To Be A Runner

Chapter 39: Get Out Alive

"How're we doing, Sam?" Sarah pants as we rush to the footbridge. She tugs on her cuffed wrist and Van Ark looks at her a bit fearfully.

I'm still trying to understand how he looks exactly like he did in my dream. It doesn't make sense, but I can't think on that now, although I doubt I'll find a logical or realistic reason when I think about it later either.

"Uh, well, I can't see the footbridge on our cams but the horde hasn't reached the hill yet. If you keep going you can make it in time," Sam sighs heavily. "You better make it in time."

"Ask Van Ark what he was doing at that house anyway," Maxine says. "Ask him."

Sarah nods. "Dr. Meyers wants to ask you-"

"Dr. Meyers? You're with Maxine Meyers?" He asks. His eyes grow wide as he slows down his steps, making Eight's lips pull up in a sneer. He sighs with relief. "Oh, thank God. Thank God! You're not with one of those other groups; Not Pandora Hayes or Atthe Militia. Oh, thank God. I'm so-I can't tell you how relieved I am. Can you tell her that?"

"Wait, he's not in Pandora Hayes? But he was in their helicopter!"

"I-I heard that," He stammers. "Those earpieces are terribly loud, you know. Bad for your hearing. No, I'm not with Pandora Hayes. They lifted up from the University in the beginning, of course, but then they tried to keep me captive."

His steps slow even more as he runs a hand through his salt and pepper hair and chuckles. "Tried... more like succeeded. Three years I've been working for them to make a vaccine. They're still working on that at Jeffro Tower Complex-you know, that old science park about fifteen K from here.

"They had us all working there, keeping us safe but I wanted to... well, you know I had to see if Matilda might still be alive and living here, so I escaped and came back. I thought if she wasn't here then there'd at least be a note to let me know where she's going... But there was no note.

"The zombies surrounded my estate, so I thought I'd wait until they wondered off so I could try to get away." He shakes his head. "Well, at least there are a lot of fruit trees here."

I blink and look ahead, my mind thinking on how much time we have to get on that footbridge and across it. The exit isn't even a half a minute away, but still we've nearly come to a stop to listen to Van Ark's story. Why is he going so slow?

"Oh, Maxine, I'm so glad to hear you're alive," He continues. "Do you know if-"

"That's a great story, Professor," Sarah interrupts, her voice clearly showing how unimpressed she is. "But we've got too keep moving or we won't make it across the bridge before they come back."

We pick up speed and get to the beginning of the bridge in maybe five seconds, but our feet screech to a stop as we see the mass of undead bodies already starting to make their way across the footbridge. Some of them stumble and fall off the footbridge and I'd laugh if there weren't other remaining zombies stumbling towards us.

"I think you're too late," Sam groans, and I can't help from rolling my eyes.

Way to point out the obvious!

"We can see that," Sarah snips, pushing Van Ark back so she and I can get off the bridge and steadily start moving towards the house.

"Maybe you three can hide inside the house or-"

"There's another way out actually," The professor pipes in. "If they're all coming from that direction they might not have got to it yet. A gate at the  fence at the far side of the grounds."

"Sounds good to me. Lead the way, Professor," Sarah says with a nod, both of us following his lead as the zombies snarl, growl, and groan behind us. The noises coming from their mouths making my heart race and adrenaline kick in.