Day 44

The signs say I-84 and we travel south-east, towards Utah. It is slow moving. Soon after our stop, cars began to appear once again on both sides of the highway. Now, the following morning the cars have grown more thick as we enter Salt Lake City.Because of the amount of cars we soon turn off of the freeway, hoping for better luck going through the city, and getting back onto the belt loop,on towards Heber City.

The city, like most we've seen, is ravaged and empty. There is snow lingering in the cold along the surprisingly empty streets and sidewalks. I see smoke rising from somewhere to the south but cannot see past the tall buildings what its source is. From experience, however, it seems that the more people we avoid, the better. As we pass by buildings we see windows broken, the glass littering the street. We turn down Main St. and see a wall with bloody stains lining the thing where people, I assume, were executed. I would guess that they had been bit, and were lined to be killed rather than allow them to change. I feel sick inside. That this is what humanity had digressed to.

I am reminded of the book Lord of the Flies, and the undertones that suggest that humanity, at its root, at its very primal instinctive state is evil. That when we are pushed beyond things we cannot comprehend we change. We look for power, or we disregard any moral standings we may have had at another time. We do anything to survive. As I think that, I know I am proof of that. I've killed, attacked, and destroyed in order to survive, or to further the survival of my family. So perhaps my morals have shifted. Now they dwell solely on how I can best keep myself and family alive. Nothing else matters.

There are other walls. Blood smeared vertically on them, but no bodies. I wonder if their attempts to stop them from changing worked and they simply removed the bodies, or, if the bullet to the head needed to be after they'd woken . . . or come back to life.

As we move east, up the incline of the mountain side that Salt Lake is built on the damage worsens. There are more cars, more busted in windows and signs of execution. Cars have been obviously set on fire as well as buildings. There is rubble and trash through the street and Dawn, who is driving, has to drive slow to get through the mess.

Josh is holding Connor, who is sleeping on his lap, and I hold Seeley, next to Josh. Charlotte, holding her rifle and with a mask over her face is staring out of the passenger window, looking for any movement. There is none. If all goes well, we should be able to make it to Heber within an hour or two. We move up 39th, and past the road Josh once lived on. He glances at it but makes no request to stop there. And so we press on.

We turn onto the road that will take us through Parley Canyon and to Heber when several men step out in front of us. Each has a weapon of some sort, bats, sticks, one or two machete's and one with nothing but his hands. Each wears a hospital mask. Dawn stops the car as they get closer to us. Josh places Connor in the middle seat gently, and I, moving closer to the door, do the same with Seeley. I then grab a pistol our of my back and open the door.

"Stay in the car!" one with a bat yells. He is close to twenty feet away. I continue out and raise my gun to his head. Josh and Charlotte have done the same. They immediately back off, holding their hands up.

"Drop your weapons!" Charlotte yells. They do as she says. "Pull off your shirts." She says as she walks towards them. They look around at each other so she repeats her instructions. They do as she says. She then has them strip to their underwear and throw them away from them."Now spin!"

I can't help but snicker, as the men each spin idiotically in the cold. Charlotte turns and looks at me, grinning, "Had to make sure none had another weapon." We walk to where they dropped their weapons and pick them up. Charlotte still holding her gun against them.

"Walk!" She yells again. They start to walk away, wrapping their arms around their torso's. Not wanting the extra weapons with us, especially because they will do us know good, we stash them in a nearby building. Charlotte watches them until they are out of view.

"Don't you think that was a bit cruel?" Josh asks her.

"Not at all. They were going to steal our car in the best case scenario, I think they deserved it. They aren't going to die. They'll just be a bit cold until they find new clothes or come back for these ones."

I am reminded on my thoughts on the necessity of survival. We do what we need to survive.

* * *

The drive is slow through the canyon. There are still cars, but less so, and so we make it through slowly. There are no zombies in site, but that means little to me anymore. It seems as though they are getting smarter, adapting. And so, for all we know, they never appear because they know they can't get to us. I have no way of knowing. All I can know is what I observe. And all I observe is that there are a lot of empty cars, but no zombies and no people.

We arrive at Park City after sun set and decided to move in and sleep for some hours and also grab something to eat. There is a Hotel Inn just as we pull off and we make our way into the building. I carry Connor, who is awake, and curiously looking around. I hold him tight. And make my way into the building with everyone else.

