Sequel: Static Screams
Status: bloody

White Noise

Standoff

In the zombie movies and shows I’d seen before my life became the worst movie ever, I never noticed anyone as prepared as the seven of us. Even before we grouped up, our two separate groups were organized and put together. Having to panic and quickly leave didn’t mean we were any less ordered. The van was tightly packed with stacks of suitcases, a couple bags of food, a pack and a half of water, and seven bodies.

As we’d packed up and bailed on the house Hol and I had decided we needed to find a way back the way my original group had come. We had to move quickly, and we had to make a large swing around to miss the horde. If we acted like we were swinging back around to where we’d come from, hopefully we’d find a way to miss The Zombie Convention entirely.

Holland was behind the wheel. He knew the area the best. Lila was in the passenger seat, buckled in. Peter, Natalie, and Sasha were in the front row, and Darren was in the back, watching behind us through the suitcases. I was crouched between the front seats, a map on top of a cooler, a pencil and a neon pink sharpie in my hands. I was doing math with the gas mileage the van said we had left, and the best way to get us out of here.

Again, prepared.

Holland swung us out of the housing development and headed the opposite way we’d come in the day he’d saved us.

“I think the best way to get around the horde, is to go down this road for a couple miles, take a right on 132. Then go down until we’re at a quarter of a tank, about three hours, and exit. We can find a safe spot to stretch, hopefully find some gas, and continue.”

“Alright, boss.” Holland maneuvered around a wandering zombie, and went on.

When we hit 132, I leaned back onto Natalie, and let my legs unfurl from under me. She got a brush out from her pack, pulled my hair from behind me, and started brushing out the knots. I quickly nodded off.

***

We pulled over after three and a half hours on the road, and piled out of the van. Everyone went to the bathroom and took turns taking ten minute naps. The small house we’d found had two beds, and a large fenced in backyard.

While everyone napped I headed into the yard. My bow and arrow skills were faltering after not being used or practiced for two weeks. I set up a couple stuffed animals at different intervals and heights and then stood at the house, nocking an arrow.

I’d missed once, and hit six when I felt a hand on my back. I jumped away and whirled, aiming my arrow at the sudden appearance.

Holland held his hands up. “Woah, Katniss.” He laughed a little.

I sighed deeply and aimed the bow at the ground below me. “You don’t just sneak up on someone in the fucking zombie apocalypse, Hol.”

“Sorry, sorry. I was just coming to get you so you can get some rest before we hit the road again.”

I nodded and stretched. “Thanks. I could use a few minutes of sleep.”

“Scar, listen.” Holland started, taking a deep breath. “Ryan wasn’t your fault.” I frowned and started to disagree. “Like you just said, it’s the apocalypse, Scarlett. We live every day knowing it could be the last one. Which sounds like some really stupid Hallmark shit. But it’s true.”

Again, I nodded. “I’ll be better prepared from now on.”

“We couldn’t be more prepared if we tried, man.” Holland shrugged. “I know you’ve lost people, Scar. I know you wouldn’t risk anyone’s life, and I know you didn’t risk Ryan’s.”

“I’m still so sorry, Hol.”

“I know.” He gave me a small smile. “Me too.”

***

“Wow, I can’t wait to be super pregnant in zombie land.” Lila grumbled as she trudged along beside Holland.

“Good movie.” Holland said, head on a swivel as we walked.

“Not particularly.” She disagreed.

“It gave some good tips! Especially double tap. Never assume the stinkbag is dead.” Lila merely shook her head in response. Holland seemed to take this to mean continue.

As we walked Peter and Holland talked about the good points that Zombie Land had made.

My ears twitched and I stopped walking. “What is it, Scar?” Sasha asked, appearing at my side. Everyone quit walking, and I turned around to stare up the hill we’d just come down.

“A car. Move.” Moving quickly, we all ran to one side of the road, hiding in trees and brush. A large heavy-duty truck appeared at the top of the hill. I shifted in my crouch, waiting. That is, until I heard the familiar crunch of leaves and the scent of the dead. I whirled around to find two of the fuckers shuffling towards us. “Shit.”

“Go. Go!” I shouted, jumping up from the ground and yanking my bow from around me. I quickly nocked an arrow and dispatched one of them. Darren ran at the second, hatchet in hand. He grabbed my arrow for me and we turned back towards the street. The truck had stopped and now there were four people piling from it, guns raised at my friends.

