Keep Going (Book 1): The Beginning (7 page)

The radio protested with sparks but Alex had no sympathy. The repeated beating had soon caused the machine to be unrecognizable. Any sparks or noise abruptly stopped but she did not. Not until her hands became sore from the painful grip.

Petey stepped cautiously towards Alex. She stared blankly at the pieces of metal, breathing harshly. He wrapped his hand around the weapon and pulled it from her grip. Her eyes were dull and broken, changing only when the crowbar clattered to the floor. Then all her walls her back up hiding any thought or emotion she held behind in her.

Nobody moved. The only sound was their heavy breathing. Alex looked at the two and saw two different reactions to her scene. Maggie had fear written all over he face but then again only when the radio was working did she not look scared. It was Petey’s face that filled her with guilt at her outburst. He attempted to look calm, his body spoke strength as it stood ready to pounce if needed but his face was carved with fear. Was it because of her or for her?

Alex looked back at the broken radio. The table had taken a lot of the hit as well, scattered pieces of wood mixed with the metal. She rubbed the back of her neck and evened out her breathing. She needed to collect herself and get them out of there.

“We pack up what we can carry and we get an early start tomorrow. Petey I need you to find out where the coordinates are and how long will it takes us to get there.” She said.

Alex grimaced slightly at the map. It was a bit torn and beaten as it had been sitting on the table but it was fine.

“We can get a car and drive there. Hopefully we’ll find one with enough gas and not any trouble.”

“And if it doesn’t?” Petey stepped forward. The fear started to slip from his face but he was still cautious of his friend.

“Then we walk.” She finally looked up at them. “We do what we have to, to get there.”

Alex hoped that her plan would be accepted, that they still trusted her enough. Indeed Petey did, he was still wary of her and her anger but he trusted her. He would always trust her.

Petey nodded and moved past her to pick up the map. Shaking off the bits of debris he walked over to the bed and laid out the map. She moved to his side and looked it over herself.

“Looks like it’s up in Mt. Vernon.” He said.

“That’s about 60 miles give or take. We could make it there in less then a day.” She replied.

“If we get a car.” He huffed.

Alex rolled her eyes. Standing up and placing her hands on her hip, she looked sternly at him.

“Can’t you just think positive?”

Petey was about to bark back but caught sight of the frozen girl behind them. He rolled his eyes and pointed with his chin towards her. Alex dropped her hands and looked at Maggie.

They were unsure of her as she barely spoke and acted like a frightened child in need of handholding. Yet when Maggie caught their eyes she merely nodded and moved to them. Standing by their side and looking down at the map for herself. It wasn’t much but they had to work with what they had.

8

Alex tossed the backpack on, a sense of peace filling her at the feel of the handle of the machete gently touching the back of her head. She picked up her gun and cocked it before securing it and slipping into her waistband. She wasn’t ready to go back up but there wasn’t really much of an option anymore.

“Everybody ready?” She looked around.

Petey was securing his own bag onto his back. It was filled with tools they might need along the away. Cocking his own gun, he gave her a nod when it felt securely fastened.

Maggie gripped the handle of a duffle bag tightly. Fear had not lessened in her. She wasn’t sure what she was going to face up there but she knew if she stayed close to the two of them she would be safe. Or at least she hoped so. She didn’t verbalize her worries but instead gave her own nod.

“Okay, let’s do this.” Alex said.

She picked up a double barrel shotgun and held it tight as she started for the ladder. A step up she felt a soft hand on her shoulder; she fell back down and looked over her shoulder. Maggie’s face was squished in discontent. Alex raised her eyebrow in question.

“Why don’t I get a gun?” She complained.

Alex let out a heavy sigh and stepped away from the ladder. Laying down her shotgun carefully she turned to face Maggie with her hands on her hips, looking like a parent ready to scold a child.

“Stick out your hand.” Alex said.

She made a motion for Maggie to do so when she made no action. Rolling her eyes Maggie stretched out her hand. It shook noticeably with uncertainty and fear.

Alex grabbed her hand quickly making her pull her hand away in shock but she held it tightly. Even in her grip it shook. She raised it up so that Maggie’s hand was in both their line of sight.

“You’re shaky. You can’t shoot a gun if you can’t even point it.” Alex dropped her hand. “Plus you’re skittish. One wrong move or noise and you could kill one of us. I can’t risk ourselves because you can’t control your nerves.”

She moved past the pair towards the mess of metal and wood. Kneeling down she picked up the crowbar and flipped it around as she stood up.

Alex tossed it to Maggie who caught it instinctively.

“This is your defense, this is your weapon. Don’t let it go.” Alex said.

Maggie gripped it with both hands and twisting it along with the handles of her duffle bag. She was displeased with her lack of protection but didn’t say anything.  Alex picked up her shotgun again and climbed up the ladder, this time uninterrupted.

The sun was still blazing as the three stood outside for the first time in days. Alex laid a finger on her lips making sure they stayed quiet. Petey and she raised their weapons. The trio looked around the area making sure it was clear yet only two knew what the danger might be out here and only one knew what it looked like.

Seeing that nothing was around they moved towards the street where various cars were lined up.

Alex though of the car that had brought them here, Charlie’s car, her scratches burned. They could use that one, only one problem came to mind though. She couldn’t recall a single detail about the car; the color, make or model.