Day 43

I notice things I didn't before. There is something about everything falling apart that brings clarity and peace you your mind when you need it the most. You are able to see those moments arise and take advantage of them when they come.

It began snowing during the night. It was so simple and unique. Connor and Seeley stare out of the window as the large flakes fall, and fly past the windows. They have seen snow before, of course, but again, there is something renewing in seeing it again. And I know the boys can feel it. 

We pull over and I step out, holding Seeley in a coat stored in the back, and Connor in the same. Charlotte and Josh and Dawn get out and we play. I throw my head back and stick my tongue out, showing Connor how to catch snow flakes. The snow sticks to the road and grass lining the street and we make foot prints in it, Chasing each other, making snow-angles as well as a weak attempt at a snow man. The boys loved it and so we loved it too. And slowly, almost without noticing we change. We change into something more than survivors. Because through all of the cynicism that comes from such a life we are able to see past the initial goals. We see as children see and find that the complexities are meaningless. 

The boys, laughing and smiling spend the day with us, playing and forgetting Boise, and the zombies through California. We follow their lead and for a day. For one short day we are free. I cannot forget this day.

Day 42

It is the fourth day since the city was barricaded and there is not a sound in the city. We had first assumed that this was because the military forces had pulled out, but as the sun rose and we could see the city, we knew they had simply lost.

Tanks litter the street, here or there. We watched one burn but could not tell what would have caused that. Buildings were crumbled and those erected had bullet holes scattered around them. Some had large brown-red stains on them from the blood of zombies or humans and I get the impression that during a quarantine human life means little. And that, life, is the eeriest part about viewing this war ravaged city. There are no bodies. Only indications that bodies had been, at one time, present in different locations. Like the blood stains. But, from where we watched, a five story window, there is no movement and no signs of humanity.

Josh and I watch for some time and finally decide to go down to take a look at things before we all leave. We climb the stairs down, stoping at each floor, because we had heard others were in the building. There was no answer and so we assumed that they must have left, or think zombies can talk.

The streets are gray, matching the sky above us and building around about. I have my back pack on, with machete, and the M21 in my hands. Josh has only his M4. It is quiet save for the wind and occasional rustle of paper as it blows by. The quiet is unsettling. Yesterday we witnessed a war zone and today, it is as if God himself came down and wiped everything out it is silent. Cars are scattered throughout the roads, abandoned by those that occupied them, fleeing for their lives, or trying to find another way out of town.

I turn and look up to where Dawn and Charlotte are watching, out the window. I give a thumbs up and turn, to continue on.

I walk forward, aware of the noise I make as I walk. It makes me nervous. Nervous because of what I've seen happen to those who thought they were alone. Perhaps there is a zombie waiting for us in one of the door ways, just out of sight. We turn a corner and some hundred feet from us is a zombie, just standing, similar to the one I had seen those days we spent in the California hospital. Josh raises his rifle, but as he does something tackles both of us and pulls us down behind a car. As I hit the ground underneath him I grab the hilt of my machete and pull it from its sheath.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the man whispers as I raise the thing. "What the hell are you two doing?"

"What?" I say, not sure how he wants me to respond. Surviving?

"You can't just shoot the thing. I mean," he looks at us as though we're little children, "hell! Do you really want every walker within a square mile to be on top of you?"

"Does everyone call them walkers?" Josh says rhetorically to me, referring to Charlotte's preferred name for them. "I mean . . . it's clearly a zombie."

"Are you kidding me? What the hell does it matter what I call them?" We don't respond, but stand back  up. "Get down!"

"Dude, we are here to see how everything looks. We have family we're going to get out of the city."

"You obviously don't know what these things do."

I sigh, and am about to explain that we do know, when a man runs out into the street with, what is obviously a cheap knock-off sword, he is aiming a blow at the zombie, still standing there. The thing is fast, faster than I'd ever seen one move. It ducks as his blade swings across where its neck use to be and pounces on him. Instantly and out of no where more come out and begin eating him alive. He screams and I want to rush in, but know that it would be unwise. I turn to the man who had tackled us but he is running the other way when suddenly he too is jumped be more of the things.