I emerged from the trees, replacing my bow and the arrow as I walked. I waved towards the group standing in front of the truck. One man scowled at me and shifted in his stance. I ignored the other two men and focused my gaze on the small blonde girl with a lollipop in her mouth. Definitely their leader. Her face was dirty and her upper left side was splattered with blood.

I couldn’t help but be jealous of her apocalyptic fashion. She looked like a badass.

I waved at her again. “Hi there. Is there a problem?” She didn’t respond, just took a few steps towards us, her eyes falling on the arrows slung over my shoulder. I hated fellow survivors. I hated them. People took advantage of the apocalypse to murder, pillage, and attack. Didn’t matter if their fellow humans were dead or alive for some people. Did it matter for these people?

“Listen, the last time someone aimed a gun at us, it didn’t end well. For us, or for them. Please put them down and let’s just talk.” I was coming off cool and collected, but was fighting myself in my head. Holland was shaking beside me. The post-traumatic stress of watching his best friend die by gun shot, had him frozen as the guns found their targets.

Lila moved her hand to her stomach protectively, and the pissed off looking man jerked his gun to point at her head. Lila’s eyes grew wide. With no hesitation, I drew my pistol and aimed it at his face.

“Hey, now. What happened to being friendly?” The blonde girl responded, with an accusatory tone.

“We are friendly. But I don’t take kindly to people pointing guns at my friends. Especially my pregnant friends.” I responded without moving my glare off the man. At this, Holland quit shaking and moved to step in front of Lila, head suddenly clear. A gun cocking made him freeze.

Lila had both arms wrapped around her stomach, as if trying to create a bulletproof shield around her child. The rifle would easily tear through her arms.

The blonde thought about my words for a moment, watching the scene unfold. “Gabe.” The man didn’t move. “Gabe.” She said it louder this time. He still didn’t flinch.

I took a step towards him, and he immediately turned his gun on me. Just as I’d hoped he would. Now we were both aimed at each other. I smiled at him. “Holland, grab Lila.”

I could practically hear Holland hissing at the person holding a gun on him, but he moved behind me to pull Lila behind him.

“Now then, let’s start over. My name is Scarlett. These are my friends. We are trying to maneuver around a horde of hundreds of the flesh eaters, and we mean you no harm. We’re passing through. Searching for a safe spot to mourn, and watch over the unborn baby your friend aimed a gun at.” I smiled at Gabe again, and his finger twitched on the trigger.

“Gabe. Back the fuck up.” The girl ordered, this time with force behind her words. Gabe’s finger moved off the trigger, and he aimed the gun down a little.

Turning back towards her, I lowered my gun. “I’m a little baffled, you see.” I started. “Because neither of us have claim to this road. We’re both passing through.” I waved my arms towards the direction we had been moving. “No reason to be having a standoff.”

“You’re right.” She waved a hand towards her minions, and they quit aiming at us.

I glanced at Darren and nodded. He gave a signal to the others and they all relaxed slightly, guns down. I noticed Sasha had moved to help Holland block Lila.

“Since that’s settled, you said your friend there is pregnant?” I simply nodded. “Are any of you medically trained?” I thought for a moment about if telling the truth could hurt us. I shook my head. “Well then, why don’t you all come back with us!” Gabe whirled on her.

“Are you insane, Logan?” He nearly screamed. “They were just aiming guns at us!”

She looked at him like he had lost his mind. “We aimed at them first, Gabe. Did you really expect them to not protect themselves?” He growled to himself, vibrating with anger, but turned away. She, Logan, looked back at me. “So, how about it?”

“Um.” I looked back at my group. They all looked at me expectantly. Okay, then. This choice was up to me. Fuck. “Hold on a minute.”

I moved over to Lila, whispering to her. “This is entirely up to you.” I told her. “The only reason we’d go with them is because they might have medicine and maybe a doctor. So, if you want to go, we will all go.” Everyone made sounds of agreement around me. “We’re all about Baby Ryan now.”

She gnawed on her lip for a second. “We can always leave if we don’t like them, right?”

I nodded. “I’d get us out of there.”

“I’d like to go. Anything to protect this little nugget.” She smiled and patted her belly.

“Okay.” I smiled at her. “Everyone good with that?” They all nodded.

I turned back to Logan, stepping back and waving her forward.

“Lead the way.”
♠ ♠ ♠
1789 words

i need to edit the character page to reflect the others
and to add Logan
who is portrayed by Spencer Locke
otherwise known as K-Mart from the Resident Evil movie franchise

xoxo