“Have you noticed anything strange?” Jacks asked, his question didn’t seem to be directed at anyone.
“Not really, but I just had a small nap” I told him honestly.
“Yeah, we haven’t seen any zombies.” John replied.
“Jacks, come in Jacks” the radio crackled, from the men in the truck behind us.
“Jacks here, what’s up?”
“We have someone approaching our truck”
“Dead?”
“No, living. The infrared camera is picking it up. Two bodies coming towards us slowly.”
“Ok, understood. Be prepared for an ambush, driver stays in the car, the rest of you out. Over” Jacks replied.
“Same here, John stay in, keep the engine running in case we need to get away. George, you’re with me.”
I pulled my gun out of my bag and checked that it was loaded. Then hopped out of the car. It was surreal how easy and natural this now came to me.
No words were used, just hand movements. Jacks indicated that he wanted me to go one way and that he would go the other. John stayed in the jeep. We stood with two men facing one way, two the other way.
The bushes facing Jacks and I started to rustle, the man from the back stealthily moved around, pointing his gun towards the sound. My heart raced, adrenaline pumped through my body. I tried to steady my shaking hand as I aimed my weapon out in front of me. “Please don’t shoot” a disembodied voice came from the bush.
I knew that voice, but couldn’t place it straight away.
“Throw out any weapons you have and come out with your hands up” Jacks called out in a menacing voice.
“We are unarmed, there is only myself and this child. Please. We need help “the voice begged.
The voice finally clicked, “Lewis?” I called out, now certain that the man in the shrubbery was my old friend.
“Yes, who’s that?” he asked poking his head out a little.
“Oh my God, Lewis its George you’re safe man. Put your weapons down” I called out as he came out of the bush pulling a small boy behind him. He was smiling like an idiot whilst also checking out the guns pointed at him.
“Put the guns down” I said through gritted teeth. “This is John’s partner”
“John? Is he here?” I could see the hope light up Lewis eyes.
“He’s right there” I pointed to our car.
Lewis broke into a run “John? John?” he got to the car as John got out, they flung themselves at each other hugging kissing and crying. The little boy had followed him and when Lewis realised he pulled him into the hug too.
“Alright then, let’s set up a perimeter and find out what he knows.” Jacks instructed the men. Who nodded and got to work quickly.
“Lewis? Can you tell us what happened? Where are the Captain and the rest of your team?” Jacks asked, interrupting the happy re union.
“We were ambushed just before we got to the camp. Most of our team succumbed to the zombies. The Captain, Billy and I managed to get back to my car where a driver was waiting but he had been bitten badly. He tried to drive us to safety into the other camp but turned during the drive and we crashed through the camps fences. We made it to safety but not before their camp was under attack, we got to the radio station and made the sos call to you.”
“And you two are all that’s left?”
“No there’s about 30 people in a barn about 5 minutes that way” he pointed back the way he had come from.
“Well, we can fit two in our Jeep. Two in with Ben in the car behind and the rest will have to try to fit in the flat bed. It will be a squeeze but we should be ok.”
“You two get in with John. John turn the cars around and get ready to leave. Give them food and water from the back. We will go and get your friends Lewis.”
“You two, George. Let’s go. Ben, you too we may need medical assistance”
We moved quickly through the grass, I could see the huge barn from where we started. I couldn’t wait to see Billy and get him home safe. When only Lewis emerged from the bushes I thought that we had lost Billy and the Captain.
There were screams and shouts. We suddenly saw people running from the barn just seconds before a huge explosion hit us off our feet.
There was a ringing in my ears, I had landed hard on my back, it stung from where the solid ground had grazed my skin, and I was slightly winded.
“George? Are you ok?” Jacks was staggering towards me, holding out his hand to help me up. I could hear him but his voice sounded far away and muffled. I nodded, not sure if I could speak just then.
“Let’s go and see if there are any people left to help” he yanked me to my feet and held me for a few seconds whilst I got my balance back. We checked and saw Ben and our other men getting back up onto their feet. Without hesitation, we ran towards the fire hoping that we would find the Captain and Billy safe.
Chapter 12
By the time we got to the barn, there wasn’t much left to find. Jacks disappeared into what was left of the building before I could stop him. Ben and the other men stopped to check on people. I continued around the exterior. About half way around, a low guttural moan stopped me. My hearing was coming back to normal but was not as it should have been. I stood as still
