This Would Be Paradise (Book 1)-A Zombie Novel

Chapter 22

We climbed over the massive gate and ran to the truck. Infected were rattling the fence with renewed vigor and it was beginning to collapse inwards, starting from the edges where Taylor had punctured a hole in it. John shot at the few that had managed to sneak in by the truck. Ethan passed me his gun, knowing he couldn't shoot while injured.

I gulped. Spending a bit more time on aiming than I should have, I started to shoot at the things that were invading the police station, like ants to a picnic. One down, two down, three down. I had taken out three in as many bullets but more were lining up to take their place. We had a small window before the make-shift opening would be overrun.

"We have to go now!" I yelled.

I started towards the truck, shooting at the ones coming up behind it. One tried to squeeze in the opening by the passenger side, so I switched to the knife John had handed me earlier and stuck it into the things left eye socket. It slumped forward, taking the knife with it. I pulled open the passenger door and jumped in, shuffling to the back seat. Ethan followed me in and maneuvered to the back while John came in last, slamming the door behind him.

"Go!"

Taylor hit reverse and floored it. We were catapulted against the front seats and Ethan groaned in pain as his injured right arm was smashed against the seat. Shots were fired from the roof and we ducked to avoid any bullets. The windshield cracked and fissured where the bullets had hit, but Taylor turned the wheel and hit drive, leaving the bullets behind us. We roared off to the side, running down mass amounts of infected. I don't know how much more the truck could take; the grill was becoming a lumpy mess.

Bodies were flying everywhere and one lifted over the grill and smashed into the windshield, shattering the glass, making it almost impossible to see out of. Taylor veered to the left and the body rolled off of the hood.

The back seat was crammed with supplies. It looked like they hadn't got a chance to strip truck clean. The bag of clothes I had tossed in last night were lying at my feet, reminding me that my backpack was sitting in the van. There went my other gun. I looked down at the piece we had swiped; it was a generic handgun, nowhere near as nice as my Beretta's. But our lost supplies were the least of our concern. We had to get back to the cabin alive.

Once we were clear of the thickest part of the crowd, Taylor slowed down his reckless driving and become a little more defensive. We reached the main street, which previously was empty, now as busy as it would have been before the virus. Infected were shambling across the street, drawn in by the truck alarm. At least, I assumed that's what brought them out. We passed by the cremated remains in the empty lot and then back out to the interstate.

As soon as we hit the main drag Taylor applied the brakes. The truck stood still in the middle of the three lanes, the engine still running.

"Why'd ya stop?" John asked.

Instead of answering, Taylor opened the driver side door and got out. Ethan and I exchanged confused glances. John opened his own door to see what had gotten into Taylor. Not wanting to be left out, I vacated the truck with Ethan in tow. For some reason he followed me out my side instead of opening his own door.

"What is it son?" John asked, concern lacing his voice.

We all stared in horror as Taylor rolled up his left sleeve to reveal a bloody set of teeth marks and some skin missing. John stood frozen in place, the shock too much for him. I heard Ethan swallow loudly beside me.

"I'm gunna turn aren't I?" Taylor asked in a low voice.

It was one thing to be dying; it was another thing all together to be a dead man walking. The irony was not lost on me. I had only witnessed a handful of people turn once infected, but I knew he didn't have long. The ones that turned fastest were the ones who had died while they were attacked, like in the school. The one's that didn't die during the attack turned a little while later, like Mike had.