Apocalypse

Unwelcome Guests

"Help! Help!" Screaming was heard on the other side of the woods. Two people stumbled out from the thick brush, one with his neck in bandages. A few people ran to help, one being Rebecca's father who ran out of the tent at the commotion. The makeshift medic rushed to them with her supplies.

"He's been bitten.." The injured man's companion said. "Can anyone help?" People gasped, some stepping away, some moving their loved ones behind them. Rebecca's father was cautious, but still approached with the medic.

"I can try..." The medic was skeptic and afraid. There was very little medicine and peroxide to clean wounds. Most zombie bites had to be immediately cleaned, amputated, or the victim killed before transformation. The man who was bitten collapsed to the ground, passed out from blood loss.

"Help me carry him." The medic said to a man nearby. "We'll take him to my tent." They took him to the tent, while the person who brought him sat on the ground shaking. Rebecca's father approached the man, who seemed to be no more than 23.

"Are you alright?"

"He jumped in front of it for me..."

"How far was it?"

"A couple miles south east..." The leader nodded to a few men to grab guns and check the woods. "There were about 30 of them, but we got all but 2 when he got bit." He was barely audible. Traumatized. But he and his buddy took out 28? Any more than 7 is a suicide mission, 11 if you're traveling in pairs. How could they have made it this far?

"How long have you been out there?"

"A week or so." So they've been able to survive the night.

"Just the two of you?" William was curious.

"Yeah. He and I have been side by side since the infection started. We had stayed in our apartment complex during the infection. We only left when..."

"With what weapons? You said there were 30? How did you two take them down?" William cut him off.

"Knives. I've got a machete. He had a bow but we lost it." William was in disbelief. He paced in thought trying to imagine how they could've pulled that off.

"Was it all 30 at once? Was it during the day? Do you have training?"

"The pack was at least 28. The two stragglers came up behind us and bit him while we were looting the bodies. It was just over two or three hours ago. No training, but he did spend the last two years teaching me things. All I know is what he's taught me." He was answering questions rapidly, but his responses were getting less and less coherent.

"What were you before the apocalypse? Where are you from? What's your name son?" William looked the kid over. He was scrawny and short, but he had the makings of someone who could handle themselves. Clearly he had been practicing or at least been in combat his fair share of times. He was a brown haired green eyed mess, but he looked like he was emotionally no stronger than a squirrel who just missed a speeding car.

"Shithole in the middle of nowhere. Shithole in the middle of nowhere... My name is-" He yawned. "I'm really tired... I'm gonna-gonna pass out." William wasn't pleased, he wanted to know more.

"What's your name? Who did you bring with you? How could you kill 30 zombies with only close range weapons? How'd you get here? Can we trust you?" It was at this point the boy stopped answering questions. All William got was a tired scowl and dull eyes.

"I came here for help, and now I'm getting interrogated. Where's my friend staying?"

"It's a dangerous world out there. You aren't the first to come for help. We won't make the same mistakes again." When he didn't respond, William gave in. "Your friend is in the medic's tent. He will be fine. There will be a guard posted at night. Most likely he's been cleaned and fed. Don't worry." William talked to the boy coldly. He had a bad feeling about him. The boy got up and made his way to the tent, but William spoke after him. "You're not injured. You don't need to go in there. The R.V. has a few free beds. You can stay in there. Justin! Help our guest to the R.V." Justin looked up, a little tipsy, and sloppily saluted to William. He got to his feet and walked over to the boy.