Trying to Survive (Part 1) Read Free Page A

We’d have no choice but to make our way through the small maze of homes before we reached the main road that led to town.
       As I looked at the cars and trucks littering the street along with the hundreds of infected people pacing back and forth, searching for their next feast – a new question entered my mind. “Look how many of them there are… It’s like 90% of the area is infected with whatever this shit is.”
       “I was just thinking the same thing. So, why aren’t we sick? Or… whatever you wanna call it.”
       “I’m not gonna pretend I know anything about this… but for it to infect so many people at once means it has to be some type of airborne, fast-spreading virus, right? Or maybe it’s something in the water… and some people are just immune to it?”
       “Sounds like some zombie movie shit.”
       “Well, what the fuck else do we have go on? It’s not like there’s anything else out there that ever covered this particular subject.” I said portraying annoyance.
       “All I know, is that once we get in that car you need to keep your foot to the floor. Otherwise, they’re gonna swamp us.”
       “So, you think all of Palm Coast is infected? You think the whole state is infected?”
       Walt snapped back “I say we assume the whole world is crawling with these damn things – might as well prepare for the worst... Whatever this is, obviously spreads really fast.” He gave me a quick nod and pointed to my cigarette. “That’s gonna go out soon.”
       I took a deep breath and blew away the long ash that had collected while I stood there procrastinating. My body tensed up as I quickly lit the fuse and hurled it to my left. “If we can draw them all to the left of the house they won’t be in our way when we pull out.”
       The second the firecracker hit the ground, before it even went off, most of them reacted and started running towards it. Once it began loudly popping and crackling, we both watched in amazement as the rest formed into a large mass and viciously ran at the noise.
       They were pushing, clawing, biting and even knocking each other to the ground – all trying to get there first. It wasn’t long before some of them started breaking away to fight and others lost interest.
       Walt barked “Throw another one, then wait ten seconds and throw another. It’s working.”
       I did as he said and watched as they all continued to gather around the noises in confusion and then start attacking one another out of anger. They were biting and drawing blood, but spitting out the small chunks of flesh instead of eating them.
       They only want us…  
       I handed Walt the Roman candles. “Get them as far left as you can... As soon as the last one leaves your hand we run as fast as fuckin possible – don’t even wait for it to start going off.”
       He nodded, arranged them evenly in his hands and held them out to expose the fuses. We locked eyes and I said “You ready?”
       Walt put on a half-smile and sarcastically responded “You do have the car keys, right?”
       I lightly laughed before I said “Yeah.”
       The moment he threw the third Roman candle down the road, I tossed him my rifle, grabbed the duffle bag and rushed downstairs.
       We both hesitated for a split-second when we reached the front entrance. Walt put his hand on the large brass handle, said “We can do this” and flung open the door.
       As we sprinted towards the car, my heart was racing and I’d never been more frightened in my entire life. The moment I opened the driver door I saw several of them turn around and start looking at us. By the time we made it inside, dozens of them were already charging in our direction.
       Walt loudly whispered “GO! GO! GO!” as I nervously struggled to get the key into the ignition and fire up the engine. Just as they got within a few feet of the car I was able to get it started and peel out of the driveway. I had