by Jamie Marks
Susan now began to feel a genuine sense of panic.
This isn’t fair. I can’t lose now, not so close to the end.
She raised her gun and fired.
BOOM!
Steve kept approaching.
She missed.
The blood from her head wound began to flow down her forehead.
Steve was gaining ground; the creatures were getting closer, and the firehouse...
“I can do this!” she said to herself as she ran.
She glimpsed back once more and raised the gun. BOOM!
She missed.
“FUCK!”
She carried on running.
Steve followed.
Tyler and Kathy trailed behind.
More creatures approached, rambling in from all quarters. Some of the Dead appeared as if they were moving faster, especially, the children, but their reanimated bodies were only more harmonized.
She fired her gun at one of the Undead children.
She missed. Another bullet was gone.
I can’t have too many bullets remaining.
She placed her head down, and pumped her legs harder, faster.
Steve was gaining on her.
With her shooting and constantly missing, she was slowly losing ground.
“Run, Steve, run!”
It was Tyler.
I can do this, Steve thought.
I can beat her!
The door was close now. Susan could hear Steve following her with his heavy breathing and boots thudding.
She glanced back.
He was very close.
The Dead that had broken down the fence were hurrying forward and gaining ground. Tyler looked back. We might beat them to the door if we can keep moving.
“Keep it up, Kathy. You can do this.”
Kathy groaned in pain, but refused to give in. Tyler wasn’t sure if she was going to make it.
“You’re doing fine, Kathy. Keep moving.”
Susan reaffirmed her tight grip on the Colt as she reached the door and rapidly inputted the code.
1 (beep)
2 (beep)
2 (beep)
7 (beep)
# (beep)
Green light.
The door unlocked.
Susan yanked down on the handle and swung the door open.
“Bye. I’ll be sure to leave the head,” Susan said as she aimed from the open door.
BOOM!
She missed once more.
“Fuck it. You can all rot outside. I need the ammo!” she said and shut the door.
Steve rammed into the door recklessly, the recoil knocking him suddenly to the ground.
“Oh, no!” Tyler heard Steve shout as he struck the door.
“Use the code,” Tyler said.
“It’s locked.”
“Just use the fucking code, Steve!”
1 (beep)
2 (beep)
2 (beep)
7 (beep)
# (beep)
Red light.
“It’s locked!”
Steve tried it again. She must have locked it physically from the inside.
1 (beep)
2 (beep)
2 (beep)
7 (beep)
# (beep)
Red light. Steve turned around and leaned back on the door. Looking to his left and right, he saw that the creatures were just about to swarm them. He closed his eyes, but opened them once more when Kathy’s hand caressed his face.
She appeared pale, but she was still his Kathy.
Tyler reached out his hand and shook Steve’s.
“Sorry,” Tyler said.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Steve replied as Kathy, without notice, passed out in his arms.
Which was most likely a blessing, thought Steve as he estimated the number of Dead walking toward them.
“There must be one hundred or more,” Steve said.
“That’s distinctly possible,” answered Tyler.
The closest Undead snatched at Tyler who pushed it away.
Then another attempted to take hold of Steve’s arm…
It was the end.
UNENDING
The firehouse door unexpectedly swung open.
It was Susan. She was standing alone, her gun still clasped in her hand.
“You have to help me,” she said. “I don’t have any more bullets and there’s something in here.”
Both men looked at each other in astonishment.
“Do it,” Steve said.
Tyler cocked back his fist and then punched Susan in the face.
The End
