“They were in a bathroom with the door barricaded. They are the only survivors,” Nerit said to the others.
Felix quickly escorted the woman to the bus while Bill took the time to examine the double doors leading into the community center.
“Nerit, we got a vehicle up the road with zombies around it. I count six zombies,” Katarina explained quickly. “Could be survivors in the truck. But we're gonna have to shoot the zombies. ”
“That'll get the town zombies moving our way,” Nerit said thoughtfully.
“We gotta go save them,” Jenni protested.
“I'm with Jenni. We have to save anyone we can,” Katie agreed.
Bill walked toward them, his expression dark. “I agree. Let's do it. ”
“The road is narrow. Take one of the trucks, but make sure you are facing away from the town. We'll stay here and provide as much cover as we can, but make it quick,” Nerit said firmly. “The longer we are here, the more dangerous it is. ”
Katie headed toward the red truck. “C'mon, Jenni. We'll do this. ”
Bill jogged after Jenni as she headed back to join Katie. “I'm coming with you. There weren't no vehicles left with the survivors.
We don't know who is in that truck. ”
Jenni slid into the back seat, while Bill got into the passenger seat.
Katie shifted gears and slowly drove up the road.
“Maybe they'll rush the truck so we can run them over,” Katie mused.
“We're never that lucky,” Bill answered.
As they drew closer to the stranded vehicle, they could see that it was lodged firmly in deep ditch nose first. The hood was smashed up against the cracked windshield on the right side and only the left headlight remained shining into the night. The zombies were pounding on the windows, obviously trying to get into the cab. Inside, two young girls were screaming in terror.
“I'll take the two on the left. ” Bill said, gripping his rifle tightly.
“I can get the ones on the other side. The two on the windshield are not going to be easy. We'll have to get all the way out for those,”
Katie decided.
“We need to make this fast,” Jenni agreed.
Katie stopped the truck, Bill did a silent countdown with his fingers.
At three, they both flung open their doors. Jenni scrambled over Bill's seat and dropped into the road. She darted past Bill and aimed at one of the zombies rearing back off the windshield to screech at the new flesh. She fired. The zombie jerked back and fell into the tall grass.
Bill and Katie picked off the other zombies as the remaining zombie, trying to pry its way through the shattered windshield, ignored the attack. The two girls screaming inside disappeared from view as they took cover. Jenni aimed and fired again. The last zombie tumbled over the hood and disappeared from view.
“Get them fast,” Katie shouted at Bill. “We've got company coming!”
Jenni looked up the road to see zombies materializing out of the darkness of the trees onto the moon drenched road. “Fuck!”
Bill waded into the tall grass, his form illuminated by the red truck's headlights, his gun and gaze aimed downward, wary of anything lurking there. Jenni kept him covered as Kat
ie stood ready to jump into the truck and drive them out of here.
One of the girls popped up and shoved the truck door open. Bill reached for her and she jumped into his arms. Another girl, younger than the first, also dove into his arms. He clutched them tightly.
Jenni watched the terrain around him. “Hurry, Bill. Hurry!”
Bill hurried out of the grass and onto the road. He glanced over his shoulder at the moaning forms drawing ever closer. Katie rushed over to him and grabbed one of the girls. Together, they hustled them into the truck as Jenni continued to keep her gun trained on the zombies closing in.