'Just when you think you've hit the bottom, someone tosses you a shovel'

The streets were surprisingly empty of undead as they drove through the ruins of civilisation, here and there a few zombies were staggering around but even when they tried to run after the car they were left behind quickly despite their speed. Buildings all around them were charred where fires had burnt out of control a some days before, when everything was normal. Some of the structures still emitted smoke from their windows and there was no sing of the living except for the distant rumble of gunfire that was gradually getting louder. As they drove along a wider road, that had it's share of wrecked cars but none that blocked their path, Jimmy took the binoculars he had found and looked out across the river towards the rumbling and flashes far across the water.

"What can you see out there?" Cass asked.

"Just a lot of smoke and flashes," Jimmy replied," it's too far away to make out anything,"

He lowered the binoculars and checked his wound, they had wrapped it up in his jacket but it needed medical attention and the sewage that had now dried to his clothes wasn't helping in keeping it clean.

"We need to stop," Jimmy said," I need to clean this wound and make sure it doesn't get infected,"

"Your right," Cass said.

"I know this area," Roland said," there's a public pool nearby I used when I was a kid,"

"Sounds good to me," Jimmy said.

There was a thump on the side of the car and a lone zombie bounced off the passenger's front door, falling back onto the ground and rolling away. Jimmy and Cass looked out the back window as it got back up and started chasing them, apparently unharmed.

"Who do you think those guys on the radio were?" Cass asked.

"With all the shooting we can hear," Jimmy said," it's probably the army, hopefully they have some kind of plan because we cant survive out here on our own forever,"

"You really think we are going to be safe with them?" Cass asked.

"They probably know a lot more than we do about what's going on," Jimmy replied," and they have all the firepower they need to hold these things back, that's probably why they are at the bridge. If things go badly, they will blow it up and stop them from getting over it,"

Outside he saw a group of ten zombies near a gas station, which had it's windows blocked by boards and shelves. They moved on, passing it and not wanting to stop, there were likely more zombies hiding inside and they didn't have that many bullets left. They drove for another twenty minutes, seeing a few more zombies who were running towards the now thundering gunfire that was getting closer by the minute. A few minutes later they pulled up outside a public swimming pool and Roland got out, the axe ready, but there was no one around.

"Take this," Jimmy said, handing him the gun, he didn't know how well he could shoot with the pain in his leg intensifying by the minute.

Roland gave Cass the axe, who stood a little odd with it's weight dragging her down. She stuck close to Jimmy who limped towards the front glass double doors where Roland was looking in, trying to see if anyone was around. It looked clear, so Roland pushed on the doors, which shuddered but would not budge. Inside, on the handles was a thick rusty chain and padlock, at a close inspection they could see that the bars were in fact pieces of wood nailed across the entrance.

"Lets look around the back," Jimmy said.

The three of them edged around the side of the building, towards a fenced area that led into a children's playground where scattered belongings were covering the ground. There were bags of abandoned food and blankets where someone had been having a picnic, someone's shopping bags lay by a tree and something was moving in them.

"Over there," Jimmy said, pointing.

Roland motioned for them to stay put and he pushed aside part of the fence that was broken and aimed the shotgun at the bags, which were rustling.

"Hey," Roland called out.

A dog lifted it's head and growled at him, it was a German Sheppard that had been hidden under all the bags, it sniffed the air, not wanting to come closer. Roland kept the gun aimed, it could be infected and he wasn't taking the chance. He took another step closer and it took one back, glancing momentarily behind to make sure it's escape was clear.

"It's just a fucking dog," Jimmy said, which cost him a cold look from Cass.

Roland lowered the gun and it slowly backed away, which turned into a trot as it disappeared into some bushes.