Josh and I both press our backs against the car. I sheath my machete and clutch my rifle in front of me, looking side to side. I can hear Josh breathing heavily and notice my heart is beating wildly in my throat. I watch silently as the man gets eaten by at least five of the things. I can hear the man behind me.

"I think our best bet is to move quickly and quietly around them and try to get back," Josh says, "If there are more we'll just have to shoot 'em."

"And then run like Hell," I add, knowing that if we fire our weapons many will hear and come to the sound.

I move first to another car and crouch down. They are still focused on the now mangled and dead man. They will give up soon and I know we need to move quicker but I can't bring myself to it.

"Come on," Josh says and I move forward, reluctantly. I move my rifle back and forth. Aiming at the group, and then the buildings lining the sidewalks. There is no movement. Suddenly there is a loud bang to my right, and looking over, Josh is firing at several zombies running quickly towards him. I fire and look behind me, more are coming out. I keep firing, swinging away from Josh.

"RUN!" I yell, and we both take off sprinting around the corner and into a building across the street. We go in through the door and I fire several rounds just before it is closed. We brace ourselves against it, and when they hit the door it throws us back towards a lobby area. I can see a sign pointing towards stairs and, grabbing Josh by his shirt run towards the sign and follow it down the hall. The zombies right behind us. I fire several more shots and swing the gun around me, pulling out my machete.

We race up the stairs to the top floor. We open the door and find a maintenance area just below the roof. I quickly look around, looking for an access door, or something that leads to the roof. The door behind us swings open and one comes through. I slice downward and cleave his skull. I pull the blade out, kicking the thing away and close the door again. There is a deadbolt on it, and I spin the lock. Josh is looking around but sees no access to the roof either. 

"Shit," I say, "now what?"

"I don't know . . ."

They are banging on the door now but the door doesn't budge. I think, looking around the room. There are vents in the walls that show some light coming through. There are, as well, elevator lift cranes and other boxes that I don't know what they do. I go over to the vents and with the machete, try prying them from the wall. They are screwed in. I grab my pistol and shoot it out.

Josh is watching the door. It still is not budging but occasionally it gives a very slight splintering noise.The screen falls and I look through the hole. It is a straight drop. However, it is only a few feet to the roof. It is the only way we can escape, but once on the roof, then what? Where would we go?

I hear gun shots coming from somewhere on the ground. I stick my head back out and look around but do not see anything. More gun shots. Suddenly I see our hummer, the window open with Dawn standing out of the window firing shots, trying to distract the zombies. Charlotte is driving.

It seems to work very quickly. The banging instantly stops and we can hear them moving down. I open the door and there are several zombies, dead, on the stairs. Trampled by the others. We run down the stairs following a ways behind the zombies that are running towards our Hummer. They all filter out the front door and run down the street towards the sound the gun shots.  We follow, but stop at the front door and wait, both of our guns out. The Hummer speeds around a corner and is alone.

"Time to go," Charlotte says, pulling up. We both get in and take off down the road and out of the city.

Day 41

I did not sleep well. It was the same dreams, but mixed with waking up with pain in my leg. I have Charlotte look at it and she says it may be infected. We have no antibiotics and so she and Josh leave again to find some broad spectrum antibiotics.

Dawn is standing by the window, holding Seeley who has fallen asleep. I am amazed that she is still able to get him to take him daily naps. Connor is at a table, reading one of the books Josh had got him, making up the words according to what he's heard us read to him. For a moment, it almost seems as if we are back home. There is a deep swelling of homesickness in my stomach and I long for it. I long for the normality. The work and school and homework; stressing about tests or finals. But now, all there is, is survival.

I sit down near Dawn and go about sharpening my machete. We talk. Not about anything important, but just about stuff. About movies and restaurants, or her families reunion where we would go camping for a week. It's hard to talk about, but also easy. It seems to flow out and we soon find ourselves talking deeply about topics we use to.

Outside there was still violence. The amount of people we saw diminished quickly. Now, an occasional zombie would walk around, maybe a human, but not often. There were still many signs of fighting going on, trying to contain the infection. I suspect that within a day or so we can make it out of the city. There are still fires throughout the city as well, smoke rises dark black. Dawn and I stand, silent, watching the apocalyptical scene unfold.

