With the amount of bodies in the barn, they decided to set it alight as they left. Now, across a field and in the rain, they turned back to see the fire rage in the distance. They’d decided to head back to the main road and follow signs to the safe zone established within the grounds of a football stadium, the plan they had agreed upon back in the shop with Mr Peterson. It seemed best, as not one of them knew where they were as they marched across the fields.
They found the road as they wandered across the openness. The handful of infected they passed did so at a distance, keeping their threat level low and allowing them to make time on their journey. No one spoke, whether it being due to tiredness or fear Bucky didn’t know. They crossed the safety barrier and stood upon tarmac. The handful of cars on both sides stood silent and eerie. It really was the end of the world. Rain, distant thunder at times, Bucky sighed. Things could not get any worse.
Four
Through the darkness the road descended. Two hundred meters away, give or take, a bridge crossed the road that they walked upon, but did so at their level, meaning that the road they followed had to descend below ground level.
They wandered between vehicles until reaching the bottom where the bridge sheltered them from the ongoing rainfall.
“Okay, take five please,” Aaron asked, leaning against a Honda.
“Yes, I need a pit stop,” Johnny began as he headed across to the stone wall. Lacey sighed, placing her hands on her hips. Bucky scouted the area. The stone walls ran on both sides, starting where the road descended. The way they headed meant an ascension another two hundred meters or so. The road above must have been a major travel way, but Bucky had no idea which one.
After Johnny answered the call of nature they continued walking, enjoying the small journey before being thrust in to the rain once more.
“Hey.” Bucky turned to see Johnny peering into a four by four. Johnny clicked the handle. “It’s open.”
Bucky wandered across to him with the others. A picnic hamper and blankets sat upon the vehicle’s rear seat.
Bucky sighed. “I don’t think now is…”
“Look!” Lacey pointed out a set of car headlights on the road they’d just walked from. “We’re saved.”
Butterflies erupted inside Bucky’s stomach. “No. No, we’re not. We have to hide, now.”
Lacey sighed. “Why?”
“The clowns,” Bucky informed her.”They said this was their road.” Lacey’s expression fell. “We need to hide before they see us.”
“Get in,” Johnny gasped.
Lacey opened the passenger door and moved over to the driver’s seat. Aaron and Johnny took the back, whilst Bucky jumped in the passenger side and closed the door.
“Everyone in?” he asked as the doors closed.
“Yes,” Johnny replied. “Here.” He handed across some picnic blankets.
“Do you have one?” Bucky asked, reaching to the dash and engaging the door locks.
“We got a few. Looks like the people who owned this car were out for the day when this whole shit storm hit.”
“Cover yourselves and lay down.”
Lacey slumped down behind the steering wheel, drawing the blanket across herself as she rested her head next to the gear stick. Bucky slumped beside her, his hand maintaining a firm grasp of the sword, ready to lash out for an instant attack if needed.
The distant headlights gleamed through their windows as it manoeuvred between the abandoned vehicles. The gentle purr of its engine became audible.
“Sounds like they stopped,” Johnny whispered.
“Can you see anything from back there?” Bucky asked.
“I’ll look.”
“For God’s sake don’t get spotted.”
Bucky held his breath as Johnny shuffled from behind.
“They’re way back. They’re just… no hold on, the doors are opening.” Bucky’s heart skipped a beat. “Looks like three of them. I can’t see properly, but, oh shit, they’re searching the cars.”
“Oh no,” Lacey whispered. Bucky found his grasp on the sword had become tighter.
“What do we do?” Aaron asked.
“Nothing. We do nothing,” Bucky replied, his voice no more than a rasp. “Just keep cool.”
Over the engine came the sound of breaking glass.
“They’re scavenging by the looks of it. They’re all looking in cars,” Johnny’s voice warbled. He was scared.
“We have to get out,” Lacey replied.
Bucky sighed. “We can’t. If we bail now they’ll see us. We run, we’ll get split and then we’re even less likely to make it to the stadium.” Bucky recalled Aaron climbing in to the passenger side behind him. “Aaron, what are you packing?”
“Just the screwdriver I took from the barn.”
“Johnny, can you see if they’re armed out there?”
“Hold on.” The sound of more windows smashing emerged from the underpass. “I can’t tell. They have something, though. Looks like torches that they’re breaking the car windows with.”
“They’ll be armed,” Aaron stated. “There’s no way they’d venture out here at this time of night with all the crazies running around.”
Bucky waited a moment before unlocking the doors.
“What the hell are you doing, man?” Johnny shrilled.
“Keep it down and listen. They’re only smashing the windows because the doors are locked. When they get here, one of them will try either my door or Aaron’s door. Whoever’s door opens, we’ll take them by surprise. That’s one down. Then it’s us against them. Four against two.”
“What if they have guns?” Lacey asked.
“Then I guess we’ll deal with that when it happens. If they do, then everyone will have one. If we take the first one out, then we get a gun. You ready for this, Aaron?”
“No. You’re gonna get us killed.”
“Damn it, Aaron, there’s nothing else we can do. Just swing the screwdriver and take him out. Got it?”
“Alright. Alright. I got it, okay? I’m set.”
“Well you better
