There is a mild headache poking at my skull. Distorted memories come back to mind as I remember what happened. The cloud that obstructs my vision dissipates, and I can open my eyes.
Two guys are dragging me down the abandoned streets. The blonde guy and another man dressed in armor drag Kate a couple inches in front of me. My captors have a strong grip on the back of my shirt and wrists. The knees of my pants bounce off some concrete steps leading down to a swimming beach. A flickering bonfire paints the bubbly white foam from the river a shiny yellow color.
Jack throws Kate into the sand and places his boot on her back while they force me into the shallows. I gasp from the frigid cold water as it robs all the heat from the bottom of my waist.
"Matt! God you have no idea how exciting it is to see you again!"" Blair states.
"I'm foaming at the mouth with excitement." I cough.
One man hands Blair my backpack, and a wallet that looks a lot similar to mine. I try to check to see if it's still in my back pocket. Oh no. Blair looks into my backpack and pulls out the picture frame from when I was at Emily's house. A disappointed look grows across his face as his grip cracks the wooden frame.
"Ah, Emily, and her dead-beat parents. You know, it's really a shame what happened back then, but I'm sure you know that story already." Blair states as he throws the photo over his shoulder and digs through my wallet.
"Leave it alone!"
"What? This?" Blair teases as he pulls out the pictures of me and Samantha.
Anger consumes my heart, and I buck around. Blair points to the bottom picture where Samantha kissed me on the face.
"Give it back!"
Blair stands inches from me and holds out the photos, "If you want it, come take it!"
I use everything I have to break free, but I can't shake the captors off. Blair hovers it in front of me for a brief second and yanks it back.
"Ah, too slow! Now I know why you have been so sensitive lately. All because of little Samantha Booth. I have to say she was quite beautiful. Probably one of the most beautiful I seen in my lifetime. Who would have thought that Mr. Slater cared about anyone other than himself? Am I right?"
His group cheer and insult me and Samantha. Rage fills me again, and I get one arm free. I reach out and try to grab Blair's coat. My fingers barely scrape the black fabric of his clothing. A balled-up fist hits the back of my head, and my arm is re-captured.
Blair holds the pictures over the fire. The images slowly shrivel as Blair runs the photo over the top of the hungry flames. Hands of the fire grow bigger and bigger as they try to pull the photo in. The color of the picture where Samantha kissed me bleeds out and drips off a withering corner.
"Stop it Blair!"
"You know Matt, I think I'll keep this as a memento." Blair acts like he staggers and drops the picture into the flames.
"Uh-Oh! My mistake!"
"NO!"
The pictures crackle and black waves of smoke bellow out of the barrel. Mr. Blair lets out a hearty chuckle and pulls out a surgeon's scalpel. One guy strikes me in the gut. All the air leaves my lungs, and they slam me down. Freezing waves of water lap over my body as Blair restrains my left arm with his knee. I try to fight back but another solid punch hits me in the gut again. A flash of light pulses in the veins of my eyes as I try to stay conscience.
"Did I ever tell you what injustice is?" Blair asks as he runs the back end of the scalpel down my face. Blood gently oozes out of the small laceration on my cheek, and the scalpel collects a drop.
"I never paid that much attention in class."
Blair dangles the blade over my head and lets the blood drip on me. The red droplet splashes onto my nose and streams down the side of my face.
"In life, the people who do right are punished, and those who do wrong are rewarded. You of all people should know that. Considering what the city did to your father. The city council's failure combined with your family's inability to call them out on their bullshit is what brought you to me."
"Shut up…"
"Is it not true? Your dad did nothing wrong, and got punished for it. I did nothing but promise Emily and her mother a great future, and it got me a knife to the gut." Blair states as he pulls his shirt up and shows off a faded, stab wound scar on his stomach.
His statement about Emily, and a better future takes me back to when we were at the house. Jessica said something about Emily's parents being dead beats. That photo Blair was looking at. Wait, no. That isn't possible! There's no way Blair could be the man in that the picture! He's always been that guy that sold rohypnol to the drunks at the bar!
"Unlike your dad though, I learned that a system that was all too willing to fail me was worth failing in return, and now with society collapsing all around us, I have the ability to correct this system, and deliver justice upon those who abuse it."
Blair presses the tip of his scalpel in my left arm that it causes me to respond from the pain. The hot blade slices through tissue like paper as he carves out the letter T. I bring my knee up and try to kick him, but I can't reach.
