

### Age of Decay - Contagion

Copyright © 2014 by Brian A. Lamacraft

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

About this Book:

This book is about average people trying to survive in a world gone to hell. There are no superheroes, no military geniuses, and no vast stockpiles of endless weapons. I wanted to create a story that had a beginning, middle, and an end so you the reader could be satisfied reading it. The story has an ending, so if you don't want to continue reading new books, that's fine. You won't be cheated by a story that just ends nowhere, then begs you to buy the next installment. This isn't fair to you.

Brian Lamacraft

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Epilogue

Prologue

Derek Anderson had just returned with his wife from a trip to Africa. They had gone on safari, explored the jungles, went to national parks, saw Mt. Kilimanjaro, and had a great African adventure. Today, Derek drove his car through the busy streets of Los Angeles towards his office, but he was coughing a lot, just like his wife this morning before they both left for work. They had been home from Africa for just a full day. Derek had thought about staying home, but he felt he could handle it and go to work. His wife did the same.

In fact, on the plane ride home, they had both started coughing. The fine mist they produced got into the ventilation system of the plane, spread to the passengers around them, and was inhaled by the crew that passed them from time to time as they waited on the other passengers. For Derek and his wife Susan, it was just another day coming home from a wonderful African trip with a bit of a cold, or what they thought was a cold.

When they arrived back at LAX, the passengers on their plane went about their business and caught other flights to other locations, spreading the virus around the world without anyone knowing what was going on. The virus traveled to London, Berlin, Shanghai, Moscow, Sydney, and wherever else the airport passengers were going. Those passengers in turn took the virus to other countries, and on and on it went.

The jungles of Africa hold secrets we don't fully understand. After all, it was AIDS that came out of Africa and killed millions. The virus Derek and countless thousands were now carrying around with them would begin to spread and along with it, the fabric of society would soon crumble.

Derek coughed some more and reached into his pocket for another Kleenex. He used it to wipe the sweat beading on his forehead as he drove his car into the parking lot of his office complex. He got out of his car and went into the building, taking the elevator to his office on the 8th floor. He enjoyed his job as a systems analyst, and today was like any other day, except for the coughing which was getting worse by the minute. His face felt like it was on fire, but Derek shrugged it off and went to sit down at his desk. He sat his briefcase down and coughed again, this time covering the Kleenex in a greenish phlegm.

Next to him, Jill a pretty blonde, pulled her chair back to give him a look. "Hey Derek, you don't look that hot."

Derek coughed harder this time and ran his hands through his hair as he reached to turn on his monitor while at the same time, spreading the virus throughout his workplace.

"Maybe I should've stayed home," Derek said. Sweat begin to pour from both his temples and ran down his face in a stream. "Don't... feel... that great..." He examined this hands, which began to shake, the veins bulged. He looked up from his keyboard and blinked, shaking his head, the room swirling around him. "Dizzy, need a drink of wat—"

"Derek!" Jill let out a yell as Derek tried to stand. He pitched backwards, staggered, then crashed to the floor.

Another office employee ran towards them after hearing Jill. "What happened?" said John.

"He tried to get up and just fell over."

John put his hand on Derek. "Looks like he's out cold, you call 9-1-1." John took off his blazer and put it over Derek.

"Doing that now," said Jill, who coughed a bit, clearing her throat. She took her smartphone out of her purse. In about twenty-four to forty-eight hours, Jill too would be just like Derek, and so would John, as well as millions of others.

For the paramedics who arrived, it was just another day's work taking a sick person to the hospital, but it was the beginning of the end of civilization as we know it. All over the world, similar occurrences would soon begin, if they hadn't already. The new virus was taking hold, victim by victim, with death just around the corner.

It was a short innocent trip for Derek and his wife into the jungles of Africa, but for the world, it would soon be a living nightmare. At least Derek was now famous, for a little while. We all want fame, don't we? It wasn't a fame to be proud of, however.  
Derek was patient zero.

### Chapter 1

The limousine drove deep underground to the secret research facility in the Colorado Mountains. The vehicle stopped, and a marine opened the door. He saluted the general stepping out before escorting him towards the elevator doors. As the doors opened, the other marines standing there saluted as he went into the elevator then took the long ride down to the heart of the massive facility. The soldiers at the bottom led him towards another large door which slid open as he approached. As the general stepped through this door, it sealed shut behind him with a click then a green light flashed above it.

A man in lab coat walked up, then gestured toward another door behind him. "General, welcome. If you'll follow me, Sir, we'll get you into decontamination. The doctor will see you on the other side."

The general went through the door into the decontamination area, where they got him into his biohazard suit and mask before moving through this room to the main part of the facility. There stood another man in a similar suit.

He extended his hand to the man. "Dr. Raj, never thought I'd get to meet you in person. They say you're one of the best when it comes to flu pandemics, so I need to know what we can expect from this new flu. I'm here at the request of the President."

"Yes, welcome, General Drake. We have been expecting you."

"I understand you have several flu patients that have changed? I'm not sure what that entitles, Doctor. In what way have these patients changed?"

Dr. Raj put his hand on the general's shoulder. "I think it's better that I don't get too technical. You need to see this for yourself. I will explain everything."

They went through another door into the large containment room. The main area was full of lab equipment. Others in the same suits went about their business, only briefly glancing at the two of them. The entire area buzzed with activity; workers moved about flipping switches or tending to computer keyboards and readouts. At the end of the main area were several individual observation rooms encased in heavy glass. Inside those rooms, several figures could be seen moving around very slowly or putting their hands on the glass. Occasionally, they thumped against it, but the thick containment glass barely budged from the blows. In total, there were three of them.

"These are the changed patients, I take it?" The general couldn't see clearly from the other side of the room, he squinted towards them. "They don't look that sick. Flu patients are usually in bed. Why aren't these individuals in bed, Doctor?"

"Oh, there's no need for a bed, not now. They were sick before with a cough, fever, aches, and pains. That is the typical flu you see."

"What are they now?" said the general.

"Dead."

"Dead? They are moving around doctor, how can they be dead?"

"Oh, I assure you, General, they are quite dead. They have no activity at all, no heartbeat, no vital signs. There's only faint brain activity and some hearing. They only walk, grunt, hiss occasionally, and of course, eat. Allow me to demonstrate. He nodded to a worker who pushed a button. Inside a room, part of the wall opened up; a small cage could be seen which contained a large rat. The ghoul in the room went over to the cage then clawed at it when it opened. It grabbed the rat in one hand, then bit into it, taking away pieces of flesh like a ravenous wild animal. It stood there and chewed.

At the far end of the room, the general watched as the man ripped apart the rat. "Doctor, that man is clearly insane. I don't understand what is going on here. He's not dead and should be locked away. I demand to know what the hell is going on here!"

"They eat living flesh, you see. They are quite ravenous for it. The one there eating that unfortunate rat, is actually one of our workers. To understand what we are dealing with, I suggest you follow me closer to the glass."

As the general got closer, he could see the reality behind the glass. "Dear God, half his neck is missing! How can this man be alive?" He jumped back a bit as the thing got close, leaving blood smears and slime all over the glass. It scraped a hand down, then beat on the glass, its bloody mouth opening and closing.

"As I told you, General, he's dead. When the third one there woke up, he attacked the orderly attending to him and bit into his neck. We were able to restrain them both and put them into containment, but not before they killed two others. Those two we had to eliminate. Once anyone is bitten or scratched by any infected, they in turn die themselves, then change into these. It can happen quite quickly for some. Anyone living killed by these will reanimate. I know it sounds extraordinary, but it is what it is. We simply can't explain it. Only a direct hit to the brain will destroy it."

"So they attack the living?" asked the general.

"Correct. They will feed on the living like a pack of piranhas."

"In your report, Doctor, you mention that this virus came out of Africa?"

"Yes. The first two patients identified were a couple who had been on vacation in Africa. Apparently they went into the jungles to explore and contracted this new strain of flu. They brought it back on the plane with them, and it spread from L.A, around the world. There are perhaps millions with it now, but we can't know for sure."

"What is the infection rate?"

"We estimate that around 90-97% will eventually get this virus. There will, of course, be a small percentage with naturally immunity. If we could figure out how those individuals stay immune to this, we would gain ground on this virus. There are very few like this now, but that's going to change, very quickly."

General Drake watched the thing smear its hand over the glass again, trying to get through to him. He winced at the pale gray skin, the white empty eyes. It wasn't human anymore, but it moved. It has only one desire, one need. The need to feed. "What is going to happen to the general population out there? Will they all turn into this?"

Dr. Raj sighed. "I'm afraid so, General. This virus is devastating, there's no cure for it. We have tried literally everything we can think of. It's going to progress rapidly. In about three or so weeks, there will be millions impacted by this virus with millions more dead or dying. Eventually, it will be billions. Of course, those still alive will have to contend with our friends here. These risen killing machines."

"Doctor, you're telling me that those already dead from this virus will rise?"

"Yes. Those that aren't already dead from this virus will also perish from the flu quickly, then rise to consume living flesh. The basic flu will reach a peak, then everyone with it will simply die. As the flu spreads, society will break down in the meantime before the eventual end."

"Armageddon," breathed the general.

"Yes," said Raj. "A wave of living dead. It's ironic general, isn't it? We thought it would be a meteor or a nuclear war, but it's our own planet. Maybe it's our mother earth purifying us for our wrong doing."

"Dear God," said General Drake.

"We will need more than God to get through this, General." The doctor watched the thing through the glass, still trying to get out, trying to feed. "A lot more."

Chapter 2

Vancouver, British Columbia, is one of the most beautiful cities you could ever hope to live in. There are the mountains shaped like two lions' heads, Whistler for skiing, a mild climate, and a general laidback atmosphere that makes the city so charming. You might say it was the perfect place to live in, that is until now. In fact, there was no place on earth that you would want to live in, as those days were fast becoming a distant memory. The virus had started about one month ago with the first cases, but it spread like wildfire across the entire globe. Millions were now infected in North America, and the numbers were climbing to astronomical amounts worldwide. In the last week, the death toll had been steadily climbing, and no one knew how to stop it. Africa was a virtual warzone, far worse than a recent Ebola crisis. Thousands had already died in bloody warfare and starvation from this insidious plague. The U.N. had been called in to control the situation in Africa, but it was spiraling out of control. The infected simply overran the hospital facilities and were dying in the streets.

In cities and towns across the world, life was grinding to a halt. Commerce was down by a wide margin and there was a growing fear of a complete economic collapse. There were simply not enough workers to fill jobs and business was suffering as a result of the virus. The talk in many circles was that this virus was something new. The talking heads on the box discussed the virus every day, with their typical experts who knew absolutely nothing about this new, horrific plague. Online, people read reports of conspiracies and the like, but unlike the days of old, this was one conspiracy people were now believing. The news ran constant stories of the deaths of famous celebrities, politicians, sports stars, and others who had already succumbed to the virus. There were solemn ceremonies and speeches, but nothing mattered because no one knew how to contain it. No one, regardless of status or health, was safe from the virus as its tentacles seeped into all walks of life. Despite the talk and discussion that a cure was on the horizon, people kept dying. The glimmer of hope faded with each passing day. The once busy city of Vancouver was slowing down day after day as more people stayed home, or even worse, buried a family member. The world sat on the edge of something entirely new, and no one knew where it was going to lead.

Trevor Blake shoved the paperwork out of his way, then got up to stretch his six foot frame. The thirty-six year old was well-muscled and in good shape as a roofing construction worker. He had dark short brown hair and two-day stubble on his face, which he scratched with his finger. He felt tired from working on the bills and needed a cold beer. Alcohol was becoming something he relied on more often as he worried about the current state of the world, his job, and his family. It's not like his finances mattered anymore, because things had begun to fall apart with this new flu going around. It was hard to believe, but there were now close to two billion infected worldwide with the new flu strain. The numbers varied from day to day. It seemed to happen so fast, over the period of several weeks since the first announcement, it just kept growing and swamping the health care systems of the world along with it. There wasn't much roofing work now for Trevor, so he stayed home, along with his wife Lauren and their seventeen-year-old son, Jason. The schools were closed due to the flu, and Lauren's marketing firm had laid her off, there was no work to be done. The only ones with real jobs now were gravediggers, counselors, and doctors. Suicide rates had skyrocketed as people simply didn't want to live any more after the loss of work or a loved one. No one wanted to work, they wanted to stay home with their families as there was great fear growing with this new flu, called H1N1-ZX. Governments seemed powerless to stop it, or even understand what was happening. This new flu made the Spanish outbreak of 1918 seem pale in comparison.

Trevor went into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out a beer, popping the cap to take a good long pull. Lauren stood by the sink washing plates and glasses. She had nice long legs and she was still in decent shape at thirty-eight years old. With her long blonde hair and a nice figure, she made most men look twice.

Since the flu outbreak, Lauren had stayed closer to Trevor. He could sense the fear growing in her. He felt it, too, the dread that something terrible was happening. He brought the beer to his lips and let the liquid slide down. I'm drinking more than I should, can't let my fear out and show them. God this is so horrid, so many people dead or dying and it's spreading! Maybe this is the end. Maybe—

"I thought you might be watching the news," she said. "Not like there's anything good these days. Susan and Rebecca from work have it now, I was talking to the both of them on the phone earlier. Susan sounds terrible, I hope she is going to be okay. She tried to get into the hospital, but they are turning people away, she had to go home." I hope we all are going to be okay. This virus scares me, I have never been this scared before in my life. What is happening?

Trevor took another long pull on his beer. "It may just burn itself out. Most flu viruses seem to do that over time." But what if it doesn't? Trevor, what then?

Lauren sighed. "I'm glad none of us has this thing, if Jason got it—"

Jason came trudging down the stairs and burst into the kitchen, interrupting his mother. Like many teen boys, he was tall, as well as a bit skinny. Some recent weightlifting had put a bit of bulk on his arms that he was proud of. He had light sandy brown hair, but kept it longer and untidy much to the annoyance of his mother. With school closed, he just hung out at home as many of his friends were now sick with the new flu. Four classmates from school had already died, but the funerals had been private out of fear of spreading it to others. He opened the fridge, grabbed the milk, and then slammed the door shut. "Samantha's mom has it. I just talked to her on my phone. She's so upset."

Trevor put his hand on his son's shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear that. I know how much you care about her." Trevor raised his beer to take a swig. "I always liked that girl, you know. She's a keeper."

"It's not that serious, we only dated a couple of times. We're really just good friends."

Lauren put down her dish towel. "Your father and I started out as just friends, too."

Trevor raised his beer again and toasted his wife. "Now we are friends with benefits."

"Trevor," said Lauren as she grabbed the towel and flung it at him.

Jason took a glass and poured his milk. "Like I needed to hear that." He sat down at the kitchen table. "I am worried about her, though. This flu is hitting everyone I know hard. I hope she doesn't get it. I can't believe Steve and Ryan are gone, they were on the basketball team."

"I tell you what, Son. I know everything is crazy right now, but maybe we could go hunting this weekend or something. It might get your mind off of everything. You can bring Samantha with us, if she would like to go."

"Yeah, I would like that. Well, I guess there's one good point about it, at least I don't have to go to school." Jason scratched the back of his head, then ran his hand through his hair.

Lauren came over to the table. "Oh you won't get away that easy. Once this is all over, you're going to get back to studying, is that clear?"

"Hey, I have always been a good student, haven't I?"

Trevor drained the rest of his beer. "Your grades have been slipping some, so you need to get back to it once school reopens again."

"I will." Jason finished the milk then left the kitchen.

Trevor went over to his wife and put his arm around her. "They grow up so fast, don't they?" Just don't catch that damn flu, Son.

Lauren gave him a kiss. "I don't want the two of you going hunting this weekend. I don't think it's safe out there anymore. You saw the riots down in Atlanta on the news last night. People are getting desperate for supplies, there's shortages. I just want you here with me. How many are infected now, when is it going to end?" Lauren ran her hand through her locks. "I'm getting scared, dammit. I don't want to be without you, not now. We are safe here at home, less people to run into, less chances of getting this horrible flu."

Trevor put his hand on his wife's arm. "It's okay, we will all stay home this weekend. How about a movie night? I got plenty on my external drive. Just the three of us, if Jason isn't doing anything." Trevor grabbed another beer from the fridge. "I'm going to watch the news, see what's new, care to join me?"

"Yeah, let's go hear what they have to say. Is it going to be okay? Things seem to be happening so fast."

Trevor popped the cap and took a long pull on the beer. The liquid keeping the fear building up inside of him from coming out. I got to stay strong I can't let her know how I really feel, she needs me now, more than ever. He swallowed another mouthful of beer.

"It will be fine babe, trust me."

### Chapter 3

Sandra Richards coughed a little and spit into her Kleenex. She sat at the kitchen table sipping tea with her husband, Phillip. Like so many others, she was coming down with the new flu, and she was scared for her family. Sandra was a tough woman, always went to work even with a bit of a cold. She had fought through a lot of sicknesses, even the flu—but this was different, it knocked the hell out of her. She felt like complete shit, but many were far worse off than her, they were dead. She worked in the shipping and receiving of a local warehouse, but today she stayed home. So many of her fellow employees had already contracted it, and two had already died.

Sandra took a long sip of her tea. We'll pull through, this flu will burn out sooner or later, I can take it. She pulled her light blue robe around herself. Christ, so cold. Maybe I should go to bed.

"Can I fix you a sandwich, baby?" she said.

Phillip looked up from the newspaper. "Just go to bed, you look like pure crap. Don't give it to me, okay? Don't know how you got it so quick, you were fine last night. You know I told you yesterday to stay home from work, after those employees died. How can you be so stupid?"

"You know, you could be a little more supportive, I didn't ask for this."

"Supportive? Look, everyone is getting sick. I got no one at the shop to work. Do you know, I had one customer yesterday? No one needs hardware supplies anymore. Maybe I should open a damn Pharmasave. I may have to close the store, then what are we going to do? You're not working now, who knows when you'll get better. Fuck this god forsaken flu!"

"I'm sorry about Dan, honey. I know he was a good friend."

"Yeah, Dan. Now, you. Am I gonna lose you, too?"

Sandra put her arm out to Phillip, but he flinched, pulling his arm away. He put the paper down. "I'm gonna go into my shop, maybe tinker a bit. You should go to bed."

"I'll rest, hon."

"Yeah, it looks like you need it. Just take care of yourself, dammit."

Samantha, their sixteen-year-old daughter came into the kitchen, thumbing her smartphone. She had long light brown hair and wore jeans and a gray T-shirt. Like many teens, she spent countless hours on her phone, but now more than ever as news about the flu spread around the world. It's crazy so many have it, now Mom, not her. God, I'm so worried.

"Mom? What are you doing up? You should be resting. Let me make you some tea."

"I just had some, sweetheart, but I could use some more." She coughed heavily. "Might loosen up this phlegm."

Samantha stepped back. "Geez, that's a scary cough. You need to rest. Please, Mom."

"Oh, leave me be. I've been sicker than this before. I can handle a little flu. What have you been doing? Were you up there talking to that boy again? Will be good when you can go back to school."

"Jason, Mom. You met him once, remember?"

Sandra let out a deep cough. "Right, I remember now. Sorry."

"Well, you shouldn't be up." Samantha looked at her mom's slippers, those old ragged slippers. God Mom, get some fashion sense! "Are you ever gonna get rid of those slippers? They look like dead rats."

Sandra laughed. "They are comfy on my feet."

"I can't see how those are the least bit comfy."

She drank the last of her tea. "This flu isn't that bad. It's something I can handle, trust me."

"You can handle the same flu that's killing people all over the place?"

You have to be strong for your daughter, Sandra. Don't make her worry about you. Dammit, why did I get this horrid flu? Can't stand to watch the news, so depressing. I feel like I could sleep for a fucking week.

"It's going to be fine. I'll be fine." Sandra coughed again. "How about that tea?"

### Chapter 4

Erica Sanders worked at Vancouver General Hospital as an RN. Like most of her co-workers, she was overworked, tired, and rundown from the incredible amount of flu cases that just streamed into the hospital. All the hospitals in the lower mainland were taxed to the limit, and most people were being sent home, the hall was full of patients on beds. They had been trying to get more beds from various suppliers, but the flu had made deliveries virtually non-existent. She wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead and adjusted her mask. Erica was twenty-eight and pretty for her age with a nice figure, but wasn't super skinny like some of the other girls that worked with her. When it wasn't done up for work, she kept her light brown hair long. Erica adjusted the picture on her station of Chris, her late husband, who like so many other had recently died from the devastating flu. I miss you, baby. I got to keep working to keep my mind off of it. It's so hard at night without you, so damn hard. They need me here, so many do.

She worked at her station and entered a bunch of data into the computer. Another worker wheeled someone in on a stretcher. Many police officers were already at the hospital trying to maintain order, as many patients were frustrated by the lack of care. One had even stabbed and killed a nurse when he brandished a knife just the other day. The nurses and doctors did their best, but the hospital was at critical capacity, and they just kept coming.

"Put him over there," said Jessica, the nurse that sat near her. Jessica was about twenty-four with auburn hair. She had all the curves of a young woman with above average looks. Her hair was tied back, and she wore light makeup. Jessica was the kind of girl that never had problems getting dates. She hollered into a room. "Doctor, there's another one."

Dr. Vickers rushed out of the room and took a look at the patient. He was in his mid-thirties with short black hair, receding at the temples with an average build. He took the pulse, then frowned. "Just like the others today, all with rapid heartbeats. Get this man into the ICU ward, why is he here?" he said.

"Doctor," said Erica, "there's no more room in the ICU. They are just leaving the patients wherever there's room, there are so many. Most of the floors are full."

"Well, get them to make room!"

"Doctor?" said Jessica.

"Dammit," said Dr. Vickers. "We can't do anything. We just can't do anything, they are dying. Whatever this is, it's accelerating fast. We lost twelve in the last hour. They just died. Most of them were just brought in here today or yesterday."

"This flu wasn't like that a couple of weeks ago, we weren't losing that many patients. I thought this outbreak could be contained?" said Erica. You really think that? No, I'm scared to death. All these people.

"But since then it's accelerated, and now it's going into a new phase. All of these people are just dying." The doctor wiped sweat away from his forehead.

Jessica stood up. "Did you hear that? It came from the far end of the ward, was that a scream?"

Eric pushed a button at her station, "I'll have someone check on it. A lot of these patients are delirious with this virus. I've never seen anything like this, that's for sure."

Vickers cleared his throat. "Yes, it's turning into something I don't even understand. I don't think... anyone does. Damn frog, need some water."

"Doctor, take five, will you?" Erica motioned to a free chair. 'You're going to run yourself into the ground."

"Nurse's orders?"

Erica pointed to the chair. "Sit down."

"My grandfather has got it now," said Jessica, "so does Mike's brother. I made him spaghetti last night to ease his mind. It's his favorite."

"Yeah, it's bad," said Erica.

"So sorry about Chris. You should take more days off."

"I did already, I need to get back to work."

"Well, I'm here if you need anything," said Jessica.

"Thanks."

Dr. Vickers began to cough, he shook his head, then stood up for a moment. The doctor put his finger on his neck for a pulse, but he stumbled forward. "Oh, Christ." He pitched forward then collapsed onto the ground.

"Doctor!" cried Erica. She rushed to his aid to help him up. There was no pulse, no anything. She turned back to Jessica. "He's dead!"

Jessica stood up. "I don't know about you, girl, but this flu is scaring the hell out of me. This isn't normal. Dr. Vickers was fine this morning, he didn't even have the flu. Now he's dead?"

"Maybe he had a heart attack?" said Erica.

"He's thirty-six. Do you know any doctors who are in good shape at his age that drop dead from a heart attack?"

"Come to think of it—"

The scream chilled them to the bone. Down the ward a nurse staggered out of a room, blood pouring form a wound in her shoulder. A man followed closely behind her, his mouth covered in gore. He reached for the woman and bit into her again, tearing flesh from her neck this time. She screamed again before she toppled over, her throat spewing blood all over the floor of the hospital ward. Erica fumbled for the phone, desperate for security. Two more hospital workers tried to subdue the man, but he wouldn't budge. He lunged for one of the men, ripping flesh from his arm, chewing on it like a slice of steak. Another patient staggered out of a room, then began to weave across the floor in a shambling gait toward them. Erica noticed his eyes, which appeared white and vacant. The man moved like a drunk, grabbing the nearest nurse, and shredded her arm, splashing blood all over the wall. The nurse screamed, trying to run away, but the man kept biting into her, tearing off chunks of her flesh. The nurse collapsed and twitched as the man bent down and continued to devour her. The woman reached her arm up and wailed as her ripped-open stomach spewed out blood. She screamed for a few more minutes, and then was silent. Other patients bent down to her and tore off chunks of her flesh and devoured them. It all seemed to happen so fast, the ward was now a place of complete chaos and bloody murder. The two nurses had forgotten about Dr. Vickers fallen beside them. As they had their backs turned to him, he simply stood up. At the last second, Erica caught a glimpse of him behind them. With only seconds to spare, she quickly grabbed hold of the hospital gurney and pushed it into him. The patient on the gurney moaned and turned his head. He sat up on the gurney, his eyes were white.

Jessica screamed as the doctor moved around the gurney. "How the hell can he move?"

Erica grabbed hold of Jessica's arm. "Come on. We have to get out of here!"

"What's happening?" asked Jessica, as she gripped Erica's arm.

"The flu patients are going crazy, I don't understand it, nor want to. All I want to do is get the fuck out of here!"

The two of them ran down the ward as more of the crazed patients came out of various rooms. Screams and chaos erupted around them as more hospital staff were attacked and bitten. The floor was slick with blood as people lay dead or dying while others staggered around crying, unable to comprehend the madness in front of them. They came up to a nurse who had one breast ripped from her chest, leaving a hole of bloody gore. She moved towards them in a slow, awkward gait, her mouth dropped open with fluid flowing from the jaw. Jessica shrieked as they ran past, fleeing the carnage of the ward. The ghoul barely missed catching the back of Erica's nursing outfit with her gray, dead hand. As they reached the elevator of the ward, they rushed down the stairs along with several others who had escaped the bloodshed to the second floor of the hospital. People ran in all directions, trying to escape in any way they could.

They ducked into an office room and closed the door behind them before going behind a desk. Outside in the hallway, they heard more screams and the sounds of gunfire.

Jessica was shaking. "This is some crazy shit." She peered through the window of the room. "I don't see any of them near us."

"Did you see the way they move?" said Erica. "It's really slow, whatever is infecting them took away most of their motor skills. I can't say the same for strength though. God, those people up there were torn to pieces."

"What do we do? There's RCMP out there, maybe we can get some help?" said Jessica.

"We don't know how many of them are out there or what exactly is going on. We should stay here. Just let me think for a minute."

The two women huddled together, kneeling on the floor. They winced and held on tighter as gunfire erupted rapidly outside. The screams intensified, as well as well as sounds that could have come from the pits of hell.

Jessica sobbed. "What the fuck are we gonna do?"

They both jumped back as the door burst open. Another nurse staggered in, holding her arm which dripped blood. She fought to catch her breath. "It's crazy out there. Saw one patient get shot in the chest, and he just got up again. Cop said it's happening everywhere in the city. How does a person get up after being shot in the chest?"

Jessica jumped back to reality, and her nursing skills took over. She had a look at the woman's arm. "We need to get pressure on this wound." She picked up a letter opener off the desk and used that to shred the arm of her nurse's uniform. She tore off a strip and wrapped the fabric around the wound.

Jessica helped the woman over to a chair, and she sat down. "It's gonna be alright."

"I was helping a flu patient. He just sat up and bit me. His eyes, I can't forget the eyes. It's like he... wasn't there." The nurse began to cough heavily. "I'm Tricia."

"We'll get out of this, girl. The cops will take care of whatever is going on." Jessica heard more shouts and gunfire erupt. Another shriek tore through the hospital in a blood-curdling fashion, causing her to jump.

Tricia coughed more and put her head back. "God, what a nightmare. I tried calling home, but no signal, lines must be tied up."

They waited for several minutes as the sounds of gunfire and shrieks began to die down. They jumped as something banged into the door, but it went down the hallway.

"Maybe we should go out and have a look?" said Jessica. "This floor might be clear now."

"Yeah, the sooner... we get out of this hospital... the better," said Tricia as she bent over with another coughing fit.

"Alright, let's get down to the first floor and get out of here. Stay close, we don't want to get separated."

Erica put her hand on the door and opened it slowly. The three of them stepped out into the hallway. They could smell the scent of death around them. Scattered around the floor of the hospital hallway were several patients already dead with bullet holes in their chests and head. Blood smeared the walls in several locations, along with a bloody handprint. One gurney lay overturned with an officer lying against it. Half of his arm was gone, the stump stuck out in a grisly fashion with shreds of skin hanging from it. Blood pooled all over the floor, the air was thick with the smell of it. His legs had several deep wounds in both thighs, as well as the bottom of his leg where someone had ripped away chunks of flesh. His hand still gripped his service pistol. A dead patient lay across from him against the blood smeared wall, her head a ruin with her long brown hair matted in blood. Scarlet gore covered her mouth, the hospital gown she wore, ripped down the side. Bullet casings were everywhere on the floor next to the officer as well as several empty magazines.

"Holy hell," said Tricia. She wiped sweat away from her forehead.

Erica covered her mouth, but took the pistol out of the officer's hand. She removed a couple of magazines from his uniform and reloaded the gun.

"You know how to shoot?" said Jessica. "You never said anything before."

"Yeah, I can shoot a little. Chis wasn't into it. He used to tease me and call me his little Annie Oakley."

Jessica stood there her eyes wide. She took a step backwards, gripping hard on Erica's arm as the officer opened his white eyes. His shredded arm moved as he tried to stand up. "Uh, Annie... You better start shootin."

"What?" Erica jumped back as the thing that used to be an RCMP officer lunged at her leg with its bloody, bony stump. Erica brought the gun up and fired two rounds into his chest, but all the thing did was jerk back some. The three of them moved back as it tried to get to its knees. Its ruined stump slipped on the slick floor, leaving a bloody trail as it pushed the gurney backwards with its other hand.

Tricia tried to scream, but it came out more as a gurgle, and she tumbled backwards a few more steps as she coughed in an endless wave

"Shouldn't he be dead now?" said Jessica. "Shoot him again!"

Erica raised the pistol and fired point blank into the skull of the grisly ghoul, which shattered its head in a spray. It fell back sliding down against the gurney and was silent.

Tricia bent over and threw up all over the floor. Her face now a pale gray. She coughed in a wave of spasms. "Feel like... fuckin... hell..." She feel to her knees and puked again. Spraying the floor in yellow vomit.

Erica grabbed Jessica's arm. "She's changing."

The two of them stood there and watched as what was left of Tricia's humanity was claimed by the virus. She coughed in huge fits as spit flew from her mouth. She tried to stand up, but the effort was too much. She gurgled between her coughing. "Please... help..." the veins bulged on her neck, and her head flopped downwards.

Erica raised her pistol as Tricia raised her head once more and turned towards her. Her white eyes focused on the two women. She hissed at them, and a spray of spit flew from her mouth as she tried to stand up. The bullet tore through her skull and exited the back of her head, along with her blood which sprayed the floor and wall. She toppled over in a heap, oozing more blood onto the floor. "Couldn't do anything for her," Erica said. "Bites must spread this virus like wildfire. It's like they are—"

"Zombies," said Jessica. "They are some sort of zombie."

"But they aren't real," said Erica.

"Don't know what else I would call them."

Jessica jumped as gunfire erupted down the hall from them near the stairs. "Girl, let's get out of here." She took Erica's hand and they ran down towards the stairs. By the stairs, they could see two officers reloading their weapons.

"What the hell are the two of you doing up here?" said one of the men. He pointed down the hallway. "There's more of them down that way."

"We were on third floor. What is going on?"

"It's all over, everywhere. Not just here, but around the world," said the officer.

"Let's try and get them out of here, Dan," said the officer.

"Did you see anyone else?" asked Dan. "We heard shots."

"No," replied Erica. She brandished her pistol. "Just me. Sorry, I got it form one of your buddies."

"Alright stick close with us. We ran up here, as it's warzone down there. We're going to get you two out. Let's go."

The four of them descended the stairs towards the main floor of the hospital. Jessica held onto Erica's hand.

"It's going to be fine," Erica said. "We'll make it, these cops will get us out."

They hit the bottom and stood by the main door. "Okay, Jacob," said Dan. "Open the door slowly, let's see what's out there."

Jacob opened the door to get a look. The smell of blood hit them hard. The main floor was a scene out of nightmares. Bodies were everywhere on the floor, which was thick with pools of blood. One patient lay on the ground cut in half, his entrails stewed out on the floor like snakes. Two of the ghouls were kneeling by the corpse, chewing on the ropes of intestines. Numerous other dead wandered round the room near the doorway.

Jacob closed the door. "Looks like it's going to be difficult out there." He motioned to Erica. "You a decent shot with that?"

"Yeah, I'm an okay shot I guess."

"Okay," said Dan. "Let's get out of this damn hospital. I want you to cover us as much as you can."

"Alright," replied Erica. "Stay close, Jess, don't want to lose you out there."

"Oh, you can count on that, girl. Let's just get out of here now."

Jacob opened the door again. "Okay, go!"

The three of them ran out of the doorway with Jacob behind them. Dan levelled his pistol and shot the two ghouls that were chewing on the corpse. They fell backwards, adding to the carnage on the floor. Erica and Jacob began to shoot the various other ghouls that impeded their way to the doorway. The gunfire filled the main lobby of the hospital, and it did something else, it attracted more dead that were hanging around the main door near their position. Dan dropped his magazine and loaded another one into his pistol. A large group of dead moved towards them, blocking the main exit by the door.

Dan look to the other side of the doorway, and there was another large group coming from the other way, too. "Looks like were cut off."

"We can't go out the front, either," yelled Jacob, as he shot another one of the ghouls in the head. "Take them through the emergency exit, it's the only way out. I'll hold them here. Give me another magazine."

"No," protested Erica, "you have to come with us."

"There's too many. We'll run out of ammo before we get through them all. Move to the side, wait for my signal to make a run for it."

"Jacob," said Dan.

"Just do it, buddy!"

Jacob levelled his pistol and began to fire. "Here they come!"

Dan, Erica, and Jessica moved to the side away from Jacob as he poured fire into the dead in front of him. Behind him, more of them advanced from other areas of the hospital.

"Go!" screamed Jacob.

The three of them ran through the entrance to the emergency room. Erica looked behind her to see Jacob continuing to fire, but it was too late for him. The group of dead had closed in on him from behind, tearing into his neck and shoulder. He screamed as blood fountained from the gash in his neck. Erica glanced back to see the horde of dead tearing Jacob to pieces. As they made it into the emergency room, they were assaulted by the chaos that had taken place there. The floor was littered with equipment, blood, and several bodies. A few of the dead staggered around and headed for them. Dan raised his pistol and shot two of them clean through the skull. The ghouls dropped to the floor. Inside the main desk area, another one of them chewed on the remains of a nurse. The thing raised its blood-soaked face, then hissed at Erica. As it stumbled out, she put a round from the pistol through its neck, spraying blood all over the computer. She then fired another shot into the head of the grisly creature which fell backwards, taking a pile of equipment with it.

Erica turned to see Dan reloading his pistol. As the magazine dropped to the floor, he was preoccupied for just a second. He never saw the ghoul that came staggering out by one of the beds. It clamped its jaws around his wrist and tore off a chunk of flesh. As the blood poured from the horrific wound, Dan screamed. He managed to slam the magazine into his pistol and fire the weapon point blank into the head of the ghoul. Its head erupted in a spray of brains, covering the wall.

Dan winced in pain and held his wrist. "Get the hell out of here!" he grabbed a gurney and slammed it into two more of the things that came towards him.

"Dan!" screamed Jessica.

"Get out!" yelled Dan. "They're coming through into the room now." Dan fired several more rounds at them, then put the pistol into his mouth and pulled the trigger. His blood soaked the ghouls behind him as he crumpled to the floor.

"No!" Jessica sobbed as Erica grabbed her arm.

