The mental confusion from the smoke inhalation lasted for a few days. The others didn't seem to be as effected as I was. Courtney was the only other one who developed a cough.
Traveling the roads proved to be difficult. The bombs were dragging every zombie from all directions into the cities. Kara got the radio hooked up but we've gotten no communications whatsoever.
"We're headed into Indiana now," Christie examined the small map from the passenger seat. "You think it's as bad as Ohio was?"
"Probably worse. We got pretty lucky." Vick responded from the driver seat. "I'm going to be honest — I'm at a loss right now. Don't know where I'm going."
"Feeling any better?" Kara approached as I rested on the couch inside the rv. "You really scared me back there, you know that?"
"I finally know what's going on," I answered in a hushed, raspy voice. "Throat still hurts. Can't stop coughing."
"Just be grateful you're still here."
"I can't say I am," I objected honestly. "I thought about sacrificing Andy back there, Kara. I played it out in my mind — pushing him into the dead, watching him be torn apart as we got away —"
Kara interrupted, "it would've saved us. I think we all would've considered that if we were in that given situation. If I were you, I'd forget about it."
"Forget about it?" I hissed, "I can't. I looked at Christie as a monster for wanting to kill him and then I damn near did the same. I changed my mind last minute."
"She wanted to kill him because she thought he was a threat. You —"
Crrrsh!
The mobile home jerked violently and threw each one of us across the cabin of the rv. I slammed into the wall back first, knocking the breath out of my lungs.
Within seconds, the rv was in a ditch on the side of the road with two flat tires.
"Goddamn it!" Vick slammed his clenched fists against the steering wheel. "Everyone alright?"
"Fine," I called out, rubbing the back of my head as I turned to Kara. "You okay?"
She struggled to get up from the floor and I held out my hand. She accepted.
"I'm alright."
We exited the vehicle and approached the road to examine the cause of the accident.
A spike strip.
Someone must've put it there to keep people away from the area.
"Now what the hell do we do?" I barked in frustration. "Two flats and we're nowhere near any cities."
"We can head there. Might take us a day or two but we'll come back with what we need." Vick planned, "may have to make a pit stop to hold up over night."
I shifted my gaze. The buildings in the city could be seen in the near distance.
I inquired, "Will we make it there by nightfall?"
"It's damn near four o'clock in the afternoon. We gotta get going if we do want to find somewhere to stay before night time." Christie added, "I'll go grab the weapons out the rv."
"Hey Christie," I called out. "How do you know what time it is?"
She shrugged, "the smell in the air."
We grabbed what we could out of the rv and skedaddled in the direction of the nearest city with bags slung over our shoulders. As we walked, the spring air sent chills up my spine. I observed Kara and noticed the fear in her eyes.
She doesn't want to be out here, either.
"Took us a little longer than planned," Vick huffed. "Might have to take what we can get and hope it's not too bad."
The sun was starting to set. As we entered the city, we were immediately bombarded by too many zombies to count. They chased us, trudging slowly and shuffling into one another. Eventually, we ended up at an abandoned high school.
We pushed through the gates of the front entrance and walked up a dirt path leading to the doors.
"When the sickness started, they shut down the schools. There shouldn't be anyone inside," Vick explained. "Just incase, keep your weapons in hand."
I gripped my modified baseball tightly.
"Doors are locked," Christie turned to us. "We'll have to find another way inside."
By the time we entered the building, it was completely dark. The school was silent and no noise could be heard besides the echoes of our footsteps on the tile floor.
"We'll have to settle in here until it's light enough to see what we're doing." Vick began laying out his sleeping bag. "Be quiet — you never know what else there is lurking in the other classrooms."
I turned to examine the papers that were scattered across the dainty tiled floor. Drawings. We're in an art classroom.
"You go ahead and get some sleep," I met Vick's gaze. "I'll keep watch first."
A crooked sign hung above me on the wall. I squinted to read it through the moonlight.
No art is possible without a dance with death.
"This sleeping bag is for you, boy. You need your rest. That cough still sounds pretty damn harsh."
"I'll be fine," I insisted, still intrigued by the art that surrounded us. "I feel alright, really. You sleep first, Vick."
Though Vick declined any type of rest, I stayed awake. How can he expect me to sleep? We don't even know where we are. There could be threats all around us and we wouldn't be able to see them through the darkness.
"It's a shame, huh?" Courtney ran her fingers across the painting that hung on the wall. "These people are all dead. It's hard to believe."
Her fingertips dragged across the dried paint that sat on the canvas. She examined the painting closely. It was the image of a lone cabin sitting near a pond illuminated by the moonlight above.
I asked hawkishly, "Why aren't we?"
"Why aren't we what?"
I gulped. I didn't mean to say it out loud but it was something I'd been wondering since it all started.
"Dead. Why aren't we dead?"
She shifted her gaze from the painting to me. Her brown eyes held both fear and confidence — an odd pairing that I'd never seen before all this.
