It was oddly quiet too. The group was surprised that there weren't any zombies around...this much flesh was sure to attract the hungry creatures.
"Do we just roll up to the gates and say hello?" Owen asked looking through the tinted windows.
"I'm not sure...this is a bit strange."
They slowly rolled up to the front gates where the car was engulfed by a spotlight. The gate was slowly opened and several guards ran out surrounding the vehicle.
"Everyone out!" Shouted one of the guards. "And hands in the air!" The group slowly exited the vehicle and put their hands in the air. Susie was still too weak to do it on her own. JC had to help her out.
"WAS SHE BITTEN?!" One of the soldiers prodded her in the stomach with a gun.
"No!" Nuria intervened. The other soldiers pointed their guns towards Susie. Adrienne gasped and clutched onto Nina's arm tightly. "She was shot! I've been nursing her back to health."
"Take off the bandage, we need to see it." The soldier instructed.
"Look, can you please let us in first?! It's dangerous out here. Zombies could attack us any minute." Nuria pleaded.
"No one is getting in until we make sure everyone is free of scratches and bites."
Soldiers were instructed to check on everyone. One soldier getting slapped by Lauren H. for inappropriately lifting up her shirt without permission.
Nuria slowly removed the bandage on Susie's shoulder, causing her to wince slightly. JC held her tight as Susie let out a small yell. The wound was visible, slightly infected around the edges but was clearly not a bite mark.
The soldier nodded to someone at the gates and they were let in. They all proceeded into the high school through the front door while their vehicle was confiscated due to the black ooze and blood that was splattered on the sides. They were led through the halls of Whitman by a man in a lab coat with salt and pepper hair and prominent limp.
"Why aren't there any zombies outside the gates? We saw dozens of them just a few miles down." Nuria asked the man.
"We've sent several units out to eradicate all zombies and potential bait within a half mile radius. Trip wire was also set around a perimeter a quarter mile away that would let us know if any horde was coming our way."
"Potential bait?"
"Yes."
"What do you mean by that?" She asked.
"I will say no more. Follow me." The group looked at each other and continued to follow the man without question. This was the first time in three days that they felt even an ounce of security.
The group was led to the open courtyard that was situated in the middle of the school.
"Please after you." The man indicated. Several other people were waiting in the courtyard. JC noticed a lack of men there, only women and small children.
"There's an issue." The man began. "We aren't transporting men to the NIH, only women and children."
"What!" Von said in shock. "What do you mean?!"
"Unfortunately that is the case and I am in no liberty to discuss the issue further. These women will be transported at first light, when zombie activity has been seen at its lowest."
"But we're a group, we need to stick together." JC insisted.
"These women had to struggle with that issue too. Husbands, brothers, fathers...were all denied transport. We do provide a route that was scouted as the safest possible option to get to the NIH. We will also provide rations for the trip."
Soldiers walked into the courtyard. "So gentleman, if you please...these soldiers will lead you to where you can grab a map and rations and lead you out. Ladies, please step out of the group and stand with the others."
No one moved for a minute. Even with the soldiers pointing guns, everyone in the group stood still. "Ladies, we can make this difficult or we can make it easy. You have a ride to the NIH where you will protected. We are providing your men a perfect opportunity to rejoin you as well."
Susie spoke up weakly. "I'm not leaving the group. I'll go with them, with or without a transport."
Nina also stepped forward. "I'm with Susie. I wouldn't be alive if these guys didn't help me out."
"Foolish decision, but I respect it none the less. And the rest of you?" The man looked at the other girls. Nuria looked at everyone's faces as they waited for her decision. She took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"I'm sorry guys. I have the will to survive. I'm not sure how much longer I can do it out there without real weapons."
Lauren H. stepped forward too. "I'm sorry too. I'm sure my family is over there by now. I need to find them." Adrienne was the last to make a decision. She looked at everyone. She also stepped forward.
"I can't bear to see any more people dying...I don't have the strength to do that. I'm so sorry." She cried. The group could have been hurt by their decisions but everyone ran towards each other for one final embrace. The men and the women who chose not to leave the group were led out of the courtyard. They were led back out towards the front of the school and to the gate.
"Wait, where are our rations?" Owen asked. The soldier laughed still pointing a gun at them.
"There are no rations. There is no map." He said.
"What are we supposed to do?! Just go out there and risk our lives even more getting there?"
"That's not our concern any more." The gate opened and the group was ordered out. The gate slowly closed back, fencing them outside. The soldier began to walk away but turned around suddenly.
"Oh one advice, don't go in that direction." He said pointing down the road where the man in a lab coat said the trip wire was. "If you do, you might be mistaken for zombie bait." The soldier said and began to laugh. "Now scram!" He yelled and he walked away.
"What do we do now?" Von asked.
"I don't know...but we will need to make our way to the NIH." JC said. He scanned the area. "Follow me." And he led them towards the woods in the back. The mist that covered the grounds now enveloped the group causing them to disappear into the woods. The spotlights turned off as the distant sky still illuminated in fire and explosions. A quarter mile away, the trip wire went off.
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