitch! Help!" Adam spits at both of us.
Eric and I grab his arms and pull him over. Adam digs his feet into the asphalt and makes it to the other side.
"Eric! You go first! Then Adam, then I'll bring the rear up!" I say.
"Well hurry your asses up!" Adam yells.
Eric grabs hold of the rope and gives it a hard yank. It seems stable, and he climbs down. Eric disappears over the edge. I carefully peek back around the corner and see where the military is. A unique sounding siren goes off. Unlike the rapid alert sound, this one sounds more like a call. The front gate of the quarantine zone opens up, and a squad of four men step out.
"What are you staring at!?" Adam yells.
"Throwers…They got fucking flamethrowers!?"
Four men dressed in EOD bomb disposal suits walk out of the quarantine zone as several soldiers and my dad take up assaulting positions. Almost like they are going to escort the flame group across the bridge.
"Alright! You were right Matt! This was a terrible idea!" Adam scrambles down the rope. Something grabs my shoulders and pulls me away from the edge of the bridge. My body is slammed up against the armored truck.
"Give me your stuff asshole!" The guy yells as he places his forearm on my throat.
My windpipe constricts as he suffocates me. He's trying to use his weight, and the armored truck against me. I dig my fingers into his cheek and slowly push him away. Warm blood seeps from his face onto my hand.
I bring my knee up and hit him in the groin. He bends over and gasps. I reach around and grab the sink leg. He quivers in fear as I hit him with an overhead strike to his shoulder. The metal rod vibrates in my hands as I pull back and swing into his rib cage.
He collapses to the ground and holds out his hands, "Look man… I didn't mean to! Don't do anything stupid!"
I raise my weapon and club him right in the face. His jaw slams to the side and breaks. Blood leaks out of his head and stains the ground underneath.
"That's what you get!" I state in between desperate gasps and strained coughs.
By the time I get back to the rope, the military will have shot me from the side because they're close to a position where they can see the small gap between the truck, and the bridge's edge. I pull out my last smoke bomb and light the fuse. Between the armored truck, and a car on the other side is a grate that leads down to the pedestrian's walkway below. I carefully peek around the corner and cook the fuse.
"You tried to shoot your own sons, well then take this asshole!" I yell as I chunk the smoke bomb in the direction of the incoming soldiers.
It rolls directly in front of the EOD squad and sparks. The bomb coughs out a small cloud of white as the aluminum can expands. A thick, cloud of grey speckled with black pepper and red cayenne covers a sizable area. The concussive wave catches those within the radius off guard and forces them to stumble back. The men in the EOD suits close their eyes as the smoke rises through the gap in their face shields.
"I can't see!" One of the men in the EOD suits shouts.
"Goddamn, fucking asshole!" My dad yells.
Now is my chance. Between me and everyone else is a wall of smoke that is quickly dissipating. The moment that disappears, they'll be advancing again. Multiple people trapped behind the cars leap and cheer with glee as they sprint away as fast as they can.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you!" A man emotionally whimpers as him and this woman escort two children back into West Side.
"Don't mention it!" I rush forward, rip open a grate that leads to the bridge's underbelly and jump down onto the pedestrian's walkway. Eric is swimming for the shore and Adam is almost down in the water.
"Are you okay Matt!?" Adam yells from below.
Yeah! For now!" I say as I bend over and rest. Air flows into my deflated lungs as they attempt to pump themselves back to normal size.
The steel cables of the walkway tremble, and the sound of monstrous footsteps approach me. In the distance, I can see a tall, mysterious figure looming in the darkness, and it is huge. Bigger than anything I've ever seen.
"I don't like the sound of that." I say.
A scaly foot steps into a beam from the streetlight above. Five twisted talons dig into the concrete and carve sadistic looking claw marks in the walkway. Another foot steps forward, and the snout of a wicked looking dragon breaks from the darkness. Saliva mixed with a tan-colored mucus drips from the both sides of its mouth.
Thick grey scales plate the mutated nose as it takes another step. Constant hissing, and the flick of a split tongue stained with the taste of flesh approaches me. My blood runs cold and curdles as it finally enters the light.
It walks on all fours and stands taller than I do. Every part of its body has been tainted with radiation and plated with extra armor. The eyes are whiter than snow, but the creature has no problem locking onto me.