The two women ducked as one of the ghouls swiped at them with a grisly blood-soaked arm, and then they ran through the emergency door. The emergency area was full of ambulances, as well as several gurneys. A few of the ghouls walked around aimlessly and turned as the two women came flying through the doors. One of the dead was bent down and pulled out stands of intestines from a paramedic. It chewed on them, pulling them apart like sweet taffy. It looked at them as they ran past, its jaws opening and closing over the remains of the unfortunate man.

"This way!" said Erica. "My car is over here." One of the dead staggered towards her, and she pointed the pistol at it, but the weapon was out of ammunition. She cursed and drove her foot into the thing, which staggered back. The two of them ran towards her car. In the parking lot, many of the dead staggered around, then headed towards the two women as they moved to the vehicle.

Jessica went to the passenger side door of Erica's older model Suzuki. "Open the damn door!" She pulled on the handle as the ghouls moved ever closer. Jessica peered over her shoulder. "Hurry up, there's a ton of them heading this way!"

Erica worked her keys into the lock, but her hands were shaking so much she fumbled them and they fell to the ground. She bent down to pick them up, but that simple mistake was more than enough. The dead reached the vehicle on Jessica's side, and she was still working the handle with her hand when one of them bit down into her shoulder blade, sending a jet of blood across the door window. Erica had her door open now, and the keys were in the ignition. As she watched the dead bite into Jessica, she screamed and pounded down on the steering wheel as the tears ran down her cheeks. Jessica shrieked as they tore into her flesh, she slammed her hand on the window but it did no use. Erica knew she couldn't open the door, and that her friend was as good as dead. She screamed in her seat as another one of them slammed into her door, its grisly face up against the glass as it tried to bite her through the pane. It left trails of saliva, blood, and grime over the window. Erica drove her foot hard on the accelerator and backed out of the parking stall. She hit the car behind her hard, and the back of the vehicle crumpled. Ahead of her she could only watch in vain as a pack of the dead consumed her friend, leaving a pile of blood and gore over the pavement as they devoured her. She turned the car and hit the gas, peeling out of the hospital parking lot as fast as she could.

The city of Vancouver had turned to complete chaos, claimed by the dead.

Chapter 5

Jake Rawlings sat in a Chilliwack bar much like he did on most days. He liked to move from town to town with his gang, Rawlings Marauders, but Chilliwack was usually his main home when he wasn't out dealing drugs across the province of B.C. The drug trade paid good money, and while he started out just selling marijuana, he was now dealing coke and heroin too. He stretched out his legs under the bar seat and took another long pull on his beer. Jake was thirty-five with long black hair tied back in a ponytail. He always wore his favorite black boots and well-worn jeans. Today he wore a faded Harley Davidson muscle shirt that showed off his big arms, as well as the various tattoos he had. He was the typical bad boy, and he was proud of that fact.

Soon, I'll be a big player around here. I got those contacts in the States now. They'll end up callin' me boss before long! "Hey Stan, pop another cap for me will ya, my beer is almost empty. Be quick about it, I need alcohol," he said to the bartender across from his table.

"Coming right up. Jake," said Stan.

Jake's gang provided Stan's bar with good money, so he knew better than to question what Jake wanted or to piss him off in any way. Things were tight all over with the virulent flu virus, and Stan was just happy to actually have some customers. Jake and a few of his biker buddies populated the otherwise deserted bar. In the corner, another man rested his head on the table and occasionally raised his sweat-soaked head every so often. He coughed after taking a slug from a whiskey, then passed out.

That dude has had too much to drink. Come to think of it, so have I, but who gives a fuck. Not much to do with profits as low as they are right now. Fuck this flu, taking away all my customers. "Christ, Stan your bar is fuckin' dead today, there's no chicks or nothin' in here. How's a guy supposed to get laid? Turn on the TV or somethin', cause I'm frikken bored, bordy, bored. I shoulda' stayed with blondie back at the club, at least I'd be getting some action right about now."

"Sure, not much on though, all flu talk now."

"Geez, man. Would everyone fuck the flu already."

The station interrupted the regular programming with breaking news from a news helicopter from high above Vancouver General Hospital. He had been there once when he lived in Vancouver a few years back for a knife wound he got in a bar. Around the hospital, he could see several fires burning, as well as people staggering around like they were in some sort of daze.

"Hey, Jake. Things sure look fucked up there, eh?" said Vance, one of his biker buddies in the bar.

"What is this shit? Looks like there was a war there or somethin'." Jake drained another mouthful of the beer.

"Large portions of VGH are now on fire. It can only be described as total chaos," said the helicopter pilot. "We are getting reports from around the province, as well as many other areas of the country and indeed the world. Flu patients have suddenly and mysteriously died. They have come back to life and are attacking the living. Do not approach anyone with the flu. Authorities are trying to come to grasp with the crisis, but it appears to be escalating. Stay inside, and don't go out. Report to the authorities if anyone you know has the flu."

Jake watched the helicopter fly towards a mass of people that staggered around like they were in a daze or high on drugs. Some of them were covered in blood or had ripped clothing. One person appeared to have half their head missing with the brains clearly exposed. The helicopter flew by and made another turn to go back towards the hospital. The fires belched more black smoke in the distance. As the helicopter went over once again, the group of people appeared to be kneeling down and pulling the guts out of someone else and chewing on them.

Jake put his beer down. "The fuck? What the hell is that? Hey, Vance you check out that guy, he was missing half his flipin' head. How does a person walk without half a head?"

"Man, that's some intense shit goin' down. They are eating someone!" said Vance.

Jake pulled back on the beer again. "This some joke or what? They filming a movie?"

"Real bro," said Brad. "I'm seein' all sorts of stuff on my cell, people all over are going nuts. Maybe we should split."

"Naw, not yet. I wanna see what's going on."

The man in the corner let out a low moan and stood up. He opened and closed his mouth and shuffled his feet as he moved towards the bar area where Stan was cleaning glasses. He began to gurgle.

"Hey buddy, you okay?" said Stan.

The man opened his mouth again and stared at Stan with his white, dead eyes. He took a quick swing at Stan, then moved behind the bar. Before Stan knew what was happening, the man locked his jaws around Stan's throat and began to pull out his flesh. Stan screamed as his blood fountained out all over the countertop of the bar. Stan put his hand in a feeble fashion to hit the man, but he didn't move. He shook as the blood drained out of him.

Jake saw what was happening, he stood up quick. "What the hell?" Jake drew the knife he always carried with him out of reflex.

"What the fuck are you doing?" screamed Brad, as he took a swing at the man who had his jaws locked around Stan. He didn't budge, but hissed and dropped the lifeless Stan to shuffle over to Brad. The man's face was covered in gore, it glistened on his once white teeth. He lunged for the fat biker, but Brad sidestepped him. He picked up a chair and smashed it over the man's head, but all he did was stagger back a bit. Before Brad could swing again, the thing latched its jaws onto his arm and bit down hard, tearing away a chunk of Brad's forearm. "Get him off of me!" the big man yelled. Normally, Brad could hold his own in a fight, but the man chewing on his forearm was incredibly strong, even though he was wiry and very skinny. He pulled another strip off of Brad's arm; the biker wailed in absolute agony.

Jake and Vance both had their blades drawn and pounced on the thing that was tearing into Brad. They stabbed him repeatedly in the back, but it did nothing. Brad screamed as the thing sank its jaws into his shoulder which sprayed blood all over the biker's vest. It wasn't until Jake took his knife and rammed it into the side of the man's head several times that it staggered and fell over. Brad moaned in pain and held his arm, blood oozing through his fingers. He began to cough violently as he sat down in the chair.

Jake whirled around, and his brain tried to believe what he was seeing as Stan stood up. His apron covered in blood, the middle of his neck a huge, red ruin. His head flopped to one side, like he had a bad kink in it. He hissed and gurgled as he lurched out from behind the bar.

"Look out!" screamed Jake as the thing lunged at Vance, but he was quick on his feet and moved out of the way. Stan crashed into a chair and lost his balance for a short period. It gave Jake the time he needed as he kicked Stan over onto the ground. He crashed head first and before Stan could get back up, Jake drove his heavy boot into his head. He slammed down his boot again until the skull crunched. He then reached down to drive the knife through the head. On the chair, Brad coughed again then slipped off to hit the floor hard, he sat there moaning while clutching at his arm. Sweat poured down his head, and the biker puked before passing put.

Jake tapped Vance on the arm before he could go and help the big man. "Forget it, we can't take him with us. I don't know what this is, but it changes people. You saw how Stan just got up. He was bit by that guy we just wasted. We need to get the hell out of here now. Get back to the club."

"Can't leave him, man."

"Look, I'm tellin' you he's gonna change, the flu is spreading some sort of crazy infection. Now I don't know about you, but I don't want to tackle a three hundred pound one of those." He pointed to the remains of Stan and the other guy from the bar.

"Yeah, sure. Let's get outta here, then. What are we gonna do?"

"Don't know just yet, but things are lookin' to turn to shit real fast. Maybe we can take advantage of this situation. Rawlings Marauders ain't goin' down without a fight. Come on."

The two bikers exited the bar and started up their bikes. A siren went off in the distance, and a cop car sped past them in a hurry along with an ambulance.

Jake gunned the engine of his Harley. He turned to Vance. "Time to do what we do best my man. Let's ride."

### Chapter 6

The two of them sat on the couch. Lauren rested her head on Trevor's shoulder. The television channels were all the same now. No real programming at all, just news, grim, deadly news. Trevor flipped to CBC which showed a large riot in downtown Toronto over food deliveries to local supermarkets. The food getting through was sporadic, and people were starting to panic. Toronto had been hit hard with the flu, with over five hundred thousand now infected there. The city services were stretched to the limit. The newscasts showed fires burning in other parts of the city. He had just flipped the channel to CNN when the doorbell rang.

Trevor went to the door to answer it. "Hey, Ben, how are you?"

Ben looked worried with dark circles under his eyes like he hadn't slept in a few days. He wore a blue collared shirt with gray slacks. His brown hairline was receding away from his temples. He wiped his mouth, his blue eyes wide. "Chelsea has got it, she's really sick. I don't know what to do."

Lauren looked up from the couch, "Oh, no. Ben, I'm so sorry. Did you take her to the hospital?"

Ben rubbed the back of his neck trying to get out the kinks and tension. "No, they aren't taking any more patients there, they are sending people away. They tell you to ride it out at home. I couldn't even get an ambulance."

"What are people supposed to do then?" said Trevor. "Just go home and hope for the best? These people need drugs and treatment, they need—"

Ben sighed. "It won't matter, nothing is going to matter anymore, this is it. Something bad is going to happen, I can just feel it."

"Oh come on, society has pulled through these problems before," Trevor said. "We got through the Spanish flu didn't we?"

"It's different, everyone is getting sick. It's only a matter of time before we all do."

Trevor put his arm on Ben's shoulder. "Have a seat. You want a beer?"

"Sure, thanks."

"Hey, can you get me one, too?" Lauren said.

"Yeah, hon, three beers coming up." Trevor went into the kitchen returning a few moments later with the cold beverages.

On the television, the CNN reporter was interviewing a doctor about the ongoing flu crisis.

"Dr. Grange, what do we know about this H1N1-ZX flu? Is it anything like the Spanish flu of 1918? I mean, it's incredible. What are there, about two billion worldwide with this virus now?"

"Oh it's not anything like the Spanish flu, that much is certain. We are not sure what to make of it, actually. This is a different virus that shows no signs of slowing down."

"What can we do to protect ourselves from this virus? Should people stay at home, go to work, what is the best thing we can hope for?"

"We are advising people that have the flu to just stay home. The hospitals are already swamped with patients, and there's no way to treat everyone at this time. We are confident, however, that a vaccine will be coming shortly."

"He's lying," said Ben. There's no vaccine. There's nothing anyone can do."

Lauren was visibly upset. "Ben, you have to be more positive, they will figure it out. They are the experts, after all."

Trevor took a pull of his beer. "Once they get the vaccine out, things will begin to wind down. These viruses burn themselves out eventually, like that Ebola thing."

"No, it's something different. You can feel it. There's fear, you can sense the fear when you look at any of these experts, they have no idea." Ben wiped the sweat beading on his forehead on his shirt sleeve.

Lauren lifted her head as she heard a loud crack, crack. "Was that gunshots?"

Trevor took a swallow of beer. "Yeah, pistol shots, I think. Sounds like it was close by, maybe down the street some. We should call the police. Stay here, I'll—"

THIS IS CNN BREAKING NEWS

The CNN interview was interrupted by the familiar breaking news logo. The broadcast switched to New York City at the Metropolitan Hospital Center. The hospital was surrounded by police cars and overhead, a helicopter buzzed. The CNN reporter began to speak.

"Something has happened at the Metropolitan Hospital Center. We are getting reports that patients inside the hospital have attacked the staff, as well as others. We are told that the inside is one of total carnage. Police are responding to the area now, but have not entered the building yet. We have someone on the line from inside the hospital. Sir, can you hear me? What are you seeing inside the hospital?"

"It's madness inside here, good God, you have to do something quick! Patients are going crazy, they are biting and eating other people! They just go up from their beds, then attacked nurses, doctors, the other patients, there's so much blood. Oh, fucking Christ, it's insane, get us the hell out of here! We are trapped, there are so many of them. What is happening?"

"Sir, stay calm, the authorities are coming. You said the patients are attacking and eating others?"

"Yes! I saw them drag a nurse to the ground and tear out her throat. I thought she was dead, but shortly after that she got up and attacked someone else. How the hell could someone live through that?"

"What else did you see? Are you safe where you are?"

"No one is safe in here, people are dying damn it! Get the army here, quick before we all die! I have to get out of here, there's so many of them now! Tell my wife I lov—"

"Sir, are you there? We lost the connection, we will try to get it back. We are getting reports of similar attacks now in Denver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and other locations across the country, as well as the rest of the world. We are breaking live to Trafalgar Square in London."

Trevor turned to Lauren. "Oh my God, what is going on? People being attacked by others and eaten?"

"Christ, look at Trafalgar!" screamed Ben.

The helicopter shone its light down on the people in the square. The scene was one of complete chaos, people were running everywhere. A man had a woman on the ground and was tearing her guts out with his teeth. His eyes were white, vacant, and lifeless. Pools of blood filled the city streets. Others seemed to be walking slowly, in a daze-like trance, but attacking people randomly. Large groups of them converged on a man and tore pieces of flesh off of his body, sending blood squirting in all directions. The camera panned down to a woman gnawing on a forearm like a rabid dog. Troops arrived in military vehicles and took up positions, firing their L85 rifles into the crowd of people attacking others. One soldier was overwhelmed, and they descended upon him tearing out chunks of his flesh. The royal marines backed up, firing their rifles relentlessly, but there were so many of them. The things that were once human were attacking, then eating the living in a horrific display of complete chaos.

People ran past the soldiers, trying to escape as their attackers lumbered towards them. Those that were wounded staggered along in a daze or were overwhelmed and torn to pieces. The helicopter moved around other parts of London. Smoke billowed from a building as a car rammed through a store window and erupted into flames. Groups walked slowly down the street in an almost trance-like state. Many of them were covered in blood or had torn clothing, some had missing limbs, or chunks taken out of them, adding to the grisly scenes unfolding in London. They quickly overwhelmed anyone they saw and descended upon them like a pack of hungry dogs. As the helicopter continued filming, an explosion in the distance sent geysers of black smoke into the sky. A voice came through the television.

"What we are witnessing now around the world is indescribable. Reports say that millions of patients with the flu worldwide have died and are coming back to life. They are attacking the living, then consuming their flesh. Lock your doors, don't go outside. If someone you know is sick, call the authorities immediately. Governments around the world are calling up their militaries to deal with this emerging worldwide crisis."

"Good God," said Lauren. "This can't be real!"

Ben stood up. "I got to go home and see if my wife is alright!" He ran towards the door.

Trevor got up. "No, Ben, it's dangerous don't go, call the police."

"I have to go to my wife, she needs me. Get out of the city, before we all die." Ben opened the door and ran across the street.

Jason came down the stairs, his smartphone in his hand. "Dad, you have to check this out. On YouTube there's all these videos popping up of people attacking others, then eating them! The videos are horrific, I've never seen anything like this before. Is this on the news?"

Trevor looked up from the couch. "Yeah, it's all over the news, it's going on worldwide. We just watched something similar happening in London and New York, too. People with the flu, are dying in droves then coming back to life. I know that sounds crazy, but this is happening. They are crazed, attacking anyone in sight."

"That's insane," said Jason. "Like a zombie from the movies?"

Trevor ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know, I just don't know, it's so incredible! I don't know what to believe, all I know is things are unraveling. Go outside and dump out the gear from the hockey bags. Get as much of our camping equipment as you can. I'm going to empty out the gun case upstairs. Son, don't go outside, do you hear me?"

"Yeah, Dad, I'll get the gear right away."

Lauren turned to Trevor. "I don't want to leave our home."

"We have to get away from the city, hon, it's not going to be safe here. If these flu patients are all turning like they say on TV, then we have to get the hell out of here. Get our backpacks and put some clothing in them."

"I think we should stay here, maybe the authorit—"

"Lauren, just do as I say, this is going to get bad, do you understand me? Look at what we saw, it's going to happen here." Trevor jumped as he heard the sounds of gunfire again and police sirens down the street somewhere. "See, it's just beginning, now go get the clothes and fill some boxes up with food, cans, whatever we have, anything that will keep."

They both raced up the stairs. Near the top of the stairs, Lauren started crying, she held unto the post. Trevor put his arm around her. "Honey, you got to keep it together, I need you now. I'm scared, too, we all are. We will get through this, just get the clothes."

Lauren wiped the tears from her eyes on her sleeve. "Okay."

Trevor moved into the spare room where he kept the gun cabinet. He grabbed one of the gun bags on the floor and began to put in his gear. Trevor and Jason liked to shoot. It was their break away from the daily grind. Just last year, they had even bagged a moose; there was still some of it in the freezer downstairs. Trevor grabbed his Glock, a Remington shotgun, two AR-15 rifles, and a blot action rifle he had in the case, as well as all the ammunition. He loaded the Glock and put on the holster. To his belt, he attached his hunting knife.

He ran downstairs and went into the garage from the kitchen entrance. "Get those clothes into the caravan, then pack some food," said Trevor.

"I got most of the camping gear in the caravan already," said Jason.

"Good. Take the rifles and load all of them. There are some empty plastic jugs near my work bench, fill them with water, then get some clothes and get ready to go. I'm going to check on your mother."

Trevor went through the garage door that led into the kitchen as Lauren rushed down the stairs with the bags. She came into the kitchen and took the clothes to the caravan before returning.

"Jason is getting some clothes, and then we are getting out of here. I don't know if we are ever coming back, to tell you the truth."

"We will be together," said Lauren. "That's the import—"

Both of them jumped as they heard the chilling scream. Lauren dropped a can onto the floor as Trevor turned to her. "That came from Ben's house."

### Chapter 7

Samantha stretched out on her bed after waking up from her nap. There wasn't much to do with the schools closed now and people staying home because of the flu. Samantha worried about her mother, and she had made her tea while her mom laid on the sofa while watching the news. How can so many get sick all at once? Before she went to sleep, she texted with her friend, Susan. She tried to comfort Susan since her father had recently died, a victim of this horrendous flu. Susan had even more bad news—her mother had come down with it, too, just like Samantha's mother this morning. So many people she knew were now sick: her mother, friends from school, her neighbors. She wanted it to end, to go back to the way it was. Life was fun, she went out a lot and she was beginning to think that she might have a thing going with Jason Blake. He's so cute, that shaggy hair. He's getting some muscles, too. Although the two of them had only dated a couple of times, his friendship seemed like more to her. I'll go out with him again, if he wants to. I should text him, see how he's doing, but first I need a snack. Maybe I can make something for Mom, too.

She flipped on her smartphone and checked her text messages. Her phone was literally flooded with them. Gee, I'm a popular girl today. Any texts from hot guys in here? She read one from Clair, her friend from English class.

Omg, chek out the TV. Tons of people dyin. The flu, goin crazy!

Samantha read another one her heart began to beat fast. It was from Craig.

Grl, holy shit! They are killing each other in L.A.!

There was one from Shauna, too. Samantha's arm started to shake, and she broke out in a cold sweat.

Neighbor just went crazy. He just chewed on another guy's arm. His brother hit him over the head with a shovel! Peeps with the flu are losing it!

She almost dropped her phone as she read all the texts in her inbox. She could think of only one person right now. Mom! Samantha raced downstairs, but her mother wasn't on the couch. Samantha stopped to look at the Breaking News scrolling across the screen.

"Stay inside, random acts of severe violence occurring everywhere. Do not confront anyone with the flu, call the authorities, National Guard being deployed on city streets across the U.S.A."

"Portions of Los Angeles now on fire. Groups of infected moving down Los Angeles freeway, thousands reported killed, although exact number not known. Communications around the world beginning to fail in several areas."

"Situation is escalating rapidly in many cities. Portions of New York now inaccessible due to infected."

"National Emergency called by Canadian, U.S, French, British, and most other Governments around the world."

"U.S. government unable to comment on crisis."

"Airliner crashes into heart of Toronto."

She stood, staring at the television screen, not understanding what she was reading, her mind raced. Samantha looked around the living room, it was so silent. Her mother's cup rested on the coffee table still half full of tea. "Mom?" Maybe she went to bed. Samantha went around the couch and headed to the kitchen. "Dad? Is anyone home around here?" Fuck, I'm getting scared. She moved closer to the kitchen, thinking she could hear noises.

"Mom?"

Samantha entered the kitchen, and there she was kneeling by the kitchen sink. Her father's body lay against the cupboards, his head back with his eyes wide open in a cold, dead stare. Blood stained the counter, cupboards, floor, it was everywhere. It pooled halfway across the white tiles of the kitchen. Her mom was in the process of chewing a giant hole in her dad's stomach, pulling out his guts. The thing that used to be her sweet mother turned when she stepped into the kitchen and looked straight at Samantha with white, empty eyes. Her mother hissed with a mouth full of bright red teeth as she chewed on her father's entrails.

Samantha stood there frozen in shock. The front of her mother's robe was drenched in her father's blood. No, it's not possible. Mom! Samantha backed up and held onto the wall by the door. She shrieked at the top of her lungs, then turned around, running to the stairs. She glanced back and saw her mother behind her—slowly walking, her mouth still open, showing off those awful red teeth. Samantha glanced at her mother's slippers, now soaked in blood that left bloody footprints on the kitchen floor, and screamed again as her mind became unglued. She bolted up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door behind her. Samantha collapsed near her bed and sobbed, tears flowing down her cheeks. She sat there, waiting in the silence, when she heard the thump at the door. The thump, thump, thump. Samantha reached for her smartphone. Her heart raced in her chest but she managed to text Jason. She clutched her hands to her head and sobbed uncontrollably. Make it go away, please make that awful thumping go away!

Chapter 8

Trevor ran out his front door and was halfway across the street when Ben staggered out into his yard. He held his shoulder, blood oozing between his fingers. Sweat poured down his forehead and his ghostly white face. Ben walked a few more paces, then stood there.

"Chelsea," he moaned. Ben collapsed onto his knees as more blood seeped from the horrific wound in his shoulder.

Trevor could barely process what he was seeing when out the front door came Chelsea, or what used to be Chelsea. She wore a pink frilly robe with white cotton underwear and a pink tank top. She was pretty once, but now her skin was a pale gray. As Trevor eyes gazed upon her face, he saw the blood there, covering her in a bright smear. She looked to be chewing something in her mouth. Trevor thought back to the times the four of them had been together. I remember the back yard barbecues, with the girls in their bikinis. We talked, laughed, and drank beer. It's gone now, isn't it? All of it is gone, replaced by this madness. I'm going fucking insane!

It took mere seconds for Trevor's thoughts to go through his brain as Chelsea reached Ben. She bent down and hissed something before she tore a strip of flesh off his arm then began to chew that, too. She looked up for second, with those dead, vacant, white eyes. Ben screamed then toppled over. Before Trevor had his Glock out of the holster, Chelsea had knelt down and buried her teeth into Ben's stomach. Ben let out a shriek as she shredded away skin, blood, and part of his intestines.

"No!" screamed Trevor as he squeezed the trigger of his pistol. The round slammed into her shoulder, but she barely flinched. In fact, it seemed to get her attention. She stood up and opened her crimson red mouth. Blood tricked down the side as she moved toward him, one hand outstretched as if to greet him with a comforting hand on his shoulder. Trevor's hand shook, but he squeezed off one more round into the wife of his neighbor. The bullet slammed into her chest, which threw her back some, but she kept on moving. Why won't you die! Chelsea moved across the street, but Trevor raised his pistol, this time aiming for her head. The bullet tore into her forehead then exited the back of her head, taking with it blood, brains, along with portions of her skull. Chelsea collapsed backwards and crashed to the pavement as her head oozed gore onto the concrete.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" said Trevor as he wiped the sweat away from his forehead. "Ben?" He ran across the street and onto the grass, but it was too late. He knelt down to his friend. "Oh, God. Ben, dammit, I'm so sorry." Trevor closed the eyelids of his friend then went back across the street. Lauren stood there in the front yard her hand over her mouth as she saw the remains of Chelsea.

"She was changed," said Trevor, his back to the road. "She tried to eat Ben, like those things on the television. I had to kill her, I had to. You have to understand." Trevor looked at Lauren with a puzzled look. "Hon?"

Lauren's face had gone white, her eyes were wide. "Ben!" she screamed.

Trevor whirled around. There was Ben standing across the street. His shoulder was a ruined mess, with his arm in tatters where Chelsea had bitten off chunks of flesh. Intestines dangled out of the hole in his stomach, yet somehow he moved across the grass. How can you move, Ben? You're supposed to be fucking dead. The dead don't move! Today the dead did move, and Ben moved towards them. Ben opened his jaw, spittle dripped from his lips. His eyes. Those cold, dead, eyes.

"Fuck!" Trevor led go another round from the Glock, but his hand shook, and he missed Ben's head. He squeezed again, and this time the round connected before Ben could get halfway across the street. His head shattered into pieces, and Ben toppled over, forever silent. I killed my neighbors! But they weren't your neighbors anymore, Trevor, get that thorough your head. They aren't human! Trevor still held the gun out as his arm shook. He lowered it slowly putting his hand over his mouth, trying to keep his guts down.

Lauren rushed over and put her around Trevor. "What are we going to do?"

Trevor looked at his wife. "Do? We are going to get the hell out of here, that is what we are going to do. Get the rest of the stuff, get in the caravan. Now!"

Jason ran out of the front door and up to his father. He backed up as he saw the grisly corpses on the pavement. He bent over, heaved, and up came the milk. He clutched at his stomach for a moment before he stood up. He gasped a bit, wiping his mouth struggling to get the words out. "We have to go get Samantha, she sent me a text message." He pointed to the corpses. "Her parents have turned into those things, she's trapped in her bedroom!"

### Chapter 9

They threw as much gear into the caravan as they could. It would be difficult to make it out with the city falling apart around them, but Trevor was determined to get his family to safety. We'll go to the interior somewhere, hide out in the mountains away from this carnage. He threw the last bag into the back and slammed it shut.

He climbed into the driver's side and tore out of the driveway, spinning his wheels. Down the road, more of the dead began to appear. They walked around aimlessly, looking to feed.

"Call Samantha on your phone. Get her to move away from her door. I want her to lie down on the ground and pull her mattress over top of her. I don't want her to move until she hears my voice, understand?"

"Yeah," said Jason. "Sent the message."

"What are you planning?" asked Lauren.

"I don't want any of my rounds going through the wall and potentially hitting her if I miss. Plus, if those things somehow get through her door, she may have a few more minutes, enough time for me to get her out."

"Got a message. She understands."

"Good, now let's just get there. It's two blocks from here, right?"

"Yeah, take a right at the next intersection."

As they went around the corner, they saw a grisly sight. A man bent over another man and pulled out his guts in thick strands. He looked their way, but kept chewing, intent on finishing his gory meal. The pavement was stained with the blood of his victim.

"Oh, God," said Lauren.

"Who was that?" said Jason.

"Old man Hendricks," said Trevor. "I used to talk to him all the time, he had a nice German Shepherd. His son was in Afghanistan, just go back a little while before the flu happened." Trevor was lost in thought. "Damn." It's all gone, what the hell are we gonna do?

"Look out!" screamed Lauren.

Trevor slammed the caravan to the right, narrowing missing a car that sped past him. The driver lost control, and the car barreled into another one, sending debris all over the road. "Shit, that was close. These roads are going to be clogged soon, so I don't know how long we can stay on them. These things are going to be everywhere."

"Where are we going?" said Jason

"The interior, if we can, once we get Samantha."

"What? That's miles away, we'll never make it."

"You have a better idea?" Trevor yelled. "Or would you rather stay in the city and become the next meal of one of those." He pointed to the driver as they passed her. The woman that staggered around in a daze.

"No."

"Trevor, don't be so hard on him, he's only trying to help."

"Sorry, but I just killed my goddamn neighbors who tried to tear my throat out. I'm entitled to be on edge!" I just want this to end, this horrid nightmare I can't wake up from!

"Down the next street," said Jason. Just get there, if anything happens to her. "There, white house with blue flowers, next to the gray Mazda."

Trevor drove into driveway then jumped out of the vehicle, grabbing the AR-15.

"I'm going with you," said Jason.

"No. Stay here, and look after your mother."

"But—"

"Look, I need you to do what I say, okay? Watch your mother. Get the hell out of here if those things arrive, don't wait for me. Got me?"

"Alright."

"Good. I'll be back as quick as I can."

"Be careful," said Lauren.

"Here," said Trevor. He grabbed a crowbar out of the back of the truck and handed it to Lauren. "Use this if you have to. Remember, aim for the head. That seems to be the only way to stop them. Watch the road."

Trevor opened the door slowly in case any of them were by the door. He didn't know how many may be inside. It might just be Samantha's parents or there might be more of them. He scanned left and right before he went inside. The television was still on with news reports playing about what was going on. He saw the headline.

"Vancouver Hospital overwhelmed by crazed flu patients. Dozens of officers killed. Attacks occurring across the city. Lock your doors stay inside as authorities address crisis."

"Shit," he said under his breath.

In front of him were the stairs covered in bloody footprints. He could hear faint moaning upstairs and a slow steady thumping sound. Trevor checked his weapon and slowly walked up the stairs. As he went around the corner he could see them near the far door. One of them turned around and began to slowly walk toward Trevor. He had to swallow to keep his stomach down. The father. The man was missing half his stomach. He could see the ribcage and the remains of the guts. The front of his shirt was no more than a few tatters now, shredded and ripped. Pools of blood stained the once pristine light blue carpet by the door. Samantha's mother also turned toward him, her mouth was a red bloody gore with the front of her blue robe stained in the same horrific way. They both stumbled slowly towards him. Trevor wasted no time, he squeezed off two rounds towards the man first. The rounds exited the back of his head and splattered the wall in brains and chunks of skull. He fell to the carpet, a grisly ruined mess. The female open her jaw, but it was the last movement she made as his rounds tore into her neck and head to silence her. She crashed into the wall and left a bloody smear as she slid down.

Trevor lowered his weapon. "Samantha? I'm coming into your room, it's Jason's father. Just hang on." He opened her door and saw the mattress on the floor. The young girl sobbed under it. He pulled the mattress away. Samantha got up and wiped her eyes. Her mascara was smeared all over her face. She put her arms around him and hugged him.

"Samantha listen to me, you have to get some clothes. We have to leave right now. Do you have a school backpack or something else you can use?"

The girl sniffled. "Yeah."

"Good, get some clothes as quickly as you can. I'm going to look around the house. Make sure there's no more of them. Be as quick as you can, okay?" I'll close this door, don't leave your room."

"My parents?"

"They are gone, honey."

She began to sob again, holding onto her dresser for support. "No! Mom? My dad? No!"

"Samantha," he said. 'You have to be strong, can you be strong for me? We have got to get out of here. It's happening everywhere."

"Yes," she said, through her sobs. She wiped tears from her eyes. "I'll get my things."

Trevor went downstairs for a moment, but the house was clear. Thank God. He noticed a liquor cabinet and went over to it. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a glass and quickly downed a shot. Got to keep it together. This madness gonna tear out my soul. How can I deal with this horror? He downed another shot, then another. The liquor quickly became an old friend.

***

Lauren waited patiently in the caravan, her hand gripped the crowbar tightly beside her chair. She looked outside and saw Jason standing here, his AR-15 over his shoulder just like a soldier. What a way to grow up fast. Now it's us against the world. She sat back in her chair and closed her eyes for a moment. I wish it was back to normal, just like before when we were one happy family. When she opened them, Jason was gone. "Jason!" she screamed. She saw him standing by the trees relieving himself, and she sighed with relief until she saw it coming up behind him. The man with the torn shirt, the pale gray skin, the hungry open mouth. She grabbed the crowbar and leaped out of the vehicle. She ran up behind the thing then slammed the crowbar into the back of it. You won't hurt my son damn you, damn all of you. Go back to hell where you came from! The ghoul lunged for her, but she brought the crowbar down upon its head. The bar buried into its skull, and it collapsed onto the grass. She brought the crowbar up then slammed it down again and again, pounding it into the thing's head until it was a bloody pile of gore.

Jason whirled around reaching for his weapon. "Mom, you alright? Thanks, I didn't see it."

She wiped the sweat off her forehead. "They got our neighbors. I won't let them get you." She looked down at the blood-soaked crowbar. I'm a killer now.

"Shit," said Jason. "Over there!" Down the road about twenty of the ghouls shambled slowly towards them.

***

Inside, Trevor went back up the stairs and opened Samantha's door.

"Come on, let's go. We have to get out of here now!"

He helped her get the last of her things when he heard the gunfire outside. "Come on. Close your eyes, I'll help you down the stairs. She doesn't need to see the remains of her parents, holy fuck! It's a nightmare! He put his arm around her and grabbed her bag. They ran down the stairs and out the door.

"Samantha," Jason said as he ran over to her.

"Get her in!" Trevor aimed carefully and dropped the nearest of the dead with AR-15 rounds as they shambled towards them. They jumped in, and Trevor gunned the engine, backing up out of the driveway. He backed into one of the dead before peeling away out of the neighborhood, which was being quickly overrun by a horde of the dead.

Samantha collapsed into the backseat with her arms around Jason.

"Gonna be difficult to get out of the city," said Trevor. "This thing is spreading fast."

"Which way are we gonna go?" asked Jason.

"Need to make the Port Mann Bridge, if it's not blocked. Have to get across the Fraser River, then the Trans-Canada highway through the Fraser Valley. Normally, that's a piece of cake. Now, not so much."

"Are you thinking of going to your uncle in Hope?" said Lauren.

"Yeah, if he's okay. We can go and hide out in the mountains. Try to figure out what we're going to do."

"You okay?" Trevor asked Samantha.

Samantha put her head into Jason's shoulder, her tears stained his shirt. "My mom just sat there in the kitchen. She chewed and... chewed. Dad... she ate—"

"It's gonna be fine, we'll get out of here, I promise." They passed a bunch of burning shops. Bodies littered the ground outside, a few of the dead staggered around aimlessly. "See, all of it has gone to shit. This flu was wiping us out slowly, and with those things, its complete insanity now. They've all gone crazy."

"You change if you get bit?" asked Lauren. "Ben got up after Chelsea bit him."

"Yeah," said Trevor. "They must pass the virus on to you."

"Why aren't we sick?" said Jason.

"Immunity. Some of us have natural immunity to things. I don't think it will matter much now, with those things out there. Like me, I never get the flu, I haven't had it since I was young."

"The dead," said Jason.

"What do you mean?" said Lauren.

"That's what they are," said Jason. "We are the living, and they are the dead."

"Yeah," said Trevor, as he swallowed hard. "For now."

