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  "I know but we can't stay locked up in here forever. We have no food!"

  "Wait till morning'

  "If this is a terrorist attack getting out in the middle of the night might be our only chance to make it out! I'm only going to check the hall and maybe a few rooms nearby to see if anyone else is stuck like us" Peter finishes. His mind made up and not budging.

  He clears away the chairs and bed from the door. He opens and creeps out into the brightly lit hall. In both directions, the hall is littered with hospital gear. Gurneys, wheelchairs, and tray carts most turned on their sides. What draws his eyes however is the body on the floor across the hall. Lying near the door where all the commotion with the female voice occurred only a few short hours ago. He moves closer for a better look. It's the corpse of a male. His entire face is covered in blood. Peter steps back in shock no longer feeling the need to check for a pulse. Remembering the sounds of struggle at the door. He moves closer to the door intending on knocking when out the corner of his eye he sees movement from the corpse. He freezes his feet rooted in place in terror. From this position, he is standing behind the corpse five meters away. He could swear the head jerked but it's not moving now. Looking around he backs away his eyes always coming back to the body. He sees the fire extinguisher on the wall and grabs it for an impromptu weapon. He starts moving back toward the body. Slowing down when he gets within seven meters and begins to move in a wide circle around it. wanting to get a better look at the face and front of the man. It's eyes are wide open and jerking to and fro.

  It's eyes lock onto Peter as the corpse jerks to life, struggling to flip to it's chest and half lunging half crawling after him. Peter backpedals away until he hits the hall wall. Forgetting the extinguisher in his hands while trying to make sense of the situation. The corpse crawls a few feet toward him. Before it begins to climb to its feet. Peter in his panic lifts the extinguisher over his head. Bringing it down onto the back of the corpse's head who is on hands and knees.

  'Thwack'

  A sickening crunch as the corpse's skull caves inward. The body dropping motionless. Peter steps away. His eyes not leaving the body. He notes after several seconds the eyes are still open. But have taken on a glazed and most importantly a motionless look. Remembering his original plan. He takes his eyes off the body long enough to walk the last few steps to the door across from his and Kelly's hiding place.

  'Tap, Tap, Tap'

  "Hello." He whispers after tapping on the door.

  Receiving no response after several breaths of waiting he tries in a voice between a whisper and a shout. This time rewarded with an answer.

  "Is it gone, is it safe?" A shaky female voice answers.

  "Yeah I think so, It's just me out here. The name is Peter."

  After a minute the door opens a crack, enough for Amanda to peer out at him. Peter waves.

  "Hi," he says with a wave "come on out it's just me and my wife across the hall"

  "What are you doing? What's going on?"

  "I don't know. I came out here to find out. And was attacked by that guy over there," Peter says. Pointing a thumb in the direction of the corpse with the crushed skull. Amanda takes a look where Peter is pointing to see the unmoving body. She shutters but opens the door the rest of the way never the less and steps out.

  "I'm Amanda." She says sticking out her hand for peter.

  #

  Back in the room. Peter makes introductions for the two women before sitting down to discuss events. Peter explains his side before Amanda explains about the cannibal in the parking lot. The biting of her friend Olivia and of Olivia becoming infected. And coming after her near the entrance of the ER.

  "Zombies!" Kelly is the first to say what everyone is thinking.

  "That's insane, " Amanda responds.

  "You have a better explanation?" Kelly asks

  "Yeah, actually I do. Rabies makes people go mad right?" Amanda says in a tone that gives away she doesn't believe her own words.

  "No, rabies doesn't affect people like this nor this quickly," Peter adds.

  "Ok fine, we have zombies then. What do we do now?" Amanda says

  "Well," Peter says before pausing a moment in thought. "We get out of town and away from all this. You're welcome to come with us. We have ourselves a small farmstead outside of town that should be safe enough. Closest neighbors are three miles up the road." He finishes the telling of his plan.

  "How do we get there? We can't leave this room if zombies are out there." Kelly says.

  "Wait for morning and try to get to the car I suppose," Peter says.

