"I don't know, but let's discuss it on the way. We've got to find the Chief and Father Lee," James motioned for Petra and Viktor to follow and took off running up Onion Seed Road.

A rush of relief went through him when he found the wheelbarrow exactly as they'd left it.

Silence enveloped them when they hit Main Street and turned to the writhing mass of people screaming and fighting off moaning zombies. Even Viktor didn't try to crack a funny joke. Their eyes were glued to the carnage unfolding at the other end of town.

When they passed the café, Petra said, "I suggest we park the wheelbarrow in front of the tackle shop and take a nail gun in each hand. Just make sure we are close when we shoot. We don't want to have nails flying around willy-nilly."

A tremor was evident in Viktor's voice when he said, "Petra, you're a better shot at using these things on the construction site than either of us. Maybe you should be the only one to use them?"

"You don't have to swing this like a hammer, Vik. It'll be a lot easier to hit a zombie's head than a nail. Just make sure when you pull the trigger, it's right against the zombie's head. Or, just take one and keep your ax in your other hand, if it makes you feel better," Petra offered.

James nodded at him. "You'll be fine, Viktor. We've used these enough to know how to handle them."

Viktor nodded back and took in a deep breath.

They could detect the coppery tang of blood in the air the closer they got. It was sickening mixed with the honeysuckle scent from the bushes that grew in planters down the sidewalk.

Parking the wheelbarrow close to the front of Reel 'Em In! the town's tackle and outdoor supply store, they each grabbed their weapons, sizing up where to head first.

"I'm scared," Petra said.

"Me, too," said James.

"Terrified," Viktor said. "I think I might pee myself, so don't think bad of me if I've got wet drawers when this is over."

James smiled slightly, but said, "I doubt you'll be the only one, man. Let's do this."

"Let's stick to the edges as much as we can. If we get in the middle we might get attacked from behind," Petra said as they approached.

"Good idea," James said.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Kapusta," Petra said and shot.

"Oh, thank you!" Mrs Harvey sobbed in relief. She began backpedaling away swiftly. They didn't have time to ask if she was okay before the mother of four turned and ran away.

James heart hammered in his chest. His palm grew slick on the nail gun, so he tucked the heavy tool under his other arm to wipe his hand on his jogging pants again.

His eyes drifted from face to face. Whether zombie or not, he knew these people. He might not particularly like some of them, but, save a select few, he wouldn't wish this fate on any of them. His hand trembled at the bone-deep knowledge that he'd have to be the one to end at least some of them.

Mr Hallornen, his bloody chin evidence that he'd already taken down at least one of the other townspeople, stumbled towards Petra with his arms outstretched and jaws gaping open. She was turned away. With one more step Mr Hallornen would reach her.

"No!" James said and shot Mr Hallornen in the side of the head. His chest heaved and tears leaked from his eyes. Mr Hallornen was a crotchety man who lived in a small house on the edge of town, but he never said no when James asked if he could gather some of the fallen apples from the tree in his yard.

Petra turned at his cry, saw the falling body and gave him a small smile and nod. "Let's stand shoulder to shoulder! Viktor!"

Like vultures, they circled around the edge of the group taking out any zombies they could, slowly pushing the perimeter inwards as they went.

"I see the Chief!" Petra called. "Follow me! We need to stand in a triangle to watch each other's backs!"

The boys nodded and immediately fell into position. They cut a swath through the field in the Chief's directino, leaving bodies lying like fallen wheat sheafs behind them.

The Chief was wrestling with Tom Bombardier, a bear of a man who had seemed to grow in size and strength now that he was among the undead. Chief Koch was pushing him off with an ax, but was unable to swing it to take out his attacker. The Chief's face was beet red and It was clear the Chief was getting tired and would soon succumb to the larger man.

As soon as he caught sight of them, Chief Koch yelled angrily, "What the hell are you all doing here?" He oomphed with the effort of pushing Tom back.

"Giving you backup." Petra shot Tom with the nail gun.

The Chief gaped in surprise when the big man's arms dropped to his sides, limp. Viktor leapt out of the way when he fell to the ground. The Chief lowered the ax he still held suspended in the air.

Petra held out her extra nail gun to the Chief. "This is for you. It's full."

Tears overflowed the man's eyes. He crushed Petra to him in a quick hug. "Now get to safety, you three!"

Without waiting, the Chief turned and began to fire at the nearby zombies.

"There's Father Lee!" called Viktor.

The priest wasn't far away. In the same fashion, they worked their way over to him within a minute. He was wrestling against Paul Hathaway, a boisterous, jovial man who did a juggling act every fair.

