A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 64

       

I slowly woke up. Diane's steady fast walk hadn't changed, although she occasionally did a small bound as she jumped over something. I lifted my head to look around. We were walking beside a small creek in a rather deep stream bank. It was so deep that I couldn't see out of it, anyone above would have to come to the edge to spot us.

Diane skipped over a muddy section and then played hopscotch across some large rocks as she avoided a stretch of gravel. It would have been loud walking on the gravel. At least there was lots of room to maneuver around since the creek was so small

"Sit here, I am just going to peek above to see how the road runs in relation to this stream."

I nodded as she put me down on a big rock. I watched as she managed to climb silently up the steep embankment to peer through the tall weeds. It didn't take her long to return.

"It looks like this road runs along the creek as far as I can see. There are a few small puddles by the road where he is likely watering his horse and mule. As long as he doesn't come to the edge, we can stalk him without being noticed."

I giggled as I stood up, "I find it funny that we are simply walking beside a creek and you count it as stalking."

She also found it funny, "Well, we are following him without him knowing about it."

I still thought it was hilarious, "But we aren't exactly hiding that hard."

She grinned at me in amusement. He was going slow enough that I was able to walk a bit as we trailed behind.

          

It was starting to get late. Diane kept climbing up the bank to watch him since he had been looking around as if looking for something specific. I hoped we stopped for the night soon. I was starting to get hungry again despite snacking on lots of greens after lunch. Diane had managed to catch a fish in the creek and I was looking forward to roasted fish.

I stood and waited as Diane climbed up the embankment yet again. She spoke quietly, "Ah, there is a small treehouse ahead with a solid wood fence around it. No wonder he kept traveling so late."

Diane kept watching and I heard a horse scream in terror. Like a flash, Diane was standing on top of the bank with her bow in her hand with several arrows already fired. She moved so fast that I didn't actually see her aim each arrow, although I knew that each one would fly true.

Diane glanced back down at me, "Climb up the bank and get into a tree, there is a good one there."

She pointed to a large spruce and I took off at a run as I scrambled up the eroding bank to get to it. Diane was already racing towards whatever was wrong. I glanced over at Diane's sharp whistle as I started climbing.

A zombie with two arrows in it twisted around at the noise and headed towards her, allowing Taver to scramble backwards and get away from it. I saw his horse and mule running away, he must have fallen to the ground and the zombie had almost gotten him.

I paused as I was halfway up and well hidden. A small treehouse stood between several trees above the ground, it probably as large as a four person tent. A larger area around it had heavy logs being used as a solid fence to create a place to loose the horses and protect the base of the treehouse from zombies.

The zombie must have been inside the fence and Taver hadn't realized it. The zombie staggered towards Diane as she lured it towards the creek. Diane gracefully slid down the slippery slope. The zombie was far less coordinated and rolled down in an almost comical manner. By the time it stopped rolling, Diane had already managed to climb up another section of the bank.