  No one argues and the conversation dies out. The three make themselves comfortable waiting for the morning. Nobody manages to sleep a wink that night. Especially with Peter's constant pacing back and forth.

  'Beep' Amanda's watch chimes at the hour. Five AM. She hops up.

  "Five AM sun will be coming up now. Let's get out of here." She says

  Peter and Kelly share a look before standing and joining Amanda at the door giving her a nod that they are ready to go. The hall is exactly as they left it the night before. They pass-through quickly as Amanda leads the way back to the main information desk. The one that shares the lobby with the front doors of the hospital. They stop at the end of the hallway. Scanning the large open main area. When satisfied they are alone. Peter makes his way over to the entrance pulling the car keys out of his pocket as he goes. The sun isn't quite over the horizon yet but the shadows have lifted enough to navigate the lot. Peter sets off with keys in one hand and Kelly's hand in the other. Halfway down the car aisle. Peter clicks the button unlocking his car with a flash of the lights and a beep of the horn. It sounds unnaturally loud in the morning silence. With the car in sight now the three pick up their pace. a speed between a run and a fast walk. Kelly lets go of Peter's hand as he moves to the driver's side door getting in. Amanda follows Peter to the driver's side while Kelly heads to the passenger side front seat. Peter is halfway into the car watching Kelly open the other door when the zombie tackles her.

  "Ahhhhhh" Kelly squeals as a zombie takes her to the ground. Peter rushes over grabbing the zombie and throwing it off his wife.

  "Get in the car!" Peter screams

  The zombie on the ground struggles towards Peter who plants a booted foot right into it's face. Turning he makes sure Kelly is in the car before running and hopping in himself. The zombie slams itself on the car trying to get in while Peter starts the car. Throwing it in reverse he hits the gas backing out of the spot and over the zombie in the process. Shifting to drive and turning on high beams. He navigates the car through the maze of the lot and onto the road leading away from the hospital. As the hospital fades in the distance. He notices the blood covering his wife's bicep from where the zombie bit her.

  "No," he says in a pleading voice to no one in particular. "You were bitten."

  Kelly locks eyes with him, tears streaming down her face, her skin turning ashen.

  "Just hold on, you'll be OK," Peter says holding her hand and driving with the other. Only minutes pass before Kelly takes her last breath. Peter pulls the car over on the side of the road and walks around the car to Kelly's side. Pulling his wife's body out of the seat, he carries her away from the car and out of sight. He's gone for only a minute before walking back into view. Without a word he gets in and drives off with tears dripping off his chin the whole way. Amanda in the back seat. Feeling both a relief to be away from the hospital. And as if she's invaded someone's personal nightmare sits quietly in the back. Trying her best to not draw any attention to herself. Not out of fear but out of respect for what Peter must be feeling at the moment.

  #

  James and Adam fill Sarah in on the details of the new friends and their survival stories. Explaining the group of people that showed up at Peter's house and took all their food and water. They have managed to survive so far on fish from the river. Which reminds me we'll need to find some poles for ourselves. But not before we hide all
our own food in case those folks come around looking for more and find us waiting.

  #

  Chapter 14

  The sun is shining bright this morning. It's a bit of a rarity these days with the snow having started dropping over the region. So far it has made for a miserable early winter. The temperature drops overnight freezing the snow and slush. During the day the sun comes out raising temps enough to melt everything. Pretty typical weather for this part of the Midwest during this time of year.

  I'm estimating it's early December. A month since we've met Peter and Amanda and in this time our hopes for the future have risen. Peter was an avid fisherman in a past life and has shared his knowledge with the group. We now have people going to the river every day to fish. We're not catching enough to live off of. But we've stretched out supplies enough to make it through the winter. Peter also picked up a good deal of gardening information while helping his former wife with her hobby garden. Not quite farming or growing of crops but it's a start and a hell of a lot more knowledge than any of the rest of us have. Over the month we've had no run-ins with the group that ransacked peter's house. Nor have they turned back up there, but we have seen evidence of their passing. Mostly in the form of broken doors and windows on houses. And last week fresh tracks in the snowfall passing by the driveway of our farmhouse. Only a matter of time before they come here and to that end we've made some preparations. Not in the sense of warfare but in the sense of hiding our most important gear and food. We only keep a hand full of canned foods and fish in the house along with the busted shotgun. The rest we have hidden in barrels around the property keeping the cache's separate. The idea is to give them what they want. Let them think that got everything and leave us be.

