Life's Test

Chapter Seventeen - No Remorse

     We drive over the cracked pavement that has been abandoned sense the beginning of the outbreak, only a few abandoned cars scatter the road, some with Infected tied into the front seats with seat belts, decaying their life away.


     We come to a sudden halt, causing the seven of us in back of the R.V to panic, when Alec and Steven stand up from their seats in the front.


     "There is a blockage in the road, a gas tanker and several cars piled up, were gonna have to try and clear it." Alec says as he straps on his back pack and weapons. "Gear up, cause if things go south we're gonna have to run" Steven finishes.


     The remaining nine of us scurry around the Trailer packing anything we can in our own individual large hunting bags.


     "Ready?" I question as I position myself at the door. Everyone nods as I swing open the door, the smell of rotting flesh under the blazing hot sun makes me gag, and it takes everything in me not to throw up. Others aren't so lucky, Asher, Janet and Brandon bend over, hurling up the small breakfast we had recently.


     "What can be causing that stench?" Samantha asks, pulling her shirt over her nose. "The dead" Steven replies, coping Sam's actions. "Come on, we don't got much time if we wanna get where we are going before night fall" I say, Ignoring the smell.


     As we approach the large cluster of vehicles, a loud bang gets our attention, making all of us look at the source, a black 2012 Chevy Pickup, with crimson blood dried into the windows, at least two Infected inside.  "Lets start with that one" I say as I walk off towards the car, everyone else in tow.


     I stand at the passenger door, my knife at the ready to kill whatever comes flying out of the door. Everyone behind me just in case. I give a nod as I swing open the door, watching it bounce as it reaches the full amount it can open, and what looks to be a middle aged Wife falls forward, he seat belt preventing her from falling out.


     I grab her wandering arms and pin them down so that she can not grab me, and with full force I drive my blade into the Infected's temple, watching as her body falls limp. I see the Husband strapped into the driver seat, trying to reach me as I climb over the woman and leap forward, slashing into the husbands skull, cutting it's life off.


     Just as I start to climb out of the car, a child no older than six leaps forward from the booster seat, grabbing my shirt, and for a small Infected child it is very strong and I struggle to remove myself from it's grip, dropping my knife in the progress.


     I hear a car door open and a loud squishing noise before the hands gripped onto me drop like a sac of flour. I look up to see David pulling his knife from the head of the child, no remorse showing in his eyes, which concerns me.


     I grab my knife from the car floor before exiting the car, slamming the door and walking over to the driver side I unbuckle the Husband and with the help of Alec carry him to the ditch.


     Steven gets into the truck and turns the keys, and after a few tries the truck starts louder then normal. Steven drives the truck to the opposite side of the blockage, maybe we will need it, even with the large dent in the bumper it may be useful.

     A long ear piercing scream grams my attention, followed by three rapid gunshots, making me become even more alert as I look around, spotting movements in the treeline I remove my revolver from the holster and bolt over to where the movements are coming from, everyone else following on high alert.


     Janet is sprawled out on the ground, an Infected lying dead at her side. "Were you bit?" I question looking around. She shakes her head no before speaking; "I only came out here to pee and then it came out of the woods, and threw me to the ground, I was able to kill it before it bit me.. I'm okay" she says as she stands up, making her way back towards the road.


     All nine of us work together to push a large truck out of the way, and into the ditch along with the other car we got out of the way besides the Chevy. The truck rolls into the ditch with a loud bang as it crashes into the side of the car.

     After clearing out two more cars we have a small path that we will be able to drive the R.V through without trouble. All of us stand looking at the pile of vehicles that are in the ditch, sweat pouring down our faces from the hour long hard work.


     Just as we turn to head back towards the R.V Samantha screams out; "Guys look!" Samantha points at the large herd that is heading straight for us, already surrounding  the R.V. "We can't go back to that" I say as I grab my revolver, pulling the hammer back.


     "Get to the Truck!" Alec says charging towards the truck; "Wait! I have an idea so they don't follow us!" I say, looking at the large Gas Tanker In the middle of the road.


     As the heard nears, Steven, David, Brandon, Janet, and Asher all sit in the truck, while Samantha and Alec sit in the pickup part of the truck, where I'm going to join them.


     I turn the safety off on my gun, and fire three shots into the side of the gas tank, watching as the gas pours out of the tanker and onto the ground.


     The shots attract any Infected Lurking in the nearby woods, which I didn't know until Sam shoots down an Infected that was coming up behind me.


     With three rounds left in my Colt Detective Special, I take out three of the surrounding Infected, using my knife on the last, and as the herd gets dangerously close, I take the gas soaked rope that branches off into two pieces, one piece leading into the gas tank and the other to the pool of gas, and using my zippo lighter I ignite the rope, dropping it and sprinting to the truck.


     In a swift movement I put my right foot on the trucks tire and throw myself into the back of the truck as we speed away to a safe distance, coming to a stop to watch the show.


    The rope lights the ground on fire from all the gas before the gas tank itself blows, and just in time to as the Infected read the pool of fire, most of them as they pass ignite, and as the gas tanker becomes the center of the herd, the tank blows, sending a big ball of flame around the area and into the sky, setting some trees on fire in the progress and the Infected flying into the air from the shock wave, which eventually reaches us, making us loose our footing for a second.


     As the smoke starts to clear the tank remains in flames along with the trees, sending thick black smoke into the air, but allowing us to see. Only about twenty Infected remain mobile, heavily burnt and damaged, with out guns we finish off the rest, the loud bangs coming from the guns isn't nearly as bad as the explosion.


     As we kill the last Infected we all hop into the truck and move on, as if nothing happened.



Showing No Remorse.