I hear something from outside the door. Dawn runs to Connor, whispering in his ear. I grab my machete and move towards the door, opening it slightly. I look down the hall and see Josh come through the stairwell door, Charlotte just behind him. She is obviously in a state of anxiety. Dawn comes out as well as she looks at he shirt, now bloody, and at her mask which has bloody flakes on it. He takes it off and replaces it with a new one. She then pulls her unbuttoned jacket off and literally rips her shirt from off of her. Josh and I look away and she storms into another room. She turns on the shower, I hear a squeak from the knob, and surprisingly water starts pouring. I hear her scream from excitement and assume the water is cold. If it's gas it should warm up.

I look at Josh, "Maybe you should take one too."

"Yeah," he looks down at his body. "We ran into some trouble at the pharmacy, but got you some stuff. Charlotte has it in her bag, so . . ."

"It's fine. Hop in another shower and wash that blood and sweat off so she feels more comfortable and then we'll deal with that."

* * *

They brought me pain killers as well. I take them and soon feel drowsy. The sky is darkening and so I let myself drift off into sleep. Connor comes near me and reads me a story from one of his books. I smile at him and put my hand softly on his leg.

"Thanks, buddy." I say, "I love you."

"I love you," he says, and then continues his story and I fall asleep.

Day 40

There were several others living in the building. On lower floors. We made out way to the top in order to give us a good view. After going up and down five floors several times to get the supplies out of the Hummer my leg begins to ache as well as my broken, or nearly broken fingers. By the last trip, (three total), Josh is carrying most stuff and I am limping, using only one arm to haul up supplies.

We then do our best to barricade the stairwell doors, using furniture we found in several other rooms and wedging it against the door. We have enough food for several days, even longer if we make it last, and it won't be too much of a hassle to remove the furniture.

We choose a room that faces east and south to see the majority of the city around us. There is chaos everywhere. The infection spreads faster than I thought possible. There are fires in many locations and soon we start to hear gun fire. The zombies screams also echo through the city, mixing with those of others. They are muted for the most part, but occasionally, even with the windows closed we hear them loudly and know that someone is being attacked outside. The sense of fear, then, is overwhelming.

The first day we do nothing but sit around. Charlotte is irate and paranoid. She no longer has her gas mask and is not satisfied with one of the medical ones that Seeley and Dawn are and have been wearing. Seeley is still weak, and barely eating. I can tell he is getting better, but I think he was affected the most. And having to rely on others for food makes it harder for him to recoup.

* * *

We sit around through the day, listening to gun fire and screams. We check out side occasionally, but there is not a lot going on near us. Down town, and towards the facility we were held, from what we can see, look to be the most heavily occupied and where the fighting is going on. I watch as a tank rolls by our building and it shakes the window frames. I watch it turn and fire. At what, I cannot imagine. I see no explosion or any point of impact and assume the target was further than I thought.

The fires blaze brighter at night. They are everywhere in the city now and it only adds to the apocalyptic atmosphere that this city has grown into. One of the last, I suspect, to have no infection, and now we have a front row ticket to the show.

I suppose that I feel, on some level, that it is my fault that this broke out on the city, but it doesn't affect me in the same way many of the other deaths I've witnessed did. Maybe it is too broad and vast for me to clearly comprehend, or maybe I feel that those doing the experiments brought this on themselves and so blame them. However, I do not feel the guilt I felt when killing that man on the highway so long ago, or even Crystal, or Clive, or Chad's death. They mean something to me and so they affect me. These are unfortunate deaths that I can do little about.

I volunteer the first watch that night and sit in a chair by the window. I stare out, watching the street in front of us and watch as an occasional wanderer is attacked by multiple zombies. And as I watch I notice something. They work together. They are not completely mindless killers but coordinate their attacks. It still looks sloppy, and maybe it is, but there are definite markers of a plan. This thought, above almost any other, terrifies me.

I wake Charlotte at one o'clock in the morning and lay down next to Dawn. I am tired but my mind races. My leg still aches along with my hand but I try to ignore them, soon closing my eyes and falling asleep.

Day 39

I do not sleep all night. There is chaos in the city. Sirens blare through the cold night and there are lights, indicating several fires. People riot and run equally. The zombies escaped the compound we had been in and are in the city. We are parked in the same garage we had been in that first night after escaping. We grabbed food and water from the back of the Hummer and feed Dawn, Charlotte and Seeley. Waking each up to make sure the eat. It takes some time to feed them and get them to drink, but eventually each is filled and sleeping, color already coming back to their faces.

