Chapter 56: The Town (last)

The mood was a mix of excitement and sadness as the time to say goodbye came. Each person, driven by their own reasons, hugged and thanked us. As the trucks started their engines, the dust rose, signaling the start of their adventures. The consequences of their decisions lingered in the air, reflecting the uncertainty of the world we lived in.

They all drive to each their way, we also did the same and left the quarry with our new equipment, vehicles and other needed. The large trucks that was used in the quarry was filled with rocks, we need that to create our new base.

As we drove away from the camp, heading to our different destinations, the three trucks stayed close together. "That young man was so generous to give us supplies, wasn't he?" One of them said, referring to Souta, the leader of the camp.

"Yeah, we should help them too when we find our families," another one agreed.

"Hey, look!" One of them exclaimed, pointing at something in the distance. "Are those survivors?" He asked, seeing dozens of people running towards them.

"Stop! Stop the vehicles! They are other survivors!" One of them shouted. We stopped and got out of the trucks to welcome the newcomers. "Hey! We are friendly!" One of them yelled. We all looked at the people approaching us.

As they got closer, we noticed something was wrong. "H-hey, don't you think they are too aggressive?" One of them asked nervously. "Y-yeah, it's like they are desperate for something," another one said. We could see them clearly now, and they were horrifying. They had blood, guts, and severed limbs on them, but they were still running towards us.

"H-hey! Stop!" One of them warned. "I said stop or I'll shoot!" He aimed the pistol that Souta had given him. He fired a shot in the air. "Stop! I'm not joking!" He shouted, but they didn't stop. They kept coming closer and closer.

"Hey, I think those are not humans," one of them realized, looking at the one that had a hole in his chest. "Those are zombies!" One of them screamed, and then everyone panicked. We grabbed our weapons and tried to defend ourselves. "Calm down! Stay in formation!" One of them tried to organize us.

"Aim for their heads!" Another one instructed us. We tried to cooperate and fight the zombies, but we were outnumbered and inexperienced. "Augh!" One of them cried out as a zombie bit his arm. Everyone freaked out and ran in different directions.

"Don't run! Face them—" One of them shouted, but before he could finish his sentence, a zombie bit his neck. "Augh!" He screamed, blood spilling from his wound. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" One after another, our teammates fell victim to the zombies. It was a nightmare!

In the midst of chaos, panic rippled through our group as the once-hopeful encounter turned into a nightmare. The desperate cries of those attacked echoed, creating a discordant symphony of fear and confusion.

"We need to regroup! Find a defensive position!" someone shouted, trying to rally the scattered survivors. Frantic glances were exchanged, and the realization that these were not ordinary people but the dreaded undead, zombies, sank in.

The air filled with the stench of decay as we desperately fought to fend off the relentless onslaught. Shots rang out, aiming for the only vulnerable point – their heads. Yet, the sheer number of zombies overpowered us, their relentless advance pushing us to the brink.

Amidst the chaos, I found myself back-to-back with a fellow survivor, both of us fending off the relentless horde. "Stay together! Don't let them surround us!" I yelled, trying to maintain a semblance of order. The screams of pain and terror continued to pierce through the air, a stark reminder of the dire situation.

As the realization set in that our group, once a happy and hopeful group, had now become a battleground, determination flickered in our eyes. We had to survive, not just for ourselves, but for the memory of those who had departed with hope just moments ago. The fight for survival had taken an unforeseen turn, plunging us into a grim reality where every moment counted.

As we were fighting for our lives against the horde of undead, a glimmer of hope appeared on the horizon. A convoy of vehicles sped towards us, kicking up dust and smoke. The vehicles screeched to a halt, and figures emerged, armed with guns and blades. To our surprise and relief, it was Mathew and Rex's group, the ones who had stayed at the camp with Souta.

"It's Mathew! They've come to save us!" Someone shouted, feeling a surge of hope. Mathew and Rex's group wasted no time and opened fire at the zombies, mowing them down with precision and efficiency. In less than two minutes, the zombies were all dead or dying, and the threat was neutralized. The scene was quiet, except for the sound of our heavy breathing and the occasional groan of a zombie.

"Check those who can be saved," Rex ordered, scanning the area for any survivors. We gathered around Mathew, who had led the rescue mission. We thanked him profusely for his timely intervention, feeling grateful and guilty at the same time.

However, the mood changed quickly when Mathew confronted us with a harsh truth. "Is this what you all wanted?" he asked, his voice full of anger and pain. We were confused and scared, not knowing what he meant.

"Your ignorance got your friends killed! Is that what you wanted!?" Mathew shouted, his eyes red with tears. He gestured at the corpses of our teammates, some of whom were still twitching or turning into zombies. A heavy silence fell over us, as we realized the gravity of our mistake. His words hit us hard, making us feel ashamed and remorseful.

"I'll ask you again, is this what you wanted to happen?" he demanded, looking at us with a piercing gaze. We shook our heads, and muttered a unanimous "No, sir."

Mathew continued, his voice full of passion and determination. "This will be the last time we see someone we love die again! The last time we cry for our beloved! Join Souta! Avenge your friends and family from those monsters!" He raised his fist in the air, and we followed suit. We shouted a resounding "Yes, sir," feeling a new sense of resolve and solidarity.

In that moment of realization, we understood that the world we knew was gone, and the harsh truth revealed itself – this was now our hellish reality. The survivors, once a diverse and hopeful group, now united as a makeshift family, vowed to face the challenges ahead and forge a path through the darkness that had engulfed our once-innocent world.

We followed our leader, he himself promised us that he will help us find out families if they were still alive, we're worried but, with us being powerless, we can only pray that they are safe.