"Stop it! LET HIM GO!" Kate yells.
She squirms around but Jack gets on top and holds her down. He pushes his weight on her shoulders where she has no leverage. The other guy grabs her ankles to keep her from working herself up to a sitting position.
The scalpel bites into my arm again as he carves out an R and an A. Each cut feels like it's about to touch bone, and the overwhelming pain forces me to scream. Blair stops and punches me across the face. His knuckles catch the small gaping wound across my face. Sticky fluid gushes down the side of my cheek.
"Are you paying attention Mr. Slater!? There's so much more to learn!" Blair psychotically laughs as he presses the scalpel back into the flesh.
Every run of the blade pushes me closer and closer to passing out. It feels like someone is sticking me with a hair iron and refusing to take it away. Blair pulls the scalpel out of my arm and bends my arm over my face.
The word TraIToR is carved deep into my arm. Speckles of blood from the wound drip on my face as I try to look away. Someone buries their fingers into my skull and makes me look back at the gaping wound. Strips of flesh forcefully peeled back are barely attached to my arm. Maroon trickles down the peach-colored strands.
Every letter throbs with excruciating pain, and my entire arm is on the verge of going completely numb. The sight makes my stomach churn and uneasiness eats at what's left of my decaying mentality.
The emotions inside get the better of me, and the ability to resist fails. I scream as loud as I can as my mind suffers from the impending breakdown. Blair howls with laughter as his group antagonize me by mimicking my agonizing screams in a taunting manner. Blair's hand grabs my face, and he makes a motion for everyone to calm down. He puts a finger on his lip and forcefully closes my mouth.
"A traitor. Someone who goes back on their word. That's what you." Blair sneers with an arrogant smile. He motions for his goons to bring Kate over. The tip of her shoes scrape a deep scar in the sand as she resists with everything she has.
"Leave the girl alone Blair!" I shout.
"I can't do that. She attacked us, and killed two members of my group last night. Not to mention the ones back in Coaltown. The whore needs to learn her place." He replies.
The guys cut the zipties around Kate's hands and prod her with jabs to the edge of the shore. They hold her right arm out and Blair sits on Kate just like he did with me. He replaces the scalpel with a new blade and cuts into her arm.
Kate gasps and screams as he slices through the tissue of her forearm. The guy watching over me ties my hands together and drags me further into the water. Blair shows Kate her new tattoo and slaps her with an open hand. She whines but tries to stifle the cry by biting her lip.
If I wasn't restrained right now, I'd kill everyone that's here. I don't even know this girl but seeing Blair do this enrages me. The guy shoves me down into the water. He goes to jump on me, but I bring my arms up. His nose connects with my extended fists.
A light stream of blood drips out of his nostrils. I get up, lock my hands together and hit him upside the head. He trips over his own feet and falls to his hands and knees. I bring my leg up and drive my boot into his face.
"We got a live one!" Blair teases.
Blair and Jack grab me at the same time. I thrash back and forth and throw an elbow. I hit something solid and Jack curses as I try to hit Blair next. Blair ducks under my attack and punches me in the ribs. My body locks up, and the both of them regain control of me. Jack heads back to the shore and grabs Kate. Blair passes me off to another one of his goons while Jack hands Kate off.
"Everything is ready Blair." An approaching girl says.
"Excellent. Now they're going to pay for what they did. Jack! Let's head back!" Blair says.
"You can have whatever is in their packs when you're done! Spare the bullets! They aren't worth it!" Jack states as he throws our backpacks onto the shoreline. "Consider yourself lucky!" He yells at us.
"Meet us back at camp when you're done!" Blair shouts.
My attacker grabs me by the collar of my shirt and forces me back. Cold water floods into my mouth and up my nose. A massive ache travels through my sinus cavity and to the front of my head.
I can hear Kate whipping around like a fish snagged on a line. Muffled sounds of her legs splashing around travel into my waterlogged ears. The guy lifts my head above the surface. My windpipe desperately grabs for whatever air it can. Kate is coughing and hacking as she tries to breathe too.
"Does the water taste good!?" One guy yells.
I try to shout an obscenity, but he shoves me back underwater before it can leave my mouth.
"I sure hope so!" His muffled voice breaks the surface of the water.
I try to hold what breath I have left, but my lungs seize up and everything starts to fade away. Kate's struggling slows down along with mine. My muscles feel like they are cramping up and water floods into my mouth.
