Nathan sidesteps the zombies and rushes over to me and says, "I think the gunshots attracted more, or maybe it was the car engine and they just took forever to get 'ere. I don't know, but I think we need'a get out'ta here fast."
I nod in response and we start to exit the Krist with our nerves on edge. I stop and Nathan shoots me a confused look. I run back to the priest and pray to god that I'm forgiven. I grab the pistol from his dead grasp and shove it in my back pocket. I run around the bodies back to Nathan and nod my head telling him I'm ready to go now.
He leads me out of the gas station and we decide to for go the siphoning. Nathan hops into the truck and the ignition roars to life. I run around the front of the truck to my door, but right in front of it there's a zombie standing there. I freeze hoping that he doesn't sense me, but it doesn't work. The thing's arm had a gaping hole out of it, that was oozing a little dark blood. I shakily pull my rifle up to my shoulder to aim, but the zombie closes in on me too fast. It's so close to me the it's pushing my gun down, pointing it towards his lower abdomin. I pull the trigger knocking back slightly and the thing still comes at me. I drop my gun and reach for the knife that'd I'd stashed in my other back pocket. I take the protective cover off of it quickly and wield it out in front of me, just as the zombie pushes me to the ground. It towers ontop of me clawing at my neck and hair, I lift my arm up and shove it into the right side of his skull. It's falls to my left, it's legs still lying ontop of me. I shove them off with disgust as I see some of it's flesh stuck to my jeans. I push myself up, surpressing the urge to gag at the disgusting zombie flesh on my pants. I look around my surrounding area to see at least ten more zombies stumbling towards the truck from downtown.
Nathan rolls down my window and yells at me to get in! I grab my gun and pocket my knife. I swing open the door just as the few two zombies hit the grill of Nathan's truck. Before I can even buckle up, Nathan has the car put in reverse and his foot flooring the gas pedal. A slightly squeaking noise sounds from the tires as we fly backwards, sending me lurching forward on the dash. I brace myself with my hands and grab the seat belt, tightening it around my body. Nathan sharply turns right, sending us up onto the sidewalk of an old bar. He puts the car into drive and turns the wheel entirely to the left making us fly out of town. Some old newspaper and any light garbage or debris flying into the air. The truck was silent beside for the heavy breathing of Nathan and myself.
"It's like a war out there. I don't think anyone is left." Nathan says through heavy breathing.
"Don't say that. Our cabin can't be the only people left." I say, believing every word I said.
Nathan didn't respond and just kept his eyes trained on the road. His headlights were the only thing illuminating the outside world, despite the slowly rising sun I could see through the tall pine trees. I turn my head to my right and stare outside.
~~~
I'm knocked out of my daze by Nathan slamming on the brakes, a squealing sound resinating from the wheels. I lurch forward, but my seatbelt locks which stops me from hitting the dash. I look over the hood to see a deer, leaping across the run with a zombie a few feet behind it. Nathan lets the deer pass and the zombie makes it's way to the middle of the road right in front of us. Nathan's facial expression turns from a placate stare to a look of frustration, he floors the pedal and tells me to hold on. I put my hands out in front of me on the dash and the truck barely moves as Nathan runs over the zombie. He stops after and puts the truck in reverse, running it over for a second time.
I look at him a awkwardly and the truck continues its way to the cabin.
~~~
I start to get excited as we turn right onto our long gravel road leading to the cabin. I watch as the scenery becomes the familiar trees of our cabin. I look at Nathan, smiling, but see that one of his eyebrows are raised, telling me that's he's confused.
"What's wrong?" I ask, feeling that same feeling I'd gotten when we left the cabin.
"There's car or truck tracks and they aren't ours. Look." He says pointing ahead to the tracks we were now driving over.
The tracks were closer to the right so I could tell they were going towards the cabin. I start to panic on the inside, thinking that someone could be in the cabin with our group. I start to wring my hands as Nathan hits something. I look up frightened, but he says, "It was a zombie."
We've never had any signs of zombies let alone one in basically our front yard. Whoever was driving here must've lead them, or the sound of their vehicle did. My stomach starts to drop as we reach the clearing that our cabin is settled in.
"Fuck! They're everywhere!" I hear Nathan curse out loud hitting the wheel in frustration.
"We got to get everyone!" I yell at him frantically.
"You stay here and lock the doors, I'll go inside and get them!" Nathan orders.
I reach my hand out to stop him and beg to take me with him, but he is out of the car too fast with his rifle in hand and his knife in the other. He slams the door behind him and I hit the lock button speedily. I lean up against the dash looking through windows of the cabin and at the semi and realizing that the jeep is gone. The jeep is gone! That means they could've gotten away! Suddenly a feeling of hope rises in my stomach and up my chest. Then, a feeling of guilt resonates within me, I did see something down the road when we left. They must've seen our tailights turn out of the cabin! I look at the door to see it swing open, and there was Nathan... with Paislee in his arms and a different backpack on his back. I open my door and stab the nearest zombie with my knife, up through the jaw and into the brain. I run to Nathan and take Paislee from his arms and run her to the truck. Her face is streaked with tears and she refuses to open her eyes.
"Pais... It's Anna." I tell her once I close us both in the back seat safely. She shakes her head and tears start to fall down her face.
I look out the window to see Nathan with the angriest look I'd ever seen on his face. I watch as he stabs a zombie right in the forehead and put his foot up to it's chest to push it off of the knife, blood splattering on his face as he does so. There were now more zombies closing in on him and I knew no matter how much ammo or strength the both of us had, we wouldn't be able to clear them all out. I hop into the driver's seat and roll the window down to yell at Nathan.
"Come one Nathan! We can't take on all of them!" I scream and he stabs on final zombie and starts running towards the truck. I move over into the passenger seat and train my eyes on Nathan pushing a zombie to the ground and bringing his heel over it's head, crushing it like one would with a water bottle. He swings the door open and throws the backpack at me. He jumps into the truck and slams the door behind him. He puts the truck in reverse and the tires squeal as he floors it out of the driveway.
"Where's Maya, Brent, and Keith?" I ask frantically.
"They weren't there." He deadpans.
My stomach drops and I turn around in my seat to face Paislee.
"Are the monsters gone?" She cries out, still covering her eyes.
I put my hand out and grab hers, removing it from her eye and say "They're gone sweetie."
Paislee opens her eyes and looks around the truck, wiping her tears. Nathan's head already turned back to watch the road as he backs all the way out of the driveway. He makes eye contact with Paislee and sends her a sad smile.