  It's mid-morning and I'm at the house taking the day off to relax. Adam, Peter, and Amanda are off at the river fishing leaving only Sarah and me at the house. We're both sitting in the living room wrapped up in blankets and jackets to stay warm. We only use the fireplace at night for two reasons, the first being to conserve wood and make it last as long as we can. And the second being to avoid the smoke stack it'd create. That would be a real easy way to give ourselves away. As it is we bundle up during the days to keep warm. Sarah is sitting in the recliner reading a book. While I've got my feet kicked up on the couch. I'm planning on spending the day dozing and that's exactly what I'm doing. Interrupted only by the sounds of a car driving into the driveway, coming to a screeching stop.

  I jerk out of my doze running to the window before I have time to register a thought. Looking out the window sitting in the driveway sits a forest green SUV. The doors open and a group of men all with guns and smug looks on their faces get out eyeballing the house.

  "Shit, they found us it seems," I say.

  "What do we do?" Sarah asks frightenedly .

  "We planned for this. Just let them have what they want and hopefully they'll be happy. Seeing them now though I'm thinking you should sneak out the back and hide or get away entirely."

  "What, why? You don't think they'd …" Sarah doesn't finish the question.

  "I'd rather not take the chance. Just go!" I say moving to the door.

  Opening the door I step out with my hands up and call out to the men.

  "I'm coming out don't shoot"

  "Move real slow like" The man closest to me shouts while quickly pointing his gun at me.

  There are three men in total all carrying guns of various designs and all currently pointing at me. With hands held at shoulder height, I step completely into their view from out of the doorway.

  "I don't have a weapon and I don't want any trouble"

  "Anyone else in there?" One man asks. I assume he's the leader of the group.

  "No. Just me in here"

  "Hope you don't mind me and the guys gonna have a look around."

  He motions with the gun for me to come down the steps and off to the side. Two of the others hurry into the door while the third goes around the side clearly bound for the barn. The man I assume to be in charge keeps his gun pointed at me the whole time we're out front waiting, As his men search the house and barn. Listening to the men it's clear they are none too gentle inside the house throwing things around. Making all kinds of a raucous while ransacking the place. It only takes a few minutes for the two inside the house to come out with arms full of the food and damaged gun.

  "This is all the food we could find," one of the men say.

  "That's all you have?" The leader says to me after looking over what his men carry out and load into the SUV.

  "It's the last of the food I found in the neighbor's houses," I say. knowing he won't like it but I suspect he won't believe I've been doing nothing but letting my food be used up.

  "Ahh, so you're the reason why this area is cleaned out of food. And this is all that's left?" he asks.

  The man that went to the barn interrupts.

  "Got a big ass tank of gas. Nothing else back here though. Searched the entire barn" he says.

  The leader smiles "Show me this tank" he says nodding at me indicating the direction of the barn.

  I walk with the four of them in tow behind me leading the way to the fuel. Once it's in view the man in charge stops me. And pushes me off to the side and out of the way as he moves over to the label on the tank. He reads it for a moment before knocking on the tank smiling at the echo of a full tank.

  "Pack up boys, we're coming back for this. And you! Don't get any funny ideas now." He says to me in passing while they all head to the SUV. I stay on the ground watching them hop into the vehicle and drive away. Everything more or less went according to plan, I was hoping they'd not find the fuel but knew that was a likely loss. none the less though I'm pissed. They didn't find the bug out bags we hid in the crawl space either. We packed them up with some food and camping gear if ever we need to make a quick exit from the farm.

  Sarah breaks me of my fuming thoughts.

