Kids Never Die

Chapter 26: Bumpy Ride

Josh was also hesitant, but working more rapidly then we had, as the zombies reached ever closer. He lined up the police cruisers wheels with the ramp and floored it like there was no tomorrow. What he didn't know was that he was just a moment too late. A rotting hand gripped the back of his car as he took off. The zombies had caught him.

He continued to drive, hoping he could shake them. A hand smashed through the back window and wrapped around Kyra. She screamed. Sadie took no haste, and spun around in her seat, kicking at the monster. She pulled the pistols from her pockets and began to lay waste. Bullet casings littered the floor of the already backed car.

The zombies body was dismembered and collapsed off the car into the sand trails, but the hand remained wrapped around Kyra, scratching at her face. Emilee turned to her, and rose her foot over the seat.

"I've had it!" She shouted, and she threw her foot at the hand, smashing it through the window. All of this occurred on the trip to the ramp. Finally the wheels of the car shook hands with the wooden boards and the car was risen. This tine was much different though. The two by fours not only buckled this time, but snapped completely. The car barely made it off the ramp into the air.

As it soared through the sky, Josh quickly realized they were not gonna make it. "Everyone..." He stared at the chasm below. "We gotta..." Before finishing the sentence, he swung the door open and leapt out of the vehicle, propelling himself forward to the side of the Canyon that we waited.
"They're not gonna make it," Morgan shook his head.

I quickly ran to the end of the railing. Sam was fast to follow after Josh, and Sadie being the escape artist she is moved without haste. Kyra climbed through the back window and ran across the roof of the car to jump off the front end.

Everyone had made it safely to the other side. Everyone, except Emilee. The car just missed the edge if the canyon, but instead slammed into the edge. The vehicle raged up into a fireball, sending debris and smoke into the sky.

"Emilee" I whispered. I sprinted over the railing of the canyon. Josh rushed after me and Morgan was close behind. Josh put his hand on my shoulder, resting it gently. "She's dead" I turned back to face him.

"Yeah, but a lot of people have died. Half of America is dead. You started out with twelve people, picked up three more and now we only have eight. Thats nine people who have died from this group alone, but we're so close. We can't give up now." Josh looked me in the eyes.

Morgan nodded in accordance. "This could be our only chance to save everyone."

I looked back to the edge of the canyon. "You're right." I choked back tears. I turned back to the pit for one last remembrance of my friend, then I took the wallet from my back pocket and chucked it into the chasm as far as I could.

Josh and Morgan helped me back over the railing. Near the truck, everyone had huddled into a circle, as if they were swarming something... Or someone. We slowly approached the hoard. But realizing something was up, I picked up pace gradually. Eventually I abrupt into a full sprint.

As I neared the group, a loud gunshot broke the silence. I stopped. Who could have shot? What did they shoot? Why did they shoot? Without thinking I burst through the group to see they had huddled around Kyra. Her skin was as white as moon at night, and her eyes had gone black. There was a single bullet hole, directly between here eyes and just above the fragile frame of her glasses.

She had vicious scratches along her face and neck from the severed zombie hand in the police cruiser. Or what had once been a police cruiser. I looked over to Sadie who was sheathing a pistol. "She turned. I did what had to be done."

I looked to the others, and nodded at Sadie. "I think we all know what has to be done." I wiped a tear from my eye and stood slowly. "I think we all know now, that we're not all gonna make it to California. Not even I. I don't plan on making it there, but I do know that whoever does has the fate of the world in their hands. We may be the last hope." I looked to the truck. "We've been spared now to one vehicle. Thats eight people, plus our zombie Trenton."

Josh stepped up behind me. "We'll make it work."

"Oh I know we will," I turned to him, "but not without great sacrifice" I looked down to Kyra. "Sometimes drastic measures have to be taken to ensure the safety of others." I reached into my pocket, and pulled out a black M1911 pistol and handed it to Josh. "One shot... Make it count. If something is to go awry, I will put myself in harms way to be sure that the rest of you make it. Even if that means loosing my life."

Josh looked at the pistol. "What do you want me to do with this?"

"If I befall the same fate of our friends here, I want you to put a bullet in my head." I looked him deeply in the eyes with a furrow in my brow.

He shook his head. "I... I can't do that"

I gestured to the group. "Do it for them... Do it for her." My vision shifted to Sam, standing behind him.

He turned to her, and with a quick swoop, back to me. Then he nodded sternly. "Good" I dipped my head down.

Nick and Trenton peered at us with amusement. I rose an eyebrow to him, but knowing that he was basically harmless, I shifted towards the others. "Let's start preparations."

Sadie stepped in front of me. "Maybe we should set up camp for the night. You took a pretty nasty fall out of the truck back there, and it would give us time to make a plan." She shifted her weight to her hip.

"I think that's a good idea." Morgan nodded.

"I can set up a fire" Sam rose her hand and smiled, "and help Gavin tend to his leg."

Nick walked back to the truck. "I'll set up make shift sleeping bags from the cloth we have in Morgans book bag."

"Sound's great. I'll be over in a minute or two. I just need some time to think." I turned to walk back to the edge of the canyon.

"Take it easy man," Josh said soothingly.

Nick turned and whispered to Trenton so no one could hear. "This dumb ass is gonna get himself killed before we even get to California. Let's hit him where it hurts." Nick looked around until his eyes caught sight of Sam. "Ah, thats it." His voice fell devilish. "Change of plans... Kill the girl instead."

Trenton peered at him in accordance, then the two began preparations.

I sat on the edge of the canyon, my feet dangling over the side. I let out a deep sigh and stretched out my back. My eyes were bloodshot and my legs ached. I kicked off my shoes and put them beside me, then with my knife, fashioned a pair of fingerless gloves with my socks. I used what cloth was left and wrapped the wound on my hand again. Then in the sand, I began preparations.