OUTBREAK

Tulare 1/2 #29

"Wait, what's happening?" said Hugo over the sound of the roaring engines.

"Remember what I said about gangs past Visalia? Yeah, an uprising in Visalia means we had a gang hiding within us," said Elle.

"Omar!" said Martin, "You help Hugo get ready for the fight!"

"Got it," Omar answered.

"How long until we get there?" Hugo asked.

"Well, it's usually around an hour from here to Visalia, but at this speed it'll be about 30 minutes," Elle answered.

The caravan drove past several small towns on the way to Visalia; Delano, Earlimart, Pixley, and Tipton. Each of which had their own camps of varying sizes. It seemed as if the Spine had cleared out most of the wanderers in this part of the central valley.

"We're about to pass Tulare," Omar said to Hugo. They watched as they passed the offramp sign.

The car came to a screeching halt.

Hugo looked into the windshield to see a blockade of broken down cars.

"Get down!" Martin shouted.

BAM BAM BAM

Bullets flew through the windshield. Omar peaked before ducking and got his head blown off. His blood splattered across the back seat and over Jacob.

"Omar!" Martin shouted.

The rest of the caravan arrived and enclosed Martin's car in a defensive formation. The spine gang got out of their cars; some began shooting while others helped Martin's group to safety behind a vehicle.

Hugo was separated from the others when he was taken behind another car. The person gave him a gun and told him to start shooting. Gunpowder smoke began to fill the air.

Hugo held the gun aiming at the blockade without looking and shot.

BAM BAM BAM

"What are you doing?" said the nearest spine member. "You need to look where you aim, you could hit one of our people." They aimed over the car again and began to fire. As Hugo slowly got up with his gun, the spine member was shot and collapsed onto Hugo. Their blood began pouring down onto Him.

Hugo pushed them away, and saw his hands were now covered in blood. His heartbeat rose. Every gunshot echoed within him. He looked over and saw two more Spine members collapse into a bloody mess. He reached for the gun but his hands were shaking. With his back against the vehicle, he froze.

"Hey!" said a muffled voice. Martin ran up to Hugo and tapped him on the cheek. He looked into Hugo's eyes, noticing the fear. Martin glanced around and picked Hugo up. He took Hugo behind a center divider and then over the right side of the highway. They entered the lot of a nearby stripmall, where the camp was.

Everyone in the camp was running around, getting supplies and ammo.

"They're here!" Martin shouted. "We need help!" Some others came up to Martin and took Hugo from him. The sound of gunshots were quieter, and only slightly echoed within him now. They put Hugo onto another stretcher in a medical tent. He watched as people came in and out, examining Hugo and helping where they could, but Hugo didn't listen. He was almost numb to the commotion.

The gunshots didn't stop, they began to get louder until finally a bullet ripped through the wall of the tent and then out the other side. Then another, then another.

POP BAM POP BANG

Hugo waited and listened, without care if another bullet happened to connect with him. He began thinking of all that has happened. What was it all for?

"Lila!" Hugo shouted. He remembered she was here. His senses came back to him and he lifted himself from the stretcher. Peeking through the bullet holes of the tent, he saw the battle happening outside. More guys with guns were blasting through the streets, Hugo was unsure of who was winning.

He left the tent and found a nearby car that belonged to the Spine. It was unlocked and the only weapon inside was a metal bat. He took it and examined the camp. The lot the camp was in was surrounded by the strip mall, with only two main ways of entry in the north and south.

"They wouldn't keep children out in the open," Hugo thought to himself. This ruled out the possibility of Lila out in the open. He looked to the strip mall, noting an open door. "There."

As Hugo took his first step, someone else snuck into the strip mall and closed the door behind him. Hugo pushed himself away from the car, running into the open and somehow not getting noticed. At the door, Hugo pulled it open, and lifted his bat. He stepped into the dimly lit shop.

"Stop right there!" said a man. He lifted a gun at Hugo but his hand was swatted away with a metal bat. The gun flew to the opposite side of the room. "Woah, wait wait wait!" Hugo swung at the man's face, knocking him to the ground. While on the ground, Hugo swung again at the man's head.

SLAM SLAM SLAM

It was only a body with a mushy pile for a head. Hugo paused to catch his breath. He felt a gun press against his back.

The man spoke "Hey, th-"

BAM

The man with the gun fell to the ground. Hugo looked to see who killed him, and it was Lila holding the other gun. Hugo noticed several more kids peeking at him from behind a counter.

"Lila!" Hugo dropped the bat and ran to his sister.

"Hugo!" said Lila. He picked her up and held her.