He let a sigh of relief whistle through his teeth. He had a plan, and it was a good one. He glanced down the road and quickly ran to the next car ducking behind it. He wasn’t sure if they could see him, Doc said that they were blind. But he sure didn’t want them trying to eat his face off.
Hunter ran as quickly and quietly as he could.
Hopefully this was a passing sickness, and they be cured in a week or two. How long did a virus normally last? Couldn’t be more then, a month. He was certain that in a month everyone would have either succumbed to death, or have been cured. That’s how the immune system works, as far as he understood.
This was going to be like polio, something horrific. But it could be something that would eventually become just a small note in a history book.
He rushed forwards again, ducking behind a bench on the side of the road. The fire station was in the middle of the downtown area. It was the pride and joy of the little town, there was even a little fire hydrant statue, with copper dogs sleeping around it.
Hunter could see more of the infected slowly heading up the road towards the church. He hoped that old building would hold while he figured out how to start the fire truck.
Only once had he ever tried to drive one. Usually the firemen would drive the trucks. But one time, they couldn’t find George, Mikey, or Dan, and the Whitaker’s house was on fire. And so, in a pinch. Hunter had to drive the fire truck.
When he got there, the fire had already been put out. A human chain formed, twenty-four of the neighbors filled pots and pans. They were quickly handing them back and forth, throwing water on the flames. The entire town saved that house. The people of the town were its heart.
When he stepped into the fire station, he could see into the office area. The door had a huge glass window. There was a large banner hung that said happy birthday. Inside were George, Dan, and three women. They were vacant looking. And even worse, Hunter would have to go inside to get the fire truck keys.
Hunter swallowed and glanced in the window. How was he going to get into the office?
Before he could decide, there was shattering glass. Hands were suddenly launched out of the window pane of the door. His hat was knocked to the ground as he yanked backwards pulling his gun.
He fired into the first head, and the woman slumped.
She was in the way of the other infected, but they kept pushing forwards climbing over the body. They pushed together, getting stuck in the window. The office door suddenly popped out of its frame from the force of the four remaining infected.
Hunter held his gun out in front of him, but they were stuck. Dan and George were both jammed into the window, with the two women’s heads pinned underneath them.
The group shuffled towards Hunter, all four of them working together. But they made no effort to free themselves from the door, instead they seemed determined to still crawl through the door window.
They were working together.
Hunter backed up slowly, watching the door with the wad of people stuck in the window. It shuffled toward him slowly. He quickly darted around them, trying not to have to kill any more of them.
Hunter slipped into the office. The herd trapped in the door, turned around, a ball of people, Dan still half pushed through the window of the door now. But because the door had gotten slightly cockeyed in their movements, they couldn’t make it back into the room. Instead it was just helplessly thumping against the door frame. They could work together but weren’t that smart.
It was eerie how quiet the infected were, except for the thump, thump of the door smacking against the door frame. Hunter close his eyes for a second swallowed hard. His heart was pounding in his chest. He looked around for the key box. He saw one hanging on the wall.
He opened the key box and saw two sets of keys, one with the giant keychain labeled fire truck number twelve, and the other with the giant keychain labeled fire truck number seventeen. He carefully took the one labeled seventeen and shut the cabinet, maybe they’d use the other fire truck for something else.
Besides, he can only drive one at a time.
He turned back and looked at Dan shoved, and half threaded through the door. They were still relentlessly trying to crawl through the door window. He could see his cowboy hat on the floor behind the mob. He headed out of the office into the firehouse breakroom.
Closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, trying to concentrate. How could he get out of here?
He glanced at his hat. Could I grab it on the way out? He wondered.
Hunter knew shouldn’t be thinking about his hat, but his father gave him that hat and he felt naked without it. He’d hate to lose it, even during the apocalypse.
He looked around the firehouse breakroom. There was Mel’s secretary desk in the corner, a large table and a small kitchenette. The firetruck keys were right next to a large metal first-aid kit.
The smacking of the door against the frame was starting to bother him. He rubbed his temples even harder. “Shush, you codfish!” Shouted Hunter. He was incredibly irritated.
Just then his phone rang, he quickly answered it like he was hoping they’d have some ideas of how he can get out. “Hello?”
“Hey honey. How’s it going?” It was Karen.
Hunter let out a deep sigh. “I haven’t rescued the kids yet, there’s a mob trying to push down the church with your parents inside. Also, did I mention, I got myself stuck in the firehouse breakroom with a herd of crazy people trying to push through the door?”
Karen was silent with shock and coughed twice.
“They knocked off my hat.” Said Hunter, letting his full irritation flow through the phone.
Karen suddenly chuckled. “Okay, I get it. I know what you need,” She paused then continued, “What did the hat say to the tie?”
Hunter couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t know. What?”
“You feel free to hang around here, I’ll go on a head.” Said Karen, and then she burst out a happy laugh.
Hunter chuckled. “How long have you been saving that one?”
“I figured you’d need it when you got in a bad mood. So… Forever.” Said Karen with a laugh.
“That’s true, can’t say I’ve been in a bad mood much. Today… Today is the exception.” Hunter said, and he reached to absently straighten his hat. The loss of it was very distracting, and his hand landed awkwardly on the empty air.
