Chapter 3- Lost of a Friend

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"Guys, we are almost near the road out of San Francisco," said Paul from the driver's seat.

"Paul, do you think we will be fine outside?" asked Daniel still not being able to suck in all the things that has been happening.

"I hope so. I don't really want to live in a world full of undead walking everywhere I go."

"Paul is that suppose to be the road out of San Francisco?" asked Sam with a surprised face.

"Yeah that is the road… what the hell," said Paul as he looked more closely at the road.

The road was a mess. It looked like someone has blown up a bomb right below it and sunk the whole road down. No one was able to get on the road or leave San Francisco.

"What the hell are we going to do?" said Daniel after he looked at the state of the road. "We can't go anywhere like this. As I remember, there is no other road out of here. What are we going to do?" Daniel got out of the car in a panic, not caring if the car was still moving or not.

"Turn the radio on Paul. It might tell us what happened here," said Eddie.

With a sweaty hand, Paul pushed the button to turn the radio on. He turned to the news channel, and they started to listen.

"The road out of San Francisco was blown up about 30 minutes ago. We very sorry to tell the remaining people in there this, but the things inside there must stay there and not come out. Please stay put and alive until the government is able to put everything under control. We once again apologize for this. Please stay alive."

"Wow! Just great. So we have to stay here for, who knows how long," said Kenny while punching the car. "I am going to ask this as well: What are we going to do?"

"I guess for right now we go find somewhere safe in the city and stay put," said Paul.

"Why does the world have to turn into a nightmare when we are on a vacation? Would it hurt anyone if it happened like a week later?" said Daniel as he came back inside the car.

"I guess it really doesn't matter what our opinion about the world or anything is about. What we need to think about is how we are going to survive until the government can do something," said Andrew, sticking his head out from the back of the car.

"I agree with Andrew. Let's just go find somewhere safe," said Philip.

Everyone agreed to go find somewhere safe, so Paul drove back into San Francisco on the road he took to get there.

"Sam do you think this is a good idea? Do you think it would have been better if we tried to find a way out of here back there?" Daniel asked.

"We'll find out if this was the right decision to make or not soon," said Sam. "Paul did you get in contact with the girls ever since yesterday?"

"Oh shit. I totally forgot to tell them about what is going on. I will make sure to contact them as soon as we stop at somewhere safe," answered Paul.

The group was finally able to find a descent place to stay for a day after hours of driving and searching. The place was an apartment that was vacated by all the people who found out what was happening and left the place before the road was bombed. The building itself, unlike the ones they have seen on their way since their vacationing house, was in a descent condition. The windows were still in one piece and the doors were in place as well. Just the knobs were not there when they got near it. They got inside and unpacked only the things that were needed like blankets, pillows, food, and water, so they didn't need to pack everything up again in the morning.

"Calling them right now?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, just dialed the number so waiting for them to pick up," said Paul as he held his phone next to his ear.

"Hello? Is this Paul?" a girl whispered through the phone.

"Yeah Faith, this is Paul. Are you two safe? Do you know what is going on out there right now?" said Paul to the phone.

"Yeah we are safe, for now. We know what is going on and we met them as well. Those roamers are deadly and scary. I get the chills just thinking about them."

"Well glad to hear that you guys are safe. Do you know where you guys are right now at the moment? We will go and find you guys if you tell me."

"Ummm, I am hundred percent sure, but near a store called Stuff for Less."

"Flower Garden….. ok, we will get there right now. Keep your phone on at all time just in case something happens, or we need to contact you."

"Ok. Well then see you later. Get here safely."

"Yeah, hopefully…."

"Yeah….." said Faith as she hung up the phone.

"Are they safe?" asked Sam who just came back from a walk around the apartment.

"Yeah, they are for now. I told them that we will go and pick them up right now. We just need to find where… Stuff for Less is located…." said Paul.

"Ok, I will find out where that is. Tell everyone to get ready to go on a dangerous mission, a mission to save fellow remnants."

"Got it."

Paul then went to tell everyone else about this while Sam surfed on the internet on his phone to find where Stuff for Less was located.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? We are going back out there to find those girls? You want us to risk our lives?" shouted Kenny after he heard the information from Paul.

"Why shouldn't we go find them? We came to this vacation to have fun together. But when one is in danger, we have to go and help them," said Paul.

