18 Miles Out ... No Going Back

Part One

Your boots gently scuffed the pavement as you stepped out of the driveway and onto the vacant street.  Your eyes scanned the surroundings as you stopped to tie your hair up tighter, gathering the loose strands that clung to your neck in the Georgia heat.  This was the last house of the small cul-de-sac that you'd cleared... six in total for the day.  You'd made a decent haul - several first aid kits, a dozen or so cans of miscellaneous goods, few jugs of water and a couple handles of whiskey.  All things considered... it was a good day.

You adjusted the strap of the duffle as you began your trek back to your truck, hooking it under the back pack and hoisting it higher on your hip as to stop the bottles of whiskey from clanking together as you walked.  

Your eyes continued the back and forth scan of the street ahead of you before landing on the tailgate of your black pickup as it came into view around the bend.  The doors were still closed, a sign that no one had tailed you and raided.  You breathed a silent sigh of relief that your previous 'aquaintances' hadn't made an attempt to find you... at least not yet.

The sound of a vehicle jarred you from your thoughts, causing you to dart across the street and into the tree line out of sight.  You could feel your heart beat against your ribs as you waited for the vehicle to pass.  As the car engine got louder, you gingerly made your way closer to the corner towards where your truck was parked - that way it was within reaching distance if you needed a quick getaway.

A silver SUV came up the street and pulled into the public works lot directly across from you, causing you to move further behind a thick tree, shielding you from their view.

You watched as two men got out and surveyed the lot.  Both had a strong essence to them.  One, having the look of a Georgia Cowboy - most likely a Sherrif by the way he carried himself - the other had a more demanding presence, full on jarhead-muscle type deal.

"This'll do.  We'll leave the boy here, scavenge some supplies."  Cowboy said as he looked through the chain link fencing.  Muscles eyed him as he checked the area surrounding them.

Leave the boy?

"Hey."  Cowboy motions with his chin.  Muscles turns, following his partner's gaze as a walker in a police uniform stumbles forward.  He cocks his gun and raises it towards the walker.

"Wait."  Cowboy stops him.  "Like I said," he draws his knife and plunges it through the walker's skull as it attacks the fence.  "Gun's quick... easy.  But there's other ways to do this."  He nods to the other incoming walker as Muscles gives him a small glare.  "One more.  Your turn."

Muscles reluctantly puts his gun away and draws his knife, taking that one down with ease as Cowboy cuts the chain and slides the gate open.

You should go.  Just get the hell out of here before they see you.

No... they'll hear your truck...

Shit.

You watched as the two men, revolver and rifle in hand cleared the property. 

Once they'd finished, Muscles pulled the suv into the gates.  They opened the hatch and yanked out a bound man with a hood over his head.

One on each arm, they stumbled him into the center of the lot to his knees and ripped off his hood.

Your heart stopped as his face came into view.  You gripped your rifle as you forced back the rage and bile that hit the back of your throat.