Zombie Exodus: Side Stories, Brody & Madison, scene 17

continued from scene 16 

Brody grips the Land Cruiser's steering wheel, his heart pounding. With a hesitant jerk of the wheel, he swerves the Land Cruiser to the side of the road. The vehicle lurches and collides with a parked car, the loud crunch of metal against metal echoing through the silent streets.

Madison gasps. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh."

The woman on the road seizes the opportunity and runs for the car. She slams into the back door and tries to open it. Madison looks down at the side console and flips the switch to unlock the door. As the zombie closes the distance, the woman opens the door and scrambles into the backseat of the Land Cruiser, her eyes wide with fear.

"Go!" she shouts, her voice trembling with adrenaline.

Brody slams his foot on the gas pedal, and the Land Cruiser roars to life. They tear down the street, scraping against parked cars as they escape, leaving a trail of shattered glass and twisted metal in their wake. Madison steadies herself in the front seat, gripping the handles.

Finally, as they put enough distance between themselves and the pursuing zombie, Brody eases off the gas. The woman lets out a shaky breath from the backseat, her trembling hands reaching into her pocket. She pulls out a bag of hand-rolled cigarettes.

"That was exciting! Thanks for saving me back there," she says. "I'm Sarah, by the way. You guys want a smoke?"

Brody and Madison exchange glances. Clearing his throat, Brody manages a friendly smile. "We don't smoke, but thanks for the offer. It's nice to meet you, Sarah. I'm Brody, and this is my sister, Madison."

Madison remains quiet, her thoughts a whirlwind as she contemplates the sudden presence of a stranger in their vehicle. She still doesn't let on her reservations, maintaining a calm and introspective demeanor.

Sarah takes a drag from her cigarette, exhaling smoke outside the cracked window. "Pleasure to meet both of you," she says with a small, grateful smile. "I owe you big time for the rescue back there."

As the Land Cruiser rumbles, Sarah suggests, "I've got some friends staying at a house nearby. We've been pooling our resources, making it through this mess together. It's just around the corner."

Madison finally speaks up, her tone polite but resolute. "We saved you from that crazie, but we don't know you or your friends. We'll let you out at the next corner."

"Crazie? Oh, you mean the infected? That's awesome. I never heard anyone refer to them that way," Sarah laughs.

Brody perks up. "Maybe we should check out her friends, Madison. They might have supplies, and we've been alone for so long."

Sarah's eyes light up at Brody's suggestion. "It's almost time for lunch. My friend makes this amazing bean stew. You've got to try it. But I understand if you don't want to go to the house. Suspicious of the new girl and all. How about you let me out near the end of the road?"

continue to scene 18