Little Mouse

The Quarry

"I know where we are!" I exclaimed to Carol.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"We're by a water quarry! My great aunt and uncle and I always come here during the summer! I know a short cut to get there!" I declared.

"How do we get there? What about Shane and Lori?" Carol asked.

Dang It! "Get in the car!" I ordered. Carol nodded and got Carl and Sophia into the car. I glanced back at the shapes. Several of the people who were near the monsters shrieked, causing mass panic from the enormous crowd.

I guess one thing I can be thankful for, is that we were on the edge of the highway, and the monsters were coming from the other end.

"I'll be right back!" I shouted. I need to get Melissa and the supplies. "Keep Buddy in here! I'll be right back!" Glancing around, I made my way to the bright pink buggy. In the drivers seat, Melissa was staring wide eyed at the monsters heading her way.

"Melissa!" I shrieked. When I got to the drivers side, I tried to open it. It was locked. Banging on the window, I struggled to get her attention. She turned to me, horror on her face. "Open the door!" I screamed. She didn't. She was in a horror filled daze. "Melissa! Open the door! The monsters!" I screamed. She still didn't, paralyzed in fear.

Suddenly, the passenger side window shattered. Melissa screamed, covering her face. A monster had broken the window and was reaching for her, jaws gaping.

"Melissa!" I shrieked, trying to open the door. Melissa stared at me, her brown pupils dilated. She shook her head quickly, then tried to open the door. She jiggled the handle, desperate to get out.

"It's locked!" I shouted, hoping she'd hear me. She nodded. Just as she unlocked it, though, the monster grabbed her ponytail. She shrieked as she was ripped away from the door. I screamed, watching as the monster sunk it's teeth into her shoulder. She shrieked in agony as the monster pulled a chunk of flesh out of her. I felt bile rising in my throat as her blood squirted from the wound. She reached for me, trying to get me to save her.

I couldn't.

I backed away, terrified. She stared at me, begging me. "Courtney!" I heard her shout. I backed away, bumping into a car. Turning around, I raced to Carol's car, guilt gnawing at my stomach.

I just left my best friend for dead at the hands of those monsters.

I knocked on the door. The man was sitting in the drivers seat. He glared at me, and for a second, I thought he wouldn't let me in. Luckily, Carol unlocked her door. Gratefully, I got in.

"Where's the supplies?" The man demanded.

"In my car with my friend." I mumbled, scared. This guy is easily capable of killing me.

"Why didn't you get it?" He snapped.

After a couple moments of silence, I answered. "The monsters got her." I whispered.

"So? Go get the supplies while they're eating her!" The man ordered. I glanced up at him, horrified. Carol glared at him in shock.

"Ed!" She snapped. Then she turned back to me. "I'm so sorry for your friend." She apologized.

"It's ok." I mumbled, wiping a stray tear. Buddy crawled up to me, licking my hand. I pat his head, happy that he was still alive. Suddenly, something hit the side of the window. Jumping, I shoved Buddy behind me, staring at the window.

Lori and Shane slammed against it again, begging to get in. Terrified, I stayed frozen. Carol reached behind her, unlocking the door. Shane and Lori pushed their way in.

"What the hell?" Shane demanded, glaring at me.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, tears starting to brim in my eyes.

"Shane, go easy on her." Carol said. Then, much quieter, she whispered. "Her friend just got eaten in front of her."

"Sorry for your loss. Now where the fuck do we go?" He demanded. Carol and Ed turned towards me, waiting for something.

What are they looking at me for- Oh yeah.

"Let me drive!" I ordered. Ed didn't budge, just glared at me.

"Ed, move over for her! Think of the children!" Lori snapped. Reluctantly, he moved over. I got out of the car, making my way around to the drivers side.

Buckling up, I turned towards the monsters. Several of them were busy eating corpses, but a few were trudging towards us. I glanced at everyone in the car. Carl was snuggled against Lori, while Sophia had her arms wrapped around Buddy's neck.

"Is everyone buckled in? This is gonna get bumpy." I stated. Instantly, Carl pulled on a seat belt.

A monster lunged to the car, banging against the window. Everyone shrieked, and I shifted gears.

I turned the steering wheel as far left as I could, then slammed on the gas. I scraped against the car ahead of us. I don't think the owners cared. They owned a brown family wagon, and I noticed two kids in the back seat. I pulled up beside them, feeing pity for the children. They shouldn't die. Rolling Carol's window down, I honked at them. The Mexican man faced us, rolling his window down.

"Follow us!" I ordered. "I know a safe place!" He nodded and rolled his window up. I drove onto the grass, the car rocking back and forth as the wheels ran over rocks and grass. I glanced behind us. The Mexican family was following us, as well as an RV. I glanced back at the RV's driver.

Do I know him?

I shook my head, turning my attention back to the road ahead of us. We kept rocking back and forth, sometimes slamming into the walls of the car. Buddy whimpered, getting onto the floor of the car. Luckily, he was still in reach of Sophia. She held onto his collar while he rested his head in her lap. She nervously pet his head, glancing around frantically. I slammed on the gas, trying to go faster.

I glanced behind us in the rear-view mirror. The Mexicans and RV were still following me. Several of the monsters who were following us turned their attention to easier prey. Turning my attention back to the road in front of us, I drove towards a gravel road.

...

Eventually, after about half an hour of driving on gravel, we made it to the small clearing. I parked the car along the outside of it. Behind me, the others did the same.

"How'd you know about this place?" Shane asked, glancing at me curiously.

"My great aunt and uncle used to go camping up here all the time. I would join them every summer for weeks on end. I love it here. Plus, there's a water quarry here, so we can get fresh water." I said, smiling at him. He nodded thoughtfully, rubbing the back of his head.

I sighed, remembering my great aunt and uncle. My great aunt died about eight months ago from cancer, and I wasn't able to attend her funeral. I haven't spoken to my uncle since. I got out of the car, glancing around. The clearing was the same as I remembered it. A small fire pit in the center. And on the other side of the clearing, a path that led to the huge quarry.

Everyone go tout of their vehicles. The Mexican man and his wife came up to me.

"Thank you for helping us." He said.

"It was no problem." I said, smiling. The little woman came up to me, her face streaked with tears. When she stood in front of me, she wrapped me in her arms.

"Gracias! Muchas gracias!" She thanked me.

"De nada." I responded, rubbing her back. I took Spanish when I was in high school.

The lady pulled away, wiping away the tears. Two kids, a boy and girl, came out of their van, walking towards their parents. I glanced back at the RV. Two blonde women got out, talking to each other and glancing around. When the man came out, my jaw dropped.