Zombie survivor

[35] The auto escape

The auto shop was pitch-dark as Morgan, Jean, and Akira slipped inside, their footsteps echoing softly on the cracked tile floor. The faint smell of gasoline hung in the air, mixed with dust and decay. Jean's flashlight cut through the darkness in shaky beams, his grip tight on his AK-47 as he scanned the shadows around them.

"Keep quiet," Morgan whispered, her own flashlight illuminating the path ahead. "We don't know what could be in here."

Jean nodded, swallowing hard. His hands were already sweating, and he glanced nervously at Akira, who clutched her knife, staying close to his side. She gave him a quick, reassuring smile, but even she looked tense.

They moved deeper into the shop, passing rows of rusted tools and half-dismantled car parts strewn across the floor. It looked like someone had abandoned the place in a hurry, leaving chaos in their wake. Morgan crouched down by a toolbox, sifting through it quickly.

"Here," she muttered, passing Jean a wrench and Akira a couple of screwdrivers. "Grab what you can carry. We need tools to get that damn tire off."

They stuffed the tools into their backpacks, moving with purpose. Jean's flashlight flickered over the empty shells of cars, their hoods open, engines half-gutted. The stillness was unsettling, making every shadow look like it could come to life at any moment.

"Check under the car for a spare," Morgan ordered, pointing to one of the cars near the wall. "If we're lucky, it might have one stashed away."

Jean knelt down, shining his light under the car. His heart pounded as he scanned the space, just barely making out the shape of something slumped in the shadows. At first, he thought it was just debris, but then it moved.

A rotting hand stretched out from the darkness, and a pair of dead, glazed-over eyes stared back at him. The thing's mouth opened, letting out a wet, guttural hiss as it began to crawl toward him, its fingers clawing at the floor.

"Holy shit!" Jean yelled, stumbling back, his flashlight clattering to the ground as the zombie dragged itself out from under the car.

"Jean, get back!" Morgan barked, her voice low and fierce. She raised her gun, aiming with precision. "Stay still."

The zombie lurched forward, its mouth gaping as it crawled faster, desperate for a bite of flesh. Without hesitating, Morgan pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang out in the enclosed space, echoing off the walls as the bullet struck the zombie dead-on, piercing its skull.

But the shot ricocheted, sparking as it glanced off the floor and slammed into the underside of the car with a loud, metallic clang. Jean barely had time to catch his breath before a loud, blaring noise filled the room—the car's alarm was going off.

"Shit!" Morgan hissed, gritting her teeth. "That's gonna bring every damn zombie within a mile!"

The alarm wailed, echoing through the shop and out into the silent streets. Jean's heart raced as he scrambled to his feet, snatching up his flashlight with shaking hands. "What do we do?" he stammered, looking between Morgan and Akira.

"Grab the tools and go," Morgan barked, already shoving screwdrivers, wrenches, and whatever else she could grab into her bag. "Move it, now!"

Akira clutched her knife, her face pale but determined. She glanced at Jean, her eyes wide. "Come on, Jean!" she urged, tugging at his arm. "We need to get out of here!"

They dashed through the aisles, the blaring alarm ringing in their ears as they scrambled to stuff the remaining tools into their bags. Jean's hands were shaking so badly he nearly dropped a wrench, but he forced himself to focus, grabbing whatever he could and shoving it into his pack.

"Hurry up!" Morgan snapped, glancing toward the shop entrance. Shadows were already beginning to gather beyond the broken windows—figures lurching toward the sound, drawn in by the noise.

They all knew what was coming.

As soon as they had everything they could carry, Morgan grabbed Jean and Akira by the shoulders, practically shoving them toward the door. "Go, go, go!" she shouted, her voice barely audible over the blaring alarm.

Jean didn't need to be told twice. He sprinted toward the exit, his heart pounding as he threw a glance over his shoulder. Through the shattered windows, he could see a group of zombies stumbling toward them, their faces twisted and grotesque in the pale morning light.

Akira was right beside him, her grip tight on his arm as they bolted through the doorway. "Keep running, Jean!" she gasped, her voice panicked but steady. "We're almost out!"

Morgan brought up the rear, turning just long enough to fire a shot at a zombie that had lunged at them from the side. The creature crumpled to the ground, but two more took its place, their dead eyes locked on the fleeing trio.

They burst out of the shop, the sunlight nearly blinding after the dark interior. The alarm continued to wail behind them, echoing down the empty streets. Jean could see more zombies emerging from alleyways and storefronts, all converging on the noise.

"Don't look back!" Morgan yelled, grabbing him by the shoulder and shoving him forward. "Just keep running!"

Jean stumbled but kept his footing, adrenaline fueling his every step. His breath came in short, frantic gasps as he pushed himself to move faster, his mind blank with panic. Akira was right there with him, her eyes wide but determined as she ran, her hand still gripping his arm like she'd never let go.

The noise of the alarm seemed to fade as they sprinted down the street, their footsteps pounding against the cracked pavement. Every shadow seemed to hold a threat, every corner a potential ambush. The town was waking up, but not in any way they wanted.

"Where do we go now?" Jean panted, glancing at Morgan as they ran.

"Back to the others," Morgan replied, her tone clipped and focused. "We get out of this damn town before we're swarmed."

As they reached the edge of the street, Jean threw one last glance over his shoulder. The auto shop was barely visible now, lost in a mass of shambling figures drawn to the piercing wail of the car alarm. A shiver ran down his spine, and he forced himself to look away, focusing on keeping up with Morgan and Akira.

They didn't slow down until the blaring of the alarm was nothing more than a faint echo behind them, and even then, Morgan kept them moving, her gaze sharp and wary.

Akira finally let go of Jean's arm, her hand shaking slightly. She looked up at him, managing a small, nervous smile. "You okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jean nodded, though his heart was still pounding. "Yeah... yeah, I'm good. Thanks for... you know, sticking with me."

She blushed, glancing down. "Of course. I wouldn't leave you behind."

Morgan shot them a look, raising an eyebrow. "Save the chit-chat for later. We're not safe yet."

They both nodded, falling silent as they hurried back to the bus, each of them painfully aware that they'd just barely made it out alive.

Q: Are you mechanics guy?