Chapter 10

The roads were quickly filling up with panicked residents, just as Trevor had feared. Cars were driving at high speeds, making things too dangerous to keep going. Since they had left Samantha's house, the driving hadn't been too bad, but that was all changing and changing fast. He didn't know how long the roads would remain driveable and even if they would make it over the bridge. The Fraser River stood in their way, and in front of them was a lot of uncertainty. They had enough food for a few days, as well enough ammunition to see them through short engagements, but that wasn't going to last. They would need to find supplies at some point along the way. The biggest fear Trevor had was that one of them would get a bite at some point. They needed to find more protection than just the clothes they had on their backs. Vancouver was quickly turning into a war zone, and they were caught up in the chaos around them. Up ahead, he could see that the traffic was beginning to thicken. Not a good sign.

"How much longer to the bridge?" said Jason.

"It's several miles up there yet, but it's not looking good. This traffic is getting thicker."

"Trevor!" said Lauren.

He slammed on the brakes just in time as a man walked out in front of them aimlessly, a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He staggered around, yelling, then disappeared across the street into a building. In front of them, another car slammed into a pole and erupted into flames. He looked out the window as a CF-18 Canadian fighter jet streaked by, firing AGM-65 Mavericks and its M61 Vulcan cannon into targets in the distance. Must be our Boys from Cold Lake, Alberta. Not that it would make much difference, the Canadian military wasn't equipped to hold back the onslaught of dead that was rising. They'll be overwhelmed, it will be up to us to fend for ourselves, try to rebuild out of the ashes. God help us. In the distance, he could see the smoke billowing up in a black cloud from whatever target the fighter jet had hit. Straight into the mouth of hell, Trevor. Straight into hell.

Two or three other cars stopped and honked their horns as the traffic ground to a halt. An overweight man in shorts got out of his truck with a shotgun in his hands. Things were going rapidly downhill as society came unglued in an orgy of violence and death. A fire burned in another building near them as sirens wailed in the distance. The once calm city of Vancouver descended into chaos as society began to fray with each passing minute.

"This isn't the place we want to be," said Trevor. "People are losing it, fast."

The man walked up to the car behind him and shot point blank into the driver's seat. A woman got out screaming, and he shot her, too. Her blood pooled out onto the concrete. He could see a few of the dead staggering around ahead, heading for their next meal. The man screamed something Trevor couldn't understand at the top of his lungs and fired his shotgun again into another car.

"Yeah, we can't stay here."

"Where are we going?" asked Lauren.

"Away from this, before it erupts into hell. Can't stay on these streets, we'll never get through. Everyone hold on tight!" Trevor slammed on the gas and drove his caravan onto the sidewalk, through the fence and the yard of the house they were near. They crashed through the other side of the fence, barely missing a tree, into the side street away from the mass of cars trying the flee the city and the growing violence.

"What are you doing!" said Lauren. "You could have killed us!"

"Look, we can't go that way, the roads are blocked, and you saw that guy with the shotgun. Things are getting bad out there. Jason can you check the backpacks? We may need to go out on foot if this keeps up. Use the jugs back there, and fill up our hunting canteens with water. Maybe we can find another way through one these side streets that's not blocked."

Samantha screamed. "There!"

There were four of the ghouls walking slowly towards them. There were three men and one woman. They wore typical business attire, and two of them had horrific bite marks on their necks. One male was missing half an arm, the rest a bloody torn stump of gore. Trevor could hear their low moans as they shambled slowly towards them. There was no going back into the traffic behind them.

"Stay in the car," he said to Lauren. "Jason, give me a hand."

"Yeah, Dad," he said, as he grabbed his AR-15.

"You take the two on the right, and I'll get the ones on the left. Don't get too close to them."

They took up positions by the caravan. Jason's first shot connected into the neck of the first one, his second shot tearing into the head and exploding out the back of its head as it toppled. Trevor let another two shots which tore into the two near him as they trudged towards him. Jason aimed again and pressed the trigger. He thumbed the trigger once, but the gun was jammed. The ghoul advanced on him its jaws open, ready to strike. Trevor fumbled for another magazine, but realized it would take too long. He jumped across the hood of the vehicle, quickly drawing his hunting knife. He slammed the blade into the side of the thing's head and twisted the blade. The thing staggered back for a brief second, then crashed to the ground.

Trevor screamed. "Fuck the damn cops for these friggen magazine capacity laws! Didn't think about an apocalypse, did ya?"

Jason laughed. In fact, they both laughed together for a brief second.

"You okay?" said Trevor.

"Yeah. Damn gun jammed."

"Let's get in and go to the next intersection. Try to find a way out of this."

They both got in, slamming the doors behind them. Trevor ran his fingers through his hair. "Trapped in a city going to hell, gotta love it."

"Maybe we should have moved to the interior like we wanted to before," said Lauren.

"Yeah, if I had known it would go to shit, I might have wanted to sell long ago!"

"I don't think we would get much for it now, though," said Lauren with a smile. Gotta laugh, try to stay sane. What else can we do?

"No, not much at all." Trevor was almost to the next intersection. Ahead of him, a wall of the dead turned, focusing right on them. Trevor stopped the vehicle. Great just what we need. Now what genius, now what? Sweat dripped form his temples, running down his cheek. "We can't go through that, they'll swamp the vehicle."

"Uh, you two have a plan?" said Lauren, her voice shaking.

"Working on it, working on it!' Trevor wiped his brow.

Lauren gripped the handle of her door, her nails digging in as the dead got ever closer. "Work faster."

### Chapter 11

"Quick," said Trevor. "Grab the backpacks and whatever else you can. Head for the house across the street." Trevor got out of the vehicle, then picked up his gun bag, slinging it over his shoulder. The white house was two stories tall, an older home with a porch outside and steps leading up with blue flowers and nice trees decorating the yard. The four of them ran across the street as the horde shambled down the street, drawing near.

Jason aimed his rifle, killing the first one with a good shot to the top of the head. "Get the door open, there are tons of them. Fuck!"

Lauren grabbed for the handle and turned. She pulled on the door frantically, turning around to see the dead behind her. Jason ran up the steps of the house as the horde of dead approached. "Locked, fucking locked!"

"Stand back," said Trevor. "Cover your face." He pulled the Glock form the holster, then fired several rounds into the door handle. He kicked at it in rapid succession. The door burst open as the dead reached the bottom of the stairs. Jason hit the first one in the head with the butt of his rifle. It staggered back, blood dripping from its mouth and shattered nose. Trevor held the door open.

"Get in, get in!" They ran inside, and he slammed the door shut behind them. He used his weight to hold the door closed as the dead began to hammer on the outside. To his side, the glass began to crack as they pounded on it.

"There." He pointed to a bookcase. "Unload that and bring it to the door. "Hurry!"

The three of them tore the books off the shelf. They picked up the case and brought it over. Samantha screamed as the glass cracked more.

"Get that small table," Trevor shielded his face as the glass beside him shattered. The arms clawed for his face. The thing moaned, jaws open, trying to bite. He pointed his pistol and blew apart its head as it tried to climb in. "Too many of them out there, go to the back of the house!" He moved back as they pushed harder against the door. The bookcase toppled over and the door swung open. He shot the first two point blank as the others tried to move over the barrier. Beside him, the rest of the glass gave way as hands clawed, reaching for their next meal. "Move, move. Get to the back!"

They ran through the house as fast as they could. Jason tore the door open to the backyard. As they ran out he slammed it behind him, trapping the dead inside. They were concentrating on the front of the house, but that wouldn't last long. Through the small fence, they could see several dead in the distance ahead of them.

"We'll go up that street." They are everywhere now. Just need to get to that damn bridge, get over to the other side, out of this city. "We can outrun them, but large groups of these are going to be a big problem. We need to avoid them as much as we can."

"We left the food behind," said Jason. "I got the canteens, though."

"Good. Hold on tight to Samantha. We have to stay together as a group. No one wanders off. It would be too difficult to carry cans anyways, we'll have to find some portable food somewhere."

As they passed a building, Lauren peered inside. She jumped back as it pressed its head against the window, smearing the glass in saliva. Thankfully, the door was closed. "That won't be a problem." She gripped Trevor's arm hard.

The street they were on was largely deserted except for an overturned car, as well as several badly mutilated corpses. Trevor stared at the one that was decapitated, its stomach torn open, flies buzzing around the hideous remains. Lauren put her hand over her mouth.

"Go," Trevor said. They walked until they reached the top of a hill. In front of them was a small strip mall. One car was smashed into another, and as it burned, it sent thick black smoke up into the sky. Several bodies covered the ground with blood and gore. As the got closer, they could see a small group of dead trying to get into a store. Trevor look up at the name, Ian's Sporting Goods. He also heard the sound of a male voice, thick with Irish accent. He took the rifle off his shoulder. "Someone's alive behind that pack of them, I heard a voice."

"Shouldn't we just keep going?" said Jason. "It's too risky."

"No, dammit. We have to help people. Not going to be many left living if we don't band together. Can't be selfish. Look, you take the left, and I'll go right. Use the cars for cover, try to draw them away from the door and pick them off."

"Ah, ya buggers want more, do ya?" came the voice. "Ian's got a bat for ya! Bloody bastards!"

Trevor moved closer. "Hey, we'll draw them off of you!" he fired into the crowd of dead, dropping two of them as Jason added his own fire. The dozen or so dead lost focus on the man at the entrance to the store and turned to the two men.

As they moved away from the building, the man inside came out. He was full of rage, a bat clenched hard in his hand. His arms were like barrels, and he had a small gut. He looked to be about forty-five or so with brown hair that was receding past his temples. His lips were covered in a thick brown mustache flecked with gray. "Odds are even now," he said. "Had 'nough of you bastards!"

The man moved fast and brought the bat down on one, shattering its skull and streaking the bat in brains and gore. It topped over as he put his foot into two more and pushed them back. He swung the bat again and again, crushing their skulls. Trevor fired his rifle and dropped another one as Jason shot one that was near him. The man shouted obscenities as he pulverized the skull of another with quick hard strikes of the bat. The three men worked together to topple the dead. When it was all over, the man in the store had killed six of them with just a bat. He wiped sweat from his head. His arms were covered in blood and the remains of the dead.

"Nice work," said Trevor.

"Thank ya, lad. I think I did pretty good. Thanks for the assist. Gone to hell today, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, you're right there. Name's Trevor. This is my son, Jason. The other two are Samantha and my wife, Lauren."

"Pleasure. I'm Ian Patrick. Workin' today, then got the news on my phone. These buggers began to show up. Killed a couple of people outside, then tried to get in. Thing is, the ones they killed got up. The buggers just got up!"

"It looks like it's the flu. Same thing happened to my neighbors. I had to kill them. The guy's wife just bit into him and tore off his flesh. Craziest thing I ever saw. She had been sick, like all the others.

"Bloody hell," whispered Ian. "I tried hitting the first one in the store. Must a hit em, oh four times right in the gut. He barely moved. Wasn't till I caved in his skull that he dropped like a rock."

"Seems it takes a solid shot to the head to kill them. Need to destroy the brain," said Trevor. "If they bit you, then it's all over, you turn into one of them. Spreads the infection quite fast."

"Damn," said Ian. "I live several blocks form here, lad, but no way I'm goin back home, with those out here."

"You're welcome to come with us. Looks like you can hold your own in a fight. We're trying to get to the Port Mann Bridge and then out of the city. I figure the interior will be safer. I got an uncle in Hope. What about your family?"

"On my own, lad. The wife died several years ago. She got bloody cancer. You'd almost welcome it now, though, if you had to pick between what these buggers got and that."

"Sorry to hear. Hard to lose anyone. The girl there lost both her parents to this."

"Poor child," said Ian.

"She'll be okay. We got to stick together. Hopefully find more survivors. What sort of gear do you have inside, maybe we can use some of it?"

"Come on in, let's gather what we can. I'll come with ya, nothing here for me now."

Trevor motioned to his son. "Stay outside and watch for any of them. Gonna get some gear."

"Sure."

The four of them went into the store and looked around. It was a mess with stands turned over and a couple of bodies lying on the ground, their skulls smashed to ruins. Lauren winced at the smell. At one time it would be a nice store to take your kids to get that new baseball glove, but now it was merely a small sanctuary from the chaos outside, at least for a little while.

"Sorry about the mess," said Ian. "Guess you'd say it was a rough mornin'."

"I've had better myself," said Trevor.

"Some backpacks back there. Small, compact, they could be easy to carry. I guess I got a bit of everything. Skiing, golf, baseball, hockey. Ah, lad, none of this even matters now!"

"Hockey equipment?"

"Ya, lad. All kinds of it. It's a hockey town, after all. Couldn't keep the bloody stuff in stock."

Trevor smiled and slapped Ian on the shoulder. "Ian, you just gave me a great idea."

### Chapter 12

Jason looked down at his Canucks jersey with disgust. "Figures he would still have a Kesler jersey still in stock."

"It's not like we had much choice. I just grabbed what he had and handed them out." Trevor went over to Samantha adjusting her shoulder pads.

Lauren worked on her neck protector. "Not that comfortable, but it will do."

"Yeah, I wasn't going for comfort," said Trevor. "This hockey gear will keep us protected from bites. It's not foolproof, but it will do for now. Ian's filling up the canteens and water bottles, then we'll be going. There's small convenience store just inside the mall entrance, he said. We can get some food there to take with us."

"Do you think we can make it across that bridge?" said Lauren.

"I don't know. We have to get out of the main part of the city, then head through the valley."

Ian arrived with the canteens and bottles. "All full, lad, should keep us going for a bit." He also carried another bat in his hands. "I thought Samantha might be able to use this." He adjusted the shoulder pads. "Don't make 'em big enough."

"Samantha," said Trevor. "Come over here for a minute, Ian's got something for you."

She hurried over to the two men. "Yes?"

"Can you use this?" asked Trevor. "Just hit them in the head as hard as you can. Might come a time when you need it."

"Yeah," she said. "I can use it."

"Good. Glad to see you feeling a bit better. I'm so sorry about your parents."

"It's okat. I will be fine. Just hurts, that's all." I miss you, Mom and Dad, more than anything. I'm gonna be strong for you, fight this. I know it's what you would have wanted.

Trevor finished getting the packs ready. They had lost most of the gear, but had the weapons, which were the main thing they needed. Food and water would still be easy to come by as it was still in the early stages. They needed to get to the bridge and over it to find shelter before nightfall.

"We'll go into the mall, get what we need, and go. Hopefully there won't be too many of them in there to deal with." Trevor tuned to Ian. "Say, can you shoot? I got a couple of spare firearms, if you would like one. We need all the help we can get."

He laughed. "Geez, no lad. I'd probably shoot myself with one of 'em. Best keep them to yourselves, I'll be fine."

"Okay, let's get moving. Stick together in case we run into any of them in the mall. Don't panic and don't run."

Samantha gave Jason a little shove. "Move along, Kesler."

"Oh, very funny."

As they approached the mall door, Trevor motioned them to stop. "Hon, take Samantha with you and go into convenience store its right inside the entrance."

"Okay."

He nodded to his son. "Stand guard and watch them."

"But, I want to go with you."

"Watch over the girls for me. Need to make sure the mall is clear. Don't want to run into a bunch of them inside."

"Fine." What am I, a babysitter?

"Need the two of you to grab food we can carry. Get nuts, dried fruit, power bars, anything that will give us energy."

"Sure," said Lauren.

"Okay, here goes." Trevor opened the door slowly. The mall had a few lights on, but otherwise it was quite dark. In the distance, they could see a couple of dead that turned towards them. He raised his rifle.

"No, lad," said Ian. "Save the ammunition. I can deal with these. Watch for more of 'em."

The woman looked to be in her thirties with long strawberry blonde hair. She shuffled slowly towards Ian, her mouth dripped saliva as she opened her mouth and gave a low guttural moan. The other one was a young man, his black tie flopped to the side of his stained white business shirt, his arm was torn and bloody from an obvious bite. Ian approached the female first and slammed the bat to the top of her head, shattering her skull in a vicious blow. You're not so tough, are ya? She dropped quickly to the ground. The other one lunged towards Ian, but he stepped back and drove the front of the bat into the thing's chest. As it staggered back, he drove it again into the side of its head. As he dropped to the ground, Ian brought the bat down and the head exploded in a spray of blood and brain matter.

"Hurry up and get those supplies, we have company in here!" said Trevor.

"Working as fast as we can, just a few more minutes."

Ian stopped by the girl with the strawberry blonde hair as he took off his hockey helmet. He rubbed his face standing there over the corpse. "Oh hell, lad. Bloody, fucking hell."

"Something wrong?"

"She looks like my sister. Damn the hair, it's the same. She lives in Toronto, ya know. Got a young one, too, just turned four. Am I gonna she her again, lad?"

"I don't know," replied Trevor. "God, I don't know. Everything is gone now. I don't know if the survivors of this can find a cure."

"Yeah, lad. Gettin' used to this isn't gonna be easy. So much death, it's a struggle just to live. Do they have it better than us, those dead?"

Trevor looked down at the female, her ruined, smashed skull. "I suppose they do."

***  
"What else is in this mall?" said Trevor.

"Not much, lad. A couple of clothing stores, food, and a hardware store which may have something I can use."

"Like what?"

"A good axe."

"Good thinking."

The group moved through the shopping mall slowly. Trevor and Jason were at the front with their rifles at the ready. Ian stayed at the back to protect the girls in case any of them should come from behind.

"I'll be right back," said Ian as they arrived at the hardware store.

It didn't take long till they saw them, more dead moving in the mall towards them. "Make it quick, we'll handle these 'til you get back."

"Pick your shots, we can't waste ammo," said Trevor.

"Right," said Jason.

Trevor aimed carefully down the sights of the AR-15 and let two shots go towards the first target. One round tore into the neck of the closest one, and the other round tore through the top of its head. The next rounds slammed into the next one before it could get too close. Jason aimed his rifle at the last one.

"No." Samantha got her bat ready. "I'll deal with this one."

"Stay back let them handle it," said Lauren. "It's too dangerous."

"I want to help. I can handle this," said Samantha.

"Right to the head," said Jason.

"Yeah, I know that."

Samantha moved towards the ghoul. The man looked about fifty, with gray receding hair. He had a large gash in his cheek. Jason moved closer in case she had trouble. Her heart beat fast as it approached with jaws wide, shuffling towards her. She held the bat tightly in her hands and took one large swing at the thing. The bat slammed into its chest, which made it stagger backwards a few steps. She screamed as it tried to lunge for her shoulder, but another hit from the bat drove the thing to its knees. She went behind, then hit it again by the shoulder blades, this time and it crashed to the ground. Before it could get up, she drove the bat hard into its skull, striking it cleanly. You fucking things took my mom and dad, turned them into you. I hate you all, I fucking hate you all! She slammed the bat into it four more times destroying the head in a spray of gore. She breathed heavily as she tore her helmet off and began to cough. She bent over as the contents of her stomach came up. Jason went over to comfort her, but she put her hand up.

Ian came back out of the store with a couple of axes and a hatchet. "She alright?"

"Yes," said Trevor. "She knows what it's like now."

"Knows what, lad?"

"What it's like to kill."
Chapter 13

They left the mall and made their way through the city of Vancouver. Lauren now had a hatchet that Ian had taken from the hardware store. They moved passed the abandoned cars, the smashed storefronts, and the chaos that engulfed the city. In a few short hours, the entire city had fallen apart. In the distance, they could hear sirens blaring, and every once in a while a helicopter would fly overhead. Up the street ahead of them, they could see a group of dead moving around.

"Best to take the side street," said Trevor.

"We lost the caravan the last time we took a side street," Lauren said.

"Yeah, but I don't like the looks of what is ahead of us," he replied.

"Why not just keep going, we can take them," Jason said as he checked his ammo. "We can't keep on going around if we want to get to that bridge."

"I'm ready for a fight, lad," said Ian. "We need to get out of this city and the quicker the better."

"Alright, but stay together. The bridge is about two miles from here."

They moved at a slow pace towards the group of dead, which turned to face them and began their slow march towards Trevor's group. At the distance, they were easy prey for the rifles. Trevor brought up his AR-15 and let go two shots which slammed into the first one, ripping away part of its skull. The man in his 40s with the business suit dropped to the pavement in a heap. Jason fired his rifle, and the next one fell as its head blew away from the impact. Ian moved closer with his axe and took off the head of another one, splattering gore across the side of a car and the pavement. Lauren screamed as one of them got close to her, but she managed to swing the hatchet and drive it into the dead's skull. She withdrew the hatchet and kicked hard, shoving it backwards as it fell to the ground. Ian moved through the dead, swinging his axe left and right, chopping at them. He killed two more with quick rapid axe strokes. He held the axe out with both hands and pushed two back before taking two more swings, decapitating them. He brought the axe down on another, which split its skull in two with a spray of brains. One of the dead opened its jaws, the left side of its head missing, the skin hanging down in bloody strips, the white eyes staring out at Samantha as it staggered towards her. She backed up, but froze in fear unable to swing her bat.

Jason saw it as it lunged for her. "No!" he screamed, as he let go three rounds from his rifle. They slammed into the chest just before the thing clamped its bloody jaws around her shoulder. She was protected with the hockey padding, but any small bite would be fatal, they couldn't take any chances. Jason ran up to the thing as it staggered backwards from the rifle blows he slammed the rifle but into its head and knocked it over. He brought he rifle down onto the head and caved in the skull. He tuned to Samantha. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I just lost it for a minute. It's face, God, its face."

Jason put his arm around her shoulder. "It's okay, I'll protect you. No one living or dead will ever hurt you again, I promise. Just be careful, don't want you to get bit."

"I'll be more careful." Samantha gave him a quick hug. "Thanks."

Trevor went to look around the corner as he reloaded his rifle with another magazine. "That looks like the last of them, at least for now," he said to Ian.

"Ya, lad, it does. Can't say I miss 'em yet." He tore the shirt off of one of the dead and used it to clean his axe. "Gah, I'll never get used to this damn smell."

"Yeah," said Trevor. "The smell of death, it's everywhere now. It's just waiting for us to make one small mistake. We'll stop here for a bit to rest while I reload."

"Sure, lad. I'll go back a ways to scout. I'll be back soon."

"Be careful."

"Ya, lad."

"Over here," said Trevor as he motioned to his son.

"Starting to run low on ammo," said Jason.

"That's going to be a problem if we run into larger groups of them. We'll need to find more weapons soon, but we have to keep moving, can't be trapped in this city when nightfall comes."

"I'll switch to the shotgun. We got plenty of rounds for it."

"Good idea."

Lauren came up to Trevor. She held her helmet in her hand. She put it onto the car and leaned back, taking a sip of water from her canteen. She passed it to Trevor. "Here."

He unbuttoned his helmet and took a long drink. "Thanks. You did well against them, I'm proud of you."

"I don't feel pride killing another human being."

"Can't think of it like that, hon, they are dead. Probably don't even feel it."

"Maybe they do, Trevor. What if they are screaming to be freed out of the hell they are in? Maybe they feel everything. How can we know?" I wish this would all end, what have we become? The living and the dead. Which is better? I don't know any more, I just don't know.

"It's us or them, I—"

Just then, a woman came out of a flower shop across the street. She held onto her shoulder which seeped blood between her fingers. She was crying and coughing. She looked about twenty six, with long blonde hair, trim figure, and she wore a nice gray business skirt with a white blouse. She held onto the door for a moment before she called over to them. "Please..." she coughed again. "Please help me. I... need a doctor."

Lauren put her hand over her mouth as the woman staggered toward them. Her face was white, and her eye makeup had run down her pretty face. The tears stained her eyes as she coughed harder. Trevor raised his rifle.

"No," said Lauren. "It's okay, we can help you, what's your name?"

"Suzy," she said. "Got scared and hid in that shop. Bunch of those things came through here. I got bit. I was hiding..." She coughed harder as sweat poured down her face. She got closer, then extended her hand, "Please...My shoulder hu—"

The crack of the rifle pierced the silence as it tore into her head spilling her brains over the ground near Lauren before Suzy toppled backwards. Her white blouse now stained red as a pool of blood flowed from her ruined skull, her eyes looked up at the sky.

"Why did you do that?" Lauren screamed. "Why Trevor? I'm so damn tired of death, I want to live again. She wanted to live!" I want to be a wife again. I want to go home!

"She was as good as dead," he said.

'I'm so tired, so damn tired. I just want to go home. I want it to end. What will become of us?" Lauren wiped the sweat from her brow and the tears that stained her eyes. "She doesn't get to live anymore, we took her life. We're monsters just like them, maybe we are worse."

"We stopped her from becoming one of them. You know she was dead already. You have to accept it, you have to go on living. Dammit, we all have to just go on living!"

"She would have changed, Mom, maybe she would have attacked one of us. Do you want to lose me or Dad?" said Trevor.

"We have already changed," said Lauren. "We're all just mindless killers now."

"Kill or be killed. You know it just as well as I do," Trevor yelled. "Well, I for one want to go on living, and I'll do whatever it takes to protect that!"

"Well, I'm tired of killing. I just want our life back. I want this to end," Lauren sobbed. "Fuck all of it!" She hurled her water bottle across the street.

"Lauren—"

She put her hand out. "No, don't you touch me. Just leave me alone!"

"Hon, we are alive, we have to go on living. It's all we got."

"No. You're so wrong. Those things are more alive than we will ever be now. We are the living dead. Just a shell existing in this madness, waiting for it to all end. Who's going to be next? Will it be me or Samantha? Maybe it will be Ian or our son, maybe it will be you."

"We're going to make it, hon. We'll start over."

"Yeah, start over. There won't be enough of us left to do that. It's all slipping away."

"Don't wallow in your self-pity. I'm gonna make sure we all get out of here. You're son needs you... I need you."

"It's gonna be fine, Mom."

Samantha came over and hugged her. "I lost my mom and dad, Mrs. Blake. We can survive, we got to. We'll do it together."

"Trevor... I... Oh damn it..." The tears flowed from Lauren, and he put his arms around her. He held her there in the ruins of the street. He watched in the distance as Ian fast approached.

Ian was out of breath by the time he reached them. "There a group of them back there, so we better get moving."

Chapter 14

As they neared the bridge, they came across more and more groups of abandoned cars. Clearly people were moving in the direction of the bridge, but the traffic snarl was forcing the survivors to give up their vehicles. Trevor wanted to get over the bridge before the sun went down as it would be harder to move in the darkness. He estimated that had three hours left, so the group picked up the pace towards the Port Mann Bridge. As they weaved their way through the mass of cars, they heard the clatter of gunfire in the intersection nearest them.

Trevor motioned for the group to get down. "Action up ahead. Stay close together We don't know what we are dealing with." He nodded to his son. "Scout ahead. Tell me what you see, but be careful."

"Right."

Jason moved through the abandoned cars. Ahead of him, one of the dead staggered closer, but Trevor dropped it with two quick shots from his AR-15. Trevor gripped his rifle as the gunfire increased to a rapid rate of fire. Whoever was up there was using full auto.

Lauren and Samantha crouched by an SUV a bit behind Trevor, while Ian guarded them. "Can you see anything, lad?" he yelled.

"Not from here. I sent Jason up a bit to see what's going on. There's a lot of automatic weapons fire up ahead. Watch our back."

"Aye."

Trevor waited for a few anxious minutes, and then he saw Jason up ahead. He yelled out to his son. "What did you see, what's going on up there?"

Jason jogged back to his dad. 'It's complete carnage in the intersection. Looks like an Emergency Response team slugged it out with a bunch of the dead and lost. There's an ERT vehicle, as well as tons of dead all over the place. I didn't stick around to look for survivors. There are several of them wandering around, too, but we can clear it."

Trevor called Ian over. "Listen, we are going to the next intersection, but be prepared for a bit of a fight. We can use the supplies that ERT team had, maybe pick up a few decent weapons, too."

"I'm help ya," said Ian.

"Hon," said Trevor. "Stay close to Samantha. This could get ugly, so I don't want the two of you to take unnecessary risks."

"Can't we just go around?" Lauren adjusted her Hockey helmet. "Damn thing doesn't fit right."

"Look, we need these weapons, and the ERT teams have vests, too, they might come in handy."

"Oh, by all means, my fearless leader," quipped Lauren, as she motioned forward. "Lead on."

Trevor grabbed her by the arm and took her to the side away from everyone. "Hey, that was uncalled for. You think this is easy? I'm only doing what is right. I don't know about you, but intend to survive this mess. You could be more supportive, we have to pull through together!"

"Sorry... I just—"

"Don't want to lose me or Jason, I know. We'll make it together, I promise." He put his arm around her. "Stay tight with Samantha, it's going to be alright." He went back to Jason, and the two of them checked their rifles. They would need any supplies they could carry as the rounds for the AR-15s were running lower with each encounter.

The group moved forward with Trevor and Jason at the front. Jason brought up the shotgun. Ian stood at the side with his axe ready to go, while Samantha and Lauren brought up the rear. They weaved through the abandoned cars and trucks and reached the main intersection. Bodies were everywhere on the blood-soaked streets. An ERT vehicle sat in the middle of the street with one door open. Trevor could see several ERT team members dead on the ground. One of the dead pulled sinews of flesh off one of the team members and sat there chewing. Jason moved closer and fired the shotgun into the ghoul's head, which spattered its brains everywhere. As he fired, the group of dead turned towards their position and began to walk in the now familiar slow gait they were all accustomed to.

Trevor popped two with several well-placed shots, and Jason dropped another one that got too close to the group. Ian moved ahead and got close to a woman with dark hair, her dress ripped and torn. She reached out for him with a blood-soaked mouth, but his axe came down and severed her head from her shoulders in one fluid stroke. The corpse toppled over, and Ian swung again. He cut the arm of off another, and then another swing removed the man's head. On the ground, one of the dead crawled along with half its body missing near Lauren. Its jaws opened for her as it hissed. Stands of saliva poured from the thing's mouth and pooled on the ground. She winced at the grisly creature before she buried her hatchet in the thing's skull, ending its misery. Trevor reloaded his AR-15 and shot two more of the dead before they could threaten the group. It was all over in a few minutes, the small group of dead no match for them. Trevor examined the scene in front of them. There must have been fifty to one hundred bodies all over the intersection. They were literally walking all over the corpses. The stench of shit, blood, vomit, brains, and guts was everywhere. It took a supreme effort to not retch then and there.

Trevor went over to his son. "Good work. I want you to check the ERT members and pick up any weapons, ammo, and vests that you can. We can use whatever you can find. I'm gonna go check the truck, see what's inside."

"Okay."

Trevor went over to the truck, but heard a low moan from the other side. He pulled his Glock from the holster and went around to the other side of the truck. Several dead lay against the side in a heap. The moan came from underneath them. He moved the bodies out of the way and found an ERT member underneath the pile, his pistol still in his hand. The man coughed heavily, his legs covered in bite marks, a huge gash was present on his right thigh. He was changing into one of them before Trevor's eyes.

The man coughed again. "Came... at us in waves..." He rested his head against the back of the vehicle. "Lost... the whole team..."

The dead on top of the man had shielded him from being eaten by the remainder of the ghouls that wandered around after the battle, but it didn't matter, he was already dead. He would slowly turn and then, take his place among them.

Trevor found it difficult to hold back the tears for the officer. He had battled hard, but in the end lost like so many on this horrific day. The dead would just keep coming and along with it, consume those that remained. "Hey what's your name?" Trevor asked. He raised his Glock towards the man who coughed again in a fit, his skin turning gray as sweat poured down his cheeks.

He coughed, chocking on his words. "Paul... It's... Paul..."

"Thanks for your service, Paul," said Trevor as he pulled the trigger. The round slammed into his skull and sprayed the side of the vehicle in blood, ending the misery the officer was going through.

Ian ran around to the side as he heard the shot. He put his hand on Trevor's arm as the two of them stared at the officer slumped against the vehicle.

"She's right, you know," said Trevor. He took off his hockey helmet wiping away the grime, sweat, and tears there. "Dammit, I'm sick of all this killing, too."
Chapter 15

They found several decent weapons that they took from the dead ERT team members including a C8 carbine, two Heckler & Koch MP5A3s, as well as a couple of sidearms. Trevor and Jason replaced their hockey gear with ERT vests and helmets, which would offer more protection from bites. Inside the vehicle, Trevor picked up extra magazines of ammunition for the group. They were now fairly well-armed, but Trevor knew it just wouldn't be enough. They needed to get to the other side of the city and make it through the towns there before they reached Hope, if they even made it that far, as society crumbled around them.

They moved down the last leg of United Boulevard towards the Trans-Canada Highway, which would get them onto the bridge and across to the other side. The Boulevard was crammed with cars, all trying to flee the city just like Trevor and his family. They made their way onto the highway and could see the bridge in the distance. In the air, they noticed several helicopters, as well as columns of thick black smoke near the bridge from burning vehicles. They passed several of the dead as they made their way down the highway, but these weren't a problem for them. They either ran ahead and ignored them or quickly dispatched the slow-moving ghouls. The road ahead was tightly packed with vehicles, so they had to stay near the side to get by.

Trevor adjusted the strap on his helmet. "The bridge is just up ahead about a couple of miles or so. Everyone stay close. Looks like everyone is trying to do the same thing we are, so keep your eyes open."

Ahead, they saw movement—up about 200 yards. Trevor raised his MP5A3, then he heard the scream of a female. They moved closer until Trevor motioned for them to hold their position. They saw two men holding down the woman. One of them held her head down with a well-muscled arm, while the other one stood behind her, his pants down as he pounded hard into her.

"Yeah, give it to her!" said the main holding the woman down. "Hurry up, when is it my turn?" He slapped the woman in the head. "Shut up, bitch, you'll bring those things over here!"

Trevor moved behind a car near them. The men were preoccupied and didn't see him sneaking up towards them. He raised the rifle and took aim. "That's enough. Let her go!"

"Hey, mister." The man kneeling down got up in a hurry. "We were just having a little fun, it's the end of the world!"

"Not on my watch," said Trevor. "You behind her, best zip it up, or I'll blow the fucking thing off."

The other man had raised his hands about halfway, but Trevor noticed the black handle he had tucked into his waistband. The man made a move for the pistol, but it was the wrong one. He barely got his hand over it when Trevor hit him with three rounds from his rifle. They slammed into the man's chest, and he tumbled backwards.

"Get 'em up, or you'll end up like your buddy there." Trevor pulled the half-naked man backwards as Lauren ran up to the woman who was slowly getting up off the ground.

The woman wore a ripped hospital nurse's uniform. She wiped blood away from her mouth and rubbed a red mark around her chin where one of the men had hit her. She made no effort to conceal her body as she moved over to the man beside Trevor. She slammed her foot into his balls twice. The man cried out in pain and doubled over.

Trevor made no effort to help him, but he did smile. "Nice kick."

"Thanks." She nodded over at Lauren. "I don't suppose you have any spare clothes in that pack of yours, there?"

"Yeah, I think I have something that just may fit."

"Tough lass," Ian said to Trevor in a whisper.

Lauren brought out a pair of jeans along with a sweatshirt and a pair of underwear. The woman was smaller than Lauren, but the clothes would at least fit for the time being. She pulled the sweatshirt on and flung her light, long brown hair back. She went back over to the man who was bent over holding his balls with his hand.

"Fucking bitch!" he moaned.

"Oh, your troubles are just beginning, buddy," she said. She looked over at Trevor. "You got a knife or something I can cut with?"

"Yeah, sure." He handed her his hunting knife.

Jason stood near the man laughing at him, his shotgun pointed at the man's chest. "I think you're in for a bad day."

"Pull off the jeans," she told him.

"What?"

Jason pointed the shotgun. "Do as she says."

The man took his shoes off and removed his jeans. The woman cut off strips of fabric from her uniform as well as the man's jeans. She picked up the pistol the other man had been carrying and pointed it at his head. "Get your naked ass and that sad little dick of yours over to that car over there."

Trevor stood back and let the woman do whatever she was going to do. It was clear she meant business and knew how to use the pistol. She opened the door of the car and gestured for him to get inside. The man hobbled over to the car and sat down in the seat. The woman put the pistol up against his chin then yanked his hair back. Trevor simply watched as she took the pistol and slammed the handle into his nose, sending blood streaming down his face.

"What the fuck!" he screamed.

"Way I figure," she said. "Your buddy there is going to get up real soon. When he does, he's going to be hungry." She took the strips of cloth and wrapped them around his hands, trying him to the steering wheel. She made sure everything was nice and tight. "The blood will attract him."

