Hunter and the Hunted (Septiplier)

~~ CHAPTER SIXTEEN ~~

God.

Of course the trolley made the loudest squealing noise possible as I'd gotten to the top. Mark was heavy, and the cart was hard to push. As it made the dreaded sound I turned to see the consequences of what had just happened.

At the bottom of the escalator there were three people looking up at me with surprised looks upon their faces. I guess they weren't expecting visitors.

They began racing up the movable platform path towards Mark and myself. I did what I had too. I grabbed the box of medication, stretch bandages and weapons; then I pushed the cart at them. It fell about halfway down and straight towards. The younger girl was the first one to get hit. I didn't wait around to see if they were alright, I ran straight for the exit.

Once out I picked the keys from Mark's back pocket and clicked the car unlocked. Swinging around to the driver's side, I reefed the back door open and laid Mark down on the back seat, then slipped into the front, slamming the key into the ignition and hearing it roar to life. The car had enough fuel to get us far enough away. I raced towards our way out, hearing car motors behind me. This was such a bad idea; it was so insane it almost seemed doable. I had no idea they had cars though. Well I guess, I didn't really have a clue they were there at all. I suppose everyone needed to keep a low profile around here these days, and they did a hell of a good job.

I had a grenade; only one. I would need to make this shot count. My plan was mildly on the insane side but it could work. The way back was along the highway, which to my knowledge had been stopped up by a huge drop gate. The drop gate would be my target, and if I could blow a big enough hole in it, we would be outa here, car and all.

I swing the car around a corner, hearing the motors behind alive with angered hatred. The drop gate was just up ahead. I slammed my foot down on the accelerator, speeding through the long time deserted street and towards the danger signs. The signs had been put up long ago, to stop people from leaving the city. I speed closer and closer, looking in my rear-view mirror, I could see them not far behind me.

I fumbled around with the small bag at my feet and pulled out the dirt-green hand bomb. I wound down the window and speed up just a little more. I put the ring in between my teeth and pulled it off, holding the lever down with my thumb, driving one handed. With a steady breath I threw the grenade and spun the car around so I was facing them once again. I only did this to buy myself some time. I heard the explosion and looked at the pleasing hole filled with dust and scraps of debris. I flick the Jeep into reverse and speed backwards up and over the mound of broken cement and thick wood.

Once on the outside of the wall, I spin the car back around and drive, hearing two last things as I speed off. One being along the lines of "You killed her!" and another more like "Ahhhh!". I look in the mirror as a huge group of dead emerged from the corner that I had turned further back and was steadily running towards the group whom had exited their cars at the hole, yelling at us. We must have caught their attention.

We had to get out of here as fast as possible.

Mark was still passed out in the backseat of the car, so he wasn't going to be of any help. I just had to drive.

The herd would eventually reach the small town though; so unfortunately we would need to get out of there, so that's where I was headed next. I would swing in and pick up the guys, and take off again.

I spun down the once quiet and un-touched road towards the men we had left in the town. It only took twenty minutes in the car. As I sped into the town I could see Wade standing in the middle of the road. He was still with Markus. I'd forgotten about him.

"Wade!" I shouted as I jumped from the car leaving the door open as I did so.

"Jack? Nice car!" He replied, "Where's Mark?"

"He's in the back passed out, we gotta go man!" I shouted again.

I ran from him and towards the building that Ken and Cry were in. Once in I told them we needed to go. Everyone spilled into the car and I started the engine again.

"Hey! You can't just leave me here!" Markus shouted from the ground.

I looked from Wade and Ken and then back to Markus, he was really getting on my nerves.

"Markus," I said calmly, tisking him and sighing, "I was going to kill you. But now, we've decided to let you go free." I smiled at him, and brought a knife from my back pocket. It was only a small one, something that I could live without.

"Now look," I spoke again, flicking open the knife and watching it glint in the light before closing it again, "When you wake up, well if you wake up in time that is," I continued, before throwing the knife along the ground, watching it skitter to a halt, "And you somehow crawl all-the-way over there, then figure out a way to open and cut yourself loose, you are free to go. If you don't... Well let's just say you should pray you wake in time." I gave him an evil smirk. I watched the frustration build up in the man on his knees with his ankles and wrists tied behind his back but I didn't care.

"What the fuck do you mean wake u-" Before he could finish his sentence I brought my arm back and swung another all-mighty punch in his direction. His expression fell loose and he fell backwards putting him in an uncomfortable looking position. I laughed to myself a little as I took one last look at the knife.

I stood back up from my crouching position and walked towards the jeep, jumping in the driver's seat and taking off. I would begin over the bridge.

"Jesus Jack..." Wade sighed as we began what would be our longest and most painful journey of our lives, "You're hard core."

After that, at first it was silent. Then I started to chuckle, and eventually we were all laughing hard for the first time in a long time. We would be happy for those few moments, and we would need to savour that feeling. Because take it from experience, those moments had big gaps between.

Now we were on the road, the two men, one in the passenger seat and two in the back side by side to Mark, laughing as I was once again deep in thought, my good mood gone again as I remembered the words I had heard from the people from the city, "You killed her!" The words swung through my head, and bounced from emotion to emotion along with the realisation of what I had just done to Markus. I don't think I was a soldier after all...

... I was becoming a murderer.