Author's note: Just wanted to drop a little "thank you" to those who have been reading my little story here. It's a big encouragement to know that someone is reading and actually likes what I'm doing.

Thanks guys.

Darrell was cursing under his breath as we were forced to turn around yet again and try to find another way out of town. None of us seemed to e willing to try and walk the distance, I don't think Darrell or myself could physically handle it, and the number of walking corpses was increasing. The size of the packs we were encountering was steadily increasing. The average pack size had gone from about 7 or 8 to two dozen or more in the last three hours. You would think in a place like Texas more people would be up in arms by now. Maybe they were... somewhere outside the city.

The sun was beginning to cast a soft red glow on the eastern horizon. I noticed Darrell's eyes beginning to droop. We were all feeling the effects of the constant fear and fatigue.

"Okay Brad, how's that ankle feeling?" Braddly had wrapped it tightly while we drove along and had downed several tablets of "Aleve."

"Well enough," he said.

"Alright, your turn to drive then. Pull over for a sec D."

Darrell blinked to full alertness, nodded, and pulled over. We were next to one of the local nurseries/tree stores. The sign over the place read "Tom's Tree Place." My mom shopped here for rose moss sometimes. Darrell and Brad had both hopped out and were walking around the car to trade places while Jeff and I kept watch for the walking dead. Darrell had just reached the back passenger-side door when there was a tremendous WHOMP sound, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Jeff and I ducked instinctively as the top of the car caved in bout a foot. My vision was obscured by the dented roof. I heard Darrell scream. Almost without thinking, I angled the shotgun, put it to the roof, and fired. There was some kind of horrific screech. I pumped the shotgun and fired again. The sound of the blast inside the car was almost deafening. Something shifted around on the car then jumped off. We could feel the car shake under the force of the leap. We couldn't see where it went from where we were. Jeff and I managed to get out of the car. The cats followed quickly, scampering several few feet away from the car.

I ran around the car to where I had last seen Darrell. He was lying on the ground, Brad was kneeling next to him, muttering something in a panicked voice. Jeff shouted something I couldn't understand, but when I turned I saw him pointing up towards a nearby office building. I followed his hand and blinked in disbelief at what I saw. There was... something... crawling up the side of the building. It was vaguely man-shaped, but moved with a sort of inhuman speed and grace. In the pre-dawn light any specific features were hard to make out, and it quickly scurried out of sight through a broken window.

I turned my attention back to Darrell. There was a wound on his arm, some kind of circular gouge, and it went deep. He was clutching his arm, teeth grinding from the pain.

"What happened? Was it that thing?" I asked

Braddly nodded.

"It... shot its... tongue out at me or something..." Darrell managed to say between groans.

"Brad get a first aid kit and see what you can do, okay?"

"No problem," Brad said as he leaned into the back seat, reaching for one of the red and white packs we had looted from Walgreens.

"Jeff?"

"What?" Jeff seemed startled by my question.

"We gotta find someplace to hold up for now... Darrell's hurt, we're all exhausted. Got any bright ideas?"

Brad spoke up from wrapping Darrell's wound, "The self storage place where I keep some of my stuff from when I moved isn't too far from here. Those doors are pretty solid."

"Braddly you're a genius!" I beamed

"Well I do try," he smirked.

"I'LL DRIVE" Jeff exclaimed as he bounced over to the driver-side of the car. Brad and I helped Darrell to his feet and into the back seat. His wound was deep, but the bleeding seemed to be under control. I couldn't help but wonder what might happen. That... monster... if it was related in some way to the zombies, and I don't see how the two couldn't be somehow connected, what if it infected Darrell somehow? Pushing the thought from my mind I climbed into the front passenger seat, Mara and Wedge both hopped up into by lap. Mara rested her front paws on my chest briefly, nuzzling my neck before curling up against her companion, the young Siamese and her grey Tabby companion were obviously about as tired as we were. I had to hunker down somewhat to avoid colliding the dented roof of the cruiser. Jeff slammed the accelerator down and rocketed past several walking dead that had been drawn towards the commotion.

"It just up the street there," Brad gestured.

"What all you keeping in there?" Jeff asked

"Furniture mostly. Couple of sofas, my bed, a chest of drawers..."

"Well at least we'll be comfortable," I muttered

"Dusty, but comfortable," Brad added.

Darrell wasn't saying much. He was fighting to remain calm through the pain in his shoulder. I could tell he was worried... probably about the same thing that I was. I didn't dare say anything yet though. Jeff, as twitchy as he was right then, might have put a bullet between D's eyes just to be safe. That, and I just didn't want to think about it. I didn't say another word until we pulled up to the self-storage facility.

The gates were closed, and no one seemed to be around to open them. This was good news. It mean less chance there were zombies inside the place, though I somehow doubted that even a ten-foot wrought iron fence would do much to stop something as strong and agile as that thing that attacked us just moments ago. Jeff hopped out.

"Wait here. I'll get over the fence and see if I can open it from that office there."

Jeff scampered over the fence with the agility that only skinny folks can muster. I might have been able to make that climb... but it would have taken an hour and resulted in multiple strains followed by a nasty fall I'm sure. A minute later the gates rolled open. I slid into the driver seat and eased the car inside. The gates then shut behind us. Feeling slightly more safe I got out and helped Darrell out while brad checked his ring for the storage unit's key. Jeff reappeared a moment later from the office.

"Nobody inside. Stay alert there could be some wandering around out here."

Everyone nodded. Brad's storage unit was just a few step away from the car. He unlocked it with his key and slid the garage-style door up. As expected, very dusty. Moving inside we closed the door and each found a comfortable spot. Brad started changing the dressing on Darrell's wound. The cats and I curled up on a sofa after hauling the plastic cover off of it. The others were talking but I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. The only thing I was aware of was the soft purring of my fellow feline survivors.