Dead Earth (old version)

Chapter Fourteen - Scarlett

Scarlett had given up on trying to focus on the group and continuously turning her head to look for walkers. She was currently walking backward, hoping she didn't get left behind. 

They were refraining from using their guns, so she'd given her assault rifle to Damon, as Natasha had woken up and was walking with Thorne's help, and had a combat knife in each hand. 

Sound seemed to lure the walkers closer, which was really annoying. Scent of humans also drew them closer, and that couldn't be helped. They weren't yet desperate enough to get out that they'd cover themselves in the dead- to mimic the dead.  

"How much farther?" Scarlett whispered quietly over her shoulder. Surprisingly, they hadn't stumbled upon more than one or two walkers at a time. Far from being a good sign, this worried Scarlett. The walkers could be gathered in a gargantuan herd around any of the corners, in any room. 

"One more turn, then we're at the door." Alyxx responded, equally quiet. 

It seemed to take forever, but they finally made the turn. 

"Holy shit!" Alyxx appeared to have to strain herself to not shout. "Back up, back up!" She whispered harshly. 

The group ran into a supply closet, thankfully empty of walkers, and barred the door. 

"Walkers, they're everywhere. We aren't going to be able to get through." Alyxx gasped. 

"Where is the nearest exit?" Damon asked, looking only at Alyxx. 

"There isn't one. There were even more walkers coming up one of those turns we didn't take, they're blocking that one off."

Thorne, Scarlett noticed, had remained silent throughout all of this and was stroking Natasha's hair. The girl had just woken up, and Thorne was whispering quietly to her, Natasha nodding slightly, to whatever her friend was saying, every so often. 

"We'll have to try. I'm not staying trapped in here just to die of starvation, or worse." Scarlett claimed, quite calmly. 

Alyxx stared at her for a second. "If we're going to make a run for it, it'll have to be about now, maybe sooner. Like, I don't know, yesterday?"

"That's not helpful. What will we need to get through besides plenty of weapons? We have those, I think we'll be good. For the most part, at least." Scarlett retorted. 

"Duct tape." A voice from behind Scarlett said quietly. 

"What?" Scarlett turned around to see Natasha looking at her. 

Natasha seemed completely unfazed to see everyone staring at her like she'd gone crazy. 

"We'll need duct tape, and lots of it."

"Whatever for?" Damon said, surprised. 

"We'll wrap our arms, legs, and, if there's enough, our torsos and necks. It'll be extra protection against bites. Thorne and I had jackets wrapped in the stuff, it's really helpful."

"Where are your jackets?" 

"In my car, I'd like to get that, too. Once we get out of here of course. It can't be too far away, I imagine." 

Alyxx smiled and held up a couple rolls of the gray tape. "Well, we did end up in one of the supply stock closets. Might as well make the best of it."

~

Covered in their duct tape armor, they trooped out into the hallway, only slightly maintaining their original formation. 

Natasha had insisted on holding her own gun, even though she had just been completely unconscious barely half an hour ago. 

Scarlett overheard Natasha and Thorne talking, and they agreed that Natasha would still be a better shot than Thorne even in her current state. It would've been funny, but they were running for their lives. 

The door was about 300 feet down the hallway. Scarlett didn't know why these people needed a hallway as long as a football field, but she supposed it would be a good bottle-neck point. There was just enough room for their group and the walkers, which wasn't very pleasant. 

BANG! Went another gun as the group hurried down the lengthy hallway. So far they'd been lucky, no one had died yet. 

100 feet left, they were nearly there!

Suddenly, Scarlett heard a scream come from behind her. In their loose formation she'd been running ahead of Thorne and Damon and to the left, Natasha to her right, and Alyxx slightly in the lead to give them more room to shoot. 

Scarlett risked a glance back, and saw Damon lying on the floor, covered in his own blood, or what was left of Damon. She quickly turned away from the grisly sight as Thorne ran to catch up, also slightly bloody. It appeared to be Damon's blood, however, from when Thorne tried to help him up before leaving him behind. 

Sunlight burst through the doorway as Alyxx finally reached it after their trek through the long corridor. This put a new burst of adrenaline into Scarlett's step, and she was finally free. 

Everyone but Damon had escaped, and as they ran for the transport that they could almost see, Alyxx stopped and turned to face the oncoming dead. 

Scarlett skidded to a stop. "What are you doing?!" She shouted. "We got out, let's go!" 

"There's bound to be at least one fast one in the group, I'll take care of it, I have two bullets left."

"Then use one to shoot it, and get the hell out." Scarlett motioned for the others to keep running, she was barely restraining herself from running from the heard slowing creeping out of the open doors. 

Alyxx didn't say anything, but instead rolled up her sleeve, where Scarlett saw a white, bloodstained bandage. 

Scarlett hesitantly raised her eyes to the young woman's face. "You were bitten."

"Like I said, I have two bullets left." 

Scarlett just nodded, and accepted the Kevlar vest and assorted weapons Alyxx quickly handed to her, Alyxx kept only her pistol. 

"Take care of my babies. Otherwise, I swear to God, I will haunt your ass."

Scarlett ran off, looking back only once as she heard the first report of the pistol. 

Alyxx was facing her, for sure enough, there had been a running walker that made it's way past her. Alyxx saluted Scarlett once and raised her gun for the last time. Scarlett returned the gesture, then turned back around and continued after the rest of the group. She already knew what came next. 

BANG!