It's face splits from four different directions and lets out a strained screech combined with hissing. A bottomless black void rests inside its mouth. Skewered limbs of both human and shamblers deteriorate on the spikes that line its hideous maw.
"RUN MATT!" Adam screams.
My instincts take over and I run as fast as I can in the opposite direction. The creature hollers and takes a step that causes the entire walkway to shake. Sticky fluid soaks through denim, and a slimy rope wraps around my shin. I lose my balance and slam into the concrete. There's a sudden jolt that shakes my entire body. I look behind me and see that the thing has ensnared me with its tongue. Its mouth opens up and reels me towards its wide-open jaws.
"Nothing fucking eats me!"
I grab my hunting knife and slice at the tongue wrapped around my leg. Blood spurts out as I dig the knife into the tongue. Weak sinew and muscle spread apart, and the pressure being applied to my shin lets go. The creature roars in frustration as it takes a couple steps back. I get up and run again. The creature tries to snag me again, but the tongue misses.
I dive for the rope and grab hold. My momentum swings me away from the bridge, and I climb down as fast as I can. The monster leans over the edge of the bridge and waves its massive arm at me. A huge whoosh of air ruffles my hair as it barely misses my head.
One of its talons hook the rope and slices it in half like a hot knife through butter. My stomach jumps to my throat and I hurl towards the water. A combination of joy and fright eat at my mind as I hit the water.
The only thing I can feel is a cold fist forcing its way into my mouth. I do everything I can to resist, but the water rams its deep fingers into the back of my throat. I break the surface and water trapped in my mouth jets out.
"Matt!" Eric yells.
I can't see where he is but it sounds like he's standing in the shallows. Another monstrous roar pierces the night and nonstop gunshots from the bridge erupt. I guess the thing is attacking the quarantine zone now.
Adam is pacing back and forth on the shore as I swim to the shallows and sit down. A flicker of orange bursts out from the quarantine zone, and the creature howls. I pull out my binoculars and try to make sense of the situation.
The squad of flame soldiers hose the creature with napalm. Every part of its body bursts into flames, but every attack appears to piss it off. It lunges forward and impales one of the soldiers in an EOD suit with its front claws.
The creature tosses the dead squad member over his shoulder and charges another guy in an EOD suit. The impact sends him spiraling helplessly through the closed door of a van. It spins around with an outstretched tongue and grabs hold of a survivor trying to run away. Bullets rip into his body as dad, and the rest of the soldiers hold their fire.
The creature slowly backs away with the man's shredded corpse hanging in front of its face. Almost like it's trying to protect the head. It reels its tongue back in, swallows the body and takes off running into West Side. Sparks from bullets bouncing off its armor plating flash like fireflies in the night.
A scramble alarm goes off, and a hummer filled with soldiers' race across the bridge. I guess they are going to hunt that thing down. Which judging by how that thing is smart enough to use the environment to shield its face from incoming projectiles, it'd be suicide. No matter how well armed someone is.
"What the fuck was that? WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" Adam sputters as he tries to take in what just happened.
"I don't know, but West Side is no longer safe because of that thing, the survivors that managed to escape, and the military." I say as I stand up.
"What about mom and dad!?" Adam yells at me.
"They're fine!"
"You don't know that!"
"You're right, I don't. In all honesty, I'd rather keep it that way."
I take off towards the SUV parked in front of the candy shop. The key was still in the ignition, and the vehicle was fine, other than a few bloody bullet holes in the windshield. We can use it to get into the east side overnight. We will find a place to rest once we get there. That's if the SUV is still there.
"What's the plan now?" Eric asks.
"We are going to Coaltown. That SUV from earlier was still in good shape, and it will fit all of us, and the supplies if we squeeze together. Unless you two want to be stuck here with the military, my trigger-happy dad, and the Wyvern."
"Wyvern?" Eric asks.
"Yeah. That thing was standing ten feet from me and it looked like a wyvern, so that's what I'm calling it."
Adam stares back at the bridge. All the horror he just witnessed. Survivors cut down because of one contaminated individual. He's worried about mom and dad too since the Wyvern attacked. I don't think there was any damage done to the zone itself because it ran off once it realized it was outnumbered.
