The Undead

Chapter 56: Flicker of Flames

--Kaleb's Point of View--

I look at the amount of gas my car has and the tank is one fourth full. "Hey guys..we need gas so keep a look out" I warn them. Everyone keeps their eyes focused on the road. We are finally out of the woods and the streets are covered in snow. "We need to get out of here, winter is going to destroy us..we either make camp here..or move on to warmer ground?"

"Well, I say we make ourselves a place in a house...and just live" Melanie says, "Yeah, we could go to one of our old houses..or somewhere where one of us knows our way around" Andrew chimes in.

I think for a moment before deciding on a place. "Okay..what about....another hotel?" I ask, hoping they'll agree. "Sounds good actually...but not a huge one..or nothing to small...I'd say a Holiday Inn would be too big..so how about a Motel8. It'd be a perfect size." Britni says to us. Our eyes were peeled and we were hoping for a gas station, I finally noticed one just as our tank ticked to empty.

I filled the tank and the others scavenged the inside, retrieving a few water bottles. We decided not to save them and we drank them on the spot. I finished filling the tank and we grabbed a few lighters from the front counter.

"There should be a motel8 soon" I say, trying to bring everyone's vibe up.

Sure enough I was right, withing twenty minutes a motel popped up, it was a family owned one though. "Looks good enough, so let's take it over!" Andrew says enthusiastically .

The place has a few walkers here and there, I just get rid of them with a few swipes of my sword. We take their bodies and throw them in the trunk. "Let's burn them in the woods...that way we don't inhale anything and risk an infection or something..who knows how mutated this disease." Melanie says, making a valid point.

I start the car and take Britni with me, leaving Melanie and Andrew to take over some of the rooms and move furniture around to make everything livable and comfortable.

"So, let's throw them right here...I can just toss this bottle of gas on them...and we'll let the rest play itself out...and we can return to the others?" I ask her, she gives the ok and we pile the bodies on the forest line. I pour some gas on their bodies and throw it on the top. Britni hands me a lighter and I get the flame going before I toss it ontop of the pile. It ignites into a bigger flame, eveloping the bodies beneath.

"Let's go!" I say, noticing the fire is bigger than anticipated. We rush ourselves to the car, and I burn out towards the motel, Melanie and Andrew are still moving beds into the two interlinked rooms for families. We get out and start to help them. Melanie and I take the room to the left, which has the door to leave. Britni and Andrew take the other.

"Well, see you guys in the morning!" I call to them as Melanie and I take the bed and cuddle up. I set my sword on the bedside table and I take the big spoon position. We chat for a bit, but I notice her breathing becomes rhythmic with sleep, and I decide to stay up. I slowly crawl out of bed, taking my sword, and I leave the room.

I sit outside in the bright moonlight. I can see pretty clearly and I decide to get a better hold of my sword. I swing it this and that, before I hear a footstep in the distance. I roll behind my car  and peek under. I see two sets of feet shuffle across the parking lot and I decide to take action. I hop over the cars hood and spot two people, both in their early twenties just as myself.

"Hey!" I shout out to them, they twist around and freeze. "What are you two doing?" I ask. "Same thing as you...getting the hell out of here!" "I'm not lea- I uhh...why are you guys leaving?" I say stopping myself. They give me a confused look before pointing behind me. "The forest...it's burning down....look" I spin on my heels to see the billows of smoke like the ones back in Midland.

I put two and two together and realize I caused this fire. "Wait...where were you two staying?" "We were in the shed behind the motel....we heard you guys but didn't want to get discovered...we were actually going to see if we can-" "Take your car" the man interrupts. He slides out a gun and aims it at me. "Give me the keys..or is it hotwired?" He asks me. "Well, I have the keys..but they are inside my room...let me get them" I say. They make the mistake of trusting me, and I walk into my room. "Melanie...get the others...we need to go..and hand me your pistol" I tell her, shaking her awake.

She doesn't ask any questions and points to her jacket. I run over and grab my keys and her pistol. Meanwhile she gets the others up and ready. I step out. "Here!" I say tossing the keys through the air. They hit the floor and the gunman bends over to grab them, I lift my left arm and squeeze the trigger six times. He drops down dead. I aim at the girl and she sticks her hands up, with her tears already forming. I decide to make it easy on her and I shoot her forehead. She falls back and I hear the others behind me. I run over and grab the other pistol and my keys. I make sure my sword is in its sheathe, and I hop into the drivers seat of my car. The others join me just in time.

I shift gears and pull out, I don't see the other car, and it hits me. I feel the airbag hit my face and I pass out.

--

I wake up in a dark room. I try to move but I can't, something is holding me in place. I tug again and feel the damp sheets. Then I notice the strong smell of gasoline.

"Finish him off, we'll get the others..they can live..but he must die" I hear a voice say from the outside of the room. The door opens and a silhouette walks in, I see the small orange glow of a flame, then it's tossed in the corner parallel to me. The trail of flames starts just as the door slams.

I'm left in the room with my only source of light being the flicker of flames.