“What about the ricochet?” Bud asked before pulling the trigger.
“No choice! Just do it!” Roosevelt and Johnny both screamed at the older man above them. Bud didn’t hesitate again, he squeezed the trigger and the shot echoed in their heads making their ears ring instantly as the bullet smashed into the lock and bounced off into the steel hatch above and then down into Johnny.
Chapter Nineteen
9:43 a.m. January 4, 2049
Richey’s Truckstop
Sweetwater, Tennessee
“Shit!” Johnny screamed as the deformed bullet punched through his shoulder ripping skin and muscle as it passed through his body. Blood leaked from the wound down into the crowd of zeds causing them to go into a feeding frenzy none of them had ever seen before. Bud ripped the destroyed lock off the hatch and flung it open. Sunlight blasted him in the face as he climbed out onto the roof. He turned back to help Johnny out and then Roosevelt before slamming the hatch closed again.
“Let me see it!” Roosevelt said, dropping down to his knees next to Johnny. The searing pain caused him to writhe on the ground as Roosevelt ripped Johnny’s shirt off and used it to wipe away some of the blood so he could see the damage done to his friend's shoulder. A small hole went in through the front part of his shoulder while a large gaping hole the size of a half dollar was in the back.
“Punched clean through. You’ll be fine in a few weeks.” Roosevelt stated as he used Johnny's shirt to put pressure on the larger wound.
“Hold this in place!” He said over his shoulder to Bud. The older man dropped down next to Johnny and held the shirt in place while Roosevelt stood up and ripped off his own shirt. He handed his shirt to Bud and said.
“Use this for the front wound. I’m going to find a way to get some help out here.” Bud did as he was told as Roosevelt darted across the roof to the front of the building.
“Johnny I’m sorry about this.” Bud started but Johnny cut him off.
“Don’t worry about that right now. You had to do it, now just focus on stopping the bleeding.” Bud nodded and added more pressure to the two wounds causing Johnny to hiss in pain.
Roosevelt stopped at the front edge and glanced around. To his left, on the edge of the building a metal ladder sat attached to the side. He turned and ran toward the ladder and leaned over the side of the building. Zombies surrounded the building, four or five deep in some spots. The monsters below showed no sign of any sign of being interested in anything other than getting to their next meal that waited inside. Roosevelt watched for a long second as zombie after zombie slammed their mass into the wall before bouncing off and charging again.
He turned around deciding that this was not a path he was prepared to take and ran back to the front of a building.
"Shit!" He cursed, realizing the only option to get off this building and find help.
The fuel island stood several yards away from the edge of the station. He stared for a moment, calculating the distance, and contemplating if he could even make it. Deciding he had no choice, he turned and jogged to the back side of the building. He leaned back against knelt, getting into position as if he were an Olympic sprinter, drew in a few short breaths, and took off full speed across the building. The cold wind was painful as it connected with the sweat that rolled down his chest in large drops as he raced across the rooftop.
He quickly reached the opposite side of the building and launched himself out into the open air. He reached out as far as his arms could go as he quickly realized the island was farther than he had thought. He barely managed to grab the edge. He grasped and grabbed, his knuckles turning white as he secured his grip. Roosevelt held on tightly, sucking in deep breaths, his body still dangling above the ground.
The sound of his impact with the island drew many of the dead away from the storefront. They raced over and were now congregating directly beneath him like hungry lions waiting for a hunk of meat to be tossed into the cage. The zeds groaned and growled, some jumping at the meal that hung in front of them. The roof was high enough that Roosevelt was in no danger as long as he kept his grip. He risked a peek at the scene below him and quickly cursed himself for looking.
"Uh, uh!" Roosevelt grunted, gritting his teeth, and gathering his remaining energy.
In a quick motion, he pulled himself up with his fingertips and managed to throw his right arm onto the roof and steady himself enough to bring the left. He grunted once more as he hoisted the rest of his body up and rolled onto his back.
"Whoo!" He exclaimed as his bare skin met the cold metal of the roof. He bolted upright and looked over the edge. The roof shook and swayed as the zombies slammed into the posts holding it up.
Roosevelt made it to the island but appeared to be in no better spot than he was on the store roof as more and more zeds bolted from the store front to investigate the fuel pumps. He peered around and spotted no ladders. He raced to the far edge of the roof and looked over. Seeing nothing but walking corpses, he turned and ran toward the other end. The view was almost the same, dead, dead, and more dead. A black Freightliner with a long sleeper and tall smokestacks protruded from underneath and a long sticker that
