The suicide run. (OPEN)

[elliehaney]

POV: Samantha Watson
Note: Samantha refers to the zombies as freaks.

I woke up noticed where I was and nearly cried, I dreamed of my pass life, you know before the apocalypse and all. I dreamed of being with my family again; near the Christmas tree, eating ham and turkey at the dining table and having hot cocoa near the fireplace, most people probably think dreams like that would be a blessing, but nowadays, they're as bad as the nightmares.

I got dressed, grabbed my stuff and went outside. I lived at a farmhouse now, a two story White house with a deck circling it, it also had a basement, which is where I stored all the food and supplies, outside; the yard was big enough for me to plant about two dozen strawberry bushes and ten blueberry ones, that's about the only things I knew how to grow apart from flowers but that wouldn't be useful in an apocalypse. Also, I built a fence around the house, I also put barbed wire atop the fence and covered the fence area with plywood, no zombie or survivor would get in here easily, and the front gate is two dumpsters out side by side and I layered those with barbed wire as well, call me paranoid if you will but I sleep well at night.

I moved the two dumpsters aside and entered my pickup which I found at the farm and I drove out into the fields, then got out and put the dumpsters back and I once again got into the pickup and got onto the highway.

As I was driving I pulled out a map of the military base, some survivor gave it to me for a few canned foods, he said the place was to dangerous, but if he was too scared to go that means others were too, which also means the place could be a treasure trove. Or you know I'm just risking my life for no damn reason, either way I had to try.

After two hours of driving I arrived at the place and didn't notice that many freaks, that either meant the rest moved on or they're all in the buildings, which doesn't help since that's where all the good stuff is, and as I looked I noticed that not many buildings had all that many windows.

I noticed that the front entrance of the base was blocked by two humvees, then I looked at the gates and realised that they didn't look all that secure.

I took a deep breath. "Plan B it is." I told myself.

I a lined the truck so it faced the fence and I pressed the gas, I went crashing through the fence and hit a few freaks until I finally came to a stop, I looked at the map and found where the barracks were, if the freaks were hidding in buildings Atleast the barracks had multiple windows. I stepped out of the truck and saw that it didn't take to much damage from my stunt, I ran to the barracks, I checked my corners and all the rooms until I finally searched the entire place and knew that it was empty so I started looting.

After a few minutes I heard footsteps, I pulled out my rifle and took cover in one of the doorways, I looked down the hallway but couldn't see anyone... Or anything.

"If you're human," I said. "You best tell me or I'll open fire!"

[Juliana]

Juliana froze at the sound of a voice. The undead couldn't talk, at least apart from garbled moans. There must be someone there!

Raising her own M1911 pistol, she advanced slowly for a few steps. "I'm positive that I'm not infected, if that's what you mean."

Juliana had gotten to the Military Base on foot, coming across it unintentionally. Figuring it was chock full of firearms and ammunition, she'd ventured inside. Soon after that, though, she started to regret her decision. The undead were roaming everywhere inside that godforsaken place, and she was lucky to escape the west hangar with her life.

Unfortunately, the way she came in was blocked by hoards of the undead. Going back now would have meant certain death. With the thought of her dead parents fresh in her mind, she'd retreated deeper into the dark, deserted base.

And now, she'd come across - at least what she thought - another survivor. She hoped the God almighty that she wasn't falling for some damn trap.

[elliehaney]

I was relieved to hear that it was infact a human and not a freak, but I still didn't trust whomever this may be, it sounded like a female which was a good sign since males are much harder to trust, but still, I needed to do the regular thing that I always did when I met someone.

"If you could put whatever weapons you have in their holsters and come out with your hands up," I said. "That'd be great."

I looked around the room I was in and noticed that a freak was banging on the window, they knew we were here! I could of this left this person behind like I usually do, but I haven't seen another survivor in what? A month? For all I knew we were the last ones alive in the city, and frankly I'm starting to get crazy, I need some kind of social life.

