Infection - Part I

Chapter 14.

With the barricade being fully raised, Lisa looked back toward Valerie and Monica, seeing the surprise on their faces. "Come on!" Lisa prompted with a wave of her hand. "Let's go. We're free!".

It took a minute for both Valerie and Monica to make it to the opened exit, with Lisa meeting them both halfway.

"We're free..." Monica commented, repeating Lisa's words as she let a smile grow on her lips.

Looking outside, Valerie noticed that the rain had only increased in intensity. Looking at a lamppost allowed her to see how hard the rain fell.

A small river flowed down toward where the barricade of the parking cut off access. However, before getting a chance to flood the inside, the rainwater flowed into a drain that stretched across the driveway, introducing the outside world into the small parking space. And it was over these drains that the three women stepped over, splashing their feet with each step they took until there was a shelter over their head no more and they were exposed to the droplets that fell.

Valerie let out a groan of slight frustration as she felt the cold droplets cool her scorched skin. However, soon she was to get used to it.

Walking further up the road, the view for the women was opened that bit more. Around them, they saw a long line of fence acting as another wall of defence from the outside world. However, it didn't feel like that to Valerie. Instead, the pit of her stomach churned with unease.

They were faced with yet another challenge before they were to finally step into the world that lay on the other side of the metal fence.

An unearthly roar came from their left as they turned and shone their lights on the sound. Three zombies stood there, on the outside, desperately trying to make their way in.

Valerie gulped. Maybe it wasn't all too bad that they were surrounded by a metal barrier after all.

Walking a few more steps forward, red lights caught the attention of the three women. It took them all a second more to realise that they belonged to a car.

And as if it were to be clockwork, Valerie's phone goes off. Surprise ran through her as she immediately plucked it out of her pocket and saw it was an unknown number. 'It's him...' Valerie thought to herself.

So answering, she placed the phone by her ear. "Hello?".

"Fucking hell... I finally managed to get a hold of you," his voice was much clearer now. "Looks like they got the mobile data back up and running.". He paused for a second. "Either way, I've arrived, but I can't seem to get into town because of a blockage...".

"We're out..." Valerie responded, keeping her eyes on the jeep on the other side of the fence. "I-... I see a car... I think it's you.".

Over the line, Valerie could hear some murmuring before the door opened and closed shut. Narrowing her eyes at the car, she could see half of a head pop up from above the top of the roof.

Seeing the figure move, Valerie glanced at Monica and Lisa before she too decided to move toward the fence. The closer she got the more she could see of the man. However, with it still being night-time, most of his face was still darkened. 

Reaching the metal fence, right below a lamppost, it managed to illuminate how he looked. A shaved face and a pair of dark orbs.

And the closer she got the more he uncovered his actual height as he in the end looked down at her and she looked up at him.

It was also then that she looked down at her phone, her screen wet, ending the call before wiping the wetness away and putting it back into her pocket.

"Detective Valerie Simmons, is that right?". His voice was different from how it sounded over the call.