OUTBREAK

Finale Pt2 #49

As the night went on, Lila followed the river down the rocky mountain into the central valley of California. She refused to set up a camp to sleep. Her plan was to continue walking until tomorrow night. Occasionally she would tap the ground in front of her with a stick in case of a trap, but did not find one.

The river eventually turned into a small lake and across the water was a warm glow.

Lila hid behind a tree and peaked over. It was a fire surrounded by a collection of tents and wooden huts.

A faint chatter could be heard among them. Lila could see about six people around the fire and occasionally others would pop out of the huts.

As she observed them, Lila heard a step from behind. She swiveled around with her arm out holding a knife.

STAB

The knife went into the neck of a corpse.

"Roooooh," it said, reaching out to Lila.

She held the knife in its neck, and held it away from biting distance. From the corner of her eye, the people in the community were alerted and were looking over to her. She slipped behind a tree and moved the corpse behind it as well.

A light flashed in her direction, the tree blocked her from view.

She kept silent.

The light lingered onto her tree.

"Ugh," she sighed under her breath. "Dammit," she whispered.

She tilted the corpse to the left and pushed it to the ground. As the blade left it's neck, she sliced it so the corpse would die. It fell into the light and stayed on the ground. Lila raised her hand's from the tree and stepped into the open.

Directly in front of her were two men with handguns and flashlights pointed at her. Their faces and bodies were obscured by the lights.

"Drop the weapons, drop everything," the left man said.

Lila dropped the knife and the backpack.

"That's a lot you're wearing, you mind dropping that too?" the man said.

Lila began to undo her bullet-proof vest when the man on the right reached for the knife on the ground. Lila slipped her hand into the vest as if to undo some buckle, but grabbed a handgun.

BOOM to the left man.

BOOM to the back of the right man's head who reached for the knife on the ground.

They dropped to the floor along with their flashlights. Lila hurried to equip her things again. She looked across the lake to see the rest of the people collecting their things in fear.

Lila took the two flashlights and guns for herself and dashed around the lake and over the river. Entering the small community of people, she shot everyone on sight.

BOOM

BAM BAM

POP

BANG BANG BANG

CRACK

It rattled through the trees. She did not hear another living person in the area so she put the gun away and looted the camp. Her bag was full by the end, she had rations to last her an extra couple days on top of what she already had.

The fire's glow began to die and the bodies became harder to see.

She left the community and followed the river. The moon reflected off the water as she left the glow of the fire.