CHAPTER 8: PREPS VERSUS ZOMBIES
I pulled out onto the road and started driving towards Old Bullworth Vale. First, I was a little nervous about driving. But after a while, I was getting use to being behind the wheel again. I use to drive all the time with my dad back when I use to see him on the weekends. He would usually let me drive on the back roads. His dad taught him the very same way back when he was my age. Good times. I haven't seen him in quite a long time, especially after one of his college friends died from old age. I wonder what he's doing now, especially with the dead possibly roaming all of America or even the entire world.
As I drove across the bridge and into the Vale, I couldn't help but notice that I was driving by the same spot where the dead body was. I saw the blood stains on the road where the corpse was and also where the Taxi driver was when he was mauled by the zombie dogs. Of course, they were both gone now. They both probably turned or were devoured by an entire horde. Not wanting to think about it, I turned right and headed straight for the boxing gym.
When I got to the gym, I pulled over and then got out with my wooden plank at the ready. I walked up to the doors and then knocked. I waited for a response, but got none. I then looked into the small window and saw nothing. Taking a few deep breaths, I opened the door expecting some zombies to be waiting in there for me. But when I stepped in, there wasn't anyone in there. No people, no zombie, just open space. I walked up the stairs to the bar room and found a bunch of items. There was a few sleeping bags, some weapons and also some canned food. "Looks like someone has set up base here", I said out-loud. "I wonder if they're alive". Not knowing if they were still alive, I decided to just leave the stuff here just in case. I walked out the bar, went back down the stairs and went outside back into my truck. Well, the Preppies weren't in there. I guess all that's left would be Tad's house.
I started the truck and then continued driving. I made a right on Bullworth Road and went north till I turned left on Green Pine Avenue. I continued driving till I got to one of the gates by the garage that goes into Tad's yard. There was a Preppy out by the gate. I drove up to the gate and then slowly got out. "Hey, I'm so glad to find you guys. I need to talk to the person in charge", I told Gord. "Sorry Hopkins, but we're dealing with a situation right now", he says on the other side of the gate. "Whatever it is, I'll deal with it", I told him. "I'll do whatever you want. Just as long as I can gain your trust". "You really want to help us. Then go to the other gate. We have a very big problem there", Gord says. "What is it?" I asked him. "We have a entire horde of zombies right at the gate", Gord started to explain. "We've already taken out about half or a third of them. But if we don't handle it right away, then they'll come right on in and start munching on us".
"Okay, I'll get right on it", I told Gord. I hopped right into my truck and then drove up to the other gate. However when I got there, I saw that there was probably about 10 to 15 zombies pressing against the gate. "Hold them back", I heard Bif Taylor yell. "We can't let them burst through the gate", Parker's voice then shouts. "We need help". I got out of the truck and got my Spud Gun ready. I fired at two of the closest zombies and that pretty much attracted the rest of them. "Damn", I said out-loud. They started their stumbling towards me. I quickly climbed onto the top of the truck just as they were about to surround me. I then shot six more of them before I ran out of potatoes. From the looks of it, there was only about eight more zombies left. I took out my plank and then I smashed the top of one. Just when I was about to smash another head, a few potatoes then started flying and hit four of them. Only three left. "Thanks", I told the Preps. I jumped off the truck and then swung at two of them. One left. As it stumbled towards me, I swung at it and it fell to the ground. It then tried to get back on its feet, but I walked up to it and then slammed the plank into it's head about three times till there was nothing left.
"Look, it's Hopkins", Bif says out-loud. "I'll get Derby", Parker says as he ran into the house. Bif then opened the gate and says to me, "Go head and come in". I walked in the yard and saw that every Preppy was alive and well. And not to mention that they totally made the yard into a fortress. And from the looks of it, they had guns. Like actual guns. Rifles and handguns, as well as the "toy" ones that we use around here. Now that's what I call being organized.
"Now this is a good place to hold up at against the undead", I said out-loud. While walking around the area, Pinky ran up to me with joyful tears going down her face. "Jimmy, I'm so glad that you're alive. How did you get yourself involved in this mess?" she says right before giving me a hug. "I just got into town days ago and saw how bad things got since I left. Man, talk about hell on earth", I stated. Just then, Derby came out of the house and then walked up to me. "Hopkins, what a pleasant surprise to see you well even with all that's going on", he greets me. "Just what in the hell is going on around here? How is it that people are turning into zombies?" I asked Derby. "It's very clear what's going on, Hopkins. It's a disease passed down from the homeless poor people. This is why the rich and the poor shouldn't live together. Diseases pass on and it affects everyone", Derby says. "I really don't think that it's that. Yeah, it did spread from person to person. But I heard it was something like the cafeteria food did it or that it was an advance strain of rabies", I told him.
