While We Fall (The Eva Series #2)

Chapter Four

Jill woke up just as the sun had started to set and joined Wyatt and I at the dining table.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked, hoping there was something I could do to lift her spirits.
“No, I’m okay, thanks,” She replied, looking more tired than before. “If you don’t mind me asking, where are you all headed?”
“Daintree Village,” Answered Wyatt. “My brother has a place in the mountains near there.”
While Wyatt and Jill chatted about Daintree, we passed a bright, round sign on the side of the road that read:

Charleville: Cosmos Bilby Country

Grabbing my axe from the table, I stood up and walked over to the RV door to make sure it was locked. Jill and Wyatt looked at me with curiosity in their faces.
“What’s up?” Asked Wyatt as he and Jill stood up from the table.
“We’re about to pass through a town. I just want to be ready in case it’s full of zombies.”
Wyatt grabbed my hand to pull me next to him as he leaned against the back of Ben’s chair and peered through the windshield.
“Looks like this town’s been hit pretty bad. How is it spreading so damn fast?” Asked Ben as he manoeuvred the RV around abandoned cars in the main street.

An eerie silence filled the air, and even though I could see at least five bodies strewn on the pavements and a few more in cars, not one zombie roamed the street. But I knew they had to be there somewhere, watching us. The faster we got out of Charleville, the better.
“STOP! Stop!” Screamed Jo from the back of the RV, causing us all to jump. Ben slammed on the breaks in shock, and we all turned to see what was going on.
Jill had her hands pressed up against the back windshield of the RV, staring out at a white four-wheel drive that sat up against the curb of the road.
“Tom!” She said as she pulled on her husband’s shirt to pull him up off of the couch. “It’s their car! It’s their car!”

Before anyone could say anything, she had unlocked the RV door and was about to run outside. I quickly slammed the door closed in front of her and stood in her way.
“What the hell are you doing?!” She screamed, her eyes glaring at me.
“It’s too dangerous, Jill. We don’t know what’s out there.” I replied, trying to sound strong without raising my voice too loud.
“I know what’s out there; my son! Move!” She yelled as she pushed me aside with so much force that I fell to the ground. She swung the door open, jumped outside and bolted towards the four-wheel drive. Wyatt helped me to my feet while Tom chased after her, leaving us staring wide-eyed in shock.

“What do we do?” cried Jo, her eyes darting from window to window to make sure there weren’t any zombies heading our way.
“We leave.” Said Ben, sternly. “Lock the door and let’s get the hell outta here.”
I watched through the window as Jill searched through the four-wheel drive for her son, but found no-one inside.
“MAX!” she started to yell. “Max! It’s me, Mum! Where are you? Max!”

Wyatt, Jo and I stood frozen in place, not knowing what to do. I knew her screams would attract zombies, and we could be ambushed within seconds. Bit if we left, we’d be no better than the friends that abandoned them the day before.
I grabbed my backpack, clenched my axe tight and ran out of the van, with Dixon following close behind me. I heard Ben yell from inside the RV, “Don’t be a hero, Eva!” but I didn’t stop.
Jill ran passed me and continued down the main street, calling for her son the whole way. I put my hand against Tom’s chest to stop him before he followed her.
“You need to calm her down. She’s making too much noise.” I said.
“What do you want me to do?” He replied, frustrated.
“Just get her back in the RV. We’ll work out a plan to search for your son, but running around screaming like that is going to get us all killed. We can’t find your son if we’re dead.” I said through gritted teeth.
Defeated, he nodded and started jogging towards his wife to bring her back to the RV. I turned around to see Wyatt, Jo and Ben walking towards me, each with a backpack and weapons at the ready.
“They’re coming back to the RV. We’ll meet them in there.”
We started to make our way back through the maze of cars, when we heard Jill screaming again.
Only this time, it was a blood-curdling shrill of terror and pain.