Clean Slate/Chapter 4

This chapter 4 of Clean Slate entitled: Going South Fast

Chapter 4 – Going South Fast
August 15, 2014. Night time. “This is insane!” Orlando whispered as he, Elisa, and his uncle Jerry sneaked out side the walls of safe zone.

One of the many spotlights that were atop the walls was shining down at the ground trying to light up any infected or people that might be below. Like them.

Ten minutes earlier he had woken to find Jerry and Elisa in his apartment. Jerry had told about how his “friend” contacted him on radio. His friend mentioned that he found a whole bunker of food and invited Jerry to come join him in New Mexico. So of course, Orlando was going to be dragged along with him like always. Except this time Elisa was with them, which Orlando did not like one bit.

He had gotten dressed and followed them down to the safe zones abandoned streets. After sneaking passed a few heavily armed guards they made it to an opening in the walls that Jerry

“Shut up!” Jerry half whispered as they ducked behind an old rusted truck.

The spotlight moved their way and stopped on the truck. Orlando held his breath and peeked over through the drivers window. He could see five of the guards exit the safe zones gates and aim their guns in towards them.

“Over there!” One of the soldiers yelled. “I coulda swore I saw people running that way!”

“Shit.” Jerry sighed.

Orlando held his breath as he stared at the approaching soldiers. He regretted coming with them. He didn't want to die gunned down.

“What do we do?” Elisa asked them.

Jerry paused, glancing around the immediate area. “We make a run for it to that hardware store.” He said pointing to an abandoned store across the street from them.

“What!? Are you fucking crazy!? We'll never make it--” Orlando said as Jerry and Elisa pulled him away from the truck.

They managed to barely avoid the spotlight as they ran. When they made it about halfway Orlando turned to see that the bandits hadn't seen them yet.

They were going to make it.

Almost as soon as the hope popped in his head it popped out again. The soldiers took notice of them when the reached the entrance and opened fire. He dove inside after Jerry entered and quickly moved to the wall farthest away from the front. Jerry slammed the door shut after Elisa entered.

“Whew,” Elisa said placing her hands on her knees. “Close one, huh?”

Orlando looked over to her and was stunned by what he saw. In the middle of her chest was a growing red stain. Blood.

“What...?” She said looking down at her shirt.

As soon as she saw it her eyes widened. She touched her hand to it and looked back up to Orlando, eyes full a fear. Of absolute terror.

“No!” Orlando screamed as he ran to her as she fell but was halted by Jerry, who was pulling him to the back door.

“We gotta go kid!” Jerry yelled as he pushed Orlando out the back door.

August 21, 2014. “Look...I'm sorry about...everything back there.” Jerry said as they walked down the road littered by cars.

They had walked all through the night, not stopping in case the soldiers were following. Orlando looked back to see the sky line of the Phoenix city safe zone. The place where his friend lay dead. Just thinking about it made him sick to his stomach. He then turned to look back to Jerry and instantly felt the anger inside him rise.

“It was your fault.” He said stopping in his tracks.

“What?”

“It's your fault she dead right now! If you hadn't convinced her to come along she would never gotten shot!”

“So it's my fault is it? So I'm the one that fucking her shot, huh?”

“You might as well have.” Orlando spat.

“Hey—I brought ya'll along because that place back there—Was no safe haven. It was basically a fucking concentration camp.”

Orlando pushed down his anger and frustration, afraid of what he'd do if he let it all out. He needed to get away—From Jerry, from the safe zone—all of it.

He pulled the family pocket watch out his pants, the pocket watch Jerry had given him after his family's death, and tossed it to the ground.

“Fuck you, Jerry.” Orlando said turning and walking away from both Jerry and Phoenix City.

“Orlando!” Jerry called to him as he walked away.

Credits

 * Orlando Alba
 * Jerry Alba
 * Elisa