"Whatever it is, we're dead if bitten or scratched by one of them", Bif said while coming up to us. "And it doesn't help that they're always trying to bust through the gate. That gate is nearly off its hinges all because of those things. If we don't do anything, we're going to have to find another safe place to call home". "That is right. We've been doing everything we can to make sure that gate doesn't fall down and let them in. In fact for some reason, they always know to go to that specific gate and just try to come through there", Derby explained. "Are there any hostile groups around here that you may know of?" I asked him, remembering about the events of yesterday with the Nerds and the Jocks. "Not really. And we've been up and down this entire district to find any survivors...rich survivors", Derby stated. "Figures", I retorted. "In the time of crisis where money probably won't save you, you still want to be around rich people".
"Whatever. Still, that's all we got to say about this. What are you doing here? Why go through the streets of Bullworth with danger lurking at every corner?" Derby then asks. "I have a proposition for all of you guys. Look, I got a group myself. They're poor, yes, but we have a very secured place. If you guys were to join in on our group, then we can make it much more safe", I told Derby. "Where's your group?" he asks. "In the Main Building back at the school", I told him. "I'm trying to round up all the cliques so we can make the entire school safe. I know there'll be more poor kids than rich, but at least you guys can have Harrington House back and there'll be no zombies. We have plenty of food and it doesn't seem like it's going to run out soon". "How will we get there?" Derby asks. "There's a bus back at the school. I have a friend who's going to work on it while I'm out looking for the other cliques", I answered. Derby thought about it for a minute. I watched him look over at the gate and then at everyone walking about outside. "I guess we can try and go back to the school...on one condition".
"What's the condition?" I asked him. "We need something to fix the gate. The tools are in the garage, but there's a problem", Derby stated. "What is it?" I asked him. "It's overrun with ten zombies in there", he tells me. "We don't even know how they got in. Still, we need those tools just to prevent the gate from falling apart". "You guys got guns and you don't even want to take a chance with taking one down in there?" I asked. "With the loud noises from the pistols and rifles, it would attract other zombies from outside the walls", Derby stated. "Where did you get the guns anyway?" I asked him. "From the Police Station over by the shopping plaza. Emptied the entire cabinet", Derby answers. "Now, are you sure that Tad doesn't have another set of tools in the house somewhere? Maybe in the basement?" I asked. "Nope, I made sure", Tad said while walking by. "Okay then, I'll get the tools. Then I'll help fix the gate too", I told him.
"Thank you, Hokpins", Derby says. He then offered me what looked like maybe a Glock Handgun. "No thanks. If you say the sound of those firing off attracts more of them, I rather stick with the weapons that I have on. But I guess I could ask for an extra guy or two to help me clearing the garage out", I told him. "CHAD. TAD", Derby yelled. Chad Morris and Tad Spencer then came up. "You two help Jimmy clear out the garage", Derby ordered them. "Hey, I'm the one who provided my house for all you guys. I should at least get a say so in some of this stuff", Tad says offensively. "Fine then, who would you suggest?" Derby asks him. "I would suggest either Bif or Parker. Both can handle their own and the pressure", Tad suggested. "I'll take Parker then", I told them. "I'll go get him", Tad says. He walked to the gate while I turned to Chad and asked, "Can you handle the walking dead?" "I took down two zombies when all this started. I'm sure that I can take down a few more", he answers. Just then, Parker came up and says, "Tad just told me what you're going to do. Count me in".
