AM13 Outbreak Shorts

Crackdown - Nineteen

"How are we going to get in?" Rhys hisses to me.

I can feel Danny shaking his head too on the other side of me. I know what the both of them are thinking, this does seem impossible, but that doesn't mean we can't do it. We have to!

I don't dare look behind me to see Jordan's reaction. Even talk of a refugee camp didn't inspire him to crack a smile, so I know he doesn't want to be here. I don't want to send him away but it might come to that point in the end.

Still, that really isn't the most important thing right now. I'm not worried about him.

"Oh, look!" Danny points behind the building. "That looks like a way in."

He's right, and I don't even take a second to consider it. if we've spotted it, it might not be long until the infected get there so we just need to go while the opportunity is there. Get in and hope we can all get out again. I hear footsteps behind me, but I don't turn to look who it is.

I rattle the door, shaking it hard because it hasn't been opened for a very long time. For a heart-stopping moment I think it might not budge, but thankfully after making a racket it does.

"Hello?" I yell, desperation lacing my tone. "Is anyone here? Where are you all?"

"Who's that?" Relief swallows me up as someone answers. I did fear they might've picked up and left, so I wouldn't know where they are. I suppose it's not better they're here really, but at least I can find them and we'll be together soon. "Oliver? Is that you?"

"It's me, it's me, I'm coming!"

Rachael flies around the corner and breathes out a sigh as she spots me. "Oh, thank God. Have you seen it out there? It's like a scene from a horror movie."

I let out a bitter laugh at her remark. "The whole world is a horror movie at the moment, didn't you know?"

She rolls her eyes at me. "You know what I mean. How are we supposed to get out?"

"I don't know, but we need to. There's a camp nearby, a refugee camp. We all need to get there and do so immediately before we get even more surrounded..." I see Rachael look behind me which causes me to turn too. "Oh, this is Danny, the person who told me about the camp..."

"And you trust him?" She rakes her fingers angrily though her hair. "Are you sure about that?"

I pause for just a second to consider her words, to wonder if I should be more cautious, but then I shake my head rapidly. "We don't have time to worry about that right now, we just need to get going. This place is only going to get worse, so no matter what we do next we need to leave."

Rachael can agree with that. She nods and snaps into action. I can almost see her physically bracing herself to become an important person in all this. Thank God. "Okay, I'll tell everyone. I'll get everyone into action. We've all been gathering up our stuff ready to go anyway."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Danny asks timidly. "I know you might not trust me but I am the person who knows about this refugee camp. Just in case anyone has any questions?"

Rachael gives me a look and I nod. I think it's great he wants to do that, it'll really help to smooth things over. I have something I need to do alone anyway, someone I want to see by myself, so this is my time to do so.

Yes, my timing isn't ideal, I'll admit that, but once we're out there on the road, there's no telling what will happen. I need to tell Katie once and for all that I love her. I don't know what she'll say back, but I need to know I tried. I have to give it my all.