[Juliana]

Put her weapons away? That was crazy! She didn't know if there were undead lurking anywhere near. Then again, she'd heard that voice. And it was definitely human.

Making up her mind, she carefully placed her pistol in its holster, and slowly raised her hands above her head. Squinting around the shadows, she tried to discern the location of the speaker.

"There! Happy now?" Realization dawned on her as she pictured the person taking aim at her that very moment. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Sure, that was a possibility, but the likelihood of it really happening?

She winced. It was very possible that anyone would shoot her, be it for her firearms, or the supplies in her backpack.

"Come on out. I can't stay unarmed forever!" She shouted into the darkness, unsure if she would ever get an answer.

[elliehaney]

As I looked out the window again I saw about three dozen more freaks coming from the hangars and command tower, we had to move fast. As I heard the girl telling me to come on out I did still taking aim and her, I noticed that she was unarmed, thank god I didn't have to go into a fire fight in the middle of a horde of freaks.

Still taking aim, I slowly advanced towards her and saw a freak walking in from the front entrance behind her, I took aim and a deep breath then pulled the trigger, the bullet flew a few inches from the girls face right into the freak's skull. The girl closed her eyes, probably thinking I shot her, but when it was obvious I didnt, she opened her eyes and looked and her chest and stomach and then looked behind her and saw the freak that I'd shoot.

"We best get out of here," I told her. "I got a truck not to far from here, most of the freaks here already know we're here, and that shot most likely attracted the others, but I swear, if one of your weapons ever take aim at me... You'll be dead before you even realise it." I looked out the window again... They were closing in, and fast. "Now let's go before we get eaten alive!" I sprinted pass the girl and out from the barracks, on my left there were Atleast 100 freaks and on my right there had to be double that amount, I looked ahead of me and I saw my pick up, there were only about a dozen freaks there, so I sprinted towards my truck putting my rifle on my back and pulling out my pistol and my ice pickaxe.

[Juliana]

Juliana whirled around as the girl sprinted past her. She'd barely precepted the words the girl had said after thinking she'd been shot.

Her first instinct screamed at her to run as fast as she could in the opposite direction, but another quietly whispered for her to follow. After all, if she stayed much longer, it wouldn't be much time before she was turned.

Without another moment's hesitation, Juliana ran after her, eyes scanning the shadows. Looking ahead, she saw a pick up truck parked. That must be hers, she thought.

But standing around the truck was a group of the undead. Great, she thought. More shit to kill

Drawing her pistol, she took aim past the girl ahead. Still running, she let a bullet fly. It flew towards the closest zombie, and knocked it backwards, embedding itself in the zombies skull.

[elliehaney]

The sharp head on my pickaxe sunk into the first freak's temple and as I pulled it out the other side of it sunk into a second freak's face, I pulled it out and shot a third freak, then I kicked a fourth freak against the trunk of the pickup and as it slowly sat down I kneed it in the face and it died.

I ran to the driver's seat of the pickup, started it and unlocked the doors. "Come on!" I yelled to the girl as she ran towards the pickup killing freaks on her way towards it.

[Juliana]

Reaching the pickup, she jumped into the passenger seat, not bothering with the seat belt. The girl gunned the engine, spinning into a U turn, and the truck sped away from the base.

Juliana rested her head back on the head rest, taking a deep breath. That was a bit too close for comfort. If it hadn't been for that girl...she would have been dead. Or worse, turned.

"Thanks. For saving my life." She said, still looking out the window. "Probably would be dead by now if I hadn't come across you."

She looked down at the pistol in her hands. It was a shiny silver, the handle engraved with her dead parents names.

[elliehaney]

I looked at the girl. "Yeah, you're welcome." I looked behind us back at the military base and punched the wheel. "Damn it! I...I needed those supplies..."

Shaking my head I pressed on the gas and continued down the highway passing abandoned cars and freaks who were lost.

After an hour of driving we came across a train track, a train was on them, blocking the road. "This wasn't here before," I said and looked at the girl. "Keep your weapons ready, I don't know what's in there." Got out and took the keys with me since I didn't trust the girl, then I raced towards the train.