“Are there any other exits? A window?” Said Karen, trying to help.
“Well…” Hunter glanced around. There was a small glass window in front of the desk, but wasn’t big enough to fit through. “Okay, in the fire station… You know Mel’s office? It’s got that small glass window, but I can’t possibly fit through it.”
“If I remember right, Mel asked them to put it in so she could see if anyone was in the lobby?” Said Karen, and he could feel her shifting phone. “Can you break it, and lure them to that side?”
“That’s a great idea.” Said Hunter. He stared at the little glass and started to look for something to hit it with. He found a small hammer in the cupboard underneath the first-aid kit. “Okay, I’ll get… Hey wait!”
“Yeah?” Said Karen, and she sounded like she was shifting something again.
“Why did you call?” Hunter said. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. I just want to see… If you’d gotten everyone yet.” She said trying to sound casual.
But Hunter wondered if that was the truth, “do you need anything?”
“Hunter.” She said, and then paused and he heard a loud crash. “You save the children. I’ll take care of me and Hank in the meantime. Stay focused.” She hung up.
Hunter took a deep breath and tried not to think too much about the love of his life. She was right, he had to save the kids. He slammed the glass with a hammer. It took a little while to break through, but the small mob of people trying to break into the office did not even budge. They were still slowly trying to climb through the door window, still banging th
e door against the frame. How can I get them to move around the wall to the window?
He needed a loud noise. He stuck his head to the gap in the broken window and started shouting. It didn’t take very long for them to start moving, in unison. Shuffling the door around to the lobby and then pushing up to the small window.
Hunter made a quick exit, by the time they had gotten to the window where Hunter had been shouting, he’d already picked up his hat and put it on his head and headed to the fire trucks.
The number seventeen called out to him on the side of the fire truck like an old friend. He stepped quickly around the firetruck to get to the driver’s side, and ran into Mikey. He was wearing a full fireman’s suit, helmet included.
Hunter drew his gun and froze.
Mikey moved toward him, in a bumbly manner.
Save as many of the herd as possible. Hunter swallowed hard and stepped backward. Mikey was his friend. He stepped backward and turned, running around the edge of the firetruck. He circled slowly, like a cat and mouse movement, allowing Mikey to follow him just enough. Then he slipped into the driver’s seat and shut the door.
He was glad he had driven the fire truck that one time, years ago. If the Whitaker house had not caught fire, he wouldn’t know what to do right now. Fire trucks had nearly as many controls a small airplane on the inside. He glanced until he found the button that open the garage door and pressed it. Then he slowly started giant engine and backed it onto the streets.
Hunter stared at the display for a moment, trying to decide how to turn on the sirens. It didn’t take too long to find all the buttons. Where would he drive it? And also, he didn’t have time to drive around the countryside, leading the sick out into the fields.
Hunter had to lead them away from the town, but once he did that he’d just have to keep driving, until the sick couldn’t follow him anymore. But how long would that last for? He didn’t have the time to see.
He needed a co-driver, but there was no one else around that wasn’t infected.
Hunter glanced at the passenger seat, and the strap sticking out slightly from underneath the seat. He leaned forwards with the car idling and flipped the seat up. A hatchet was under the seat, and other miscellaneous tools.
Now he had a plan. He’d make the fire tuck drive itself. It could head out to the country side without him. That would lead the sick away from the town.
He put the hatchet pressed up on the gas pedal. But what would I do to stop the fire truck from turning? He glanced at the tools again and grabbed the yellow strap.
It didn’t take very long to tie the front of the steering wheel to the back seats. It wouldn’t be able to turn much, and hopefully it make it far enough down the road before crashed. Far enough away from town, to lead the infected away. He took a deep breath flipped on the siren and popped it into first.
As soon as the siren was blaring, the herd up at the church turned and looked at the fire truck.
Hunter jumped out of the firetruck and ran.
He didn’t want to get caught in by any of the infected which were running out of the fire station towards the fire truck.
He ducked behind the nearby car, watching the infected swarmed towards the fire truck. The group near the church, turned and started following the fire truck. Hunter winced as he saw a man get caught under the fire truck, then saw the person pop out the other side. Slowly he wobbled back to its crushed legs, he leaned down and cracked his back, somehow standing. Then followed behind the herd, much slower than the others.
Hunter sighed, and straightened his hat. Fish paste! Those things are unstoppable. Time to go to the school.
Hunter frowned as he watched the fire truck head towards the countryside with the herd, as he wondered if soon they’d stop chasing it. That was something which he couldn’t worry about now, because he was out in the open without transport to get him to the school.
He glanced at the cars sitting vacant on the street. It seemed unlikely any of them would have keys in them, but he still looked just in case he hit a gold mine.
Walking was too dangerous, plus it would take hours. He was gonna have to go back to the fire station and grab the other firetruck.
With a long, annoyed sigh he ran down started down the sidewalk, all this running was wearing him out. By the time he made it to the first intersection he had decided to gather his wife, and father first. They were closer, only a block away. The school was still miles away. Then they’d grab the firetruck and go to the school.
