Chapter 23: 23

Everyone discussed with each other as the broadcast started to repeat a few times before it was replaced by the news.

“Everyone is on free time now, good work today. We’ll have our meeting after dinner.” I said.

Everyone headed outside the house to do other things, some of them set up the dartboard and the ring.

I walked to Derek’s family and started to talk to them.

“How are you guys holding up? Do you need anything else?” I said.

“We’re good, we’re still processing what happened earlier. The work really helped us take our mind off it. It’s really weird leaving our home like it was nothing, but we feel safer here with more people.” Derek said.

“That’s good to hear. We’ll talk more later at the meeting.” I said.

“Hey Sky, Thanks.” He said as he motions for a handshake. I gave a firm grip and we went our own way.

I went to my room and checked my email. Some of my friends still managed to reply though most of them haven’t changed their minds at staying at their own place or the DDR camps. Some people who said to move to the mountains have never replied, they could probably be off the grid.

I was about to close the laptop but I clicked on my Spam folder to check on other filtered messages. I found out that I have a message from a social media app yesterday. I immediately opened my account on that site and I saw a message from one of my friends in college, Allan.

“Hey Sky, remember me? You have a place at the Valenzuela area, right? I received your emails and I was on my way to your place. But I got held up near the People’s Park, a mob is starting a riot outside and they are breaking everything. I ran inside a Deli with a few others but one of them is bitten…”

Before I finished reading the message, I tried to call him through the app.

*ring* *ring* *click*

“Hey Sky! Holy Shit! I thought you Didn’t receive my message! F.u.c.k! You were right! Holy shit!” Allan exclaimed.

“Shut up and start telling me where you are exactly! Keep your voice down.” I said.

“Umm ah- were at the South Supermarket-”

“We?” I said.

“Other people who came inside.” He whispered.

“You said that one them is bitten?” I said.

“Yeah, the rest of us tried to ki-”

The call disconnected.

I thought it was just loading at first then I was shown a little T-Rex that said that I have no Internet. I pondered for a while and I gave a long sigh. A few moments and I heard a knock on the door. It was Olivia holding her phone.

“Sky, umm, is the Internet out?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m surprised that it lasted this long, I’m sorry. Excuse me, I have to do something.” I said.

I grabbed my AR-15 from the safe and placed four extra magazines loaded with 5.56 ammunition to the vest I put on. I grabbed the keys for my bike and a helmet, then I rushed downstairs.

Some of the guys asked me what is going and I said I was picking someone stranded. Oscar saw me and waved me down.

“Woah kid, easy there, what’s the rush? You even brought the AR, what’s going on?” Oscar said.

“Allan, he’s at the South Supermarket, I gotta go now.” I said as I put on the helmet.

“Hey! That’s a populated area and it’s nearing sundown! That’s suicide kid! We don’t even know the situation there!” Oscar bellowed.

The rest of the group has worried faces and some of them also voiced their opinion of me heading out.

“I’m not letting one of us hanging there! I’d do the same for all of you in a heartbeat! Trust me, okay?” I said as I fastened the AR at my back.

“I’ll come with you!” Kaley said. Jared and a few other stepped up.

“No, I need to be fast. I’ll bring the bike and go to the back roads, I’ll come up in the highway when I’m near the place. I’ll be back in half an hour if everything goes smoothly.” I said.

Oscar still gives a disgruntled expression but he handed me a crowbar from the shop. “Take this, you might need to pry open some of the doors. Picking them would take too long. You know what to do.” He said.

I uncovered the cover on my motorcycle and it revealed a black Hayabusa. They opened the gate as I quickly launched myself with the bike. I made a right turn as I reached the elementary school and I saw a few stragglers walking about but I soon left them quickly.

I also passed by the DDR camp a couple blocks driving, it’s still standing though a few people are still trying to get inside while a few soldiers are outside containing the situation.

I passed by a few houses and shops then I made a left turn towards the old church at the distance. I kept on burning on my mind the state of the surroundings as I drive. This is still far from the destination so I twisted my right hand on the handle so the bike would go even faster.

*BRMMM*

The noise of the motor attracted a few of them as I drive but there is still a lot of noise outside from people looting other places and fighting each other. A few gunshots from the surroundings also rang out as I continue to weave between cars and zombies.

I stopped near a hospital then I saw a mob of people with handheld weapons wrecking everything in their way. They are throwing rocks everywhere and they would smash car doors that they are passing through. Any zombie they encounter will be mobbed and immediately killed. They kept on shouting and making a ruckus whenever they go. People they pass through would either join them or get lynched.

A few of them holding spray paint are spraying the walls as they pass. I can’t see what they are writing but I won’t stay there to find out. A few in the front noticed me and they started to run towards me.

“F.u.c.k!” I exclaimed then I turned towards the highway. I quickly maneuvered back and I took the exit where Wilcon’s Depot was. I looked to the right and I saw a few cars toppled over and zombies are swarming the car while I heard a scream coming from it.

I looked to the left and saw the bakery and another back road towards the supermarket but it would take longer.

I pulled my pistol and I shot a few zombies coming towards me as I make a path for my bike to drive through. I didn’t unsheathe the blade in case the bodies I slice would fall towards the bike as I pass through.

Seven zombies fell then I started to move my bike through the bodies. I went for the road near the bakery and I started to speed up. I passed a few stores and long walls from factories as I drove through. A few minutes of driving forward, I saw the exit that would lead to the supermarket but I parked the bike at the shoe store a block away from the supermarket. I then drew my Wakizashi as I killed 5 more zombies near me, quick slashes and thrusts did the job pretty easily.

I dispatched thirteen more on the sidewalk as I made my way on a steady pace. I reached the fast food store at the corner and I saw the People’s Park on the other side of the street swarming with zombies. I then turned to the left towards the supermarket.

“Why are some of them moving slower?” I said to myself. “Could this just be the adrenaline or are some of them are starting to have Rigor Mortis?”