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Marc let Lucy sleep well past sunrise. He didn’t have a watch, but figured it was about 8 A.M. when he roused her. “I can still hear some movement downstairs, but looking outside, it looks like any that weren’t inside moved on.”
Lucy nodded. “Are you ready to go outside?” He asked. She stared at the door, wide-eyed, then reluctantly nodded again. Marc pushed the door open.
Lucy and Marc ran down the steps onto the first floor. He kept glancing down at the back of the building where the cars were to see if anything was lurking. There wasn’t. They stopped just above the dumpster. “We can lower down onto that, then get into one of the cars.” Marc suggested. He leaned over the roof and looked at the dock to see if anything was there. Nothing but a large blood stain. He closed his eyes for a second. At least Kevin and Tim didn’t have to be afraid anymore.
He helped Lucy as best he could down onto the lid of the dumpster. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quite tall enough to reach it easily, and Marc had a hard time holding her because she was heavy. Her hands slipped and she dropped onto the lid with a loud thump.
Tim started at the bang on the lid. “Son of a bitch!” he said quietly. He lifted the shotgun to his shoulder. “Come on, fucker, give me something to shoot.” He waited for the lid to open. There was some movement on the lid. His finger tightened on the trigger.
Then he heard a voice. “You okay? Godamnit, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I should have eaten more fruit, I think.” came a sarcastic response.
Tim lowered the gun. A wave of hope swept over him. “Lucy?”
Marc was getting ready to lower himself onto the dumpster lid when Lucy jumped, startled. They heard a voice. “Tim?” Lucy said quizzically.
“Yeah! Sweet Jesus, yeah! I’m in the dumpster. Marc hurried down, then he an Lucy flung the dumpster lid open. Tim was pale, holding his shotgun, and wearing his flannel, minus one sleeve. “Jesus, Tim, you look like shit.” Marc said. Tim smiled. “I’m happy to see you too. Help me out of here.” Lucy took the shotgun. Marc grabbed Tim’s hands and lifted him out of the dumpster. Tim fought back a scream as his leg lifted. They laid him down on the dock to let him get composed.
Marc helped Tim down the stairs to the car. They crawled into an old dodge. It wasn’t very fuel-efficient, but it was built like a tank. Lucy got into the driver’s seat. “I’ll drive, I think I’m the only one who got any sleep last night…” Neither man argued.
“We need to get you to a hospital, Tim.” Marc said as Lucy started the car. Tim nodded. They weren’t even sure if a hospital would be safe, but it was the best idea any could think of. “Buckle up!” Lucy shouted. They did, and they all locked their doors as well. As they pulled out of the parking lot, Marc closed his eyes. Lucy pulled the car out onto the road, and several shamblers wandered out from the front of the store to follow the noise. Marc crossed his arms, feeling exhaustion take him. His eyes were closed, so he didn’t see his brother shuffling after the Dodge.
Marc woke up with a start. It took him several seconds to get his bearings, but he soon realized he was still in the car.
“Hey, ain’t that that retard boy, Will Sutcliffe?”
A man was shuffling by the side of the road, a hundred yards down.
“What?!”
Tim was staring out the window at the man. “Isn’t that Will Sutcliffe? You and Steve saw him yesterday.”
Marc looked closely. “Yep, that’s him. We aren’t stopping to help him, this time.”
Lucy nodded. “We are almost to the hospital. Tim, we’ll have you patched up in no time.”
Marc nodded, still staring at the dead man walking down the road. “After that, we’ll find a place to stay.” He said. With any luck, they would find someplace they would be safe.
Within minutes, they neared hospital. It was a massive, modern building, all steel, brick and glass. They could see people on the roof of one of the wings. As they crested the hill, they could see a crowd of thousands gathered in the parking lot, milling, shuffling moaning. “Oh shit….” Lucy breathed. The people on the roof were waving. They could barley make out what they were motioning. Marc spotted it first, they were waving them away.
The shamblers near the outside of the crown turned. They began walking toward the car.
Lucy threw it into reverse, and began a three point turn. “Oh God, oh God, oh God.” Lucy was near panic.
The car stalled. The shamblers neared, their moaning grew louder. The car chugged once. Then twice. It wouldn’t start. The three stared in horror as the mob approached. The first one reached the car, and pounded the window with it’s fist. Lucy tried the key again, but the car still wouldn’t start.
More started pounding on the windows. Their moaning masked the sounds of breaking glass and screams.
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