"We're not dead because we still have a purpose to serve. There's still something left for us to do on this earth before we go."
What could that possibly be? I chortled.
"Was my purpose to get your dad killed defending the farm? Or to almost get all of us killed back in the city?" I hissed now, the anger suddenly flowing through me. "I can't believe that there's anything left here for me."
"Shhh," she hushed before responding. "Anger won't get you anywhere but in trouble. You saved my life when I thought it wasn't worth living anymore. You watched out for me."
Since I met Courtney, I've always admired her for being sensible and always finding the beauty even in the darkest hours.
I think she's the only one left who hasn't been tainted by the things she's seen.
_
"Be quick and alert. Let's go." Vick whispered before signaling us out to the silent hallway.
Our plan included scavenging any empty classrooms for useful items on our way to the infirmary where there should be supplies.
I stepped out into the hallway and was immediately surrounded by long rows of blue lockers. Some lockers were left ajar with papers and supplies still hanging out of them. There was a trophy case with pictures of people who broke school records.
These people are all dead, I heard in Courtney's voice.
"Boo!" Andy appeared from behind and grabbed my shoulders.
I jumped and immediately turned around. My reflexes kicked in and my fist made contact with his jaw.
"What the fuck, man?" He barked. "I was just making sure you're on your toes!"
I glared at him as my teeth clenched in anger.
"Well maybe next time you'll think twice." I spat, "asshole."
Ggrrrrhhh.... rrrgghh...
Growls and groans echoed through the hallway. Their noises were something I'd never forget. It's exactly what you'd expect — similar to a demon and the grudge having a baby and now the baby likes to eat flesh.
Many flesh eating babies.
"Shit! You see what you did? Better get ready!" Vick tensed as he prepared for the worst.
The worst never came.
The growls continued and eventually a banging noise joined in. Christie's curiosity got the best of her and she fled to find the reason for the noise, therefore bringing us with her. Vick says never let anybody go anywhere alone.
When we approached, we found the culprit.
"My God," Courtney scoffed, crinkling her face in disgust. "That smell — I can't —"
It was overwhelming. As we approached the gym doors, it became apparent where the stench sourced from. The chains on the doors told it all.
Everyone who died here is inside of the gymnasium.
"C'mon. There's no reason to stand around and stare at it," I nagged as I began to shuffle away from the group. "We can't do anything. Let's get to the nurse's office."
Click.
The click of a gun caused me to shift my gaze down the nearby hallway.
There, a woman stood with the sight on me and her finger on the trigger.
"We're not here to cause any harm," I called out as I threw my hands up in innocence. "We just came for a place to rest."
She nodded before responding with two words.
"Weapons down."
I quickly eyeballed my surroundings as I set down my nail embedded baseball bat. Does she have people watching us?
"Do it. Weapons down." Vick complied.
The others followed suit.
"Who are you?" She inquired firmly as she approached.
Her long, curly dark hair bounced as she walked in our direction. Her firm, cold gaze was given through dark brown eyes. The blue jeans she wore had small rips in them and I wondered if it was intentional or not. The black dress shirt she had on made her seem professional.
"Name's Vick. Got a small group here that needs a fix for a tire."
"A tire?" She questioned, intrigued. "Why?"
"Someone laid down a spike strip," Christie interrupted. "You know anything about that, Miss Thang? Got some friends in low places?"
"High places, maybe," the strange woman responded. "Not low lives who throw down spike strips."
So she does have friends.
"What are you doing here?" I barked, now getting impatient with the side chatter. "Most of the schools closed right when the virus got out of hand. Unless —"
"I was the assistant principle here." She interrupted simply. "Those things behind that door — those were the people I knew and loved."
Grrrhhh.. rrrghhh..
The slamming was still prevalent and it echoed through the hallways the same way our voices did. This seemed to rile them up even more.
"So when they die, you just shove 'em in there?" Christie asked snidely with a chortle. "Bullshit."
"Why would she lie, Christie?" Courtney chimed in, clearly annoyed.
"I don't know. People will do anything that keeps them alive now."
"Listen," I took a deep breath before speaking calmly. "We just need some supplies from the infirmary. Take us there and we'll leave after — you'll never hear from us again."
"What's in it for me? I need the medical supplies too, no?"
"Take is there and you won't have to die today. It's you or us. That's how it goes." Christie pulled the gun from her hidden holster before raising it at the unfamiliar woman.
Courtney pulled her gun in response.
"It doesn't have to be this way. We can all go our separate ways without anybody dying," I pled. "Do not make us do this."
The woman stared directly into my eyes. Her stance was firm and her shoulders were unboxed. She's ready to pull the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The noise pierced through my ears. I turned to the others.
We're all okay.
"Shit! Shit!" The woman fled to the front doors of the school, peeking out the windows. "No!"
What the Hell?
"What's going on?" I ran after her with adrenaline rushing through my blood. "What is that?"
Seconds passed before she turned to us.
"If you can get me where I need to go, all the medical supplies in the nurse's office is yours."