I used its arm to keep its chompers away from my flesh, but the arm isn't going to hold for much longer. With this thing laying on top of me, I'm kind of trapped, upper body strength isn't exactly in my favour today.
The sound of something slicing the air flies through, and the zombie atop me falls flat, it's mouth encompassing the flesh of its own arm.
Looking to my left, beside the rope of blankets, I see Jungkook kneeling on the grass, gun in hand and pointed my way.
He lowers it, grinning proudly. Relief floods into me, letting me finally lay my head against the grass.
Hobi comes into sight now, cutting off my view of Jungkook, as he helps peel the corpse off me.
We both head back to where Jungkook and Jimin were.
Taehyung is climbing down now, Namjoon and I kinda forgot him in our little plan, feel kinda bad about it honestly.
I waited below him, ready to catch ...or atleast soften the blow if he falls, the least I could do after forgetting him in the plan.
Jimin and Hoseok were already working on transporting Jungkook into the back of the van.
After Taehyung, I'd go back up. Once he's untied and safe on the ground I held onto the rope, looking up I see Yoongis ass making its way down here and Namjoon up in the room, forming an X with his forearms.
....this isnt the plan.
"Tae whats going on?"
He shrugs in response before heading to the van himself. I ask yoongi the same question but all he tells me is 'Namjoon say go'.
What on earth is his plan? Namjoons one of the heaviest members, thanks to his height, with no one supporting the rope up there ....I doubt a few loops around the bedpost are going to support him.
Just as the thought passes my mind, the sound of fabric tearing and Namjoon yelping filled the air. True enough, he fell, atleast he was only 4 feet from the ground. He managed to fall on his feet however, his own feet get caught in the sheets and he tumbles forward to the ground.
I help him up as I gather the sheets, wow, the knots didnt become undone ...a sheet just ripped in half. He really is good at breaking things.
I helped him over to the van, throwing his arm around my shoulder. The place of impact from the second fall is his knee, walking is probably going to feel off for awhile for him.
"Why the change of plans?" I let the annoyance show in my voice, as we walked.
"No time," he grunts, taking another step "zombies were piling up, the door was going to open," he took a deep breath and clutched onto his thigh.
He turned to me with a grave expression "What if you were left up alone?"
My head jerks back, physically and emotionally taken aback by his words.
Namjoons smart, he knew he could fall. Yet he still did so ...to protect me? I mean he still would have fallen regardless since he frikin tore the sheet in half somehow.
But still, a smile spread onto my face, a warmth washed over me as I looked away from Namjoon and focused on hauling him over to the van.
The little scene just now seemed to have lured more zombies from their hiding spots. They too were limping closer to the open doors of the van.
"Namjoon we need to hurry." I sling an arm around his waist, pulling him forward as we went but his 6 foot stature wasn't exactly making it easy.
"Are you in alot of pain?" I asked when he hissed, perhaps from putting too much pressure on the injured leg.
He shook his head, face showing signs of distress "I just stepped in a pool of zombie blood,"
The inevitablely gross feeling of wet socks strikes again
I finally get him seated onto the ledge of the van, holding him by the ankle of his injured leg I lift it up and into the van as he slides in backwards.
"Sorry about yesterday night," he quickly said, the same guilty expression from this morning popping up on his face.
"No dont be, wait what are you sorry for exactly?" I dont recall him doing anything ...mean.
"Your fever, I think I triggered off something yesterday. Ptsd maybe? You should probably get that diagnosed,"he ends, full of concern.
I know he means well but ....diagnosed where?
I will acknowledge neglecteing my personal mental health a little in recent times but I doubt I've got any form of ptsd, thats a serious health concern, I'm completely normal, 95% normal atleast.
"I'm fine," I blatanty reply, climbing into the van and over his legs. "Its mid-apocalyptic life, perfect mental health isn't exactly a priority,"
He shook his head in disagreement but before he could argue the engine reved to life with the van doors still opened. All wandering corpses within earshot were drawn to us.
But its fine, there were only a few. As long as the house door remains shut-
The house door busted open, the old hinges finally giving into the mass of zombies inside. They came spilling out in a steady stream.
"Gooo," Yoongi shouts, his voice cracking midway, between the small window of the dividing wall from us an the driver.
Jin hits the gas, him and hobi both panicked yelling together and at each other. The sudden forward movement thrusts us all backwards, Jungkooks hand, fisting the back of my shirt, is the only thing that prevented me from somersaulting out the open door.
