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“There’s a pileup.Roland, get the Stryker up here.Tell us what you see, and break it up.”
The MRAP and Humvee ahead of the Stryker veered to the right to make room.Roland accelerated past them.
“Undead in the cars, the ditches, and the tree lines,” Steve said.“Over a hundred.”
“You heard him,” Patrick said.“Brace for a bloodbath.No gunners up top unless we have to stop.”
I couldn’t count the number of times we’d already gone through this exercise.Each time was just a little different.
The first week had been smooth sailing without a single trap.Back then, the undead just sort of shuffled along.The second week, they’d sped up to longer distance running, which hadn’t been fun.Then they’d started hiding.Under cars.Behind trees.By week three, they were moving stuff into the road to slow us down so they could jump out at us.That’s how we lost the first five of our platoon.
Now, we didn’t stop unless we had to.
I could hear the Stryker’s collision when it reached the barrier.The walkie stayed quiet, and I kept my foot light on the gas but ready to brake hard.The tanker didn’t brake, though.A moment later, I saw the cars on the shoulder.Three high.
undead tumbled out of the doors and trunks.Broken or missing limbs didn’t matter.They surged forward, a mess of ripped and bloody clothing that ran at the convoy.
Roni ran over a man with the electric car, and I winced.For the car, not the undead.
A few found their way under my tires, not that I noticed much.The MRAP plowed over them like they weren’t even there.Sure left the undercarriage a gooey mess, though.
Within seconds, we passed through the main blockade with relative ease.
“They stopped running and are just standing in the middle of the road, staring after us,” Katie said.“It’s creepy.”
“I saw one do that at the puppy warehouse,” Kevin said.“Creepy as fuck.”
“Can we not call it the puppy warehouse?”I asked.
Kevin laughed and got on the walkie.
“They aren’t chasing us.Katie said they’re staring.Anything on the FLIR?”
“The ones in the tree line aren’t moving,” Roland said.
Kevin and I watched the approaching tree line.Nothing moved as we passed it.
“That one was so messy we’re still leaving a trail on the road.Ugh.I want a shower,” Katie said.“A hot one.”
Watching the red run down my passenger window, I couldn’t agree with her more.It didn’t matter that I wasn’t dirty.I still felt that way.
“Let me know if you want help washing your back,” Kevin said, his voice filled with humor.
Katie snorted.
“Having you stare is bad enough.I don’t need you to add hands.”
I almost grinned at their banter.Guarded, co-ed showers didn’t bother Roni or me, but Tamra and Katie were shier.Their ingrained modesty cried louder than their common sense.The way I saw it, we were safer with people watching our backs.Who cared if they glanced our way as long as they were watching the door too?
Hell, I looked when it was my turn to guard.Curiosity got me every time.
“Something’s not right,” Katie said.“The trail is getting bigger.”
“What do you mean?”I asked.
“It’s getting wider.Not drips but a smear.”
I looked at the road in front of us.The vehicles in front of us showed signs of ick, but there wasn’t any blood on the road.
