Ch. 3
'Innocence. Pt. One'
[Two days later]
"How many do you see?" Blake asked in a whisper crouched behind a car.
"Six just now." Ruiz answered looking down the barrel of his assault rifle which rested on the hood of the car.
"Sheesh how many bullets you got left?" Blake asked leaning back against the car.
"Enough. But doesn't mean we should engage." Ruiz thought aloud.
"Well we need gas." Blake stated annoyance evident in his voice.
"I don't see you fighting them!" Ruiz barely whispered taking his eyes off the walking corpses in front of a gas station looking as if it had been abandoned for years with trash littering the streets and the large window in the front smashed out.
"Give me a fucking weapon." Blake said in a determined tone.
"No. Not giving a civilian a weapon." Ruiz said mostly to himself turning back to watch the corpses.
"I ain't leaving my damn sister alone anymore." Blake said standing up from cover and stepping into the street towards the gas station.
"¡Va a hacer que lo maten!" Ruiz exclaimed in a whisper gripping his rifle tightly watching as this young man strode into the line of sight of the first corpse.
Blake stepped from cover to see what once was a man now dead Blake froze for a moment as the corpse growled loudly stretching its arms at him and closing in quickly.
"Ok.." Blake whispered to himself with shaking breaths. "C'mon!" Blake exclaimed to himself closing the distance with his opponent.
The two met in the middle of the street the corpse grabbed Blake's shoulders trying to pull him in for a bite but Blake had grabbed the corpse's shirt wrestling for only a couple seconds Blake could tell he was heavier than this man had been bracing a leg behind himself Blake let the corpse in a few inches closer before lifting the corpse over himself then twisting to the side slamming the corpse on the concrete with a sickening crack causing the corpse to let go standing up straight Blake saw the rest were now on the move towards him readying himself Blake now knew this was a terrible idea Blake ducked covering his head when he heard three gunshots sound off, Blake looked up to see three of the corpses had fallen to the ground with brain matter splattered across their faces.
"Maldito idiota." Ruiz said under his breath looking up from the sights. "Don't stop now!" Ruiz yelled at Blake seeing the one Blake attacked still moving and two more shuffling towards him.
Blake turned around to see the two coming towards him looking for something to help his cause. "Don't stop shooting!" Blake yelled back starting to step away from the corpses.
"Conserving ammo!" Ruiz replied while readying himself to fire again.
"Conserve me then!" Blake yelled stopping his retreat seeing a car holding a child's metal bat. "Hell ya." Blake said with a look of triumph looking at his adversaries to judge if he had time Blake raised his arm and sent an elbow in the window breaking the glass. "Agh! Ow!" Blake exclaimed grabbing out the bat.
"Hey! What the hell!?" Ruiz exclaimed watching Blake steal from the car.
Blake attempted to make the corpses flinch when this had no effect he readied himself then swung for the closest one landing his attack on the head of the corpse the sound of metal cracking skull ringing out as the corpse fell to the ground no longer moving.
The corpse on the ground had risen again and was about to attack again before Ruiz fired again hitting the corpse in the head splattering Blake's back with brain matter.
The final enemy shuffled quickly towards Blake unfazed by the other corpses' failure to kill the two humans.
"Batter up motherfucker." Blake said readying the bat for another swing waiting for it to draw close then letting loose another swing cracking the bat across the corpse's skull causing it to fall to the ground.
Ruiz stood up from behind the car grabbing the gas can they had brought with them. "We need to hurry before more Muertos show up." Ruiz said making his way to the closest pump.
"Muertos?" Blake asked wiping his hands on his jeans and picking up the bat again.
"Muertos means --" Ruiz started to explain before being cut off.
"I know what it means. Thanks." Blake interrupted surveying his surroundings.
Ruiz set the nozzle into the gas can and began filling the container. "Are you a farmer?" Ruiz asked looking at the young man's back.
"What?... No why?" Blake asked turning to face the officer.
"You a practitioner of martial art or something?" Ruiz pressed.
"No. Why." Blake answered the officer's question with his own.
"You lifted a full-grown adult over your head.. Pretty easily." Ruiz explained gesturing to the once again dead corpse.
"Oh... I guess I'm strong.." Blake answered nonchalantly.
"I don't think so.." Ruiz said screwing the cap onto the can.
"I climb." Blake admitted starting towards where he left his sister.
"Climb?" Ruiz asked standing to follow.
"Mountain climb... a lot." Blake said over his shoulder.
Ruiz followed behind Blake pulling the clip out of his assault rifle Ruiz noted two bullets left two potential kills.
"What'd you climb?" Ruiz asked breaking the silence as they passed a car that had smashed into a light post it's now reanimated driver still buckled in.
"Different places.." Blake answered walking around the car. "Half dome. Annapurna. And Fitz Roy to name a few." Blake added proudly. "Was gonna try El Capitan but I dunno how that's gonna work out anymore..." Blake finished sadly.
"I think you maybe right..." Ruiz agreed somberly.
The two made their way back to Ruiz's SUV Summer who looked restless nearly jumped out of her seat seeing Blake's return.
