Kelly walked to the window of the 4th floor office and saw zombies strewn around the street, cars piled up and smoke wafting where fires had recently died out. No one living was around and it felt hopeless. The night before they had attempted to find food at the grocery store down the street from them but like predicted it was already ransacked. As they walked down the aisles, four zombies ran out from the back where they feasted on the rotting meat from the broken meat lockers. Elizabeth was able to knock one down with a mop giving Sami enough time to bash its head in with a metal sign post that had snapped off from the sidewalk outside. Kelly, being quick, managed to lure the other three down an aisle while Elizabeth and Sami pushed the shelves onto them from the other side crushing them beneath. They knew those three were probably not completely dead so they took no chance to find out. Sami was able to find a box of crackers and a bunch of over ripened bananas but lost them when they ran into a group of guys outside. One of them elbowed Sami in the face until they she let go and ran off with their meager rations.
Finding the office was a pure luck. They had tried to find other places to hide but either they were already taken by people who didn't want to share or zombies had chased them out. A woman saw them pass by and signaled for them to come up the elevator to the office. There they met a group of renegades, probably in their mid-late 30s, who took it into their own hands to fight back against the zombie hordes.
"We heard that downtown has been completely destroyed." One man said.
"NIH...that's gone too. The military has withdrawn but there's apparently a safety zone in Arlington...and one at Fort Myers." An older portly woman explained. "We're going to make it there but need enough cars to fit all of us" -- there were 12 of them in all.
The group shared food with the famished girls that night and they slept in the conference rooms in the dark while two people kept guard at the elevators with guns. Elizabeth felt so safe into the morning until the three girls realized they were gone.
The portly woman had left them a note explaining how they had found only two cars that fit the nine of them. They couldn't risk waiting any more to find safe passage for the girls as well but left them with the rest of their food and the key to turn on and off the elevators so they had complete isolation if they chose to. A bunch of their black clothing was left also and the three girls created makeshift outfits to blend in with the night.
"We're going to go to those safety zones too." Elizabeth said. "First, we find a car."
***
"God why won't this elevator work!" Vankelia said banging on the elevator door. "This would be a perfect place to hide...there's no other way up. Are you sure that zombies can't figure this stuff out?" She said turning to David.
"According to all the movies I've seen...yeah." He said.
"What about that Will Smith movie..." Becca asked.
"Those....were...vampires. Get it straight, Becca." He jeered. Ashleigh rolled her eyes.
***
"Dad has been acting so strangely." Anna said. Elizabeth was busy biting her nails, her legs profusely shaking as they watched their dad pacing back and forth in the kitchen polishing his gun and mumbling under his breath. Their mom sat at the kitchen table staring into space thinking about having dumped Sean and Helena's bodies in the garage of their neighbors as to not attract zombies to their home.
"Everyone, into the living room." Their father said. Anna and Elizabeth just looked at each, scared. No one moved.
"I SAID NOW!"
They sat around the living room just staring at each other in silence, Mr. Kingdom looking at each one of them with a worried look.
"My dear family, I ask only one thing of you."
"What is it dad?" Elizabeth asked.
"That we pray. Please close your eyes."
Everyone closed their eyes.
From outside a group of zombies turned towards the Kingdom house when they heard four loud gunshots.
***
"What is it?" Sami asked as they gathered at the elevators.
"I don't know." Elizabeth said tightening her grip on her sledge hammer, one of the weapons left behind by the other people. They all could hear the banging on the elevator doors downstairs and it made them nervous that zombies must have found them and are trying to get up.
They listened a bit longer and suddenly could hear voices.
"Zombies can't talk, can they?" Sami asked. Elizabeth looked to Kelly who gave her a small nod.
"Grab me the key...I think we have survivors down there."
"Are you sure?" Sami asked.
"Yes. We need to help them."
Kelly ran back with the key. Elizabeth put it in the slot and turned.
The green up light signaled as the group on the 1st floor looked in amazement.
"It's working!" Becca said. "How did that happen?"
"I don't know, but who cares...let's go!" David said rushing into the elevator as it opened up.
The two splintered groups reunited on the 4th floor, after stopping on each floor on the way up.
"What, I like to make it look like a Christmas Tree." David said to Vankelia's disapproving look.
That night they all discussed their plan on getting to the Arlington Safety zone. Elizabeth rolled out a map of Friendship Heights that was also left behind.
"We need to find a car that'll fit all of us."
"A van then." Ashleigh said.
"Or a tank!" David suggested. Becca glared at him.
"Where are we going to find a tank?" She asked. "According to Elizabeth the military has already given up on downtown...why would they come out here to Friendship Heights?"
Outside they could hear gun fire. The group rushed to the window and saw a group of people firing at a larger group of zombies. Two of them fell down and were ripped apart limb by limb.
"Why would they leave their hiding spot at night?" David asked. "That's so stupid."
"Some people have given up hope, I guess." Kelly said. "I mean we can't just stay here."
"Right. Tomorrow, we look for a car...er, I mean, a van." Elizabeth said. "Everyone rest now...we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
As everyone slept Ashleigh crawled outside to try her cell phone. It hadn't worked in a day but she wasn't giving up hope. "Come on Caroline...I can't do this without you..." She looked around down the dark hallway.
Elizabeth could hear her cry and thought nothing more than Ashleigh wanting to see her friend again. We all want to see our friends again, She thought, I know we will...I know we will. She closed her eyes and lulled herself to sleep by the sound of sporadic gunfire and the heavy breathing of her exhausted friends.
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