Surviving, Not Living/Issue 7

This is Issue 7 of Surviving, Not Living, titled The First Time.

Issue 7:
“We’re off now!” Amelia called to Bobby as he sat at the table, picking at a plate of pumpkin chunks.

“I wish you’d let me come with you!” He moaned.

“I told you, you’re not fully recovered yet. You can’t run that fast, you’re weak and we’re luck that you survived what happened yesterday.” She replied.

“I did save you though, didn’t I?” Bobby asked her.

“Trust me.” Amelia said. “You wouldn’t have been able to save me, without me. So, shush.”

“Ugh, okay. Bye Sarah!” He called. Obviously, there was response.

Sarah stepped out onto the drive first and shot the two infected standing on the lawn. The first fell to the floor but the second groaned louder as a bullet hit it’s shoulder. Amelia grabbed the axe from its swinging position for her belt and lunged forward, planting it in the infected’s head. The axe got stuck and fell to the ground with the infected.

“You get in the car, I’ll sort this out.” Amelia told Sarah as she threw her the keys. Sarah began to walk down the drive as Amelia stomped on the corpse’s head. It’s skull split in two and she easily withdrawed the axe from the gooey mess. Amelia ran into the car as Sarah slowly rolled it along the drive. As soon as she jumped in and shut the door, Sarah sped off down the drive and onto the main road.

Amelia couldn’t help but feel awkward, driving in a car with someone who wouldn’t even scream when she’s in trouble not to mention the not talking thing. Even if Amelia tried to make conversation, it would be like talking to a brick wall.

The pair watched as the scenery quickly moved and they passed the gas station that Amelia and Bobby had passed the previous week. It made Amelia jump as Sarah put her foot on the break and they slammed to a stop. Amelia looked through the windscreen of the car, to see two jeeps blocking the road.

“Fuck.” She cursed. Sarah nodded at Amelia and the two climbed out of the car. Sarah walked to the side of the right vehicle and tried to squeeze through the small gap, she couldn’t fit so decided to climb up and over the jeep.

“Ugh, no fucking luck.” Sarah heard Amelia speak from the top of the other jeep. As far as the eye could see, cars were cluttered along the road, all the way to the Walmart on the horizon.

“We’ll have to leave the car here. Let’s come back to it.” Amelia told Sarah. Sarah jumped down and took the keys from the car, locking it. Amelia bent down and gave her a hand on climbing up the jeep. The pair jumped down the side together.

Guns raised and completely concentrated, the two speed-walked down the road. The two only managed to pass three cars before they saw an infected trapped in a seat belt. Next to it, the infected version of a baby reached out for the two.

Sarah dropped her gun and fell to the floor. She broke down, crying and sobbing as she was reminded of Bobby’s birth.

“I know it's bad.” Amelia bent down beside her. “But, we’ve got to keep going. Its not safe here.” Sarah looked her in the eye before reaching forwards for her gun. Abruptly, an infected reached out from underneath the car and grabbed for Sarah’s hand. As fast as a running cheetah, Amelia reacted and shot the infected through the wrist. The detached hand fell to the floor, lifeless. Sarah quickly picked up her gun and began to run down the road with Amelia.

Infected started to climb out from their hidden spots as the two sprinted along the filled streets. An infected crawled along in front of the pair and Amelia stomped on its head before they continued. Sarah and Amelia looked at each other as they saw the near-solid wall of infected heading towards them, with only a few gaps to get past.

Sarah ran over to one of the green cars and jumped onto it’s hood before climbing onto the roof. Amelia caught onto what she was doing and jumped onto a different red car. The two began to jump from car-to-car, dodging the claws and the snapping jaws of several infected.

“There are so many.” Amelia pointed out as she jumped. “They must’ve all tried to escape the city. The infection would have spread so easily in areas of high population like this.”

Soon enough, the two girls safetly reached the Walmart and jumped from the cars, but the infected were still hot on their tail. Amelia ran in front and tried to push the door open, it was locked.

Sarah raised her gun and shot a bulet against the keyhole. Miraculously, Amelia managed to open the door. The two quickly ran inside and slammed the door behind them. Sarah unclipped the shotgun from Amelia’s belt and placed it through the handles of the door, securing it tight.

“We’ll need to get that back later.” Amelia told her as infected began too bang at the door. “Sarah, go and collect all the bottled water thats left, if there is any. We can filter it back at the house.”

Sarah nodded and walked to the aisle on the left, Amelia began to search down the aisle to the right.

“You didn’t tell him, did you?” Amelia stands still at the sudden voice that she could hear. It was extremely unfamiliar. “Amelia?” She looked to the right to see Sarah calling her name. Amelia’s mouth dropped open as she realised it was Sarah who was speaking.

“N-no, I d-didin’t.” Her voice croaked as she spoke. “You know, that’s the first time I’ve heard you speak in eighteen years.” Sarah nodded, looking ashamed. “I don’t expect you to start speaking around Bobby, though.”

Sarah shook her head and Amelia sighed. She wouldn’t be hearing Sarah’s voice again anytime soon.

End of Issue 7

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