They found a wooden door leading into a back room, the window was broken but that door was also barred by planks of wood, someone had been busy trying to keep the undead out. Roland kicked the door, which opened with a bang and he took a quick look around before helping Jimmy inside. He sat on a box while Roland went ahead with Cass, checking the hallway for anyone. They returned a few seconds later and helped him into the hall which led onto a small swimming pool. On the floor was the body of a man in an orange uniform, next to him were cleaning materials. His head had been smashed with a blunt object as half of the left side of his head was dented. The pool itself was clear and Jimmy sat on the edge while Cass handed him some clothes from a box labelled 'Lost property'. He found a t-shirt and some pants that were slightly loose, using a knife from the restaurant area they cut the clothing from around the wound and cleaned it in the water. They wrapped it up again with bandages this time, which they found in a first aid kit by the desk. Roland sat a table and made himself a hot drink, keeping guard by watching over the entire area from above while they sat at the pool edge. The water was now tinted crimson after he had dipped the wound in the water and wasn't going to help them any longer.

"We should get moving," Roland said," we don't want to be trapped in here, most of the doors are glass,"

"Ok," Cass said, standing up.

There was a thump and she screamed, falling down hard onto the side of the pool, blood spewing from the side of her skull. She held her head a second, before falling limp and falling into the water. Jimmy looked up in time to see a man holding a baseball bat above his head, Jimmy scrambled backwards as it struck the floor tiles where he had been sitting, breaking two of them and sending shards into the air.

"What the fuck?" Jimmy asked," I'm not one if them things,"

The man didn't seem to care, he pulled the baseball bat back for another heavy swing when a gunshot rang out, the man lurched forward as a hole appeared in his chest. He landed on Jimmy who kicked him away. The bat rolled away and Jimmy didn't have time to thank Roland, who was already in the water and pulling Cass back onto the side.

"Is she ok?" Jimmy asked.

"She's not breathing," Roland replied, tilting her head back.

He breathed into her mouth, but she didn't move.

"Come on Cass," Jimmy said," breathe,"

Roland tried again, but with the same result.

"Shit," Jimmy said, leaning against the wall.

Roland checked her pulse and gave Jimmy a worried look, her skin was beginning to turn blue now and Roland tried one more time, this time doing compressions as well.

"Cass," Jimmy said," Come on,"

Roland gave up, crawling back across the floor and picking up the gun.

"What are you doing?" Jimmy asked.

"We have to make sure she doesn't become one of them," Roland said, cocking the shotgun.

"No way," Jimmy said, moving to her and starting compressions of his own," Come on, don't give up yet,"

After the compressions she suddenly sprang up, water pouring from her mouth along with vomit. He leapt back, unsure whether she was one of them or not. She spluttered into the pool and sat up, rubbing her head.

"What…," she said looking around.

"Are you ok?" Jimmy asked.

"I guess so," she said rubbing her arms," why is it so cold in here?"

"Hey, Jim," Roland said," I'm sorry,"

"It's fine," Jimmy said," I would have probably done the same,"

"What?" Cass asked, looking at the guy Roland had shot.

"Nothing," Jimmy said," all that matters is your ok, let's get out of here before anything else happens,"

………………………………………………………………

Roland led the way outside, back towards the car with the shotgun in hand. As the three of them emerged onto the street, things were worse than they thought. Zombies were emerging from alleyways and side roads, drawn towards the rumbling gunfire near the bridge. Undead from all over the city were massing around them.

Roland stood guard by the car, leaning on the front while Cass helped Jimmy into the back.

"Come on," Jimmy said as one zombie looked over at the car.

"Shit," Roland said.

Zombies turned and saw them, one by one until hundreds were coming. Roland jumped into the front and lay the shotgun onto the passenger seat as he began hotwiring the car again.

"Cant you hurry this up a bit?!" Jimmy asked.

The car sprang into life and they sped onto the road, hitting two zombies that were wandering close by. Another one got in the way and bounced off the side, hitting the road hard. They turned a corner towards the bridge, which was at the end of the road some five hundred metres away. Between them and the smoke that was covering the bridge from the gunfire were thousands, tens of thousands of zombies. Muzzle flashes were scattered about the bridge as they drove through the gathering dead in the streets.

"You think we can make it?" Jimmy said.

"Not a chance," Roland said, opening the sunroof.

"What are you doing?" Cass asked.

"Jim," Roland said," take the shotgun, we are going straight through,"

"Oh……fuck," Jimmy said as he climbed halfway out of the hole with the shotgun.