We grew further and further away from the hoard, but the hoard was growing in numbers, strays joined in from the sides.
Tae, Namjoon, Jungkook, Yoongi, Jimin and I all looked between each other. Someone has to close the door.
Namjoon had moved further into the van, his knee resting atop Taes lap, Jungkooks foot was also propped up on Taes lap. Those 3 were out of the question, 2 injured and 1 a hospital supply.
The closest to the door was Jimin, but his ankle, regardless Jimin reached out, his back was plastered to the grey van wall of the van as he leaned out, his right hand still looking for something in the van to grip onto.
I scrambled over, deciding I'm going to be that something.
The minute my hand held his, his head whips back, bug-eyed and quizzical.
"Door," I pointed my chin in the direction of the flapping door. His head follows, and I swear I see a lightbulb pop up above his head.
He leans out more this time, nearly gripping the door, his ankle however has another plan.
It all happened in slow motion.
Jin sped over a speed bump, the sudden rocking of the van caused us at the back to fly up a few centimetres, as we land, his already injured ankle bends, it can't support him and with half his body already out, its both of us or 1 of us thats going to fall.
I yank him back before my toes hit the floor of the van, my own body being propelled forward. I balled myself up, an armadillo as my inspiration, preparing myself for impact.
This is gonna leave a mark.
The last thing I see, is Jimin falling to his knees, Yoongi at the edge of the van reaching out to me and the remaining three and limping or crawling towards the van doors too, before I close my eyes.
THUMP
My left arm hit the ground first, the road spikes jabbed at me. The momentum kept me rolling, closer to the zombie hoard,
I opened my eyes, stopping myself less than 5 feet from the hoard.
Holy crap, this is exactly like a scene from my old nightmares. I scrambled to my feet, by some miracle they were still working. My arm however portrayed a different story, but the absolute fear that spread all over me numbed every single bruise and cut.
I ran for the van, it slowed down a great deal, all 5 men were on their knees, gripping onto the edge with 1 hand and reaching out for me with the other. They all shouted my name and yelled for me to run.
I'd made it about halfway to the van, but at the halfway point I stayed. I glanced behind me ...were they ....THEY'RE LEARNING TO RUN TOO?
No, calm your shit y/n, the fastest they can go is a speedwalking middle-aged micheal. Its just speedwalking... awfully quick speedwalking.
I sprint for it, i didnt have energy to continue anymore at this rate, if I dont make it now, there wont be a next time.
My lungs expanded as much as they could, my legs moving faster than they ever have before, all the muscles in them burned from the oxygen debt they had built up.
Nearly there.
My legs were numb now, I stretched out my hands, my fingertips brushed against one of theirs, though in not sure who, my eyes couldn't focus on anything but the movement of my legs.
The heat of their fingertips slipped away, I breached my limit.
"(Y/n), please!"
My vision focused on the speaker, Jungkook, his hands outstretched, face riddled with pain as he pleaded. All of them were packed together like sardines at the van exit, even Jimin, grappling about in the air.
..if I dont make it, I fear all these lovable idiots just might jump out.
I pushed forward, numbness spreading throughout my body, lungs feeling ready to collapse from working in overdrive.
Almost.
Almoooosstt.
GOT IT.
I gripped Jungkooks forearms, his palms planted themselves on my waist., hoisting me off the ground and into the van. He staggered backwards, Tae tried to stabilise us but in the end all 3 of us collapsed onto our bags and whatever sheets we salvaged from the house.
On the bright side, Yoongi manages to finally get the door shut admist the whole situation.
I panted heavily, my body ached too much too move anymore, Jungkooks chest raised and fell beneath me, his hands stayed in place around my waist while Tae let out a huge sigh beside us, letting his own head rest on Jungkooks shoulder. Soon Jimin joined in, placing his head onto Taehyungs stomach. Sweat dripped from everyones faces but no one seemed to care, we're just glad its over.
Namjoon and Yoongi come to sit by us, joining the group exhaustion in their own way.
Us at the back were quiet for the rest of the ride, the only noises were hobi and jin talking very passionately, perhaps arguing, in korean up front.
The van swerved and abruptly sped up or stopped from time to time, they were probably struggling to follow the path I drew for them on the map.
The path to fort9.
It's okay, we'll reach eventually.
Right now, I just wanted a nap.