Zombie Exodus: Aftermath, scene 21

Continued from scene 20 

You breathe a heavy sigh. “We did lie to Steven and Serena. Cameron is fine for now, so we should all catch up to Steven and Jesse and warn them about the West Pointers.”

“Thank you,” Serena says, giving you a slight bow. “I appreciate you doing the right thing.”

You, Cameron, and Portland pack your few belongings and set out on the trail away from the three cabins. Serena takes the lead and proves to be a fantastic tracker. The walk takes you northeast through a thin part of the forest where pine trees grow in abundance. The uneven terrain makes it challenging to walk. At times, you need to stop and help Cameron, who is still weak from his injury. At least Portland’s sore ankle has healed and does not slow down your group.

“Tell us about the farming community, Serena,” Portland says.

“It’s amazing considering how long it’s lasted during the apocalypse. About thirty families live there, and all have houses and jobs to do. We have hydroelectric and solar power, water purifiers, fresh crops, and farm animals. Everyone works during the day; well, children go to school and do chores. We often have communal dinners at night, hold bonfires, tell stories, sing songs, and do other activities. I can’t imagine living elsewhere.”

After an hour of walking, you hear the sounds of infected, and you all pause and take cover. A parade of ten gray zombies walks in a jagged line from north to south, cutting through the only walkable terrain. Two zombies wear West Pointer uniforms while the others are dressed in hiking clothes. They make slow movements across the forest. You know the gray variety of infected has little energy. The weakest of their kind, they only cause danger in significant numbers. Ten zombies of any kind present a formidable risk.

Jesse crouches next to you. “They are crossing just where we have to go. We may as well wait for them to get past us.”

Serena shakes her head and takes out a pistol from a holster on her belt. “We should kill them and keep moving. I can take four or five out without breaking a sweat. I need you all to keep the others distracted while I reload. If we wait around here for them to pass, we may not reach Steven and Jesse in time.”

“Shooting at zombies anywhere is dangerous. The noise could bring others,” Portland says. “Let’s climb that hill on the left and circle around them.”

“That’s going to tire us out. I’m not even sure I can make it up that hill,” Cameron says.

“It sure would be nice to have those uniforms,” Serena says, pointing her pistol at two of the infected. “We could disguise as West Pointers.”

Continue to scene 22