“Hi sleepyhead, ready to make a dash for it?” Will said to me from the front seat. “Adamhas seen us and is on the way down to open the door. But there are a few morezombies around than when we left so we need to be careful.” He looked around.“We seem to be ok, come on everyone, grab a bag and let's go.” He waved to Adamwho quickly opened the door, Will got out of the carand gestured to the car behind to come to him. I got out and joined Will, Johnwaited for Lewis to meet him and they went inside together.
The kidsand the other survivors all filed in through the door but before I could go in myselfI was grabbed and pulled into a huge hug by Nia. “Thank you George, youpromised to help get me out safely and you did and for that I will always begrateful.”
Nia smiledat me and before I could respond she had grabbed Billy by the hand and pulledhim indoors. I just stood there for a moment touched by her gesture. I was gladthat so many of us had made it here safely.
Will pattedme on the back. “Come on let's get inside to explain everything, have a shortrest and get back on the road.” He started to walk in through the door.
“Hurry upguys,” he said keeping watch. He closed and locked the doors behind us andstayed a few moments longer, watching through the window to see if there wasany movement.
Once we gotupstairs we introduced everyone to Amelia.
There werea few curious glances and murmurs as we had not told anybody the truth aboutour supply run.
“Rightguys, we will stay here for a while to get rested then we plan to head toGeorge's town to collect his family. After that we will try to find the armycamp that everyone has been talking about,” Will told them all, and thensettled in to explain what had happened during our supply run. Leaving out thatI had shot Tony in the head and the attempted rape of Amelia.
CHAPTER9
I lay at theback of the room on a green, single, sleeping bag, just watching the peoplethat I had become to think of as family. Will, Nia, Billy and Kandace sat atthe breakfast bar eating porridge and laughing. Happy to be out from underDeacons control.
The kidssat on their own sleeping bags in a circle on the other side of the room fromme, comforting each other and sharing breakfast bars.
Everyoneelse was scattered throughout the room mostly sleeping, it had been a very longand tiring night. I closed my eyes and fell asleep quickly, dreaming of Kellyand the kids. We were happy and laughing,running across a sun soaked beach, with clear blue waters, the kids threw ballsand Frisbees as they went on in front. Kelly and I strolled hand in hand,feeling the sand beneath our toes.
I awokesuddenly to the sound of something knocking and banging, I peeped out thewindow and was terrified by what I saw, dozens of zombies, milling aboutoutside the fire station. They were not trying to gain access, yet so I knewthat they didn’t know that we were in here-yet.
I tried tomake out Will in the dark but I couldn’t, so I resorted to whispering his name,knowing he was always on high alert.
“Will?” Iwaited but nothing, so a little louder. “Will!”
“What?Huh?” came from a few sleeping bags to the front and right of me, he wassleeping next to Nia.
“Will, itsGeorge. We have a problem here, man. Quick!”
I couldhear the ruffle of his sleeping bag and the zip going before seeing his darkfigure get up quietly, and make his way towards me.
“Look.” Ipointed out the window.
Keeping hishead down, he looked out to where I pointed. “Holy Shit!” he whispered.
“What do wedo?” I asked panicked.
“Shhhh, for now we wait until morning and we can see alittle better. We have enough food to last a few days and weapons, in case weneed to fight our way out.”
“Will, Idon’t want to wait another few days, I want to get back to Kelly and the kids,it’s been a month nearly!” I was scared and frustrated and kept imagining howKelly and the kids must be feeling.
“Calm downGeorge, we don’t need to wake everyone up, they will just panic and createnoise drawing them things towards us. If it comes down to it tomorrow, I willgo out the back door and try to draw them away from here for you to geteveryone else out safely, ok?” he said, placing his hand on my shoulder.
“Yeah ok,thanks, Will, sorry, I’ll keep watch tonight, I couldn’t sleep now anyway,” Ireplied.
“Ok, itsthree now. Wake me up in two hours and I’ll take over.” He said, making his wayback to his sleeping bag.
I movedposition slightly to be able to see the front of the station without drawingtoo much attention to myself.
As Iwatched them, I wondered where they had come from? The warehouse? Surely theycouldn’t have walked that far, that fast? Did they still have family membersalive and mourning for them or had their whole line been taken out but thisvicious, unforgiving virus?
I surehoped that my family were safe and had food and water left.
Not longnow Kelly, please be safe I thought in my head. I passed the time by thinkingof all the good times I had with Kelly, before the kids were born and after.The family holidays and days out, the laughing, smiling and even the tears. Ithought about how good it would be to hold them in my arms again, to rub noseswith poppy, fist bump Cameron and kiss my wife.WhenI checked my watch again it was 6:10, I got up and woke Will, advising him thatthe numbers outside had grown, but not by much and I was confident that as longas we kept quiet the zombies would move on, and we could get out of heresafely.
Will tookover my position at the window, I used the bathroom quickly and made my way toWill’s sleeping bag next to Nia, who immediately cuddled
