Hysteria

Chapter 10 - No Going Back

Slowly they all woke though a few pestered for a few more minutes in their nice warm beds, Roland was adamant though and soon they were all up however much they grumbled.

"Where's Karen" Brooke thought to herself but her questions were soon answered.

"Where's the truck" Chloe squealed noting something important missing.

"It's were we left, oh" Hayden announced then saw, at first he didn't believe his eyes but soon realised the horrible truth. Danny quickly checked his pockets, the keys were gone and they didn't come back no matter how much he searched.

"Who could have taken it" Aiden asked though quickly wished she hadn't as they all came out with ideas of the perpetrators.

"Thieves."

"Monkeys."

"Joy riders."

"Zombies."

"Zombie joy riders."

"Karen" stated Brooke holding up a piece of paper with a hurriedly scribbled note on it. The others turned to her in shock, they knew she was troubled but hadn't believed she could do something like this. Brooke began to read from the note "listen to this. Dear you lot, I know if I stay with you I will be killed quicker than I can think so I have decided to take the only sensible decision. I will take the truck and all the supplies on it; this will cause no inconvenience to you as you are already destined to die. Also I have taken the map and compass as you don't need them. With hope we never meet again, Karen Seymour,"

"How could she" Lauren exclaimed at the top of her lungs, "we saved her butt when we first met, should have let her get eaten by those things." She moved away from the group trying to vent her anger safely.

"You were supposed to be on watch" Brooke started on an already deflated Roland "how could you have not seen or heard anything."

"Actually I was on watch when she left" Hayden confessed, his face was as white as the paper. "I thought that I dreamed it."

"Obviously not" grumbled Drina brushing passed them muttering to herself.

"Good thing we got the guns out the back when we did" Danny commented to Roland.

"You do know how to shoot don't you" Roland queried.

"Course I do, I grew up on a farm and my dad owned a collection of guns" Danny told him although it didn't ease his concern, "not entirely legit though."

"Karen was always so quick to judge" Drina stated trying to push some blame off of herself, "she thought herself above everyone else even when they saved her life several times."

"She didn't get the map" Danny assure holding up the offending item.

"Or the compass" expressed Chloe stuffing it into one pocket, "so what has she taken?"

"The truck" Lauren exclaimed stamping her foot.

"Guess we're walking then" Brooke commented to herself.

Quickly they packed up all muttering nasty comments about Karen under their breaths. Roland made sure the fire was completely out before moving on to his kit although it didn't take him five seconds to pack up, he commented that it had just become routine especially given the unpredictability of the last year. Chloe however kept fumbling over her stuff, the events of the night before still vividly in her mind.

"To all who are listening stay away from the main ports and airports, they have been taken over. Reports are coming in of a few smaller areas that are currently zombie free, ships and aircraft are taking people to safety. We urge listeners to get out of built up areas, get out into the countryside and if you can get to one of these areas quickly."