Something that sounds like a person throwing a rock into the water hits the surface, and all the guy's strength disappears. I shove him off and surface.
Fresh air flows down my lungs with such force that it causes my throat to catch fire. Never has it felt this good to breathe. Water and snot flood out of my pounding nose and interrupt the relief that comes with breathing.
Kate emerges from the surface and coughs, "Motherfuckers!"
Blood and skull fragments float in the water. Both men have been shot through the back of the head, and at the exact same time because there was only one splash. On the beach stand two soldiers with suppressed rifles.
One looks up from his scope and gives me a look like he's asking me if I'm okay. His face comes to my mind and it jogs my memory. It's the marines from the convenient store the other night! The one that clotheslined me over the clerk counter! I hold up my bound hands and nod. Thank God I didn't kill them. They make a motion and disappear into the shadows.
Kate and I drag the dead bodies back to shore. It won't be long until Blair, and the others come back to check on us. Once they realize these two aren't back at camp. I grab a knife from one of the dead bodies and work the blade into the ziptie. The plastic snaps and releases me.
I hand the knife to Kate and check my backpack. Everything is still here. Signal pistol, flares, med kits, and the stuff for making explosives. Thank God nobody in Blair's group is all that intelligent. Kate cuts herself free and scoops up her backpack.
I grab my revolver and stick it in the seat of my pants. Blood is still drizzling out of my forearm where Blair carved out his word. Kate's arm is still oozing too.
"What did he do to you!?" Kate asks.
"Wrote traitor on my arm." Red leaks from the letters and drips onto the crispy sand below.
She brings her arm back and hides what was written on her. The look on her face is grim, and it appears Kate is trying to fight off her damaged feelings. She presses her arm close to her chest.
"I have a couple med kits in my bag. I'll patch us up..."
"Let's just… get out of here…" Kate interrupts me.
"Okay."
I leave my flashlight off because there is enough moonlight to see where we are going. Kate takes the lead, and we use the beach to press onward. I'm not real familiar with this side of town, but it looks like Kate knows where she's going.
Blue beams from LED flashlights glow off in the distance. The sounds of people cheering and shouting derogatory obscenities fill the air. I hide behind a flight of concrete stairs and pull out my binoculars. Kate gets directly behind me as I try to make sense of what's going on.
A total of four people armed with shotguns stand guard over Blair's group. I dial in the focus and try to make sense of the situation. In the middle of the group, Jack and another man in armor are holding down a subdued man as Blair force feeds him a blue liquid out of a red bottle.
A bound woman with duct tape over her mouth is being forced to watch the ordeal as it unfolds. Her horrified, muffled screams barely make a sound as the man chokes on the blue liquid. I try to convince myself that it isn't who I think it is, but every second that passes proves me otherwise.
"You always talked shit because you knew the judge was going to let you off easy, but look at yourself now!" Blair shouts as the man gags and coughs up blue liquid.
Blair reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. Tears leak out of the woman's eyes, and a desperate scream from pure anguish leaves her mouth as the man stops moving. Blair strikes a match and lights the cigarette. If there wasn't so many of them, I'd try to do something, but not only do they outnumber me, they have armor and superior weapons.
Blair takes out a revolver, flips the cylinder out and ejects all the shells, "You should consider yourself lucky. Despite everything you took from me. She wasn't even my kid, and somehow, you still found a way to ruin my life." Blair loads one live round into the gun and positions the cylinder to where it will fire on the next trigger pull.
"Money that was meant for the kid went towards spending sprees, and one night stands at the bar when that piece of shit right there wasn't home."
Blair tosses the gun in front of Emily's mom. Several members of his group form a line and point their guns at her. The blonde guy, Jack picks up a red can and pours a clear liquid all over Emily's mom. He makes a trail leading from her all the way to where Blair is standing.
"This can either be your salvation, or your damnation. Make your choice." Blair states as he tosses the gun to Emily's mom. Jack goes back and cuts her free. The woman stands up and takes a step in a direction like she's trying to escape. Jack shoots her in the leg, and she collapses back on the ground.
"Now you got to the count of five to make a choice. One…two…three…" Blair takes the cigarette out of his mouth and steps back, "four…"
Emily's mom presses the barrel of the revolver to her head and screams through her bound mouth. The hammer folds back and slams forward. She drops to the ground and stops moving. Kate covers her mouth and gasps in terror. She turns her back towards the horrific scene and fights to hold back the fear.
