The Last Alive

Chapter Twelve - Back to Ground Zero

Chapter Twelve

Back to Ground Zero and Back to Present Day

I had to stop thinking about Nathan and when this all started. When all of our lives fell apart.

"Do not fire that gun again." I shook my head, regaining my senses. "We're in some serious shit now."

Tears welled up and I glanced back at the hospital as we retreated down the hill. Once there was enough distance between us and the horde that was coming after us, I stopped and looked around.

There has to be some place that we can go. Somewhere we can get in.

"There! To the right! That building connects with the hospital," I shouted.

"The doors are blocked," Liz said.

"We have to get inside."

"Yeah, that'll be a piece of cake, Em," Meaghan grumbled.

"It would have been easier if you weren't an idiot," Taz snapped at her.

I stepped between the two of them as Meaghan ran at Taz. "Knock it off. This is not the place nor the time. We have to find Nathan and get back to the fort."

"How are we going to do that? How do we get in?" Liz asked.

"I'll figure that out." I looked around for something that would help unblock the door.

A statue had fallen in front of the door. The kitten that had been tucked safely in my jacket squirmed around and popped its little head out of the top, under my chin. I scratched his head and smiled as he purred against my chest. Muffin would love having a playmate and his purr really soothed me. The vibrations rumbling from his chest to mine created a sense of relaxation, which was miraculous considering where we were.

"Stop playing with the kitten and let's figure something out!"

"I am, Meaghan. Shut up before one of those things notices us."

I stood there looking around desperately. The zombies were closing in on us, ambling slowly but surely toward us.

"We have to find leverage."

"What?" Liz asked.

"A pipe or bar or something that we can use to move that statue from in front of the doors. If we move it, we can get in."

"Where the hell are we going to find a pipe strong enough?" Taz questioned.

"We're in an apocalypse. I don't think anyone will care if we break something to get a big pipe." I rolled my eyes and tucked the kitten back into my jacket, securing the top button.

"Before get pipes and stuff, maybe we should worry about them." Meaghan pointed at the mass of Undead shuffling toward us.

"I think you're right."

Think, Emma. Think. What can get rid of Undead?

I looked around trying to wrack my brain for anything that could help.

The cars!

I dug through the pockets of my jacket until my fingers brushed against a small lighter. I walked toward Meaghan and Liz, and snatched the bandana off Meaghan's head. She protested a bit, but let it go when she realized I had a plan. I squatted near one of the abandoned police cruisers and opened the gas tank. The fumes that had been trapped for four years wafted out and smacked me in the face. I slid one end of the bandana into the tank.