The zombie game

chapter 34

 “You little son of a bitch!” shouted Dave. He pounded his fist into Joe's face. Blood started pouring from his now broken nose.

“What what....” started Joe.

“SHUT UP!” screamed Dave. Joe tried to wriggle around and kick Dave. He was beginning to gurgle blood—the metallic taste sitting on his mouth as if he had licked metal. He kicked his foot out, but Dave grasped it with his other hand and twisted it back, causing a pain to go through Joe that he had never felt before.

The sounds of gunfire were going distant.

Dave's bloody, snarling face was right to Joe. His vision wavered.

Dave smashed his fist into Joe's face and then repeatedly slammed it into his ribs, causing him to scream. He tried rolling to the right. Joe was sure some of his ribs were broken. He felt his face coated with wet, warm blood.

Dave grabbed Joe by the throat and squeezed.

All air passages were shut off—his face was turning blue...glowing darkly against the crimson red of the blood.

“I have been waiting forever for this,” said Dave, laughing. His teeth were yellow and streaked with blood—his mouth smelled of fetid sewage and rotting meat. Joe grabbed Dave's hand and tried to pry his fingers off of his throat, but nothing worked.

Then something very quick happened.

A bullet streaked across the sky and slammed into the metal floor. Dave released Joe's grip and twisted around with rage, seeing who had fired at him. Tom was standing there, panting, a smoking pistol raised in both his hands.

Tom fired again, but the bullet didn't hit where he wanted it too—the bullet tore through Dave's arm, carving a trench through the flesh and muscle. Bright red blood dripped from his arm.

This gave Joe an advantage.

He kicked out his feet and watched as Dave fell to the ground, clutching his groin, cradling his arm, trying to stop the flow of blood. Joe slowly stood up and limped forward, leaning against the wall, blood smearing his face, his ribs feeling like they were broken.

“Come on!” shouted Tom. He reached out his arm and grabbed Joe's hand. He pulled Joe away from Dave and crouched beside the wall. “Are you OK?”

“I think so...” Joe stuttered. Blood trickled down his lips.

“We need to get the hell out of here....” A bullet slammed into the wall. Tom whipped around and saw Dave standing up, staggering drunkenly forward.

“Get. Over. Here,” said Dave over the sounds of gunfire. He leveled his pistol forward and fired the gun.

A couple of guards ran behind Joe and Tom and opened fire. Tom whipped around and squeezed a round into the two soldiers. Dave was slowly coming closer....closer...