"Let's head back. The contaminates will be here soon." Blair states as he tosses the cigarette to the side. Everyone follows him back up to the street, and they disappear.
I put the binoculars up and try to erase what just played out from my memory. That was the most sadistic thing that's ever been committed. It was either kill yourself or burn alive. This morning, Emily was so happy at having a chance of seeing her parents again.
For once in my life, the two of us got along because she believed that they were still alive, and that I was going to be her shot at getting back with her parents. It makes me sick to my stomach that this had to happen because Emily's heart couldn't take it. Nor would she ever forgive me if she found out that I couldn't do anything.
"Let's get going Kate. It's not safe here."
Kate takes a deep breath and clears her mind, "Let's go."
The strong odor of gas, gun powder and drain cleaner permeate the air with so much force that it makes my nose burn. Up on street level, some shamblers are wondering over to investigate the gunshot from earlier.
The sand helps muffle our footsteps as we pick up the pace. I close my eyes and try to think of something else. One of the shamblers growl and sets its sight on Emily's parents. I cover my ears and breathe through my nose to try and drown out the sound. Kate takes aim at the shamblers as we pass, but they pay no attention as they continue to feed upon the bodies.
Kate pats me on the back, "It's clear now."
Up ahead, a drainage pipe juts out of a rock face. The grate has been pried open and footsteps walking in the direction we're heading conform to the brown sand. I really hope that was Eric, and the others. The whole idea that someone other than Blair's group is around sends chills down my spine.
As long as we don't spend a great amount of time in there, we should be fine. Kate climbs up and turns her flashlight on. The tunnel sparkles with dripping water and condensation that has collected on the side walls.
"It's clear." Kate says.
I jump in and sling my backpack off while Kate keeps watch. I pull the lid off some hundred proof whiskey and lightly shower my arm with it. The lukewarm alcohol stains the wound and bubbles down into the cuts. Hell eats at the letters, and my entire arm flares up. Kate turns away from me and hides her arm as she pours some of the whisky on her wound. She clenches her teeth and softly whimpers.
"Do you need my help?"
"No, I'm fine." Kate quickly replies as she douses some bandages for us both.
I wrap the white bandage around my arm with enough force to apply constant pressure. The outline of the word TraIToR bleeds through two layers of the wrap and loses visibility after the third pass. Kate wraps her arm several times to the point that the blood is no longer visible.
"Okay, let's go get that car." Kate says as she cinches up the bandage.
We hop out of the drainage pipe and continue onward. Emotional stress sets in from what just happened. Being brutalized and nearly drowned. Not to mention what happened to Emily's parents. I reach into my pocket and feel around. Samantha's crucifix is still in my possession, but I don't want to see it because my heart can't take it right now.
There is another flight of stairs leading up to the street. A wrecked ambulance sits about halfway between the river shore and street level. The driver is hanging halfway out of the front glass. Most of the plastic light bar has been busted, but flashes of the red and blue light flicker in the darkness.
"Yes! Just what I need!" Kate shouts as she takes off ahead.
"Wait, what do you need?" I ask as I follow her.
She ignores my question and urges me to hurry. I'm guessing an ambulance is supposed to be a treasure cove of supplies. Although an ambulance should be more of a last resort in desperate situations.
"Help me with this!" Kate says.
I grab the main door and carefully open it. Kate shines her flashlight inside. A speckle of yellow glows from the right side. Teeth chewing raw meat off broken bone shower out the doors.
Kate aims her gun but stops. The shadow of a white figure dances across the empty medical bay. It's dressed in street clothing but has a patient tag around its wrist.
"Get back Matt." Kate whispers as she prepares to fire.
The thing turns around. Bright orange dots rests in the black saucers called eyes and parts of its chest are glowing a bright gold color. What parts aren't glowing are pale. Almost like the color of snow.
A tiny hole at the base of the neck leaks out a strange, orange liquid. Every tooth has formed into a yellow tusk. Incisors, canines, premolars and molars. The whole thing looks like a disorganized pin cushion.
Kate and I dive in the same direction, and the outline of a disfigured human flies towards us. Kate lands on top of me. She has no time to think so she swings her arm around and fires. The bullet strikes the side of the creature's head.
It lets out a bone chilling croak and violently throws its weight around carelessly while clawing the air. Kate tries to get up, but the thing pounces on us. I grab hold underneath the thing's neck and push it away. It's pins Kate between us and leans down to bite.
