Chapter ten

The storm calmed down and Tai checked outside for any of the infected, she already treated her wound in plus the small wounds the girl had on her.

" Joe how old are you " Tai asked handing Joe another granola bar with a half bottle of water while she was stretching.

" I'm seven..." Joe said showing five fingers on her free hand while the other one held her granola bar, Tai smiles softly at the girl tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

" ok we're going to the cabin, I need you to keep quiet and stay beside me and if you see or hear anything then you let me know. Here put my jacket on so you'll stay somewhat dry " Tai said checking her ammo in her shotgun and hand gun before they start off, right ahead of them they seen two infected staring up in the sky so they dunked behind a nearby bush watching them sniff the air.

" sight, sound and smell seems to be what they go by " Tai whispered to herself taking Joe's hand to move around those two who slowly made their way near the bush sniffing around.

" after a while they can't see good " Joe said shrugging her shoulders walking close by Tai who looked down at the girl.

" how did so many get up this mountain" Tai said looking ahead while watching their surroundings, Joe looked like she was thinking when they heard a man shouting up ahead.

" those fuckers cost us our people and my son, I'm going back to that cabin to kill them all " a man with a beard said looking down at a young teenage boy who was tied up while another boy and man sat a couple of feet away from him.

" look we're outnumbered and outgunned, I told you from the start we should just kept heading higher Phil " the other man said while the other started laughing histerically while the boy shifted away from him.

" think about your other son who just lost his brother, you'll put him in danger plus those things are all over this mountain so how the hell do we fight against both" Harold said looking at Phil who sneered at him .

" we need more ammo and vehicles, hundreds of these things are up on this mountain now since the nearby towns have run this way " Phil said thinking if they should head back down or take the people in the cabin, he keeps telling himself their ordinary people against experienced hunters plus the work he does for the local drug dealer where he was hired muscle gives him an advantage over people.

" Phil think of your son here, we both know these people's weapons and outfit isn't just normal towns folk that you use to push around because of your backing. I'm pretty sure the man you worked for is one of those things running around now....if something happens to us who will your son rely on" Harold said holding the boys shoulder, he has always kept the youngest since Phil had a temper only out in him and not the other.

" I'm sorry Phil but I'll take jr with me I won't lose him to a lost cause " Harold said standing up reaching out his hand to Jr, they heard a twig snap making them look over where one of those things was walking their way.

" you can leave Harold but the boy will stay with us " Phil said walking over to the infected man driving his blade into it's skull, Harold shakes his head but he can't leave the boy with his crazy friend.

Tai and Joe was nearby where the beared man killed the infected, she heard everything staring at the boy tied up on the ground making groaning noises and thrashing around. Tai also felt bad for the other boy who had a black eye with bruises covering his arms..

(" clearly he's been abusing the boy ") Tai thought to herself before she picked up Joe leaving the three there and she jogs up the mountain side.

They came to the road that leads to the cabin and she sighs in relief then puts Joe down holding her hand walking toward the cabin, when they get thirty yards away from the cabin she spots over a dozen infected blocking the entrance to the yard of the cabin.

" Joe keep down " Tai said grabbing the girl and sliding down the side of the hill out of sight of the infected who turned looking their way.

" Shit we'll have to go through the trees to come out on the side of the cabin " Tai said picking the girl up while jogging into the tree line quietly making her way around where the infected are huddled together.

" ok babygirl we have traps around the area so we need to watch where we step and to look out for any of those monsters since they seem to be hanging in this area " Tai said pulling her blade that was inside the sheath handing it over to Joe.

" don't take it out unless you need it " Tai said as Joe nods her head putting the sheath inside her jeans as they carefully make their way through the thick brush..Tai came across one of the infected that was standing behind a tree leaving it in her blind spot as the woman tackles Tai to the ground since she was heavier set woman.

" Tai " Joe said a little to lud as she clamps her hand over her own mouth while Tai rolled the woman to where she now has it pinned down, she picked up a nearby rock bringing it down several times until the woman no longer moved.

" come on " Tai said getting up pulling Joe behind her when they spotted a few infected running toward them, Tai could tell that these were newly turned since they move faster than the ones that's been infected longer.

" Tai I - I can't run like this " Joe said while gasping for air so Tai picked her up then started running up hill to get close to the cabin.

" keep an eye on them Joe" Tai said as she felt all her muscles starting to burn when she hit level ground seeing the cabin several dozen feet ahead of them.

" Tai it's behind us " Joe shouted while Tai had no choice but pull her hand gun out shooting two of them in their head while running to the cabin with several of those things got in their trail. One tall man was reaching out to grab Tai when a loud shot echoed around the area when the infected hit the ground with half its head blown off.

Hino stood at the door with the rifle pointed behind Tai taking shot after shot at the infected that kept gaining on Tai since she has an injured leg.

" move your ass " Hino said shooting a few more infected before Tai made it to the door where Hino closed and bolted it locked, she didn't even pay attention to the small girl and wrapped them both in a tight hug kissing Tai on her cheek.

" I was scared that I lost you " Hino said as all of the people slowly filled the room, Tai put Joe down after Hino pulled away.

" ok everyone this is Joe and she is seven " Tai said holding her hand up showing five fingers like Joe showed her making the young girl laugh while nodding her head. Calista, Ali and Lillian all hug Tai at the same time.

" I see we have two others who is new to the group " Tai said smiling softly at the two women who wave at her, Mr. Smith walked into the room slamming his hand down on the table making everyone jump besides Tai. Tai was amazed at how Joe pulled out the knife she gave her earlier pointing it at the man who cautiously stepped back from the little girl.

" you all murdered people...even if they're sick it's against the law to take someones life " Mr. Smith said shaking his head while pushing his glasses back with his forefinger.

" look Mr they are not just sick and if one of them get a hold of us we're done for, there is no law and no cure so far..." Tai said stepping closer to the Middle aged teacher who keeps stepping back until he hits the wall.

" Joe go with these girls to get cleaned up and I'll fix you something to eat " Tai said limping over to a nearby chair, Hino furrowed her brow when she seen a bandage with dry blood on her lower leg.

" Tai did one get you " Hino said kneeling down to take a look at Tais wound, Tai shakes her head no and Hino sighed in relief.

" Joe saved me by letting me up into her tree house, when it was falling apart by the storm some rusted nails got my leg" Tai said as Hino nodded her head grabbing a fist aid kit where she cleaned and rebandaged her leg then gave her a tetnes shot then kissed Tais lips before walking over to make her and the child a Sandwich.

" Thank you Hino " Tai said with a small smile as Brax entered the kitchen with a frown on his face, Tai picked up the tablet looking over the camera footage seeing over twenty infected coming out from the woods.

" we need to clean this area, I'm guessing you all had visitors while I was gone " Tai said watching the footage of what happened while she was gone.

" Everyone uses your handguns that have silencers to thin these things out and only if you have a silencer...well Ali's group brought those bows so use those but collect the arrows after use " Tai said as Hino puts a silencer on a gun before she handed it over to Tai who walked over opening up the shutter where she started making head shots left and right while the others did the same using the bows.

" two of those men plus a young boy is planning a suicide mission, if that happens keep the boy alive at all cost maybe we can help him" Tai said thinking back at the bruised and battered boy who looked scared to death at that moment.