At the End - a post-apocalyptic novel (The Road to Extinction, Book 1) by John Hennessy Page B

the
backroom. An exit sign hung above a door to the right, so we took
it. We filed into a cramped and smelly alley. “We’ll circle
around.” I led the way and stopped where the alley dumped into the
street. “I don’t see anything.”
    “Then go already.” Jacob pushed Jelly, who
fell into Tortilla, who collided with me. I hopped forward,
catching my balance. I rushed for the car. The hatchback was
unlocked, so I hit the latch button underneath an overhang.
SPEESHH—it shot up. We gathered our gear, bulky and burdensome
bags. I slung my axe over my back from a cord that I had fastened
to it. Tortilla and Jelly grabbed the two bows and quivers, even
though we had the guns. I didn’t ask why.
    Something moved in the corner of my eye. I
spun to my right. The alion galloped down an aisle, coming our way;
in seconds, it hurtled over the window frame, out into the
street.
    All I heard was the gun blast.
    The alion crashed into Jacob, claws out. But
a bullet went right through its eye socket. It rolled away from
Jacob and caught its feet, stabilized. With blood oozing out the
hole in its face, it charged for a second run.
    I heard another gun blast.
    A second bullet struck it, through its
throat. It fell over, coughing, struggling to breathe. It was
horrible to listen to as it sucked in and blew out:
KLEHH—AH—KLEHH—AH. Then it started to gurgle before it died, blood
shooting out its neck.
    Jacob stood up, staring.
    Tortilla had his arm extended, shaking as he
held the gun. We all looked at him.
    “You saved me . . .” Jacob said, his voice
cracking. “I almost got you killed . . . and you saved me.”
    “Well, hopefully you’ll do the same for us
when the time comes,” Tortilla said.
    Jacob nodded. “You saved my melted brain.”
He didn’t say anything more, no thank you, no yeah, I’ll be there
to watch your back, nothing but: you saved me.
    I gazed at Tortilla. I wanted to kiss him
again, but the time wasn’t right. All I said was, “You did
good.”
    “Yeah he did!” Jelly exclaimed. “The well
armed take advantage and you took advantage!” Before any more
congratulations could be given, another roar echoed in the
city.
    “The buses, they’re big enough to push cars
out of the way, let’s take one of them,” I suggested.
    “Good idea.” Tortilla started eastward for
East Champion Street. “Hurry.” We ran off, right behind his steps,
except for Jacob, who lingered at the carcass of the alion.
    I turned around and saw him staring at the
dead beast. “Come on, dummy!”
    He raised his eyes to me. A shadow covered
his face, dark and foreboding. He didn’t reply but started off
after us.
    The road turned south and the bus station
was right around the corner. Cars were everywhere, parked at the
meters, and dead in the street, blocking it. A few buses looked as
if they had been pulling out when the people aboard had been taken.
I heard screeches down at the cross street, glanced over and saw
three alions charging.
    “They’re coming! Get inside, get inside!” I
shouted.
    Tortilla pushed in the doors of the closest
bus. We scrambled up the steps, and Jacob vaulted into the driver’s
seat. “No way, bromigo,” I laughed. “Get out.” I threw my hand back
behind my head. “Get out now.”
    “All right, all right.” He scurried off to
the back.
    Luckily, the key was still locked in the
ignition pad. I pressed the big green ON button. It fired up.
Tortilla had shut the doors, and now they locked as the bus came to
life. I stomped down on the GO pedal, and the tires squealed, then
with a jolt they shot forth. I twirled the wheel to the right and
headed up East Champion, a one-way going the opposite direction,
but I figured no one would mind.
    By then, they were upon us. They were smart,
too. They went right for the tires. I watched as they slashed the
two outside back tires. Fortunately for us, the buses had three
tires in a row, just in case something happened to one, the other
two, or