Flesh Eaters

Vehicular Homicide

Chapter 35 - Vehicular Homicide

*Grey's POV*

I rest my head against Murphy and close my eyes. His body heat begins to take the chill out of me and my body is finally able to begin to relax but my mind still races.

Now knowing Zoey had a similar experience as me, I have to wonder how she was able to remain so sane. Then again, maybe she hasn't remained as sane as I think.

I push the thoughts away and find new ones emerging. We're on our way to Safe Haven, a supposed community that promises safety for all that come. Safety. It seems like something that's almost impossible in this world. How can a place be safe when the dead roam the Earth? Is it protected by guarded walls? Who leads this place? Will we even be excepted inside?

"How long do you think we got, I mean until we reach Safe Haven," I suddenly ask.

I feel Murphy shift slightly, "a day or two, a week at most."

"I hope it's soon," I yawn.

"Yeah me too," Murphy mutters in response as his shifts again. "Me too," he repeats, trailing off.

His words are the last thing I hear as exhaustion takes over me. For once, I sleep a dreamless, peaceful sleep, but it's cut all to short.

Voices shout just before I'm thrown from the truck bed. Pain erupts throughout my body as I collide with the pavement. My momentum causes me to tumble off the road and down into a damp culvert. I cry out in pain as something stabs into my upper thigh.

Somewhere up ahead of me I make out the sound of heavy metal slamming down into the pavement before skidding to a stop with a loud screech. The only way to describe the sounds would be that of a two cars colliding with each other.

My head spins as I lay face down in the cold mud trying to make sense of what happened. Pain grips me each time I attempt to move causing me to cry out.

Somewhere I hear my name called out. I want to shout back, I want to stand up and find them; but the only thing I can do is cry out in pain as I finally manage to roll onto my back. I feel hot tears roll down my cheeks as I grit my teeth against the agony.

"GREY," I hear again as I fight to sit up. "GREY," the voice shouts again, sounding closer.

I open my mouth to shout back but all that comes out is a whimper. I squeeze my eyes shut as I finally manage it sit up. "Ughhh..," I moan as I fight against the pain. Opening my eyes I find a tree branch, about the diameter of a quarter, stabbed in my left thigh. My hands automatically hover over the branch.

"Fuck," I pant as I wrap a hand around the branch. "Nnnmm," I groan after giving the branch a small tug.

Gritting my teeth I give up trying to remove the branch. My head spins the more I try to focus on my surrounding. I squeeze my eyes shut, attempting to steady my vision and clear my head.

Behind me something cracks loudly. My eyes snap open causing the world before my to sway. Painfully twisting around I stare into the trees. My heart beats wildly in my chest. I shake my head and blink rapidly, trying to steady the world before me.

Just barely I make out a figure, stumbling toward me. "Murphy," I ask as I try to recognize the person.

I blink again and catch a glimpse of the figures face. Bloody gums and foggy sunken eyes move towards me. Gasping I painfully scoot backward. In a panic I pat myself, looking for a weapon. Finding none I glance around me looking for anything I can use to defend myself.

*BANG*

My ears ring at gunshot that fires behind me. The eater drops as I turn. Finding Murphy I let out a small sigh of relief only to have pain grip me. I grasp my leg and hold back a cry of pain.

Murphy rushes to my side. "Shit, shit, shit," he panics as his hands hover over the branch in my leg. Suddenly he glances up and curses.

More eaters stumble out of the cover of the forest, probably drawn by the sound of the gun.

"Gotta get ya' outta here," Murphy mutters as he moves to pick me up. "We just gotta go. Come on."

Gritting his teeth his heaves me up.

Surprised to be lifted off the ground, I cling to his shirt. "Murphy," I say in a panic. "Your shoulder!"

"Don't worry about it," he say through his teeth. "Your not gonna fuck it up anymore then it already is," he grumbles as he carries me toward the road.

Slightly confused I glance down and find the shirt covering his shoulder soaked in fresh blood.

Concerned I look up to his face. Small cuts and soon to be bruises decorate his skin. He stares straight ahead with a look of determination; panting through his clenched teeth, he strains himself to keep moving. I feel his arms tremble as he struggles to keep from dropping me.

"Murphy?"

He shakes his head, ignoring me, and keeps moving.

We reach edge of the road just as Murphy's legs give out. I fall from his arms and hit the ground. Agony sears through me, causing me to cry out.

"I'm sorry," Murphy pants. "I'm sorry..."

"Behind you," I say, ignoring his apologies.

Quickly he turns a unholsters his gun. His arm shakes as he aims at the eaters advancing towards us. He fires a shot but misses the monsters head. "Fuck," he groans before taking another shot.

"There's to many, Murphy," I say grabbing at the back of his shirt. "We have to move!"

"She's right," a voice says behind me.

Turning I find Baird supporting Matt. Matt's clothes are torn and stained with blood and mud. Blood mixed with tears drip from his check as he clutches his ribs. He looks toward us with vacant eyes. Baird appears to be in no better shape. A gash above his right eye drips blood down his face. He limps as he makes his way toward us.

He pulls out a pistol and takes out the eaters closing in on us. "Come on," he says after re-holstering the gun.

I hiss in pain as I rise to my feet. Next to me Murphy forces himself back up.

"Help each other walk. We have to go," Baird commands weakly before he goes back to Matt's side.

Murphy wraps an arm around my waist as I one wrap over his shoulders.

"Where's Evans," I ask as I look toward the burning car wreak ahead of us.

"He's up there, waiting," Baird responds.

"And Zoey?"

A heavy silence follows my question. My heart drops as I now understand Matt's vacant expression. Zoey's gone. Matt lost his sister. Sorrow hits me as I drop my gaze. I force myself to just focus on moving forward.

When we reach the burning rumble of the truck, a bruised and battered Evans joins us. He limps silently along behind us, looking as lost I feel.

Hours pass as the five of us slowly move up the road, away from the burning truck. We all remain silent, lost in our own pain and sorrows.

Another has been taken from us in this short period of time. Death now is something unavoidable. It's something we should all expect, but nobody ever does. This world, with the way it is now, it takes and takes, never gives. All we can do is pray that today isn't our last and push forward.

And that's what we do, we push forward, toward Safe Haven.