A part of me is worried about mom and dad too, but it's way too dangerous to go back and check. They'd burn us before we could step foot on that bridge. I think they're okay. They have to be. Mom and dad are tough, and hopefully they still have faith that Adam is alive too.
Although I have no faith in family anymore. Dad was shooting at me, and I had to throw a smoke bomb at him to get him to stop. In that very moment, he would have killed me and wouldn't realize it until it was too late. The world is a shoot first, ask questions later, and that's why I have no hope in being with them again.
"You coming Adam?" Eric asks.
Adam exhales a heated breath of fatigue, "Yes."
No one has touched the SUV since we have been gone. Adam gets in the middle row while Eric opens up the driver's side door. We both grab hold of the dead man and drag him out of the seat.
I feel bad that I'm removing him from his resting place and throwing him on the street, but we need this vehicle. Both sides of my conscience are arguing back and forth. My humanity is telling me that this is absolutely wrong, but my survivor's instinct is saying it's justified.
"Can you drive Matt?" Eric asks as we sit the man on the sidewalk.
"Yeah, my parents let me drive before they took my license away." I reply as I get into the driver's seat and turn the key. The vehicle starts up and I shift into gear.
"I wonder why." Eric snickers.
"It's because Matt's a huge doucher." Adam snaps.
"Oh, I love you too Adam. Now get to cleaning those weapons! The water is going to choke the bullets!" I reply as I make a U turn and head back to the house. A slight breeze slips through the bullet hole in the front windshield. White veins of cracked glass completely blot out the hole but doesn't obstruct my view that much.
Eric hands Adam my 30-30, the revolver and his handgun. He takes the stuff to the very back and disassembles them so they can be cleaned. There's just enough light from the stars that I don't have to turn on the headlights.
I wasn't going to anyway because that is suicide with the military and Wyvern running amuck. The scariest part of the whole thing is not knowing where they are. That thing could total this car with everyone in it, and since our weapons are wet, we are at a severe disadvantage. Our only choice is to run away if we encounter that thing or any survivors.
The house is still the same as we left it. That means everyone is still safe. I pull up into the driveway and park. Eric gets out while I stay in the vehicle with Adam. Hopefully Coaltown won't be as dangerous since it's further away from the city.
Eric, and the rest of our group come out with all the weapons and supplies. Everything we had gathered over the last day or so. Plus, what my family had before this happened. They work quickly and efficiently as they load the stuff. I do a quick area scan. Clear for now.
I turn around and do a head count: Lauren, Eric, Adam, Melissa, Miss Fleming are in the back and Emily is sitting in the passenger seat. That's everyone. I throw it in reverse and back into the street.
"Where are we going?" Emily asks.
"Coaltown." I put it in drive and take off.
"Do you have a plan?"
"Nope."
"Great…" Emily sighs as I get on a service road leading to Coaltown.
The main highway is covered with destroyed cars and debris, but the service road hardly has anything but a few shamblers and overturned cars that crashed into the ditch. We have half a tank of gas, and we should be there by morning at the rate we are currently going.
I can't book it because I can't see very far without headlights, and I can't use headlights because it will give our position away.
"Matt, do you want me to drive?" Emily asks.
"Why?"
"I went to sleep about the time you left. You've been out there gathering supplies. It's the least I can do."
"Can you drive without headlights?"
"Nice and easy." She states.
God this is insane. I'm putting our safety in Emily's hand, but if she thinks she can do it, I'll let her try. Considering that little speech earlier about trust and putting our differences aside. I pull over and get out. Emily scoots over as I sprint to the passenger door and hop in.
"What? You think I'm going to leave you?" Emily states as she puts her seatbelt on.
"That I don't mind, I just don't want to be left with nothing." I reply as I eject the pop CD from the stereo and toss it out the window.
I thumb through the albums the man had, "Trash. Trash. Mega Trash. God! What is it with this effortless pop, no talent rap, and hookie who ha for hicks? No metal, no 80s tracks. They don't even have any old school hip hop."
I give up on looking for anything good and lean back in the seat. It would be nice to have something to help take my mind off what happened back there on the bridge. The way everybody just opened fire upon one another. Soldiers killing civilians, civilians killing soldiers. Not to mention that indestructible thing that shredded those men in the EOD suits.
"Why don't you get some sleep Matt."
"I'm fine Emily. I'm not that tired…."