Bloodshed (Book One in the Apocalypse Trilogy)

Chapter 5: Not So Alone

Location: Downtown Mildura

Williams

After searching a gun shop and a hunting equipment store, Williams was now trying to find weaponry inside a hardware store. There weren’t any guns, and the only knives were pocket knives, but there were components to make a flamethrower and possibly a type of explosive. He wandered the aisles, putting spray chemicals and lighters into a bag. There might not be food, but there were deadly items in Mildura. As he was trying to work out how to get a chainsaw and fuel back to the Jeep, a noise went off a few rows away. In a matter of seconds his revolver was in his hand and he was crawling along the floor. There was a shuffling sound in the aisle next to the one he was in, and he saw a pair of dirty sneakers sprint away. He stood up, and cocked his pistol. It might not be a zombie, but it was a deadly risk to check in this world. A clattering noise sounded out through the warehouse, and a pile of metal poles fell to the ground and rolled in different directions.

He could see a shadow, vaguely humanoid in the lamplight thrown onto the wall. He aimed near it and squeezed off a round. The bullet ricocheted into a shelf and the shadow darted away. There was no sound for a few moments. He heard a sound to his left, and shot a bullet in that direction. He whipped around and there it was. A small, skinny shape lifting an iron bar to strike is head. A he rolled out of the way and the bar hit the ground, he got a glimpse of his attacker’s face. This was not the rotten, blank face of a zombie; this was the scared but determined face of a teenage boy.

“Hey-“ he began, but the kid ran away. There was a click of a lighter, and a can of bug spray sailed over the shelves and landed at his feet, a flame burning at the tip.

“Oh, shit!” he yelled, and turned and jumped behind a counter as the can exploded with the force of a light grenade. Exactly what he had thought they could do. He scrambled back over and saw the boy running to the exit. He sprinted after him, and jumped onto him. The boy struggled to get away, but Williams hit him with the butt of his pistol, stunning him.

“You’re human?” the boy panted. Williams nodded.

“Yeah, I thought the gun would make it obvious.”

The kid shrugged, and said “You can’t be too careful.”

Williams couldn’t agree more. He stood up and helped the boy to his feet. “You’re a smart kid. Got a name?”

The kid nodded, brushing dirt off his jacket. “Jake.”

“Well Jake, is anyone else here? Family or friends?”

Jake shook his head. “No, they’re dead. My mum and dad died before I came here.”

“Oh, sorry.” Before Jake could reply, gunshots went off in the distance.

“Who’s that?” Jake asked.

“My mates, getting themselves into trouble as usual. Come on.” Williams ran towards the shots, and Jake sprinted behind him. This was going to be a very long night.