Them and They: The Zombie Apocalypse Chapter 3: Road of Perdition

*CONTENT WARNING: Shit gets hairy- so beware*
*NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I like turtles.*

Them and They: The Zombie Apocalypse
Ch 3: The Road of Perdition

As Paul stepped outside, the devoured bodies of the El Paso populous could be seen immediately, littering the downtown streets. Blood ran dark red down the pavement seemingly everywhere.

Paul leaned immediately against the wall to his right to prepare to go up the street, motioning for Maria and John to follow behind him.
"Ok, here, take these" said Paul as he handed Maria the 12ga and John the Glock 19, "Do what ya have to do."

Paul studied the surroundings around him, seeing minimal activity in the area. The chaos had seemingly come and gone like a tidal wave of rushing water- destorying everything that stood in its way. He looked across the street that had parked cars following the road up, a good tool for cover as it was the direction he had planned to travel. Paul nodded to his inner-thoughts and turned his head over his should to share with Maria and John.

"Alright- we are going to move up the road and try finding another securable location for the time being until we think of something- sound good?"

Maria and John nodded as Paul drew his Glock 22.
With a motion to follow- the group was off across the street.

Paul lead the way being followed close behind by Maria with John at the rear. As they made it across the street- Paul could see 2 infected up the road and a handful of other infected to their rear- still feasting on the dead.

"Move quietly, don't shoot unless you have to" stage-whispered Paul.

The downtown area was thick with smoke- a building further down the road easily seen as it was engulfed in flames. Street meters lay on the ground, ran over by people in a panic. A few scattered bodies lay in the path the three walked- all so badly mauled that sex was only determinable by the clothes the former shell of a human wore.

"Doesn't this remind you of that dream you had the other day" thought Paul to himself.
"It sure does. El Paso burning...almost sounds like a movie" continuing his inner-conversation.

The three came upon an intersection- the two originally spotted infected only 15 meters up the road- still standing in place, twitching instinctively.

Paul looked at the 3-way intersection- spotting a few scattered other infected up the road and a few more scattered to the right. Still searching the area- Paul spotted salvation.

"Look over there" whispered Paul, pointing at a building at the far corner of the road down the right.

"The pawn shop? Why would we go there?" said Maria- seemingly oblivious to its possible use.
"Because that place has bars on the window and probably has some weapons inside- get with it girl.." said John, more annoyed than anything else.
Maria rolled her eyes, "Pinche jack ass- yo-" starting her sentance as Paul shushed the two.

Paul looked to the rear, startled by the noise of deep panting and saw a large group of infected making their way up the road- still unaware of their precence by some luck, but not for too much longer.

"We gotta move quick- they are onto us. We are going to make a rush for that Pawn Shop- first one in- hold security on the immediate entrance to make sure we don't rush into a trap, last person in closes and secures that door, got it?"

Maria, still frustrated, retorted. "And we are just going to run by all of THEM?!"
"The man said 'RUSH'- you know what that means don't ya or do we gotta say it in Spanish?" responded a harsh John.
"Enough bickering- we gotta move now," interjected Paul before the two could argue further, "Get ready to shoot- don't be afraid to throw a right hook if they get too close either."

Taking a deep breath- Paul stood from his kneeling position and slow paced his way down the road to the right, Maria and John following suite.

Making it a few meters so far without incident- Paul thought "Well this is easy eno-" as a fury cry from the two infected originally spotted informed them that they were made.

"MOVE!" said Paul in a commanding voice, picking up his pace up the road.

Putting the infected in a threat meter based on distance in his head, Paul, started to cross the street- aiming his pistol at the closest infected to him. The very same infected made his approach towards Paul- being met by a round to the kneecap and ankle- crippling the beast from approach.

A series of reports sounded from the rear as Maria and John took out the two infected that had spotted them. Paul reached in his pocket and took out a few shells- handing them to Maria as she got close enough.

"Know how to load it?" asked Paul- praying silently that the girl would be a little street smart.
"Not my first rodeo cowboy" responded Maria, quickly loading what shells she could, putting the rest in her pocket.

Paul took aim to the next infected- putting two rounds to its chest- causing a bit of stopping power as the rounds were Hydro Shock Hollow Point rounds- the full inertia of the rounds pushing the infected back- but only delaying his approach. Shocked- Paul again went for a disabiling shot with a round to his knee- sending the infected down to a knee.

"Go for disabling shots- body shots aren't working!" yelled Paul over two more rounds going to his next target.

"Lets keep movin', they are comin fast!" yelled John as he spotted the large group of infected rounding the corner they were just at- only roughly 40 meters out.
"Agreed! MOVE!" said Paul as he continued his lead down the road- approaching the Pawn Shop that was only a few more meters down the road on the left.

"I need a mag!" said John- feeling the Glock getting lighter. Paul reached into his pack's side pocket- quickly pulling out the 9mm magazine and tossing it to John.

Quickly reloading- John looked up to see that no matter how many rounds he sent- there wouldn't be enough against the sheer massed numbers that approached them.

"Man- FUCK THIS! You's guys are goin' too slow!" yelled John as he sprinted forward past Paul- fear engulfing his better senses.
"WAIT! Stay close!" yelled Paul- being distracted by another lined up shot to another infected.
"Paul- we do have to move faster- look behind us!" yelled Maria- now back to back with Paul.

Paul looked behind him- seeing what fear had struck John so deeply. Unfortunently- the tidal wave was too accurate of analogy as the infected roared in near over a 100 strong- sweeping over the street- quickly closing the distance as they locked onto their targets.

"Least of our concerns- look in front of us!" replied Paul- seeing yet another large group of infected whose attention was now drawn to the three.
"Lets go!"

John was at the door of the pawnshop which sat on the corner of the intersection- the door exposed to the insersection fully. As he grapped hold of the pull-to-open door- a cold grip took hold of his shoulder.
Quickly looking over his shoulder- he saw it was an infected man whose throat had been torn out- disabling him from alerting his own precense with a fury cry. He had a depressed look on his face- a look that said he didn't want to do this, but couldn't control himself. Unfortunently- his milky white eyes said it all as he clamped down on John's shoulder- sending John in a motion of violent swings- knocking off the infected. John screamed as he put a round into the infected man's head.

Holding his fresh wound- John looked around to see the ever growing and quickly approaching infected.
Paul and Maria caught up to John- seeing his new wound- looking at each other with a face of grief.

"Get inside- just stay in the entrance- don't let anything sneak up on you" said Paul to Maria- motioning for her to go inside.
"Be quick!" said Maria as she pulled open the door- going inside.

Paul looked to the rear and saw the infected only a handful of meters behind.

"John! Lets move man! Get inside!" yelled Paul- sending a quick fury of rounds to drop two infected approaching from the rear.
"You see this shit! There ain't no goin back!" yelled John as he too sent a large burst of rounds in all directions- all of which had infected crying forward, "You know what to do I hope."

John tossed Paul his Glock 19, Paul catching it, quickly checking the chamber to see only 1 round left.

"Ya..I guess so" said Paul, taking a quick sigh- building up rage.
"DO IT NOW!" yelled John as four infected tackled him the ground.

Paul opened up the door to the Pawn Shop- aiming the pistol behind him at John- who was still still fighting the infected that thrashed and knawed on his skin.

"NOW!!!"

The pistol showed empty as the slide locked back- the round traveling true.

Stay tuned next week for Them and They: The Zombie Apocalypse Chapter 4: Christmas Time in Hell