RU in? - 1st novel in the Ruinsaga series

Chapter 33 .

Mackenzie

We were all quiet as we rode down the off ramp. The only noise was the quiet sound of the tires along the asphalt and the sounds of the pedals. Dark clouds hung low over us and the weather was cold enough we could see our breath. It might snow again.

I sat behind my sister as she pedaled the bike. My eyes scanned the area on either side of us and occasionally I would look over my shoulder behind us just to make sure we weren't surprised by zombies or those men. We weren't last. Richard and Maria were last. Richard pedaled while Maria kept a sharp eye out. Hunter and Victory rode in the front.

As we got closer to the super store, moans greeted us. It was hard to tell how many there were, but I didn't think it sounded like too many. Then I could see them shambling through the parked cars in the parking lot. We had been quiet before, but now we grew even quieter. I was almost afraid to breathe. I did breathe, but I became conscious of how quietly I was breathing.

Hunter stopped and the rest of us followed his example. He and Victory slowly got off the bike and retrieved their bows. We all got off our bikes and readied our knives. Lily readied her ax.

Hunter and Victory notched an arrow and pulled back on the string. Victory let loose first and the arrow soared across the distance and hit the nearest zombie in the head. He fell to the hard asphalt of the parking lot. Zombie heads turned in the direction of their fallen companion. Hunter let loose his arrow and it embedded in the head of a little boy zombie. It also fell to the ground. Zombie heads turned frantically now. A woman zombie finally spotted us. A loud groan filled the chill air a moment before she rushed our group. Victory already had another arrow ready. It flew across the distance and hit the zombie in the head. She staggered forward, but fell to the asphalt unmoving.

The other zombies in the parking lot saw us now. They groaned in one loud chorus of conflicting tones. And then several more zombies were rushing us. Hunter let loose another arrow and another zombie fell. Arthur and Juan put away their knives and took out the bows they had been practicing with that morning. Arthur notched an arrow and aimed. His breath was audible as he slowly let it out and then let the arrow fly. It crossed the distance and landed in a charging zombie's shoulder.

Juan didn't take the time to steady himself as Arthur had. His arrow skidded to a stop harmlessly at a running zombie's feet. They both readied more arrows just as Hunter released another arrow. It embedded itself in the skull of the zombie Juan had tried to kill.

Darren stepped forward and readied his own bow and arrow. His landed in the cheek of a zombie, but it didn't kill it. Victory shot that same zombie through the eye. Hunter put down his bow and took out his knife. Arthur and Juan released another arrow each. Arthur's arrow landed in the chest of a child zombie. Juan's hit the child zombie's knee and the child zombie lurched forward stumbling. It was only a moment though before it was charging us again. Monica stepped forward with Darren's mom. Each had a knife in their hands. Hunter motioned for the others to put away their bows and arrows and then he stepped forward to meet the nearest zombie.

She tried to bite his arm, but he twisted to the side so she rushed by him, grabbed her neck from behind and stabbed her through the temple. When he let go, she crumpled to his feet.

Monica stepped forward, kicked the knee of the oncoming zombie and then stabbed him in the eye when he stumbled forward.

Darren's mom stopped the charging child zombie by grabbing the arrow in his chest. He slowly slid forward along the arrow as he continued to try and attack her. Darren's mom stabbed him through the temple as a tear spilled onto her cheek. The child zombie dropped to her feet.