I flex my fingers as Josh and I sit in the Hummer, Connor on my lap, discussing options on getting out of the city. Neither of us know what the borders look like, except for the one we came in through. I was unconscious and Josh says there is not much to see. They passed into the city and drove for ten or so minutes before arriving. We could go out the way we came, however, we want to travel east and south. If we can get out, we need to get out on the East of the city.

* * *

Everyone is still sleeping, I am holding Connor and Josh is driving us out of the city. The chaos is growing. I have yet to see a zombie and still people are running as if they have come in the thousands to destroy the city. Many try to get into the Hummer with us. All it takes to get them off, however, and at least at this point, is a wave of my gun. I know, that soon, that will not matter.

As we move through the city, and a slow rate to avoid hitting anyone, the chaos grows. We see a zombie for the first time in the city near down town. The thing is dressed in normal clothes and heavily scarred. There is a gash across its leg and it is obvious by the lack of flesh on its arm that a zombie had killed it by eating off of that arm. It is running after a man who had been carrying a protesters sign. It is ironic, and the sign says, "Zombies are people too." I want to laugh, but can't bring myself to, which is probably for the better. Josh stops the car, gets out and fires several rounds towards the thing. He hits its head and it dies. The man running from it stops and, resting his hands on his knees, panting, nods towards Josh in thanks.

He gets back in the car and continues driving through the crowds. There are more and more cars on the road. People trying to escape the city, trying to get out with anything and everything they could. I can tell Josh is getting anxious with more and more people, which brings more and more violence. I lean over and set Connor between Dawn and the door, making sure the door is locked. I then grab my pistol and rest it on my lap, still holding it cautiously.

We follow the main road, and occasional Highway sign but things are slowing down. Soon we are at a standstill with people all around us running and fighting. I spot another zombie tackle someone, but no one helps they stand back and watch or run.

"Lock the doors after me," I say, and step out of the car. I have my M21 in hand and run to where the zombie is. I shoot it in the head and kill it. The woman it had tackled does not look to be bitten or have any blood on her that would compromise her and so I let her be. I turn back to where Josh is sitting idle and run back. There are people all around and I can see a lot of commotion up the street. I hold my finger up to Josh, indicating for him to wait and run up the street.

There is a light drizzle as I run and I can see that it will only be getting worse. The sky is dark and gray with low clouds. I can see in the distance areas where it is raining harder and expect that to be here soon. I run up the road for nearly half a mile when I see them. Military tanks, soldiers. It's impossible. How could they have this type of military force. There is a blockade stopping cars from leaving the city. I run up to it to speak with one of the men standing at the barricade.

"What is going on?" I ask.

"We're quarantining the city," he says shortly, blowing me off quickly.

"Where'd the tanks and soldiers come from?"

"We recruited army personnel after the outbreak, in order to keep quarantine if such an outbreak happened here. These are all civilian volunteers."

"The tanks?" he ignores me. "How is it you have so many tanks?"

"Sir, I am going to have to ask you to leave now." I look at him, and he looks at my rifle. I grip it tighter and walk away.

The rain starts to fall harder and when I get back to the Hummer I am drenched. Josh is helping Dawn take a drink of water. Charlotte is awake and eating and Seeley also has a cracker in either hand. "We need to get somewhere safe," I say. They've quarantined the city, but I can only see this ending badly."

"Wait, what?" Josh says, "Wouldn't quarantining just make more zombies?"

"I don't think they want to let it get out. But I don't think  they know what it is like out there. With no communication or anything they may think that there are a lot of other cities like this one."

"If only they could see Sacramento."

We pull out of the line and drive slowly another direction, looking for a good place to weather through this. The chaos around us is growing and we know we need to hurry, but there is little we can do. Occasionally, someone will jump on the car, trying to get us out. Once Josh got out, put his gun to the mans head and said something to him. The man got off, looked in, and then walked away. The further away from downtown we got the less people were there. Or maybe it was just this section of the city.

Dawn spotted a building, a few stories high and looked like a hotel. He drove to it and found it to be abandoned with a sign on the door saying they'd left town. I broke in through a window and let the rest in. We'd later move the supplies up and wait. Wait for everything to explode and then die into a dead city like Sacramento, or Reno or Medicino.

