We're Still Alive(Book1)BEING REWRITTEN

Seventy-Two

Lynn sped into the lot, allowing Gavin to shoot the remaining attackers and the zombies that accompanied them. Matt and Wes were doing the same, though they were trying to take it easier with all of the supplies in the pickup. They drove as close to the mall as they could, just as Joe ran out.

   "We're leaving!" He didn't even stop to say it, just yelled it to them as he ran by. Gavin jumped out of the hummer to get a better look around him. Most of the group was outside now. Martine was climbing into the pickup that pulled the horse trailer, and Paige was loading Cobalt into the back. Buddy sat quietly in the bed. Ella shot a zombie that ran out of the mall, and it was dead before it hit the ground. Looking at her, Gavin noticed the pain and anger practically written on her face, but he didn't say anything.

   Renee came out soon after, followed by Jay, Avery, and Ben. Gavin ran up to her.

   "What happened?"

   She motioned to the new vehicles scattered around the lot. "They said they'd give us a week. Then they showed up today, about twenty minutes ago..." Her voice broke. "Tom's dead. They shot through the glass and the doors, so there's no point in staying anymore."

   "Where's Cora?" He felt bad about Tom, but at the same time, they barely knew each other. His death didn't have the same effect on Gavin as it did Renee.

   "She and Casey after helping Jared out. He was shot, but the bullet only grazed him."

   "They're still inside?" Paige was beside them now. "Is anyone with them?"

   "No, I don't think so. They just said they'd follow us out here." Renee's voice was quieter than normal. And even though she was talking, she had a blank look on her face and didn't look directly at either one of them.

   "Renee, come help with this stuff!" Adam called from the pickup truck that he, Matt, and Wes were gathered around. They were dividing the supplies to other trucks. Renee went off to join them, and Gavin and Paige ran inside.

   They saw the three right away, making slow progress down the stairs. Gavin ran to help them while Paige held a pistol ready. He didn't know what happened to her bow, but he didn't have time to ask. They finally  made it to the bottom of the stairs and had started moving forward when they heard yelling and shooting outside. Above all of it came the screeching and growling of zombies. They picked up the pace, and when they got outside, the hummer had been moved closer to the other trucks. Everyone was loading up, except for Allison, who was sitting on the ground with Adam's head resting on her lap. New bodies surrounded them. Gavin could make out the bite mark on Adam's neck and the gun that Allison slowly raised to his head. He looked at Paige, who was fixed on the sight. Tears ran down her face as Allison pulled the trigger.

   "Okay, let's go-" He was cut off when a second gunshot came from the same direction, and Paige covered her mouth in an attempt to hide a scream. Looking back at Allison, he saw that she was now slumped over Adam with blood flowing from her head and the gun in her limp hand. "Let's get out of here!" He let the girls get Jared while he ushered Paige forward. He practically dragged her to one of their pickups. The supplies had been split between the jeep, which held Joe, Renee, Ella, Miles, and Lynn, and the hummer, trailer and a pickup . In the truck with the trailer was Martine, Avery, Ben, Jay, and Mica, who sat in the bed with Buddy. Matt, Atlas, Wes, Louis, and Max were in the humvee. Allison and Adam's bodies were next to the empty pickup, so

Gavin assumed they planned on taking it. Instead, it was him, along with Paige, Jared, Cora, Casey, and Aydin. He followed Paige into the bed of the truck, as Jared laying down took up the back seats. Casey drove while Cora started climbing into the passenger's seat. Before she could get in completely, a zombie dashed out from behind the Semi. Gavin didn't recognize the zombie, but it looked like it had changed recently; the only blood on its body was from a bite, which had taken a chunk from his neck. The rest of its clothes were relatively clean.

   The thing had barely grabbed Cora's foot and pulled her away from the truck before Aydin grabbed it and pulled it away. He shook his head, tearing its arm apart, then moved up and started biting at its head. Gavin jumped out as another one came at her, but Mica beat him to it. He was out of his truck and shot the approaching zombie. Others started running into the lot, and now almost everyone was shooting. Jay was yelling at Mica, trying to call him back to the truck. Mica ignored his friend and walked further from the truck. He fired until his gun was empty, then dropped the magazine, loaded a new one, and shot again. Gavin tried to cover him, but it was hard with all the zombies flooding in, and he had to get back into the truck to defend it. The jeep and hummer were already leaving, and when Gavin turned to face Mica again,she watched him fire his last shot on himself, and Martine also left. Casey was quick to follow. She made it onto the main street, but

instead of turning left to follow the group, she had to turn right to avoid the swarm of zombies separating them. Gavin shot at the ones following their truck while Paige went for the ones chasing the rest of the group; mainly, the ones going after Cobalt's trailer. When they were out of range, she helped Gavin.

   They went on for what felt like hours but could have only been minutes. Gavin wasn't paying attention. He moved automatically, shooting any zombie that got close to their truck. After getting a safe distance away from the mall, they decided to double back and look for the rest of their group. Of course, no one was there except for the remaining zombies that were still scavenging for leftovers. They killed those, then continued down the road. They tried to find the others, but they could only guess on what turns to take and eventually gave up. They decided to stop and check their inventory, then find out what to do next.

   "We've got enough food to last us at least a few weeks." Gavin said as he went through their supplies. "Plenty of weapons, ammo to go with them, and there's those two gas cans we picked up a while ago. I think we can last a while on these."

   "Where are we going?" Casey asked. She was sitting in the passenger's seat of the truck so she could keep an eye on Jared, but left the door open. It was safe enough in the little garage, so those two were the only ones in the truck. Everyone, save Jared, turned to look at Gavin.

   "Why are you all looking at me?" He asked. "I don't know. I don't even have an idea."

   "We're leaving the city." It was the first time Paige had spoken since they left. "We should go to a less populated area. Less people and less zombies." She looked at Gavin first, then at the others.

   "It's a good idea." Cora said quietly. She had also been quiet for most of the ride.

   "It's settled then." Casey pulled her legs into the truck and shut the door. "But I'm not driving."

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It's done! Finally! I'll get started on the second one as soon as possible! Please vote and comment if you liked the book! Thanks to the awesome readers that stayed with me! You guys are awesome!