Restless

Hungry For Blood

I was the last to wake up the day we went to get food. If only I knew, food wasn't all we'd find..

"Alright, everyone packed?" Peter asked our group. We all nodded. "We're going to the gas station and getting everything we can. Simple. Any questions?"

"There won't be enough at the gas station. We've been getting supplies there for months." Zach exclaimed.

"We'll get all we can." Peter said firmly. Zach shrugged and we all continued out to my truck. We piled in and Ben slowly pulled out of the driveway.

"How you doing, Ben?" I asked our driver. he was doing a fair job of driving for a man with one hand.

"I'm good. I'm getting used to it." Ben responded. He slowed down to turn but there weren't many on the way to the gas station. we were there in no time at all and Peter still thought he was in charge.

"Alright, we go in, we get anything and everything, we get out. In your backpack is full, dump it out in the truck and come back for more." He instructed. I rolled my eyes as we all got out of the car. Ben was holding his new gun in his hand as we approached the entrance. He couldn't use his sniper rifle anymore so I gave him Aaron's old pistol. He didn't seem to mind it. "Drayton, take point."

"On me." I said to everyone behind me. I led the way into the gas station, my revolver in my hand. I opened the door and a smell whooshed out of the doorway. I had forgotten. There were dead soldiers inside. Rotting. Cailey and Elizabeth had shot the men when they had gone out for food several months back. The soldiers were nothing but piles of rotten flesh and clothing. We held our breaths and moved past the corpses and to where the food was. My heart dropped at the sight. There was nothing but a few bags of chips were left on the shelves.

"Told you." Zach mumbled. Peter's face turned bright red with anger. He yelled then kicked the shelf.

"Give it a break, Pete. We'll just go somewhere else." I said trying to calm him down. He sighed then nodded.

"Where should we go, now?" Luke asked.

"There's a walmart in Festus. We can go there." Peter stated. "Grab those bags of chips. Look around a bit before we leave."

"Me and Ben will check the back. Peter, help Luke check behind the counter." Zach instructed. "Drayton, keep watch for patrols."

"Got it." I replied. We split up and did what we were told. I returned to the door and peeked out. Our truck was still there and there was no movement. I held my revolver close and checked how many bullets were in it. I counted five out of six. After checking once more, I went and checked on Peter and Luke.

"Hey, Dray." Luke said as I approached. I smiled and looked at what Peter was doing. He was messing with some drawers behind the counter. He always seemed to be angry since we got back from Ironton. Nothing could make him happy.

"Find anything?" I asked. Luke shook his head.

"We found a few candy bars. That's about it." he answered. Peter slammed one of the drawers and swore.

"Useless.." He said under his breath. I decided to leave him be and go see what Zach and Ben had found. They were in a back storage room that was almost completely empty. Ben watched as I entered.

"We found a crate full of sodas and and six loaves of bread. This place is completely used up. " Ben said to me. This was the last time we would be coming here for food.

"How are we doing on gas for the trucks?"Zach asked Ben.

"Were doing okay for now. We have enough fuel to last us for a few weeks. We don't need any now." Ben explained. We all gathered at the door and rethought our plan.

"Ben, me and you have been to this walmart before so we know where to go. I'll stand guard at the entrance while you're all inside, getting supplies. If Anything goes wrong and we split up, we'll meet at the McDonald's down the across the street." I explained.

"Let's go, then" Peter said, leading the way towards the truck. We all piled back into the truck and started towards walmart.

Twenty minutes later...

"Y'all ready?" Peter asked.

"Let's go." I said opening my door. We agreed to have a time limit before we had to leave. I stood guard at the front entrance of the store. Luke gave me a watch to keep track of time. If they hadn't returned in 20 minutes, I was instructed to go and find them. My mind twirled with questions. What if something happens? What if there isn't enough food inside the store to last us much longer? What if a patrol car came by? Now that I thought about it, we hadn't seen any sandmen in a long time. It was like they were waiting for something. Waiting for us to slip up so they could strike. I looked down at the watch and saw that it had only been six minutes. I scanned my surroundings and waited. When all of a sudden, four loud pops broke the silence. Gunshots. They had come from inside. I spun around and bolted inside.

"Let go of me you monsters!!" I could hear Peter yelling from across the store. Right before I could yell out to him, I felt something cold and hard press against the back of my skull.

"Do exactly what I say. Move." A voice ordered. He pushed my head forward with his gun and I walked in the direction or Peter's yelling. I had my revolver in my pocket but the man made me hold my hands in the air. Every other step the man took I heard a clanking, like metal. Before I knew it, we were next to my entire group, all in a row, on their knees. They had been stripped of their weapons and ammunition. They were surrounded by soldiers with guns pointed to each of their heads. The man patted me down and I felt him feel my revolver. Instead of taking it, he bent down to my ear. "Take out the four on the right on my go." He whispered.

"What do you want from us you goons?!" Peter yelled at the men. When no one responded he got even madder. " I'll get all of you for this! You'll see!"

"Peter, give it a rest, would ya?" Zach said. Peter just growled. One of the men pulled out a radio and spoke into it.

"This is squad B and S, targets have been captured." He said firmly. Several seconds later a voice replied.

"Copy that, are any wounded, over." They asked.

"Three are wounded, sir, over"

"Understood, please wait for instruction, over" the voice advised.

"Let us go you dogs!! When I get out of here, I'll find you and I will shoot you, right between the eyes!!" Peter threatened. One of the patrolmen punched Peter in the jaw. Right as he made contact with his face, I felt the fire start in my belly. Peter spit blood onto the floor in front of him and smiled. " Is that all you got, you pansies?!"

"Quiet, you!" The patrolman said and he punched him twice. Peter laughed at the man's efforts to make him quiet.

"Squad B, this is Control, do you copy?" The radio projected.

"Loud and clear, Control. What are our orders, over." The soldier with the radio asked.

"Execute all wounded, take others as prisoners, over and out." Control instructed. I looked over at all my team beside me. It went Peter, me, Zach, Ben, then Luke. The man that hit Peter squatted down to peter's face and smiled.

"Hear that? That means you." The man said looking down at peter's leg. Peter had been shot through the kneecap and was bleeding out. Peter spat blood onto the man's face and growled. Furious, the man wiped his face then stood up. "What was it you said? Between the eyes?"

"Do it." Peter said firmly. The man pulled out his pistol and put the barrel in the middle of peter's eyebrows. I shut my eyes right as he pulled the trigger. Peter was dead.

"Noooo!!!! You bastards!!!" Zach screamed. Zach's arm had been grazed with a bullet. The man that still held the gun to my head knelt down and whispered.

"Ready?" He asked. "Now" He said and I grabbed my gun. The stranger turned left and shot five soldiers as I turned right and shot four soldiers dead. When it was quiet again I turned around to the one who had saved us. His hand was extended and he helped me up. His face was covered by a ski mask and a helmet, but he seemed young. He pulled away his mask to reveal his face and my heart stopped completely. I had seen a ghost... It was Aaron.