Hunger

Chapter 7:5: Horrifying Halfway To The End - Off The Track

"Jacob, we have a problem", Virgil approached me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We’re low on firearms. I don’t think we can still hold our position, up to the last station."

"Let me see what we still got."

"We still got five clips of Browning, at about 30 shells of Remington 870s and Benelli M4s, six clips of M4 action rifle, and only at about eight rounds for your grenade launcher."

"We can’t allow ourselves to reach Wintergreen, with empty guns. We need to scavenge for melee weapons. In that way, we can overcome a horde without wasting ammo."

"Alright. Let’s do it. Get the fire axe there. I’ll find something useful at the back. Take the seat."

I was already on the driver's seat. Virgil began to look for anything inside the coach, while I was navigating it. It was already in the evening, but we’re not stopping for anything. We must continue forward and escape.

The coach was moving too fast. I decided to grab on the brake lever to slow it down.

Unfortunately . . .

"Virgil!"

"What?"

"The brake! I think it’s stuck!"

"What?! It’s impossible!"

"I’m not kidding! I can’t slow it down!"

The coach began to shake, as it was closing itself for derailment.

"Damn! Do something Jacob!"

"What’s going on?" Diane suddenly woke up from her sleep.

"The brake is out!"

"What?! This is not happening to us again!"

"Stay back. Don’t stand, walk or move. Just get down! I’ll handle this."

I didn’t leave my post.

"The emergency brake! There’s got to be one of it!" Diane shouted.

"Wait! I’ll find it", I said.

Suddenly, the coach began to rub towards the side walls of the tracks. Brock woke up from his sleep, and then, he became terrified of what was happening.

"Oh come on! Ahh!"

Apparently, he was being thrown, face first towards the steel pole due to the reckless impact.

"Ahh!" Hunnigan also exclaimed in terror.

"Get down!" Virgil shouted.

"Hold onto the poles!"

"Come on now Jacob! Where’s the emergency brake?", Diane asked.

"Find it and hit it!" Brock shouted.

"Wait! I can’t find it! It’s not here!"

The coach continued its constant speed, until it reached the next station. Dozens of dead bodies were scattered around the platform and tracks.

The coach began to shake briskly.

"Ahh!” they all exclaimed.

"I can’t find it!" I shouted.

"Come here! I’ll find it!" Brock shouted.

I crawled my way back to them, as we switched places with Brock.

"Okay, where the heck is it? Hmm . . ."

"Come on Brock! In any minute, we’ll be in serious danger!", Diane shouted.

"I’m on it! There it is!"

He pushed the button.

Suddenly. . .

"What the . . . ?!"

The door began to open. He might accidentally punch in the door switch!

"Holy!"

I threw myself out the coach because I was beside the door.

"Brock, what have you done?!" Debbie asked.

"Uh-oh!"

Virgil rushed to me by the doorstep, as I kept on gripping on the steel poles.

"I got you! I got you!"

"Pick me up! Come on!"

Amazingly, we were approaching a station again.

"Come on! Grab my hand!"

"I’m trying! I’m trying!"

Unfortunately, another platform was coming.

"Virgil, go without me", I said.

"No! Don’t let go!" he shouted.

"Too late."

Surprisingly, a pillar of the station hit my legs. I had no choice but to let go.