Jet fighters flew over them towards the center of DC.
"It's like we're in a war zone." Jiko said, brandishing two sharp hunting knives, looking up at the sky as a five jet trails scratched the horizon. In the far distance they could hear the sounds of explosions and the group could only assume that the military was dropping bombs...on what though or on whom?
"Keep your eyes open." JC said as he scanned left and right. Von was wrapped tightly around Nina's arm as she held a shovel in her hand.
"Where is your weapon, Von?" She said shaking him off.
"In my satchel." He pulled out a Swiss Army knife.
"What! Where was that when I needed a can opener?" Jiko said grabbing the knife.
"This thing has a can opener?" Von said.
"Be quiet you two, I can hear footsteps from around that corner." They all slowed down and hid behind a car parked on the street. They peaked over the car to see a few zombies walking around the empty street. The houses were all abandoned as more zombies walked out of them.
"How are we going to get by them?" Owen asked. "That's the only way to Whitman."
JC sunk down with his back against the car.
"JC, what's wrong?" Owen asked.
"Dude, sometimes I just don't have the answer."
"No one is expecting you to have them all, bro...but now is not the time not to have an answer."
"Maybe..." They all turned around to Adrienne. Besides Nina, no one has heard her speak since Eric's death.
Adrienne laid out a plan to distract the zombies with Jiko, the fastest person in their party. Then in small groups, they would sneak around the zombies through the backyards. Jiko would bash on a few cars causing their alarms to go off attracting zombies up the road to that one spot, clearing a path towards Whitman.
"Why do I have to do this?" Jiko asked.
"You're the best one for the job." Adrienne said. He huffed and agreed to the plan.
"Are you ready?" JC asked. Nina and Von stood on the left side while JC, Owen and Adrienne were going to sneak down the road from the right. "We will all meet a mile down the road. It should be a quick run to Whitman from there."
Jiko gave a nod, took a bat they found in the shed and walked in front of the zombies.
"HEY!" He shouted. They all stopped and stared at him. "Oh shit." He turned around and ran as the zombies began to chase him. He bashed on a few cars during his run, only setting off the alarm of one or two.
"Let's go." JC, Owen and Adrienne climbed over a fence and ran through the first few sets of backyards. Nina and Von did the same on the other end, Nina having to give Von a boost at the first fence.
Jiko ran as fast as he could only looking back once to make sure that the zombies didn't suddenly gain the ability to run faster than he could. They didn't take into consideration of the possibility that more zombies were hiding in the houses as Jiko was met by zombies in all directions. Suddenly he was surrounded, out of breath and alone. He turned a complete 360.
"Fuck, this is how it ends, huh?" He said clutching onto his bat tightly.
***
The rest of the group recollected at the end of the street. Whitman High School was only half a mile away.
"We have to wait for Jiko. He should be here any minute." They kept a look out. Ten minutes passed.
"Where is he?" Nina asked, squinting her eyes to see if she could see further down the street.
***
"God dammit, I wish I had my knives." Jiko said as the zombies were closing in on him.
Rounding the corner, a car screeched and came to a halt.
"JIKO!?" Nuria exited the car. Jiko saw Nuria through the trove of zombies that surrounded him. "Hang on! We'll get you out." She climbed back into the car and Lauren Hewins revved up the motor.
"Are you sure we'll be all right?" Lauren asked.
"There has to be some good with Hummers."
"Hang on!" Lauren yelled. Nuria grabbed hold onto Susie. They drove the car through one side of the zombies, plowing them down. Nuria opened the door. "Hurry Jiko! Get in!"
Jiko ran for the open door, bashing two zombies that were getting close.
***
"I don't think he made it." Owen said with his head down. "He sacrificed his own life to give us a chance."
"We should get going. We're close to the safe spot." JC insisted. They began to run.
"Wait!" Adrienne said. "I hear a car coming." They paused. A large yellow hummer rounded the corner and stopped right in front of the group. Black ooze and blood covered the side doors.
"Who is that?" Von asked. Lauren stepped out first, followed by Nuria and Susie. Jiko was the last to come out, wiping black ooze off of his bat. The group ran towards each other feeling joy with their reunion. With a quick catch up, a hug shared by JC and Susie, they stuffed themselves in the Hummer and headed down the road towards Whitman.
***
"Gather what you can. We don't have much time. They'll be all around us soon."
"I've got a few fresh fruit here."
"Good, I hate the canned stuff." She took the fruit from the other person and took a bite of it. Maggots were wriggling in the center. She just looked at it and tossed it to the side. She wiped off her mouth with her sleeve and kept walking.
She passed a broken mirror and saw her reflection. What happened in the 3 short days after the chaotic outbreak at the store? She tried to smile but couldn't force it.
A boy came up behind her. "I found the book you were looking for."
The girl took the book and looked at it. "I don't think extra credit is going to do me any good now..." And like the piece of fruit, she tossed it to the side.
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