"Shit!" He tried to work his hands free, but it was no use. She had tied him tightly to the steering wheel. "Can't leave me here!"

She stood back and raised the pistol. "Maybe you should have thought about that before you raped me." She fired the gun into his knee which sprayed blood over the front seat. Now you can't hurt anyone, ever again.

He howled in pain. "Fucking Christ!"

She pointed towards his friend lying in the grass, the friend that would rise. "God won't judge you," she said. "He will."

"Best we move away from here," said Trevor. "You're welcome to come with us. We are trying to get across the Port Mann."

"Sure. The traffic got thick a couple of miles back. I ran for my life until I ran into these two. Things are going to shit fast, was following the crowds headed for the bridge."

"Glad we could help," said Trevor.

They walked further away from the two men. "Not sure I would've handled it the way you did," said Lauren.

"Just how would you handle it?" said the woman. "Not every day you get raped when the world is coming apart now, is it? Might be my own brand of justice, but its justice for me."

"Yeah," said Trevor. "Gone to hell is right."

"He's still human," said Lauren.

"No," said the woman. "That's where you are wrong. He was never human. Guys like that are just waiting for Armageddon. The breakdown of society so they could do every sick thing imaginable. It's only going to get worse."

"There are those that want to go on living and those that want to take advantage of the situation. Between that situation, the dead," said Trevor.

"Yeah, the hard part will be figuring out who to trust," said the woman. She looked at the group of them and laughed. "What are you guys supposed to be anyways, the keystone cops and the hockey rejects?"

Trevor tapped his vest. "Protection from the bites. I'm Trevor, that's my wife Lauren." He pointed his son. "That's my son Jason."

Ian came up to her. "Ian, lass. The little girl is Samantha."

The woman nodded. 'Well, nice to meet you all, my name is Erica. I suppose I'm with you now. I want to get out of the city as much as you do. The day hasn't turned out well for any of us."

"What hospital were you working at?" asked Trevor.

"VGH, before it all went to hell this morning. Damn flu patients just got up then attacked everyone. Two cops helped us escape, but they died in the hospital. Made it to my car, but a group of those things killed my friend. It's crazy where I came from. Damn lucky just to make it this far. I saw a lot of others that didn't."

"I'm sorry," said Lauren. "We lost our next door neighbors. Samantha there lost both her parents."

"Yeah," said Erica. "These things, or whatever they are, don't discriminate. Saw a nurse get a bite and shortly later she turned into one of these things. That means if anyone of us gets bitten, it's all over for us."

"We need to make a pact that if anyone in this group gets bitten, we have to do the right thing," Trevor indicated.

"No!" said Lauren. "I won't have you killing my son or that little girl! Dammit, there has to be some sort of cure for this."

"Hon, it would be no use. Do you want to watch our son turn into one of those things?"

"I... just want this to end." Lauren walked off and went over to her son who was walking with Samantha.

"Sorry, she's taking this rough," said Trevor. "I worry about her, that maybe she isn't strong enough. Damn, I don't know if I am!"

"We all just have to carry on, do the best we can," said Erica as she adjusted her sweater.

Trevor took the C-8 carbine off his shoulder. "You seem to be good with a pistol, maybe you could use this." He handed her the weapon along with a couple of spare magazines.

"Thanks."

"Hopefully we can pick up some more ammunition along the way. I have a feeling we're going to be needing it in the near future."

"Yeah," said Erica. "I want to thank you for what you did back there. Those guys would've killed me if you hadn't passed by."

"It's okay, any other guy would've done the same thing."

Erica slung the weapon over her shoulder. "Don't be too sure of that."

Trevor could see the bridge in the distance now. There was plenty of activity near it as another helicopter flew overhead. The smell of smoke was thick in the air as vehicles burned. "Looks like there's something going on at the bridge. I better check on my wife."

"Sure."

Trevor reached his wife up ahead who walked with Ian and the two kids. Lauren seemed distant, and she didn't turn to him when he arrived. She walked faster ahead of them, leaving Trevor with the others.

"What's with her?" Trevor asked Ian.

"See's you talking with that other woman, lad."

"Just trying to get to know her, is all."

"Jealousy, lad."

"Well, there's nothing to be jealous about."

"Hey, I like her," said Jason. "She's tough, not like Mom."

Trevor stopped in his tracks. "Don't you talk about your mother like that! I don't want to hear that type of talk from you, understood?"

"Yeah, whatever. I'll be at the back with Erica." All hail our fearless leader, my dad!

Trevor turned to Ian. "What's going on here?"

"Sorry, lad, you'll have to work this all out between yourselves. I won't interfere, it's not my place. But if ya want my opinion, go to your wife. She needs ya now more than ever."

"Maybe you're right, thanks." Trevor went into a jog to catch up with his wife who was about a hundred yards ahead of them.

"Hey, hon, slow down it's not safe."

Lauren turned to him as he approached. "What do you want? I thought you were talking with Erica back there. I wouldn't want you to miss anything important." She pretty, isn't she Trevor?

Trevor put his hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. "Hon, I love you, I always have. Nothing can take that away, not anyone. Do you understand?"

Lauren removed her helmet and wiped her eyes. "I... needed to hear that. There's so much that has gone on. All of this, what is the future for us?"

"Don't know that yet. I'm just focused on getting out of this city." Trevor put his arm around her. "It's going to be fine, we'll all get through this."

He looked towards the bridge in the distance and watched the helicopter buzz overhead. The bridge seemed like where all the action was, and that is where he intended to go. He didn't know what he would find there, but it was all he had to go on. Get out of the city, and save his family from the chaos and the death. They weaved their way through the masses of cars, debris, and garbage littering the highway. In the near distance, they began to see groups of people moving towards the bridge like they were. Some carried a bag over their shoulders or cradled an infant.

"Lad," said Ian. "Look ahead. Seems others have the same idea we do."

Trevor checked his weapon. "All I know is we came this far. Time to get the hell out of this city." He stopped and looked at the group. "Everyone, let's stick together here. I don't know what we are going to find up ahead. We need to be ready for anything." They approached the bridge together and like many others on this grim day, searched for answers as to what had happened to the world in such a short time. They were together, but ahead, dark clouds of uncertainty awaited them.

Erica turned and smiled as she heard the scream. Justice had been served.

Chapter 16

As they got closer to the bridge, the scene became quite apparent. People were struggling to make it to the front of the line, but they were all bunched together. The voices around them buzzed in Trevor's ears. He could see the terror in their eyes. Some sobbed uncontrollably, while others had a glazed look on their faces. Others clung to cellphones and nervously tried to dial numbers as they pushed through the crowds. A man sat on the side by a car, his head bleeding from an open wound, his eyes emotionless. Another body lay face up, a huge bullet hole in the top of the woman's head. They moved through the crowds the best they could, but it was slow going.

"Steve!" screamed a woman. "Where are you?"

A man grabbed a hold of Trevor's arm. His eyes were bloodshot, and his breath reeked of rum. "It's the end, you know. Those things are everywhere. Saw one rip out the throat of my neighbor. It almost got me, too." He babbled on for a few more minutes before wandering off behind Trevor. The crowd looked up as a helicopter went overhead towards the other side of the bridge. In the distance, they heard the low thump of an explosion.

"There," said Erica. "Flashing police lights. Looks like they are blocking the bridge."

"Yeah," replied Trevor. "Look, we have to get to the front of this group."

A high pitched scream broke through their conversation. Trevor turned around and several feet behind him saw a man stagger around, flailing his arms at another woman. He lunged for her then bit into her neck sending blood fountaining out of the wound. The crowd around him dispersed and ran in all directions.

Trevor pushed someone out of his way and leveled his rifle towards the man. "Get out of the way!" He fired three rounds into the man's chest and head. He pitched backwards as the bullets hit him and toppled over. The remains of his head splattered against the side of a car. At the front, people surged forward away from stricken woman. One man tried to help her by putting his jacket over the wound. Jason pushed him out of the way and fired point blank into her head which erupted in gore.

"Why the hell did you do that?" cursed the man. "I was trying to save her!"

"She would've change into one of those." He pointed to the corpse on the ground. "Bites infect you, there's no cure."

Another woman collapsed to her knees and began coughing up blood. "Please," she moaned. "Help me... so sick..."

Trevor put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Come on, we have to get to the front." He pulled out his revolver and pointed it to the woman's head before squeezing the trigger, ending her misery.

A pistol shot rang out behind them, and a man screamed. Some of the crowd around them took off in the opposite direction trying to flee, while others, including Trevor's group, surged forward towards the beginning of the bridge. Lauren clung to Trevor's arm while Jason held onto Samantha. Many officers, as well as riot police, were there with a barricade across the entire road, blocking access to the bridge. The men brandished batons and rifles.

"Looks like they aren't letting people cross," said Erica.

They worked their way through the frenzied crowd, which thickened as they reached the barricades up closer to the main bridge entrance. Overhead, choppers droned steadily. People were pushing and shoving on the fence as officers stood behind the barricades, their rifles at the ready. Another line of riot police stood behind them with shields and batons, but even these troops looked uneasy. This wasn't a riot, it was a flight for one's very survival.

"Get back," blared the blow horn from the chopper.

"Let us through," screamed a man. He shoved on the fence like a madman, then coughed violently before spitting out blood.

"No one is getting through," shouted an officer. "The bridge is blocked with traffic. We have to keep infected from crossing. There's no way to make it over the bridge. Just go back to your homes!"

"Can't go back there," a woman yelled. "They are everywhere in the city now, there's no place to go. Please, I have a child." A young girl in a yellow dress with tears streaming down her face clutched at her mother's arm.

The hopelessness was apparent on the officer's face. He wiped sweat away from his brow. Another officer to his side coughed loudly. "Christ, Mike, what the hell are we gonna do with all these people?"

Trevor made his way to the fence with his group behind him. "Hey, you gotta let us pass. We all didn't come this way for nothing."

Another officer jogged up to Mike. "Just got word that they are bringing over some boats to try and get these people to the other side. They are setting up about one mile down by the water."

Behind the main group of people, screams began to erupt. Trevor glanced behind him, but couldn't see anything. Things were unravelling fast as more people began to change or were bitten by the ghouls whose numbers increased by the minute. "Open the goddamn fence," said Trevor. "Shit is happening back there. You want those bastards to get you, too?"

The officer swallowed hard, unable to comprehend what was happening. His years of training never prepared him for a tide of rising dead. He motioned to his men. "Get this barricade back, they're taking people across down by the river in boats."

Behind them, two men staggered by the side of the road. One of them wore a ripped white cotton work shirt. He leaned over and bit the neck of an unsuspecting woman. Her neck fountained blood, and she screamed at the top of her lungs. The other one lunged for someone else and tore strips of flesh off of a man's arm. He stood there and chewed on the flesh like nothing had happened. The group of people pressed harder against the fence. Trevor strained against the tide behind him. He worked an arm free and punched a man who pushed relentlessly on him. Jason swung his rifle butt into another man's head, and he went down hard. The crowd began to break apart and more people were attacked by the ghouls as the surge of dead swelled within the ranks of the survivors. Ian swung his axe at one of the monstrosities that tried to bite him and cleaved him down the middle. The body sprayed blood and guts in all directions.

"Get the fucking fence down!" yelled the officer. He backed up as he saw the ghouls behind the main tide of people begin to tear into more victims. The officers worked at the side of the fencing and quickly had an opening there for people to go through.

"Go to the side and get through," said Mike. "No need to rush, everything is going to be fine."

Trevor grabbed Lauren's arm, then screamed at the useless officer. "I'd like to know who the fuck gave you a goddamn badge!"

The tide of people surged toward the opening as more screams were heard behind them. Trevor and his group went through the opening as chaos erupted. Several dozen of the dead now staggered around in the crowds that had gathered by the bridge and began to rip apart anyone they saw. As Trevor's group made it through, he helped several more survivors through before helping the officers close the fence again as the tide of dead moved closer. As the survivors made their way from the barricades, the officers had already begun to open fire on the remainder of the crowds. The screams filled the air and chilled Trevor to the bone. There was no need to look back, to wonder what was going on. He had seen so much death in this day that he was now numb to it. There was nothing to be done and nothing you could do for those that were unlucky enough to fall victim to the waves of dead that were overwhelming the city of Vancouver. On the other side of the fence, it was hell as the dead descended upon anyone that was left. They feasted on the living and in turn, created more dead with a need for human flesh.

Mike stood there, his face stark white as he watched the horror in front of his eyes. His sidearm was empty now, and he fumbled for another magazine. He jumped back as several of the ghouls made their way to the fence. One of them placed his jaws on the wires and tried to chew them. His face was a dark gray with congealed blood on the side of his head. He hissed and clawed at the fencing. His head erupted in a spray of blood as another officer shot him. The ranks had begun to disintegrate as many of the riot police took off down to the water's edge. Mike was unaware of the officer behind him that had coughed earlier. He never saw the man's eyes change from the light blue to dead, vacant white. All Mike felt was the searing pain that erupted from the back of his neck as the other officer bit down. Before he could react, the ghoul tore into his shoulder as well. As he sank to his knees, his vision began to fade. The rest of the officers who had stood their ground now broke in complete panic, their duty forgotten, replaced by the need for survival. Behind the chaos at the bridge, the rest of Vancouver began its inevitable decent into oblivion.

Chapter 17

A steady stream of people made their way down to the edge of the Fraser River from the horrors at the bridge, as well as other areas of the city. Some of them still carried their belongings, while others had dropped everything and were in full flight away from the chaos behind them. Among the survivors, Trevor led his group towards the boats that were supposed to be coming for them.

They passed a young woman of about twenty-four, wearing jean shorts and a stained white T-shirt, who sat on the ground with her knees bent. She held onto her legs with her hands, clenching so hard she drew blood just above her knees. She sobbed uncontrollably and let out gasps every so often. Tears, along remains of her makeup, poured down her face, leaving black streaks. Like many others, her sanity began to escape her as she just couldn't process what was happening around her. She let out a long horrific scream, then tore at her hair. The woman began to mutter unrecognizable words.

Trevor glanced back as he passed her. "Keep going," he said to the others. "Just fucking keep moving."

As they made their way along the shoreline, they could see some boats ahead of them beginning to cross the river. Many people began to hurry towards the boats they could now see more clearly.

"Come on," said Ian. "There's our escape, lad."

"Do you think there are enough boats for everyone?" asked Lauren.

"Don't think so," replied Erica.

Trevor grabbed his wife and motioned her forward. "We came this far, we'll get across."

Erica stopped, her body reacting to what she saw. They began to creep closer to the shoreline in that now all familiar slow, awkward gait. There were others coming to the shore, too, but these people weren't alive, they were dead. "Oh, shit."

Others saw what Erica had and began a full out panic. People screamed and took off everywhere. Some of them went into the water and started to swim as fast as possible. One man weighed down by a backpack, got out so far and disappeared under the water.

"Fucking idiots," muttered Trevor. He grabbed his rifle. Several of the survivors stood by him holding their ground, but were ensure of what to do.

A man came up to Trevor. "Hey, I can shoot. Can you spare a weapon?"

"Yeah, take this pistol." He handed him a police service sidearm and a couple of magazines. "Aim for the head, only way to stop them."

"Got it."

Another man brandished a length of pipe. "I'm with you, too. If I'm gonna die today, it will be standing up."

Ian held his axe out at the ready. "As am I."

Trevor looked at Lauren. "Stay back and watch Samantha. If the worst happens, get on a boat, then get the hell out of here."

"No, I want to be with you."

"We have to hold them off so those boats can get here. It's going to be several minutes. Gonna save as many as we can."

Erica and Jason joined the rest of them as they spread out. Trevor hollered over the screams and commotion. "The rest of you, stay back as far as possible, wait for the boats." The main group of survivors had thinned considerably, but many still remained behind as the dead approached.

Trevor aimed his rifle. "Target the nearest ones, don't let them get close."

The group was larger than Trevor had feared. A crazed man that had run off in that general direction tried to move past them, but he was quickly overwhelmed. He screamed as they tore into him, ripping off one of his arms and biting into his stomach in a feeding frenzy. The shots rang out as Trevor and the rest of them picked their targets.

Bullets slammed into a woman in a bloodstained dress, she pitched to the side then crashed into the sand. Jason fired his shotgun, but switched to a pistol for more range. They fired as fast as possible, but there were so many of them surging forward, devouring the living in an orgy of insanity.

"Get back," screamed Trevor." Everyone, get back."

Ian and the other man brandished their weapons and tore into the front of the relentless horde. "That's it. Let 'em have it."

The man slammed his pipe into a teenager's head and as he pitched backwards he brought the pipe down hard through the center of the skull, which crunched. Ian cleaved the head of an elderly man in two, spraying his arms and axe in gore. Erica fired her rifle at another woman, who toppled backwards into the crowd of dead that moved relentlessly towards the survivors. To the side on a bit of a hill, a woman had gotten too close to the dead, and they grabbed her, pulling her backwards into the crowd. She wailed as they feasted on her. Rivers of blood ran down to the edge of the shore and turned the brown murky water red.

"Motherfuckers!" wailed Trevor, as he fired into the crowd of dead. He saw the boats getting closer now. "Hold 'em off for a few more minutes. Just hold them off." As one got too close, he drew his hunting knife and plunged it into the side of the thing's head, then twisted it. He watched as one man tried to stop the flow of blood seeping from a horrific bite wound. Before he could react, the dead had torn the helpless man in half. The shore was now soaked in blood and death, the stench overwhelming. He was only one man trying to survive, there was nothing he could do. Those that died here would reanimate in a relentless onslaught.

Ian put his foot into another man and sent him backwards into the crowd. The man Trevor had given the pistol to added his own fire, as another head exploded in a spray. The group of survivors began to dwindle as the dead began to tear into anyone near them. Samantha screamed and swung her bat at one close to her, which smashed in the skull. There was only one way to escape and that was across the water. They could swim, but drowning was a distinct possibility. The boats were their only salvation.

Lauren swung her hatchet into the top of another one's head, then brought it down again to cleave in the top of the skull once the man had fallen over. She held the blood-soaked hatchet in her hand, then screamed out towards the boats that were near the shore now. "Help us. Just fucking help us."

Jason got in front of Samantha and pushed his boot into one of the dead, sending it backwards, then raised his pistol and fired point blank into the thing's head. The main group of survivors moved out into the water as the five boats began to get near. Some began to swim out to them as one boat started picking people out of the water. They sobbed and screamed amid the relentless chaos, while officers on the boats barked out orders to the survivors. Several officers added their own fire with automatic rifles into the horde. Trevor bashed another one on the head with the butt of his rifle, trying to drive it back. The boat nearest Trevor stopped, but the lone officer began to panic as he saw the grisly scenes on the shore. He put the boat in reverse.

"Five boats, you only sent five fucking boats, goddamn bastards." Trevor leveled his rifle at the man and went into the water at waist height. "No, you can't go fucking back," he said, as he fired his weapon into the officer who pitched over the side. Trevor climbed up the side into the boat. He reached over and grabbed his wife, then Erica behind her.

Ian swung his axe one more time, taking of the top part of a head in crimson spray before he got deeper into the water to get closer to the boat. Trevor helped the bigger man into the boat, who struggled to get his breath. "Thanks, lad."

The man with the pipe yelled at Jason. "You and the girl, get in the water." He swung at another one of the horde driving it back. The dead were all over the shore now, and many that remained were simply being overwhelmed and devoured.

The man swung the pipe again. "Go," he screamed out to the boat. He tried to get into the water, but they pulled him back towards the shore then bit into his shoulder with crimson teeth. He screamed and went down, the dead pulling him back, ripping him in two. Jason and Samantha made it out to the boat as Ian helped them aboard.

"Thanks, buddy," said Trevor. A few more survivors made their way into the boat, including the man Trevor had given the pistol to, before he gunned the engine and moved away from the shore.

The man with the pistol shook violently and clutched at the side of the boat. He put his head over the side and vomited. He coughed and wiped his mouth. "Holy... shit..."

Lauren looked behind her. "There's still people back there, we have to save them."

"It's too late," said Erica. "Look."

They all peered out to the shore and saw what Erica was witnessing. A man beside her sobbed, rubbing his knee. A woman held his hand tightly, makeup streaked her tear-stained face. The dead were pouring down the hills from the city towards the shore. When they left, there several dozen or more dead, but now this was in the hundreds or more. They devoured those few that remained in a sick display of compete horrific carnage. The last of the survivors swam out across the river. Some of the dead moved out into the water, but disappeared under the surface.

Trevor looked back and his heart seemed to stop for a moment when he saw her. The girl in the torn, yellow dress. She staggered along the shoreline then turned her head towards the boat. She reached out an arm, lazily towards him. The boat was now too far away for Trevor to see her cold, dead eyes. The girl reached down to a corpse near her and pulled off a strip of flesh with her hands, then began to chew.

### Chapter 18

While other boats made their way across the Fraser River, Trevor had other ideas. He estimated they would have enough gas to make it as far as Abbotsford. They could hide out there before trying to make it from there up to Hope, where he hoped his uncle was still alive. As he moved the boat along the river, he could see the fires raging now in various parts of the city.

The man who he had given the pistol to held out his hand to Trevor. "Name's Bill."

Trevor shook his hand back. "Nice to meet you. That was some good shooting back there. I'm Trevor." He introduced Bill to the rest of his group. Along with Bill, they had also picked up George and Gail Sampson.

Bill unbuttoned his light blue collared shirt a couple of buttons and rubbed the back of his neck. "Not going to cross the river?" asked Bill.

Trevor unbutton the chin strap on his helmet and rubbed his jaw. "We could do that, but it means making it through a lot of subdivisions. Whatever this virus is, it's spreading too quickly. We don't stand a chance against these things if we run into large groups. The bridge was hectic enough."

"Yeah," replied Bill. "I picked the wrong day to decide to go to work at the office. I thought this flu would blow over. Some guy went to work sick, just changed in front of our eyes. He killed two of my colleagues, just ripped their throats out, then starting eating them. Worst fucking thing I've seen in my life. I took off from there, then saw a bunch of people headed towards the bridge so I followed them. The entire city fell apart behind me."

Erica bent down to examine George's knee. He was about fifty, wearing blue jeans and a checkered shirt. "It's alright. I'm a nurse. Looks like a bit of swelling, but you'll be fine."

"You leave my man alone," said Gail. She brushed the dirt off of her white tattered blouse that was ripped along one arm.

"Now, hon you hush. This woman only tryin' to help." He winced in pain and rubbed the top of his kneecap. "Thanks. I think I hurt it going down that hill. I don't move like I used to be able to. I should've got out of the plumbing business long ago. What damn good it would do now with this madness."

"You'll be fine. Hopefully we can rest soon. Perhaps we can find some painkillers somewhere if you can't manage." Erica looked up at Gail. Maybe you would like it better swimming, darling.

"It's good to meet you all," said Lauren.

"Why are we not following the other boats?" said Gail.

"Like I said," replied Trevor. "It's too dangerous on the other side of the river. We are going up the river until we run out of gas."

"I'm sure if we just followed the authorities we would be fine. Who put you in charge anyways? I'm sure they'll have things under control soon enough."

"Mr. Blake has got us this far," said Samantha. "I would listen to him if I was you."

"You just pipe down now," said George. "After all, these people pulled us into the boat now didn't they? Do you want to be back on the shore with those things?"

Gail folded her arms. "I suppose not."

"Lass, you saw what happened there at the bridge. This is spreading, and it isn't slowing down any. We we're lucky to get out with our bloody lives." Ian wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Handful, lad. That one," he whispered to Trevor.

"Look we have all gone through hell. The way I figure, if we can reach Abbotsford, we will stand a chance as long as we stick to the farm areas. From there we can make out way up to Hope. My uncle lives there."

"We'll be further away from the main towns and cities. There's lots of water, game, we can farm," said Bill.

"Exactly," replied Trevor.

"I'm in," said George. "I just want to get as far away from this madness as possible. Can't make sense of it."

"It's the flu," said Erica. "For whatever reason, the people with it died and then changed. I saw it in the hospital. They just died, then woke up and started attacking people. I figure those that are already dead from the flu have changed, too. Anyone alive is food for them. We have all seen it happen, it's a feeding frenzy. Whatever it is that they are afflicted with, the living feed them. I guess we can call them living dead."

"Food?" said George. "Oh, come on, that is something out of a bad book, lady. There has got to be some other reason for all of this."

"She's right," said Lauren. "They feed on the living and it's spreading. Anyone that is bitten by them changes, too, so it's contagious."

"Oh, God," said Bill. "What is going to happen?"

Jason replaced the magazine in his sidearm. "The end of days." He pointed in out into the water. "Only the strong are going to survive. I intend to be one of them."

Trevor looked over at his son. "We'll all make it. We just have to avoid making stupid mistakes. Unless anyone else has have any bright ideas, getting away from the main cities and larger towns is our best bet for survival. If we need to, we can live in the mountains. Maybe we'll find more survivors. We can't go back into any major population centers until we know what in the hell is going on."

"The country seems like a good option," replied Erica. "The cities are going to be overrun soon enough. It happened fast at the hospital, all the flu patients just went crazy. I would hate to guess how many have it now. Think of how many were sick at home."

"We live, or lived I would say, a few blocks from the bridge. One of our neighbors was sick. Saw him out in the yard in his pajamas. He attacked another one of our neighbors just like a wild animal," said George. He rubbed his sore knee. "Saw the helicopters and headed towards the bridge. Had to stop back there and walk. It just fell apart all around us."

"Sam," said Trevor. "Can you get anything on your cellphone? Any updates on what is going on?"

"It's really spotty reception and slow, too. I don't even have any more messages from any of my friends." She tapped the phone. "Dammit." Jason got close to her then put his arm around her shoulder. Samantha sank her head down into the comfort of his arm.

"We're all with ya, lad," said Ian. "Let's head up the river and get as far as we can."

"I hope the worst of this is behind us. Maybe they can get a handle on it," said Bill.

A high-pitched scream echoed out across the water from the Vancouver side as they made their way up the River. They all turned their heads towards the shore, looking for the source of the scream. Overhead the sun had begun to set in the sky casting an orange glow. Sunsets in Vancouver were always beautiful. Tonight, it had an ominous glow as fires mixed with the fading sunlight.

"Yeah," said Trevor. He gunned the boat to give it more power as they made their way up the river. Behind them, death and destruction reigned.

### Chapter 19

Jake Rawlings, Vance, and the rest of Rawlins Marauders headed up the highway towards Hope. They had left their Chilliwack clubhouse and three dead bikers behind them, victims of the flu, including Brad who would be by now finding his next meal. Only Brad wouldn't be enjoying the burgers and ribs the big biker usually liked to eat, he would be devouring the flesh of the living. Like many others in the world now, the man that was once Brad was part of the chaos that was overwhelming the world and the ability of governments to keep it under control. Like a fast moving wildfire, it was engulfing entire nations, cities were falling, replaced by mayhem and murder.

The Marauders rested on the side of the road, which was eerily quiet and devoid of any cars at all. They had passed several traffic jams and even fought their way through a few of the dead, but on bikes they could maneuver faster and weave their way through so that the slow moving ghouls couldn't catch them.

Jake leaned back on his bike and took a pull from the whiskey flask. "We'll ride hard after this rest. We should get into the town by midnight or a bit later."

"Hey, you never told me why we are even going there," said Vance.

Jake wiped his mouth. "Answer's simple, man. I grew up in that shit town. I gotta lot of scores I need to settle. I figure the town is gonna need a new boss."

"What about those things?" Vance took the flask and took a good long pull.

"Hope is small, we can deal with whatever is there. Plus, it's away from the major cities. We can set up operations there. Do whatever the fuck we want, no cops around now."

"Yeah, fucking well-armed now, eh?" Vance adjusted the Glock in the holster he now carried.

"Damn straight. Nothing like robbin' a gun shop when there's no owner or heat on your tail."

A tall, leggy blonde in jean shorts and a Harley T-shirt came out from the woods. She slid her legs over the back of Jake's bike before kissing the back of his neck. "Ready, baby," she said.

"Took ya long enough for a piss," said Jake. He yelled back to the bikers behind him. "Hey finish off those joints, we need to move."

"What the fuck!" screamed Nolan. He stepped back from Craig who was staggering around. On the ride from Chilliwack, Craig had been coughing, but no one heard him. Now spit was dripping from his mouth, and he was gurgling. His eyes had glazed over as he shuffled by his bike. Nolan stood there as the big biker opened his mouth, reaching for him.

Jake stepped off his bike and grabbed his shotgun. "Fucking get away from him." Jake approached his buddy, but he was gone, replaced by a mindless eating machine. The ghoul staggered towards Jake. He put the barrels into the open mouth and pulled the trigger. Craig's head exploded in a spray, then he toppled over in a heap of gore. Some of the spray hit Nolan, who wiped the gore away from his face, almost retching in the process.

"Shit," said Nolan. His face was stark white.

Jake tuned to face his gang. "I'd advise anyone not to get sick or bitten by these things unless you want to end up like poor Craig there. Get on your bikes, let's go."

The thirty bikers started their engines and filled the stillness with a roar as they left for Hope.

***

For retired seventy-two-year-old police officer Andrew Nielsen, the day had been pure hell. He had woken up at around five o'clock with the intent to go fishing in the local streams and just relax. It was nice being retired from the Hope police force with a chance to do things he never had much time for before. He wanted to get his mind off the flu and the death of his brother, who recently passed away from the virus. Up until the outbreak of the virus, life had been good, but now things had changed. The day hadn't gone as planned, much like the days of millions of others around the world who were locked in a death spiral towards oblivion.

The first reports came from his television from VGH hospital in Vancouver. It sounded crazy, but it was true. The flu victims had all died and come back to life, killing anyone they saw and consuming their living flesh. He had seen it firsthand at the Fraser Canyon Hospital in Hope. The RCMP detachment in Hope had called him, frantic for more bodies and manpower against the horror at the hospital. The scene had been one out of a living nightmare. The flu patients had died and inexplicably risen to attack the living. They had overrun the hospital within several hours, killing most of the other patients and hospital staff, along with dozens of police officers. In a small town like Hope, there simply wasn't enough manpower to deal with that sort of crisis. Andrew had helped several people escape from the hospital, narrowing getting out with his own life. The town had erupted in chaos, with panicked people trying to get out as fast as they could. Hope was mostly deserted now, the town center a mess of wrecked cars, dead bodies, and debris. The sun had gone down, and the blackness hid the terrors that were out roaming the streets looking for their next meal.

The town of six thousand residents was down to a few dozen now, and they were trapped in the local diner along with Andrew. They had fought against the dead all afternoon, but had lost. The scattered survivors had barricaded themselves in the diner, pushing chairs and tables up against the glass and the doorway. Both sides of town were full of them now, and there was nowhere left to run. As the sun set, the survivors waited and prayed.

Andrew wiped the sweat way from his forehead and rubbed white whiskers on his chin. His blue collared shirt was soaked in sweat. His hand began to shake as he realized their situation. He wanted to take to the hills, but many of the survivors just wouldn't make the climb, he didn't even know if he would make it.

A woman screamed as one of the dead banged up against the window. "They're gonna break through!"

"Pipe down Victoria," said Andrew. "I still got some rounds for this shotgun. If they come through, I'll let 'em have it. Just be quiet, don't wanna attract any more of them." Andrew knew that his ammo wouldn't be enough, and that this would be the end of all of them. He would fight until the end and maybe, just maybe a few of them could escape.

A small baby cradled by a woman began to wail loudly. She tried to comfort the infant, but child continued to wail.

"Jesus," said the man next to her. "Shut that kid up, do you want to attract more of those things here?"

"How the hell are we getting out of here?" asked another woman.

Andrew strained to hear through the wail of the child. It sounded like motorcycles in the distance to his ears, but he wasn't sure. "Everyone, be quiet. I hear something." He flinched with reflex and brought his gun up as he heard the shots. They popped in rapid succession, growing louder. The shots continued for several minutes, then died down some. The sounds grew closer to the diner as another one of the dead began to beat on the window, leaving grime and blood smears on the glass. Behind the ghoul, bright lights shone against the glass. Andrew and the others hit the deck as the shots rang out. The thing's head exploded in a spray of gore as the glass shattered inwards, sending shards in all directions.

A voice called out. "Hey, anyone alive in there?"

"Yeah," said Andrew. "We're alright." Whoever it was, he was a welcome relief.

"Well shit, man, open the door."

"Give us a sec, gotta remove the tables." Andrew motioned over to two men. "You two, help me get this stuff out of the way."

After they had cleared the door, a mean-looking bunch of bikers came through the door with an assortment of rifles and shotguns slung over their shoulders.

One of them spoke. "What in the fuck are you people doing in here? It's not like there were that many of them out there, ya know. I guess we are your saviors. Who's in charge here?"

Andrew had his shotgun raised and moved into the light so the man could see him. "I guess I am."

The bikers raised their guns at the man. "Gramps, put the gun down. That any way to treat your rescue party?"

Andrew lowered his weapon. "I suppose not." I have heard that voice before. "I know that voice." Dammit, why can't I place the name?

The biker got closer to Andrew, then he began to laugh. "Well shit, this always was a small town. Never thought I'd see you again, Constable Nielsen."

Rawlings, it's that dirtbag I arrested countless times before. "Jake Rawlings."

"Yeah, old man. Small world, ain't it? Of course, I was younger then. You get into all sort of trouble when you're young. Ah hell, I do now, too, but I don't live in this shithole any longer. I left and made a name for myself my man."

"You just switched one jail cell for another. Some never change, do they, Jake?"

"Sure we do, Constable, sure we do."

"I retired a Superintendent, Jake. What did you do with your life?"

"Lots of things, lots of things. I started this gang, you see here."

"You always were a thug," said Andrew.

"Well, that may be, but we gotta work together if you want to survive." Jake called out to the others. "I'm sure you folks are glad you got recused, ain't ya?"

"Yeah," said a man. "Grateful, thanks."

"See, Nielsen. These people are thankful I'm even here."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Look around, old man. Do you see anyone else here? Hey, forget the past, let's work together." Jake walked over to Andrew. He put his hand on his shoulder, then smiled. "Gotta beat these things, start over. These people need us."

"Hey, Mr. Nelsen. Listen to him. We need protection," said a man.

I don't have much choice in the matter. Andrew offered his hand. "Alright."

Jake shook it enthusiastically. "Excellent, my man. We'll make a great team."

A few more shots rang out outside. A few moments later, another biker came into the diner. "That's the last of 'em, Jake. Town looks pretty clear," said Vance.

"Good, good. Send a couple of guys out on patrol. Check the place out. If they find anyone, bring them here. We'll set up operations at this location. We can use the motel next door to crash." Jake walked back to the shattered window. He peered out into the night and slung his rifle over his shoulder "Meet your new boss and town mayor."

"What the hell are you doing?" said Andrew. Before he could raise his shotgun to react, Jake whirled around to face him. He leveled the rifle, and shot the man in the leg. Andrew cried out and fell backwards as Jake moved to kick the shotgun far out of the way.

He yelled out to the survivors. "Anyone here want to live, you'll do exactly what the fuck I say, when I say. The Marauders own this town now."

The blood seeped out from his fingers as Andrew held onto the massive wound on his thigh. He dragged himself along the ground a couple of feet before collapsing.

"Never trust a biker, Nielsen. Shit, I thought you were smarter than that. I guess age has dulled your senses. Crying shame, that is. Oh, well it's for the best, this new world has no use for old  
ex-cops." Jake put his boot on Andrew's fingers until he cried out in pain. "Especially ones that threw me in jail. Glad you're still alive, my man."

"Let these people go," said Andrew, as he winced in pain.

"Nah, Gramps, don't think so. Hey, Vance, take this clown outside and tether his ass to that big tree out there. Way I figure, in several hours, he'll bleed out. Once he turns, he can be my new pet."

"You fucking bastard," said Andrew.

Jake laughed. "Now, I like that name." He motioned to the blonde that was riding with him. "Hey darlin', come and sit on this fucking bastard's lap. Jake has a present for ya."

