Theo and Erica stood with their backs pressed up against the apartment door. Both of them could hear the group of dead things speed past the apartment.
The group was standing inside of a living room. Macey and Silvie grabbed the couch and pushed it up against the apartment door.
"Do you think they saw us?" Macey whispered.
"We'll know shortly," Theo answered. He could hear the rotters rumbling up the stairs and moving around the hallway right outside the front door.
Erica looked around the apartment; it was neat and tidy. She sniffed the air, trying to smell any rot, but there was nothing, only a hint of pine cleaner that lingered in the air. She slung the AK around her shoulder and pulled out the butcher knife. She handed it over to Macey, "Hey Macey, swap with me for a second," She muttered.
Macey handed Erica her hatchet and Erica moved about the apartment quietly.
"Erica, where are you going?" Theo asked her.
"Seeing if we're all clear," Erica replied.
Erica stopped in the middle of the small, narrow hallway and looked to her right, the bathroom was empty. The only other room in the apartment was a lone bedroom. There was no sign of any rotters inside the apartment. The bed was made, the closet neatly organized. Erica sat down on the bed for a moment and took a deep breath.
The rest of the group joined Erica in the bedroom.
"Okay, so now what the fuck do we do?" Silvia said.
"Wait it out," Theo replied.
Macey looked around the room, "There's nobody here?"
"Not a soul," Erica replied. "Nobody hiding in the closet or anything."
"No dead thing in there waiting to pop out?" Theo asked.
Erica shook her head, "Nope. Nothing."
"I don't think the owner's coming back anytime soon."
Macey went into the kitchen to check the fridge; nothing, save for one bottle of water. She returned to the bedroom, "Well we're screwed when it comes to food and drink. There's nothing in the fridge."
"Oh wonderful," Theo quipped.
"That damn truck is cursed I swear," Silvia said. "That's the second time this shit's happened."
"Guys, I'm sorry that I had to fire at the dead things, I really am," Erica replied. "I just didn't know what else to do."
"Don't worry about it," Theo answered. "We'll get out of here soon enough."
"Why don't we climb out of the windows and get back to the truck that way?" Macey suggested.
"Hell no," Erica replied.
Theo laughed, "I knew you'd say that."
"We just have to wait them out," Silvia said.
"That could be a while," Erica replied.
Silvie looked through the hole where the doorknob used to be in the front door, there were rotters wandering around the upstairs hallway.
"How many are there?" Theo asked Silvie.
Silvie shrugged, "I can't tell. I counted at least three different rotters."
"We have to get back to that truck," Erica told the group. "I don't feel like staying here all damn day."
"I dunno, the bed seems kinda comfy. I think we could all use a nap," Theo said.
Erica groaned, "Theo, please."
"Alright, I say we look around here for anything useful to fend off the dead pricks," Theo suggested to the group.
"Wait, are you suggesting that we fight our way through the dead things that are out there?" Erica asked Theo.
"Yeah. We can't just shoot our way out of here. Gotta save ammo just in case. And the gunfire will lure even more corpses to us. I say we deal with the ones that are already out there."
"So what are you thinking we do, Theo?" Silvie asked.
"That closet's full of clothing. We wrap up our arms just in case they try to bite us, which the dead fucks probably will, and we hack and slash our way out of here. As soon as we get out of this place, we make a mad dash to the Blazer."
"That's nuts," Erica replied.
"Okay, so we climb out of the windows then."
"Let's start looking through the closet," Erica replied.
Chapter 21
Macey found several t-shirts that the group could use to protect their arms against the undead. Theo and Silvia took the kitchen table and knocked the legs off. They realized they could use it as a shield to push the corpses back. Erica and Macey would cover Theo and Silvie from behind while Theo and Silvie pushed whatever corpses that were around aside.
"As soon as we're out the door, we're rushing back towards that stairwell, got it?" Theo told the ladies.
"Yep," Erica replied. She could feel her heart going a million miles an hour in her chest.
Each one of them had t-shirts wrapped around their forearms. Macey took a sweatshirt and wrapped it loosely around her neck for added protection. She clutched at one of the table legs she decided to use to beat back the undead.
Theo counted down from three and Erica swung the apartment door open. Theo and Silvie pushed their way out of the apartment, rushing right into a rotter that was standing near the doorway. They pushed the tabletop right into the undead, knocking him down to the floor. As the dead thing sat up, Erica drove the hatchet down into its face.
Theo and Silvie charged towards the stairway while Macey and Erica swatted away the dead things that were coming up from behind. The group made the left hand turn and plodded down the stairs. When they reached that last step, two dead things pushed up against Theo and Silvie. It took all four of them to push the tabletop, pressing the two rotters up against the wall. Theo bashed one of the corpse's head in with the curved end of the crowbar. Silvie drove the tip of her machete into the other dead thing's left cheek.
"We're almost there, keep it up!" Theo yelled.
There were five corpses waiting in the lobby area. They bolted towards the group. Theo and Silvie threw the tabletop into the front two dead things knocking them back into the other rotters, sending the corpses scattering. Theo and Silvie then took out the two lead corpses with their weapons. Before the other undead could get back to their feet, the group bolted out of the front of the apartment complex running as fast as they possibly could to get back to the blazer.
