Zombie Exodus: Side Stories, Brody & Madison, scene 20

continued from scene 19

The tension in the air is palpable as Brody and Madison huddle behind their makeshift cover, preparing to take on the Cobras. Brody's voice cuts through the stillness.

"Madison, you take out their leader, Viper."

Madison nods, her eyes fixed on the scope of her rifle. It's an eerily quiet moment, broken only by the shouts from the Cobras, which call for Sarah's friends to give up. Madison lines up the crosshairs on Viper's head, the seconds ticking like hours.

In her mind, she grapples with the weight of what she's about to do. She's never shot a living human before. The moral dilemma gnaws at her, a conflict between survival and the preservation of humanity. But out here, in this unforgiving world, choices have become stark, and hesitation could mean their end.

"What are you waiting for?" Brody whispers, his impatience creeping into his voice.

Madison's voice quivers with resolve as she responds, "Quit trying to rush me, Brody. I'm just... being sure."

She takes a deep breath, steadying her trembling fingers on the trigger. Her sight remains fixed on Viper's head, but at the last moment, she adjusts her aim, redirecting her shot toward his shoulder. Her finger squeezes the trigger, and the silenced rifle spits a round that flies with deadly precision.

The bullet pierces Viper's shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. The Cobras around him startle, looking around in confusion. Panic and fear tinge their expressions as they frantically scan for the source of the shot.

But before they can react, shots ring out from the house behind them. Sarah's friends have opened fire, and chaos erupts. The Cobras are caught off guard, their formation breaking as they scramble for cover.

Madison takes another shot, this time placing a bullet right next to Viper's head. The impact shatters the car window beside him, spraying shards of glass like deadly confetti. Viper's face contorts in terror as the bullet whizzes by, mere inches from ending his life.

Fear takes hold of the Cobras as they break and run away. Raven shoots up at the boarded windows of the house as she sprints down the street, firing with precision. Vincent rushes to Viper's side, assisting him in escaping with the rest of their group. The other Cobras scatter, dispersing along the street, desperately trying to flee as bullets pepper the ground behind them.

"You did it!" Sarah shouts and gives Madison a sideways hug. Sarah runs around the side of the car they used for cover and makes it halfway towards the house. She turns and shouts at the twins, "Are you guys coming?"

As Brody walks around the car, Madison grabs him by the arm. "Are we really going there?" she asks in a whisper only he can hear.

"Why not? Sarah seems cool, so why not meet her friends?" Brody says.

"Because nothing is safe. Everything can be a trap."

continue to scene 21