Chapter 20

As the boat passed Matsqui Island, it began to sputter. They were running out of gas and needed to get to the shore and find someplace to stop. The farms of Abbotsford would offer them some refuge, at least that is what Trevor hoped. There was no other place to go now, and the darkness was unsettling to them all. The fear of not knowing what was out there waiting in the shadows was eating at their souls.

"I think we can make it to the Mission Bridge," said Trevor. "Then find someplace around here to stay. Hopefully we won't run into as many of them out here."

"Yeah, we hope," said Erica.

Trevor guided the boat past the island and then turned towards the shore near the bridge. The engine sputtered some more as they made landfall. He called to his son. "Help Mr. Sampson off the boat, and watch his leg. Once we are all off, stay together. We don't want to get lost out here."

"At least there's a bit of moonlight," replied Ian.

"Take my hand," Lauren said to Gail as she jumped off the boat.

"Oh, I don't need your help, lady. I can manage on my own." Gail got off the boat and went over to her husband, who rested on a log near the shore

"We'll rest here a few minutes, then find some shelter," said Ian.

Bill sat down by George. "How's the leg, buddy?"

"Oh, not too bad. It's not too bad, I'll make it."

Jason went over to his father. "We can't take those two with us. He's only gonna slow us down. We have to move fast."

"We aren't leaving anyone behind," said Lauren. "What has gotten into you anyways? These are human beings. We can't leave people behind when those things are out there. I neve—"

"Will the two of you shut up? We don't have any time to argue." Trevor put his arm on his son's shoulder. "I won't leave anyone behind. We got this far, and I ain't ab—"

The scream filled the air as Gail began to shriek. She pointed over by the trees. "Over there, they are coming this way."

"Behind me, lass," said Ian as he readied his axe. "Take your husband with you. Get by the boat."

"Stay together," said Trevor. "Let them come to us."

They could run through the forest or down the road, but that would just split them up and endanger the entire group. Trevor figured it would be easier to take on the dead coming their way. He peered down the sight of his rifle at the first one. It moaned and staggered through the grass towards them. Its overalls were stained in blood, and the jaw was half torn off exposing the teeth underneath. The thing had a long grisly gash in its neck where it had been bitten. He fired his rifle, and the round pierced through the top of the ghoul's head, pitching the thing backwards to the ground. Ian moved ahead of him, and his axe connected with the head of a woman, decapitating her in an instant.

"I got this one," Jason said to his father. He raised his pistol and fired at the ghoul. The first one missed, but the next one connected with the neck and finally the head, which sprayed bloody pulp.

Erica went back to Gail. The woman was shaking with tears coming down her face. Erica put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "It's alright," she said.

Gail flinched back. "Don't touch me."

They stayed well enough back from the road. Trevor knew Ian could get a bit closer because the big Irishman could handle himself well with the axe. He watched as Bill fired his pistol, which connected with the head of another one of the ghouls. Bill moved closer to the road. It was hard to see in the darkness even with a bit of moonlight guiding their way. That's too close Bill. Got to be careful. One false mov—

As Bill reloaded a fresh magazine, he didn't see it come to him from the side. The ghoul moved quickly as it clamped its teeth around his forearm before tearing off a chunk of Bill's flesh. Blood fountained out of the wound in a crimson gush. Bill screamed and dropped his weapon. He backed up as the ghoul followed him, its jaws now stained red.

"Fuck!" screamed Trevor. He drew his hunting knife and sprinted across the road. He slammed his foot into the chest of the ghoul and knocked it to the ground, driving it away from Bill. He plunged the knife into the things throat and head over and over again. "Just fucking die." By the time he was done, he was covered in gore. He wiped the grime away from his face, then stood up gasping for breath.

Bill staggered several steps backwards. He coughed heavily and held onto his forearm which seeped blood at a rapid rate. "Shit... didn't see it... just didn't see it."

Lauren watched her son pull his pistol and ready the weapon. Before she could speak he walked up to Bill calmly and fired the pistol point blank into the man's head. He has no feelings now. He's just a killer. Do you feel anything, Son?

Jason tuned to his father. He picked up Bill's pistol and put it into his waistband. "We should get moving."

Trevor looked down at Bill. He dead eyes staring out into the moonlight. The blood pooling by the ruin of his head. He looked down at his own hand still clutching the gore-soaked dagger. His hand shook. Trevor put his other hand on his wrist to steady it, then wiped the dagger on his shirt, before putting it back in its sheath. "Yeah... tired... We all need some rest." Trevor cleared his throat. "We stick together, follow these roads till we find a place."

Lauren passed her son. She tuned to face him. "If anyone of us gets bitten, are you gonna be so calm about killing one of us?"

"I'll do what I have to." Jason walked ahead passed his father then down the road.

"I said stay together."

"I'm sure you can handle it, Dad."

Ian walked up to Trevor. "Let him go lad. He's got to handle this in his own way."

Trevor looked at this hand that still shook. "Look at me, I'm a wreck."

"Aye." Ian wiped his brow. "We all are, lad. Need to rest and get our strength back."

"Not my strength I'm worried about." Trevor thought back to the grisly day. A day of death, despair, and more terror then he could possibly imagine.

"What do you worry about?"

"Keeping my fucking sanity." The group of survivors walked down the road, not knowing when they would be attacked again. Their nerves were on edge as they searched their souls for some sense of what was going on.

They found none.

***

They walked down the road to the two-story house which looked to be as good of a place to stay as any. It was surrounded by a medium height fence. Behind the house, several hundred meters back, was a large forested area. It looked to be a higher end residence, owned by someone with a lot of money from farming or some other enterprise. In the driveway was a newer model BMW, around the front of the house a nice garden with stone steps. In the middle of the yard, a fountain sent water cascading down. The sound of the water was almost soothing in the darkness of the early morning hours. As they got closer to the house, they could see the left side of the large front driveway gate hanging off its hinges at an angle. It was bent and twisted. Large tracks could be seen in the grass, and mud was all over the driveway. It was clear that someone had used a vehicle to ram the gate and get away from the house. One of the twin garage doors was open. Several boxes were strewn all over the cement.

Trevor's group stopped in the main driveway. Trevor gripped his rifle hard, ready for anything. "The rest of you stay here. Jason and I will check out the house."

"Aye," said Ian.

The two men went into the garage where they noticed blood drips that led up to the door, left wide open. A bloody handprint could be seen around the handle of the door. "You go right, and I'll go left," said Trevor. He put his rifle at the ready, and they walked slowly through the door. To the left was another door, which Jason went through. Trevor moved through the workshop area, following the drips of blood on the floor. He went into a nice recreation room with a pool table, big screen television, wood stove, and a fully stocked bar. He made his way through the rest of the basement until he reached Trevor, who stood by the stairs by the front door leading up.

Jason put his finger to his lips. "Shh," he said as he pointed to the bloodstains leading down the stairs.

"Let's go up slowly," replied Trevor. They made their way up the stairs, and at the top, Trevor stopped when he heard a thump.

Jason's foot slipped on the stair, but he held on to the railing to keep from falling as it lumbered to the top of the stairs. The thing that used to be a woman had dark gray skin. Her blouse was torn and shredded down one side and stained with blood. Her mouth was covered in gore and it hissed at Trevor who stood in front of Jason on the steps, its long hair matted to the forehead. Spit flew from the mouth as it made a lunge for Trevor's throat. He hit it in the head with the butt of his rifle and it staggered back a bit, allowing him to reach the last step of the stairs. Before the thing could regain its balance, Trevor shot it in the head which sprayed gore over the light brown carpeting.

Trevor reloaded. "Check the rooms." He followed the red stains and went into the modern kitchen. The coffeepot was full and two cups sat on the counter, but the countertop was smeared in blood, the scent of it assaulting his nostrils.

Jason came into the kitchen. "Nothing in any of the rooms."

"Is everyone alright?" called Erica from downstairs.

"Yeah, it's clear now," replied Trevor. He opened the refrigerator. "Oh sweet Jesus, just what I need." He pulled out a beer and sat down on a chair. He drained the brew in a few seconds and went for another one.

"The others are still downstairs," said Ian.

"You seem so relaxed when you do it. I just can't see how you are so calm," said Trevor as he drank, savoring the cool liquid.

"Do what?"

"Kill. You move through them with that axe like they were nothing."

"Ah, lad, who says I don't feel anything. I die every time I have to do it. Ya think of what they were and what they are now. I'd go insane if I didn't close my mind to it." I worry I'll make a mistake, a wrong move.

Trevor took another long drink. "Glad you're here. If we stay together, we'll make it. Christ, I don't want to lose anyone else. My fam—"

"Take another drink, lad."

"Where's my son?"

"Stretched out in the living room, taking a rest."

"Can you get that corpse out of here? I just don't have any energy left."

"Ya."

Trevor sat in the chair and drained the rest if the second beer. He looked out the kitchen window into the blackness and wondered how long they would have. So much death. Barely got to know Bill. I wonder what his family was like. Sorry, buddy. He held onto the table with a blood-caked wrist as his arm began to shake.

Chapter 21

The lights still worked, so Lauren and Samantha cooked some supper for the group. They would make the most of it until the already flickering power went out. Lauren prepared chicken while Samantha cut up some vegetables. They would need the energy, and it might just be the least good meal they had for a long time.

"Shouldn't you wake up Jason? It's going to be ready soon," Lauren said.

"Let him rest. He can eat when he wakes up. I need him fresh after Ian and Erica come back in from watch."

"Hon, you should rest, too. You look like hell."

"We all look like hell," replied Trevor. "I'm fine, I just need a good meal."

"How long we going to stay here?" said George.

"A couple of days, maybe. As long as it stays safe. Should look around, pick up some supplies, and find a vehicle. Roads up to the interior might be passable."

Gail got up and went over to the stove where Samantha was adding spices to the vegetables. "Where did you learn to cook? That smells wonderful."

"My mother, okay? She taught me to cook, she taught me lots of things, like any mother would. Don't talk about her, just don't you talk about her!" Samantha pushed her way passed Gail and ran into one of the bedrooms, slamming the door shut.

"What was that all about?"

Lauren slammed the spoon into the frying pan and stirred the vegetables. "She saw her mother devour her father. My husband had to kill her parents."

"Oh, God. Sorry, I didn't know."

"Just like you, always getting into other's people's business," said George, as he put his cards down.

"Now you stay out of this, I don't nee—"

"It's okay, Gail," interrupted Trevor. "Hon, go and talk to Sam, I'll finish the dinner." He went over to the stove.

"Sure."

Trevor stirred the vegetables and chicken. He peered out the window and heard the commotion outside.

"That's far enough," came the booming voice of Ian. "Who are ya, and what do you want?"

"Saw the lights," said the man. "Been wandering around since this morning, haven't seen anyone except for those that are infected with whatever this is."

"What makes you think ya welcome here? Maybe ya should go back."

Trevor hollered out the window. "It's okay, I'm coming down." Trevor went outside and met the young man at the front door. Erica and Ian stood behind him.

"I take it you're in charge here?" he asked.

Trevor looked him over. He was carrying a tire iron and looked to be about twenty-four years old with short blond hair. He wore a grimy T-shirt and jeans over his well-developed muscular frame. "I suppose so. Who are you?"

"Name's Donald. I live around here. Been going crazy looking for people. Guy I was with got bit by one of them, then tried to attack me. I had to kill him with this."

"We escaped from Vancouver. Made our way up here by boat. Can't say we know this area very well, maybe you could help us. You're welcome to stay." He put his hand on his revolver. "I'm pretty handy with this. If you think you're going to cause something, you can forget it."

"I don't want to be a burden on you or cause any trouble."

"Alright. Sorry, I'm just being cautious. It's hard to trust anyone now. Don't mind ole Ian there. We are just looking out for each other. Can't be too careful now with things falling apart. Come on in, my wife has some food ready."

"Ya," said Ian. "Can smell it."

"You'll get fed, after your shift," said Erica.

"How about now?" said Ian.

"I'll see you two soon to relieve you."

"Ya lad."

Trevor looked into the blackness. "It's almost too quiet out here."

"I hope it lasts," said Erica.

Trevor ran his hand over the back of his neck. "Me too."

***

Trevor, Donald, and the rest sat around the table. Lauren had talked to Samantha and she seemed to perk up a lot when Donald arrived as she took in his good-looking features when he sat beside her.

"Amazing chicken," said George who shovelled food into his mouth. He made a quick glance at his wife, who scowled in his direction. "Although, not as good as my wife's cooking."

"I would have used a bit more salt," said Gail.

Lauren looked her way. Be happy you actually have food, bitch.

"So what sort of plan do you have?" asked Donald.

Trevor swallowed a mouthful. "We are heading up to the Hope area where my uncle lives. I figure we will be far enough from what is going on. The town is small, we should be able to get control of it, clean it out, and gather whatever other survivors we find. The bigger cities are death traps."

"Got family?" asked Lauren.

Donald looked down to his plate. "Don't know if they are even alive. They are in the suburbs, it's probably overrun with them by now."

Samantha put her hand on his arm. "It's okay. We can be your family now."

Trevor buttered a piece of bread. "It's too dangerous to go there now. I'm sure you know that. We barely got out of the city. It's coming apart fast. Don't know how long we'll even have power for."

"I'm willing to come to Hope with you."

"We would be happy to have you," said Lauren.

"I think we'll leave the day after tomorrow, that should give everyone a good rest. I was wondering if you would like to do something for me. We could use some supplies, clothing, medications, weapons, anything of value. Since you know this area well, I thought you could go out with my son and scout around a bit."

"Sure, I could do that."

Trevor turned to Lauren. "I want to give Jason some more responsibility. He needs to do things on his own without my supervision."

"No," responded Lauren. "It's not safe."

"Look, hon. Jason and Erica are the only ones besides me that can use firearms effectively. I'm needed here."

"That boy scares me," said Gail.

"Don't you talk about my son like that," hollered Lauren. "We should have left you by the river for them."

"Well I—"

"I need some air," said Samantha.

Donald got up. "Hey, I'll go with you."

Samantha blushed. "I'd like that."

Trevor put his fork down and wiped his mouth. "Everyone just calm down. We have got to work together to get through this. We can't beat each other up over petty differences."

"He's right," said George. "Have to work as a group, it's the only way to survive."

Jason stretched as he came into the kitchen. He fixed himself a plate of food as he looked around. "Where's Samantha?"

"She's outside with Donald. I think that girl likes him," said Gail.

What the fuck? I'll kill him. "Who the hell is Donald?"

"He arrived when you were sleeping." Trevor stretched back in his chair. "God, I could use some sleep, too. I'm glad you're awake because tomorrow I have a job for you."

"Job?"

"Yeah. Donald knows this area, and we're going to need more supplies. I want you to go with him and scout out the local farmhouses. See what you can find out there. I'm giving you this new responsibility. I can't do everything on my own."

"Yeah, I suppose I can do that."

"Good."

Jason took another mouthful. "Excuse, me I'm gonna go outside."

"Send Erica in, will you?" said Trevor. "Gonna relieve her."

"Okay."

Trevor got up and went into the living room. Just lay down for a minute here on this couch, stretch out my legs.

Jason went out the front door and saw them in the yard. Samantha had her arms around Donald with her shoulder on his. Yeah, I'll kill you, alright. He put his hand around the handle of his pistol.

Donald heard the door close and turned around. "Hey someone I haven't met yet. Who might you be, kid?"

Not a fucking kid, pal. "Jason."

Donald put out his hand, but Jason didn't take it. "Donald."

Samantha scowled at Jason. "You shouldn't be so rude."

"It's okay, we're all tired and stressed from all of this. I'm going back inside." He patted Jason on the back. "Take care, kid, we'll talk later."

Samantha wiped the tear away from her cheek and flung her hair back.

"You alright? Did he hurt you?"

"Hurt me? No, he's gentle."

"What the hell were you two talking about?"

"Oh, like you would understand. You have no idea. You just got no idea." Samantha ran back to the front door.

"Yeah, that's right. Go back to your boyfriend, you little bitch!" Jason whirled around and walked into the field.

"Hey, what was that all about? I heard you yell from here," said Erica.

"Nothing. Dad wants you to go inside. I'll take over until he gets here."

"Trouble with the girl?" asked Ian.

Jason pulled his pistol out and pointed it into the blackness. "Just like those dead out there. It's nothing I can't handle." In the stillness of the night he stood there, but inside he seethed. Touch my girl, you little fuck. "Nothing at all."

***

Erica stood over the couch where Trevor slept.

"He's out cold," said Lauren.

"Yeah, we could all sleep for weeks. We'll handle the watch until morning. He needs to rest."

"Thank you." Lauren brushed his hair with her fingers. "I think I'll sleep, too."

"Sure."

In the kitchen, George made coffee. The lights began to flicker and they dimmed for a few seconds before coming back on. "You better get some food before they go out."

Erica took a plate and sat down. "Yeah. Where's your wife?"

"Gone for a sleep. I could never sleep much during the night. Now, with this, I doubt I'll ever sleep again."

"I know what you mean."

"I... want to apologize for my wife. She can be a handful at times. She's a good person, but this is just hitting hard."

"I feel the same thing, we just react to it differently. I was in the VGH hospital when all this happened. Seen things, I'll never forget."

"We owe your group our lives. For that, I'm thankful."

Erica dug into her meal. "This is good."

"Yes, it is. Just don't tell my wife that."

The lights flickered again. "Maybe I should take some hot food out to Ian. Poor guy needs to eat."

George stood up. "Good idea. I hate to see him with a cold plate. Might make those things seems like pussycats in comparison. Well, I'm off to bed."

Erica laughed. "Okay. Have a good sleep."

George peered out into the black. "Not bloody likely."

***

Trevor walked into the master bedroom and walked around. He stopped by the dresser and picked up a package of cigarettes that sat there. I haven't smoked in years, but damn it, now is bloody good time to start. He picked up the lighter next to the package and light one up. He took a long drag and stood there looking out the window. He put the lighter in his pocket.

Lauren came into the room. "Smoking? I thought you said you would never start again. Those things will kill you."

Trevor laughed. "I think I'll take my chances." He looked out the window again. "Out there, I'll die a lot faster."

"You need rest. Go to bed."

"No, I have guard duty."

Lauren came over and put her arms around him. "No, you need to rest. You're no good to us if you're tired all the time. We need you. I need you."

"Hon, let me go I have responsibilities. I—"

"No, damn it, you're getting some sleep. Now get in bed, and stop being a pain in the ass."

"Can I at least shower first?"

Lauren folder her arms. "Okay, fine, but right to bed after."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Funny."

Trevor went into the bathroom of the master bedroom. The room was long with a nice marble sink and a shower with a sliding glass door. He peeled off his dirty clothing and ran some hot water in the sink. The dried blood and grime flowed off his hands into the sink. He brought a washcloth around his neck, then looked at himself in the mirror. You're a wreck, get it together Trevor. These people need you. Can't slack off or more people will die, just like Bill. Remember? He ran the hot water for the shower and stepped in. It felt good flowing over his back. He didn't have the energy to wash, so he stood there. He didn't see the door open or Lauren come into the bathroom. The door slid open, and she stepped in with him.

"Thought you might like some company."

Trevor turned around and out his hands around his wife's waist. "I do. I always do when it comes to you. Don't know how I would have survived all these years without you."

She brushed his wet hair back. "I'm sorry about the way I acted today. I just got so scared, for all of us. Not knowing who will be next is too much to take."

He pulled her closer. "No one else is gonna die."

"Wish I could believe you."

"All you need to believe now, is that I love you. In all this madness, we still have that. We will always have that." He lifted her up into his arms and she wrapped her legs around him.

"Let's forget about everything." She opened her legs and he entered her, pulling her as close as possible as the water pounded down upon them.

"We will."

For a few moments, they did.

Trevor woke up with the warm sun beaming into the room. He stretched his arms as he sat up. What time is it? I should be outside on patrol. He tried to switch on the light on the stand, but it wouldn't turn on. Must have gone out during the night. He quickly got dressed and went into the kitchen.

"I hope you like cold sandwiches and soup for breakfast," said Erica.

Ian sipped from a mug. "Made hot water on the wood stove downstairs for some tea."

Trevor rubbed his neck. "That will be fine. Why did you let me sleep so long? I should be on patrol by now."

"You were dead tired, lad. We took your shift. Your boy and Donald are out there now."

"You didn't have to do that."

Erica tilted her mug up and drained her tea. "It's okay, we don't mind. It does seem you're smiling more this morning though."

"Yeah, I guess I am. Anything happen in the night?"

"A few passed by, lad," said Ian. He shifted the axe in his hand. "Nothing an axe couldn't take care of. Haven't seen any real threats yet, but don't know how long that will last. Good thing it's kind of deserted out here in these farms."

"Well, we're going to leave tomorrow in any case. Try to find a vehicle and get to Hope."

Ian got up and stretched. "Well, I guess we can sleep now."

"Sleep would be good," said Erica. "So quiet out here at night. Kind of gives you the creeps."

"Get some sleep. I'll wake you later on today. Thanks for what you did."

"Lad?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you wake me when this is all over, just let me sleep."

"That might be a long time, friend."

"Aye. I'm willing to sleep that long."

***

Trevor found his wife and Samantha talking outside. It looked to be a good day, the warm late spring sun making it pleasant, if it wasn't for the threat that was out there, waiting for them.

"Sleep well, hon?" Lauren said.

"Yeah, like a baby."

"How are you, Sam? Do you mind me calling you that?"

"No, it's okay. I feel fine. I miss my parents, but I'll be alright."

"Well, I need to go talk to Jason. Sending him on a mission today."

"I don't like that idea," said Lauren.

Trevor out his hand on her shoulder. "He needs more responsibility. He's good with a rifle, and we need some more supplies for our trip. I would do it myself, but I want to give it to him."

"I still don't like it."

"Well, I don't either, but Donald knows this area well, so he'll have support out there."

"Great, now I get to be a worry wart all day."

"Well, to get your mind off of it, you can gather up some portable food to take. See if there's any clothing we can use. Get Gail and George to help you."

Lauren sighed. "Alright."

"What do I get to do?"

"Well, that's the fun part. You get to help me on guard duty."

"That's boring."

"Not if you get some shooting lessons it's not."

"Really?"

"Yes. I want to teach everyone to use a firearm. I guess I'll start with you."

"Cool."

Trevor leaned over and kissed his wife. "I'll talk to you soon."

"You be careful, Sam. Listen to what he says."

"I will."

***

Trevor and Samantha went through the field to where Donald and Jason were. The two men were fairly far apart, keeping watch. Trevor called them over.

"I have a job for the two of you. We discussed it a bit last night, but I want to fill you in more. What I want is for the two of you to scout out the farmhouses nearby. Look for anything you can take that we can use."

Samantha smiled as she saw Donald. God, he's so hot. "Can I go with them?" asked Samantha.

"No, Sam, I need you here. We can't all spread out. Besides, you need those shooting lessons."

Jason stood there looking at his dad. I'm not good enough to teach her how to shoot? "Why don't you let me do that?"

"Because I need you on this mission. I want you to become a leader. God knows I can't do everything. I have to protect the group here. I want the two of you to get it done. Please just be careful. If you run into them, get the hell out, just come back here."

"What is our top priority?' said Donald.

"Well, we can use more weapons, but those will probably be hard to come by. Try to find any portable food we can carry, medicine, camping gear, that sort of thing. I figure we'll leave early tomorrow morning. We should be able to avoid most contact with them if we're lucky. An extra day of rest will do us good."

Donald scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, that's the thing. What if we can't avoid them?"

Trevor looked towards the horizon. "You pray."

Chapter 22

Jason and Donald walked through a strawberry field towards the farmhouse. They hadn't run into any of the dead yet, but that left the two of them with growing uneasiness. The fields of Abbotsford made a great place to hide from the hordes should they encounter any on their journey to find supplies. They were safe for now, away from the major towns.

It was eerily quiet as Jason took a swig from his canteen. "That farmhouse over there looks like as good as any to check out."

Donald stood back up as he shoveled a few June strawberries into his mouth. "Yeah," he mumbled, as he chewed the sweet berries. "Damn, can't get better than fresh strawberries can you?"

Jason slung his shotgun over his shoulder. "Let's get moving."

The two of them made their way across the fields towards the large white farmhouse. It was surrounded by tall trees and a white fence. A recent model SUV sat in the driveway spit and polished, the paint gleaming in the afternoon sun. To the side of the house was a worn-down barn with a tractor in the front of it.

Jason stopped in his tracks when he noticed the open front door. He brought his shotgun up and kept his finger near the trigger. "Hold here, I'm gonna check this out." He went around to the front near the SUV, and there he saw it. The thing crawled along on the ground. Its leg was chewed off, and it left a trail of gore on the pavement. It turned its head to hiss at Jason, raising its hand out towards him. The face was mangled with shreds of skin where someone had bitten the helpless creature that was once a fifty-something man. The work overalls and white shirt were stained in blood and grime. The eye socket of the thing was completely pulverized, the jaw and teeth opened and closed in a grisly bloody grin as it crawled towards Jason. He put the shotgun near the head and squeezed the trigger, ending the thing's life in an instant as it exploded in a spray of pulp.

Donald came running around to the front of the SUV. "I thought your dad said to avoid them?"

Jason slung the shotgun back over his shoulder. "You do everything your daddy tells you to do, Donald?"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? There could be more of them. We have to be careful, don't you think?"

"Well, since I'm the only one here that can actually use a firearm, I guess you're stuck with me."

"Yeah, I guess I am, lucky me."

Jason laughed. "Oh don't worry, I won't let 'em chew on you." Maybe, Donald, maybe. "Just stay behind me, let's check out this house." Jason swung the shotgun left and then right as they entered through the front door. The hallway in front of them was smeared with bloodstains along the walls and floor. It was clear that the thing Jason just killed had made its way outside from some sort of encounter in the house.

"You think there's another one inside?" said Donald.

They passed a staircase and went down the hallway. To the left of them was a doorway leading into another room of the house.

Jason pointed with his shotgun. "We should check out this room—"

"Fuck!" screamed Donald.

The grisly creature that used to be a young woman came out of the doorway. Jason jumped back a bit as Donald wailed behind him in terror. The woman wore a once white dress, the front of it now smeared in blood, most likely they blood of the unfortunate man they had found in the driveway. She looked to be in her early twenties, perhaps the daughter of the farmer now dead outside. The dress was torn down the left side, exposing the ample left breast—now a pale gray color. Her arm came up as she stumbled forward like a drunk. She gurgled as spit flew from the side of her mouth. It dripped down the side of her chin.

The well-manicured fingernails came out, reaching for Donald. He stumbled back towards the door, away from it. "Shoot it, just fuckin' shoot the thing!"

Jason raised the shotgun, and the back of her head exploded in a spray against the wall, adding to the gore already there.

"Fucking Christ, just fuck," said Donald as he doubled over and vomited. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, still bent over.

Jason laughed again. "Don't be such a pussy. Did you see the way her head exploded like that? That was wicked." Jason loaded two more rounds into the shotgun and slung it back over his shoulder. "Now, let's see what we can find in this shithole."

Donald stood back up and wiped his mouth again. "You're insane. How the fuck can you do this so casually? She used to be a woman for fuck sake. Do you have any compassion at all?"

"Compassion? Shit, man. She would have ripped my throat out. You can't have compassion, not now. I'm a survivor, and it's about time you were one, too."

Jason pointed towards the kitchen. "Go see if there's any food we can take with us in there."

"I don't have to take orders from you."

Jason smiled. "Like I said before, I'm the one with the shotgun. I'll go and check upstairs. Holler you run into any trouble."

"I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, sure you can."

Jason went up the main stairway to the second floor. He went through to the master bedroom and began looking through things. There wasn't much there that would be of much use. He found a closet full of work clothes and the typical garments worn by a couple. There was no need for a suit now or a frilly dress. He picked through the clothing then checked the other room He came across a nice woman's leather jacket. Might just fit Erica. I bet she would like this. He folded the jacked and placed it into his backpack. He peered out the window into the fields and noticed how still and calm it was. It's a new world, Jason, and you're going to survive. Fuck guys like Donald. He was hugging Samantha. Just shoot him in the head, he fucking deserves it. Just kill him! Jason thumbed the trigger on the shotgun. It would be so easy. He admired the shotgun. This gives you so much power in a world gone to shit. His mind played games with him. Kill him!

"Hey."

Jason whirled around, levelling the shotgun as Donald stood there.

Donald stepped back. "Shit, put that thing away!"

"Never sneak up on me again."

"I just came into the room. There's not a lot down there, some canned goods and some jerky we could take, maybe." He held up a kerosene lamp. "Plus, I found this in the garage. There's a stove, too."

Jason chuckled. "You get a scout badge for effort."

"You know, I don't understand what you have against me. I'm just tryin' to help. We need to be a team if we want to survive."

"Guys like you won't survive, friend." You're as good as dead. Guys that muscle in on my girl even more so, Donald.

Donald put the things into his backpack. "No, something's bothering you, and I don't know what it is."

Jason opened the pack of jerky on the table and took a bite. "Nothing is bothering me. We should move and check out a few more farmhouses before we head back. It will be dark soon."

They passed the corpse again in the hallway, the blood smeared over the wall. Donald noticed her dead vacant eyes staring up at the ceiling "I just don't know how you can do it, all this killing." Donald winced at the horrific smell coming up from the wreck that used to be a woman. "I'm not like you."

Jason went through the front door and stopped, peering out into vast fields in front of them. "Then you'll die." He tore off another chunk of the jerky and chewed it slowly in his mouth.

"You'll die."

Chapter 23

The man on his knees moaned and spit blood on the floor. He wiped his lips and coughed. Jake drove his heavy boot into the man's stomach once more.

"Now... one more time, who are you and why did you come here?"

"I told you the truth... just trying to escape from them. Made my way up here..."

"Shoot man, you can't just come into my town. I own this place." Jake put his boot on the man's back and pushed him down. He dug the heel into the small of his back.

The man began to sob. "Please... haven't eaten anything since it all began..."

Vance came over and pulled back roughly on the man's hair. "You heard the man, he owns Hope. Why are you here? You hidin' around here with others? Maybe they sent you to scout it out, eh?"

"I swear I don't know anything about that. Please, I just want some food. I didn't come here to scout... don't even know who you are."

"Yeah, shut up for a minute. Say, Vance, I got an idea. Ya know, I never liked the name Hope, it's just lame. How about we change it to Rawlings? Damn, now why didn't I think of that before?"

"Sure, man. I love that idea."

Jake put his pistol to the man's temple. "So why are you here?"

"I told you before. I was just passing through. Tryin' to get away."

"Okay, I'll give you that. Got anything we can use?"

"I don't have anything on me. I just ran when it all started. Barely got out."

"Well, that's a shame. See, you can't come through here without having something to offer us."

The man coughed again. "I can work. I'll do anything you ask, please just don't hurt me."

"No, that won't do. I'm sorry then. I just can't help you."

"What ya want to do with him?" said Vance.

"Gather the town together, then meet me by the tree." Jake picked the man off of the floor. "Come on, buddy, I got someone I want you to meet."

***

Hope was now a shambles of the town it used to be. The Marauders had taken over basically everything. Debris littered the streets along with corpses, which were rotting in the sun and creating a nauseating stench that was hard to escape from. In fact, the smell of death was the new norm. The town was cleared of dead, but the survivors faced the new hell of a motorcycle gang, bent on doing whatever they wanted, with law and order a thing of the past. The survivors of Hope gathered by a large tree with Jake standing in front of it. He held a pistol to the temple of the prisoner, who sat on his knees with his head flopped down, staring at the ground. He shook his head from the violent kick Jake had just given to his ribs. He kicked him again in the stomach, and the man bent over as he vomited. His arms were shackled behind him. The man peered up, his bruised and battered face visible to the crowd. You could barely recognize his left eye, which was now an empty socket as fresh blood seeped from the horrific wound.

"So glad you could all make this little gathering. First of all, we have some good news. This town will now be known as Rawlings, B.C. You all are its first new residents. Well, except for our buddy here." Jake pulled the wounded man to his feet. "I want you all to understand clearly what happens to those that defy me. Do as I say, and we'll all get along fine."

The man's eye was wide open in horror as he gazed at the ghoul chained to the tree. Its hair matted to the head. Congealed blood covered the trousers, the result of gunshot wounds. The thing tried to reach for Jake, but he was well out of the way of the chains. It hissed as fluid dripped from the jaws.

"No!"

"Meet my friend here, Constable Nielsen. How are ya today, Constable? Hungry, I bet." Jake lifted the man to his feet and patted him on the back before shoving him towards the zombie.

The man started to plead. "I'll do anything, God, no!"

Jake pushed the man right into the ghoul. Before he could react, it bit down hard on his shoulder. He screamed as blood fountained out when it tore off a huge chunk from his shoulder. He shrieked and held onto he wound as he staggered back towards the crowd, which moved backwards. Jake got in front of him and pushed the zombie back with his boot. The zombie tried to reach him, but the chains held him in place. The man on the ground coughed heavily, gurgling undecipherable words. Jake shoved the man away from the ghoul.

"Now, Constable, don't get greedy. I'm sure I'll have more tasty treats for ya soon. Geez, you give a new name to the word pig."

"What do we do when he reanimates?" said Vance.

"Use him for target practice."

Someone in the crowd fainted, while others looked up at the other tree near where the unfortunate constable, Jake, and the helpless man stood. The corpses that hung in the tree there were grim reminders that the town did belong to Jake and the Marauders.

### Chapter 24

Trevor stood in the field near the house and wondered when his son would come back. He should have given up his shift long ago and gone back inside, but he was worried that something may have happened.

"I should have done this myself," he said.

Erica out her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I'm sure he's fine, just running late. Maybe they found some good supplies out there for us."

"Yeah. If any—"

Erica pointed to vehicle moving down the road. "Look."

Trevor readied his rifle. "Go over there and take up a position. We don't know who or what they want. I'm gonna position myself by the house. If anything happens, open fire."

"Right."

Trevor moved at a fast pace through the grass towards the front of the house and the concealment of a tree there. The vehicle was still too far away for anyone to see him move. As it got closer, he trained his sight on it. He moved his finger near the trigger as the pickup came to a stop, but lowered his rifle as the driver came into clearer view. He moved out of his position, so he was visible to the truck occupants. He motioned his hand towards Erica as both Donald and Jason got out of the pickup.

Jason took a look at his dad's rifle. "Were ya gonna shoot your own son?"

"You know we can't be too careful. You didn't exactly have a truck when you left."

"Well, I figured it would be the best way to get all the gear and food we found back here."

"Sure got a lot of things," said Donald, "some guns, too. There are enough supplies here to last a while, I'm sure." He chewed down on an apple.

"Run into any problems out there?"

Jason patted the shotgun slung over his shoulder. "Nothing I couldn't handle. They aren't exactly fast, you know."

"Yeah, but too many of them is going to be a problem. We've been lucky here so far." Trevor looked over to Donald. "Thanks for your help. I figure we'll have a look at all this gear and take what we need. Perhaps the roads will be clear enough to get us there."

"I'm with you. Gonna go inside and eat."

"Right."

Trevor waited until Donald went inside. "So did he give you any problems?"

"Problems? Well, no. It's just that he runs like a frightened girl when he encounters them. He can't shoot or even swing an axe very good. He's about as useless as they come."

"He'll learn. I'll show him how to shoot. Maybe you can help."

"Help him? We have enough problems saving our own asses. He's gonna slow us down just like the other two inside. Erica and Ian are the only good ones we have. Fuck, can't save everyone we—"

"Because there fucking human, that's why!" Trevor put his arm on his son's shoulder and shoved him back some. "We're all in this shit together. We have to save these people, or there will be no one left to save."

"Yeah, you're the big hero, out to rescue humanity. I'm out to save only one person and that's me."

Trevor stood back and looked at his son. "What the hell happened to you the past few days?"

Jason laughed. "Well shoot, you're blind. Take a fuck and look around, dear old Dad. We are all as good as dead. If we try and be Mr. Hero, we'll all die that much quicker."

"We have to try. Won't be many of us left. Life has to go on." Maybe he's right, Trev, your son is right. We are all so fucked.

"Well, if you say so. Just don't send me on any more missions with that dimwit. I'll take care of myself."

"That will get you killed."

