The Infected [A Zombie Story] {COMPLETE}

8 - Around Every Corner

The wind blew our hair. Eddie fixed his beanie. "How are we gonna escape this?" He asked. "We don't run through the fire. Last time I tried that, we lost two people that day," I explained. These bandits really must like setting forests on fire. "We'll tread slowly through the fire, avoiding any fatal spots," Kara demanded. I took a deep breath and went to the front of our group. I promised I'd help people and now it's that time. "I'll lead," I said. No one stopped me.

"We'll all stick together," I said.
"We've got your back till the end," Eddie nodded.

I treaded through the forest, my last friends behind me. The winds blew the flames, making them grow larger. Roamers surrounded us from all directions. We got prepared to fight. Eddie aimed his gun at a roamer's head. He shot. I spotted a small opening far from us. I started leading us over there. The roamers caught up and started to attack. We began to hold them back.

"There's too many!" Megan yelled. "Just keep fighting!" I replied. The fire crackled as it grew bigger, creeping behind us the more we stayed and fought back. "Let's go!" I yelled. We all ran to the opening, but as we got close I got hit by the back of a rifle. I fell to the floor, holding my face. Looking closer, I saw it was Carrie. Damnit. I stood up quickly, looking around for anyone. We'd split up. Megan and Max were held back by the roamers, but I had no clue where Kara and Eddie were. I growled. The fire engulfed the forest more. I spotted a tree burning from the trunk. It began to tip over.

I quickly ran and jumped away from Carrie, landing onto the dirt. I turned around and saw the large tree fall over between us. That should give us some time. I stood up and ran to Megan and Max. I kicked over the roamers attacking them. "Where's Kara and Eddie?" I asked, worriedly. "We didn't see them after we got held up," Max explained.

The sky turned an orange tint and the smoke strained our eyes. I coughed, leading the three of us around the burning area. It looked like the fiery lands of hell, not like the world had already came to that. "We need to leave this place! We're gonna die!" Megan yelled. I pulled out my hammer, stabbing roamers in the way.

Max and Megan stood close behind me, as we finally reached a cooler spot. We found Kara and Eddie fighting off two or three raiders. I ran into the help, but was punched back by a large pipe. I held my stomach, holding back. I charged in though, punching them to the ground. More raiders surrounded us. I had to take two raiders at once. I struggled to hold them back as they pushed me around. I gripped my hammer and threw my arm back. I swung into the one of the raiders femurs, stunning them. The other attempted to grab my hair, but couldn't do much. I turned swiftly and kicked their legs. They fell down.

I felt the smoke burn my eyes and fill my lungs once again. The fire was spreading fats. Suddenly, my shoulders were grabbed by
bone-like hands. I turned my head and saw a roamed attempting to bite me. I slightly shrieked at the close up sight, but fell out of its grasp. I stood up, hitting multiple roamers down to the ground. More appeared through the trees. I really wished I had a pistol, but by then I think Kara and Eddie were the only ones with one. Megan wielded her bat close (also sporting a new katana) and Max had a trusty knife. The fire had began inching close to me, but I couldn't let roamers enter my friend's battle field. I began to hold more off, bashing their heads in and making them drop to the floor.

I began to worry if we were constantly losing time before Carrie reached us. Sweat covered my face, I tried wiping it off but more formed. I suddenly felt myself hit the ground hard, my head began to ache. I looked up to see a roamer attempting to eat me. I lodged my hammer into its brain and pushed it off, making it roll into the fire. There went my hammer. I stood up slowly, losing most strength in my body. All the smoke disorienting me and my arms aching from the battling. I scoffed to myself and clenched my fists. More roamers appeared lurking. I walked to them slowly, eventually punching them to the ground one by one.