How To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

“Alex?” Sandy asked as she woke up.

“Hey sweetie, how’re you feeling?” Kitty smiled at Sandy and hurried off to get Mike.

“My arm really hurts and I’ve got a headache but, I’m ok.”

“So, you… Remember me right?” I asked hesitantly.

“No I just thought I’d guess some names and A seemed like a good start.” She answered back sarcastically.

“Ok, I had that one coming.” I conceded.

“What happened? I can’t really remember anything past going into the barn… I think I climbed up to Brian and Jane?”

“Yeah you did, but then there was a really annoying zombie that just wouldn’t go down. You launched yourself at him but… You went down pretty hard. Had us all real worried.”

“Bastard! Did you get him for me?”

“Sure did, split his skull open, he’s not getting back up.”

“Thanks Alex.” Sandy smiled and hugged me, careful of her injured arm.

“Sandy! You’re awake, good.” Stated Mike when he walked back in with Kitty.

“Sure am doc, am I going to be ok?” She asked trying to wink but instead just blinking repeatedly. Mike laughed and slowly shook his head.

“I expect so. I’ll just give you a quick once over. And there’ll be no zombie killing for a little while, I want you to rest up and let that arm heal properly.” He said, switching to his stern doctor voice.

“But.” Sandy started to argue.

“No buts. Please Sandy, just this once, rest up and don’t do anything stupid.”

“I’m not stupid.” She grumbled under her breath as Mike quickly finished his checks then left the room.

“Knock, knock.” Said Zak as him and Luke walked into the room.

“Zak! Luke!” Screamed Sandy, throwing her tiny good arm around them. “Careful of my arm, it hurts.”

“Will we have to chop it off?” Asked Zak.

“Hmm, I think we might, I’ll go get a saw.” Teased Luke, trying to take a step towards the door.

“Fuck off! You’re not taking my arm!” Yelled Sandy, hitting them both with her good arm.

“Alex, we need a word.” Luke said quietly and Zak joked around with Sandy.

“What’s up?” I asked once we got out of the door.

“The house is empty, there’s no food and I wouldn’t trust the tap water. We need to make a run into the town.”

“How much time do we have?”

“None. We have some food for Sandy tonight but that’s it. We have a day’s worth of water, if we’re careful.”

“Shit.” I swore. I walked over to the window and looked out. “We have three hours of sunlight left. Zak!” I shouted.

“What’s the plan?”

“Get ready, we’re making a run into town. Luke, grab Geoff. The four of us will go. We sneak in, grab what we need and then we sneak out again. No heroics. No unnecessary stopping.”

Fifteen minutes later the four of us stood round the bonnet of the pickup truck with Mike and a map of the town.

“We’ll leave the truck here.” I started circling a small wooded section of the map about a quarter mile out of town. “From there me and Zak will go find the pharmacy, or drug store while Luke and Geoff get food and water. Half an hour, in and out, no gunfire and no one dies. Ok?” I asked.

“Sounds like a plan.” Zak declared, pulled the map from the bonnet and got into the driver’s seat.

“Right then. Here’s the list of things I need, the stuff that’s underlined is really important, the rest of it I can do without.” I took the scrap of paper off him and put it carefully into my jacket pocket.

“See you in a bit. If we’re not back in two hours pack everyone up and take off, it might not be safe here anymore. If that happens we’ll try and meet back up with you at the next gas station on the Northbound road. If that’s not safe, head to the next one and so on and so forth.”

“Got it. I’m sure it’ll be fine though.” Mike said reassuringly.

“I fucking hope so, I’m knackered.” I sighed.

We all climbed aboard and set off. Twice along the road we had to stop and quickly despatch a couple of Infected before they could get riled up and call for their friends. We really didn’t want them ruining our surprise.

“Be back here in half an hour. In the meantime, if any of us hear a zombie screech we run straight here and get out of town, heading in the opposite direction of the others. If any of us get here and the others have gone don’t panic, just keep moving, I’ll find you.”

“We should get a move on, I want to be back long before it starts to get dark.” Zak said, we all agreed and set of quietly through the woods. I had my knife in my hand and two screwdrivers shoved in my belt as well as a pretty lethal hammer.

“Only take down those that you have to.” I whispered to the others as we knelt behind a burnt out car in the old cinemas car park.

“See you in half an hour.” Luke whispered, giving me a quick half hug before he and Geoff jogged off towards what we guessed was a grocery store.

“I see two walkers in that alley we need to go through.” Zak muttered quietly, nodding to said alley.

“I’ll take the one on the right, you take the one on the left.” I instructed. I felt like my footsteps were on the same level of noisy as a herd of elephants, running over a sea of squeaky toys… With bells around their necks.

I took mine out with a well-placed stab through the back of the neck and up into the brain. Zak simply grabbed his walkers head with both hands and gave a sudden and sharp twist, killing it instantly. We hugged the wall and ducked behind a dumpster. I tapped my chest and then signalled to the alleyway opening and then to my eyes, telling Zak I’d go take a look at the street in front of us. He nodded once and turned to keep an eye on the parking lot behind us.

There was little cover at the end of the alleyway and I felt very out in the open. I stuck close to the wall and made a point to stay in the shadows. I used the storefront windows that lined the high street to see what was waiting for us. I counted ten Infected in this section, but around the corners, I simply couldn’t know. I returned to the dumpster and held up ten fingers to Zak. Then I held up six fingers and pointed right, then four and pointed left. Zak nodded and pointed to himself then pointed right, then at me and then to the left. I nodded agreement and we ran out from our hiding place and into the street.