The Dead Walk Among Us

Chapter 23: On The Run

I stand here, trying to process all that is happening in this moment. Sam and the others were taken. Whoever took them knows my name. Who would do this?

"Jade, we need to go now!" Jake says.

I can hear the zombies outside searching the rooms. It's almost like they are looking specifically for us. They might have tracked us from Eric's bunker. Alex opens the back door. We make it outside. Sarah blocks the door with a dumpster.

"What the hell are we going to do?" Clarissa asks.

"We are going to get them back no matter what," I say.

"How? We are five people, three are kids. We have four guns with barely any ammo, and you're suggesting we take on a group with who knows how many people?" Sarah says.

"You're saying we just let whoever took the others keep them? I made a promise to Elizabeth when she died, that I would protect her family, and I intend to keep that promise. She trusted me to keep them safe," I say.

"You want to save Henry and Susan after how they treated you? How they treated Clarissa and I? They wouldn't have cared one bit if Steven shot you yesterday, and you know it," she says.

"Jenny, Hannah, and Sam were also taken. It's not just Henry and Susan that needs us. I will not let two kids be taken," I say.

"One of these days you're going to get yourself killed trying to save everyone you meet," she says.

I can't live with myself, if I don't at least try to get them back. I see a store in the distance.

"Let's check in there. Maybe we can find something inside," I say.

We make our way towards the store. I look at the note that was in the hotel room. Who wrote this? Could it be one of Dave's group? We reach the store. One of the windows is bashed open. I can hear someone inside.

"I'll go in. The rest of you stay out here," I say.

I pull out my gun. I climb through the window. I see someone bent over, looking through a box. I have my gun pointed right at them. The person turns around. She has a gun in my face. She has short black hair, and blue eyes.

"Put it down," I say.

She looks behind me. She sees something. I don't dare to turn around.

"Don't move," The woman whispers. Now she's threatening me?

"Don't even try to..." She cuts me off.

"You need to listen to me. I can see a sniper on the building across from us. He has his gun on you. Any sudden movements and you're dead," she says like it's nothing. Is she warning me or threatening me?

"What are you..." She cuts me off again.

"I'm trying to help you," she says. What about everyone outside?

"I have people outside. Will the sniper shoot them?" I ask.

"If the sniper could see them, he'd shoot."

The door behind the woman opens. The others walk inside. I hear a gunshot. I jump behind a shelf. More shots ring in my ears. The sniper missed all of us, thankfully. The woman is hiding behind the shelf directly across from me.

"If I can make it to the roof, I can take the sniper out. I'm going to need you to help me though," she says.

Eight months ago I would have never trusted a stranger to help...a lot has changed since then. She is the only one who can help. I just have to trust her.