Chapter six

Steve stared at the fuel gauge and watched the needle slowly move half a centimeter towards empty. He estimated that they had just enough gas to make it halfway through the city, if that. Looking over towards his companion and saw the small glimmer of hope sparkle in her eyes.

I've got to make it, she's depending on me.

They took a back road to avoid the congested highway, and it seemed every other citizen of LA had the same idea. The road was clogged with an assortment of cars and trucks, but the shoulder and median seemed to catch his eye almost instantly, as if it was designated for him. Steve turned the wheel slightly and headed for the shoulder, steering clear of the road debris that tried to obstruct his path.

"Almost there. You ready?"

Aya nodded and looked back towards the road.

"Yeah, guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be…"

Steve's dark-blue hues scanned the edge of the roadway as one of the undead creatures flooded into view. The distinctive thud! could be heard as the truck's grill slammed into the zombie's body. Steve slammed on the brake as both of their bodies jerked forward, then coming to a rest.

"Damn! Those things are everywhere!" exclaimed Steve.

Indeed he was right. That had to be the millionth zombie they'd passed since setting out on their journey. As the truck's engine started to reverberate a rocking noise under the hood, the road became filled with more of the undead, who were trying to find the nearest source of food.

"We need to get going… now." Stated Aya.

Steve pressed the gas a bit, lurching the truck forward slowly. He parted his way through the crowd that had by now overcome the truck on every side. They tried unsuccessfully to pry open the doors and the outer shell of the vehicle. Aya stared at the faces of the creatures, and the zombies looked back with blank, emotionless stares. She scowled a bit covering her nose.

"Just to think, these things use to be ordinary, everyday people. Consider how fortunate we are… especially to not have that perfume!"

Steve couldn't help but laugh. The remark was a good ice-breaker to somewhat emotional scene. He hit the gas more, violently plowing through the crowd now. He looked at Aya and examined her features. She was a dark blonde girl about 5'7" at the most, guessing her age was around sixteen or seventeen. With those soft green eyes, she looked at him, meeting his gaze. Her slightly freckly face managed to put up a smile, and Steve smiled back. He was beginning to have a liking for the girl, her will to live strongly present in these circumstances, and he couldn't have a better companion.

They came into the outer part of the city, buildings and more vehicles coming into the scene, and of course, more zombies.

"Do you hear that noise?" questioned Aya abruptly, trying to perceive the loud clatter of gunfire that sounded as if it was close.

Steve could hear the noise better now, excitement growing within him. He was eager to meet other survivors and hear their stories, but moreover, he was eager to find someone with firepower because they had none. They tried to follow the epicenter of the gunfire, but to no avail. It stopped, just as soon as it was heard.

"Where'd they go, where… ?" Steve tried to finish, but caught glimpse of several people running for an alley.

"There!" yelled Aya, pointing towards the alley.

Steve pressed on the gas, towards the alley, but instead he ran into a shopping cart and took out a mail box. The road was pretty much blocked, so he took advantage of the sidewalk. By now he was at the base of the apartment building, but the sidewalk had every imaginable obstruction in the way. The truck passed the alley, where Steve last saw the small group, but they weren't in sight.

Damn, the motor is giving out!

Slowly the motor began to smoke and then it all together just gave out, a loud croak coming from the smashed radiator. The power steering gave out with the engine so Steve slowly steered the truck to rest right next to a window that led into the apartment building with. He was a good sized man, but sometimes he would exaggerate his height out to 6'1", when he was really an inch shorter. He was at least forty five meters from the closest carrier so he rolled his window down and kicked out the apartment window as several of the zombies started flocking in on their stranded vehicle.

"Let's go, hurry!" Steve shouted as he carried himself through the window and reached back for Aya, who in turned grabbed his hand with a sudden quickness.

He pulled her through the window into a office room, which was flooded with thick bright loud that poured through the window. The air conditioning hadn't been running for a while, so the stale air wasn't a comfortable feeling to be breathing, especially since they were in the given situation.

"We've got to find those soldiers! Follow me I think they're at least on the second story…" Steve said, talking while they hustled cautiously through the office room and out into a reception area.

The place was rather big and Aya spotted the door on the other end. They quickly paced their way through the receptionists room, taking in small breaths of the stagnant, rotten air. Steve's attention was averted towards the stench, actually smelling the creatures before seeing them.

"Uhmm Aya. Run." Steve spoke, but she was already one step ahead.

He had to follow after her, her swift figure darting in between the desk. This actually surprised him a bit, because he was pretty fast himself. They reached the door and came into a hallway, marked with doors that had numbers, declaring those rooms apartments. They both glanced towards the door with the stairwell sign and hurried for the door, hearing the incomprehensible gurgle of the zombies not too far behind. They jerked the door open and they both ran up the steps towards the second floor, then the third. Soon they were on the fourth, adrenaline taking them higher and higher.

They neared the fifth floor when the door swung open—and a soldier stood in the doorway, a look of surprise growing across his face as he had his gun pointed in their direction.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" screamed Aya and Steve, simultaneously.

"Oh shit!" the soldier yelled, lowering his weapon quick. "Get up here, quick!"

Steve saw the man sense the presence of the zombies in pursuit of their prey, as did Aya, who was already in the door and running down the hall. Steve followed quickly in her wake as the soldier stayed behind in the doorway with his gun trained, and a second soldier ran past the two-man party of Aya and Steve, who shouted "room seventy-seven!" Gunfire ensued as they ran off down the hall and into a room, opening the door.

They dropped down with their hands on their knees, glimpsing in at the worried party of soldiers who looked just as surprised, concern growing across their faces.

Sorry I know it's like 28 Days Later but I'll make the further events different in upcoming chapters!