There was one corpse that was standing in the road that Erica took out with a sideways hatchet blow to the right temple. The group made it to the firetruck blocking off the street and slid through the cab. The Blazer sat untouched in the road. After
a quick check of their supplies, Theo started the engine and sped away from the apartment complex.
"Now can we get to the damn river? Shit." Erica said.
"Damn, I'm sensing some irritation there Erica," Theo quipped.
"Just drive."
"Will do."
The Blazer drove past the pile of dead things that had fallen off of the overpass. Some of the corpses, with their legs shattered upon the impact with the asphalt, crawled towards the truck. Theo turned the vehicle away from the mass of undead and continued on down the road heading towards Beakman's park. Once they were clear of the overpass and any rotters, Theo pulled up to the curb to take a breather.
Theo rested his head back in the driver's seat and exhaled. "I cannot believe we got through that."
Erica let out a nervous chuckle. "We're getting pretty good at dealing with those dead pricks."
"Yeah. All we need is a couple hundred dining room tables and we're set."
A corpse ran out from the building to the left of the truck and began pounding on the driver's side window. Theo wasn't even startled by the dead thing.
"What the hell do you want?" Theo asked the rotter as she snarled and gurgled. The palms of her hands were leaving bloody hand prints on the glass.
She was a younger woman with a thick head of curly blonde hair and wearing a short black dress. She reminded Theo of ex-wife number two.
"You look like my second ex-wife," Theo told the corpse.
"Theo, are you feeling alright?" Silvie asked.
"Fine, just fine. I'm not kidding, she looks like my second ex. Except for the fact, her nos
e has been bitten off, and the huge chunk of flesh that's been chewed away from her right shoulder that is."
"Do you want us to handle her?" Erica asked. "She's getting pretty riled up there, and she could lead more dead pricks right to us you know."
"I got this."
Theo opened the driver's side door, pushing the dead thing away from the truck. She stumbled and spun around. Theo drove his crowbar through the back of her head and then got back into the truck. "Can't even have a little breather nowadays."
"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Erica asked.
"Yeah, you're kind of creeping me out Theo," Macey said.
Theo looked at the girls, "I'm fine. Really. A little tired mentally, but other than that, I'm okay."
Erica pointed to the sun, it was starting to set. "Well, looks like we might have to wait a little longer to get to the park."
"Looks that way."
"So what do we do?" Silvia asked.
"I guess we should try and get into a house or something," Macey suggested.
"Let's do it," Theo said.
He pulled away from the curb and turned down a side street, stopping at the first couple of houses on the road. Theo pointed to the homes that lined both sides of the street, "Okay, pick one ladies. Doesn't matter to me. Although the one with the rose bushes out front does seem quite nice."
"Pick that first house on the left there," Silvie said, not even paying attention to Theo.
The four of them observed the house closely, watching for any rotters. From their vantage point, they couldn't see movement in any of the windows. Theo backed the Blazer into the driveway, and everyone got out of the vehicle. They approached the house discreetly, crouching through the backyard. Theo and Erica looked in the side windows, searching for any signs of life. Theo tapped on the windows with the crowbar and waited for any movement.
"I don't see anything," Erica told Theo.
"Me either," Theo said.
They went to the back door and Theo began to pry it open with the crowbar. The girls kept watching for any rotters. The backyard fence was obscured by small bushes that circled the entire yard, obscuring the view of the road in front of the home. The back door was jarred loose, and Theo took a step back into the yard. He looked into the darkened home and waited for the undead to come pouring out of the house.
"See or smell anything?" Silvia whispered.
"Not a thing," Theo replied.
The four of them warily walked into the home. Erica unslung the AK and flipped off the safety, she wasn't about to take any chances.
"Is there anybody in here?" Theo called out. "We're not here to cause any harm. Just looking for a place to crash."
"We can help you if you need it," Erica said.
"Anyone there!?!?" Silvie shouted. Her voice echoed all throughout the house.
Erica noticed a note that was scribbled on the fridge. 'Sara, went to Devin's house. Meet us there, love Sophie.'
"Wonder if they made it," Theo said.
"I hope so," Replied Erica. The note reminded her of the one she had left behind for her friends.
Macey and Silvie returned from the upstairs, "All clear up there. Looks like they took off in a hurry," Macey told Theo.
Theo walked into the living room, it was spotless. He looked at the large flat screen television and the video game console that sat underneath it, "Damn, I miss my gaming buddies."
Silvie smiled. "Me too."
Erica added, "Me three."
Theo peeked out of the curtains, there weren't any corpses around. The house across the street's front door and windows were all broken down and a pool of dried blood rested on the sidewalk in front of the home.
They piled up some furniture in front of the large living room window and then moved the living room couch against the front door. The sun went down and the group hunkered in the kitchen for the rest of the night.