Day 38

I spend much of the day looking through the local buildings that are near the testing facility we were in. It is a long process. I go into each building and check each floor. One at a time. Calling out to them. Opening countless doors. But there is no sign of them. There are several buildings still in use. Corporations still working on different projects or other companies doing things that I assume are meant to get them ahead during a zombie take over. It makes little sense to me, but then again, business always has. Other buildings are in use by charity organizations, rebels and rioters, or protesting headquarters. I ask questions about what's happened in the country, and ask about my wife, but they seem to be less informed than I am in the state of things, and have not seen two women and a baby.

I decide to go back and spend the last hour of daylight with Connor. I've checked the buildings with no sign of them and feel that I need to say goodbye to him, just in case. I bring a dinner that I stole. It's nothing like a chicken, but I am able to smuggle dry Ramen noodles and some juice. Connor's face lights up to the purple drink and asks if he can pour it. For a moment I feel like I am back at home, fighting him to let me pour the very full bottle of juice. I let him pour this one into the plastic cups we find in the building. I give him a hug before I go, and tell Josh not to try to find me if I don't come back and to take care of Connor. He wheezes an acknowledgement and I leave, saying goodbye one more time. Telling him I love him.

* * *

No one leaves. I don't know what I expected, car's leaving filled with people going home, the staff decreasing. But in a city like this, normal behavior is far from what it was less than two months ago. As I walk closer to the building, out of an alley way a man appears with a knife. I raise my rifle at him and just stare.

"It's cool, Man." He says, raising his hands. I notice he doesn't drop the knife.

"Leave it." I motion the rifle to his hand, pointing to the knife. He drops it and walks away. I grab the knife and throw it in a drain, lining the curb. There is a fence with barbed wire around it and a single whole of fallen down chain link where we had driven the hummer through. It has not been fixed. I walk across it, the rifle in front of me. It is dark and I am unable to see movement as I walk up to the building. There is a guard building and I look in it as I walk by it from a distance. No one is in it.

I run up and get to the entrance, or exit, that we had taken to get to the Hummer. There are lights on, some flickering, that light up the hallway with white neutrality. I do not hear any movement, however, I am still a ways away from where we were held. The rifle is in front of me as I walk and I sight down in. But still I see no one.

The halls that we were held in are now void of Chad's body, which I am grateful for, however there is still a large blood stain on the floor where he fell and a streak of blood for some feet, showing the direction he was dragged. I feel like throwing up. Not from the gore, but from the fact that what I am seeing was from Chad. A light flickers and I jump, turning towards the light. I remember then smashing the vile of blood on Doctor Grants skin. And I realize he could be in here.

One thing I've realized over these events are that the zombies are most deadly when alone. They are quiet and patient, it seems. They attack using surprise. It is when they are in a group that they become predictable and loud. I walk slowly, tuning around the hall, checking each and every door for any signs of them. On the second hall, the same Connor was on, there is a room that looks used. It is the first, other than those I, Connor, Josh and Chad were in, that has any indication of someone being in it. There is one other. Empty as well. With there being two, it gives me hope that Seeley had been in the same room as Dawn. My room's door is empty and Doctor Grant is not in it. Anxiously, I look around.

There is a second story to the building that I had noticed from the outside. I go into the stairwell and the lights are off. I do not have a light and so try locking the door open. It gives a little light, but not much by the time I am up on the second level.

This level is dark. Not like the stairwell, there are some windows, but they are few. Most of the light filters through windows on some of the doors. I creep along as quietly as possible. My nerves are getting the better of me and I jerk around at random times, feeling as though someone or something is behind me, following me. I can feel the eyes, but each time I turn there is nothing, (from what I can see), there.

I can see where the hall turns to the right and there is a flickering light coming from that hallway. It only comes on for several seconds, blinking as it does so, not allowing a steady stream of light. As I near the hall I notice papers littering the floor, documents typed out as well as many hand written. There is a knocked over tray with food, crackers and some meat with juice lying on the floor. I check each room, but do not see them, or any signs of them.

I round the corner slowly, looking down the length of the hall. It is dark, the flickering light has stopped. There is less light coming through the rooms and I try opening my eyes more to allow more light in. It doesn't help. My rifle is in front of me, ready to fire, but I have lowered it slightly to have a better view. I look in the first doors window, but there is only a small room--office looking.