"Yeah, Dad, it might. You could say they got it easy, those dead out there. They are just waitin' for us to join them."

"What are you waiting for?"

Jason gathered his backpack out of the pickup and turned towards the house. "I'll let you know when I find it."

Erica approached Trevor who stood there watching his son leave. "What was that all about?"

"Beats me. Give me a hand with this stuff." Trevor went over and began to pick things out of the truck. "That's someone I no longer know."

***

The supplies Jason and Donald had picked up were modest, but they were well worth the trip. Jason had found a few rifles and some ammunition which they had in short supply. They had enough camping gear as well as clothing to go around for everyone in the group. Once another vehicle could be picked up and an ample supply of gasoline obtained, everything would be set. The back roads would be safer until they made their way to Hope, or that was what they wished for. There was no telling what would greet them on the way. It was a time of great fear, as the world descended into utter chaos and mankind descended into the base need for survival.

The group all gathered around the dining room table. Lauren had set out candles she found in a Christmas box. The light filled the room and illuminated the weary faces of the survivors. It would be their last meal in the house before setting out to the mountains, with no idea what was in store for them. The meal was simple with whatever they could put together from the food that was left in the house. Gail had created a nice salad with the leftover vegetables, there was canned tuna, crackers, cheese, and soup warmed on the wood stove downstairs. It would carry them 'til tomorrow.

Trevor poured a bottle of wine he had found in the liquor cabinet. "I know this isn't much, but we have to save our supplies. I don't know when we will be able to pick up more or just how safe we'll find it out there. I just hope we come across more survivors. We'll get through this, everyone. We do it together, there's no other way." But who's going to make the right choices? If you make the wrong one Trevor, everyone dies. They all die.

Erica spoke up. "I'm not very religious, and I don't know if anyone else is here, but I'd like to say a few words before we eat."

Lauren clasped her hand. "Sure."

"Oh Heavenly Father, Grant us the strength to see it through these dark days. Guide us with your wisdom so we may find the light. Allow us to rebuild and create a new world. Thank you for this meal. We ask these things in your name. Amen."

"I liked that," said Samantha.

Across from her, Ian smiled. "Couldn't have said it better myself, lass, well done. Shall we eat? Its good company tonight, let's make the most of it."

"Yeah." Trevor took a long swallow of the wine. "This is a great meal, we should be thankful after all we've been through. Might not get another one like this for a long time. It's been too quiet, and that worries me."

George cleared his throat. "It's a good salad, honey. The dressing is terrific." No more fighting, Dammit, I do love you. Maybe this can bring us closer together.

"I made it from scratch. I guess we have to get used to that now, don't we? Go back to the old ways."

"Jason should be here," said Lauren. I worry about you, out there with who knows what around the corner. We're just existing now.

"Aye, but he wanted watch," replied Ian. "He took my place, Donald went with him."

"I'll put a plate aside for them," said Erica. "Take it town and relive them. I have to thank him again for the great jacket he got me. It will take the chill off at night."

"He can be thoughtful at times," said Lauren.

"If it's alright with you all, I'd like to take the watch after that," said George. "You all have done so much, and my leg feels much better now."

"Are you sure?" said Trevor. "I wouldn't want to rush you with that leg. We can handle it."

"Yes." George took another bite of food. "I want to pull my weight around here. As you said, we have to work together. I'm a fast learner, just give me a few pointers with a gun, and I'll be fine. Hell, I'll just fire the damn thing in the air to warn you."

"Now, Geo—"

"No, hon. You know I got to do this, understand?"

"Alright."

"It's settled, then," said Trevor. "Once Jason gets back, it's Erica and myself, then George and Ian. That will get us through until we leave. I don't know what we'll find out there, but hopefully we can come across someone that knows what is going on and how to solve this."

Erica raised her wine glass along with everyone else. "To friends."

"Amen to that, lass," Ian raised his glass. "Amen to that."

### Chapter 25

The gunshot shattered Trevor's sleep, and he bolted upright in bed. Lauren wasn't beside him, and he could hear the commotion going on in the house. Just what I was afraid of, our comfortable life here, I knew it couldn't last. Dammit, we should have left earlier. Trevor got out of bed in a flash and threw on his vest and gear as Erica came running to the doorway. It was still late, and the sun hadn't come up yet.

"Hurry up, they're coming fast!"

"How many?"

"I can't count that high."

"Shit." Trevor grabbed his rifle and flew down the stairs into the yard. There he ran into Ian, who was breathing heavily.

"Lad," he said between laboured breaths.

"Where's George?"

Ian fought for his breath. "He must have fallen asleep out there. Everything was quiet until I heard the gunshot."

"Where is he now?"

"Lad, he's still out there."

Trevor peered out into the fields, but he saw no signs of George. All he saw were bodies lumbering towards them. The fields were thick with them. They shambled through the grass, a wall of absolute horror.

Erica fired her rifle twice, and it connected with one of the nearest dead. The first shot hit the thing in the shoulder, but the second connected with the middle of the head and dropped the ghoul to the grass in a heap. "Where the hell are they all coming from?"

"The suburbs," said Trevor. They ran out of food.

"Get everyone together, and get to the truck," yelled Trevor, as Lauren came racing out of the house. Trevor peered down the road, a road swarmed with bodies heading their way. There was no way to get the truck out, and even if they did, the horde would overwhelm it quickly. There goes camping supplies and all the food. Shit! In a few minutes, the dead would be at the house. There was nowhere to run, they were totally cut-off.

***

George struggled to move his legs, but his knee slowed him down. You just wanted to be a hero, George, help out. You knew your knee still hurt, you knew it! Sleeping on guard duty, you stupid fool! He turned around and fired the rifle again, hitting one in the chest, but it kept coming. With the basic training Trevor had given him, he just wasn't good enough to get a head shot. He fired again and somehow hit the neck on one, which spewed gore and pitched the thing backwards to the ground. It was of no consequence, however, as the swarm of dead now descended upon him from all directions. He swung the rifle, and it connected with another in the head and it, too, fell over. George tried to run, but his knee sent pain through his body, and he stumbled some. Sorry, Gail, so sorry. As his knee gave out he tumbled, but the horde caught him. Teeth sank into his shoulder and ripped away his flesh. They surrounded him like pack and tore at him. He screamed as his arm was ripped from his body. They heard the screams at the house, it was a sound you couldn't forget. It was a sound that would wake you up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, unable to forget what you heard. It was the sound of a man being torn to pieces. They feasted on him, then continued towards the house. A few stragglers bent over what was left of George and devoured that, too. They were driven by their desire for flesh, for it consumed their existence utterly.

Gail stood there and heard it, too, the scream that terrified them all as George was ripped apart by the dead. Gail started to scream and sob as she came unhinged, her life shattered in an instant. "George!" She shrieked his name over and over again as she ran, but Trevor caught her with his arm.

"No! You can't help him, he's gone."

Gail punched and shoved at Trevor. "Let me go!"

Trevor let her go for an instant before he clubbed her over the back of the head with the butt of his rifle, knocking her unconscious. "Donald, take her inside." Ahead of Trevor, the horde advanced toward the house, the fields covered in them. The road was now inaccessible, and they couldn't move forward. They had nowhere to run.

"What do we do?" said Ian.

Trevor readied his rifle. "There's only one thing we can do. We fight."

***

The group moved out in front of the house to face the onslaught of dead. They looked at each other with the grim realization that this may be the end of them all. They had come this far, but the rising tide of dead was now unstoppable.

Ian went out in front of them, brandishing his axe. He swung it at the first one that got near him, cutting off half its head in a full swing. He swung again and decapitated another of the dead as blood sprayed in all directions. Erica fired her rifle towards another one. As the round tore through the skull of the ghoul, it crashed to the ground in a heap. There was an eruption of gunfire, but it was no use, there were simply too many of them. It was all a matter of time before they would be overwhelmed. Samantha screamed and swung her bat hard at one of the creatures, which went down hard. She pulled the pistol out of her waistband and fired into the head of it.

"Keep firing," screamed Trevor. That's it, just like I taught you, Samantha. Not that it matters now. How the hell do we get out of this?

Donald swung the hatchet he now had and cleaved the head of another one in two. "There's too many!"

Jason pushed one backwards with his foot and blew it apart with his shotgun. "Just keep fighting, we'll make it."

One of the dead stumbled towards Lauren. It opened what was left of its bloody jaws and brandished its teeth. The thing tried to lock down on her arm, but the hockey padding she wore kept the bite from going through. She pulled her knife out of its sheath and shoved it through the side of the ghoul's head, then stabbed it again.

Trevor's mind raced for answers. The decision to not try and run for it was the wrong one, as they were now backed up near the house with nowhere to go. The forest, it's our only escape route, if the way is clear, we'll make it. The gasoline in the garage. It could buy us some time.

"Lad, they're closing fast," said Ian "Don't think we'll outgun 'em."

Trevor screamed over to Donald. "There's a gas can in the garage. Go get it and some rags or anything that's going to light. Go!"

"What you have in mind?" said Ian.

Trevor fired his rifle again at another one. "We need a distraction, light the gas and move back to the house. We can go over the fence and run for the forest behind us. We can't stay here, it's our only chance. If we all just run, they'll keep following us. They'll get confused by the fires, which will buy us time."

Donald ran back with the can of gas and some rags. "What do you want me to do with this?"

"Take it out front and pour it around near the house. We'll hold them off so they don't get near you," said Trevor. He fired his rifle again and changed his magazine. "Then I'll light it."

'I'm with you, lad," said Ian. He moved out a bit and swung his axe again, dropping another one in a vicious slice.

"No, buddy. I need you to do something for me. Get Samantha, my wife, and Gail the hell out of here. Take them over the fence and towards the trees. That way should be fairly clear of them. If we don't make it—"

"Aye."

"Erica, Jason. Cover Donald so he can poor the gas. We don't have much time."

The three of them stepped out in front of Donald as he poured the gasoline out. They fought back the dead with all they had. Trevor fired his rifle into the horde and brought down two more before they could get too close. Erica and Jason both brought down several more as they advanced towards them. In the fields ahead of them, the dead just kept coming.

"Hurry up," screamed Jason. "Get the gas out, we can't hold them for much longer."

"The AR is out," said Erica. She slung the weapon back over her shoulder.

"Here." Trevor tossed her a couple more pistol magazines.

One of the dead lunged towards Trevor, and he lost his balance. He fell over and the thing landed on top of him, its jaws dripped salvia onto his face. The thing gurgled and hissed at him. He managed to put up his rifle to stop it from biting at his face. Erica took her rifle and came over to him She rammed the butt down and caved in the thing's head as Trevor turned his head out of the way. He pushed the corpse off of him and got up.

"Thanks."

Erica fired her pistol as another one got close. "Yeah."

Donald took the remained of the gas and soaked the bottom of a rag. "That's it, the can is out."

"Get behind me." Trevor hollered. He took the lighter out of his pocket and lit the rag. He waited until the dead got close enough and lit the gas on fire. "Go to the back of the house, now!"

The flames would occupy the dead for at least for a little while. Long enough for them to escape. They ran as fast as they could as the dead reached the flame wall. They stopped for just an instant before plowing through the flames. Several of them caught on fire instantly, and they staggered around. Trevor and the rest of the group reached the back of the yard and the fence as one of the dead staggered into the front window. The burning corpse pounded on the glass, and it shattered as the thing fell into the open window. The living room began to burn. Another one caught the trees on fire in the front yard.

"Shit, we need the rest of the guns," said Trevor. "Can't leave without them."

"Get Erica over the fence," said Jason. "I'll get it. I know where it is."

"No."

"Dad, just go, I'll catch up."

"I'll help him, Mr. Blake."

"It's too risky. I'll handle this. If anyth—"

"Trust me, I can do it. I can run faster than you."

"Alright, make it quick. Meet us over by the trees." Trevor helped Erica scale the fence before leaping over himself. Jason watched his dad disappear from view.

"What are you waiting for?" yelled Donald. "We need that bag."

As Trevor and Erica made their way across the field, Donald and Jason went back inside and were assaulted by the smoke filing the house.

"Front of the house is on fire," said Donald.

"The bag is in the kitchen!" yelled Jason.

There was too much smoke for Donald to see. "Where are you?"

"Got it, let's go." Jason pulled on Donald's jacket, and the two of them went back out of the porch and down the stairs. Several of the dead had managed to make their way into the backyard.

Donald went down the stairs first, and he buried his hatchet into the head of one of the dead. "We can make the fence, hurry."

Jason watched behind him and shot one of the other dead near the stairs. Only one of us going, Donald. He pointed his pistol to the back of Donald's leg and fired. The bullet tore into the man's flesh and turned his knee to a red ruin.

"Fuck!" screamed Donald. "What the hell are you doing?" Donald wailed as the searing pain overcame him.

Jason stood behind him. He grabbed hold of the back of Donald's hair. "You shouldn't try to take another man's girl. Why did you do that, Donald?"

"What? For Christ's sake, I was giving her a hug. She told me her parents died. I was comforting her!"

Jason fired again into another dead that came into the yard. He jumped over Donald who slumped on the stairs. "Goodbye, Donald." He fired again into the other leg and headed for the fence as the dead swarmed into the yard. "You'll make a good meal for them."

"Wait, don't leave me here!" Donald tried to crawl. He reached out for Jason.

The blood attracted the horde. They virtually ignored Jason as he went over to the fence. You'll never touch her again. She's mine! Behind him, Donald shrieked once before the horde tore into his body, pulling him apart. They severed him in two as his guts spread out on the steps of the house. The flames made their way to the rooftop and the entire building went up. The horde filled the backyard now, and many of them slammed into the fence, trying to get Jason who stood there on the other side for a few moments watching them devour Donald before he made his way over to the forested area to join his companions.

***

Jason ran as fast as he could across the fields towards the rendezvous with the rest of the group near the forest. Behind him, the house was now engulfed in flames and owned by the dead. The sun was just beginning to rise and it cast an ominous glow over the horizon with what may lay ahead of them in the coming hours.

Jason called out. "Dad? Erica?" He stopped to catch his breath and lifted his head as a faint voice could be heard off in the distance. He had found them. He squinted and wiped away the sweat that was running down from his temples as his father came into view.

His father ran up to him and embraced him in a hug. "Thank God you're safe. We have been looking all over for you. What the hell happened, are you okay?"

"I got the gun bag." He pointed to the bag he had dropped near him as he gasped for air. "They were everywhere."

"You shouldn't have risked it, but I'm glad you got the weapons, we're going to need them."

"Jason!" His mother came running up and wrapped her arms around him as the rest of the group arrived. There were tears in her eyes. "My baby, I was worried sick."

Jason pulled away from his mother. "I'm not a baby anymore, Mom. I did what had to be done to protect us all."

"We're proud of you, lad," said Ian.

Samantha began to look around them and peered off into the distance. "Where's Donald?"

Jason stood there and allowed the tears to come to his eyes. Gonna lie to them, aren't you. He had to die, he had to. I love you, Sam, no one will ever hurt you again. "I tried to help him." He looked to his father. "We barely got the gun bag and a bunch of them came into the backyard. We fought them off. You should have seen him, he was so brave. He fought until the end. There was nothing I could do. They surrounded him, th—"

"You did fine, "said Trevor. "He was a good man, we'll miss him."

"Dammit," said Eric as she fought back her tears.

Samantha broke down in sobs. "No, he was so nice. Why?" Samantha choked back the tears.

"It's okay, Sam. I'm here." Jason put his arms around her and allowed her to cry into his shoulder. "I tried to save him, they would have gotten me, too. I barely got over the fence." He held her close to him. "I'll make sure you're safe." He brushed his hand over the back of her hair, feeling the softness under his fingers. She was so warm and so comforting. As he stroked her hair, he peered off in the distance at the house that burned in the glow of the rising sun.

Jason smiled.

### Chapter 26

The group rested by the trees, thankful to be alive. Gail sat back against a stump, her face emotionless and vacant. The trauma of losing her husband was too much for her brain to process. Although she could still walk and say a few words, she wasn't all there at the moment. The stress too much for her to handle. Erica tended to her and kept watch as she looked for any positive changes in her condition.

"How is she?" asked Trevor.

"She went through a lot, and she has severe stress right now. She should be able to walk with us, but she might wander off. We have to keep a close eye on her."

Jason paced by the tree, looking out to the forest beyond. "Just leave her here. We can't take her with us. She's only going to jeopardize the rest of us."

Trevor walked over to his son. "As I told you before, we don't abandon people, no matter what their condition. We can find medical supplies and tend to her. You're supposed to be on lookout, so do your job. Is that clear?"

"Yeah, Dad, it's clear."

"So where are we going to go from here?" said Erica. "We can't go back there. Sorry I'm just not familiar with this area. I never got out here."

"Well, we can't get through this brush as we would get lost, but we can follow the train tracks down by the water, and that will take us through to Chilliwack. We can get some supplies there, a couple of vehicles, and head on up to Hope."

"Assuming we don't run into any more difficulties?"

"We'll that's the thing, we don't know what's out there, but this is our best shot, to get away from them as much as possible. If the highway is fairly clear, we should be able to make it up there."

"We will, lad," said Ian. "You got us this far."

Yeah, this far and we keep losing people. "I can't promise anything."

"It's going to be fine," said Lauren.

Samantha clutched the bat she held. "I'm ready to fight if I have to."

"Well, Sam, that's not a bad idea," said Trevor. "Everyone listen. We are running low on ammo, as we wasted a great deal of it back there. We have to conserve as much as possible. We are low on rifle ammo especially, so use pistols. Switch to other weapons, only use our guns if it's absolutely necessary."

"Loud sounds attracts them. I saw it in the hospital. They move towards the source of any sound."

"They can still hear?" said Trevor.

"Yes, I guess in a limited way. Sound seems to draw them to the source. I don't know all the answers here, just observations. They also appear to travel in large groups from time to time. I guess it's like a herd of cattle, if you want to call it that."

"And we don't want to attract the buggers' attention," said Ian.

Trevor rubbed his shoulder, which still ached from his fall. "Right. We need to avoid them as much as we can. There's no need to fight off a few if they aren't a threat to us, as they are too slow to catch us moving."

"It's the large groups that terrify me," said Lauren.

"By following the railroad by the water, we should be safe until we get to the other side. It's going to take a day or so to get there, so we better get moving. When we rest, we'll sleep in shifts. There are going to be no more chances, no letting our guard down. We can't let that happen. Does everyone agree?"

"Yeah," they said together.

"Good. Let's get moving, we have a long walk ahead of us."

***

It took a full two days before they made it into the outskirts of Chilliwack. Gail had slowed them down some, and they needed to rest for her. Ian carried her on his back a good portion of the way, without saying a word. They had left the camping supplies behind, abandoned in the truck, and they were down to just a bit of water from the two canteens they had with them. The group was hungry, tired, and on edge about what they would find moving through Chilliwack.

Erica stretched out her back and took a swing form the canteen that was just about empty. She handed it to Trevor. "No, it's okay, give some to Lauren."

"You would make a lousy patient. Go on, take a drink."

Trevor let out a weak laugh. "Alright, Nurse. We can follow this road down a bit, we should hit some houses. Hopefully get what we need there, then back to the highway with vehicles."

"Up ahead," said Ian.

"They are in our way, so we have to clear them out. We can't attract large groups of them."

"Don't worry, I'll handle 'em."

Samantha came over to Ian. "I'll help."

"Right, lass, you stick close now."

"Hey, I'm tougher than I look."

"Aye. I saw that in the store, when we first met. Take the right one, I got the lady on the left."

"Half her arm is missing, she's no lady."

"Take the chap in the tie. Shame though, black is my favorite."

Sam approached the first ghoul and swung her bat hard at the thing's head. She connected hard, and it staggered backwards. She swung again, and it crashed to the ground. She went over to it, and before it could raise its head she smashed the skull in which splattered gore over the front of her bat. Ian swung his axe and took the head off of the other one in a clean stroke. He went over to Sam and used the man's suit jacket to clean off his blade.

"Aww, you ruined a good suit." Sam smiled at Ian and gave him a big hug.

Ian wiped away a tear from his eye. "Thanks for your help."

"Anytime you need help, you just holler."

"I will, lass. That I will."

"Hey, Ian," said Lauren. "You two make a good team."

"Aye."

Jason chewed on a piece of grass. "Well, Dad, looks like the way is clear. Lead on, boss."

"I don—"

Lauren grabbed his arm. "Don't, let him be. He has to work thing out in his head."

"No, what he has to stop doing is being a dumbass or he'll get us all killed." He hollered over at his son. "Hey, by all means go up ahead and scout around. After all, you don't need me. Why don't you be a man, for once? Go on now, we don't have all day. I want to be on the road shortly."

"Sure, I'll do that."

"Yes, you will."

Erica came over, holding onto Gail, who stumbled around in a daze. "We need to get her some rest soon, she needs it."

"No time for rest, but I'm not about to knock her out again."

"Sleeping pills would do it. Allow her to work this out of her system. Maybe in Hope we can find other medication so I can treat her better."

"Alright, we'll check the house up the road, then get the hell out of here. I don't want company to arrive."

As they approached the house, Trevor motioned for the group to stop. "There's no sense in all of us going in there. Erica, take Samantha with you."

"Right."

"Sam, follow Erica and listen to her closely. I want you to learn how to enter a room, then clear it if necessary."

"Okay."

"Don't take any risks, just look for the medication she needs, then get out. Never use your weapon unless you absolutely have to."

"I understand."

Lauren put her hand on Erica's shoulder. "I'll watch over Gail to you get back. Is she going to be all right?"

Erica checked her pistol. "Not sure she has stress disorder. She may recover from it or she may get worse. Medication may help her some."

"Lass will be alright," said Ian.

"Well, Sam, let's go check out that house. Stay tight with me."

"I'm ready."

***

"Why aren't you going yourself?" asked Ian.

Trevor rubbed the side of his elbow. "Need to give responsibilities to other people. The more we can do together as a group, the better off we'll be." He leaned up against the lamppost.

"Makes sense."

"So tell me, Ian, what was a big Irishman like yourself running a sporting goods store?"

"Ah, yes. Well, you see, my grandparents came over here as immigrants and opened up a clothing store. It was a tailor's shop, basically. Back then it was suits and dresses, people always needed work on their clothing. Then my parents did the same thing after that, so tailoring ran in the family."

"I take it you didn't get into that field?"

"Ah, ya I did. So in a way a followed in my parent's footsteps. I ran a shop for several years."

"So why the sports store?"

"Well, you see. In high school, I fell in love with hockey. Don't ask me why, as I never cared for football which is so popular in Europe. I just had a passion for it. I wanted to play, but my parents didn't allow it."

"I take it there's more to the story?"

"Aye. After high school, I went to work in my father's shop. I did my best, but I was miserable. I had no passion for clothing. Heck, I couldn't wait 'til closing, just so I could watch an NHL game. One day, my father suffered a major heart attack, and he was critical in the hospital."

"Sorry."

"Ya. I spent a lot of time with him during his last days. Before he died, one thing he told me was to follow my dreams, cause it's the only way to be truly happy in life."

"What did you do?"

"After his funeral, I confessed to my mother what he had said and that I wanted to open a sporting goods store in his memory. I knew he would be proud of me, so I did. I followed my dreams."

Trevor looked to the debris on the street, the body face down in the grass. The once pristine suburban neighborhood, now empty and lifeless. "Not much for dreams now, it's all gone."

"Yeah, lad. That it is. We'll create new ones, help rebuild, if we survive."

"I guess they'll never win the cup after all," said Trevor.

"Eh, lad?"

"The Canucks."

The big man burst out laughing. "Oh, bloody hell. Now, that's a good one. The Canucks. Were they ever gonna win lad? Were they ever?"

For the first time in a long time, Trevor laughed, too. "Yeah, I guess not." He glanced over at the house. "Maybe we should go check on them."

"Yeah, lad."

The two men went over to the house. Lauren wiped away the hair in front of Gail's eyes, trying to get a response out of the woman, who was lost in her own reality. The wind picked up a few scattered leaves and moved them through the silence of the empty subdivision. A car with its door open was sideways in the road, its dead driver half out of the seat, tangled in his seatbelt. In the distance, a dog picked at a corpse lying at the side of the road. Although light spring rain began to fall, you could still smell the stench of death. It was a reminder that the world they once knew was gone.

Chapter 27

Erica and Samantha came out of the house just as Trevor and Ian arrived. Erica had a smile on her face.

"I take it you were successful?" said Trevor.

"Not what I was hoping for, but I got some sleeping pills. These will help her rest once we get a vehicle. Maybe in Hope we can acquire other medications and I can treat her better. It's hard to say what is going to happen with her. I think her mind is going into a depressive state and sometimes people have a hard time recovering from that."

"Damn," said Ian.

Erica looked over at Trevor. "It often takes a lot of therapy and even shock treatments to get them to come back."

"I won't leave her. Not after what happened to George. She deserves that much. Hon, how is she?" said Trevor.

"Not any response. She's getting worse, I think. I wish we could do more." Lauren held onto Gail's hand and rubbed it.

Erica pulled some bottled water and a few granola bars from her pack. "Found these in the house, not much else there."

"It will be enough for now," said Trevor. "Go see what you can do for Gail. We need to get a vehicle and get out of here."

Erica went over to Gail and took out one of the bottles of water and a couple of the pills. "Honey, I hav—"

They all jumped a bit as they heard the roar of an engine and spinning wheels. It came from down the road. Trevor checked his rifle and went into a crouch. "Everyone by the house, take cover."

A SUV came spinning down the road at full speed. Behind it, they could see the reason why. A small herd of dead was following the vehicle. It screeched to a halt near the home Erica and Sam had just been to. Jason yelled from the window. "Everyone get in, they're all over the place down there and headed this way, let's go!"

Ian slung Gail over his shoulder and hopped in the side with the rest of them as Trevor got into the side passenger door. He slammed the door shut. "Go get the hell out of here, make your way to the highway, I'll tell you where to go."

Jason spun the vehicle away from the subdivision and hit the road towards the highway. It was fairly open where they were, although several cars littered the road in some sections and they had to slow down to avoid them.

Jason glanced behind him to Gail. She sat in the seat with her head flopped back, she didn't make a sound. "Should have left her," he said. "Look at her."

Trevor began to lose his temper. Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? "What? Leave her to them so she can become their next meal? She can't fight back. No, there's no way in hell I'm doing that."

"We got lucky, because I found this vehicle. Had we been walking, we would have had no choice. You know that."

Trevor glared at his son. "There's no friggen—"

Erica spoke up. "For once, I agree with your son. I don't know if I can save her. We might not find the right medical equipment. Hell, Hope may even be overrun with them."

The sped down the highway, away from the chaos. They needed to keep moving away from the groups of dead that seemed to be everywhere they went.

"Do you think I don't know that?" said Trevor. "What if there's a chance. What if you can save her? We all owe it to her husband to do that. She has to have a chance to survive."

"Whoa, slow down," said Sam. "Look at all the cars ahead. It's a big jam."

Jason took his foot off the gas and let the SUV down. Ahead of them, the highway became clogged with vehicles. A truck was overturned in the middle of the road, still smouldering. Several dead bodies covered the road, leaving it streaked in blood and various pieces of debris. One body laid against a blood-covered car door, bullet casings littering the ground near it. Another body lay in a pool of grisly remains near the side of the road. A crow pecked at it before flying off when the car got closer.

"Dammit," said Trevor. "Too hard to see up ahead. Ian, you see anything back there?"

Ian craned his neck out the window. "No, lad, too many cars. Don't know if we can get through."

Trevor turned to Erica as Jason stopped the vehicle "Have a look out there, will ya? Maybe we can sneak through."

"Damn, just leave Gail here, Dad. We can make it on foot, find another veh—"

"Shut up. We will do what I say, is that clear? She comes with us."

Jason looked ahead. "You're going to risk us all."

Trevor stuck his head out the window. "Anything?"

"Yeah," said Erica. "We can make it around these cars, the side road doesn't look too bad. Just have to take it slo—"

Erica was making her way back to the vehicle when the shot rang out. She dove to the grass and readied her rifle, although the gunshot was nowhere near her. Everyone in the vehicle ducked down.

Trevor and Jason opened their doors, using them for cover. "Everyone stay low, going to check this out."

Ian put his arm around Samantha and pushed her down further in the seat. "Bloody hell."

Erica took cover behind the smouldering truck. She looked to her right as another gunshot rang out, but even that one was way wide of the vehicle.

"Can you see anything?" asked Trevor in a whisper. Erica shook her head.

Samantha winced and covered her ears as another shot impacted a car to the right of them, but the shot was still nowhere close. "Who the hell is shooting at us?"

Another round plinked into the truck where Erica was, then silence for about thirty seconds.

A voice called out from a distance. "We know where you are. Those were just warning shots!"

Trevor crouched by the door looking for the source of the voice. Warning shots? You couldn't hit a barn door.

"We don't want anyone to get hurt. All we want are your supplies. Hand them over, and you'll go free."

Trevor yelled out. "What if we don't?"

A shot rang out a mile wide of where he was. "That answer your question? I won't say it again. Hand over your stuff, and no one gets hurt."

I don't want to kill them, but we have no choice. Don't know who they are and what they really want. It's just too risky. Trevor motioned to Jason and moved his finger over his throat. His son nodded in agreement. Trevor estimated the sound of the voice was coming from his right. He made a hand signal to Jason to begin to go left. He would distract their assailants by talking to them until Jason got a clear view of them and had a shot. Their attackers were amateurs, as their shots were not threatening to them, but they couldn't take any chances. They needed to see who and what they were up against. Trevor indicated to Jason to move out then pointed to Erica to follow him. She began to move out from the cover of the truck. His son was an excellent shot, and now he needed him. Trevor indicated through his hand signals to stay low. Jason knew to use the cars for cover as he moved closer to the source of the voice. His hunting training was to his advantage. He crawled through the grass to another vehicle.

"Hey, maybe we can barter. Maybe you have something we can use. Come on, there's no need for violence here." Trevor leaned back against the door.

"Just give us your stuff! Mister, you're running out of time. We'll kill all of ya."

Jason moved between the vehicles and kept his cover. He peered around the end of a sedan and saw one of them, his head exposed behind a vehicle in a crouch. The other one that had been talking was near him, but covered by the car. Jason didn't have a clear shot of him. He turned around and made a signal back to Erica who had moved along with him, but was staying back a bit. He flashed two fingers to her indicating the two assailants. She made her way back to the group and got line of sight with Trevor and flashed the signal back.

Trevor nodded back to her. "Come on, can't we just work this out?" he yelled back.

"I sai—"

The crack form Jason's rifle cut him off in mid-sentence as the round from the rifle stuck the other man with him. The exposed top of his head sprayed his brains and blood in a mist as the top of his head disintegrated under the power of the hunting rifle. The man speaking took off from the car, but Jason couldn't get a bead on him because of all the obstacles. Jason yelled out. "He's running. Bastard's running, going right towards the trees!"

"Ian watch the others." Might be more of them, Trevor, take him out now! Trevor popped up from his position and weaved around the cars. He made his way to the side of the road and got his weapon trained on the man running. He's far away, but I'll get him. Trevor aimed his rifle, and the shot rang out. It slammed into the man's back and he pitched forward. Damn, not where I wanted to hit him. Trevor and Erica ran up to the man as Jason made his way through the car obstacles. Jason raised his rifle.

Trevor motioned to him to lower his weapon. "No, don't. We need to ask him some questions."

Erica kneeled by the man. She examined the wound as blood poured from his lower back injury. "Okay, lie still, I'm going to turn you over." He cried out as Erica began to turn him over with the help of Trevor. It wasn't a man, it was just a kid about eighteen or nineteen.

The boy coughed and moaned in pain. "Water..."

"Kid," said Trevor. "Why the hell did you shoot at us? You weren't going to hit anything."

"Just tryin to scare you... Get your supplies... Getting hungry out here, those things... killed my brother, my dad..."

"You were just alone?"

"Yeah, met the other guy in a store..."

"Should have thought twice shooting at us," said Jason.

Trevor out his hand on Erica's shoulder. "How is he? Will he make it?"

"If we had a hospital, maybe. Out here now, I doubt it. He's losing a lot of blood, and it looks like some type of internal abdominal bleeding, but I can't be sure of that."

The boy coughed and blood came out of his mouth. "Please... Don't leave me..."

"We don't have time for a more thorough diagnosis." Trevor backed up and drew his sidearm. "Sorry, kid. You threatened us first." He fired point blank into his head so he wouldn't turn when he died.

Erica put her hand on Trevor's shoulder. "You did the right thing."

"Yeah, I guess. Thing is, we should be killing the dead and not each other."

He laughed a bit. "Soon we will be just like them."
Chapter 28

Trevor looked down again at the gas gauge. It was almost on empty, and they still had a long ways to go. They had managed to make this far without much trouble, but Trevor didn't want to have to walk anywhere again with the dead everywhere he turned. Along the highway, he spotted a gas station with a convenience store and what looked like a small mechanics shop.

"We're going to pull in here. It looks fairly quiet, but stay alert. Jason, check out that shop over there and look for a screwdriver or anything that will puncture and some pans or a bucket we need to get some gas."

"Why not use a hose like the movies?" said Samantha.

"Well, we could do that with older model cars," replied Trevor. "But newer cars have a prevention system which makes it impossible to get gas out using a hose. You have to puncture the gas tank or use another system to do it. We don't have time to fiddle around, so puncturing the tank is a good option. We'll have enough to get where we're going."

"Yah," said Ian. "That's what they do during storms when there's shortages. Only way to get gas."

"Be careful," said Lauren

"I'll stand watch," said Erica. "Hey, maybe that car over there would be good. I'll go check it out."

"Alright. I'm going to check the store," said Trevor.

Erica went over to the car and could see the driver slumped there. She opened the door carefully and the ghoul tried to lunge for her. She calmly stepped back and shoved her knife in the side of the thing's head to silence it. She popped the trunk and rummaged around in the back for anything that would be of use to them. Scavenger now. Wish I could have saved you, Jess. I'm so sorry. She lifted her head for a moment and wiped away the tears swelling in her eyes. Dammit, you have to stay strong. How can I with so much death around me? I miss your arms, Chris. I miss you.

Trevor entered the gas station store and was immediately overcome by the stench of death and decay. He wrinkled his nose, and it took a supreme effort not to retch then and there. He pulled his pistol and scanned the store. Most of the shelves were empty, with the odd bag of chips on the floor. The cash register was open and all the money was gone. Like you need cash now. He went towards the back, near the chests were the pop and water were stored. It was then that he saw the body on the ground. The man's stomach was ripped open and his guts were strewn all over the floor, leaving a red mess. A young woman was bent over him. She wore the typical faded blue jeans with the rips in them and her pink T-shirt was now stained with the man's gory remains. Her once lovely brown hair was matted against her head. Around the corpse, flies buzzed relentlessly. She turned as Trevor moved and hissed at him as she tore another pieces off of the man's liver and chewed on it. She stood up and began to move towards him. She held the liver in her hand, and it dripped blood all over the floor as she stumbled towards him. Her arm was torn down the left side, and Trevor could see the bone of her forearm. She opened her mouth and drooled out the side of it. The bloody saliva added to the grime already all over the floor. She reached out with her blood-soaked hand, but Trevor stepped back. He calmly took out his hunting blade and in one swift stroke, stuck it into her left eye socket. He twisted the blade and pushed hard on it. The thing twitched a bit before he withdrew his weapon. The young girl collapsed onto the ground and took a piece of shelving with her as she fell. Trevor wiped the blade on his jeans and collected a few chips bags, chocolate bars, and water that was left in the ruins of the store. He put a hand over his mouth as he stepped over the corpse to grab some more of the bottled water that was stacked there.

As Trevor dealt with his adversary, Jason went over to the mechanics shop to look around. Towards the back, he saw the mechanic, or what used to be one. The thing shuffled over by the bench, still clad in his work overalls. It turned its head to the side and turned towards him, gurgling sounds. On another bench near him, Jason spotted a ball peen hammer. He picked up the tool and approached the ghoul. Man, I'm starting to love killing you fools. Come and get it! It raised its arm and tried to swing at Jason, but he stepped out of the way of the slow moving creature. He raised the hammer and brought it down on the top of the skull several times. It toppled over, and Jason brought the hammer down again. It was unnecessary, but he savaged the head of the thing until there was nothing left. The hammer and his arms were covered in its remains. He looked around the shop and spotted an old bucket full of parts. He dumped those on the ground and retrieved the bucket. On the bench near where the ghoul had fallen, he picked up a rusty screwdriver.