The three of us then walked over to the gate near the garage. Gord was waiting there. "Alright, tell me when and I'll open the gate to let you guys out", he tells us. "Alright, here's my plan to take on the zombies in the garage", I started to explain. "There's a side door into the garage. My plan is that I open and let one or two zombies out at a time. That's when you two take them out. Of course, we'll also have to be ready if that plan goes to shit as well. And if any comes off the street. You guys got any melee weapons?" They both pulled out their switchblades. "Okay then. And firearms?" I asked the,. They then put away the blades and then pulled out their Glocks. "Don't use those until I say it's necessary", I told them. "Blades out", I ordered them. They pulled out their blades while I took out my wooden plank. "Now hold up. I think you'll need something a lot more than that wooden plank", Gord said. He walked up to me and then gave me his Cricket Bat. "We got plenty more. I'm sure this bat will help out more", he said. "Thanks", I told him. I then also equip my Bottle Rocket Gun and make sure that it's loaded. Finally, we're ready. Gord opens the gate and we go straight to the side door.
The side door into the garage is the same size as any door, so I'm sure no two zombies can get through together. I get in front of the door and grab the knob. Chad and Parker got to the other side of the door. "Are you guys ready for this?" I asked them. "Let's get it done", Parker says. I then opened the door and looked inside. Yup, there was about ten of them in there. I whistled and then they all started coming for the door. I waited for one to come through the door right before I closed it. Parker and Chad then stabbed it in the head. I opened and let one slip through the door again before I closed it. It tried to bite Parker, but he grabbed it by the neck and then slammed it against the wall three times till the skull was totally dent. It was lifeless now. I did it again one more time and this time, Chad pushed it to the ground and stomped on it's head. I opened the door to repeat the process again, but I accidentally tripped backwards on the one Parker killed. The door was fully opened and then all of the 7 remaining zombies started coming out of the garage.
Three came for me while the other four went after Parker and Chad. I ran to a safe distance in the clearing between the street and the garage and turned around to aim at the three zombies. One of them was the fat, charging zombie kind that I dealt with back when I took the Main Building. I fired a bottle rocket at the three zombies, but the fat one started it's charging and the rocket instead only took the other two zombies. "DAMN", I yelled as I did a somersault to evade the zombie's attack. I then took out a Fire Cracker, lit it and then stuffed it in the zombie's mouth. I hit the ground just as the Cracker exploded. Bits and pieces flew everywhere as it's head was no more. Just then, Parker and Chad came out from behind the garage and then this one zombie crawling on all four, and going faster than the fat one, grabbed Chad by the foot and brought him down onto his stomach. It then went up to Chad's neck and bite down on it.
"CHAD, NO", Parker yells as he ran up to the zombie and kicked it in the head. The crawler then tried to get back on it's feet, but I shot at it with my Bottle Rocket Gun and killed it. Parker rolled Chad onto it's back and saw him weeping in pain. "Parker, get away from him. He's turning", I told him. Parker then backed away from Chad. I watched as Chad's eyes started going to a sick green color and his skin going pale. Chad Morris was no longer human. He belonged to the dead now.
He slowly got up on his feet and then charged at Parker. Parker was too stunned to even react. I pushed him out of the way and took the zombie's attack. I grabbed Chad's hands to prevent him from scratching me and pushed him back. I then took out the Cricket Bat and then swung at Chad's head just as he got close. He tried to get back up, but I stepped on his chest to prevent. "PARKER, GIVE ME THE KNIFE", I ordered. "HERE", he yelled as he tossed it to me. I clicked it open and then stared down at Chad's face. "Sorry it had to be this way", I said as I brought the blade down into his head. Instantly, Chad was out of his misery.
I looked over at Parker, who was very upset about all that has happened. "You okay?" I asked while approaching him. "I...I didn't think that...that he would..." I grabbed him by the shoulders and said, "Look, it was either him or us and they don't hesitate. Let's get the tools first, then we'll bury him", I told him. "Alright", Parker sighed. We went into the garage and saw what was left in the garage. Nothing much but a blood-covered Washington as well as blood all over the floor. I then saw the toolbox on workbench. I picked it up and just before I could leave the building, I noticed something that no zombie could have possibly made: an S written in blood. "Are you guys sure that you don't know anything about any hostile people around here?" I asked Parker. I pointed at the S and he looked at it in shock. "No, we haven't even noticed this before", he says. "I don't like it. Let's just get the tools and Chad back behind the gates", I suggested.
I carried the tools while Parker carried Chad. We got back into the yard. Derby saw Chad and was flabbergasted about the whole thing. "They got a hold of him and bit him. We took care of him though. You just now have to bury him". I then held up the toolbox and said, "But at least we'll get the gate fix". "Okay, let's get started then", Derby says.