I'm losing this game of tug of war fast. I put my other hand on the chest and try to regain control. No ground is gained, and the thing is getting closer and closer. Kate tries to lay as flat as she can on top of me.
The sickle shaped tongue licks her back. Kate moans in disgust and tries to aim the pistol behind her without getting bit. With everything I have, I twist the creature's neck away where it can't bite. Kate blindly aims the gun, and the huge suppressor comes inches within its ear.
"Now!"
The slide of the gun flies back. Blood spatters out the side of its head, and the creature flinches from the gunshot. It wasn't enough to kill it, but it definitely gives me an advantage. I shove the thing off and Kate stands.
The thing scrambles to get up. Another bullet strikes the creature in the head and knocks it back down. I get my breathing under control as Kate carefully walks over and fires several more rounds into its head and throat.
"Matt, keep a lookout."
She climbs into the ambulance and searches. I grab my sink leg and keep watch over the stairs. The slide of her gun clicks again as she shoots the half-eaten paramedic in the throat.
"What the hell was that thing?" I ask.
"I don't know, but I've been calling them croakers."
"You know, when you said croaker earlier, I thought you were talking about the shamblers."
"Oh no. I've been calling those walkers, but I think I prefer shambler. Croakers though? They're much worse. Not only can they run, but certain parts of their body glow, and if you shoot them there, they release a yellow gas that attracts more." Kate replies as she rips open cabinets and drawers.
"Wonderful. It's not like things couldn't get any worse." I sigh.
She moves to the other side of the ambulance and searches. I look back up and see that some stray shamblers are wobbling down the stairs towards us.
"Bingo!" Kate cheers as she stuffs some medical supplies in her bag. She picks up a bottle of pills and takes the lid off. Disappointment changes her attitude, and Kate's happy smile fades into a frustrated sigh. "This isn't going to last long…"
I push a shambler back with the tip of my sink leg and hit her in the jaw. She topples over the rail, and the sound of teeth clicking stop.
Kate jumps down and holds out the bottle, "I need you to carry this. I don't have any room left."
The label has a doctor's signature. Which means this is prescription grade. I look closer at the label and notice that these are chemotherapy pills to help control cancer. Why does she need something like this?
Kate pulls the magazine out of her gun and examines how much ammo is left. That reminds me. I flip the cylinder out of my revolver, extract the empty rounds and reload it. The spent brass patters on the asphalt as me and Kate approach the bridge that leads back into West Side.
Most of the light bulbs still glow with orange but some areas are blacked out. Totaled cars, burning trucks and overturned buses form a labyrinth of destruction all the way across the bridge. Most of the contaminates on the bridge hover around the burning vehicles.
Kate and I pick up the pace and ease into a light jog. A toppled bus blocks the other end of the bridge. I take off running and jump. My forearms catch the side paneling of the bus, and I pull myself up. Kate is quick to follow. I reach out, and she grabs hold of my left hand. She places her feet on the gas tank and launches herself up.
There are some shamblers looking up at us from inside the bus. Their faces are littered with shattered glass. They raise their deathly hands and click their teeth. Some do a half-hearted jump and grab at us. Kate places her feet on the window frame and eases over to the roof. She looks down and gives a thumbs up. I carefully walk across the frame and jump down. Now we are back in west side.
"Is this where you were from?" Kate asks.
"Yeah. I lived on Decker Street. What about you?"
"Brookhaven. I managed to escape from the quarantine zone there."
"How'd you end up in a quarantine zone?"
"I skipped school that day so I could go to work, and I got caught in the middle of a little cleanup operation. Guys in hazmat suits dragged me out of my vehicle and waved some kind of detector over my body before loading me up in a truck full of scared people. How about you?"
"I was at school that morning. I got into an argument with that douche back at the river, and he sent me to the office. Nothing seemed out of place. I thought it was just going to be another day. Next thing I know, people started getting bit, and that's when I realized the world had a one-way ticket to hell." I state.
"You knew that guy before all this happened?"
"He was a teacher. Name's Blair."
"I heard of him. Not in a good way either." Kate shudders.
"Everything you heard about him is true, but no one would ever believe me. Now here we are, trapped in this ever-decaying world with him."
"I believe you. That bastard and his group ambushed me at a medical clinic last night. I managed to escape, but my friends? They weren't so lucky."
"He'll get what's coming to him. Even if I have to do it myself." I say as I rub the crumpled-up bandage around my wound.
