Day 14: Lying in Wait

Group 2: Katrina, Troy, Dominic, Mathew, Ryan, Aisha
Location: Police Station

Aisha stood there, palms sweating, heart pounding, watching Ryan and Troy struggling to hold back the mounting horde. Dominic and the others had pushed tables in front of the doors to relieve some of the strain, but it was obvious the exertion was taking a physical toll. Their faces contorted in pain as the monsters on the other side threw their rotting bodies against the door again and again.

“This isn’t going to hold for very long!” Troy said, backing up a little as Mathew placed a heavy filing cabinet in front of the growing barricade. “We need to find another way!”

“We need to take some out,” Ryan suggested. “Loosen the tension.”

“Ryan’s right,” Katrina agreed. “Dom, remember how we took out the door at the convenience store? It’s the same concept. We need to get them back. Line bodies at the front to keep the others from getting close.”

“We had guns at the store, Kat. Molotov cocktails and enough ammo to keep us sustained. All of our stuff is outside.”

“Then we get it!” she said, stepping away from the door. “I didn’t fight this hard against those monsters out there only to starve to death now or to let them corner me until they eventually break in and rip us apart!”

“She’s right. And if what Aisha said is true, there’s still more heading this way,” Mat added. “We need to get to those trucks before that happens.”

“Fine,” Dominic sighed. He knew they were both right. He also knew no one would be up to the task. With limited ammo and a lot of heavy equipment to get into the building it was a dangerous gambit. “Mat and I will go. We can keep Ryan and Troy here at the door, make sure they don’t break through the barricade before we get back. Kat, you and Aisha look for more stuff to keep this area protected. If you find some way of boarding it up, even better.”

Katrina nodded and led Aisha from the room. Grabbing a handgun from the duffel bag she’d brought inside, she gestured for the teen to stay behind her but follow close. They moved back along the stairs and towards the main office. Pushing against a closed door, Katrina tried desperately to pry it open but to no avail. The door wasn’t locked, but something was blocking it.

The smell of blood and viscera drifted through the metal causing them both to suppress their gag reflexes. Aisha’s stomach lurched and Katrina could tell she would be sick if she continued behind her. Motioning for her to remain put, Katrina continued forward, searching for another way inside. Gazing over the partition, she quickly located the source of the foul stench; a woman, likely a desk sergeant from the way she was dressed, was lying against the door. The lower half of her body was partially disintegrated and rats were feeding off of her rotting flesh.

At first she was set to ignore it and keep searching the rest of the building for more material, but something caught her eye. Something glinted beside the woman’s left hand that, if they were lucky, would be their answer to everything.

Dominic scanned the street outside, searching for signs of the undead. Nothing. Nothing except for the warm glow of the sun splashing its rays across the pavement, the road, highlighting the destruction that took place over night. Beaming over the smashed and abandoned cars and the bodies rotting out in the heat. His breathing was short and shallow, fast like his heartbeat which pulsed powerfully in his ears as he prepared himself for what he had to do. Mat and the others would be safe inside. He, on the other hand, would be faced with the possibility of never seeing another sunrise.

Barely able to breathe, he clutched the handle to the door, threatening to tear it from the frame. “You ready for this?” Mat asked, situating himself inside the stairwell. He was positioned in such a way to systematically dismantle any threat that would approach Dominic while leaving him room to get in and out of the building.

“No. But that doesn’t matter at this point. It has to be done. You better be good with that thing. If something gets me, I’m coming back to personally chew a hole in your ass.”

“I got your six, Dominic, don’t worry about that.”

Dominic bit his tongue. He wasn’t about to tell the man what he thought of him while he had to count on him to keep him alive. And thanks to Troy’s curiosity they were stuck together through this mess. It was time they learned whether or not their new friends could be trusted. With a deep breath, he pulled the door open and started to creep out into the parking lot, listening carefully for any unwelcomed intruders. By the time he reached the military transport, his heart was beating so hard he could feel his pulse in every part of his body. Stepping near the back, he took in three deep breaths, preparing himself for the work ahead.

---------------------------------------------------

*Author’s note: You may have noticed the lack of pictures. Yep. I was betting on you being in a sugar coma by this time of night (or other vice) so you wouldn’t, BUT, it’s not Halloween yet. Well, there’s a great explanation for this. And I’d tell you but what fun would that be? Ok, ok. The game was not cooperating, alright? Stop looking at me like that. I tried. I did. And like previous nights I knew it would run late (yep, that’s why 8 starting time is more like 10). I think there is a gremlin inside my machine and it’s causing all sorts of trouble. It takes a full hour to load my game. And then most times it freezes on startup and well…we get 10pm EST post nights. Anyway, just want to let you know why things have been slow on my end and apologize. It sucks. But I am seeing this thing through, like always. Thanks for your understanding!*

Continue----> (Clicking this continues the story in order. If you would like to move to the next part of this group’s story. Click the # below.)

#5---->

---------------------------------------

The polls are now open. Vote for your chance to control the action! Remember, you can add your own choice to the plot through the comments section or the poll below. Polls close at 12 noon EST tomorrow and reopen at 8 pm EST.