Read Infestation Chicago: A Zombie Survival Series (Volume 2) Online
Authors: Nathan A. Smith
Chapter 4 – Highway Robbery
Sam’s eyes filled up with tears as she struggled to say anymore to the group. Destiny too was crying softly.
“I can’t believe the government has a foothold.” Holiday said cheerfully. “I mean – I am sorry for the news of your daughter but,”
“It’s O.K. thank you.” Sam said wiping the tears from her eyes. “I has been a few weeks now.” David realized at that moment just how much time had passed. For being in such a hurry to get to New York, it had been nearly a month since everything started. They were still just less than 1000 miles away. David realized they spent too much time in Iowa City ‘preparing’ for the journey
“I can’t believe you have a natural immunity.” Destiny said. “David here is immune too, but-” David stared at Destiny shaking his head not to say too much. “That is from something else.” Destiny quickly finished
“I don’t believe he is really military.” David said changing the subject. “Sounds kind of shady. Like a line he was using”
“We should get some sleep.” Holiday said while shrugging at David’s comment. “In the morning we head to Chicago.”
Everyone agreed and the group began to lie down on the ground next to the fake campfire as Sam turned it off. The night passed quickly however the group barely slept more than an hour. With the first sign of light shining through the boarded windows, Holiday stood up.
“Well we should head out!”
he yelled and kicked David’s foot to wake him up. “I can’t wait to get back to some form of civilization!” He added.
David and Holiday quickly moved the shelf away from the door. On the ground
, empty wrappers of chip bags and chocolate bars rustled loudly as they slid it across the floor. Sam opened the door after the shelf was out of the way and looked outside.
O
n the street, in front of the gas pumps, two zombies stood over a body eating. Sam recognized the body they were eating. She saw him before leaving Chicago- he had been a guard. She couldn’t remember any more about him, not even his name.
“Block the door!” Sam yelled causing the two zombies to twist their heads toward her direction. They sprinted toward her almost right away; one smashed its arm on
a gas pump causing it to nearly fall over.
Holiday and David quickly pushed the shelf back in front of the door the instant Sam closed it. Destiny held her knife ready to defend herself. Both of her pistols were still tucked into her jeans. Holiday searched the floor for his shotgun and quickly found it. He picked it up and readied to fire. The door quickly broke away as the two zombies bashed their way inside.
The shelf shook horribly; it would only be a matter of time before the two zombies rushed inside.
“David!” Destiny yelled, “Try and make them leave!”
she shouted. David closed his eyes and focused as much as possible.
“What is she talking about?” Sam asked while looking at Holiday. He shrugged as if he didn’t know but Sam could tell he was lying. She
waited with anticipation for the zombies to burst inside, holding her baseball bat tighter than ever. David’s body started shaking as he tried harder and harder to make the two zombies outside leave. It was much harder than before and David didn’t know why. Fear filled his heart; he doubted he could ever control the zombies again.
Suddenly the banging stopped
and the shelf stopped shaking. Everyone was stunned, even David. He opened his eyes and flashed an enormous smile. It was cut short when the shelf blocking the door quickly tumbled over, letting the two fast moving zombies into the store.
Holiday fired his shotgun hitting one of them in the chest. It flew to the side but quickly stood back up. It’s chest missing bits of flesh from the gunshot. Sam swung her baseball bat smacking the other
zombie in the head. It grabbed her arm and threw her backward onto the floor. David raised his gun, the massive .44 caliber pistol Holiday had given him long ago. He fired two shots; they plunged into the heads of both zombies causing them to fall to the ground with lightning speed.
“More!” Destiny shouted pulling out her one pistol which still had some ammo in it while holding her combat knife firmly. Four more zombies rushed from the tree line on the other side of the road and dashed toward the group.
“Holiday how many sho-” David attempted to ask how many shots Holiday had, but was cut off with an answer.