Jason went over to the vehicle where Trevor and Erica were standing. "I hope this bucket will help."

"Yeah it will," said Trevor. "I didn't find much in the store. Looks like it was ransacked. I got a few chocolate bars, a couple bottles of water. I ran into a friend, but I took care of it." He patted his son on the shoulder. "Since you want more responsibility, you get to drain this car. I'm going to check on the others." Trevor smiled at him. "Have fun." Trevor went over to the vehicle and started checking over the weapons.

Erica helped Jason with the small bucket as he stabbed the gas tank with the screwdriver. "Your dad cares about you. He has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders."

"His only responsibility is to us," said Jason. "He takes too many risks. It's like he is out to save the whole flippin' world."

"Maybe he is. We have to start again, try to make sense out of all of this."

Jason turned to her. "What? So we are just supposed to start over. Look out there, there's nothing left. These things roam everywhere. One false step and we're all dead. Only way to survive is to be tough. I won't become one of them."

"At what expense? You want to drive away everyone you love?"

"I—"

"What about that girl you like? Do you want to drive her away from you?"

"I just want what's best for her," said Jason.

"Yeah, I get that, but you need to listen to your father more. He has more experience than you in this big old world, and he's got us out of a lot of trouble. You can't do it all, none of us can. You're right, one false move and we're all dead. So don't go all Rambo on us, you'll lose."

Jason scoffed at her. Like I need a life lesson from you. "Yeah." Jason picked up the full bucket. "Let's get this gas over to the car so dear old Dad can save the world."

### Chapter 29

Galen Blake sat at the table with his neighbor, Steven Lewis. The two men cleaned their guns and sipped whiskey. Galen lived away from Hope, and he only visited the town on occasion to go for supplies. He mostly stayed tot himself, as he loved the quite life of the country and his log cabin. He had lived in the cabin for a long time. He built it himself and was proud of his accomplishments. Galen had never married, but he was fine with that. It's not like he didn't have a lot of women in his life, he did. He just didn't want to settle down. Galen wasn't a man to listen to anyone. He did things his own way, and that was the end of it. Outside, he had a nice garden, which he loved tending to, and a well for water.

Galen was old school and tough. The woods and lakes around home were his stomping grounds. The forest was his home, and he had many friends, although now many of them were dead, missing, or trapped in the town. He spent most of his life as a fisherman on the Fraser River, and then as a fishing guide in his later years. He spent a lot of time hunting, and when he did go to town, he spent time hanging out and talking to the locals about the good old days when he was young. The sixty-two year old felt damn tired after all that had happened. Lucky for the two men, the remoteness of Galen's cabin kept the dead out, as well as the new neighbors who now controlled Hope.

Galen paced in his cabin. He stretched next to the window and rubbed his white beard. He was lean and still in decent shape for sixty-two. Long hours of hunting and tending to his crops allowed him to stay in reasonable shape. His arms were still fairly muscular, although he had lost a lot of the size he had in his youth. His still had a thin layer of hair on his head, but it had receded way past his temples now and was thinning more on top. He sat down in the chair next to Steven, his neighbor and close friend. Since they didn't venture into the town as often as other people did, they both managed to avoid the plague that swept through Hope and killed most of the residents. He sat down and poured a shot of whiskey "Need to get into town," said Galen. "We can't stay out here forever, and those bikers are patrolling all over now. Sooner or later, they'll find us and the others."

Steven scratched the white stubble on his chin and adjusted his cap. "Yeah, I know that. We need a plan to deal with them, but there are not a lot of us."

Galen drained another shot. "I don't know if we have enough ammo to take the town. Shit, it's going to be risky."

Steven leaned back in his chair. The fifty-six year old had put on a little weight over the years, but he was strong. Like Galen, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, and being out in nature. Like many that had suffered through the plague with a loss, Steven had buried his wife Mary and was now alone. "I know, and the outcome probably won't be good, but we have to do something. People up here need medications and food." Steven finished cleaning his Mossberg rifle. "What do you suggest we do?"

"I just don't know. Need to wait for Billy to get back from scouting," said Galen. "Got to know how many of them are in the town. We need more bodies, and above all, more firepower."

"I guess we need to make a decision soon. The others need our help. We can't stay up here forever. There are other survivors in the town that need us." Steven drank down a shot." I'd rather die helping people, than be a victim to those things out there."

Galen stood up. "You hear that?"

"Yeah, it's the whistle, Billy is back."

They both heard the footsteps up to the door. "Hey, it's me. Let me in."

Galen went over to the door and let Billy in. He was about forty-two and fairly muscular. His face was covered in mud, and he wore a camouflage outfit. In his hand, he carried a hunting rifle with a scope. He sat down in a chair and caught his breath.

Steven pushed the whiskey bottle his way. "Here have a shot."

Billy poured a glass. "Thanks."

"So what did you find out?" said Galen.

Billy threw the alcohol back and slammed the glass back on the table before he wiped his lips. "Damn, needed that. Well, they have the outskirts of the town blocked off with overturned vehicles and other barriers, and there are a couple of guards there. The roads up here are still accessible."

"Maybe they don't see these areas as a threat?" said Steven.

"Oh, I bet they do. They are probably just going place to place, seeing who is up here."

"We know how many there are?"

Billy scratched his chin. "Well, that's hard to say. I counted about fifteen in the town, but there could be more of them. It looks like they are using a hotel and restaurant in the town as a main base of operations as I see a lot of bikes outside. People are moving around some."

"That's good. I don't think they will be too bright with tactics or anything," said Galen. "They are after women, weapons, and booze."

"Well, we're smarter," said Steven. "If we start a shooting war—"

"I'm ready," said Billy. "We can take them and get back our town." Billy swallowed. "There's something else though."

"What?" said Galen.

"You know old man Nielsen, the retired cop?" said Billy.

"Yeah," replied Steven. "I talk to him all the time at the hardware store. He's a nice guy."

"I saw him down there. Through my binoculars."

"Where?" said Galen.

"Tied to a tree."

"Then we need to rescue him," said Steven, as he stood up.

"You don't understand," Billy continued. "He's tied up, and he's changed."

Galen wiped sweat away from his temples. "Damn."

"There's more. I saw others down there, too. They were hung up in trees. All of them had turned. Whoever we are dealing with is a loose cannon, and there's no telling what he'll do to us or anyone else he encounters."

Steven checked his rifle. "That's why we can't wait any longer."

"We need more people." Galen pounded back some more whiskey. "Not many of us up here. I'd hate to lose any of them."

"Have to risk it, Galen. No choice," said Billy.

"Can't put if off. We have to gather everyone up and formulate a plan. We need those supplies, the sooner the better," said Steven.

Galen sat back in his chair and put his arms out on the table. He put his hands together. "Alright. We owe the people down there. I for one don't want to leave them to whoever these guys are."

Steven went over to the window. "Good, I—"

Galen stood up. "What is it?"

"I can hear it. It's coming down the road. Vehicle."

"One of ours?" said Billy. "Told everyone to stay home for now."

Steven readied his rifle. "Maybe, but we can't be too careful."

"Got a good view as they come into the yard from this window," said Galen.

"Yeah we can ambush them before they even make it to the door," said Billy.

"Pipe down." Galen pointed his rifle to the SUV pulling into the gravel driveway. "Don't know who they are yet."

The SUV moved slowly into the yard then stopped. A man got out clad in black police armor. The passenger side door opened up, too, and a young man got out.

Galen put his rifle down. "Well shit. How in the hell did he make it all the way up here? Put the guns down boys, our luck has just changed."

"Who is it?" said Billy.

Galen was smiling from ear to ear. "That's my nephew."

### Chapter 30

Jake Rawlings sat back in the hotel room chair. A brunette had her head between his legs going down on him. Her face was covered in grime and her cheek was red where he had hit her. The young woman wore blue jeans and a ripped yellow T-shirt. Jake puffed casually on a cigar and took another swig from a half empty bottle of rum. On the table, he had a pistol nearby.

"Damn girl," he said, as he pulled her hair back with force. "You're not bad at this. I think you're a keeper. Glad you agreed. Your friend shouldn't have shot off her mouth like that. I told you people that the constable is hungry. Play by my rules, and everything will be fine.

He stroked the side of her face. "Boys are gonna like you."

The girl didn't move, but kept her mouth on him. A tear ran down the right side of her cheek, but she quickly brushed it away.

"Yeah, almost girl. Just a little faster. Give Jake what he wants." The girl squeezed Jake's balls and held him in her mouth as he came. Jake pulled his knife from its sheath and brought it to her throat as he held onto her hair. "Now you swallow it. I don't want any spitting." He brought the blade to her skin. "Understood?"

The girl nodded and swallowed his semen. She wiped her mouth with her hand and sat back on the floor. She was close to tears.

"Hey girl, you're not done yet. Clean off my cock with that tongue, and be quick about it. I got things to do."

The girl did as instructed and cleaned him off. As Jake pulled up his jeans there was a knock at the door. "What do you want?"

"Me, Jake," said Vance. "Are you done with her yet?"

"You greedy little bastard," said Jake. "Come on in, we have things to discuss and then you can have the little whore for yourself."

"Alright."

"Hey darlin', leave us for a bit. Go in the bathroom and freshen up, you look like shit. There's a bucket of water there you can use. I want ya all pretty for Vance and his buddies."

The girl got up and went into the bathroom without saying a word.

"Sit down, man," said Jake. "Have a drink." He poured both of them an ample glass of rum. "So how goes the recruitment?"

Vance sat down. "It's going good, Jake. I got quite a few able bodies now helping us search through the hills for survivors."

"That's good. Glad to see some cooperation around here."

"Well, not everyone is willing to work with us. Some people are holding out. Don't know what you want to do with them."

"Oh, that's a shame. You give someone a chance to survive in this new world and look at how they repay you."

"What do you want me to do with them?"

"Let's gather them together and have another demonstration of my authority here. I'm sure the constable is getting a might peckish these days."

Vance laughed. "Yeah, he's a hungry bastard, isn't he?"

Jake took a swallow of rum. "That he is, my man."

"We found a few of the dead wandering around, too, but we took care of them. I got details working to pick up any corpses we find and clean the place up."

"Nice job," said Jake. He waved his glass around. "We can't have Rawlings, B.C. a junk heap can we? If people want to live here, it's got to be tidy. Check the houses. There might be more of 'em inside. I wouldn't want one of the boys to run into one and get bit."

"So, Jake, what do we do with everyone that won't work with us, even after the demonstration? We got some pretty stubborn holdouts."

"Simple, man." Jake put his glass down. "Anyone that doesn't want to help us is going to die."

"Just kill them all?"

"Yeah, Vance. We just kill them all."

"I don't know."

"Shoot, you want to feed some old lady that is bitchin' at you or some snot nosed kid? It's a new age bro. Only the strong are gonna survive this. I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to find food for all these people."

"It seems drastic," said Vance.

"Drastic? Well, suppose we let them all live and our food runs out. You want to deal with a riot?"

"No."

"Good. We'll pick through 'em though. I want all the pretty ones for the boys. They need their release. I wouldn't want 'em to get out of control or anything."

"Sure, Jake."

"We're sitting pretty up here. The city is far away, and we shouldn't see too many of them up here. What we do run into, we'll handle just fine."

"Alright." Vance put his rum glass down. "Good stuff."

"Yeah it is. We got plenty left, too. Ole B.C liquor stores, gotta love em."

"We're also collecting gas, like you said. We already have a good supply of it now."

"Yeah, we need as much as we can get. We'll have to venture out further once our supply runs low. I don't want anyone driving unless they have to. Keep the bikes for when we need them. Use trucks or other vehicles for now."

"Got it," said Vance. "That reminds me, I almost forgot. I was talkin' to a local. He says he may know where there are some people that may still be alive. He told me the location of some remote cabins up in the hills. You know the type, guys that like to live mostly off the grid as much as they can."

"I know the type."

"He says they are mostly older guys, some are hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, that sort."

"We might be able to make use of guys that know this area well," said Jake. You send out a patrol and locate these guys. If there's another group out there, I want to know about it."

"Okay."

"If they find anything, let 'em know we have food, supplies, whatever else they need. Shit, any survivors up there are probably pissing their pants by now. Send some of the new recruits, too. These guys gotta get their feet wet out there. They need to prove that they want to be a part of our new town."

"I'll get it done."

"See that you do." Jake popped a beer. "Hey girl, come on out now, Vance needs ya."

"She good?"

Jake laughed. "Oh man, you're gonna have a great time with her. See that the boys don't rough her up any. I want her fresh for later."

Jake turned. "Ah there you are. That face looks much better. Now you go here with my buddy Vance, and make sure his boys have a good time. We clear?"

The girl nodded. "Yes, sir."

He patted her on the behind. "That a girl."

"Hey boss?"

"Yeah?"

"What do we do if our patrol comes under fire from these guys up there?"

Jake took a swig of his beer. "Well, that's gonna be a real problem." He picked up his pistol and examined it.

"A real problem indeed."

Chapter 31

The group sat around Galen's table. He had brought in some lawn chairs from outside so everyone had a seat. Trevor had told his story to Galen and his friends, and he was glad to see his uncle still in one piece. Hope had suffered a lot, but there were survivors still left. Now, they needed to decide how to get into Hope, but that was going to be difficult with the biker gang holding everyone hostage. Trevor knew there would be no reasoning with them, and that was too risky as the gang could turn on them in a minute if they did manage to work something out. It was either the bikers or them that were going to live in Hope. Trevor knew which group it was going to be.

Galen poured more coffee for everyone, then put the cast iron kettle back on the wood stove. "I guess there's some good to livin' a simple life." Thank God you're alive, Trevor. I can't believe you survived.

"We are glad to be here, Uncle," said Trevor. "I never thought we would make it out of the city. It's pretty bad out there, and this is only going to get worse."

"It will spread like wildfire," said Lauren.

"Well, you folks are welcome here," said Billy.

Erica came out of the spare bedroom. "Gail is resting. Not sure how she'll be in the coming hours. She was muttering some, but other than that there's, not a lot of activity out of her."

"What she got?" asked Steven.

"It's a deep depression. The brain just sort of shuts off, and you go into a state like Alzheimer's or dementia basically. Some people never recover, while others get better over time. I just don't have any medications to treat her."

"That's why we need to get into town," said Galen. "Damn it."

"We can take those clowns," said Jason. "A bunch of bikers? Please."

"Can't rush in, Son, you know that. These guys will be armed."

"Yeah, but not much training, I suspect," replied Jason.

"Have to think it through," said Erica.

Trevor stood up to stretch. "How many can you gather up, Uncle?"

"Probably a dozen in addition to all of you. There are a few kids and women, too, but they can't fight."

"They'll learn with time," said Billy. "We need to train everyone to defend themselves."

Trevor looked over at Billy. "Right. You mentioned you have been scouting. Maybe I should go with you, see what we are up against."

"You can if you want. I think we have the numbers, but running into town, guns blazing like the old West isn't going to work. The hotel is where I saw all the bikes, that's a main staging area."

"I wish I knew who was leading these guys," said Galen.

Trevor sipped his coffee. "It could be anyone, Uncle. Whoever it is, they're using fear to run the town. Billy mentioned those people hanged and the other one they have tied up as a terror weapon."

Steven paced by the window. "That is what makes this guy very dangerous."

Erica folder her hands on the table. "Dangerous or not, we need those supplies in the town. We came this far, and I sure as hell don't want to go back into the city. I say we fight and take it from him now."

"Erica," said Trevor. "I know you're anxious to help Gail and anyone else, but we can't just walk in there. We get in a huge firefight and people are going to die."

"We'll all die, just sitting here, Dad."

Billy lit a cigarette. "We can take them. These bikers are taking advantage of the situation. They won't suspect anyone attacking them. They are ruling with fear, not military tactics or clear thinking. They will be weaker than they realize. They won't suspect any sort of attack from anyone."

"It's a risk," said Galen, "but we have to take it for the sake of everyone."

"Uncle, get the others together. We'll formulate a plan and then execute it. I came this far, and I'm not going anywhere else. Hope is ours."

The door opened slowly and Ian stepped into the cabin. Trevor looked at him. "What is it?"

"Trouble, lads. A mess of trouble."
Chapter 32

They fanned out in front of Galen's cabin and the woods surrounding it. Ian told them that three men were coming up the road in a Jeep. They were stopping and checking each home before moving on. They had a couple more homes to check before they would make their way to Galen's home.

Trevor knelt in the brush beside Billy as he looked though his binoculars. "They're at Jacob's home now. He's older, so I don't think he'll fight. He doesn't have a gun, basically just a friendly fellow. He's been at home through most of it. He won't talk to us much. Basically keeps to himself."

"Like anyone," said Trevor, "he's just scared." He looked at Galen and Steven. "Stay down," he whispered.

Jason and Erica covered the other side of the street as they moved slowly to the driveway of the other home.

"No sign of them yet," said Billy.

"Still inside. We wait till them come out then take them out. We need a prisoner," said Trevor. "It's the only way we'll know what we're up against."

"Shit," said Steven. "Look down the road, one of those roamers. Haven't seen one for a while." He raided his rifle.

Trevor put his arm on the gun. "No." He motioned across the street to his son and pointed to the figure that walked slowly up the road shuffling left and right like a drunk.

Jason nodded and drew his knife. He snuck quietly passed the driveway and drove it into the neck of the thing to silence it.

"We cleaned most of them out from around here," said Galen. "I guess we missed a few."

"Try the city, Uncle."

"I can only imagine."

"Roamers?" Trevor said looking at Steven.

"Yeah, that's what we have been calling them up here. They move from place to place, looking for their next meal."

"Yeah us," said Galen.

"Get down," said Billy. "Look."

They could see the group of men walk out. One of them was pushing the old man with a rifle.

"Come on, old timer," said the man. "We don't have all day."

"Why don't you just leave me alone? I got nothin' you want."

"You sure you don't know of anyone else up here?" said the biker with the protruding belly and greasy white muscle shirt. He scratched his jaw. "I'd sure appreciate it, gramps, if you told us all you know."

"I said, I'm not interested in Hope. Just leave me here. I wanna die here. This is my home. Judgement is upon us, say the Lord."

"He's nuts," said the fat biker. "Hey you kid, take him out into the yard."

"Me?"

"See anyone else round here? You want to prove yourself to Jake, do as I say. I'll put in a good word for ya. Maybe he'll give ya some tail."

The third man burst into laughter. He turned when he heard a sound over by the man's shed. "Hey, I heard something there. You got someone in the shed?"

"Don't you hurt my boy!" said the old man. "Jared is a good man."

"Fuck," said the fat man. "You hidin' him in there? Mitch, check it out."

The fat biker drew his pistol on the old man. "Not a good idea hidin' things from us."

"He's safe in there I assure you," said the old man. "Lord will keep him."

The younger man spoke up. "Hey, just let this guy go, he's not hurtin' anyone."

"You shut up. Mitch, open the shed already!"

The other biker shook the lock. "Locked."

"Fuck you're dense. Blow off the lock, dumbass."

"Okay." The biker pointed with his rifle and shot the lock off the shed lock and opened the door. The old man's son stood there in the doorway. He was clad in dirty overalls and a baseball cap just like he was when he died of the flu. The old man was unable to kill him, so he stuck him in the shed before he died. His skin was gray and spit dripped from the corner of his mouth. He's eyes were white and vacant. He hissed at Mitch, who screamed. The biker backed up, but he was too slow due to shock. The thing that used to be Jared clamped down on his arm and ripped off a shred of skin. The biker screamed again as the thing bit into his neck.

The old man began to cry. "My boy!"

"You old fuck," said the fat biker. He shot the old man point blank in the head. His blood sprayed over the younger man who stood there, unable to move.

Jared lumbered over to them. Before the got halfway across the yard, several rounds tore into the fat biker, who dropped like a sack of rocks. Trevor, Galen, and the rest of the group ran into the yard.

The younger man backed up and collapsed on the ground. He put out his arms to shield himself from Jared who reached for him with red, bloody jaws.

"No!" screamed the kid.

Jared pitched backwards as a bullet tore into his skull, taking off the top part of his head in a sick bloody display.

Three rifles surrounded the kid as he lay on the grass with tears streaming down his face.

"Don't move," Trevor said.

"Billy, deal with that other guy."

Billy brought his rifle up on the other man. "Please... help." Blood poured form his arm and the huge gash in his shoulder, which spread blood over the front of his jean jacket.

Without saying a word, Billy pulled out a knife and shoved it into the man's head to silence him.

Trevor took his knife and drove it in to the fat biker's skull before wiping the blade on the grass. He put his rifle on the young man's chest. "Anyone else with you?"

"No, I swear, please don't kill me. I was only doing what they told me to do."

"Get him up," said Trevor. "He's got some talkin' to do."

***

The group stood outside of Galen's cabin while Trevor took the man inside. They found out his name was Phillip, and he was a resident of Hope. They needed to know how many they would be going against, and they needed to know that information now. Trevor would do what was required to get it out of Phillip.

Lauren flinched as she heard Phillip cry out. "Is this necessary? I mean, he's just a kid."

"Yeah," said Billy. "We have to know more about what's going on in Hope."

Lauren turned to look at Billy. "We torture people now?"

Galen rubbed his jaw. "Trevor is doing what he has to do, you know that. Our lives depend upon it."

"We told you what that biker did to the old guy, Mom," said Jason. "They are going to pay."

"None of us like doing this Lauren," said Galen. "I wish there was some other way."

Inside Trevor paced around the chair. He had tied up Phillip and smacked him in the lips again with the back of his hand. Blood poured out from his cut lip and stained his shirt.

Trevor lifted up his head by the hair. "How many of them are there?"  
"I didn't count them all. Maybe twenty or thirty altogether." Phillip coughed. "Please don't hurt me."

"You should have thought of that before you wasted the old man."

"I was just doing what they told me. They are hurting people down there that don't join them. I was scared."

"Who's the leader?" Trevor brought his knife up under the kid's chin. "Tell me or I'll cut you into small pieces. I'll start with your fingers."

Tears swelled up in Phillip's eyes. "Please. The guy's name is Jake Rawlings. That's all I know."

"Anything else I should know? Or should I just start cutting you now?" Trevor pressed the knife into his chin, drawing some blood.

"Shit, please don't. He's got my sister. They are raping the girls. He's crazy. Feeding others to the thing, he's got tied up. Tomorrow there's going to be another demonstration. I heard it from one of the bikers I was with."

"Demonstration?"

"Yeah. He gather's the town together... He... feeds that thing..."

"What else do you know?"

"I heard them talking. Tomorrow if the rest of the town doesn't do what he says—"

"What?"

"He's going to execute them."

"Shit."

"Please, I'll do what you ask. My sister..."

"Alright, Phillip." Trevor pressed the knife into his chin once more. "But if you screw us, I'll kill you. Is that clear?"

"Yeah, clear."

"Good. I wouldn't want us to have any misunderstanding here."
Chapter 33

Trevor took the bloody Phillip outside with him and brought him over to the group. Lauren winced at his cut lip and black eye.

"Phillip here has agreed to work with us," said Trevor. "We need to move fast because tomorrow, the crazy bastard there is going to feed that thing he has tied up."

"Do we know who the leader is?" said Galen.

"Some guy named Jake Rawlings."

"Rawlings?" said Galen. "Shit, what is that clown doing back up here?"

"I take it you know him, Uncle?"

"Yeah, I do. He's an old local thug. He grew up here and was in and out of jail. You know the type. He got arrested so many times we lost count."

"Jake caused a lot of trouble for the local RCMP," said Steven. "People used to make fun of him in town. Last we heard he was in some gang."

"His kind never change," said Billy.

"Now he's back," said Erica.

"Lad wants revenge," said Ian. "For what the town did to him."

"Well I don't care what this guy's past is. We need the supplies in the town, and we're going to get them. As far as we are concerned, he's just in the way. Time to take out the trash," said Trevor."

"He always has the demonstration at noon," said Phillip. "Most of the other bikers are still in the hotel or getting drunk somewhere. We can catch them off guard."

"Yeah, and he plans to execute anyone that doesn't agree with him," Trevor said. "We have to move fast and take these guys out."

"Do you have a plan?" said Steven.

"Yeah," said Trevor. "We have to take out the hotel and catch them there. We can use Molotov cocktails and hit the hotel hard before they know what is happening. Everyone will be in one area, so it shouldn't be that difficult to get most of them."

"What about the civilians?" Billy asked.

"Some of them will get caught in the crossfire, we can't help that. We'll try and save as many of them as we can."

"There are always several guards around while Jake speaks," said Phillip.

"Galen and Billy will provide sniper fire," said Trevor. "They are both good shots."

"How are we going to get close to them before they know what's going on?" said Steven.

"We'll pin down Jake and his buddies with sniper fire, then hit the hotel hard and take out most of his gang there. The commotion should confuse them so we can take them out," said Trevor.

"What about Jake?" Galen asked.

"Hopefully, we can capture him alive. If not, it's not a great loss."

"Ian, I'll need you here to look after Lauren, Gail, and the others who can't fight. I know you want to help, but your axe isn't much help against a rifle."

"Aye, lad. Not a problem."

Trevor checked his rifle. "It's going to be risky, but we can't wait any longer. We have to free the town if we want to survive. There's nowhere else we can go right now. The people of Hope need us. We can't abandon them to these bikers."

"I'm ready, Dad," said Jason.

"Where am I going to be in all of this?" said Erica.

"Well, I have something special planned for you."

"Oh, I don't like the sound of that," said Erica.

"We'll need to clear the guards and get the road open into town. That's where you come in."

"There's usually two guards," said Phillip.

"Good, that shouldn't be a problem then," said Trevor.

"So what do I do?"

Trevor looked at her. "Smile and look pretty. Tomorrow morning, we fight."

***

In the pickup truck, Erica drove towards the biker checkpoint. She adjusted her short blue halter top. She was showing plenty of cleavage and her belly button in the shirt. She had found the outfit in one of the homes around Galen's place. She also wore tight jean shorts and black boots. She would definitely grab the attention of the guards who were coming up ahead of her. Erica swallowed hard, knowing they may just shoot her, but she was willing to risk it. They had had to get town before noon, which is when Jake and his bikers sacrificed another person, then slaughtered the rest that wouldn't go along with his plan. Erica put the pick-up into park and got out near the overturned cars and makeshift barricade across the road. She leaned on the side of the truck and lit a cigarette. The bikers raised their weapons.

"Hey, girl. That's far enough," said the biker with the ample belly and black leather jacket. "You can't go through here. Get back in your vehicle and go back wherever you came from."

Erica walked slowly from the truck. She undid her hair from the bun and let it fall to her shoulders. "Sorry, I didn't know. I've been on the run from those things out there. You have a camp or something? It's pretty scary out here you know. They are everywhere now."

The biker with the big belly pointed his shotgun at her. "Go back if you know what is good for you."

The smaller man with a black shaggy beard next to him tapped the bigger man on the arm. "Hey, man, shut up. She looks like she could be a lot of fun. Jake would like her. Hell, I'd like her right about now. He keeps all the pretty ones to himself." He slung his rifle over his shoulder and called out to her. "What do you have in that truck we could use?"

"Oh, honey, I got lots of things you could use. I have some ammo, food, water, and other supplies. You're welcome to it if you want." Erica got closer to the bikers. "I got other things too, you might like."

"Yeah," said the smaller man, as he took in her chest and long slender legs. "You got all sorts of things we like, darlin'."

"What do you say? Will you take me to your camp? I bet you boys could take real good care of me." She reached out and ran her finger down the bigger biker's gut. "Yeah, you could really take care of me, you know."  
The bigger biker wasn't impressed. He pushed his shotgun into her gut. "I say we shoot you right now, and take all your stuff."

"I don't want any trouble, honey," said Erica. "I just want safe passage and a good time. A girl needs a good man after all this happened." She got close to the fat biker again and pressed her chest into his. She looked him in the eyes. She tried not to wince at his disgusting smell. "I have lots of things you need, baby."

The bigger biker began to relax and lowered his shotgun. "Like what."

"Like this." She put one arm around his neck and kissed him on the mouth.

"Fuck yeah," said the other biker. He reached for his belt and began to unbuckle it.

As the bigger biker leaned into Erica's kiss, she reached behind her back and drew the knife from its sheath she had hidden behind her back. In one swift motion she slammed it into the fat biker's guts and twisted the blade. "Sorry sugar," she said. "You're not my type." She sliced his stomach open, then withdrew her blade as he staggered backwards. She kicked him and the man staggered backwards, clutching his guts. She then sliced his across the throat which sprayed blood all over.

Before the smaller biker could even process what was happening, an arrow went through his neck, and he dropped like a stone. Erica drove her blade into each one of their skulls so they wouldn't reanimate. Out in the grass behind her, Galen and Trevor appeared, along with Steven, Billy, Phillip, Jason and several of Galen's neighbors behind them.

"Nice work," said Trevor. "Jason, go back and get the truck."

Erica wiped her blade on the grass. "Thanks. Great shot with the arrow, Galen."

"I prefer my rifle, but I've taken down some deer with it. I never thought I'd need to take out a human, though."

"You did fine," said Trevor. "You taught me all in know about hunting and firearms in general. I miss those old days of my youth. Remember that moose we got?"

"Yeah, good times," said Galen.

"I hate to breakup this family reunion." Billy looked at his watch. "We better get moving soon. Need to be in position before it starts."

The group made their way towards the town. In about a half an hour they would be engaged in a battle for Hope and control of the town they desperately needed. If they had gone the other way, they would have ran into a far deadlier group that was headed for Hope, too.

They came from the suburbs of the towns, the apartment complexes, and other areas, they marched relentlessly without a care for anything, they had only one need. They had no interest in control of the town, they were simply hungry.

They were the dead.

Chapter 34

Jake Rawlings brought the woman outside to the tree where the constable was. It really didn't matter who he killed, he just needed to get the town behind him and intimidation was the best way to go about doing that. He had picked the forty-two year old out at random, beat her up in the jail, and was now going to feed her to the hungry constable he kept as his little pet. Didn't think ya would serve the town in this capacity, did ya Constable? You and your boys arrested me enough. Consider it a little payback. Jake stood near the tree in the park. The woman was on her knees in front of him with her head down. Several bikers stood guard with their guns draped over their arms. In the parking lot by the trees were several cars and trucks Next to the tree where the constable was tied up, were several people that Jake had hanged. They were turned and hissed out at the crowd gathered there. It was a sick display of Jake's lust for power. Most of Jake's men were still in the main hotel in town, getting laid, drinking, or passed out. The girls he had picked out for them were keeping the men happy. Just the way it needs to be. Soon this town will worship me as their savior.

Beside him stood Vance, who was having second thoughts about what was going to take place. "One of our patrols isn't back yet. They have been gone all night. Something's up."

"We'll worry about that later. Right now, we need to get this town in line with us. Once they see what lies out there for them, they're going to go along, you'll see."

"You sure you want to do this, man?"

Jake turned to him. "Ah shut up, I know what I'm doin'." He stood by the tree and addressed the large crowd there. "We are all here for a reason. Out there, beyond the safety of this town, lies the dead. If we all come together and work as a team, we can have safety and security here."

A man about sixty-two spoke up from within the crowd. "How is this security? You kill innocent people. How can I trust that you won't kill me next?"

Jake put his hand on the woman's shoulder. "Hey, old man. You have food, water, and shelter, do you not?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"Out there it's a new dangerous world friend. Only the strong will survive. In here, I'll keep you safe. You work, do what I say, follow my rules, and everything will be just fine. You comprehend that?"

"Sounds like a dictatorship," grumbled the old man

Jake raised his voice. "You all have a choice. Become a part of my new town, and live in security away from what is out there. Out there are no rules and no hope for you." He pointed to the constable. The man that was once Andrew Nielsen was an absolute wreck now. Dried blood was congealed on his face. His lips and teeth were stained bright red. The white eyes gaped out at the crowd. He reached out his arms and tried to grasp a hold of Jake. His hissed and spit ran down his chin. "This is what you face out there. Is that what you want? Watch and learn, my friends." He pushed the sobbing woman into the constable.

The crowd watched in horror as the ghoul ripped into the woman's neck. It tore off a huge chunk and blood gushed out. The woman screamed and tried to step away, but Jake used his boot and pushed her back as the thing tore into her arm next and then ripped open her guts and began to devour the content of her stomach. The woman twitched on the ground, the last shrieks dying out as she died.

"Watch what happened to you out there. Get it through your skulls, people. That is your reality. Horrible, isn't it. Man, he sure is hungry, look at him go." The constable raised his blood-soaked face and stared out at the crowd. Many of them were now crying, and two men had picked up a woman who had fainted. An older woman bent over and vomited on the ground. The old man and several others, however, stood tall and didn't move a muscle.

"There's your choice!" screamed Jake. He was becoming unhinged now. His desire for power overwhelming him. "Those that want to live, step back!"

Most of the crowd stepped backwards. Children were crying and women tried to comfort them. Many in the group held hands or hugged each other tightly. Only about a dozen or so out of the one hundred plus residents stood their ground, including the old man.

"Oh, that's so noble." Jake laughed at the old man. "Maybe I should salute you or something. Hey guys, gramps is out to save the town. It's just like our constable friend here." Several of the bikers burst into laughter.

"I'm not like you and your buddies," said the old man. "I know I'm gonna die, but I'll die proud and on my feet. I won't live on my knees with the likes of you."

Jake pulled his pistol out of his waistband. "Oh, I can grant you that right now if you like, Gramps, right fucking now." Fucks like you aren't gonna stop me. This is my town, get it!

The crack of the shot tore through the sobs of the residents who stood there, but it wasn't the death of the old man. People screamed and ducked for cover as the head of one of Jake's biker's exploded in a spray of blood and brains. Vance ducked behind a car.

Jake pushed the old man back and took cover by another tree. "Vance, grab my rifle over there!" He pointed to his rifle which laid against a car tire. "Keep your fucking head down, we got company."

"Right!" Vance moved out from his position by the car.

Another shot rang out, but it missed one of his men and instead tore into the head of one of the residents that ran in all directions trying to get away from the gunfire.

One of Jake's biker's got off two shots towards the rooftop of a building down the street from the park. He yelled out to Jake. "On the roof, down there. That's where the shots are coming from. We got snipers!"

Chapter 35

Ian Patrick hated to be away from the fight, but he knew that he wouldn't be much good with just an axe. Gah, I'll have to get the lad to teach me how to shoot one of those bloody things. I wish things could be different, so much death now. Have to be strong for these women here and the children, Ian. Who in the bloody hell will be strong for me?

Samantha finished pouring the coffee. "I hope Jason is alright," she said. "I wish they would have let me go with them."

"Need more practice with that pistol, lass, but you're mean with a hatchet and bat, I grant you that."

Sam smiled. "Thanks." She sighed and sat down. "I miss my parents." She took a sip of the black coffee. "Ew, how do you drink this?"

Ian laughed. "Sugar in the cupboard over there. Sorry there's no milk or cream for it."

"It's my first coffee."

"In these times, I'd switch over to whiskey, lass."

Another woman sat beside Ian and took a sip of her coffee. "Thank you for protecting us, Mr. Patrick. I would hate to leave the children alone."

Ian put his hand out on hers. "My pleasure, Sue. It's always good to be in the company of a lady."

"He's a flatterer too, Sam."

Ian laughed again. "Oh, bloody hell."

A small boy about six came down the hallway. "And how are you, my little Tommy?" said Sue.

"Just playin' cars." He ran his fire truck along the table making truck sounds.

Sam rubbed his hair. "I found them in a house down the road."

"Thank you. He hasn't had a chance to just be a boy with all this going on. At least Mike and Sarah are keeping him company. He misses his dad." Back there in our house, you tried to kill your own son. Monster! They are all monsters now!

