Status: Still alive.
The Future Ain't So Bulletproof
ARRIVAL
I was driving for around six hours before I found any kind of civilisation. In that time I didn't run into any other living thing.
The scenery around me began to change as I neared a residential area; the flat, lifeless sands were turning into dry mud with the odd plant managing to force it's way through the baked surface and into the sunlight. The road was becoming less bumpy and evidence of regular maintenance became apparent. My heart jumped into my throat as I realised where I was - Route Guano, the road that connected all of the zones around Battery City, ending in the capital itself.
Due to the lack of patrolling Dracs, I guessed that I was nowhere near Zone One or Battery City, but heading towards another, unimportant area of civilisation, one where Korse's zombies resided. I still couldn't relax, however, as all of the towns still had security in place.
The car kept speeding along the road and, just before midday, the tops of tall apartment blocks crept over the horizon. As I headed closer to Zombieville, I realised the extent of the trouble I could easily get myself into; I was on my way to one of the country's few remaining cities, the most heavily guarded of all the residential areas in Korse's America, excluding Battery City, of course.
I slowed my driving down to an acceptable speed and closed in on the city border, spotting a BLi van straight away. To my relief, it seemed to be empty, but I did not drop my guard.
I had planned to stock up on some supplies whilst on the road, but I was now having second thoughts. Small towns are easy to get away from, but a huge urban area like this, with Draculoids patrolling the border? I would be signing my own death certificate.
The tall, grey, uniform buildings loomed over me sooner than I would have liked, and before long I had passed into the city. I drove through the streets calmly, keeping the tinted windows up despite the blistering heat. My plan was to make a beeline for the opposite side of the city and not stop until I was well out of the reach of it's guards.
The grey streets seemed endless - I must have been driving for about an hour. Maybe I was going in circles, except that I didn't recognise any of the buildings I was passing. Maybe I was going in circles where the scenery was ever-changing...
The zombies walking the streets paid me no attention as I drove about in my ordinary car, keeping to an ordinary speed. Although, their minds were probably so damaged that they would notice even if I was flying down the streets at 120. It made me sad, seeing all of the people who had succumbed to Korse's propaganda, but then I reminded myself that they either did not want to fight it, or didn't have the will power to do so. They got themselves into that situation.
As I thought about how close the border was, a fuel station emerged from the gloomy, narrow streets.
"I must be nearly out now," I muttered to myself. If that was the case, I would be able to make a quick getaway from the store. I'd successfully talked myself into shop lifting in a city, something I knew was very stupid and reckless, but I may not come across another store for a thousand miles.
I pulled in to my left and parked in front of the fuel pump. Rummaging around under my seat, I pulled out a mother of pearl masquerade mask and slipped it over my head; yes, it would give me away as an outlaw, but I couldn't be recognised, I couldn't risk a price on my head; bounty hunters were ruthless these days. Opening the door, I stepped out confidently and ambled over to the fuel pump, making sure to keep my head down and in shadow. I filled the car rather hurriedly, not bothering to look at the meter. Once I was satisfied the tank was full enough to last me until the next town, I replaced the pump and, with a confident swagger, entered the shop.
A little bell rang somewhere above my head as I pulled the door open and I cringed, looking away from the counter and towards the refrigerators. The noise had attracted the shop keepers attention, as was it's purpose, and he looked up towards me. I ignored him and pulled a shopping cart away from the wall, heading towards the shelves of bottled water. Casually, I started placing bottles in the cart. I would have looked like an innocent shopper, if it wasn't for the number of bottles of water I was actually adding to the shopping cart. After picking up about twenty litres of water, I strolled over to the cans and packets of dry food and started piling them up, not bothering to look at what they were. I made a conscious effort to get cheese crackers and chips and then stopped in front of a shelf full of fruit, picked up a single apple and placed it on top of everything else. It had been too long since I'd had anything other than carbohydrates.
The bell rang again and a tall woman wearing the usual plain brown BLi clothes walked in. I turned my head away and watched her reflection in the glass of the refrigerator doors. She walked straight up to the counter and engaged the scrutinising shop keeper in conversation. I sighed quietly in relief and made my way back over to the drinks fridge by the door.
The two zombies were happily chatting away, it seemed the woman was looking for something, and the store owner was more than happy (if you could call it that) to help her. My heart raced as my chance opened up. I heard footsteps moving away from me as the two people disappeared behind a shelf and I seized my chance. Gripping the shopping cart tightly, I lined myself up and ran headlong into the door. The front of the cart collided with the metal and the door was forced open.
I knew I didn't have long before the people in the store realised what was happening so I ploughed on forward, not bothering to look behind me. I put my weight on my heels to stop the cart before I collided with the car, rushed to open the door and then started piling the supplies onto the back seat. I heard shouting and became aware that there was no time. I backtracked and pushed the shopping cart into the seat, tipping it up and emptying the contents into the car. A few bottles and cans fell to the floor and started rolling away but I had no time to retrieve them. I gave the cart a powerful push and it began rolling away to my left. I then slammed the door of the car, hurried around to the other side and threw myself into the front seat.
Hoping that it would start first time, I slammed the key into the ignition and turned it. Thankfully, the engine roared to life and I reversed jerkily out of the fuel station, just before the zombies managed to reach my car.
I had to get out of here fast. The Dracs had probably already been alerted of my presence in this city and would be looking for me right now. I sped up, hoping the city border was close and hoping that what I'd done wasn't going to be the end of me.
