End of the Suburbs

Chpt 3: Outside the Border

I'm outside of the township for the first time in my life and all I have is Casper to watch my back.
I watch as the bridge raises above the river.
There's no going back now.
Not until I find Donnie and hopefully the scavenger team.
11 people.
7 scavengers. 3 people to search for them.
And 1 twelve year old that shouldn't be out here at all.
I start pedaling.
Outside of the township the world looks like ruins.
Everything is on fire.
Good thing I have a gas mask.
I get all the way to the woods without seeing anyone.
I know any second one of the infected could be around the corner.
I have to keep an eye out.
Casper helps.
The trees inside the woods are bare.
They stretch up and curve like twisted finger.
Their branches are short and pointed like the thorns of rose.
Even the plan life was affected by the virus.
If this is the plants I definitely don't want to see any animal.
I have a copy of the map the council gave the original scavenger team.
I follow the trail to the fallen city. That's where the scavengers would have been.
Thats where the recovery team would have gone to look.
Hopefully that's where I'll find Donnie.
I finally make it to the first fallen city.
I look around.
In big metal letters on top of the building.
"S-T—E"
This is where the first team would have been.
I walk inside and it's quiet.
Casper and I split up and look around.
The shelves where the supplies would have been is empty.
This means the scavengers could have been here already.
I take my finger and brush one of the shelves.
Gray with with dust.
I squat to get a look at the ground.
There are tracks.
Human.
Looking closer l see they're not shoes.
Bare feet.
*Infected*
Suddenly there's the sound of a can hit the floor.
Casper runs near to me.
He starts to growl and  bare his teeth.
They're close.
I tap him twice on the back signaling him its time to leave.
He starts to back away towards the door, all while still growling in the direction of the back.
I walk carefully towards the door.
Suddenly from behind one of the shelves a head pops up.
An infected.
It used to be human but it's clear the humanity was gone long ago.
It swipes at me with it's mangled fingers and long claws.
I duck just in time before it can scratch me.
I reach into my waistline and pull out one of the pistols.
Without need for aiming, I fire a shot of water directly into it's face.
It let out a roaring scream. It's teeth were sharp, animalistic as if it's been living off strictly meat.
I stride for the door just as the shelve erupt with two more infected charging at me.
I flip the first sending him flying through the front window.
I raise my pistol and spray the second in the face sending them stumbling into one of the shelves knocking it over.
"Run" I tell Casper.
We both run through the door.
The infected on the ground starts to get up.
I jump, landing both feet in its chest then bounce off.
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!
A sound from the distance. The crashing glass alerted more.
I have to do something fast.
They're coming from both further down the road.
I could go the opposite way, hope to out run them.
That would take me backwards.
Instead I cut down the alley on the side of the building.
I'm halfway down when Casper stops and starts to growl.
More are coming.
I haven't even made it a day and I'm already surrounded with no way out.
This is how it ends.
The infected come prowling down the alley.
I hop on one of the trash cans.
I signal Casper to jump onto my back.
I push off launching him onto the roof.
I climb up after him.
I watch from above as the infected search the area for me.
There's at least a dozen on all sides.
I'll be here for a while.
I set my bag down and get comfortable.
It's not long before I drift off to sleep.
Dream

I'm running.
I look around and I'm inside of a forest.
I look back for a second.
I don't know what I'm running from but I have the overwhelming feeling that I can't stop.
*caw caw*
I hear a sound I recognize as a bird.
I've never seen one in person, only in movies.
I start to run faster.
At first the bird was in the distance.
The sound gets closer despite me running away from it.
It feels like a hand is slowly reaching out behind me ready to grab me by the back of my neck.
A doorway appears ahead of me.
I use all my strength to dive inside just as the hand brushes the hairs on the back of my neck.
Suddenly I'm indoors.
Inside a kitchen.
The feeling of danger is gone and replaced by warmth.
"You don't have to help me." a woman's muffled voice says.
I turn, taking in more of the scene, realizing/ trying to figure out where I am.
The place is unfamiliar.
"What?" I ask.
I turn.
It's the girl.
The same girl with bright blue eyes.
She's the most familiar thing here.
"You don't have to help me." she repeats
"I can handle dinner alone. I know you had a long day."she says rubbing my shoulder.
I look down and theres a knife in my hand.
I'm chopping a carrot.
I set the knife down and turn to her.
She steps closer.
She puts both hands on my chest and slowly slides them to the back of my neck and interlocks her fingers.
We both start to lean in.
She opens her mouth.
Just before we kiss I open my eyes.
I'm awake.
Reality
I'm on the roof.
It's night now.
Based on the amount of light there's about 3 hours before sunrise.
I look over the edge of the building.
The infected are gone.
I have to get moving.
I already wasted hours.
I put Casper on my back and carefully climb down.
I make sure not to make a sound.
The infected could still be in earshot.
I reach the ground and get to my bike.
I make sure I have everything.
It's too risky to go back inside to check for supplies.
I have to keep moving.