Damaged

6

My throat burned with the need for water, just like the rest of us. 10k and I were sprawled out on the road somewhere in Nebraska, neither of us having enough energy to look for supplies. It's been a week or two since the gun show and we got very low on supplies. Everyone in the whole group was sitting somewhere, too thirsty and hungry to move much. Well, except for Murphy.

I heard him go up to Warren. "Water isn't going to find you just sitting there."

"Why are you so freaking chipper?"

"I've been wondering that myself. Maybe it's because I conserve my precious bodily fluids."

I rolled my eyes. "Or maybe it's because you're some mutant." I stated, my voice scratchy and low but he still heard me. A rumbling sound could be heard and I strained my head up to look in the direction it's coming from.

"What is that? Is it an earthquake?" 10k asked, doing the same as me.

My eyes widened at the sight. It looked like a giant dust storm but if you looked close enough, you could see the zombies that were running towards us.

"More like a zombie quake." Doc said, struggling to get up.

I rolled over and pushed myself up with as much energy as I could muster. 10k was still on the ground so I held my hand out for him. He grabbed it and I helped pull him up, almost falling over as I tried.

"I suggest we run for it." Murphy stated and turned to run. He quit when he saw no one was moving and came back. "Come on, people. Pick it up!"

I went to lean against the car, my vision getting blurry from physical exhaustion and dehydration. 

Warren leaned on her knees. "I... we.... can't. Dehydrated."

"C'mon. Keep moving." Murphy said and picked her up. They began to run.

"Let's go!" Warren croaked out.

10k hurriedly grabbed his bag and sniper while I grabbed my bag and katana. Strangely enough, it seemed like the longer we ran, the easier it was getting for us. It must've been because of the adrenaline. We made it into a building and saw 2 humans running and calling for us to wait. One of the guys made it in but the other was attacked by zombies so Warren gave him mercy and shut the door.

When we were safely behind the door, we all just piled on the floor and lied back down. The adrenaline quickly wearing off like a bad hangover. Murphy seemed to think it was a terrible idea for us to be sitting still again. "What so that's it? We're all just gonna lay down and die? Doc?"

"Knock it off, Murphy."

"Three days without water, man. The human body hits the wall." 

Probably explains why Murphy seems to be okay. He isn't even human. Not entirely anyways.

"There must be thousands of them." Cassandra stated.

"Millions." The other guy corrected. I peeked an eye open to look at the guy. "They're migrating."

"Migrating to where?"

"South for the winter."

"Z's don't like the cold." 10k's voice was muffled and I looked to see why. He was face down on the floor, his nose smushed. I would've giggled if I had the energy.

"Kid's got it. We had a place up in North Dakota near Fort Yates, quiet little place right on the river. Couple dozens of us having a go. I mean, zombie bison every once in a while, but that was as bad as it got. Then the rumbling started and never stopped."