I turn back and look down the hall. The light flickers again and in the brief light I see the silhouette of a man some distance down the hall. The light goes out again and I let out a quick scream, realizing what I just saw. I hear rustling and can see the light on the left hand side of the hall blink out and come back as something blocks the light from hitting the wall briefly. I stumble backwards, trying to get my rifle up and fire. The rounds are loud and echo through the hall. Each of which lights the hallway for a second. I can see the figure running towards me and I try to aim in the dark. I hear it scream, but whether it is from me hitting it I cannot tell.. I fire several times more and hear it stumble and land hard on the ground. I walk towards it, and see it as the light flickers again. It is starting to get up. It is in a guards uniform, but most definitely a zombie I quickly aim, and in the dark fire at where I think its head should be.

I hear it drop from its arms and slump over, dead.

Instantly, I know why the guard is a zombie, and I know there are more in the building. And, I know that they heard the shots.

There is banging coming from somewhere down the hall. It is faint, but I can hear it. I move closer, not sure of the source and as I do I hear a faint voice, almost a whisper. "Help." There is another voice and I know it instantly, it is Dawn.

I hurry down the hall, still attempting to be cautious. I can hear them louder now and I start checking each of the rooms. I find the one the banging is coming from and look in the window. Dawn, Charlotte and Seeley are there. They see me and start to cry. Seeley is in Dawns arms and looks dead. Panicking, I check the door. It is obviously locked, and after getting them to go up against the wall I fire a round at the lock. The door swings open.

No one gets up as I rush in. I give Dawn a hug and inquire about Seeley. He is alive, but only just barely. They've had some water but no food in almost three days, they tell me. Each is week. I have a water bottle in my bag and I get it out, allowing each of them to drink. Seeley wakes briefly and drinks. He starts to cry.

"Shit," Charlotte swears, "they'll hear the crying."

"They've already heard my gun. Can you guys walk?"

Dawn nods but doesn't speak. They look frail, as though there is almost nothing left of them.

"OK," I hand Charlotte a pistol from my bag, Dawn carries Seeley in both arms and we leave, going slow. I am alert and move from the front to the back regularly. I hear no movement other than ours and assume that anything on this floor has filtered down to the first. However, as I am thinking this I hear rustling behind us and I turn to see something running directly towards us.

"Keep going," I say as I wheel around them and soon start firing. We are near the stairwell and the light in the hall is better. I kill the thing as another comes around the corner. This one stumbles several times before getting back up. I fire several bullets and drop it when it is only a few yards away.

There are shots in the stairwell. I run towards them and by the time I get down the stairs they are out and walking as fast as they can down the hall. At the bottom of the stairwell is a zombie, head blown in. I chase after them, and lead them out of the building. It is dark outside, the only light coming from bright lamps around the building.

Charlotte passes out as we go down towards the fence and I pick her up, cradling her as I walk along side Dawn.

"Are you OK? You gonna make it?"

She is panting, and even in the sparse light I can see that she is very pale. "Yeah, I think I'll be OK as long as it is close."

"It is." I stop as I hear screams coming from the building. It is that same scream that I've heard so often. That which comes from the zombies. We need to run, but can't. I throw Charlotte over my shoulder and raise my weapon up, firing several times, hoping Josh will see and help us.

I see headlights in front of us. We are running and I can tell Dawn has little energy left. They pull out of the alley our Hummer was in and move towards us. It is Josh. Dawn collapses but turns her body, holding onto Seeley as she does. I stop, put Charlotte down near her and check her. She's breathing and so is Seeley. Charlotte as well looks in a bad state, but is breathing. I hear the scream mixed with the accelerating engine. I see several zombies running towards us as fast as they can. I start to fire at them as Josh pulls up. Connor is in the passenger seat, buckled in awkwardly.

"Grab them," I yell as I fire once more. Josh gets out and grabs Charlotte, the closest to him, first, placing her in a seat. He then picks up Seeley and lays him on the back seat. Dawn is next and as Josh and I get in zombies are on us, just as we close the door. I buckle everyone in and hold Seeley as Josh turns the car around and heads away from the building and away from where we had stayed for nights, before.