  "Are you alright, What happened?" she asks.

  "I'm fine. They got the decoy food as we planned but they also found the fuel tank. They've left for now but said they'd be back for it, and We're going to let them have it. Nothing has changed. We knew this would happen eventually. As long as we keep our lives I'll consider us lucky" I say. Secretly though I'm making plans to find out as much information about the men as I can manage. Specifically wanting to know where they are living.

  The others return from the river shortly after bringing with them four fish between the three of them. While keeping a watch out the living room window I fill them in on everything that happened. Everyone's eyes radiate an intense fury relieved only when I point out our plan worked. The main supply of food and gear is safe in their hiding spots.

  Only a few short hours later the SUV comes rumbling back into the driveway. This time with a tank trailer attached to the hitch. I didn't have much time to come up with any better plan than to let them have anything they want. Fairly certain if I try to stop them they'll kill me but I did stash a bicycle across the street hidden in the trees. If possible I'm going to try and follow them when they leave. If I can find out where they live I"ll be able to come up with a better plan.

  "They're here. Out the back with all of you. Don't be seen" I say quickly

  Moving to the door. I wait for the others to finish exiting the back door before I turn, opening the front door and walking out. Keeping my hands up and in plain sight, I take a seat on the top step of the stairs. Intending on giving them no trouble and staying out of the way. Letting them take the fuel and whatever else they want. Hopefully they don't look around too much more. They haven't found the caches of food. The bug out bags. Nor the vehicles we've hidden behind the trees on the other side of the farm.

  "I'm just going to wait right here for you to finish, " I call out.

  "Good choice." one of the men responded with a snort.

  They disappear around the edge of the house. Dragging the trailer with them. Meanwhile, I sit here on the steps committing my guard'
s face to memory. From the front of the house, I can only hear what's going on and listen as fluid sloshes from one container to the other. The man guarding me sneers the entire fifteen minutes it takes to pump the fuel between the tanks. The SUV creeps back up the driveway with the leader of the group walking alongside it. Looking in my direction.

  "Thanks for the gas," he says before climbing into the car.

  The man guarding me hustles over to the car joining the rest of the group inside before it drives out of the driveway and onto the road. I leap off the stairs as soon as they turn at the corner of the driveway onto the road. Sprinting up the driveway after them. I race across the street into the trees on the other side of the road. Where I stashed a bicycle out of sight. I get a running start and hop onto the bike similar to the momentum a person uses when learning to ride one. My entire game plan relies on the hope that the tank trailer slows them down enough for me to keep on on the bike.

  #

  Tears stream down my face as the winter air buffets my eyes. The wind strength increased as I hustle along the road into the breeze trying to keep the truck in my sight. The tank doesn't slow them down as much as I had hoped. They lose me easily on the straight roads but they are forced to slow down for turns and curves along the street. It's not much but it's enough to keep me on their trail. The bike chase following the truck lasts for half an hour before they turn into a subdivision and disappear. The neighborhood is an upper-scale area. Three-story houses line both sides of the street. All gated off from the road making it difficult to check the driveways from the street.

  Stashing my bike near the entrance into the subdivision I begin searching the area on foot. Working my way methodically from house to house. I work my way down one side and back up the other. I find no vehicles at any of the houses. I make my way to the next street over. This one only half the length but ending in a dead-end with the largest house I've seen in the area so far. Listening to my instincts I dart up to the perimeter of the house staying well left of the gate in case they have a guard. I squeeze through the bushes that run along the wrought iron fence. I situate myself between the bush and fence. Rubbing my hands together and breathing on them for warmth as I survey the house and property around me. Around the house sits at least a dozen cars of various designs. Including the SUV they used to pull the tank with the fuel stolen from my farm. The tank itself is nowhere to be seen. The house is a three-story red brick house. As large as the house is, its design is hardly inspired holding true to a cube form. The ground floor stands a door in the center and two windows to either side. The second and third floors are identical except for a fifth window rather than a door in the center. White smoke curls lazily from the chimney.