"I agree with Paul. We should go and find them. It's better to have a bigger group to survive in this situation. We could do more with them as well. Remember, Faith has a major in medicine," said Philip.

"But still…. whatever if you guys want to risk your lives to find them go ahead. I am going to stay here in a safe place."

"Just leave him alone. He's not going to change his mind about this. You know that. I found the location of the place so let's head over there," whispered Sam from behind. "Is everyone else going with us or not?"

"I think everyone except Kenny, but I think we should leave somewhere behind like Daniel to watch after him. We don't know what Kenny will do if we leave him behind."

"I agree…. ok then let's leave Daniel to watch over him. I will get everyone else ready, go outside and start the car.

Paul walked out the door without a knob to start the car. After he walked out, Sam went to the others and told them to bring anything they needed. When everyone was ready, they went out of the apartment and got into the car.

"Everyone ready?" asked Paul.

"Yeah, let's get this over with quickly so I could rest," said Eddie.

"Alright then. Let's go."

The group started their way to Stuff for Less. The way to them was rough and harsh. The roads were ruined from all the fights with the remaining survivors in San Francisco with the walkers. They had to take ways that were not on the navigator due to all buildings and trees fallen on the ground.

"That is where they are hiding," said Sam pointing to the damaged building on the right of them.

"I am going to have to park the car here. The parking lot is a mess. I can't get this thing any closer to the market," said Paul.

"Alright then. Let's start the rescue mission," said Daniel.

"I will call them right now, so you guys get out watch the surroundings. We don't want to be attacked by any walkers by surprise," said Paul as he got out his phone to dial Faith's number.

"Got it. We'll go and get them as soon as you get in hold of them," said Peter.

They got out of the car and each of them watched the car's surrounding. No walkers were on sight but no one could be sure that none of them were nearby.

"Come on. Hurry up and answer the phone…" said Paul to the phone.

"Hello. Are you guys here?" said Faith through the phone.

"Yeah we are here. Where are you guys right now?"

"We'll head on out to the main gate of the market. Meet us there."

"Ok. Hurry, we don't want any walkers to come and attack us."

Paul put down the phone and got out of the car.

"We are going to have to get to the main gate of the market. Everyone have your eyes open for any walkers. We have to get out of here alive. Remember that," said Paul to the group as he took the first step to the market.

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The way out of market was not complicated. They just needed to go down the stairs and get out of the building. It was supposed to be easy, but it wasn't. Roamers were everywhere. Faith and Joanne didn't know who or what caused them to suddenly appear, but they knew that they were in a big trouble.

"What in the world happened? Why are there roamers here? Wasn't this place empty when we got here?" said Faith.

"Yeah it was. Well I guess something attracted them to all swarm over here," said Joanne. "Why don't you call Paul and let him know our situation here?"

Faith was one step ahead. She already called Paul and was letting him know the situation they were in.

"Paul said that they will come and get us out of here."

"Wow, that's a risky move they are making…."

"Well, I think Sam agreed on it as well. They wouldn't move without those two agreeing on it."

"Yeah I guess so."

All they had to do now was to stay put and ready to leave. The roamers did not notice that they were in the market with them. Just stay in silence and wait…..

"Hey Faith, they are moving towards the main gate."

Now was their time to move and head towards there. But the problem was getting there without being noticed by any of the roamers near them. If they were, all of them will start walking to their direction, and they will be trapped with no escape possible.

"Alright then, let's do this," said Faith as she rubbed her sweaty hands together.

The main gate opened and a rock was thrown from the outside. The roamers heard and started to make their way towards it. The boys were coming in from the side gate that was open.

"Hey. Over here," said Sam. "Hurry up and come. The walkers will be back soon."

The girls made their way down the market to where the boys were waiting. Everything was going well until Faith tripped on an empty can and fell to the ground. The noise drew the roamers from outside to them. The hungry undeads started their way towards the group. The group ran out of the market and was about to run to their car. The only problem was that the car was surrounded by roamers from nearby areas. The group was stuck.

"What are we going to do?" asked Daniel, sweats dripping down his cheek.

"If we want to get to the car, we are going to need a distraction that will keep them away from us," said Sam as he looked out at the soulless roamers around him.

