Outlast (1) - The Walking Dead

Chapter 3

Evan❤️

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People all around began screaming and running. The infected had moved onto more people biting, scratching at least 3 of them, but they got lost in the crowd as they tried to run away.

The military crowded their fallen colleagues, not noticing another infected, the lady, emerging from the medical room.

I ducked under Evan's arm, grabbing my rifle as I did, aiming and shooting. The infected moved last minute, the bullet hitting it's shoulder. I shot again and this time hit the infected before it could make contact with anyone else.

"We need to get out of here." Evan tugged on my arm. I briefly made eye contact with James before turning on my heel and following Evan out of there after grabbing our backpacks.

We ran down flights of stairs until we came to the bottom where everyone was piled up at the main doors.

"Let us out!!" They were screaming. I looked around, there was no other escape, we were stuck here.

"We can't let you out until we know who's infected!" The military guys on the other side yelled. The people were banging on the doors, pushing them but they couldn't get through.

"This way." Evan tapped my arm and led me back the way we came. We reached the second floor and ran all the way to the end of the hallway to a fire exit. Evan pushed the door and we ran down the flight of stairs leading to the outside.

The night was dark, the only source of light being the moon. An eerie wind picked up as we stumbled down the stairs, leaves and litter rolled across the ground making  crunching sound.

"If we can get to Sol we can get out of here." I said breathlessly. As we took a quick break.

"Chey, you realise we might have to leave her." Evan said solemnly.

I narrowed my eyes. "No I won't leave her. I'm going to get her." I began to walk off when Evan pulled me back into the shadows and put a hand over my mouth.

"Shh, look." He whispered before I could kick up a fuss. I stopped struggling and looked towards where an armoured car with what looked like a machine gun on top drove through the city and up towards the doors of the apartment block. The people inside were yelling and still trying to break down the doors.

Eyes wide I realised what was about to happen. Gripping Evan's arm tightly for stability as I became slightly woozy at the sight.

The military guys holding the doors opened them to reveal a rush of people which ran straight into the line of the machine gun's fire.

Tears fell from my eyes and streamed down my cheeks as I watched everyone in there get slaughtered. It seemed to go on forever, I was constantly flinching as the gun repeatedly fired.

After what felt like an eternity, the gun stopped firing. I opened my eyes to see a pile of people lying in a pool of blood.

"What the fuck! We were supposed to control the outbreak not butcher every fucking survivor!" I recognised the voice as James's. He and the others came out the doors after where all the people were.

"You got a problem with how we do things pretty boy? Then you can take your bags and fuck off!" I guess that was the leader. James glared at him but backed down.

"What's next boss? The others are waiting." Another guy came up to the leader. He cracked open a pack of cigs and began smoking one.

"Give em the signal, we bomb the city tonight." He chucked the half finished cig on the floor and got back in his car, the others following suit and drove off.

When they were all gone Evan released me and I immediately got up and ran over to the pile of bodies. The thick red blood squelching under my feet as I explored the corpses. I had to cover my mouth to stop sobs escaping, tears still streamed down my face.

"Chey," Evan gently said from behind me. "Let's get your horse and go." I nodded and walked back out of the corpses. We made it over to the garage, Evan lifted the door up as I slid under. Understandably, the animals were spooked, most of them bolted at the sight of freedom, dodging Evan as he held up the door.

"I'll look around, see if there's a working car or something." He said from the other side as he secured the door open with a latch.

I located Sol near the back and she came over. I tacked her up and led her out, the other animals that were left scattered through the open door and into the city, they would have to learn to live on their own from now.

"Evan?!" I called as I couldn't see him anywhere. I could hear growls coming closer, a herd of the infected turned around the corner of the apartment block and were  heading right for me.

Mounting Sol as quick and ungracefully as I could, I pushed her into a straight canter and headed around the herd.

"Evan!" I yelled again. I pulled Sol up and listened out, a distinct engine growl was coming closer, that had to be Evan.

Headlights illuminated the alleyway between the apartment and another building, and Evan appeared riding a motorbike.

Once he caught up we began riding towards the edge of the city. The groaning of infected was all around us, it was almost like the dark suddenly drew them all out from their hiding places.

"Were they all infected?" I asked as the bodies kept rising from the pile of people that got slaughtered.

"I only saw 3 get scratched." Evan had to yell over the roar of his engine, but I knew he and I were both confused. I nodded, red and white flashing lights in the sky caught my attention. It was a helicopter. One led and then 2 more followed it.

"Let's get out of here!" I yelled and pushed Sol even faster, Evan's bike taking the lead as he went quicker.

"Chey!" He yelled back and pointed up. I looked up at the helicopters which had stopped almost right above us, it was just hovering, coming lower to the ground.

The dead seemed to be surrounding us now, I didn't notice where they'd come from, they just seemed to appear.

I clicked Sol forward and she smoothly transitioned into a gallop once we hit the grass verge. The first explosive dropped a while behind us, lighting up the area in a brief orange glow. Another one to the left and right of us.

We reached the outskirts of the city but we just kept riding. Sol was not tiring yet and I knew better than to pick a fight with a half ton animal, so I let her gallop on. The bombings continued behind us as we rode on and left all that behind.