Outbreak

Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Marlowe

I watch in silence through the scope. There is staggered breathing on Avi's end of the walkie talkie. There is a younger guy, maybe my age, holding Reyes by the arms. I tremble with nerves when I see Avi's blonde head peek out from the display window and disappear again.

Don't shoot, they'll find you.

There are seven of them. They speak to Reyes angrily, shoving him. They throw punches. Eventually, Reyes drops to his knees, exhausted and beaten. They drag him to their so called getaway vehicle, an ambulance.

A horde, hearing the shouting, is headed their way. The men shout and jump into the car. The infected slam their fists into the back of the ambulance, groaning in frustration.

I see Avi cry where she has run on the streets, yet she doesn't seem to notice the infected who have just spotted her."Avi, Avi listen to me. He's gone Avi. He would want you to run." I say softly into the walkie talkie. She responds by slowly standing, and stumbling towards the parking garage.

"Avi, look out! Zeke coming!" I scream into the walkie talkie.

I peek back into my scope and notice some of the infected have noticed her and me. I watch as Avi sprints towards the building next to the one I sit atop and then I remember something.

"Avi, I dropped the board. You can't get up that way." I mutter quickly, my hope draining.

She freezes and speaks into her walkie-talkie. "Shit...What am I supposed to do?"

I rack my mind for ideas, my heart thumping. Then, I remember the plastic bag and the rusty ladder.

"Better make it quick, but there is a ladder on my building. You might be able to make it up that way. Alleyway, east side." I breathe a sigh of relief, and take a look through the scope again.

While we were talking, another few of the infected have appeared and are heading towards Avi from the opposite direction of the first group.

"Another six on you, Avi." I warn. "Shake 'em."

She picks up her speed, sprinting as fast as she can to the east side of the building.