Gunshots echo out and bounce off the abandoned cars and trucks, bullet shells drop to the ground with a high-pitched ring, the strong breeze of a coming storm rushes through the leaves of the sturdy trees and wisps through the hair of the four survivors. A husky, black health teacher; a mother-like and caring black news reporter; a former conman with a haunting past; and a mechanic with a kick-zombie-ass attitude.
"Don't shoot the cars. The alarms will go off." Ellis, the mechanic with his thick Georgia accent, warns. A low, growl erupts from the nearby forest.
"I hear a Hunter." Coach, the health coach, whispers.
The four are careful with each step, gripping weapons in their hands. A terrifying scream sneaks up from behind them and Ellis drops to the ground, trying not to scream.
"It's got me!" the hick yells.
The Hunter is straddling him, clawing at the bare skin of his torso. Blood dripping down in several places.
Repeated gunshots ring out and the Hunter falls sideways, laying limp.
The Southern mechanic grabs his abdomen, full of abrasions and lacerations, and rolls over in pain.
"Oh shit." He winces, a quiet whimper leaving his lips.
"Ellis!" Rochelle, the news reporter, gasps, rushing over. The hick covers his eyes with his palms and holds his breath.
"How bad is it?" he asks, a humorous tone to his voice and a slight smile on his lips.
"Good Ol' Ellis, making the best out of a bad situation." Coach states, tossing Ro a bandana.
She wipes the blood off of the hick, staining his t-shirt and skin. He hides a whine as the pain sharpens some, then subsides. She grabs the first-aid kit from her back and wraps up his stomach.
"You'll be okay." Rochelle assures, helping him up.
Ellis steadies himself and takes his gun from Nick, who picked it up from the muddy ground.
"Thanks." The hick mutters to the former conman.
"There's a safe house right up ahead." Coach informs the group, reloading his shotgun.
The group quietly sneaks over to the safe house, killing a few more rotting zombies and one Boomer along the way.
Coach pushes open the metal door and shuts it tight when the team is all in the safe house.
Nick leans against the wall and slides down slowly.
"We made it." Rochelle says with a smile.
"Yeah, only across the bridge." Nick sighs with frustration.
"There's a carnival after this, apparently The Midnight Riders were gonna perform." Rochelle replies, looking at a flyer she picked up from the last safe house.
"Man, they're amazing." Ellis says, rubbing his bandaged abdomen.
"Hell yeah! Got all their albums!" Coach comments with excitement.
"A bed." Nick says, looking into the other room of the safe house.
"Are you serious?" Ellis asks, rushing over.
"Yes!" he adds, smiling.
"You and Nick kept watch last time, me and Ro will take turns tonight." Coach tells Ellis.
"Nah, we can take another night. Right, Ellis?" Nick asks.
"Uh…" Ellis stutters.
"No, you guys need your sleep." Ro says, "Go to sleep." She orders.
The young hick and conman go into the other room, giving in to the motherly news reporter, making sure they have their guns by their sides.
"Can you believe how far we've come?" Ellis asks, taking off his hat and boots, getting under the covers.
"Can you believe how far we have left?" Nick asks, impatiently.
"Damn three-thousand dollar suit, covered in mud, sewer water, and zombie blood shit." The conman adds, taking his suit coat off and throwing it on the ground. Ellis acknowledges the difference between his; oil-stained pale yellow t-shirt with a Bull Shifters logo, work boots, un-buttoned overalls, and blue-and-white cap with his mechanic company logo, and Nick's attire; an expensive (used to be)white suit with a blue button-down shirt underneath, a few gold rings, and nice leather shoes.
The conman takes off his shoes and lays under the covers next to the hick.
"Nick?" Ellis asks in the darkness, laying on his side, staring at the wall.
"Yeah?" Nicks asks, staring at the opposite wall.
"Once me n' Keith…we were at the gas station and he has this crazy idea of stealing somethin', so we hid candy bars n' a jug a soda in our jackets 'n ran out. But the funny part is that some of his candy bars fell and they tackled us. The police came n' talked to us. That was a good day." Ellis explains with a smile across his lips.
"Ellis, did I ever tell you about my life before this…damn apocalypse?" Nick blurts, rolling over and looking at Ellis.
"No…" Ellis squeaks.
"Well, my ex-wife and I were in the middle of a fight and I was driving from Las Vegas and through Savannah when it happened. I thought about calling her…and I did. You know where I'm getting at?" Nick tells Ellis.
"Um…not really." The hick hesitates.
"I'm sayin' that sometimes, even if you aren't fond of someone, it may be the only person you have left." Nick stares into Ellis' eyes and sighs.
"You guys are the only people I have left." Nick adds. He runs a hand through his dark-brown hair and gazes at the ceiling.
"I always talk about Keith…but…I don't know if he's okay…" The southern accent silences the room and after a long moment, you can hear soft, steady breathing on Nick's side. Another sigh escapes Nick's lips and he slowly drifts into the haunted memories in his dreams.***