Rise of the Dead

Chapter 4: The Infected

"Just let them burn." ~ Argent

- - -

Josh snaps into action, grabbing my wrist and pulling me out into the empty yard where he immediately starts grabbing discarded wood and garden debris. I look at him in confusion, my forehead creasing.

"We need to collect anything flammable, anything that'll burn for long enough for us to get away," Josh states frantically, "if we can stop them long enough to get a headstart maybe we can survive this."

I nod along to Josh's words, searching the area before settling on the collection of petrol containers that litter the area.

"The petrol," I exclaim, "we need to pour the petrol on the wood, the explosion might kill some of them and the fire should stop the rest."

"Good idea, go now, quickly," Josh replies, chucking the wood against the small fence which creates a natural barrier to the zombies.

I give a curt nod and race off down the gravel path, sending stones skirting off onto the perfectly kept lawn. My feet splash through the muddy rivers of manure but I don't stop, I don't even think about it. I  scoop up the red containers as I work my way around the farm in a wobbly circle, my breathing escaping my lips in hitched panting. I fill my arms and hurry through the jostling cows, I see Josh waiting jittery and slow to a stop beside him.

"Ok?" he half shouts and I give a nervous smile before unscrewing the petrol caps, we run around splashing the petrol all over the front of the house and up the drive towards the hill. The acidic smell stirs my stomach and I breathe heavily through my mouth, my teeth gritted tensely. I've always hated this smell, even at petrol stations, I'd try my hardest not to gag whilst filling up my car.

My car, it had been in the garage when this chaos started, collecting dust from its lack of use. I never even thought about it, only about immediate survival. It would be useful now, we could just speed away and leave the horde in a cloud of confusion and burning rubber. I suppose we could have used a tractor, I never even thought about that either. I need to get my thoughts together, if I'm not thinking straight mistakes will be made. Mistakes mean death.

The dark shapes are getting closer now, their features more defined and I can make out the odd arm or leg flailing wildly as they tumble down the hill. We gather all our bags and crouch down behind a small brick wall that borders the garden, Jaz yelps in my arms and I stroke her fur reassuringly, waiting for the time to come.

"Where do we go from here?" Josh asks, his eyes still fixated on the upcoming threat.

"Well, right now we just have to run maybe to the next town? It's a lot bigger than ours so there's a higher chance of survivors, then depending on what we find I suppose we have two options," I explain.

He nods his head in understanding and I continue, "Either we find a well-protected car and head up the country to Bristol or London to find answers, to find out what's happening. How it started. If there's a cure. But the infected will be much much worse up there, survival will be much harder..."

"And the other option?" he asks when I trail off into silence.

"We run," I state like it's the most obvious answer.

He looks at me in confusion, his lips pursed tightly.

"Run?" he repeats blankly.

"Yeah run, we find a fast car, grab as many supplies and survivors as we can and head up to this house I know in the middle of nowhere and wait out whatever's going on," I say exasperated, my mind working faster than the words come out.

"Ok, decide later," he says, pointing over my shoulder and I see the zombies seconds away.

I take a deep breath as I try not to look at the faces of the zombies, but it's hard not to, I recognise most of them: teachers, friends, shop owners, waiters, clients of my business and worst of all, children. I close my eyes tightly and strike the match letting the heat warm my fingertips, I have to let go.

The match goes flying through the air and lands on the edge of the petrol; it's like everything happens in slow motion from then onwards. I feel the force of the explosion throw me back through the air, tumbling towards the hard ground. I hit the ground awkwardly, my arms bending painfully as a groan escapes my lips.

I open my eyes and see I've landed right on Josh, his chest rising and falling rapidly beneath me.

"Madeline, are you ok?" he asks in concern.

"Yeah," I reply lightly, "I had a soft landing!"

"Well, as much as I would like to lay here all day, and trust me- I would, I think we should go because their friends over there," he points to the flaming chunks of zombie brain and flesh that are falling out the sky, "are probably on their way," he finishes.

I agree before pulling him to his feet and scooping up Jaz who pants on a patch of singed grass, she licks my hand when I stroke her and I smile happily.

We take off through the farm, our footsteps methodically hitting the ground. I open all the gates as I stumble through the farm, releasing the animals into the darkness that engulfs the countryside around us. We take off through the fields towards the shining lights of the big town as darkness settles firmly around us, the sizzling of flesh crawls through my hair like the harmonic song of birds in a spring breeze. The moon climbs the ladder of stars high into the sky and stares down at us, like the sorrowful brother of the sun, and I shiver in the cold night air.

My thoughts wander to my family and unease settles deep in my stomach, I wonder if any of them survived?

_ _ _ _ _

*Unknown P.O.V*

What have I done? I can't believe it. It was all an accident, an experiment gone wrong. I never meant for this to happen.

How will she ever forgive me, us? We let her down and she has no idea, she is totally unaware of what we forced her to do.

I have to find her before they do, who knows what could happen? She's the key, but she won't know unless I find her. But would she wish I had left her alone? Probably, she might even kill me! I almost hope she does, I deserve it. We both do, what have I done?

I doubt I could forgive myself.

I have to find her, she's the answer.