Maggie taped her on the shoulder drawing her attention to Petey who held the doors open to an old green sedan. She didn’t know if it was the same car or not but she didn’t care. Hoping into the driver seat, Petey sat next to her looking for keys to start the car. Collecting their bags Maggie sat them down in the back with her.

Alex slammed the wheel hard when she found nothing, when they both found nothing.

“Shit! No keys.” She growled.

“I can hotwire it.” Petey said.

He laid his body across the seats and dropped his head near the driver seat’s panel just under the wheel. Alex had to pull back a lot so that she didn’t accidentally knee him in the face.

“How the fuck do you know how to hotwire a car?” She asked in disbelief.

“Same way I can fix a radio.” He answered.

Alex shrugged; she supposed everyone had their secret talents. At least his could save their lives. She watched him work; amazed at the fact her friend had this ability. Her fascination ended when she took a glance out the shattered window.  There weren’t many, slow moving too but they were moving towards them.

“Petey, we’ve got some company. Going to need you to hurry up.” Alex said.

“I’m working on it.”

“Maggie, get down and cover your head.” She threw the comment over her shoulder quietly.

Maggie followed order without hesitation and curled around the bags. Panic rose in her chest, Alex knew her luck would just fuck them over. They might have a chance if they could keep quiet, if they didn’t draw attention. Holding her breath, they needed to be quiet.

She was right though; her luck did screw them as the car alarm went blaring. Every set of glowing eyes turned towards them, their hunger more than evident. She reached over for the shogun. They were like canned tuna at the moment but like hell she wasn’t going to go down fighting.  She raised it and aimed, ready for a shot yet before she could pull the trigger the beautiful sound of the car turning over sang.

“I got it!” He yelled, the alarm dying down.

She tossed the shotgun to the side and gripped the wheel with one hand and the gearshift with the other.

“Stay down!” She yelled back.

Petey curled up in her lap as she stomped on the pedal causing the tires to squeal and smoke as it bolted down the road. It may have drawn more attention but like hell she was going to sit there any longer.

As much as she wanted to close her eyes Alex forced them to stay open. Forced them to stay open as she rammed into body after body dragging them underneath the car. The sound echoing loudly for Maggie and Petey but they didn’t dare to look up.

The streets cleared, the sound quieted and Alex felt her spirits lift for a moment. Seeing the empty road ahead she couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh.

“Whoa! Hell yeah!” She cheered.

The sound of their friend’s laughter was signal enough for Maggie and Petey. They sat up smiling brightly along with her.

They didn’t get back the laughs and general merriness that seemed to over take them. That was until they came to their first obstacle, cars riddled the highway.

“Shit!’ Petey sighed. “Looks like we weren’t the only ones trying to get the hell out of dodge.”

Alex rubbed her hand across her face only an hour into the trip she was already exhausted. She leaned back against the seat and stared out the front window before moving to get out.

Petey followed suit. They stood outside staring at the mess. They turned to each other to discuss what to do when they noticed it was only them two outside the car. In confusion they leaned down and looked inside.

Maggie sat staring straight ahead her body showing signs of slight tremors still and looking like she was going to puke any minute. Alex rolled her eyes and bit back her sarcasm.

“Maggie, stay put.” She spoke tiresomely.

They waited for no response as they turned and walked towards the mess.

“How long till she snaps?” Petey asked coming up behind her.

Alex didn’t know what to say at first. She could answer with the truth or something less mean and more comforting. Taking a look at her friend she knew she could say what was really on her mind. He would think no less of her for that.

“Doesn’t matter. If she can keep it together for a couple of days, she’ll be somebody else’s problem soon.” She admitted.

“Couple of days?” Petey stopped in his tracks. “Really think it’s going to take that long?” He spoke nervously.

Alex turned her attention back to her friend and leaned in close. As if she was whispering a secret that only he was supposed to hear.

“Look around. Think this will be the only problem we’ll run into? She rubbed her face again. “Plus I told you about those things I saw.”

She turned away and looked back at the cars, hands on her hips. Petey didn’t move the chill of her words ran down his spine. Alex told him about the things that attacked her and Charlie but she appeared almost unfazed by it. She hadn’t stopped working, she hadn’t stopped moving or doing something. She kept going, so really how terrifying could they really be if she had such little reaction to them? Even with Charlie’s death.

“Maybe we can just hot wire another car or something. Instead of dealing with all this.” She waved her hand at the mess.

Petey passed her and kicked a flatten tire of a pickup truck and tapped a part of the bumper that hadn’t meshed with another car. Alex took a second to look around again, folding her arms on top of her head. She watched as he touched various parts of different cars revealing what was most likely the aftermath of a very bad accident. The cars were banged up, flatten tires, shattered windows and bent frames. Some were worse than others and others looked like they had been mildly dinged.

“I can do it. We can take a chance starting up another car ahead of all this mess but the car we do have works and has a good amount of gas.” Petey pushed off a truck and circled Alex. “Then again with your luck, taking a chance might not be the best idea.”

“What do you think we should do?” She ignored the teasing.

Crossing her arms she waited for his answer. His lips tightened as he looked around weighing the options at hand. Getting a new car would save them some time. However they had no way of knowing the conditions of the other cars. Up head the cars may be ten times worse. They didn’t know the damage of the car they were in now either. Probably keys in the other cars unless people took them out in habit. In truth it was 50/50 shot with any car they were in. All the windows were blown in by god knows what else was broken inside them.

“I think…” He began. “We should go up ahead and maybe find another car.”

“Okay, let’s do it.” She complied.