Forgetting the Apocalypse

46. Getting Out

Mara's Pov*

I fucking hate rats! I didn't like them before and I didn't like eating them. Their meat tasted weird. I certainly do not like them now.

Roone was right. Not that I didn't believe him but I thought they might've just been ravenous. His face wasn't that bad but his neck and arms have multiple cuts and scratches. Some of which are really worrisome because of how deep they are.

When Kailee began to get agitated I finished up with Roone and went up to her to hug her. With everyone knowing that I wasn't one to engage in physical contact, I knew it was the perfect thing to get her head to focus on something else instead of the oncoming fear. It worked.

"Shh... three deep breaths for me," once I felt her starting to relax I told her what I wanted her to do, "Atta girl, now I want you to check around the room and the bathroom and see if there are any vents in here so that we can cover them. Alright?"

She took a couple more breaths before nodding to me and going over every inch of the walls. I went back to my bags and got my pistol instead of my bow. Jack was quiet but extremely on edge. There was a tension in his muscles that was like my bow string. Drawn too tight and just waiting to let go.

I petted his head a little before going back to gathering up everything. Rolling my bed stuff, I shoved things quickly in my bag and then moved on to everyone else's. As soon as I was done with mine, I did Kailee's. Also grabbing her gun. When I was done with her things I placed them next to mine and by Jack's feet. I did the same thing with the boys' things and placing them at their dogs feet.

By the time I was done, I turned to look at Fredi and Riva. The chair was barely holding against the door, but there was nothing else to put up against it.

When I turned to Roone, I saw body change. There was a slight stiffening that enveloped him before he masked his features as he always did. He called Boaz over to him, asking him to help him with the windows. He must've seen something out there.

"Mara!!" Kailee didn't get a chance to scream again when I heard her struggling against something metal that was scraping against the floor.

Right away I ran towards the bathroom and saw her struggling to hold the medium vent covering with her feet. Multiple bloody and torn little heads were trying to push their way through. The thing that makes rats even creepier though is that if they can squeeze their head through, then they'll be able to squeeze their whole body through. There's no way I wanted her to drop the vent covering but I didn't want to risk accidentally shooting her feet. Quickly looking around in the bathroom I spot a small drawer that was easily moveable. I immediately grabbed the sides and pushed it to the other wall.

"Kailee move your feet now!" I hissed as I shoved the wooden piece against the vent.

It was a quick shift but not quick enough to stop a couple of them from coming through. Right away I pushed my hip against the wood and pulled out my revolver.

Two of them splattered all over the floor and wall but the third was scampering over Kailee.

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME!!" she tossed it on the floor as she stood up and began stomping on it like a mad woman.

My attention shifted from her to the drawer as I felt it rattling against me. She rushed over to help me hold it against the wall but peeked over to see between it and the wall.

"Shit, I think they're chewing their way through the walls!" she cried out.

At the same time, the boys outside in the main room start shooting. It was more than one shot, it was all four of them shooting.

Still holding the drawer, I leaned back to check if I could see past the bathroom door. The four of them were indeed shooting. Roone and Boaz were shooting out the window. No doubt, taking out any that have come because of our noise making. Fredi and Riva were taking out the mob that finally chewed their way through the door. The bottom of it looked like someone had taken an ax to make a doggy door.

They just kept pouring in like a tidal wave, trampling over one another. There were so many but the had the advantage with their shotguns. One pull of the trigger and they could take out a dozen of them at once. Even so, there were too many still coming.

I looked over to Roone to see if he was still shooting, "Roone!" The rattling of the drawer was getting stronger.

"Mara, all of you out the window now!"

I held on tighter to the drawer, telling Kailee to get her things from Jack and go. Thankfully she didn't argue with me and ran out the bathroom. Shifting my weight so that I was facing the wall again, I could see cracks and splintering beginning to form on the top.

"MAARRA!"

Pushing off the wood I ran fast towards Jack, swiftly grabbing my things and climbing out the window. Jack followed suit by jumping out onto the fire escape. The sun was still out and we could hear more zombies coming. I rushed Kailee down the stairs while her brother was keeping a look out in case something came charging at us.

Hastily going down, I kept my gun raised as the rest of the boys finally came out of the apartment. Fredi rapidly shut the window behind him and raced down the stairs with Blackie. A snarl from behind me caught my attention. When I turned around I saw about a dozen middles coming around the corner.