"We come bearing gifts!" Petra called and shot Paul.

James held out his extra nail gun. "It's fully loaded."

"Bless you, children!" Father Lee cried. He immediately turned around and began to fire at the zombies nearby.

"Do you have anymore?" Peter Gloss called from where he was wrestling with Mrs Johnson.

"In the wheelbarrow outside the tackle shop. Come on, we'll get you there."

Peter joined their formation, and they moved off in the opposite direction. As soon as he was able, Peter ran for the stash and came back with a nail gun in each hand. He passed one off to Katy Wilder when they saved her where she'd been pinned down by Alexai Nicovitch.

Before long, every zombie who was there had been exterminated. Most of the townspeople they'd saved had run home immediately. Mostly only the few who had some kind of weapon remained.

Chief Koch came over and gathered the trio into a hug. "I told you all to stay safe, which meant stay at the rectory, but I'm sure glad you were here today." He pulled back and held up the nail gun. "Petra, this was your idea?"

She blushed and ducked her head, bobbing it in a nod.

Viktor leaned on the ax he hadn't had to use. "She knew which ones came with charged batteries. There's a whole bunch more back at the hardware store, but we'll need to charge them. And the wheelbarrow over there by the tackle shop has about three more in it all ready to go."

Father Lee called over the other survivors as he made his way to their huddle. He laid a hand on Petra's shoulder and squeezed. "Petra, the nail guns were a brilliant idea."

"How'd you know it was her?" asked the Chief, surprised.

"She's got an amazing brain in there, and she's not afraid to use it." Father Lee took in the small group of eleven that had gathered around.

Bats swooped through the pools of light from the overheads catching insects, ignorant of the human drama below them.

"Chief, what do we do about the bodies?" James asked, really thinking of his father's, still lying in the grass behind the church.

The Chief smiled reassuringly at them. "You don't need to worry about that. You three saved us, tonight. You deserve a rest. Go back to the rectory and sleep."

"But we don't mind helping," Viktor said.

"I know. You three are the best damn kids in this town. Always stepping up. Right now, I want you to go and rest. That's an order."

James saluted . "Yes, sir!"

Marjorie Simpson, a 19 year old who had climbed out from underneath a car where she sheltered, stood crying over the body of her boyfriend, Gerald Ranger. Her shoulders shook with tears and a low keening noise came from her throat.

Katy Wilder went over and gathered the younger woman to her.

"In fact, none of you need to stay. This was..." The Chief trailed off trying to find a word to describe the bodies strewn here and there. The street looked like the grisly leftovers from a huge street party.

"Unprecedented," Father Lee filled in. "If anyone wants to sleep in the church basement, you are more than welcome. We can pull out the blue mats the kids use." Four or five people from the group nodded gratefully. "Follow Petra, James and Viktor. They know where everything is."

The trio looked at their mentors. Chief Koch stood with his hands on his hips, sizing up the job.

"Chief!" said Petra and joined him, James and Viktor trailing her. "We need to save the nails. We could clean them up and re-use them."

"Nails?" he asked.

"From their...heads." Petra pointed at the nail sticking out of the nearest zombie to her. She knelt and laid a hand alongside it, holding the head down, then gripped the nail in preparation to pull it out with her other hand. "Sorry, Mrs Thomas."

"Petra!" Before she could yank, the Chief laid his big hands over her smaller ones. "I get the picture. Don't worry, we'll get them. You're incredibly brave, Petra."

She blushed and gave an awkward little half-shrug. She leaned closer and said quietly, "It's just, we won't be getting anymore deliveries, right?"

The Chief gave a little gasp which he quickly covered. "You are one smart young woman, Petra Mitchell. Do me a favour and don't talk to anyone else about it, okay? Except James and Viktor. But no one else. We don't want anyone panicking."

She nodded, "Will do, or don't, I guess it is." She gave a giggle and stood. She slid her hand into James' and they went back to the ragtag group of people waiting to take shelter for the night.

Father Lee gave a little shooing motion with his hand. "Go on, now. You'll be safe there."

Resigned, James huffed. "Okay."

"James," the boy turned back at Father Lee's call. "Keep your weapons handy, though. You three take care of these folks."

With a swift nod, James stood up straighter and gripped the handle of his nail gun tighter.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Where do you think the next threat will come from?

What are your thoughts on the people who didn't stay to fight and just ran home when they were saved? Do you think this was an honest reaction, or would more people have stayed to fight?

WORD COUNT: 1833

NANO WORD COUNT: 11, 505

TOTAL WORD COUNT: 13, 330