The Unknown Virus

Chapter 15

'Get help. Get help. This way. Get them. Get the brother.'

These thoughts circulated through us like a wildfire. The group grew as we traveled the way the car had gone. Moving. Moving. Always moving. Never stopping. Always moving.

'This way. This way.'

We turned in unison to an older one, walking off. In unison, the herd turned, following.

'This way. This way. Get help. Help. Brother. Help. Save. Help.' The thought swirled in our heads. We couldn't kill them. We couldn't feed. Only lead. Only save. Only get help. Only move. Keep moving. Never stopping. Never stop. Keep going.

"Zombies!" a live one cried as we surrounded their camp. The began shooting at us, killing us. But we still did not attack. Orders. Save. Get help. Do not harm.

"Why arn't they attacking?" Roared the one who looked like her. Save her. Help her. Get help. They stopped shooting, and looked around, dumbfounded. A blond one stepped forward, looking into the face of the older one.

"I know this one." He said.

'Ash.' The name was rippling through us, like the wind was telling us. But it was the older one, having heard the name.

'Ash. Ash. Ash. Ash. Ash.' We repeated it back, a whisper only we could hear.

'Trust. Trust. Do not attack. Get help. Bring them. Bring them.' The older one grabbed the Ash and pulled him into our numbers. The Ash screamed, calling for help. But there was no need. We would not harm the live one.

Do not harm. Get help. Save her. Save her. Help.

"ASH!" The community cried, surging forward. As they hit our wall, we grabbed them, surrounding them. They killed us as we grabbed, but we could not attack.

Do not harm. Get help. Help. Follow.

"What's going on?" The one who looked like her demanded. "What are they doing?"

"We need to get out!" Said another, female, colored hair. "We need to find a way to help Raven!"

'Raven. Raven. Raven. Raven. Raven.' The name made us all excited as her name was spoken. The blond one looked around, scared as we all grew restless, excited. We grabbed them, pulling them with us. They struggled, but we were not amongst the living anymore. We were stronger. Death grip.

This way. This way. Follow pull. Bring help. Help. Help. Raven. Find. Bring help. Trust. Trust.

"Let us go!" They cried. They were lifted from the ground because of the struggling. Some held hands, some held feet. We couldn't hurt them. Had to bring help. Find the bad people. Follow the pull.

Follow the pull. Follow.

One looked at me, yelling at me to let go. I wished I could have formed words, but I couldn't. I just moaned at him. He looked familiar to me. They all did. But they showed me no recognition, so I let the thought flit by. Just like every other thought. I couldn't even remember who I was. I just knew I had to help the girl. She asked for help.

'Raven.' one hissed, and it continued as a chant once more. 'Raven. Raven. Raven. Raven.'

I remember almost nothing of my life. I just remember running on my last night. Running. Running.

But I was no longer an I, I was a we. We were we. Us. No I in us.

'Soon. Soon. Soon.'

"Jay, I'm scared." The colorful one whimpered.

"Stay calm Anne." The one I held called, glaring around at the lot of us. I had his feet, leading the ones who help his arms.

Anne. Jay. Anne Jay. Anjay.

Alice.

I fell to my knees, and they trampled on as the group, walking around me. I got back up and shuffled after them. Rocks. Watch out. Get help. Found help. Must follow pull. A tug.

"Where are they taking us?" The colored one called.

"I don't know." The one who looked like her called. "It looks like we're going to Coyote."

'Coyote.' The name was bitter in our thoughts, burning us. Her fear burned in us. The live ones were dropped as we roared as a unit.

"Salem what did you do!?" Another yelled.

"Just run!" He bellowed. But they didn't make it two feet. We caught them, recollecting ourselves. We began carrying them again, enraged now. We wanted to eat them. We wanted to stop the never ending hunger we felt, but we had to obey. Orders. Help her. Help Raven.

'Save her.' Another chant started. 'Do not eat.'

We continued walking through the night into the afternoon. The pull lead into a city. We dropped the live ones there, and then waited. We couldn't leave. Not yet. Might be needed. Had to wait.

'Orders.' we chanted.

"What are they doing?" The blond one asked, his eyes wide.

"I have no idea." The one who looked like her her said. "No one say anything to piss them off."

"DEAD!" A voice yelled, and suddenly a loud echoing noise sounded, causing us all to roar again. The live ones fell to the group, terrified as the sound continued. I dropped down to, the need to protect the live ones a powerful one. I crawled to them, moaning. The blond one looked at me, his eyes wide.

"Guys! This one has a bullet wound."

"They all do!" The colored one yelled.

"In the head?" He asked, backing away. The colored one looked at me, her eyes wide.

"The brain was destroyed! How is it-" I roared to the colorful one, reaching out to grab her. She screamed at me, trying to get away, but I held fast. I pulled her away, and saw that a few others were following my example. I pulled the live one away, my death grip strong.

"Salem, do something!" the colored one yelled.

'Salem.' The word threw me back a little, startling me.

Not me. We. Startled We. Me is We. No I in us.

Save her.

"What do you want me to do?" Salem yelled. No one responded as we dragged them away. Away from the noise. To her. The pull. Follow the pull.

Fine her.

We led the live ones to a gate, in which we tried to lead them through, but the gate wouldn't open, no matter how hard we pushed on it with our bodies, so we all let go and waited.

"Why did they bring us to Coyote's?" Ash asked, looking up at the building.

"I don't know. But we need to go." Salem said, jumping the gate.