Zombie survivor

[68] Oh Canada

The RV rolled to a stop a few meters from the checkpoint. The group watched anxiously as a uniformed man, his rifle slung across his chest, walked toward them. His posture was stiff, his face impassive beneath a helmet smudged with dirt and sweat. Two other armed personnel stood behind him, their weapons ready but not pointed at the RV—yet.

Morgan stepped out of the RV, her boots crunching against the gravel as she approached him. Her expression was unreadable, her hands resting casually at her sides. The man stopped a few feet away, his eyes narrowing as he looked her over.

"State your business," he barked, his voice sharp and commanding.

"We're trying to cross into Canada," Morgan said bluntly, her tone calm but firm. "We've got women, kids, and a few supplies. Just trying to get somewhere safe."

The man's expression didn't change. "Can't let you do that."

Morgan's jaw tightened slightly. "Why not?"

"Orders," the man replied curtly. "No civilians across the border. Government directive."

Morgan stared at him for a moment, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "And what happens if we try?"

The man's grip on his rifle tightened slightly. "I wouldn't recommend it."

The tension in the air was palpable, and the group inside the RV watched the exchange in nervous silence. Chloe leaned over toward Brittney, whispering, "He's giving major mall cop vibes."

"Facts," Tyler muttered from the back. "Dude's probably been waiting for this moment his whole life."

Ms. Heather, sitting nervously in the driver's seat, wrung her hands together. "Oh gosh, oh gosh," she murmured to herself. "What do we do now?"

Morgan didn't flinch, her gaze locked on the man's. "Got it," she said flatly. "We'll turn around."

The man nodded, stepping back and motioning for his comrades. "Good. Do it now. Don't linger."

Morgan turned on her heel and strode back to the RV. Climbing inside, she slammed the door shut and barked, "Back it up."

Ms. Heather let out a small squeak, fumbling with the gearshift. "O-okay! Backing up. Just... uh... let me make sure I don't hit anything."

"Hit what?" Brad scoffed, gesturing to the empty road behind them. "It's literally just a straight road."

Ms. Heather shot him a flustered look. "Well, I don't want to accidentally bump into something, alright? I'm trying my best!"

"Just do it," Morgan snapped, her patience clearly wearing thin.

The RV jolted as Ms. Heather shifted into reverse, the engine groaning as she began to back away from the checkpoint. It was slow going, the vehicle's large size making the process awkward and clunky. Inside, the group sat tensely, the occasional bump or sway drawing nervous glances.

"So, what now?" Jean asked, breaking the silence. "We just... turn around and give up?"

Morgan didn't respond immediately, her arms crossed as she stared out the window. Finally, she said, "We find another way."

"Like... what, an off-road path?" Jordan asked, his tone skeptical. "This isn't Mario Kart, Morgan. There's no rainbow shortcut to Canada."

"Shut up, Jordan," Akira snapped, her eyes narrowing. "She obviously has a plan."

Jordan shrugged. "I'm just saying, we're screwed if we can't cross here."

"We're not screwed," Morgan said flatly, her voice cutting through the chatter. "We'll figure it out."

The RV continued its slow crawl backward, the checkpoint growing smaller in the distance. Tyler leaned his head against the window, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Man, this is so scuffed. First, we can't cross the border, and now we're stuck doing the world's longest U-turn."

"Just be glad they didn't shoot us on sight," Blake said pointedly, adjusting his glasses. "We're lucky they even let us leave."

"Yeah, totally feels like winning," Tyler muttered sarcastically.

Ms. Heather squinted at the rearview mirror, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Do you think they'll, um, chase us if we, you know, accidentally go too slow? Or too fast?"

"Just drive," Morgan said, her tone clipped. "Keep it steady."

After several kilometers of reversing, Morgan finally motioned for Ms. Heather to stop. The RV groaned to a halt, and the group collectively exhaled as the tension began to ease slightly.

Morgan stood, her presence commanding as she addressed the group. "We can't use the main road. They'll be watching it. We'll need to find an off-road route to go around the checkpoint."

"Off-road?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow. "In this thing? It barely handles normal roads."

"It's what we've got," Morgan replied, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Unless you want to hike the rest of the way."

Chloe rolled her eyes but didn't respond. Brittney leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. "So, what, we just start driving into the wilderness and hope for the best?"

"Pretty much," Morgan said bluntly. "We'll head toward the tree line. If there's a path, we'll find it."

"That's a big if," Brad muttered. "And what happens if we get stuck out there? Or run into another checkpoint?"

"Then we deal with it," Morgan said simply. "One thing at a time."

"Great," Tyler said, throwing up his hands. "So we're just winging it. Awesome."

"Do you have a better idea?" Jean asked sharply, his frustration evident.

Tyler opened his mouth to respond, but Jordan cut him off with a snicker. "Yeah, Ty, unless you've got a magic map to zombie-free Canada, maybe shut up and let her handle it."

"Facts," Brittney added, smirking.

Tyler rolled his eyes but didn't push further. Ms. Heather, still sitting at the wheel, glanced nervously at Morgan. "S-so, um, do I just... start driving toward the trees? Is that safe?"

Morgan nodded. "Go slow. Stay alert."

Ms. Heather nodded quickly, her face pale but determined. "Okay. Alright. Slow and steady. I can do that."

The RV rumbled back to life, and Ms. Heather began steering it toward the distant tree line. The teens fell into a tense silence, the weight of their situation settling over them like a heavy blanket.

As the RV bounced along the uneven terrain, Morgan kept her eyes on the horizon, her mind already working on the next step. The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: turning back wasn't an option.

Q: What would you do next?