Infection

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Jake did a final check on the makeshift weaponry that they had. He held the same wooden pole from the broom with a hammer attached to one end, and had slightly modified it when a sharp screwdriver that they found, attached firmly to the hammer using the same duct tape. Ashlyn held a similar looking ‘weapon’, a metal pole obtained from a mop with a split pair of scissors attached to one end. They had emptied their bags onto the table and brought along only their bottles of water and some stationery. Jake had found a spanner and placed it into his bag as well.

“Of all the times I’ve gone to your home, I’ve never walked there before. How do we get there from here?” Jake queried.

“I think I roughly know the route. Dad always drove in the same way back home from here…” Ashlyn replied. She looked down. “I honestly don’t think I’m going to be much of a help with those things.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m not sure I will be either. We’ll try to avoid them as much as possible. And remember, they react to sound.”

“I know that, but it was only one of them that you saw reacted to sound. What about the rest? We don’t know if everyone will be the same.”

“That’s true. But that’s also all we know right now, so that’s our safest bet.”

“And how are we going to kill them?”

“Maybe a smash to the head? I don’t know for sure. Works in the movies and video games for zombies.”

“Those things are really zombies huh. Now that I can think clearer it’s almost ridiculous to believe, if we didn’t see them up close.”

“Well, lack of a better term.”

“And it’s going to be frightening to be so close to them.”

“That’s why we’ll try to avoid them as much as we possibly can.”

“Alright.”

Jake glanced at the clock. It was approaching 8pm and the sky had darkened significantly. Some street lights were on in the distance but it was going to be difficult to navigate through the night. “Well, then let’s take a rest now. We’ll leave once dawn breaks.”

Ashlyn nodded and went over to the window. She opened the curtains slightly and glanced at the courtyard leading to the main gate below. The area was dimly lit by the orange fluorescent street lighting from the adjacent parking lot. Several zombies were roaming aimlessly around, and at the front gate laid the eaten remains of the female teacher that had approached the guards earlier that day. Ashlyn turned away from the window.

Jake had been doing another check of his bag and found the newspaper that he had gotten from Allan. After hesitating for a moment, he turned to Ashlyn and handed it to her. She took it with a confused look and read through the headlines, about what had happened next to her father’s company. Without saying a word, she then laid the paper down on the table.

“That’ll explain what happened at his office.” She said mildly.

“Sorry. I just thought I had to show you.”

“It’s fine.” She turned away. “They’re alive right?”

“Who?”

“My father and brother.” She replied quietly.

“I’m sure they are.”

Somehow, Ashlyn didn’t feel comforted. There was no telling what was going on. Both the closest people to her could already be dead and she wouldn’t know. She felt sick. “Who do you think started all this?”