"Your back.." Summer acknowledged getting out of the vehicle.
"With the good stuff." Blake said gesturing to the gas can. "Never thought I'd see the day you get outta the back of a cop car." Blake added with a small smile.
"Never thought I'd see the day you'd be working with a cop." Summer shot back.
"Are you two done?" Harold asked sticking his head back between the seats to see his kids out the open car door. "This is not a time for games! We need to put some distance between us and here." Harold angrily explained.
"Who's to say it's any better somewhere else?" Blake asked holding his father's glare.
"It's not like this everywhere." Harold said upset his son challenged him.
Ruiz went over to the fuel door and started fueling the vehicle up.
"Stop." Summer attempted to break the tension.
Both men stared each other down not willing to break.
"Boys? Do we need to do this?" Melissa asked hoping she wasn't intruding.
"You stay out of this." Harold hissed at the blonde woman.
"Nah nah let the lady speak!" Blake shouted.
"Don't you order me around!" Harold yelled furiously at his son's defiance.
"Hey keep it down!" Ruiz said in a whisper as he finished up screwing the cap back on the can.
"Officer Ruiz. You can't tell me you agree with his childish behavior?!" Harold practically screamed with anger.
"I don't agree with him. But I do agree with her!" Ruiz said keeping an even tone pointing to Melissa. "So everyone shut up." Ruiz said. Tossing the gas can into the back of the SUV.
"About a half a tank of gas..." Ruiz said to himself watching at the gauge go up.
"Um. Oh. my gosh guys!" A teenage girl shouted with fear in her voice pointing out the windshield as everyone piled into the vehicle.
The group followed her finger to a horde of corpses shambling towards them.
"Mierda!" Ruiz exclaimed under his breath turning the key starting the engine.
"Where are we going?!" Harold asked never looking away from the horde.
"I don't know!" Ruiz answered putting the vehicle in reverse and turning his body to look behind them he saw there was a small alley which he used to turn around hitting the accelerator they drove through the streets of a now mostly deserted Idaho Falls after a minute Ruiz slammed on the brakes seeing a group of corpses in front of them.
"Fuck." Ruiz said in a defeated tone.
"What do we do?" Summer asks looking to Blake for an answer.
Blake looked at the corpses in front of them, then the gauges then back to the corpses. "Run 'em over." Blake said with determination.
"There's at least a dozen of them!" Ruiz yelled in disbelief at idea.
"We'll be fine!" Blake yelled back knowing there wasn't much time left.
"No way we'll make it through! We don't even know if there's more on the other side!" Ruiz yelled tired of this younger man's attitude.
"I'll do it then!" Blake exclaimed starting to climb over Summer to get out of the vehicle.
"No!" Ruiz yelled before looking at the corpses again taking a shaky breath. "Sit down!" Ruiz said calmly as he floored it.
SUV shot like a rocket at the corpses. "We're gonna die?!" The teen girl asked with tears threatening to fall.
"No. It's gonna be ok." Blake said putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Promise Jeanette." Blake said giving her shoulder a squeeze before letting go and returning his attention to the danger outside.
"Jenny." The girl said hurt evident in her voice.
"Shit..." Blake said under his breath. "Sorry." Blake said sincerely.
"Ya sure you are!" Jenny said crossing her arms and looking out the window.
The SUV crashed through the first body then another the vehicle rocked as they went over the bodies of former humans making it difficult to stay on the road, yet they prevailed as they made it through the group and found the way clear.
"Ya!" Blake yelled in celebration putting a hand on Ruiz's shoulder giving it a shake.
"We made it!" Summer said to herself with the breath she hadn't noticed she was holding letting her back fall against the seat.
"Great job officer." Melissa said encouragingly from the back of the SUV.
Ruiz breathed shakily with a smile unbelieving of the feat had just done. "Ok! Do we know where we can go?" Ruiz shouted over the chatter which immediately stopped when they heard his question.
After a few long moments of silence at this obvious question Blake looked at the gauges again. "Whoa wasn't this at half a tank?" Blake asked Ruiz with concern.
Ruiz and Blake watched as the needle wobbled at a quarter tank. "Impossible." Ruiz said once again in disbelief.
"Maybe it's a bad float?" Blake suggested not believing himself.
"Most likely not." Ruiz shot down the idea.
The officer pulled his vehicle over to the side of the road and stepped out followed by Harold and Blake.
"Anyone know anything about cars?" Ruiz asked walking to the fuel door side.
"I don't.." Harold admitted following Ruiz.
"I do a little bit." Blake answered kneeling down to scoot under the vehicle. Anyone gotta rag or some shit?" Blake asked from under the SUV.
"I'll go see." Harold informed Blake as he opened the driver rear door and started asking around coming back empty-handed.
Blake had come out from under the vehicle and was sitting in the ground. "Well... great.." Blake said unamused.
"Why?" Ruiz and Harold asked in unison.
"There's Corpse crap covering the entire bottom rather not get it in my mouth or whatever." Blake said pulling his shirt up over his mouth and nose and scooting back under.