[Juliana]

Juliana jumped out of the truck, scanning the train. Sure, maybe there was someone alive inside, but was it worth it?

She followed the girl to the train, trailing behind at a slower pace. She realized that she didn't know her name. But she just shrugged. She didn't trust anyone with her name, so why should they trust her? Still, curiosity gnawed at her mind.

She reached the train a bit after the girl, who looked really tense. She bit back a rhetorical remark. It was always smart to be on your toes; especially now.

[elliehaney]

I looked down the left and right side of the train, it looked like it never ended, something was odd however, if there were freaks in there they couldn't of personally stopped the train there had to be someone alive in there.

I looked at the girl. "I really don't like this," I announced. "Let's stick to the roof of the train and open the hatches and look from there, I don't wanna jump in blind." I pulled off my backpack and pulled out my flashlight then strapped it back on and headed towards one of the trains ladders. "Come on." I told her. "Or don't, I don't care."

When I reached the top of the middle car of the train, I opened the hatch and flashed my flash light inside, I saw nothing but boxes and garbage. I checked once more to make sure I wasn't heading into a trap and when I saw to freaks nor humans I jumped down, It was dark but the open hatch helped my vision, I walked over to one of the boxes and tried to lift it, but it was surprisingly heavy. I opened it and was welcomed with dozens of canned peas and pork which put a huge smirk on my face, I. Hit. The. Jackpot. I told myself, well if all these boxes were filled , otherwise, well I'd of gotten my hopes up.

When I looked up at the hatch I saw the girl standing there. "Anything?" She asked.

I could've told her nothing, and kept it to myself but something make be spit out the truth. "Yeah! We hit the canned food jackpot. If each car of this train is filled like this, we'll be set for months, maybe a year. If you help me load this in my truck I'll split everything with you, half an' half."

I looked up at the girl for a responce.

[Juliana]

"That's a deal if I've ever heard one." She answered, a grin spreading across her face. "It would probably be easier to open the actual door, instead of handing it up. Which, undoubtedly, would take valuable time and energy." She glanced up at the sky. The sun was three fourths of the way across the blue sky. They maybe had four hours until dark. "Time wise, we don't have much to spare if we wanna get out of here before dark."

Backing away from the hatch, she peered over the edge of the train car. Maybe an eight foot drop. Not too far, but if she landed incorrectly, she could break an ankle.

She shrugged. Time was of the essence, and wasting it could mean death for both of them. Without another moment's thought, she crouched down at the edge, her booted feet almost sliding out from under her, and jumped down. She landed with a dull thud, the impact slightly paining her ankles. She stood there for a moment, regaining her balance, before walking over to the huge sliding door. Placing her hands firmly on the cold metal, she slowly pushed it open, revealing the boxes and the girl.

She rubbed her hands together. "Let's get started."

[elliehaney]

We spent about three hours packing every box into the pickup, the back of the truck was full so we had to put the two other boxes between us in the truck itself. As the sun was setting I hoped in the truck and started it up as the girl got it.

"Well there's no way across this train, so tonight we'll have to sleep on a rooftop or something." I said, and made a U turn heading back towards a small town that I saw before arriving at th military base, it would be Atleast an hour drive, I looked at the fuel icon on the dashboard. "We got enough to head where I want to but let's hope we find a gas station, other wise we'll be carrying the boxes."

After about an hour we arrived at the town and saw no lights nor movement.

"We need to hide the truck somewhere," suggested the girl. "We don't want other people getting this stuff."

I nodded. "True enough."

I looked down the streets as we were driving and saw a small garage disconnected from the house beside it, I turned left and stopped I front of the closed garage door. I walked out of the truck and opened the garage door.

"Watch out!" Yelled the girl.

I looked back and saw a freak lunge at me, I grabbed on to the garage door, which was stable above me, then I lifted my legs and kicked it in the face as it got closer, I heard a snap and it fell to the ground, dead... Or um, as dead as a dead person can be.