It looks like there is no activity in my house. Eric, and the others haven't made it back yet. A sense of dread fills my head. Is Emily okay since she got shot? What about Lauren? She would be the first to go if something happened. No. Eric and them are fine. They will survive.
"Is that your house?" Kate asks.
"Yeah. That's where my group and I spent the first couple days when shit went down."
Kate places her hand over her face and giggles, "I was your delivery driver a couple times."
That statement causes me to stop and think back to when Adam and I would order pizza. Most of the drivers I got were men, but occasionally, we would get a female driver. I look closer at Kate and remember that we would tip all the drivers, but I'd tip her the most. This was before I met Samantha and I thought if we gave extra to this girl, she would eventually give me her phone number.
"I remember now. My brother thought if you got a little extra on your tip, he'd eventually get your phone number." I lie under my breath. It was originally my idea, but Adam isn't around to debunk it.
"I had a feeling that the generous tip wasn't because I was a good driver." Kate laughs.
The both of us take the same route Eric and I did the night we ran into the soldiers. The flicking lights in the store have now burned out.
I turn my flashlight on, "The car is in the garage. As long as I have a screwdriver, I can hotwire it."
Kate takes the lead and heads into the cashier's office. The bay door is still propped open with the mechanics cart from the other night. That means no one has been here. I grab a flat head and Philips screwdriver from the cart. Kate turns her flashlight on and checks inside the garage.
"It's clear."
She scuttles under the bay door and keeps her gun at the ready. I crawl into the garage as Kate opens the passenger door and looks inside. The black barrel of her handgun sways back and forth as she checks the little storage area in the back.
"The car is clear."
She sits down in the passenger seat and keeps watch while I remove the steering wheel lock. The lugs holding the bracket in place fall into the floorboard, and the lock bounces off the tip of my boot.
"Where did you learn to do this?" Kate asks.
"Not from the movies."
She chuckles, "I'm taking it you were in a mechanic class?"
"No, I just read apocalyptic manuals in my spare time. It covered everything from how to boil water to more advanced stuff like hot wiring cars and picking locks. It even showed a step-by-step guide on how to patch up and dress serious injuries if there isn't a trained medical professional around. Anything you can think of, those books have covered."
I hook the ignition into the main harness and stick the screwdriver into the key slot. The screwdriver twists the chrome metal, and the vehicle starts up.
I turn the vehicle off and take the screw driver with me. Kate seems like a nice girl, but I don't trust her yet. She could end up bailing on me. Once I get her back to where ever she needs to go, I'm going to do her one more good deed, and them I'm gone.
Kate scoots over into the driver's seat as I roll the exterior bay door open. Chains rattle and clink as it reaches its peak and locks in place. I grab a syphon, and a small gas can off the work bench.
Most of the gas pumps at the stations are going to be disabled since they need an employee code, but we can pull the manhole off the gas reserve underneath the stations and syphon it that way, or we can just take it from cars that aren't in use anymore. I toss the tools in the tiny storage area behind our seats and hand Kate the screwdriver.
The GT lets out a thunderous growl that rattles the entire car. A look of surprise grows across her face, and she smiles. I know what Kate is thinking because if I were in the driver's seat, I'd want to do it too.
"Please don't run us into a tree." I beg.
Kate flips the headlights on and slowly presses the pedal down. The engine growls and gets louder. The pipes rack off and spit blue flames out of the chrome cherry bomb exhausts.
She shifts into gear and floors it. Smoke, and the smell of burning rubber fill the garage as we blast out the bay doors. My weight is thrown back into the leather seat. Kate manipulates the floor pedals and forces the back end of the car to fishtail right. We drift onto the highway, and the car straightens itself back out.
"Slow down!"
"Calm down, it has a roll cage!"
She swings wide and turns right. The back-end drifts, and the exhausts pop again. I put my seatbelt on and lean back in the seat. Some comfort comes to me, but I doubt it's going to do much since Kate is driving. No wonder my pizza always arrived on time.
"This is awesome!" Kate shouts.
"Yeah, just as long as you don't wrap us around a tree."
"Oh, would you relax? If it makes you feel better, I have never caused an accident, and I was the best driver on the job!"
"If you say so."
Judging by the direction Kate is driving, she's taking an old road that leads into the back way of Black Breech. Thankfully the military abandoned it, but that means it's strictly going to belong to the survivors that live there…