CONTAMINATE

24. Husband to an Undead Wife

Gareth motioned for David, who stood poised with Gareth's Arabian knife gripped tightly in his hand. Gareth motioned for him to follow him as they tiptoed quietly towards the side of the pick up where the undead were not converged. They almost reached the pick up when Jamie quietly opened the driver's door and crept silently outside, head bent low, followed by a limping Missy. Gareth was about to carry Missy when her foot caught in between the clutch and gas pedal. She felt her foot trapped and she panicked. She tried to pull her foot out, shaking her body and that caused movement to the pick up.

"Look out!" Jamie hollered as the first undead noticed their presence and went towards them followed by the rest.

"Aim for the head!" Gareth shouted as he took on the first to lunge at him. The steel pipe he held smashed into the creatures head, breaking its neck. He strike again and the undead fell to the asphalted road. He stomped its head forcefully with his right foot, feeling the crunch of bones and the splattering of brain matter. He looked at his companions. Jamie had her screwdriver lodged into the head of one of the undead. Gareth recognized it as Natalie. Jamie pulled her screwdriver out, glancing at him and muttering "sorry". He nodded.

David, on the other side pushed the undead with Gareth's Arabian knife stuck into its eye. Apparently, the knife didn't go in far enough to destroy its brain as it kept on moving towards David. He was pushing it but not strong enough. Gareth acted quickly and ran towards the other man, striking his attacker with the steel pipe which made it hit the ground. He used his right foot to end its miserable state when they heard Missy scream. A little girl of no more than ten was on top of Missy inside the vehicle, trying to get a bite of her. Missy while the latter, with her last remaining strength hold on to the little girl's shoulder to prevent it from sinking its teeth to her body. Jamie quickly pulled the girl from its long, now dirty blond hair and sank the screwdriver on the top of its head. Gareth helped Missy remove her foot from where it was stuck and carried her as he and Jamie ran towards the safety of the Jeep.

"David! Tell David to get back in the Jeep as well!"

Jamie turned to call out to David when Gareth heard her gasp. He turned to see what was happening and he saw David standing motionless as Martha limped slowly towards him.

"Daaaviid! Put her down! Use your knife! She is no longer your wife!"

Jamie struck another undead that managed to creep towards them. After putting her attacker down, she was about to assist David when she saw that Martha was only inches away from a sobbing David, the knife held by his useless hand falling to his sides.

"David! Kill her!" Jamie shouted.

"I - I can't. Martha...oh Jesus noo!"

"Daviiid!!!" Gareth and Jamie both screamed at the same time as Martha sank her teeth on David's neck, puncturing his carotid artery, killing him instantly.

Jamie swallowed a sob and ran after Gareth who was already near the Jeep with a crying Missy in his arms.