The Immune

6. A Maze

We ate our tinned food In the silence of the small cramped room. The blinds were lowered, the windows shut. The only sounds were the scrapes of our utensils against the metal of the can. Jax and Jeremy were taking the first watch, leaving Will, Brooke and the other guy alone.
I ate slowly, pondering the sludge that I was meant to eat. Lifting the spoon, I watched in horror as the dollop hesitated before slapping back into the tin can.
" You need to eat. Keep your strength up", said will,
" Easy for you to say. Your can had fruit in it. Where I, I was given some type of blended barn yard animal slush" I set the can down. The old paper label had long ago faded, the bleached paper alluding to a sort of surprise for dinner. 
He let out a bark of laughter
"Luck I swear. Can't tell the difference between 'em. It is a nice surprise every meal"
We drifted into silence. I played with the food a little more, managing to eat a bit - i think it at one stage been some for of kidney bean mix.
Brooke had been roused to eat. She ate barely a third before feeling sick. She was asleep in the corner.
The guy with the broken arm was sitting with his can between his legs, spooning out what looked to be mushed apple.
" I'll tell you a trick kids." he said between a mouthful.
" shake the can before you open it. You may just learn to distinguish between canned corn, and beans, and dare I say it, canned peaches" he laughed before continuing his meal. The light-hearted conversation continued on in the soft lamplight, easing minds and softening hearts.

It wasn't long before we went to bed. I lay awake, thinking back on the last day and a bit. Everything had changed. Dad was gone - my light, my guide. My brothers were out of reach, Hopefully for not too long. Lily - A few tears escaped my eyes- God, Please be dead, Please not be one of them. In the dark I finally released the pent up grief, the frustration, tears of rage, of pain, releasing finally in a wave of emotion I was unable to control. I needed to be strong -my driving desperate need now, was finding my brothers, and being there for them, and what our future would bring. 

I drifted off, utterly exhausted
--
"Hey...wake up" I felt a booted foot nudge my shoulder. With eyes groggy, I looked up to see Jax above me. Any weariness fled upon seeing him standing there, with his full combat gear.
"I'm up"
I sat up slowly cringing at the pain under my ribs. That pain compared little to the pain of remembering my now broken family. Would I wake up like this, everyday? With a heavy ache in my chest and the urge to cry.
" Ashlyn. We're moving out. Get your shoes on. We are all waiting."
He watched me closely. Analysing me. I tied my hair and put on my shoes, leading the way downstairs to the foyer.
"What's the plan Jax?" said Brooke, her face determined.
" Okay. It's not going to be easy. But one of the only safe sites in the city is the Georgia state capitol building." he removed a map from his pack. Outlining the location of the building. " It has like, a gold plated roof. Looks kinda like the white house. Classical architecture. You can't miss it. This target, can be fortified, and contains resources vital for us making contact with the compound. As soon as we get there, we can radio in, long distance, they can have a chopper on the way within the half hour. We have to go through the suburbs and the city to reach our destination. So we need to be alert, and prepared for when, not if,we come across them."
The group was quiet, contemplating.
" Will,take flank. Jeremy up front with me. Derek and Brooke, watch Ashlyn. Alright let's go"
The group cautiously walked back into the world, leaving the safety of the small house behind.

The morning sun grew higher in the sky, stinging rays beating down, baking the pavement.