Everyone eventually nodded off. Everyone save for Theo. He was beginning to wonder if getting to the river was the right move for him and the group after all. Everything that they've gone through and they weren't even at Beakman's park yet. It was starting to weigh heavily on Theo. He thought about the home they were currently inside of and the surrounding area. It was comparable to the old neighborhood, and with a little work, they'd be able to fortify the house. Then Theo remembered the hordes of undead.
"Get to the water," He thought to himself before he fell asleep on the kitchen floor.
"Okay Theo, time to wake up. Are you ready to lead us to the promised land?" Erica asked Theo, gently shaking him awake.
Theo rubbed his eyes, "Not really. That's too much pressure. I can get us all to the park, but that's about it. I promise nothing more than mediocrity and averageness."
Macey laughed, "That's a great business model you have there."
"Any activity outside?"
"Nope, all quiet," Silvie answered. "I've only seen one rotter since we've been here. He wandered down the road munching on some type of body part."
"Yeah, it was pretty nasty," Erica added.
"What kind of body part?" Theo asked.
"Ew. Why does it even matter?"
"In case I'm ever on Jeopardy someday."
Erica groaned. "Just eat your damn granola bar so we can get the hell out of here."
"Yay, more granola."
After everyone ate breakfast, the group looked for anything useful in the house. Nobody could find anything worthwhile, so they all piled back into the Blazer. Theo started the truck and drove back out onto the main road. In the storefront windows of one of the buildings were two rotters. Once they spotted the Blazer, they were worked up into a frenzy, however, they couldn't break free from the store display. The two dead things just pounded on the glass.
Theo couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "You ever look at something and wonder how in the hell it got there?" He asked.
Erica smiled. "Yep."
"Dead pricks for sale. Twenty-five or two for fifty," Macey said.
The sun was shining brightly into the group's eyes as Theo drove. "Damn, remind me to look for some sunglasses the next time we have to venture out for supplies."
"Where we're going? We're gonna need sailor hats too," Macey said.
"Why do I have a feeling that Erica's going to be teaching us how to swim?" Silvie asked.
Theo slowed down the Blazer and pointed off into the distance, "Guys look."
Erica sighed. "Don't tell us, another bridge that's loaded with dead pricks?"
"No," Theo answered. "That building there."
Two blocks away from the Blazer was a short two-story rectangular building. Hanging from one of the top floor windows was a large white sheet or banner. There appeared to be some type of writing on it, but the group couldn't tell due to the banner flapping in the wind.
"What does that say? I can't really tell," Theo said.
"Who cares. It could be some kind of trap," Erica replied. "You never know."
"We're heading that way anyway," Theo replied. "We'll see what it says."
As the truck drew closer to the building, the words on the banner became more clear. The first word that the group was able to make out was, "Inside." Then, "Living." Eventually, the whole sign read, "Help! There's living inside!!!" In large black lettering scribbled upon the white sheet.
Theo was stopped on the corner across the street from the building. "What do we do?"
Silvia and Macey didn't reply. Erica however just wanted to get to the river. "You're not seriously considering checking that place out are you?"
"Maybe," Theo replied. "They might need our help in there."
"We don't know how long that sign's been hanging there Theo. It could have been there from the start of all this shit. I say we just head for the river."
"I'm with Erica on this," Silvie said. "We have no idea what's in that place."
"Unless we go and see. There could be other survivors in there. People that might need us," Theo answered.
"Haven't we had enough detours already?" Silvie asked Theo.
"You guys are right, but I still think we should take a quick look," Theo answered. "Hell, I'll go and check it out myself. Five minutes. If the place is screwed, I'll come right back."
"Five minutes?" Erica asked.
Theo nodded, "Five minutes."
"Okay, five minutes, and if your bony ass isn't back here, we're leaving without you."
"Deal."
Theo grabbed his crowbar and exited the Blazer.
Macey got out of the back, "I'm coming too."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. You're right, there might be people that need us in there."
"You do realize that Erica will be taking off without us if we're not back in five minutes, right?"
Macey smirked, "We better hurry up then."
Chapter 22
Theo and Macey jogged toward the building. The front entrance was nothing more than two large gray double doors. Theo tried to open them, but they were locked up tight. He didn't have time to try and get in with the crowbar. He and Macey ran around to one side of the building and spotted a window that was open halfway. Theo tried to look inside.
"What do you see?" Macey asked him.
"Not too much. Looks like some type of a lobby. There's a front desk and a few chairs, but that's about it," Theo answered. "I don't see any blood stains on the carpet or anything like that. I don't smell anything rotten either. Let's check it out."
They pulled the window down all the way and climbed into the building.
The other side of the two double entrance doors was boarded up heavily from the top to bottom. There were two smaller wooden double doors near the front desk that weren't locked. Theo opened one of the doors slowly. There was a small waiting area and an even smaller office and a flight of stairs. Scattered papers littered the top of the desk, but other than that, there was nothing.
"Theo, we had better get a move on. Our five minutes are almost up," Macey whispered.
Deep down, Theo knew that Erica would never leave them behind. "Macey, they don't know how to get to Beakman's. Where are they gonna go? Back to the old neighborhood? Good luck with that."
Urban Decay Page 20