"Nice fire truck there, lad. You gonna be a fireman when you grow up?"

"No. I'm gonna carry a gun." The boy ran off down the hallway towards the other room.

Lauren came out and sat down. She wiped her forehead and pinched between her eyes, shaking her head.

"How is Gail?" said Sue.

"She's okay, but not much change. She was speaking a bit earlier, but I couldn't understand what she was saying." Sam brought her a coffee. "Thanks, Sam. I wish I knew how Jason and Trevor were doing. I hate the fact that they are out there."

"Aye," said Ian.

"I don't know one minute to the next which one of us will be next. How is a person supposed to live now? I guess it makes you thankful for what we do have." She put out her hand and touched Ian's forearm. "At least we are among friends. Thank you for being here, Ian."

"Aye, lass. Any man would do the same. You're a strong woman, I sense that from you. Trevor is lucky to have you."

Lauren sipped her coffee. "Sometimes I don't know if I'm strong enough. It's a living nightmare out there, Ian. I don't know if strength is going to be enough. It's our sanity I worry about more than strength."

Sue gestured to the bedroom. "I worry about them. What future do they have? How do we rebuild a world for them? What will they inherit from us?"

"No one can answer that, lass. I wish I had answer for ya. Our world is changed."

"Yeah," said Lauren. "It's changed."

Sue saw Sarah come down the hallway. The twelve year old had been hiding in a closet in one of the homes. Galen had found her after he was forced to kill her father who had turned into one of them. The little girl was shaking and sobbing. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"They are coming."

Lauren stood up. "Who's coming?"

"The people in the yard."

Sue stood up. "What?"

Ian bolted to the window. "Damn."

"What is it?" asked Sam.

"The dead."

***

Sue went to Sarah. "I need you to stay in the room with Mike and Tommy okay? Don't open the door unless we call for you. Hide under the bed. Do you understand?" Sue ran back in the kitchen and grabbed the butcher knife from Galen's knife block.

"What do ya think you're doing?" said Ian.

"Dammit, I'm gonna help you. There comes a time when you have to make a stand. I'm sure as hell not gonna let those things get the kids. I'll die here if I have to. I'm going to protect them."

Lauren overturned the table. "Sam, help me get this against the door." The two women brought the table over to cover the main door. They heard the commotion outside and the groans as the horde reached the door. They pounded hard on it, as well as the main window in the kitchen.

Sam looked outside and saw them. "They're everywhere. I count about twenty, I'm not sure."

"Shit," said Lauren.

Galen's cabin featured three main bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Through the kitchen was the main living room. It was where he sat during the long winter months with a good drink and a good book. It also featured a nice sliding glass door and a small wooden deck with stairs going down. Galen would often sit out there with neighbors in the summer and have a nice barbecue. Some of the group had been sleeping in the living room, and it was full of sleeping bags and personal belongings. The sliding glass doors were going to serve another purpose now. They doors would provide easy access for the dead into the cabin.

Ian drew in a deep breath. "Sweet Jesus, the bloody patio doors!"

There was nowhere they could go to now. The dead had lost most their primary functions, but they still had a sense of smell, and they could smell living fresh. They were drawn to it like a plague of fast-moving locusts. They came around to the back of the house, shuffling their feet. They began to beat on the glass.

Ian and the rest of them went into the living room. They couldn't go out the front door, and now the patio door was blocked. They had to clear their way out of the cabin, but it wasn't clear just how many of them were out there waiting.

"Lass," said Ian to Samantha. "Now would be a good time to put that pistol training Trevor taught ya, into good use. They are going to come through that glass. We need to clear a path and try to make it into the yard."

"I'm ready," said Sam. She pulled out the pistol and checked the magazine. "I got four magazines."

"Lauren, you and Sue stay behind me, don't get too close to them," said Ian. Ian watched as the glass cracked even more under the weight of their blows. The male in front with the torn dress shirt and bloody mouth slammed his fists onto the glass and it shattered inwards. Glass shards pierced his hands, but he shook it off. He staggered forward. His mouth opening and closing. Ian stepped up to him, and with one stroke of his axe, severed the man's head from his body. The blade sent blood and gore across the living room. "Now, Sam, open fire!"

Samantha stood there behind Ian and didn't move. She raised the pistol and took aim. A woman with mud-caked jeans tried to stagger over the grisly remains of the man. Samantha let go a round from the pistol which slammed into her shoulder. She pitched back a bit and tilted her head towards Sam hissing at her. Sam adjusted her aim. Just like Trevor taught you. The head, aim for the head. The second crack from the pistol found its mark and the woman pitched over as the top of her head exploded in a red spray drenching the remaining glass in a slick red. Another one climbed over the corpses and reached out for Ian. Sue stepped up to the thing and drove her butcher knife through the eye socket and pushed hard. The ghoul twitched for a moment before falling backwards into the growing pile of corpses by the smashed patio door. Ian swung his axe sideways and severed another one in half, as the thing toppled over he brought his axe down and took the head off of it. Lauren kicked at one of them and drove her hatchet into its head. The ghoul slumped to the ground. Another one crawled on the ground and reached out for Sam. She fired her pistol into its head, silencing the threat. She dropped the empty magazine and loaded a fresh one.

"Bloody too many of them," screamed Ian. He pushed the couch into the group of ghouls that kept coming. "Back up, into the kitchen!"

"What the hell are we gonna do?" yelled Lauren.

"Keep backing up," said Ian. "Towards the kid's room. Need to get them out of here!"

They backed up, and Ian kept swinging his axe as Sam fired again into the group of dead now in the cabin. They reached out arms and tried to claw at the survivors in the cabin. Sue screamed as one just missed her. She drove the butcher knife down and slashed the thing's wrist wide open. It groaned and staggered back a bit. She pushed the butcher knife out and drove it into the forehead.

"Down the hallway," Ian said. As the dead followed them, Ian did what he had to do. He opened Gail's room door. Several dead followed them, but quite a few went into Gail's room. Lauren closed her eyes for a moment as the woman shrieked. Ian was doing what was necessary to save them, they needed a distraction. Sorry, lass. God forgive me. The room was at the far back of the cabin, so it was away from the main group of dead, they might have just enough time to escape the cabin. They rushed down the hallway with the dead close behind them, hissing and moaning. Ian put his axe sideways and gave them a quick shove backwards. A woman fell over and the dead spent a few seconds climbing over her. Ian pushed Sam into the room, and Lauren was behind Sam. Lauren felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, the dead clawed at her from behind. She turned and drove her hatchet into the ghoul. Ian grabbed her and pushed her into the room before he slammed the door behind her. The dead pounded on it.

"We need to get the kids out. Sue, check the window. Is it clear out there?"

"Yes, I don't see any. Must all be by the patio doors or coming inside."

Sue put her arms around the sobbing children. "Be quiet now. We're going to get you out of here."

Chapter 36

Billy fired his rifle again towards the men hiding by the main group of Hope residents who were scattering all directions. They had already managed to bring down two of the bikers, but incoming four were keeping their heads down.

"Keep up the fire," said Galen. "Need to give Trevor and the others time to get to the hotel. They'll be there in a few minutes."

"Right." Billy put his head down as a round went off near him. "Shit."

"Not all of them are poor shots," said Galen. "Probably have some police rifles."

"Lucky for us. One running for cover, to your left."

"I see him," said Galen. He took aim with his rifle through the scope. Just before the figure got into his crosshairs he fired.

Billy whooped. "Yeah, that got him!" He put his head down as automatic gunfire came back his way.

"They must like you. Just hang on, keep up the fire. They don't know how many of us there are."

Billy put a fresh magazine into his rifle as another round impacted behind him "Yeah, let's hope they don't find out."

***

The biker woke up in the hotel in a fog. Like most of his buddies, he had spent the night drinking and womanizing. There were plenty of girls in the town, and Jake had picked out the best ones for them. He shook his head from the hangover of far too many beers. The fuck? Gunfire? More dead out there, must be. Get the guys together, and teach 'em a lesson. He sat up and pulled on his boots and threw his vest over his stained shirt. He grabbed the pistol on his nightstand and checked the magazine. He staggered over to the door and opened it. As he stepped out of the second floor room, he thought he saw someone moving by the bushes. What the fuck? Before he took another step, he screamed as a firebomb hit the top floor of the hotel right near the biker. The Molotov cocktail erupted into flames, and they tore into the biker. He staggered around screaming for a few moments as the flames consumed him. As rifle fire tore into his body, he pitched forward and went over the railing. His fat, burning body caving in the roof of a small sedan.

"Let 'em have it!" screamed Trevor.

Jason fired his rifle towards the hotel, then hurled a Molotov which exploded near the main entrance.

Another biker came out of another top floor room brandishing a shotgun. He got off several rounds towards Trevor. A man near him went down in a heap as a shotgun round destroyed his stomach in a spray.

Erica lined up her rifle and took aim, hitting the biker in the shoulder and middle of the chest. She went over to the man that had fallen and checked his pulse. She then took her knife and drove it into the man's head to keep him from reanimating.

Two more bikers ran over form the diner brandishing automatic rifles. They took up positions near a dumpster and opened fire. Bullets landed near Jason, and he dropped back behind the car with Phillip who dove for cover. Another one in their group took a bullet in the leg and went down.

"Hit 'em over by that dumpster!" screamed Trevor.

Steven took off across the street, back from the main group. He worked his way up to another car. He had good line of sight now on one of the bikers, they hadn't seen him move position He returned fire towards the two bikers by the dumpster. His first shot hit the dumpster, but the second one tore into the leg and side of the first biker who was exposed to him. The man screamed and went down. As the second biker saw his buddy get hit, he panicked and got up and began to run. Trevor moved out and lined him up. The shots took him full in the back, and the biker went down hard. Erica hurled another firebomb towards the hotel. Several bikes exploded as well as the car that was there which send debris in all directions. Two other bikers came out of the diner with their hands over their heads. One of Trevor's men motioned them to lie down. "Deal with them," said Trevor to the man. "The rest of you, towards the park!"

***

Jake and his men were in a lot of trouble. He has already lost two to sniper fire, and he had seen the hotel go up in flames down the street. He was pinned down behind a car which continued to be riddled by sniper rounds. Two other bikers and his friend Vance were hiding behind the cars, trying to figure out exactly what they were up against.

One of his men sent more rounds towards the building where the snipers were hiding. "Those motherfuckers killed Frank!"

Vance hunkered down. "Geez man, we are fucked!"

Jake's anger was growing. "Stop being a fucking coward, and keep firing!" Jake peered out down the street, and he could see several people moving their way. Figures most of my men would have been drunk last night. Another biker popped his head up for a quick moment, but took a sniper round in the top of his head, which exploded in a spray across the car he was hiding behind. Jake sent more rounds towards the top of the building where the snipers were, but he had more to worry about now that the figures he saw were getting closer to him. The residents had scattered away from the park and there were groups of them huddled around other cars or had gone into buildings to hide from the gunfire. Through the clatter of gunfire, he heard a voice call out to him.

"You're fucking surrounded. We have snipers trained on your position. Give up now and no one else has to die!"

"Jake, man, what do we do?" said Vance. "I don't wanna die out here."

"Hey," yelled Jake. "Maybe we can work something out!"

"I don't think so, after what you did to that constable. There's no bargain. Surrender now."

"We surrender," said Vance. He dropped his rifle and stood up with his hands over his head "Don't shoot. Call off your snipers!"

The other men around Jake dropped their guns and did the same as Vance.

Great, surrounded by cowards. Just what I need. It gets tough, and they cry like little babies. "Alright you win, were coming out." Jake stood up with his men. He put his rifle down. He walked up behind Vance. "So disappointing. I thought you were tougher than that."

"Shit man, put your hands up. They're gonna kill you," said Vance.

"Perhaps, but you'll die, too."

"Hu—"

Before Vance could finish, Jake took his knife out and shoved it through the back of Vance's neck. He twisted the blade, and Vance gurgled as blood poured out of his mouth. Jake withdrew the knife. You stupid little fuck. He put his boot into Vance's back and shoved him over. He sheathed the knife, then put his hands on the top of his head.

Several men and one woman came out from behind a building. The woman wore tight jean shorts. They walked over to Jake and his remaining men.

Jake smiled at her. "Damn darlin', you're so fine."

"Shut the fuck up," said Trevor, as he slugged him across the jaw.

Jake rubbed his jaw. "Nice to meet you, too. Welcome to Rawlings. Might say I'm the town mayor, now."

Trevor pointed his gun at Jake's head. 'You're gonna pay for what you did here."

"Pay? Shit man, I was just helping these fine folks." A crowd began to gather around them.

"Fucking kill that bastard!" screamed a woman.

"Seems you have a lot of new friends, Jake."

"Ah, word gets out around here. I see you know me."

"I know enough."

Phillip went through the crowd. "Janice!" he yelled.

"Your sister?" said Jake. "Oh, she was sweet, let me tell you."

"Fuck you." Erica drove the butt of her rifle into Jake's guts, and the biker bent over as he puked.

Trevor and Steven used rope to tie up Jake and his remaining men.

"Such a hero," said Jake to Erica. He smiled though the vomit on his chin.

Several more sniper shots went off in rapid succession, but nowhere near them.

"What the hell? You got more men I don't know about?"

"Not me," said Jake. "Maybe your boys are trigger happy."

"Steven, watch them." Trevor took off down the street towards the building his uncle and Billy were located in and then he heard the screams. Several of the town's residents ran past him in a rush. He grabbed a woman's arm. "Slow down, we got more bikers up there?"

"No," she sobbed. "They're everywhere. Those things are coming. You got to run and get the fuck out of here!"

Trevor took a few more steps and then he saw the wall of figures. They had reached the building where Billy and Galen where. Behind the main mass, he saw even more of them. Trevor lowered his rifle.

"Shit."

Chapter 37

"They're gonna overrun the town," said Steven. "We can't get to Galen even if we wanted to." He fired his rifle towards one of the dead that had broken off from the main group and headed their way.

The dead made their way through the streets of Hope. Several of the residents had been unable to escape them and were now being torn to pieces in the streets. Others ran to the relative safety near Trevor and his group. A few residents had decided to fight and brandished shovels and pipes from a local hardware store. Trevor knew it would be no use. They couldn't run and he wasn't gonna abandon Billy and his uncle to the horde.

"Erica," said Trevor. "Get these people back. Go down the highway. We'll catch up to you as soon as we can. We have to save as many as possible."

Erica put her hand on his shoulder. "You can't save them, the building is surrounded. We can make our way through the mountains and double back to the cabin to get Ian and your wife."

Trevor looked at her. "No, I'm not abandoning them, understand?" He turned and forced his rifle again the growing horde. "Now get them the hell out of here!"

The main horde had stopped and were concentrating on the building where Galen and Billy were. They slammed on the glass doors trying to the inside. The two men sent rifle rounds down upon them. Dropping several of the dead in the group, but there were too many of them to make much difference. Several began to break away from the building as they heard the gunshots coming from Trevor's direction. They shambled down the street towards the park.

"Pull some of them away from the building," said Trevor to his group. "Maybe we can get to them."

The residents of Hope who had decided to stay behind and fight brandished whatever they could find from the hardware store. They began to fight with the dead that had moved away from the main building where the snipers were. One man swung a length of pipe at one of the dead, and it tore into the thing's head. He used the end as a spear and thrust it into the left eye socket, dropping the ghoul in heap. A young woman brandished a crowbar and beat on the head of another one until it was a bloody mass of pulp. Another man screamed as several dead descended upon him when he missed one with a shovel. They tore into his arm and neck, sending hot blood rushing everywhere. Jason and Trevor stood their ground near Jake and his men, who were still tied up on the ground. Trevor dropped a magazine and loaded a fresh one into his rifle. Uncle, how in the fuck am I gonna get you out of this? He looked down the street There are so many of them. This is it, Trev, you're finished. Sorry, hon, I failed. They all continued to fight. Another man, who reminded Trevor of Ian, swung an axe like a wildman and took the heads off several of the ghouls in quick strokes. Dammit, I should have listened to Erica. There's no hope, they keep coming.

"Well shit. Looks like you're in a whole heap of mess. Why don't you untie me, so I can lend a hand?" said Jake.

Trevor looked over at Jake. "I don't need your fucking help. You helped these people enough. Your buddy back there tied to the tree, remember?"

"The constable? Yeah, I did some bad things, I'll grant you that, but ya need me now." What are ya doing, Jake, helping these people for? You going soft?

"Got a brilliant plan?" said Steven.

"Yeah. I do."

Trevor fired his rifle at another one of the dead. "Alright, I'm listening."

"Down the street, past the main group of them is a gas station. You passed it coming down here. We were hoarding gas from the vehicles around here. There's a pickup-up truck there full of gas cans." Jake pulled put a pair of keys put of his pocket. "It's their only chance, bro."

"Great," said Trevor.

"More are coming this way!" hollered Jason

"That truck would make a good bomb," said Jake.

"I'll do it," said Trevor.

"Thing is," said Jake. "That's a one-way trip. You'll have to drive it into the main group and light the gas. Only way to clear that mass of dead."

"With me inside,"" hollered Trevor. He fired his rifle again dropping another one of the dead.

"Stay here. Give me some cover. I'll go," said Steven.

"No ma—"

"Hey, I live here. I'll make it. It's the only way to save them."

"You can't."

Steven put his hand on Trevor's arm. "My mind's made up. You gotta make a stand sometime in this life. My time is now."

"Steven, no."

"Hey, I can still move fast for an old man. I was on the track team in my youth. The fuckers will never even touch me." He handed Trevor his rifle and extra ammunition. Then he checked his pistol. "Here take the rifle, it will only slow me down. Anyone got a lighter?"

Trevor reached into his pocket. "Yeah, this will do. What you're doing, I—"

Steven smiled. "It's alright, buddy. Now let's go and give me some cover, will ya? It's gonna get hairy out there."

Trevor turned to Jason and the other men and women. "Let's go send those motherfuckers back to hell where they came from!"

***

The group of survivors marched down the street brandishing whatever weapons they could carry. Trevor raised his rifle and sent a round towards another one of the dead. On the rooftop ahead of him, he could see Galen and Billy still firing their rifles at the massive horde of dead that had congregated by the building and were blocking the road. There was no way to get them out of there. Trevor had a couple of men stay behind to watch over Jake and his surviving bikers.

You're still gonna pay for what you did. Don't think you're going to get way Scott free, you bastard.

The group took cover by the side of another building, away from the main group of dead pounding on the glass, trying to get into the building where Galen and Billy were. They needed to clear a path so Steven could get around them and up the street to the truck.

Trevor yelled to the rooftop. "Uncle, just stay there, we have a plan to get you out!"

Galen aimed at one of the dead below him. "Not like we have much choice, do we? Get the hell out of here, before you bring them down upon you!"

Several dead broke away from the building and began to shuffle towards Trevor and his group.

"Let 'em have it," said Trevor. "Keep them occupied!"

Trevor and Jason fired into the horde of dead and dropped several of them. Others attacked with shovels, axes, tire irons, and whatever else they had on hand. The tide of dead forced the group to back up away from the building, which pulled several more dead towards them, but the main building was still surrounded by them.

A ghoul moved towards Jason. He slammed the butt of his rifle into the thing's head and caved in its face. He shoved his pistol into the mouth of another one and blew its brains out the back of its head, which smeared the wall.

"Is it clear on any side around you?" hollered Trevor up to Galen.

"Yeah," replied Billy. "On the right side, it's almost clear, there aren't many of them. They are concentrating on the doors." Billy raised is rifle. "Look out!"

Trevor looked to his left as one of the dead had tried to move toward him. The head blew apart as Billy's round exited through its skull.

"Thanks," said Trevor.

Steven fired his pistol into the head of one of the dead, which exploded out the back and sprayed brains in all directions.

"It's now or never," hollered Steven. "I've got to get to that truck." He fired again and dropped another ghoul onto the pavement.

One of Trevor's men got too close to the main horde and this preoccupied them for a brief second. The man swung his shovel, but they surrounded him quickly. He screamed as the dead tore into his arm. Trevor cursed and dropped the two that had attacked him. The man tried to get away, but they pulled him into the crowd. The dead pulled away from the right side of the building for a moment and went over to feast on the unfortunate man. This gave Steven the chance he needed.

"Go!" Trevor yelled. "Get that truck, we can't hold them forever!" Trevor cursed and swung his rifle at one that tried to clamp its jaws around him.

Jason sent streams of bullets towards the dead with his automatic rifle as more of them moved towards the group from the building. Another man slammed his tire iron into the eye socket of another one and pushed it back with his foot.

Steven wasted no time watching the group battle the dead as he raced around the right side of the building, he passed several of the dead and one of them reached out to him in a lazy fashion, but he ignored it. His old legs were slower than they were in high school, but he still had some speed. He ran as fast as he could around the building and saw an opening. The dead were still feasting on the man and weren't paying much attention to anything else. Just ahead of him he could see the gas station and the white truck there with the back full of gas cans. Several dead were near it, and Steven knew it would be difficult to get into the truck without them getting near. He ran towards the station and fired his pistol at two of them. One round slammed into the shoulder of one, while the other round tore off the top of the other's head. This attracted more of the dead from the main group near the building, as well as several shuffling around near the station.

"Shit," said Steven as he dropped his magazine and loaded a fresh one into his gun. He fired again and dropped another one. He approached the truck and went to the back of it to grab a gas can. Several dead came around the front of the truck, and he fired his pistol until the magazine was empty, dropping them to the ground. As he tried to load the pistol again, he didn't see the one coming up behind him. The thing reached out and clamped down on his shoulder. Steven screamed as hot blood rushed out of the wound, and he dropped his pistol. He managed to push the ghoul backwards as he slammed the thing with the back of his head, trying to pry it off of him. As it let go, he swung the gas can around and clubbed it over the head with it. He ignored the pain in his shoulder and reached for the door to the truck he slammed the truck door shut just as several more reached the window. They pounded hard on the on the glass and left streaks of grime across it as they fought to get in the truck. One of them jumped on the hood and tried to crawl up to the window, but Steven found the keys in his pocket and started the truck's engine. He flung the gas can to the passenger side. He slammed it in reverse and hit several dead, toppling them over, then put it in drive. He smashed through several more dead and put the pedal to the metal as he drove the truck full speed towards the building and the horde there. At full speed, the truck barreled into the group of dead and his head slammed against the steering wheel as the truck stopped. Ahead of the truck, a mass of bodies were on the ground and blood flowed out of several of them. Even then, a few tried to get their mangled bodies up. One that was cut in half crawled along the ground and put a hand on one of the truck tires.

Trevor looked out at the truck in the horde as they tried to get in. "Get back, everyone get back!"

Steven lifted his head up and fought through the blackness. He laughed to himself. So this is how it ends. Blood poured from both his shoulder wound and the severe gash across his eyebrow. He coughed as the virus invaded his body. He pulled the lighter out of his pocket. You fucks are gonna get a big surprise soon, I hope you know. It's been nice knowin' ya. He put the lighter on the dashboard and grabbed the gas can. He opened it up and poured the gas throughout the cabin of the truck. The sick smell made him want to wretch. He grabbed the lighter, then lit the gas. To hell with ya.

Steven's suffering ended in an instant as the gas ignited and along with it, the gas can in the cabin. The truck went up in a huge fireball as the rest of the gas cans, along with the gas tank, erupted in a geyser of flames, shattering several nearby windows.

The explosion tore the dead to pieces, ripping bodies apart and spraying blood and remains in all directions. Several dead staggered around on fire, but eventually fell over as their bodies were consumed. On the roof, Galen and Billy had taken cover on the ground once they had seen the truck. The front of the building was destroyed and there was a small fire raging.  
Trevor and his group came out from their position. They fought through the remainder of the dead that were still lingering near the building, but for the most part it as now clear.

Trevor hollered up to his uncle. "We'll get a ladder and get you down, just hang on!"

Chapter 38

The main group went back and picked up Erica before they headed back up to Galen's cabin. Although they had lost Steven in the battle against the dead, they had managed to save both Galen and Billy from the horde. Now they would go and pickup Samantha, Lauren, and Ian. The town of Hope was theirs now, but how long they could stay here was a question no one could answer. The dead were out there, and it would only by a matter of time before another herd of them made their way to Hope. For the time being, there was a bit of safety there, as well as fresh supplies that everyone desperately needed. They proceeded in a pick-up truck up the mountain to Galen's cabin. Along the way, they ran into several of the dead, but they ignored them as they walked along the side of the road and weren't much of a threat.

Galen rubbed the stubble on his chin and sighed. "I can't believe Steven is gone, he was a good man. I won't forget his sacrifice, that's for sure."

Trevor turned hollered over the roar of the engine and the wind as he sat in the back of the cab along with Billy. "He did what he felt was right. There was no way to get the both of you out of that mess."

Erica began to slow the truck down. She stuck her head out the window. "There are quite a few bodies up ahead."

"Go around them the best you can," said Galen. "We're almost at my cabin."

Billy pushed his cap down against his forehead. "Looks like your friends ran into some company, too."

"Yeah," said Trevor. "I hope everyone's alright."

Erica weaved her way around several corpses and made their way to Galen's driveway. She stopped the truck there as the driveway and yard was littered with dozen upon dozen of bodies.

Trevor and the others got out of the truck. In the front on the steps leading up to the cabin he saw them. There sat Ian, Samantha, and Sue. The children sat on the ground next to them. Sue put her hand on Sarah's head to try and ease the sobbing girl.

As the group approached them Ian looked up. He face was solemn, and he looked like hell. In fact all of them did. They were covered in gore and looked like they just got out of a slaughterhouse.

"Lad," he said. The big man put his head down, and Sam rubbed his shoulders.

"Ian," said Trevor. "What the hell happened?"

"They attacked the cabin," said Sue. "There was a whole bunch of them. Ian saved us, but we lost Gail. Had to sacrifice her to save the children."

"We fought them off," said Sam. "We did our best."

"Oh, Christ, lad." Ian put his head down and the tears came. He couldn't hold them in. "Bloody hell. I did all I could. You got to believe me. There were so many of those buggers."

"Take it easy," said Galen. "You did fine, by the looks of it."

Sue spoke in a solemn tone. "We had another casualty besides Gail."

Trevor took a step back as he didn't see his wife. "Lauren?"

Before Trevor could go up the stairs, the door opened and Lauren stood there. She looked incredibly weak and her face was very pale. Sweat poured down her forehead and she coughed heavily. Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were sunken in some. It had just been a small scratch, but it was enough. Lauren was changing.

"No," breathed Trevor. "No."

"It's okay, Ian," said Lauren.

Sue looked at Trevor. "She went back in the cabin after it happened and told us to leave her there. She was hoping you got back before it happened."

Lauren staggered down the stairs towards Trevor and coughed again. "We need to go in the yard. It's... almost time."

Ian looked up. "I'm so sorry..."

Trevor let his rifle slide out of his hands and he backed up. "No, not you. Not my wife. After all we have been through. We made it here to start over again. No!"

Trevor backed up into the yard, and Lauren followed. The others followed behind them.

Erica put her hand on Jason's shoulder, but Jason brushed her hand away. He stood there, not moving.

Lauren's voice was ragged now. She sounded like she had a bad cough in her chest. "Got to do it, baby..."

"Lauren!" Trevor screamed he ran his hands through his hair. "How can I live without you?"

"I'll always love you and Jason." She coughed again gasping. "Always..."

Trevor sank to his knees and put his head down. He pulled the Glock out of its holster and looked at it. Kill her. Just do it, Trevor. You know you have to. He looked at his gun. Hell, it would be so easy wouldn't it? What's there to live for now? You tried to save everyone, but you forgot about what matters. You stupid little fuck! Trevor brought the gun up to his mouth. Just pull the fucking trigg—

The shot made Trevor flinch as it shattered the silence. As he brought his head up Lauren was there at his feet, the back of her head now a red ruin. Her eyes were open, staring at him. He put his hand on her hair and touched it softly. As he raised his eyes a bit more, he saw Erica lowered her pistol. She came over to him.

"Back there on the highway, you saved me from those two men. They would have killed me. You saved me, so I'm saving you."

Trevor sat there for a few moments on the grass looking at his wife before the tears came. They flooded out of him in a torrent of despair.

Anguish was his only friend.

Chapter 39

Trevor sat in the office of the Hope police station. In front of him sat Jake Rawlings. He was tied up and waiting his sentencing. Outside, the survivors had gathered again in the park awaiting both Trevor and Jake. They had fought off the dead and now were left with the surviving bikers to deal with. Trevor had made up his mind and the rest of the biker's awaited the same sentencing that Jake did. It was a new world, with new rules. There was no jury, no jail, just swift Old West justice to be served.

Jake sat back in the chair. "You going to remove these bonds."

"I don't think so, Jake," said Trevor. 'See you're going to pay for what you did here. How many did you rape, Jake?"

"Shit man, I lost count. Got to enjoy yourself in this world, never know when they will get you, too."

"You have no fucking idea, do you?" said Trevor.

"About what? Hell, I grew up here. I figured I'd get some payback before it all goes to shit. Look around you, bro, it's sure gone to shit ain't it? You might as well have some fun before it all come down on ya. Looks like that time is now for me. Am I right, or what?"

"Oh you would be right. You would be right indeed."

"See I told you, so I don't give a shit what you do with me. Shoot me, hang me. I don't fucking care anymore. We're all as good as dead. I might as well die now."

Trevor stood up and walked over to Jake. "I'm not like you. This was a chance to make something of yourself, to really help those in need, but you fucked it up. You picked the wrong path. It just so happens you crossed me along the way."

"Yeah friend, we did cross paths. If I had my way, you would be dead. Dammit, life's a bitch sometimes ain't it?"

"I'm not your friend. No one here is your friend. You picked the wrong path in this new world, and now you and your boys are gonna pay."

"Yeah, we are at that. Geez you're a real piece of work. Soon you'll be a little dictator with these people. Ah fuck man, you're just like me. You want that power, don't you? That control over them, you crave it. Look round you. Now you can have that power."

"I want what's best for them, to give them a chance to survive!" said Trevor.

"Well, man, now's your chance. What are you gonna do when they die on you? Heck of a responsibility aint it? I don't give a shit if they do, the young the old, who gives a fuck. I live just for me. It's about time you do, too. This new world will eat you alive. Not those dead, your own soul. The dead are the least your worries now."

Trevor grabbed Jake by the hair. "Get the fuck up, time to meet your buddies for one last time."

***

The town gathered in the park along with the bikers that would receive the final sentencing. The group had all come to a consensus about the punishment the bikers would receive. It was a way to cleanse the town of what had happened the past few days. Erica had been working hard to help the women that had been traumatized by Jake and his band of thugs, but it was going to take time. They all gathered around as Trevor began to speak.

"We have all been through a lot here, and I can't say things are going to get much better anytime soon. Out there, we face a grave threat to our very existence. The only way to make it through and rebuild some sort of life is to work for a common good." Trevor pointed to the bikers that were sitting on their knees, their hands tied behind their backs. There's no place in this new world for the likes of these men. This is justice for you. I ask you, do you want this justice?"

"Yeah," came the overwhelming response. "We want justice!"

"What happened here, will not happen again. Together we will prevail. This town belongs to you, not them. No one will take it from us. Out there, we will face the roamers, and men like this will not take what is ours!"

"Turn accused, and face your judge."

The constable stood there, still tied to the tree. His face was a ruined mess now, stained with blood. One side of his cheek was torn off where one of his victims had grabbed a hold of him. He hissed and shook his bonds, but it was no use. One of the bikers began to weep as he took in the grisly form of the man that used to be Constable Andrew Nielsen.

Trevor pulled Jake to his feet. "Well, Jake, it was you that wanted to be here. Just like old times, eh?" He gave the biker a quick sharp shove.

"Welcome home."
Epilogue

They stood in the field as the late spring rain fell down upon them. They buried all their dead here to give them a final resting place that so many people hadn't received in the chaos of societal breakdown. They had a special ceremony earlier in the day. They put an RCMP uniform on the remains of Andrew Neilson and had a burial for him. Galen, Billy, and Trevor gave him a three-gun salute to say a final goodbye to the fallen cop. They made a cross for Steven to remember his sacrifice.

Trevor shoveled the last of the dirt onto his wife's grave and wiped the sweat that beaded on his temples. The others had offered to help him, but he had refused. He owed her this much, to give her a final resting place. Tears formed in his eyes as he looked down at her grave. He placed the cross there and stepped back. Erica came up beside him and put her arm around his waist. Both of them stood there silently watching over her.

"She's in a better place now," said Erica. "I'm so sorry. I did what I had to do."

"I know you did. I'm thankful. I just couldn't do it. Maybe I' not strong enough for this. The people here need someone else. It's so much of a burden, I'm not a leader. Hell, I'm not even that good of a roofer, for fuck sake."

"We'll get through it, you know we will. We can start here, rebuild."

"Rebuild what? My son was right. He told me it's all gone, and it is."

"What we knew was gone Trevor. We still have each other. We still have our humanity and the will to live."

"We have that. For now," said Trevor. "It will just be a matter of time before another one of us dies. We take that one wrong step. What if the dead attack again, you know they will. Do we have to keep running all the time?"

"We'll fortify the town more. It will work, it has to work."

"I love your optimism, Erica, but I'm not so sure. God, I wish we could go back. I would've done things better. Maybe I could been a better father. Maybe I could have loved her more. Mayb—"

"There are no maybes anymore, only today. Only right now. We live in this moment and take each one as the gift it's given to us. We used to take life for granted all the time, didn't we? Think of how much of it we all just pissed away without a care in the world."

"You have a point there."

"Now we have something to care about. We have our own survival to give us something to do each day. Dammit, it will be a struggle and it's not going to be easy, but we can do it. I believe in humanity, Trevor. You have to go on, for her sake."

Samantha came over carrying a bunch of wild flowers. "I'm putting these on the graves. My mom loved wildflowers. Dad would pick them for her when he went fishing and bring them home. It made her smile."

Erica held back her tears swelling up inside of her. "Thanks, Sam, that's very thoughtful." Oh, Chris, I miss you.

"Others are almost ready, lad," said Ian as he came up behind Trevor.

"Alright, we'll be there soon."

Trevor adjusted the flower Samantha had placed on Lauren's grave. "You two go, I'll be there soon. Galen will wait."

"Okay," replied Erica.

Trevor stood over his wife's grave. He raised his head and looked up at the sky as the light rain hit his face, bathing it in a cool spray. He looked down at her. "I don't know what to say, only that I love you. I tried Lauren, but I failed. I lost you. I hope you can forgive me. I'll look after Jason, although he's getting pretty good at looking after himself. I worry about him, though. He loves you, too, dammit we all do." Trevor tried to hold the tears back but they won. In the silence around him, his emotion came out.

"Goodbye, my wife."

***

They stood together, young and old. The survivors of Hope had buried their dead and now they were going to say goodbye. The rain had stopped and the sun had begun to crack though the clouds. The warmth gave them all a little comfort in their hour of pain. A woman wept solemnly, her young son put his arm around her. Others held flowers and mementos they would place on the grave of their loved ones. Today, they would give their respects and lay to rest those that had fallen. At the front of the crowd stood Galen, he had volunteered to speak a few words. He cleared his throat and everyone bowed their heads.

"We gather her today in this field in the presence of almighty God. Whether you're religious or not, it doesn't make a difference. We are here to pay our respects to those that have left us. Although the days are dark and we face challenges ahead of us, together we will make it through. These people fought and died so that we may live. They gave up their lives for us, so we owe them this final respect. We lost a lot of people, but we will give them their final goodbye. We owe them that much. Together, we will survive and make it through these darkest of days. Let us pray. Almighty Lord, grant these souls their final resting place so that they may have peace, away from the horrors that walk this earth. Grant us the strength to prevail, grant us your guidance. In these things, we pray."

Together, the survivors joined their hands. "Amen."

In the past, mankind has gone through a lot of different ages. There was the Bronze Age, when man learned how to use tools. We had the Industrial Age, where we formed mighty empires. The Technology Age brought us things we could only image in science fiction. Now mankind entered a new age. It was an age of uncertainty, an age of fear. It was an age where survival meant more than anything.

This was the Age of Decay.