"That was close." I said. I turned on my flashlight and flashed it around the garage. "It's clear." I got back into the truck and slowly drove into the garage. Then I got out once more and closed the door. "We should be good here, overnight anyways."

[Juliana]

Juliana got out of the truck, looking around at the garage. "Nice place. You come here often?" She joked. She was glad to finally be inside stable walls.

But one question remained; did any undead remain in the rest of the house?

"We should probably check the rest of the house, just to be safe." She said. "Before we think about settling down for the night."

She didn't know why, but she felt she could trust this girl. Well, as much as you could trust someone who doesn't know your name, and you don't know theirs.

[elliehaney]

"I suppose we should," I said as I eyed the room looking for useful things, then my eyes landed on duct tape, I pulled out my rifle and flashlight. "Just gimme minute." I told her as I grabbed the duct tape.

I slowly taped the flashlight under the grip of the rifle to make sure that it was sturdy and I also made sure that the on button was on the bottom, I clicked the button and the flashlight turned to life.

I walked over to the door in the garage that led to the house and opened it. As I did I gaged.

"Smells like shit," I said as I coughed. "Literally."

I slowly walked it and the girl did the same. The door led to a long hallway with two doors on the left and right side on each side of the hallway, at the end of the hallway I saw what I thought was the living room.

"I'll check the left door, you check the right one." I said and opened the left door, which with my luck... Led to the basement.

[Juliana]

Juliana nodded, and slowly turned the knob on the door and opened it. Behind the door stood a staircase leading up to the next level of the house - most likely the attic. She sighed. At least it wasn't the basement.

Without a backwards glance, she started up the stairs, her pistol gripped in her hands. The wooden boards were old and creaky, not to mention covered in dust. There seemed to be no disturbance in the layered dust, which meant that if anything was up there, it had to have been there for a long time.

Ascending the stairs further, she kept her eyes on the deepening shadows. Her imagination whirled, creating images of monsters and zombies lurking within the depths of the darkness.

At last, she reached the top, and scanned the area. It was too dark to discern anything in the center of the floor, but the walls were bare. A quiet creak sounded, and she hoped that it was the other girl.

[elliehaney]

I slowly made my way down the stairs, I kept my light at the bottom of the stairs I didn't want anything to be waiting for me down there, but when have I ever been that lucky?

When I foot touched the basement floor, I knew that the "shity" smell that I smelled when we came in was coming from the basement. I flashed my light in front of me and was greeted by a wall, I flashed it on my left and it was another wall, so I pointed my light on my right and started walking, about five minutes later and a hole lot of turns my flashlight started to flicker.

"Not now, dammit!" I whispered to myself as I tapped the flashlight, but It was no good, my flashlight died.

When It did, I heard movement ahead and behind me. "Hello?" I whispered. When there were no answer I knew I was in deep trouble, I slowly tried to backtrack, but in full darkness it was difficult.

[Juliana]

Juliana sighed, relieved. There wasn't anything up here. At least as far as she could tell.

Descending the stairs, Juliana felt a bit more at ease. She knew there wasn't anything above their heads in the attic.

When she reached the bottom, she noticed at once that the other girl wasn't there. Maybe she was still searching the basement.

With an uneasy glance down the stairs, her mind kicked into gear. Maybe something had happened. Maybe there was something down there that got her. If that was the case, she would be putting her own survival in danger by going into the basement.

But this girl had saved her life. Shouldn't she return the favor?

With a deep breath, she descended the first few steps. It was nearly pitch black, making the stairs seem like a corridor to Hell. She probably shouldn't have shouted, but she couldn't help it.

"You down here? Find anything?"

[elliehaney]

When I heard the girl's voice, I felt a bit safer but I still knew that if I stayed here I was going to die, I turned to where I heard her shout and I shouted back. "Stay there! Don't move, I'm coming!" And I ran towards the voice as I heard footsteps following me from behind.

After what seemed like minutes I bumped into something, I hoped to God it wasn't a freak but then I heard her voice. "Hey! Watch it!" She said.

