We're Still Alive(Book1)BEING REWRITTEN

Fifty-Four

   Jared stood by Gavin and watched Tom pace the floor of the waiting room in the doctor's office. They had a hard time 'taking role' and explaining everything between the two vehicles, so this was the best
thing they could find temporarily. There weren't a lot of windows, at least.
   They had finally found Bill's team. The only problem was that there was no Bill. No Jack, either. Allison had started to explain what happened to them, but Gavin took over when she broke into tears. Bill and Jack got along with everyone easily, so Jared struggled to keep his composure when Gavin finished the story.
   "We burned the bodies." He added. "So they wouldn't get to them." Jared didn't have to ask who 'they' was. "We can go home now, why are we waiting?" Jared looked down as a stray tear escaped.
   "Because someone's still missing." Tom said, sounding more frustrated than Jared had ever heard him. "We got attacked on the way here. We were split up and searching through storage units; we thought
we might find something useful to bring back with us. Those things attacked, just a few at first, then a whole damn hoard of 'em. Laina got separated, and Cora..." He looked at Joe.
   "She might be okay." He said quietly, so different from his loud, hyper attitude. To Jared he always seemed like a little kid in a man's body, but now the little kid was gone, and the man was beating himself up over something Jared knew wasn't his fault.
   "Of course she's okay." Jared put in. "They both are. It'll take more than a few zombies to get rid of them."
   "There was more than a few zombies out there." Max said.
   "Either way, we're going back for them." Renee added. She looked at Tom until he returned the stare. "Right?"
   "Yeah." He nodded. "We're going back for them.
   "What if they're not there?" Jared asked.
   "Let's worry about that when we get to it." Max said, clapping his hands loudly. "The sooner we find them, the better. Tom? Lynn?" He nodded at the door. They both nodded in agreement and everyone
followed them outside.

   Jared jumped out of the bed of their pickup before Lynn could stop it completely. He heard Gavin running behind him, and the others followed. The ground around them was littered with bodies, all
infected. Some were still alive and rummaging through the bodies, what they were searching for Jared had no idea. He remembered the night before, the thought of them like starving wolves, searching for
something to eat, even if it meant their own injured. These were taken down easily and effectively. As nervous as it made Jared, they split up again to search for Laina and Cora. They hadn't gone through many units before the attack, so they didn't have to look through much before they found Laina. Actually, Jared found her, curled up in the corner of one of the units. She had closed it behind her and used a desk and a few chairs to block the corner. Moving the desk and chairs aside, he knelt down beside her. She looked so peaceful, like she was sleeping, but the hole in her head and the gun in her hand said otherwise. He wondered why, but as he got closer he saw the bites on her shoulder and ankle. She wasn't a big woman, so he didn't have much trouble picking her up. He carried her, bridal-style, out of the unit. Max was right outside with Joe, who looked about ready to faint at the sight of his dead friend. Max held him steady and helped him to the jeep. Tom stopped his searching and walked over to Jared.
   "You look like you're having trouble. Let me see her." His voice was calm, but his eyes were brimming with tears. Jared passed her body to him. "We've gone through all the units and the bodies. Cora's not
here."
   "Is that a good thing?"
   Tom nodded. "I think it is. Don't worry, we'll find her. But for now we have to get back. It'll be dark in a few hours, and Miles said someone came to the mall and may be threatening us."
   "But we'll come back for her?" As much as he wanted to believe she was alive, Jared was starting to lose hope.
   "Yeah." Tom replied. "We'll come back."