Faith felt sweat dripping down her face to the back of her spine.

What are we going to do? Who is going to be a distraction for us to get out of here?

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It was silent, and the walkers were getting closer and closer every second they wasted. The group did not know what to do.

"I will be the distraction for us," said Philip breaking the silence. "Get out of here and survive."

"Philip, what are you talking about? We are not just going to let you go in there and be killed," said Peter shocked from the decision Philip made.

"Like Sam said, someone is going to have to be a distraction for us to get to the car. I can't do anything special like most of you guys and I'm useless. It's better for me to die knowing that I will be able to save all of you guys."

"But still…."

"Philip, we are going to miss you," said Sam as he put his hands on Philip's shoulder. "We will not forget what you have done for us to live today. It is decided then that Philip will be the distraction for us. Philip will stay at this spot and fight the walkers out until we made it back to the car."

"Sam! You can't just say that!" shouted Peter opposing what Sam has just said. "He's a friend, and you are just going to use him to get us out of here? Can't you think of any other way?"

"Peter! There is no time to argue. Just go. It's better for me to die instead of all of us," said Philip holding back tears.

"Philip…."

"GO! Get out of here alive!" shouted Philip holding out his knife that he kept with him. Philip ran at the horde and the rest of the group started their way to the car.

Philip killed off about three walkers when two came from his blind side and bit him on the neck. Philip screamed in pain as he saw blood, his own warm blood, gushing out and down his neck. He got the walkers off of him, and he knew that he was done for. Not that he had a chance of making it back to the group alive, but he wanted to keep a little hope in himself but now it was gone. The group was able to get back to the car safely, and he was going to die.

"What an unfair life I lived. Not being able to do anything on my own…. Well at least the last thing I did in this life was save the ones that I cared about….." said Philip as he looked up at the sky, tears dropping. "Well it's time for me to say good bye to all of you guys and the world."

"PHILIP WAIT!"

It was the last thing Philip heard before he fell down defenseless against the walkers.

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"NO PHILIP YOU CAN'T DIE!"

Peter ran back to where Philip lied down. He was surrounded with a warm pool of blood. Walkers were eating on his flesh, and Peter couldn't do anything to stop them. He ran towards the walkers and killed them with the knife Philip has dropped before he fell.

"Get away from him! He's my friend! You can't!"

Peter killed off four of the five walkers feeding on Philip. When he was about to kill off the last one, the walker bit him on his right wrist. Peter flinched but quickly recovered from it and killed the remaining walker.

Shit….

"PETER! What the hell are you doing?" shouted Sam as he ran to Peter. "Are you out of your mind? Philip sacrificed himself for us to get out here alive and you come back here to get yourself killed?"

"But….but…." said Peter now pouring with tears.

"Come on Peter. We have to go…. NOW."

Sam dragged Peter away from Philip dead body to the car. Paul, Eddie, and Andrew were holding back the walkers from getting closers to them. When they were safely inside the car, Paul drove the car out of there. Away from the walkers. Away from a sad lost of a friend.

"Peter, don't ever do that again, or we will have to leave you behind next time," said Sam while he passed a clean cloth to Peter so he could wipe off the blood.

"Guys I thank you for saving my ass, but you guys should have left me behind there with Philip," said Peter while he cleaned off Philip's blood. "What is the point of living when you lived while your friend died?"

"Peter, Philip was the one who decided to do that. He did it because he wanted us to live. Why don't you let Philip go now? He's…..gone," said Paul.

"Yeah it was his decision, but you guys could have stopped him!" yelled Peter with anger. "You guys could have stopped him…. sorry…."

"It's ok Peter. Just calm down," said Sam.

Peter wiped off the still warm blood. While he was cleaning himself up, he remembered the bite mark that he got back at the market.

Am I suppose to tell the others about this or not? …..I shouldn't make them worry about me. I don't even think it bit me all the way into my blood veins.

The ride was silent until Faith broke the silence.

"Thanks guys for coming to get us. We're sorry for Philip's lost…. Really..."

"Well we did what we had to do. Right Sam?" said Paul.

"Yeah," Sam said. "We have to save our friends from danger right?"

"We arrived at our place guys."

The group got out of the car and walked inside ready to tell Kenny and Daniel the lost of Philip.