I got up and grabbed her wrist and we ran up the stairs, "We need to get out of here!" I ordered and when we were back in the hallway of the house I slamed the door shut.

"I'm pretty sure there's freaks down there." I pointed out, and realised that we didn't even know eachother' names, I turned to her. "Watson, Samantha Watson."

[Juliana]

Juliana nodded. "Juliana. Juliana Canton." She looked back at the basement door. "So we're really not alone in this house, are we?" She wondered aloud, not really expecting an answer. If they weren't, that had been an extremely close call.

Samantha started down the hallway, back towards the garage. Juliana followed close behind, not wanting to run into any stray zombies.

They reached the garage door, and Sam pushed it open. "It's not safe here anymore. Not that it was in the first place." She said, walking towards the truck. "It's not the best idea, but it's our only option. We've got to get out of here."

Juliana nodded. She started towards the truck, then paused. Maybe they could stay here. But only by the means of caution. "Maybe we could barricade the door to the house. And sleep in the truck. Unless there's somewhere else around here you know of. I'd take anything over this."

[elliehaney]

I paused when she asked the question. "There's no where I know of that we can stay, with the amount of gas we have anyways," I admitted. "But we could hide the truck here and camp on a roof. It's your choice."

She shrugged. "Like I said I'll take anything over this."

I pulled out my rifle and opened the garage door. "Stay close." I told her. When we were both outside I closed the door and ran onto the road, not to far from us I saw a gas station with a flat roof. "Let's go there, we can sleep on the roof tonight and get gas tomorrow."

"Good idea." She said.

We ran down the road killing a freak or two on the way, then we reached the gas station, I pulled out my pickaxe ran on the wall and I grapple myself on the edge of the roof with my axe and pulled myself up onto it, I turned around and dropped the axe in front of Juliana.

"Come on!" I told her. "It's easy."

[Juliana]

Juliana picked up the axe questioningly. "If you say so." Holding the axe in one hand, she mirrored the movements Sam had made. After a bit more time than it took Sam to get to the roof, Juliana scrambled up next to her.

"Remind me to never do that again." She said, handing the axe back to Sam. She looked out over the abandoned houses nearby, and sighed. This world had fallen far from what it used to be.

[elliehaney]

I threw my backpack on the roof and layed my head on it. "Night." I told Juliana.

When I woke up, the sun was just starting to rise, I got up and saw Juliana huddle up on the ground, I crouched in front of her and shook her shoulder. "Hey," I said. "Wake up."

Her eyes slowly opened. "We gotta get the gas and get out of here." I told her.

After a few minutes she was up and moving. "Why so early?" She asked.

"You can sleep in the pickup," I told her. "I wanna wake up early for if there's anyone here, we'll be gone before they wake up."

I walked over to the ledge on the roof and slowly climbed down by putting my feet on the ledge of one of the windows and dropping down. Juliana did the same just.. More slowly than I.

I looked around and saw a small cage against the gas station's front wall and in the cage was a shelf with two gas cans, unfortunately the cage was locked. I grabbed my pickaxe and started hacking away at the lock, which made a lot of noise but after six hits the lock broke off, I habded Juliana a gas can and grabbed the other.

"Let's hurry," she said. "The sound might attract unwanted attention."

"You're right, let's go." I said and I ran towards the house has can in one hand and pickaxe in the other.

[Juliana]

Juliana, only a few steps behind Sam, contemplated the possibility of anyone being here. There was a slight chance that someone could be watching them that very moment. And a chance at all is too much to take anything easily.

When they reached the truck, Juliana set the can in the bed of the pickup, while Sam filled the tank a bit with some from her can.

Walking around to the passenger side, she hopped in, feeling a bit more energetic than a few minutes ago. Sam got in a few moments later and started the truck. In a cloud of exhaust, the vehicle took off down the road.

