Day 8

The sun is directly above me. My head is still pounding and I leave my eyes shut tight, not wanting to see what state Josh or I are in. I don't want to wake up. I think about the zombie that almost killed me. How I had shot it over and over again. I tremble slightly, recalling the blood. And strangely, there was a distinction between that mangled body and a human. For the first time guilt did not infest me from the killing such creatures. I was fine with it, and I knew I had to be fine with it. My hand starts to throb and I can tell that at least two fingers are broken. Probably my pinky and ring finger. My wrist may as well be broken. It's hard to tell with the pain throbbing throughout my arm. I try and relax, keeping my eyes closed and think about Dawn, Connor and Seeley. I wonder if they are still safe. Where they are if they had to run. We should have been there by now.


I miss them. I miss them more than words can explain and through my closed eyes I can feel tears streaking down my cheeks. It is unbearable. They should not be away from me. I should not be away from them. Not now, of all times.

No, I don't want to wake up. Not today. I don't want to worry about Josh. I don't want to see the blood on his head and clothes.

My head hurts, I can feel the pulse of my blood in my temples. It is unsettling. There is a movement to my left and I instinctively roll over and open my eyes, pushing myself up hard, to a standing position. It is Josh.

He is carrying his M4 by the barrel in one hand and slowly walking up the small slope to where I had dropped us the night before.

"You're up," he says, a little surprised.

"Yeah,"

"You've been out for almost a day."

I don't say anything to this but am not surprised. After all that had gone on the previous night . . .

"I am not sure where we are," Josh says, finally, looking around.

"I'm not either. It was still kinda dark when I ran here. I was . . . confused."

He found the road but was unsuccessful in finding the cars. He didn't want to leave to far away from where I had been resting and so would only walk to the road, scout around and then walk back. He hadn't seen any zombies accept for the one I had killed. I tell him what had happened when I woke up in the car and how I had fought with a zombie and carried him here. As soon as I finish he apologizes.

"I'm sorry," he says, sitting down and looking intently at the grass.

"Don't worry about it."

"No, it was my fault. I saw a zombie in front of us and so sped to kill it. I hit it, and couldn't slow down in time. I hit the tree and then woke up here."

"Well, we're both OK, and that's what's important. I'm sure we can find another car."

Even if we find another car there's no way to drive it. Our best bet is to get as much supplies as we can and then walk until traffic cleared up a bit. We both rested for a bit and ate as I was famished from being out almost twenty-four hours. The MREs were bland but filling and before we knew it the sun began to set. There is maybe an hour or an hour and a half of sunlight left and we decided to make out way back to the road and would rest for the night on the top of a semi-truck. I will keep first watch while Josh sleeps.

He climbs onto the roof of the semi while I start to walk in the direction of where the Van had hit the tree. I climbed up on cars to get a better look and took my time. I do not go far, but rather stayed near and searched through the abandoned cars. Most are empty of anything worth taking. I find a flashlight that I quickly place in my pocket. I look down the street towards the semi. It is tall and solid and silent, just like all of the cars and trucks on this street. How long does this go on for? We must be almost off the mountain if Josh crashed during the night.

It is eerie walking among the cars. Every slight noise I jump, aiming my gun in that direction. However, there is nothing here. No person, no zombie. I don't even hear animals.

Josh comes over to me and tells me to sleep. I obey without question. I do not know how long I have been walking through this automobile grave but am glad for the relief.