“Not enough!” Holiday shouted running outside
. He ran into the zombies firing just before reaching them. One shot flew from his shotgun then he started using it as a club. He swung like a crazed maniac at the zombies pushing them away only to have them lunge back at him.
Destiny flew out the door next shooting one of the zombies in the head and jumping onto a different one stabbing it in the head. Sam rushed out bashing one of the zombies still attempting to bite Holiday. David was the last one out of the store
. He raised his gun but didn’t have a good enough shot to actually shoot.
“Fuck!” Destiny shouted pointing down the road. Over a dozen zombies shambled down the road toward them. Some moved fast but most of them were slow. Holiday successfully hit the zombie after him in the head causing its head to cave in. It fell to the ground as he went to assist Sam with the zombie she was bashing. By the time he went to help, she had
already killed it. Holiday was impressed, but that only lasted a second.
The huge wave of zombies neared quickly. “Where did they all come from?” Sam shouted.
“It’s just how things seem to work out for us.” Holiday said smirking. “I got the ten on the left; you guys get the ten on the right.” He continued before rushing forward.
David and Destiny shook their head
s in disbelief but followed immediately. It took Sam a minute to realize it but she too was moving toward the horde. Adrenaline surged through their bodies as Holiday collided with three of the leading zombies. Snarls and moaning filled the air around them. Destiny emptied her pistol’s remaining bullets into some zombies until it clicked loudly. She dropped it on the ground and leaped slightly to stab a zombie in the top of the head. David attempted to fire his gun but it only clicked. He only had two bullets, and those were used inside.
“Get down!” A loud voice echoed around them from a loudspeaker behind the group. David looked to see a military Humvee sitting beside Sam. In it were three men wearing bullet proof vests. One was on the top holding a large machine gun of some kind. The one behind the driver seat resembled what Sam had described as the Corporal. The man in the passenger seat had a red bandana tied on his head.
“Holiday! Destiny! Duck!” David screamed before diving to the ground. A hail storm of bullets flew over top of David and ripped apart the zombie horde barely missing Destiny and Holiday as they dove to the ground away from the horde. The steady stream of bullets drowned out any other sound. David squeezed his eyes shut and covered his head as the bullets continued to fly overhead for what seemed like forever. In reality it took only a few seconds for the gun to click empty.
“Piece of shit!” the man holding the gun shouted.
“Doesn’t matter, we got them.” The man with the bandana inside the Humvee said. David looked toward the horde; they were nothing but bits of flesh littering the road. Destiny and Holiday stood up smiling. Holiday began to laugh.
“Thank god for the United States Military!” he shouted raising his hand in the air. David smiled and looked back at Sam. His smile faded when he saw her face
- it was in complete terror. Her bat was on the ground and she stood with both of her hands on her head.
“Holiday …” David said turning toward him only for a
moment. Holiday’s laughing paused as he realized things might not be as joyous as he had thought.
“By the power of the United States President,” The man driving the Humvee continued talking over the loud speaker loosely attached to the side of the car. “I, Corporal Kelly, will be taking your possessions in order to defend this country.” Destiny shook her head in refusal. Holiday’s face turned to confusion and he attempted to speak but was overpowered by the Corporal
with the loudspeaker. “You will drop all weapons, ammo and supplies. Place your hands on your head, and take five steps back.” The Corporal commanded. The man on the back of the car held up a small pistol and aimed it at the group, while the man in the passenger seat hung half way out the window pointing an automatic rifle toward them. Holiday and Destiny threw their empty guns to the ground reluctantly. David sighed loudly and dropped his pistol while backing away until he was beside the other two. He placed his hands on top of his head smirking slightly.
“I hate it when I am right.”
he added. The Corporal opened the door to his Humvee and stepped outside. He stood beside Sam and placed both his hands behind his back.
In a smug tone he continued speaking, “You,” the very sound of his voice irritated Sam. “Will come back with us and continue your duty for your country.” He turned back to his Humvee as the man with the bandana got out of the car carrying both his rifle and a large green cloth sack. He walked over to the guns lying on the ground and began picking them up, placing them inside the sack.
