“So, Lt Jacks. What is the name for our compound?” the thought had just come to me. I just called it our compound. The military so far had called it camp three or compound three.
“We just called it compound three. Why?” he looked back at me with a puzzled look on his face.
“Just came to me” I shrugged “I think that it should have a proper name, something motivational. Like Camp Revolution.”
“Yeah that’s good, we should think of a few names and take them back to camp. Then we can ask people to vote” Adam seemed excited by this idea.
“Yeah, maybe if people name it they will feel more involved and want to look after it a little more.”
We threw a load of names around, some were good and some were completely hilarious. It was a welcome distraction from our mission, from the tediousness of the journey.
We settled on four names to take back to camp and agreed that we would ask our friends when we found them safe. Camp Revolution, Purity, Unity and Crimson.
The closer we got to where Jacks said the second camp was the more zombies we saw. All heading in the same direction as us.
I stroked the handle of my knife, now back at my waist. Feeling reassurance from its presence. I picked up the binoculars again to check them out. Most were dressed in what looked like night clothes. Some just wore tatters, and no shoes on their feet. Not that it bothered them in the slightest. They didn’t feel anything but hunger.
“Turn right here” Jacks pointed to where he wanted John to pull off the road onto a dirt track.
We followed the bumpy road uphill for at least a quarter of a mile, before Jacks instructed John to pull into a small clearing.
“This is perfect, from the road we won’t be seen but from here we should be able to see everything that we need to.” Jacks got out of the truck and walked to the edge of the mountain.
The rest of us followed, the military men behind us kept guard over the area. Jacks held out his hand for the binoculars which I handed to him.
“Oh shit” Jacks muttered, his face had suddenly gone pale. He handed me the binoculars and walked back to the car, he got in and just sat there, not saying another word.
I held them in front of my face and immediately wished that I hadn’t. Zombies had overrun the camp. Men women and children were running blindly, not looking where they were going but rather at what was following them. I watched as a woman and a child got trapped against a wall, three zombies closed in on them. A soldier came from nowhere, and took them out, pushing the mother and child into a door that had just opened before disappearing inside himself. I gave a sigh of relief that they got away but my heart broke for those who were not so lucky. There were bodies strewn everywhere, some were even starting to get back up, ready to join the ranks of the undead. I closed my eyes and held out the binoculars for Adam to take. Now that I listened I could hear the screams and cries for help all mixed together with the excited moaning of the zombies as they chased their fast food.
I too walked back to the car, and got in.
“What can we do?” I desperately wanted to help those people.
“I don’t know…” Jacks Stammered. His calm had left him.
“Well think dammit!” I screamed at him, hitting the back of his head rest.
“They were my friends, I convinced them to leave the first camp and come to this one.” The emotion in his voice was heart-breaking.
I suddenly understood, he was losing people that he loved. All rationalisation had gone the moment he saw the dead tearing through his friends, he was struggling to focus.
“Ok I think I have something. Where does this road lead?”
“Uh, just down the other side and round behind camp.”
I jumped out of the car “Everyone get in, John I want you to drive around to the back of their compound. I’m going to try to draw the zombies this way, enough of them that you can get some of those people to safety. Ill follow you down” I pulled my back pack out of the foot well in the back.
“I’ll stay with you” Adam jogged towards me.
“No, go with them, keep an eye on Jacks. I’m not sure he will do what needs to be done.” I said quietly. He nodded and hugged me tightly. “Be safe G”
It was my turn to nod, I wouldn’t make any promises, this was going to be extremely dangerous for us all. But if we could save even one of those survivors it would all be worth it.
My plan was simple, wait for them to get as far away as possible, then I would fire off a few rounds to get the zombies attention. I hoped that once several had seen me and heard the gun fire that the hoard would follow. Leaving just a few stragglers in camp that we could dispose of easily.
“Are you sure about this?” Jacks asked through his open window.
“Yes, you go on ahead, try to free wheel it down the hill to minimise sound. I’ll make as much noise as I can to try to draw them up the hill. You go around back and fit as many people in as you can. Just keep me a seat. I shall follow shortly” I tapped the top of the car twice to let them know that they should leave.
“Thank you, George,” Jacks called as they rolled
