Journey of the Inspector

Chapter 5:The Highway

As we walk towards the highway, I think about the boys who died back in the parking lot. It's been ten minutes since the infected people attacked us, but I can barely stop thinking about it. We're no longer a large group, and most of us have ran out of firearm ammo.

"Who wants to play I Spy?" asks the thirteen year old boy. No one responds to his question, causing him to sigh sadly."I'm rolling with the older boys. This is cool."

"There is nothing cool about this," Mason snaps, then takes a deep breath."Maybe we would have gotten out more safely if Kyle didn't shoot so early."

We all look Kyle, who pretends that we aren't staring at him. Finally, he sighs and shifts his gaze at Mason.

"It was a freaking accident, Mason," Kyle tells him, trying to defend himself."I know I got more than half our group killed, but stop being so angry at me for it."

"Just shut your freaking mouth, boy," Mason says to Kyle, angrily. He lunges forward, then grips Kyle by the collar of his shirt."More boys would be alive if you didn't fire that gun. So be careful what you do next time, otherwise you're getting kicked out of the group."

Mason pushes Kyle away from him. Kyle lands on the sidewalk, then scowls at Mason. He gets to his fist, clearly angry as he swings at Mason. Kyle's fist collides with Mason's cheek. Mason makes a pained noise, and lunges towards Kyle.

"Break it up," Jack says, reaching forward to restrain Mason. When Mason is restrained by Jack, Kyle slams his fist into Mason's stomach. West pulls Kyle into a chokehold, causing him to panic as he struggles for breath.

"You two have to calm down," Ricky says to Mason and Kyle."The real enemies are the infected, and Hector's gang. We shouldn't be fighting each other."

"Ricky's right," Jack says, releasing Mason."There's so few of us left. We can't be fighting each other, like this."

West lets go of Kyle, then watches as Kyle takes deep breaths. Mason doesn't say anything. Instead, he resumes walking towards the highway. The rest of us follow him, tired and starting to sweat from the heat. There seems to have been an increase in temperature within the past minute. I touch my forehead, feeling the sweat dampening it.

"It's too hot," Jack complains, wiping at his neck where sweat is gathered in small puddles."What the heck?"

I look back as we stride towards the highway. Behind us, groups of infected are creeping towards us. They are far enough to not pose a big threat, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be wary. Ricky aims his pistol at the infected people, scowling.

"Don't shoot," I say, grabbing his wrist. I think about how gunshots seem to attract more of them. It seems that we should start using melee weapons, during times when we don't want to generate too much noise."It'll get more of them to come at us."

"I know, but they killed our friends," Ricky says, placing the gun into his pocket."I wish I could put a bullet in each of their faces."

"Chill," I say, wanting him to just let the revenge thing go.

"Okay, Danny. Whatever," he replies, but still sounds furious. At least he isn't as angry as Mason. Mason is stomping ahead of everyone else, fists clenched and breathing heavily with rage."Mason is the one who should chill out."

"I agree," says the thirteen year old boy. I study his features. His eyes are blue, and his black hair is a buzz cut. He's at least five feet tall, and I would think he was younger than thirteen if I didn't know his age. He notices me staring at him."My name is Elliot, by the way."

"I'm Danny," I inform him."I guess you already know that."

"Of course I already know who you are," Elliot replies."You're probably the most important out of all of us."