We were out of the store in an hour of so, and although we'd ransacked the entire place we didn't have much to show for it. We had more batteries than food, more underwear than water and no more fuel than we had arrived with.
"We're gonna have to have a feast," Drew said as he saw all the yoghurts and milk. "That's gonna go off real soon. Ah well, at least we won't have to be eating dry cereal anymore." I laughed.
"So, where next?" I asked impatiently. I knew we should stop for gas somewhere but I wanted to pick Stewart up and get going.
"Your house of course," Andy said punching me on the shoulder. "It was worth coming here but I don't think we have enough gas to go gallavanting, not today anyway. Let's just get going and go home."
"I couldn't have said it better." I smiled, stuffing all of our newly found resources into the trunk of the car and then jumping in after. Drew soon followed me and sat himself in the drivers seat with a huge grin on his face.
"What're you so smiley about?" Andy laughed, clicking in his seatbelt at the back.
"Oh, nothing.." he began. "Except this!" He got a familiar looking CD out of his pocket and ripped off the plastic wrap using his teeth. "Anyone for a bit of Greenday?" We all laughed and he fed it into his CD player, turned the volume up and began singing along. I didn't like Greenday - I never had, but seeing it make Drew so happy after everything that had happened the past couple of days made me happy too. Besides, it was nice to hear something familiar, despite what was going on, so I tried my best to sing along too. We got really into the moment, singing and laughing and remembering good times when all of a sudden Andy screamed.
"Drive! Drive for god's sake!" he yelled. Drew didn't even have time to turn and look before he sped off as fast as he could. I turned the music off - the moment was dead, just like the hoarde of biters chasing after us.
"What the hell man?" Drew shouted. "What even happened?!"
"They swarmed! Didn't you see? There were dozens!" he replied, trying to catch his breath. I looked behind the car and saw ten, maybe fifteen in the distance trying to keep up with the car but failing.
"Let's just get Stewart and leave like we planned okay?" I whispered, feeling the tension building in the car. Andy was scared and Drew was angry at himself for making such a foolish mistake, but the past was the past, even if it was only 2 minutes ago.
The drive from the supermarket to the gas station seemed like it took hours. We were all silent and scared - whatever good mood we'd been earlier had evaporated into nothingness. I didn't blame Drew for what happened; he had made a mistake but he was just trying to make us all feel better, and I respected that. I wasn't sure if Andy was angry at him for being so careless, but I really hoped he wasn't. The last thing I wanted was for them to argue, especially as everything had only just started to feel right. I prayed to myself that Drew wasn't going to be in a bad mood because if he was, he'd treat me like shit.
"So, you got some toilet roll in the end then Andy?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood. He didn't reply, just stared into nowhere. I sighed and leaned my head against the window, trying to ignore the headache forming in my temples. I closed my eyes and squeezed my head trying to make it go away. There were boxes of aspirin in the trunk but I didn't want to stop to get one, so I'd have to endure it. I looked over at Drew who was focusing on the speed limit, not that that mattered anymore. Andy was still staring into nothingness, and I seemed to be the only sane one in the car, despite only being introduced to this whole mess a day or two ago. I looked out of the window and saw a blur of trees whiz past. Drew was speeding up, obviously wanting to get out of the car and away from us as soon as possible. I could barely see what was outside and could barely tell where we were or how far away from Stewart was. But I did see one thing, far away in the distance but bound to be closer in a second thanks to Drew's reckless driving. A biter walking away from us, dressed in jeans, trainers, a sweater and a bright orange backpack.
"Should I put him out his misery?" I asked Drew and Andy as we approached him. They said nothing, so I wound the window down and pointed my shovel out of it, when the biter turned around and yelled: "Hey!" I dropped my shovel and watched it bounce onto the ground as we drove past without stopping.