Hunter glanced down at his phone. He had promised Francis and Jack. A flicker of guilt ran through him. He wasn’t going to forget his children though. He turned the corner at the intersection on main, and froze in place.
Another herd.
He hadn’t even heard them, he had been so lost in thought.
The mass of infected people was shoulder to shoulder, slowly pushing together in pulsed movement. The little store next to the library was heaving slowly back and forth. Hunter bit his lip and stared. There was no way he could get to his wife through the mass of infected. They were packed tight, all the way across the street. They were rocking in a smooth movement back and forth, nearly silent. Like ripples in a pond, they swayed together, in time with the building.
It was mesmerizing to watch, this whole sea of humanity working together. Hunter swallowed hard, his throat grow growing dry. He was stuck, he couldn’t get to his wife. He couldn’t get to his children. What are my options? Hunter wondered.
Just then he heard the familiar subtle hmmm of an engine. His first thought was that the fire truck somehow accidentally driven back around.
Panic filtered through him. The infected would hear the sound of the fire engine. He quickly hid behind a car. Peering out anxiously. The herd continued swaying, but he saw one of them turn their head, to the sound.
Hunter peeked out from behind the car and saw his cruiser. Deputy John! Hunter thought, excitedly. It would be so nice to have his deputy back, even if he was a chicken, that had driven off in his cruiser. Relief was pouring over his body. He jumped out from the car and waved his hands.
If he had turned he would’ve seen three more of the herd looked his direction, but he was so focused on his cruiser that he didn’t even notice.
A frown ran across his face. John wasn’t in the car.
It was someone else, but he wasn’t quite sure who. Hunter waved his arms, hoping that the person would stop.
Thankfully the car squealed to a halt. The door swung open. Out stepped the boy. He was wearing big black pants that were covered in gold chains. He had a torn wife beater shirt, and black lipstick. His hair was shaggy, and long. Hunter stared at him. “Sebastian?”
“Hi Hunter.” Said Sebastian, with a grin as he stuck his thumb in his belt loop.
But before Hunter could finish, Sebastian cut in. “How in the Jack Daniels!”
Sebastian leapt back to the car and shouted, “Run!”
Run? Is that little jerk running off with my cruiser? Not on my shift! Hunter ran to his car and went to drag Sebastian out of the car. But Sebastian did something Hunter wasn’t expecting, he’d climbed into the passenger seat and was slamming his hands on the dashboard, yelling, “drive … drive.”
Hunter looked in the same directions as Sebastian and could see why he was yelling to drive, there was a herd of infected swarming in his direction. They weren’t fast, not all of them. But the ones that were gained quickly.
He slammed the car into reverse hit his perfect, gorgeous cruiser into a stop sign. The sign bent and made a loud slapping sound.
He turned the wheel hard and accelerated. But as he pulled away from the herd, he immediately realized he was going the wrong direction. “Jimmy crickets.” Hissed Hunter, as he slammed on the gas again. The engine squealed with delight at being able to run full speed.
Then Hunter turned a hard left, going around the grocery store. He had to take at least one more left, back towards the herd. It was shifting and moving, lik
e sand falling down through the fingers of a child.
The herd was moving.
He tried to rack his brain to see if they would guess what he would go. But he couldn’t think like that, he just wanted to draw them away from the library… And not towards the school.
Hunter looked over at Sebastian, “Any ideas what to do next?”
Sebastian shook his head. His eyebrow piercing glittering in the sunlight.
“Okay I’ve got this.” Hunter turned left, around the corner of the grocery store. He was immediately faced with a huge clump of the infected.
They had been filtering this direction. Mrs. Cosby was infected. There was no way to go around her. She was such a nice woman old, she made muffins. She was wearing a pink floral dress. He’d known her for ten years. A nice woman. That he’d have to run her over in order to make the final turn.
He cringed, because hitting people was not what he did. Especially, not sick people. His friends. “Close your eyes.” He said to Sebastian, and he gunned it. He could feel the body crunch, and thump, and thump under the wheels. He felt sick.
But Sebastian let out a, “woo hoo!”
“It’s not woo hoo!” Said Hunter angrily, his right arm smack the boy. “These are people!”
“No, there are… They are practically zombies.” Said Sebastian with the giant grin. “You gotta hit them in the head!”
“They aren’t zombies. Don’t dehumanize them.” Said Hunter, real anger pouring out his voice. “We are ethical, good people. And we will not just willy-nilly slaughter innocent, sick people.” Said Hunter, his voice spitting out those last two words venomously. “You stole a car. You don’t even have your license.” Said Hunter.
Hunter was trying desperately to calm back down, but his heart was pounding in his chest. The herd was still behind them, climbing over the bodies he’d run over. He didn’t want to draw them to the school. He accelerated deciding to make another loop.
He turned to the left this time he was going to circle the small trailer park. He hoped that they would get distracted and there, or at least give him a chance to loop around. If he could lose them in the trailer park the and maybe he wouldn’t draw the herd all the way to the school. There were already too many sick people at the school, he couldn’t bring more.
They Are Zillions (Book 2): Zurrounded Page 3
