Dead Days

Chapter 15

After eating, we all settled down to sleep. Carl had helped the new family set up a tent- like hell I was, I couldn't even do my own. I left my boots by the door to my tent and got into my sleeping bag, the sounds of nature around with the occasional pop from the dying fire outside. The sounds eventually lulled me to sleep. 

But it seems like I can never go too long with peace. A loud gunshot rang out nearby. Through the ringing in my ears, I could hear moans. There was another gunshot, closer this time as what assumably the target was near my tent. My theory was proven correct as the body of an infected that had its chest blasted into came falling through the side of my tent. I managed to get out of the way on time. 

The infected ignored me as it got back up and stumbled back out through the hole in my tent. I quickly scrambled around to get my shoes on and my stuff in my backpack. Once I was ready with my ax in my hand, I stumbled out of the hole and looked around. The first thing I noticed was the heat and looking at our campfire quickly explained it: our extra fuel got kicked into the fire, starting it back up, and lastly lighting the infected on fire. The on-fire infected stumbled into tents, lighting them up and creating an inferno. 

Another look around; Emily was shepherding the three kids into the truck; Carl and Matt were defending them; Mary was being gutted by infected nearby; Emily's husband was nowhere to be seen, but her clothes were covered in ash and spotting a few burn holes, but her kids seemed better off. Beth was nowhere to be seen. 

I bolted through the crowd, straying away from the fire and towards the people. When I got there, two of the kids were in the back seat and Mac was in the passengers, Emily in the driver's seat. At seeing them in the car, Matt and Carl hopped into the bed. I followed them, barely making it on when Mary began to drive; Matt had to pull me fully in as Carl made sure them both didn't fall out. 

Once I was in and we were all seated, I gave them a nod in thanks. Carl shrugged as Matt nodded back. Must be a dude-bro thing... 

After a few minutes of driving through trees and onto a road, infected trying to get at us, I finally spoke, "What happened?" 

Carl turned his head from looking at the trees and deserted cars to me, "Must have followed us from the city. I'm surprised it was that fast." 

"I'm just surprised that they are so flammable." 

Carl nodded in agreement, Matt not looking at either of us and not saying anything. 

I continued the conversation, "Maybe next time we set up camp, we set up something to warn us they are coming close? Like a perimeter? Lookout?" 

Carl looked back at me, "I don't think we have enough people for a regular watch, but the perimeter warning system sounds like a good idea." 

The rest of the drive was silent.