[elliehaney]

Samantha started up the truck and raced down the road, after taking sharp turns and a lot of bumps they finally made it onto the highway. She looked back towards the town and saw dozens of freaks trying to catch them, poor fools didn't even know how to run. After a few minutes Sam took off her backpack and placed it between her and Juliana, she then started rooting through her bag, she remembered that she found a CD in the truck not long ago and she put it somewhere in her bag, a few seconds later, keeping her eyes on the road she found it and read what was written on it with a sharpie "Fav tracks" she shrugged and pop the CD into the radio, a rock song started to play.

"Not bad." She said and turned the volume louder. She then looked at Juliana. "Let's pass time, what's your story? Were you in the city when the virus hit? Or were you somewhere else when you found the military base?" She asked curiously.

[Juliana]

The question Sam asked was reasonable, as they really didn't have anything to do. And it wouldn't hurt to tell somebody about her past. Especially someone like Sam; she seemed trustworthy.

Juliana had to think for a moment before answering. After all, it seemed so long ago since they had running water and electricity. "Well, as you know, it started out with the virus. There were people who thought they could fix it, take it away. And their testing required volunteers. Unfortunately, my parents..." Juliana stared out the window, clenching her jaw. "My parents were among the first to volunteer. And clearly it only made everything worse.

"They arrived home one day, not seeming like themselves. Their eyes were... were glazed over, as if they were dead. I didn't know what to do... why it was happening." She paused, trying to work up the nerve to keep going. "They... They attacked me only a few minutes after they got home, and I knew exactly what had happened. It all seemed so...unreal.

"But I did the only thing I could think of. I knew where my father's gun safe was, and the combination code to open it. I..." She swallowed hard, still staring out the window. "I had to kill them. After that, I took what I needed from the house and left. The streets were already in chaos." The memories of screams and fires flashed before her. "And... and then it died down. You're the first survivor I've actually talked to."

Now, the world was a lonely, godforsaken place. And there seemed to be no end to the fear and disorder now.

[elliehaney]

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Sam. "I too lost my family, but I didn't have to kill them, the virus did that for me..." The radio changed to a country song. "But, I have seen and talked to many survivors, but... Not all of them were friendly, nor did all of them survive. Anyways, you just keep finding something to fight for and survive, that's how I got..." As she said this they could see the train track in the distance Sam slowed the pickup down. "The train's...gone. That's Odd."

She pressed the gas and they continued forward, passing the tracks. About an house later they entered the outskirts of Chicago. Sam slowly drove through the roads. A few minutes later she looked through the rear view mirror and could see an Armored van not to far behind them, on top of the van was a turret, controlled by what she thought was a male survivor.

She bulked in her seatbelt. "Put your seatbelt on, we're being followed." As she said that she gained speed and the van opened fire on them.

Samantha tried to dodge abandoned cars and the bullets coming from the turret. When they reached a crossroad Juliana yelled. "Watch out!"

Sam looked to her left and saw a bus come speeding down the sloping road, it hit the back of the truck and Sam lost control of the vehicle it spiralled out of control and crashed through the wall of a building.

She regained her bearings. "Get out... Quick." She ordered as she un bulked her seat belt. She had a quick glance of the building they were in, a corner store. She quickly made her way to the counter, jumped over it and took cover. As the sound of the turret came back, she pulled out her rifle and took aim seeing if she could shoot the person on the turret from one of the windows.

"You think you can just steal my shit and get away with it?!" Yelled a voice from outside. "I spent months collect that stuff, if I have to kill you to get it back, than so be it!l

[Juliana]

Crouched behind the counter next to Ellie, Juliana swore. She'd known that such a big stash would've already been claimed. But that didn't matter now. She doubted whoever was trying to mow them down with bullets would listen to anything. Probably not even a surrender.

But that didn't mean they couldn't try.

Juliana turned to Ellie, who'd gotten out her rifle and taken aim over the counter. "We'd be crazy if we didn't give this lunatic back their stash!" She shouted over the thunderous sound of the turret. "We either hand it over or die trying to defend it! We can't go against a turret!"

Clearly, their rival had resources; a bus and a turret? They definitely had their share of defenses.