Crazies

Chapter Six

~Chapter 6~
(Edited)

My breaths rush out in short pants as I fly through the trees. When I catch sight of the property line of my old back yard, I hear the muffled screams cut off abruptly. Cautiously, I come to a stop behind the shed and use it as cover to check out the house before I get any closer.

Marie at some point replaced the cheap plastic blinds her mother put up with blackout curtains, so I can't make out anything on the other side. My eyes jump from window to window, trying to find any hint on where everyone might be inside when this thumping emerges from the front of the house.

"I think they're in the living room," I whispered to Karen. I hear her lightly step up beside me to peek around the shed and I point out the part of the house the thumping came from. Then I point over to the door that leads to the kitchen. "The backdoor's the safest choice. We'll be able to see most of the first floor from the kitchen."

"Alright," she says, matching my quiet tone as she moves back, "but I'm not going in there without a weapon." I'm already nodding my head before she finishes. Being one step ahead of her, I motion towards the door that leads inside the shed right behind her.

"There are things in there that we can use." Karen moves over to the door and rattles the doorknob. I figured it would be locked with the way the paint is peeling off the old wood and the six tiny windows have a layer of dust coating them. I hunt the ground around me until I find a large rock and trade places with Karen. I position my hand so the rock sticks out and smash it against the window closest to the doorknob. The thin glass easily gives and I use the rock to clear away the sharp pieces before sticking my hand through the opening to unlock the door.

The old hinges groin in protest at being opened and stubbornly lock in place with just a sliver of space created. I try pushing my body against it a few times but the door just doesn't want to budge.

Seriously not in the mood for this you stupid door.

Taking a small step back, I lift my foot and slam it right under the handle just like my Honey taught me. I was never able to kick open a locked door, but this slightly opened one is getting its butt kicked in. The door immediately gives under my foot and aggressively crashes into a few plastics bins between it and the wall.

"Damn girl, " Karen remarks as we proceed inside the shed, "you definitely have to teach me that awesome Spartan kick."

"Anytime, " I chuckle at her as I regard the things surround us. The boxes are still piled high throughout the small, dark building and cobwebs are starting to form in the corners. From the looks of it, nothing's been touched in here since the day I tried to organize things back when Marie's mother was sent to the hospital.

I reach in my bra for my phone again and bring up the flashlight app to help find a weapon for us in this mess.

"Oh yeah, these will work," Karen announce a few seconds later as she grabs some rusted tree shears from a pile in the corner. She opens the blade a few times to knock off some of the rust, then she props them on her shoulder as she looks back at me. I turn from her and grab the first thing I spot, which turns out to my father's old wooden baseball bat. I move it around with my right hand to make sure it isn't too heavy and give Karen a nod.

"Last chance to walk away," she tells me as I turn the light off before shoving the phone in my back pocket. "The yelling stopped a good minute ago, do you really want to risk your life for someone that might already be dead?" I can see both hesitation and determination fight across her expression. She's completely fine risking her life to save someone she thinks is worth it, but unfortunately for Marie, it doesn't seem she makes the cut.