"C'mon, get in!" the truck driver screamed at the top of his lungs. Jessica heard the driver's voice, and alerted the others. Lucky them, they were starting to lack ammo and morale to keep fighting. Jessica and Paul were the first ones to go outside on the wooden planks sorrounding the barn's second floor. Then Marcus and Eugene, but he was grabbed by a zombie and Marcus had to turn around, shoot the zombie and earn the couple some time by keeping at bay the others with his trustworthy 9mms. In fact, everyone had found pistols and few packs of ammo, but it was nothing compared to the horde coming after them. They were completely sorrounded: the few smart zombies that could climb walked on the plank that connected the two buildings. Jessica and Paul covered the group's flanks, trying their best to not miss a swing or a shot.
"Haul ass, people! Jump down!"
"You shittin' me, Eugene? We're fucking sorrounded, man!"
"It ain't no time to cry, Paul! Let's jump down before they swarm our positions!"
Paul and Jessica both felt the plank under their feet lose resistance: one more reason to get the hell outta dodge. Jessica ran back and jumped down, hurting her ankle in the process. Paul then followed, but falls on the plank after the weak one, probably because that one fell after he ran back. Eugene picks him up, Marcus notices that his pistol is empty.
"Just fucking do it! We're done for if we don't!" Marcus screamed in fear. They saw a large group of zombies closing on Jessica. Eugene, Marcus and Paul all jump down and pick up Jessica. The truck driver was about to hit the pedal, but knew he couldn't leave them behind. He had to pass nearby that barn with his truck, and that's the price he had to pay. The zombies were way too close to the group, he couldn't hold on any longer. Jessica was helped to climb onto the truck, then Paul followed her. Marcus took care of a zombie coming from the bushes, while Eugene shot his last 9mm rounds he had. Then they both jumped on, hitting with their fists the truck, signaling the driver to hit the gas. A loud screech erupted from the wheels, leaving behind a shadowy mist of death and anger. They could all rest now, except Jessica, she needed medical aid.
"Phew. That was tight."
"Damn right it was, Eugene. I thought we were gonna stay there forever."
"Shit, my ankle was completely smashed from that fall. Anyone knows how to fix this? Don't cops do training about that as well?"
"You think we're paramedics or something? You can take care of yourself, just don't walk for a while, and suck it up if necessary."
Eugene's bold answer made Jessica shut up about it, but Marcus didn't like Eugene's attitude at all. Not a bit. But it was no time to care about that, and decided to put his brain to sleep by leaning backwards, on the truck. And in less than ten minutes, he falls to sleep like a baby. Paul fights the urge to smoke a cigarette, but Eugene doesn't. He lights up one, and sits as close as possible to the truck's back, trying not to let the others smell the scent of smoke. Paul sees that Jessica fell asleep as well, and decides to sit next to Eugene, trying to understand what's up with that attitude.
"What you want?"
"Nothin', wanted to chit-chat with another living being that don't wanna chew my ass."
"Alright then. Hey, you got another cig?"
"Sure, here you go."
Paul gives him another cigarette, trying not to ask weird or intimate questions
"What was with you back there, man? You fucking treated Jessica like she was a spoiled kiddo, give 'er a rest."
"So what, she just hurt her ankle, it'll get fixed soon."
"Yet it don't justify what you said to her, but whatever, I ain't entitled to care."
"Thanks for saving me time telling you that."
"Well, now what will we do?"
"I guess the driver will bring us to a military outpost or shit like that."
"Meh, better than running from city to city like a pussy."
"A-men."
"I heard there was a military base near that subterranean acquatic laboratory, what was its name?"
"I don't remember to be honest."
"Boy, I can't wait to smoke some more faggot zombies."
"You seem intrigued by killing them."
"I couldn't do that with normal citizens, but now... Wooh! One day I'll kill so many zombies that I'll get tired of it."
"You better hope that'll happen when this shit is done for. And judging by the looks of it, there's a looooong way before it'll be even remotely close to finish.""
"Oh don't fucking worry, buddy. I got plenty of anger to let go against them fags."
"Hm, have fun then"
"Damn right I will."
Paul gets up and sits near Jessica, having a watchful eye over her before going to sleep. Eugene finishes his cigarette, then tries to do the same as the others, but dreams have a nasty habit of becoming nightmares in situations like these. He woke up in a basement. A basement with walls made of stone, two steel tables and two doors. Both of these doors were closed. Eugene tries to understand what's going on, but he feels pain in his eyes, like if they were on fire. He sees another room next to him, with a camera feed and a button. He presses the button, nothing happens. After minutes and minutes of walking around the room, he hears a church bell ringing, followed by a strain of zombies closing on Eugene's position. He hears footsteps, then heavy pounding on both doors. He still can't figure out where he is, or why. Instinct gets the best of him, barricading both doors with whatever he's got. Then finds an M4 sorrounded by yellow boxes. Eugene guessed that such boxes contained rifle bullets and didn't heistate to fill his heavy gun with all the rifle bullets he can find. One of the doors falls down, and Eugene tries to shoot the first zombies. He manages to kill the first ones, but another horde reaches Eugene's floor. The other door falls down, and Eugene can't help but shoot and back up till he hits a wall. His eyes burn, his body feels heavy and weak, his gun isn't loaded. A group of zombies reaches him and Eugene can feel the pain striking through his remaining veins, getting chewed up one bite at a time.
He wakes up, noticing that it was all a nightmare. But that dream felt too real, that place felt too real. Was he in a church? He'll never find out, unless he visits said place in the next nightmare. He really needed something to relax for a minute. But he just couldn't find anything. Not even in his team's delightful sleep. He tries to sleep again, and this time, it works without problems.