The scenery around me began to change as I neared a residential area; the flat, lifeless sands were turning into dry mud with the odd plant managing to force it's way through the baked surface and into the sunlight. The road was becoming less bumpy and evidence of regular maintenance became apparent. My heart jumped into my throat as I realised where I was - Route Guano, the road that connected all of the zones around Battery City, ending in the capital itself.
Due to the lack of patrolling Dracs, I guessed that I was nowhere near Zone One or Battery City, but heading towards another, unimportant area of civilisation, one where Korse's zombies resided. I still couldn't relax, however, as all of the towns still had security in place.
The car kept speeding along the road and, just before midday, the tops of tall apartment blocks crept over the horizon. As I headed closer to Zombieville, I realised the extent of the trouble I could easily get myself into; I was on my way to one of the country's few remaining cities, the most heavily guarded of all the residential areas in Korse's America, excluding Battery City, of course.
I slowed my driving down to an acceptable speed and closed in on the city border, spotting a BLi van straight away. To my relief, it seemed to be empty, but I did not drop my guard.
I had planned to stock up on some supplies whilst on the road, but I was now having second thoughts. Small towns are easy to get away from, but a huge urban area like this, with Draculoids patrolling the border? I would be signing my own death certificate.
The tall, grey, uniform buildings loomed over me sooner than I would have liked, and before long I had passed into the city. I drove through the streets calmly, keeping the tinted windows up despite the blistering heat. My plan was to make a beeline for the opposite side of the city and not stop until I was well out of the reach of it's guards.
The grey streets seemed endless - I must have been driving for about an hour. Maybe I was going in circles, except that I didn't recognise any of the buildings I was passing. Maybe I was going in circles where the scenery was ever-changing...
The zombies walking the streets paid me no attention as I drove about in my ordinary car, keeping to an ordinary speed. Although, their minds were probably so damaged that they would notice even if I was flying down the streets at 120. It made me sad, seeing all of the people who had succumbed to Korse's propaganda, but then I reminded myself that they either did not want to fight it, or didn't have the will power to do so. They got themselves into that situation.
As I thought about how close the border was, a fuel station emerged from the gloomy, narrow streets.
"I must be nearly out now," I muttered to myself. If that was the case, I would be able to make a quick getaway from the store. I'd successfully talked myself into shop lifting in a city, something I knew was very stupid and reckless, but I may not come across another store for a thousand miles.
I pulled in to my left and parked in front of the fuel pump. Rummaging around under my seat, I pulled out a mother of pearl masquerade mask and slipped it over my head; yes, it would give me away as an outlaw, but I couldn't be recognised, I couldn't risk a price on my head; bounty hunters were ruthless these days. Opening the door, I stepped out confidently and ambled over to the fuel pump, making sure to keep my head down and in shadow. I filled the car rather hurriedly, not bothering to look at the meter. Once I was satisfied the tank was full enough to last me until the next town, I replaced the pump and, with a confident swagger, entered the shop.
A little bell rang somewhere above my head as I pulled the door open and I cringed, looking away from the counter and towards the refrigerators. The noise had attracted the shop keepers attention, as was it's purpose, and he looked up towards me. I ignored him and pulled a shopping cart away from the wall, heading towards the shelves of bottled water. Casually, I started placing bottles in the cart. I would have looked like an innocent shopper, if it wasn't for the number of bottles of water I was actually adding to the shopping cart. After picking up about twenty litres of water, I strolled over to the cans and packets of dry food and started piling them up, not bothering to look at what they were. I made a conscious effort to get cheese crackers and chips and then stopped in front of a shelf full of fruit, picked up a single apple and placed it on top of everything else. It had been too long since I'd had anything other than carbohydrates.
The bell rang again and a tall woman wearing the usual plain brown BLi clothes walked in. I turned my head away and watched her reflection in the glass of the refrigerator doors. She walked straight up to the counter and engaged the scrutinising shop keeper in conversation. I sighed quietly in relief and made my way back over to the drinks fridge by the door.
The two zombies were happily chatting away, it seemed the woman was looking for something, and the store owner was more than happy (if you could call it that) to help her. My heart raced as my chance opened up. I heard footsteps moving away from me as the two people disappeared behind a shelf and I seized my chance. Gripping the shopping cart tightly, I lined myself up and ran headlong into the door. The front of the cart collided with the metal and the door was forced open.
I knew I didn't have long before the people in the store realised what was happening so I ploughed on forward, not bothering to look behind me. I put my weight on my heels to stop the cart before I collided with the car, rushed to open the door and then started piling the supplies onto the back seat. I heard shouting and became aware that there was no time. I backtracked and pushed the shopping cart into the seat, tipping it up and emptying the contents into the car. A few bottles and cans fell to the floor and started rolling away but I had no time to retrieve them. I gave the cart a powerful push and it began rolling away to my left. I then slammed the door of the car, hurried around to the other side and threw myself into the front seat.
Hoping that it would start first time, I slammed the key into the ignition and turned it. Thankfully, the engine roared to life and I reversed jerkily out of the fuel station, just before the zombies managed to reach my car.
I had to get out of here fast. The Dracs had probably already been alerted of my presence in this city and would be looking for me right now. I sped up, hoping the city border was close and hoping that what I'd done wasn't going to be the end of me.