As the night came shadows crept across the rubble of what was once a sprawling city seeking out every corner plunging it into darkness and the hue of light gleaming from the top of still standing buildings began to die down, searchlights began switching on across the perimeter of the quarantine zone scanning the surroundings. The bright light attracted recently infected like a moth drawn to a light bulb, the silence of the night was only broken by the cries of the infected shortly followed by the sound of a gunshot. As if things could not be worse rain began to pour in its streaks seen in the spotlights before impacting below. Joel Tommy and Sarah had hardly moved from the pile of rubble they had hidden by, for peering over they would see a battleground, a desolate landscape littered with bodies leading up to the walls of the zone.
"I think its dark enough" remarked Tommy as he scanned the area
"We should make a move then" replied Joel as he finished the last of his water.
The group got ready to move, Joel crept up the rubble to have a look at the best way to get in whilst looking his hand slipped knocking a brick which cascaded down the other side
"Careful Joel" Tommy grunted
Joel quickly ducked narrowly avoiding the spotlight that illuminated the rubble. Soon the spotlight moved on back to its random search for anything that moves.
A storm was blowing in as lightning began to streak throughout the sky. The Joel and Tommy began to move Sarah followed quietly they hid amongst the rubble timing was everything as every gap had to be sprinted across and waiting for the spotlight to move and hoping it wouldn't return pumped more and more adrenaline. Some building structure remained dotted around mostly parts of walls and occasionally an opened up building missing chunks of wall and roof, these provided excellent cover when taking refuge from the searchlights. Rain began to drown out the silence and gunshots echoed more frequently as the noise of the weather whipped the infected into a frenzy.
The group scanned the perimeter of the quarantine zone finding no entrance steel fences were erected blocking alleyways and some streets whilst bare faces of buildings presented themselves no windows to climb into.
"Joel this is hopeless there's no way in" shouted Tommy trying to make himself heard over the rain
"No there's gotta be a way in we're not giving up now" Retorted Joel and like a mad man frantically searched for an entrance
Set on one goal time passed them by and eventually things began to get worse, a couple of military jeeps passed by checking on the perimeter one with a mounted machine gun which lit up like a sparkler when infected got close. Joel refused to stop looking and was forcibly dragged by Tommy into a nearby warehouse to avoid the jeeps.
"What the hell do you think you are doing" yelled Joel
"Didn't you see those jeeps" Tommy snapped back
Joel had been so set on finding a way in he had neglected to look behind him once in a while. The group took shelter from the rain under the still intact roof although a bit of a draft blew in from the missing doors. No one was in a good mood and it showed a Joel and Tommy argued about what should be there next course of action. Meanwhile Sarah had retreated to a corner of the warehouse trying to relax in what could be considered her second worst situation she took out her headphones and began to listen to music in the hopes it would drown out the sound of Joel and Tommy arguing whilst she leaned against a window looking out at what could be there salvation which seemed so close. As Joel and Tommy argued Sarah began playing with the condensation on the window out of boredom when a bolt of lightning crashed into a nearby building obliterating a large chunk of wall leaving a dense cloud of dust, this caused Sarah to jump back.
"Relax it was just some lightning" said Joel taking a momentary pause from his heated debate
Sarah looked back at where the lightning had struck and as the dust cloud cleared a neat hole appeared on the first floor of the building Sarah's eyes widened in surprise as adjacent to this building was steel fencing the thoughts going through her mind were could this be a way in.
"Dad" Sarah shouted over to Joel gesturing for him to come over
"What is it" Joel said as he walked over
"Could we use that to get in" Sarah said as she pointed to the building with a look of smugness
Joel jaw dropped "That may just work. Tommy get over here" Joel yelled out
Joel and Tommy had a quick discussion but the outcome was definite they were going for it.
"Alright lets go" said Joel as he stepped outside
Sarah rushed to pack up her things and joined them outside. The rain had not let up but it would not deter them for they had found what they had been looking for and after a few moments of looking around for any patrols Joel gave Tommy a boost up into the building.
"Oh god you're heavy" murmured Joel
Sarah was next pulled up by Tommy and then Joel. Reaching into his backpack Tommy pulled out a few torches.
"Take your pick I found a while back and I've been waiting for a time to use them"
With a torch in hand they began to make their way through the building and further into the zone.
In the building the rain seemed to become quieter and as the torches scrolled across the surroundings an eerie feeling set in. Looking out of a window you could see dim lighting in the streets with a couple soldiers walking past. The group pushed up through the corridor thinking that they were being watched.
The group found their way down the stairs and into the street
"What do we do now" asked Sarah
"I don't know just give me a moment"
Before Joel had time to think a voice shouted "Freeze! Put your hands in the air now"
A soldier stood behind the group, they put their hands up and slowly turned to face the soldier
"What are you doing out during curfew" the soldier bellowed
Thinking fast Joel simply replied "We got lost"
The soldier grabbed his radio and called for backup saying "I think we got a couple stragglers"
Within moments a couple ore soldiers had appeared from nowhere. Joel and Tommy's faces were defiantly showing nervousness such as sweating although this didn't show through the rain whilst Sarah edged her way to hide half behind Joel.
"I'm gonna ask you again what are you doing"
Tommy perked up "We... we broke in"
"Grab them and take them to administration" the soldier barked instantly
In moments the group were cuffed and thrown into the back of a military truck and driven off.
It was now the early hours of the morning and with no idea of what was happening or where they were fear had gripped them as they we sent into a waiting area of the city hall the soldiers instructed them not to speak.
A soldier entered the main office closing the door behind him only murmurs could be heard and soon he reopened the door and instructed the group to enter. Once inside the door closed and before them stood a tall well built man with short dark hair the sides of his head streaked grey with age the man was a general.
"The sergeant here informs me that you broke into my quarantine zone is that true" the general said with a harsh tone
"We saw you butcher the people at the gates so we snuck in" Tommy snapped
"We couldn't take any chances and the zone is already full, dead people don't turn" the General calmly replied this reply did not sit well with either Joel or Tommy
"So what you think you were just gonna break in here and live happily ever after" said the general
"We just want to be safe" replied Joel
"You break in here with guns and you want us to protect you" the general retorted as he pointed to a nearby table with the groups emptied backpacks
"It isn't exactly safe out there" Joel snapped back
"You know what we do to people who break in here" the general said in a threatening manner
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood, I think we can use you you've got a bit more determination than the rest here"
The general gestured to one of the soldiers "Give them their things minus the guns of course and take them to be processed.
The group was given their bags and silently escorted out of the office and into a large lobby used as an administration centre they were then let go in order to go through processing, several other people littered the floor trying to gain entry they were probably the last of those let in before the shooting.
"I guess this means were in" said Tommy
"We just need to get through here and that's it" replied Joel as he turned to Sarah giving her a reassuring hug "You will be playing Soccer (Football) with people your age by morning"
These small celebrations were cut short by a familiar bang as one of the people trying to gain entry was shot by the guard, soon after a cold voice echoed "Next!"