The houses, damaged and overgrown, spoke of the horror that had happened in the suburbs. Cars were left stalled, steel carcasses  of bodies now mummified. Street lights had fallen down, electric cables gently blowing in the hot breeze. Years of garbage lay decaying in gutters, forming a petrified mush of the old human ways. It seemed like a museum or sorts, a sad snapshot of a life I can barely remember living.
That was until we stumbled upon a fresh deer carcass in the middle of an intersection.
The body contained nothing more than bone with little pulpy mess. The blood was still wet, leaving marks on the concrete.
Jax saw the body first. We hid behind the cover of a house a few buildings back, the area looked quiet and still. That was until a group of ravaged emerged, attracted by the smell of blood and gore.
"We can't go this way. We'll have to double back"
The morning continued this way. The zombies were everywhere, as Jax cautiously tried to lead us through the maze like formation of replica houses.
Nature had begun to take back what was hers - what humans had been destroying. The houses were beginning to crumble, the gardens were growing tall and languid. The roads were cracked and decaying, allowing plants to grow through.
A wind chime tinkled nearby on what was left of a porch. The scent of incoming rain was growing heavy in the air.
Jax raised a gloved fist, making a stopping motion. He turned, his eyes searching.
He pointed to his ear, a gesture for us all to quieten and listen intently as he pointed forward, indicating where he heard the sound emanate. We huddled, barely breathing,  ears listening for the slightest sounds, eyes searching for the slightest movement.
"There!" Derek whispered. He pointed behind us, down the street where I too spotted a flicker of movement. Another distant moan from that direction told us he was right.
Our group started moving quickly, not even needing directions. They may be in front, and they are definitely behind us.
We jogged, clutching gear to chests, attempting to keep as quiet as possible as we cut left through a side alley.
Brooke started to lag, her face growing pale and her forehead beaded with sweat. I grabbed her arm, pulling her close.
She merely nodded a quick thanks.
Jax brought our group to a halt, indicating that there were now zombies now somehow infront of us, past the next corner.
He led us up the side of one of the houses, and through the back yard. The back fence had a gate that led to an alleyway behind. Jeremy quickly surveyed the street, motioning us to move  forward with speed. One side was blocked by an overturned vehicle. Over the steel frame, I could see figures approaching.
The back alley opened up onto a carpark. The old cars were covered in a layer of rust, their disintegrating forms creating a maze. Our group was jogging steadily through packed rows.
I didn't see the grill, didn't see the raised edge of cement. I tripped heavily, I couldn't right myself, especially whilst supporting an entire person. I fell and brought Brooke with me. My head slammed into the pavement, making my head spin. Brooke landed on her injured leg, whimpering.
" Shit" i exclaimed as the air left my lungs in a huff. I could feel blood spread down my forehead, as my vision swam before me. I tried to raise myself, but couldn't seem to right myself.
A hand grabbed my arm, and I looked up to see Will above us. He stopped at the sight of the blood, reaching his other hand to sweep the river away and examine the wound. His concerned face and warm hand shocked me.
I was about to say something when I heard the pound of footsteps from behind us. The others in front were no where in sight, having not seen us fall, they must have continued on into the maze of cars. A low snarl accompanied more footsteps. My heart almost stopped.
Will and I shared a panicked look. My heart began thundering. What were we going to do. They'd find us.
Will held a finger to his lips, urging me for silence. He pointed to the gap under the blue four wheel drive next to us. He moved, pushing Brooke's now unconscious body under the blue car.
The running steps were closer.
He grabbed my arm, pulling me down next to him as he slid under the parallel green car. I followed, heart thudding anxiously.
There were many sets of running footsteps now.
I focused on the dirty underside of the carriage, as I tried to focus my dizzying vision. I unashamedly gripped tightly onto Will's arm, waiting for a shout , a snarl, a scream to announce we had been found.

A group of eight sprinted past, their snarls ripping through the quiet, their heavy feet slamming against the pavement.

 Another eight. 

Another four. 

They zigzagged through the maze. Then came the slower ones. The ones just walking,or the one too injured to run. They calmly walked through, letting the stench of death and decay permeate the air. Terminal human injuries didn't stop the ravaged, it merely slowed their progress, making them more sneaky and surprising.
The steady stream of zombies passed by without interruption.
There had been no gunfire, no shouts for help - i could only assume the others escaped.
The zombies talked.
"hurmmmh huutasttee...meat"
A gun fired, the bang resonating in the quiet of the neighbourhood. I had spoken too soon.
The zombies jerked to attention, picking up the pace as they went in the direction of the sound - past the parking lot, and to the north. Will seemed to stiffen,and shifted to get out from under the car.
"Stop. What are you doing? You can't help them." I angrily whispered, pulling on his arm.
" Jeremy is my brother. I have to help him" he said, a look of anguish overtook his face.
We stopped talking as a zombie passed.
" Jax will take care of him. He knows what he is doing" I felt his pain, and his sorrow. " It most likely is a distraction technique - the others realised we got separated - did you notice how there was only one shot? - to draw the ravaged away from our location." he merely nodded in response. He knew that is what it should mean, he was just letting his grief and anxiety get to him. He nodded again, as though  convincing himself. 

"We wait"
So we waited.