Ruiz and Harold stood there looking around to make sure there were no more corpses wandering around.
So... do you know where your family is?" Harold asked hesitantly.
Ruiz broke his vigil at the question posed for him. I.. Hope they're safe at home..." Ruiz said looking at the ground pain in his voice.
"Why wouldn't you have us go help you find out? They're still in the city?" Harold asked looking at the home they had just left.
Ruiz shook his head never looking away from the ground. "No... four days ago was my first time in this city.. They're in Chinook.." Ruiz said his heart hurting for his family having to go through this without him.
"I'm sorry." Harold said somberly.
"You have it worse..." Ruiz said looking at the ground still. "I'm sorry about your wife." Ruiz added sadly.
"She's.. In heaven." Harold said obviously hurt by this. "I'll see her again. I know it." Harold said believing that he would.
Both men no longer wanted to speak, so they instead resumed vigilance.
"They broke the fuel line." Blake said pulling himself out from under the vehicle and hoisting himself to his feet.
"Fix it?" Harold asked looking at his son's shirt now dirty with guts.
"Best I could. Used a knife but.. Could get it tighter if I had a flat head." Blake told Harold wiping his hands on his jeans.
"We'll need to find a good spot to fix it.." Ruiz said looking up from the ground and turning back to get in the vehicle.
"Hey! Hold on." Harold hissed at Blake who was about to get in the vehicle again.
"What?" Blake asked stopping outside the door.
"You can't get back in there like that! You trying to get us all sick?" Harold asked wondering how this kid ever survived life.
"I don't have a change of clothes." Blake pointed out.
"Dry it off at least.." Harold ordered.
Blake without answering walked out to the ditch and threw himself in the dirt and rolled around a few times.
Getting up out of the ditch Blake walked towards his door again. "Happy?" Blake asked opening his door.
"No." Harold answered arms crossed.
"Jeesh." Blake said under his breath walking towards the back of the SUV opening the hatch Melissa gave him a questioning look. "Here. Let's switch spots. Since I'm all dirty." Blake said offering her his cleaner hand.
"Ok.. I think I got it." Melissa said getting out of the back and stretching before going to Blake's previous seat.
Harold feeling better about this gets back in the seat he was in. "How far do you think we can go?" Harold asked Ruiz.
"The light is about to come on. So maybe sixty-ish miles." Ruiz said as he pulled back onto the road.
The group drove a long while without speaking a heavy feeling in the air the feeling of loss.
Ruiz started slowing down. "No... Por qué está pasando esto? ¡joder!" Ruiz growled to himself coming to a complete stop.
The group looked ahead of them to see a town blocked off by cars that had been stacked on top of each other what wasn't blocked off was swarming with corpses.
"We could get gas there right?" Melissa asked now sitting in the front passenger seat.
"Something to fix the line too.." Ruiz said sounding defeated.
"Chin up." Melissa said encouragingly. "We're almost out of this." Melissa assured.
"Ok.." Ruiz said sounding the same as before, getting out of the vehicle.
"So do we like climb it?" Jenny asked getting out of the vehicle and looking at the obstacle ahead.
"Nope! We push it with our bare hands." Blake said sarcastically getting out of the back.
"Haha so funny." Jenny said with frustrated sarcasm.
"He thinks he's funny." Summer said getting out of the vehicle.
"I'm the funniest!" Blake said confidently hands on his hips.
"Don't kid yourself.." Harold said walking ahead of them.
"Would you stay with the car please?" Ruiz asked looking to Melissa.
"Me?" Melissa asked in disbelief. "Yes. Of course." Melissa said in agreement.
"We should be back soon. Ruiz said before turning towards the town. "Who all wants to come?" Ruiz asked over his shoulder as he walked towards the small town.
Blake started walking next to Ruiz Summer, Harold and Jenny followed behind.
"I'll come. Jenny said timidly at the prospect of seeing one of the corpses up close.
Once they neared the wall it loomed higher than they had thought they could see rotting corpses crushed in the bottom row of cars they stretched their rotting fingers for the survivors with no luck.
"Do. We. Climb it?" Jenny asked once again looking at the dead hands reaching for her.
"Not sure.." Harold said obviously shaken by the gruesome display.
"There's some space where we can climb.." Blake pointed out gesturing to a few open spaces.
"Let's just go back to the car and go around this place." Summer said not liking her brother's idea.
"If I could go around I would." Ruiz said turning to Summer. "But I haven't seen a decent turn off in miles and don't want to get us stranded." Ruiz explained in all honesty.
"I'll go first." Blake offered stepping towards the closest opening the undead arms near it attempting to reach Blake.
The rest of the group looked at him wondering if he was serious.
"We could find all sorts of stuff here. Tools. More gas. I'll go first you guys can come up when I tell you the coast is clear." Blake briefed the group on his master plan.
"Please. Be careful." Summer said hoping he understood how much she wished he wouldn't go up the wall.
Blake turned back to his sisters worried face.
"What's the worst that could happen?"
whew big one hope you like it.