Better off Undead

Chapter 42: Horror High School

The vehicle roared down the highway, pushing eighty, rocking this way and that as Aliyah attempted to dodge abandoned cars, loose debris, and even the occasional wandering zombie. Every movement was made with at best inches to spare, and occasionally there would be a terrible scraping sound or a sickening thump on those occasions when she didn't quite manage to completely dodge the object in question. The single working headlight in the pitch black dark of an empty night made the navigation exceptionally difficult.

"We can't keep this up," Aliyah called into the back. "How long before they give up the hunt?"

For a moment there was only silence, until Eli finally realized that all eyes were on him.

"What? You're asking me? How the hell should I know?"

"You're supposed to be the weird shit expert here, Eli!"

"What? Come on! There's not specific lore on the speed and stamina of werewolves. Most werewolf stuff isn't even very consistent. Most things agree that they're weak to silver and that they transform with the moon. That's about it. Some say it has to be a full moon. Some say it can be any moon. Some say it just needs to be nighttime. Some say the transformation comes at will and you just need a full moon to kick it off the first time. I don't know. How am I supposed to know?"

"I don't give a damn about their transformations," snapped Aliyah. "I just want to know when will they stop hunting us?"

"Maybe they already have, maybe they never will? I don't know. Most wolves probably would've given up when we started fighting back or at least when we drove away. They didn't. So, I don't know. Could be anything."

Mac cleared his throat. "What about daybreak? Shouldn't they become human again or some such during the day?"

"Yeah," Eli said. "They should."

"Well, I can't keep driving like this until dawn. That's gotta be twelve hours away still!"

"Probably more like nine," Eli muttered.

"What if we get someplace and hide?" Jay chimed in. "Someplace safe with concrete walls and doors like... like... a bunker... or..."

"A school!" exclaimed Mac.

"Yeah, sure, a school might work."

"No, look, a school!" Mac pointed out the window, and everyone looked out to where he was indicating. In the distance, the tree line ended, giving way to an open field. On the far side of the field sat a large, two story building that in the dark was little more than a vague shape in the distance. Even still, there could be little doubt that Mac was right.

"That might just work," said Eli. "If we can get inside, we can use the minivan to block off our entry point. Then we just need to get to some interior room and barricade ourselves in until morning."

"Well, unless anyone has any better ideas..." Aliyah's voice trailed off as she hit the breaks and turned into the parking lot. She drove around the building until she found a doorway that was both small enough and recessed enough that she could block most of it off with the minivan but they would still have enough room to get out of the vehicle and into the building.

The doors at the spot they finally chose were locked, and unfortunately all their weapons had been taken from them by the survivalists. However, Amber stepped forward and brandished a tire iron.

"Where did you get that?" Eli hissed.

"From inside the car," Amber replied simply, motioning with her head back at the vehicle. She raised the iron and prepared to strike.

"Guys, I don't know..." started Eli, but the sound of the weapon smashing against the windowed door silenced him. He winced and clenched his teeth, waiting for a howl of a werewolf or a moan of a zombie to signal that they had garnered unwanted attention, but there was only silence.