“No.” Sam said to everyone’s surprise. “Let them have their stuff.” She demanded. “I will go with you, but only if they can keep their stuff.” Corporal laughed for a moment and turned around swiftly. He brought his large muscular arm up and smacked the side of Sam’s face with a devastating backhand. She fell to the ground with a loud thump. Holiday went to charge in anger at the Corporal but Destiny slid in front of him. She knew all that would happen would be Holiday getting shot dead if he tried anything David was also trying to control his anger at the Corporal for striking Sam.
The Corporal knelt down over top of Sam while speaking softly, “No, you will come back
; you have no say; this is not a negotiation and you will do your job when we return.” The Corporal stood back up smiling in victory. He was clearly insane.
“No.” Sam said defiantly. Corporal turned once more to face her. He then suddenly began kicking her in the stomach repeatedly. With each kick he yelled a single word.
First kick “Yes!” He yelled, second kick, “You!” his voice cracked slightly and the third kick “Will!” he shrieked as Sam rolled over in pain.
“We can’t just stand here,” David whispered so as not to be heard. “We HAVE to do something.”
“Yeah but what?” Holiday whispered back.
“I got this.” Destiny said. She took a step forward to the man with the
bandana. He quickly stood up, set his bag down, and raised his rifle. Destiny gave him a sexy gaze as best she good, trying to seduce him so he would let down his guard. The man looked at her confused as she began to play with her hair and giggle quietly.
“What is she doing?” Holiday asked quietly.
“I honestly have no idea,” David replied. “Maybe having a stroke?” Holiday slightly chuckled at the inappropriate timing of such a joke.
Destiny realized the man in the bandana wasn’t receiving her as well as she had hoped. She sighed loudly saying, “Fuck it.” With one hand she grabbed the rifle and pushed it to the side, while at the same time she punched the man in the face with her other hand. The rifle shot once in the air as the man flew back onto the ground, leaving the rifle in Destiny’s hand. She aimed it at the Corporal and began making her own demands.
“Drop it!” She yelled loudly. The man on top of the Humvee fidgeted slightly. He was not prepared for what just happened. “Do it or he dies!” The man on top of the Humvee dropped his pistol while the Corporal gave him a scolding look.
“Holiday grab the bag!” Destiny yelled. Holiday quickly picked up the sack the man in the bandana was putting their weapons into.
“Come on Sam.” David said walking over to her. She got to her feet and stared the Corporal in the eyes.
“I thought things might have changed since I left.” Sam said. She then picked up her baseball bat and hit the Corporal in his head sending him to the ground. The man on the Humvee looked down at the pistol beneath him.
“Don’t!” Destiny yelled. The man nodded and raised his hands up in the air. Sam hobbled toward David while holding her stomach.
“I think the prick broke a rib.” She said as David held out his hand
for her to grab. She smiled and accepted his help. Normally, she would never let any ‘man’ help her, but this was one time she wouldn’t complain. He placed her arm around his shoulder and they walked as quickly as they could back toward Destiny.
Suddenly the corporal stood up holding his own revolver. He aimed it at Destiny and without warning fired a single bullet. It plunged into Destiny’s arm causing her body to wrench to the side. Destiny was only off balance for a moment and without any thought she fired her rifle at the Corporal.
The Corporal and the man on the Humvee quickly moved behind it, shielding themselves from any bullets. Holiday ran to the tree line beside them. On the other side were more trees.
“This way! Trees!” he yelled motioning for everyone to follow as
he rushed into the forest.
Destiny continued to fire short bursts keeping the Corporal and the other man pinned behind the Humvee. Occasionally the Corporal would fire his revolver around the side of the car, but the bullets did
not land near anyone. The Corporal was obviously not the military man he made himself out to be. Sam and David hobbled into the trees trying to catch up with Holiday. Neither of them could see him.