All That We Are...

Chapter 11

Stopping at the end of the road I take a deep breathe and cautiously look around. The sun is just starting to come up closing my eyes I let the heat of it warm my face before taking off again.

The ride into town goes fairly easy but as we start to approach the bar I was sitting at almost two nights ago I see two of them right off. Turning off my bike I jump up pull the bow within two quick movements and watch them both fall lifeless to the ground. "Well I was wondering if you knew how to use that thing, guess I got my answer." Max says as he walks in front of me and keeps going. Unsure of what he is doing I just stand there.

"The pharmacy is right up here I think it will be easier if we walk, less noise and it might be quicker for us to run to the bike if we get into trouble." He hollers over he shoulder.

Looking around I see cars scattered through out the street. Some of them have doors open as I slowly walk by one I notice car seats and some kids toys. I get an ache in my chest. "Maybe they got out." He says as he walks back to stand beside me.

"Yeah maybe.." I say knowing I'm only lying to myself.

"Come on its right around the corner." Everything looks fine as we walk into the store. I go straight to the back to get whatever I can and I tell Max to grab whatever he thinks we will need as well. Walking behind the counter I see a limp body lying there chewed apart. Covering my nose from the rank smell I step over what i believe used to be the pharmacist. I go to the back shelfs and start shoveling everything I can into my bag not even looking at the labels because I know there has to be something here and they all will go to use someday. As I walk to find Max I notice a stuffed bear sitting on top of a shelf all by itself. Grabbing it I stuff it into my bag. I hear a little chuckle and spin around to find Max being amused by something.

"You going to cuddle with that?" He has a huge grin in his face.

"Don't" I say as I walk past him he follows. When we get outside the sun is high in the sky and it's warm. I take my sweatshirt off just leaving me in a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off.

"Think we should get some more stuff while we are here. I mean I grabbed some stuff like candles, lighters, matches, flash lights and batteries but there really wasn't anything else there to get." Max says from beside me.

"All that stuff will help for now the powers going to go out anytime I have a feeling. But we really need to get this stuff back to your sister. We will come back out again." I say as we turn the corner and we both are frozen in our tracks. There has to be at least twenty growlers scattered around. The cars block us from them so we haven't been noticed yet. Pulling Max down with me behind a mini van I take a look around to see what we can do. There is to many of them for us both to take down we could out run them but their blocking what we need to run to. I put my face in my hands then remember the bar. Pushing Max to follow me we slowly walk to the bar I met Eric at and luckily the doors are unlocked.

"Not sure if this is the right time to go get a drink. I'm under age as well and I'm not even sure your old enough either."

"I'm old enough. Now shut the fuck up and help me barrier the doors." I say to him and he laughs.

Once we finish blocking the doors we walk straight into the back room. Like I assumed there is a back entrance. I explain to Max that we are going to stay behind the buildings out of view from them, they more then likely will notice
us once we get to the bike but it will be easier to get away. He nods at me I stare into his eyes to see if he is scared but I see nothing. I debate asking him but he answers my thought first.

"It's her birthday today. My moms not here, she's missed birthdays before because of work and Henley always says she's okay but I know it bothers her it always has. I've never missed any of her birthdays and I'm not missing this one. I know I might have to kill those things but I have no choice but to make it back home for her. She's my sister and I know she would do the exact same thing for me."

I just nod and start to open the door. I don't understand the whole sibling connection thing but the determination in his voice is all I need to know that we are getting out of here alive.

Once we walk into the back alley I pull the machete out. We take out four growlers and a few more that come up behind us. When we get to the end of the alley I look around seeing my motorcycle with at least five of them them walking by it.

"We can take them out but we are going to get noticed by the others. Try your hardest not to shot the gun but if you have to do it once we are driving." I say softly to him.

"I don't really know how to use it. I just grabbed it thinking we wouldn't really need it."

"Your shitting me right?" I snatch the gun from his hands. "The safety is here it's off, leave it like that so you can shot whenever you need to. Pull the trigger and aim for the head. Let's go." I throw it back at him and run to my bike.

Shoving my knife through the skull of one I grab an arrow with my other hand and drive it into the eye of another. Spinning around I cut through the neck of a growler as it lands on the ground it's still trying to chomp on something so I stick my knife into its head again and it stops. Looking at Max he's taken down at least five of them with his knife but there is more coming, we need to go. I jump on the bike once I feel Max's weight join I turn it on and start to go but arm is grabbed. I try to pull it back but it's very strong. Having no clue what to do I try to drive off but it's still holding my arm now dragging beside us. Then a gun shot goes off my ears start ringing and my arm is no longer being tugged. looking over my shoulder I see Max tuck the gun behind him, still with that blank look on his face.

Pulling up to the front of the house Roger, Eric and a few others from the barn come running out. Roger goes straight to Max and Eric starts asking questions.

"Where did all the blood come from? What did you get? How's the town look? Did one bite you?"

I hear the last question and turn to face Max but am forced back the other way.

"Who me? No neither of us did." I state defensively.

"Your shoulder." Roger says coming over to look at it.

"No that was from the other night, uh Henley needed something to stop the pain and from screaming when I was running from the growlers, I told her to use my shoulder." I don't know why I'm explaining myself but I do. Roger touches it and looks at me.

"It's dried up its nothing fresh. I believe him." He says loud enough for everyone to hear. "Bring those bags inside to Maria she's upstairs."

Walking through the door I hear a muffled moan coming from upstairs. Not wanting to wait any longer I dart up them and burst through the door. I throw the bag at Maria who has jumped up from where she was sitting she starts riffling through it. I go over to Henley her skin is socking wet with sweat and it almost looks grey. Her eyes are closed as I bend down to her and whisper in her ear "Happy birthday" and she just opens her eyes.