The quarantine zone would be the safest place to be but that did not alter the fact of the chaos that had ensued around it, fires burnt as people looted buildings whilst others ran in terror leaving the city scarred as if it had a mass riot. Screams echoed through the streets as infected tore through crowds running them down like bugs on a windshield, cars gridlocked the road causing people to be trapped in their cars an all too familiar sight.
"Come on we gotta go" said Joel in a brave tone
"Through that are you crazy" replied Tommy
"We got nowhere else to go now hurry up" retorted Joel
Tommy and Sarah followed Joel's lead after all it was their only option. The streets were filled with so much noise you could hardly hear yourself think, as the group walked through the streets closely together the severity of the situation became apparent masked men smashed shop windows stealing all sorts of items a symphony of gunshots rang out aimed at anything it seemed some people were even mugged in broad daylight.
"Hurry along now we don't want to be here long" Joel barked
Just when things had seemed to be going up a small horde of crazed people obviously infected began to charge through the street flailing around with no sense of self preservation mowing down people like weed whackers.
"Quick through here" Tommy shouted as he gestured to an open gate
The group ran through the gate and wrapped the chain around the both the fence and gate just as a runner collided with the gate, the chain held giving the group time to run. Taking a detour through a couple of the buildings the group tried to keep a low profile after hearing that infected were in the building. As Joel was moving a loud crack broke out after he stood on a shard of glass.
"Oh shit hide" Joel whispered in a harsh tone
Through the doorway an infected man emerged with a growth emerging on one side of his face it looked right a Joel but somehow didn't seem to register he was there was this some new kind of infected after all the infected were afflicted by a fungus and it seemed that that was what was growing on its face was this somehow affecting its vision. A sound echoed through the hallway in the next room and the infected hid by the door frame and seemed to wait then jumped the passerby and began to relentlessly attack him during the commotion the group used it to their advantage and slipped by.
"We should have helped that guy" Tommy angrily stated
"We would have alerted every dam one of those things" Joel bluntly replied
The panic back in the streets seemed to be escalating as people ran in all directions.
"Why are they running the quarantine zone's that way" asked Tommy
A flier blew past and hit Joel's leg sticking to him he reached down and picked it up and began to read it the leaflet read: The area immediately outside the quarantine zone will be subject to saturation bombing in the next 48 hours to eliminate the threat of infected. However the page was incomplete and parts were blurred out by the rain and the bottom half had been torn off.
"They're going to bomb this place" Joel exclaimed
"What" shouted back Tommy with a look of shock that was equally matched by Sarah
"Jesus, we gotta get to the zone now" shouted Joel
Before the group could take their first few steps a roar the sound of thunder erupted from the sky as 2 military jets flew over head launching the first of many missiles into some of the taller buildings causing it be become structurally unsound as it buckled under its own weight turning it into a shower of rocks that rained down on the roads below.
"RUN" shouted Tommy in a sound that seemed to pierce through the commotion compelling you to act.
The group began to run as rocks flew flying past fire beginning to appear in all corners before vanishing in a hail of concrete. Concrete was not all that flew passed the group unlucky survivors not vaporized by the initial blast were thrown by the concussion wave. All this seemed to happen in slow motion as more bombs were dropped the skyline fell like a sandcastle against the tide.
Screams were drowned out as your ears rang even the infected seemed to feel it running into the streets attracted to the noise now oblivious to people running beside them, the heat generated from the bombs was scorching like no earthly fire the light given off illuminated all corner such fear was wrought that even shadows dared not to appear.
The group ran jumping over obstacles such as walls of now toppled buildings and cars still gridlocked as if petrified with fear. As they edged closer to the quarantine zone the bombs became less frequent and then stopped, looking back a haze thicker than fog had gripped the streets as buildings continued to collapse turning into dust. As the ringing in your ears stopped only silence replaced it no one could speak just transfixed by the destruction moments later an arm reached out and grabbed Joel's sleeve.
"Dad we've gotta go" Sarah said in a tone that was reassuring it had almost seemed that Sarah had managed to get a better grip than Joel had this brought Joel back to reality.
"Your right, you're right not much further now" Said Joel
As they climbed a pile of rubble and looked over there lay a welcoming site an area untouched by the destruction where steel walls crept up towards the sky and safety lay behind. Emerging from the dust other survivors began to walk forth and even a car or two managed to escape the carnage pressing on to the gates of the quarantine zone unfortunately if people could have survived so to could have infected.
The group were able to move through the rubble climbing up some and sliding down others making their way towards the gate.
"Nearly there" Tommy mumbled
"What will we do once we're there" asked Sarah
"What ever you want I guess" replied Joel enthusiastically
Looking on ahead a small crowd had amassed at the gates hoping to be greeted with safety and security instead they were greeted by butchery as Soldiers fired live rounds into the crowd sparing no mercy some were even gunned down in their cars it seemed that the very place meant to protect these people were now killing them. Screams lashed out into the air once again which was soon followed by silence. Some people had taken cover and managed to survive the first barrage and now attempted to flee, a sniper perched up high like a eagle looking for prey began to fire on the few remaining survivors.
Joel Tommy and Sarah were hidden near a mound of rubble which they used to hide behind.
"What the hell Joel they're just shooting people in cold blood" Tommy exclaimed
"Daddy I'm scared" said Sarah
"Alright, alright" Joel replied to both looking around there was two options available either head back the way they came which was now a killing field an open area with almost no cover or follow the debris and use the ditches closer to the wall and hope to sneak in.
"I think we should try and sneak on in" Joel suggested
"Are you serious" Tommy bluntly stated
"We go back that way and were as good as dead anyway" Joel retorted
Tommy spent a few moments collecting himself his morale devastated by what the military had done to the very people they swore to protect.
"Alright lets go" said Tommy
"W-what's going on dad" asked Sarah
"We're going to sneak on in we will be safe I promise okay" replied Joel
"Yeah okay" said Sarah replying with a nod
The group had a quick look at what remained in their backpacks setting down they had a quick snack from one of the tins as no one really felt hungry and a drink of water and waited for nightfall hardly a word was spoken between them as darkness descended...