tiles. Windows were shattered with glass covering the stone paving slabs.
Out of the six houses in the row, four had doors thrown open to reveal scenes of carnage in the rooms beyond. A silver car replete with roof rack overburdened with suitcases had mounted the pavement and crashed into the front of one of the houses, pinning two zombies against the wall and they were there still, clawing at the car bonnet in an effort to pull free. The occupants of the car were absent and dark stains covered the tarmac of the road.
With no other zombies in sight I risked a short dash across the road towards the end of the street and the houses. A faint moan rose from the trapped creatures as I passed but soon faded behind me. At the end of the row of houses I paused before peering around the corner.
A dozen or more undead were standing at various points in the road. It didn’t seem as though any were close enough to be a real problem. All I needed to do was make it across the road, over some scrubland and then a short dash to the large building I had spotted.
Candice had finally reached us and asked, “Why’re you just standing here?”
“Keep your voice down” I instructed quickly, “There’s a group of zombies around the corner, we’re going to have to run for it.”
“To where?”
“Towards that building” I said and pointed as best I could with my chin. Emma was becoming increasingly heavy and I was sweating despite the chill.
“Why the hell...” Candice began but was cut off by Emma’s scream.
As soon as I heard the overly loud noise come from her, I spun to see what had caused the scream. A zombie had come out of one of the houses and was making its way towards us. Much of the flesh had been stripped from one arm which hung limply from its shoulders. Lips and nose were also missing and gave the creature a disturbing grin.
Candice had set off running as soon as Emma cried and was already across the road and headed towards the building. With little choice I followed, Emma held tightly in my arms and her head buried against my shoulder.
Twigs snapped beneath my feet and the decaying remnants of bushes tried to trip me as the zombies from the street alerted by Emma’s cry, pursued us. Candice had already reached the building and stood looking from left to right as though she were unsure which way to go next.
I ran straight past her, my breaths coming in gasps and my lungs were burning. The moans of my undead pursuers were coming closer and I was very much aware of the fact that they could run tirelessly whilst I could not.
My one consolation was that I had been right. The building was an enormous shopping centre of some sort. I was hoping for a door that would open around the back of the building.
The first door had no handle from the outside and I passed it with barely a glance, further ahead I could see the open door of a loading bay. I ran into the open bay that was thankfully empty. I had to spend precious seconds prying Emma’s arms from around my neck so I could see what I was doing as I searched frantically for a manual release for the steel roller doors.
At the top of the door was a motor and at chest height on the wall beside the entrance were the buttons that operated the motor. I pressed one of the buttons in the faint hope that something would happen but as always, my luck was bad and the buttons had no power.
I couldn’t see a manual release for the door and realised that we were trapped. Candice was sitting on some concrete stairs that led up towards a raised area that surrounded the part of the loading bay where the trucks would park. A door was set into the wall at the back of the loading bay alongside yet another smaller steel roller door that was firmly closed and refused to open. With nothing else to try I picked up Emma and carried her to the door only to find it locked.
The moaning of the undead was coming louder and I kicked the door in frustration, which did little more than hurt my
Out of the six houses in the row, four had doors thrown open to reveal scenes of carnage in the rooms beyond. A silver car replete with roof rack overburdened with suitcases had mounted the pavement and crashed into the front of one of the houses, pinning two zombies against the wall and they were there still, clawing at the car bonnet in an effort to pull free. The occupants of the car were absent and dark stains covered the tarmac of the road.
With no other zombies in sight I risked a short dash across the road towards the end of the street and the houses. A faint moan rose from the trapped creatures as I passed but soon faded behind me. At the end of the row of houses I paused before peering around the corner.
A dozen or more undead were standing at various points in the road. It didn’t seem as though any were close enough to be a real problem. All I needed to do was make it across the road, over some scrubland and then a short dash to the large building I had spotted.
Candice had finally reached us and asked, “Why’re you just standing here?”
“Keep your voice down” I instructed quickly, “There’s a group of zombies around the corner, we’re going to have to run for it.”
“To where?”
“Towards that building” I said and pointed as best I could with my chin. Emma was becoming increasingly heavy and I was sweating despite the chill.
“Why the hell...” Candice began but was cut off by Emma’s scream.
As soon as I heard the overly loud noise come from her, I spun to see what had caused the scream. A zombie had come out of one of the houses and was making its way towards us. Much of the flesh had been stripped from one arm which hung limply from its shoulders. Lips and nose were also missing and gave the creature a disturbing grin.
Candice had set off running as soon as Emma cried and was already across the road and headed towards the building. With little choice I followed, Emma held tightly in my arms and her head buried against my shoulder.
Twigs snapped beneath my feet and the decaying remnants of bushes tried to trip me as the zombies from the street alerted by Emma’s cry, pursued us. Candice had already reached the building and stood looking from left to right as though she were unsure which way to go next.
I ran straight past her, my breaths coming in gasps and my lungs were burning. The moans of my undead pursuers were coming closer and I was very much aware of the fact that they could run tirelessly whilst I could not.
My one consolation was that I had been right. The building was an enormous shopping centre of some sort. I was hoping for a door that would open around the back of the building.
The first door had no handle from the outside and I passed it with barely a glance, further ahead I could see the open door of a loading bay. I ran into the open bay that was thankfully empty. I had to spend precious seconds prying Emma’s arms from around my neck so I could see what I was doing as I searched frantically for a manual release for the steel roller doors.
At the top of the door was a motor and at chest height on the wall beside the entrance were the buttons that operated the motor. I pressed one of the buttons in the faint hope that something would happen but as always, my luck was bad and the buttons had no power.
I couldn’t see a manual release for the door and realised that we were trapped. Candice was sitting on some concrete stairs that led up towards a raised area that surrounded the part of the loading bay where the trucks would park. A door was set into the wall at the back of the loading bay alongside yet another smaller steel roller door that was firmly closed and refused to open. With nothing else to try I picked up Emma and carried her to the door only to find it locked.
The moaning of the undead was coming louder and I kicked the door in frustration, which did little more than hurt my
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