Episode 6: Gas Station

Episode 6

"Gas Station"

About ten minutes later, I heard the sound of a truck outside. I ran outside of the thrift shop and saw Patrick in the truck. He made it with good time too.

"That was fast." I said.

Patrick hopped out of the truck and headed inside of the thrift shop.

"I'm just that good." he said.

I followed him inside and everyone helped pack food into the back of the truck. Thank god we found this truck, it's been through a lot. It's saved us plenty of times, and it's really helpful. After about ten more minutes, we had the truck completely filled up, there was still a good amount of food left though.

"We'll come back for it." Patrick said, getting into the drivers seat of the truck.

I hopped in the passenger seat with him, and Sabrina, Kayla, and Brandy sat in the backseat. Patrick started driving, he stayed in the backstreet so we wouldn't get jumped by a horde of stranglers. After a few more minutes we arrived at the back of the building.

"I think we should keep the truck at the back of the building," Patrick said, "It's a good escape plan incase something ever happens to this place."

"Good idea." I said, getting out of the truck.

We all got out and started unpacking everything. After about half an hour, we had everything into the food court. I was too busy to realize, but after we were done, I realized Mark was gone. Ned and Julie were the only ones here.

"Where did Mark go?" I asked Ned.

He looked up from his papers, he was still making a route.

"He left? I didn't notice."

"Jess and Mark left," Julie said across the room from her table, "They packed up and went to look for Hilda and her group."

I was mad, why would they do that? It's really dangerous out there, and I gave Mark orders to stay and watch the mall. Do they really think they are going to find Hilda?

"What are we gonna do? Wait for them to get back?" Patrick asked.

"No," I said, "We're going to go find them."

"Jeff, that's dangerous. We should wait-" Sabrina said.

"No, I'm going after them. You can stay here if you want." I said, heading for the door.

"Finish unpacking." I said, then I left.

I don't blame them for not wanting to come with me, we've been through enough today. I am not leaving them though, it's my job as a leader to find them.

"Wait Jeff!" I looked back and saw Patrick, he was running for me.

"I'm coming." he said.

"Alright." I agreed.

"But you're not bringing any stuff? You don't have a backpack on, you only have your shotgun!"

"This is going to be quick, I don't have time to stock up. They need me."

"Alright, well I have my pistol right here if you need backup." he said.

"We're taking the truck from the back, we are going to need it to get through the streets of Toronto."

"What makes you think you're gonna find them?" Patrick asked me.

"We will."

I opened the back door after walking to the back of the mall and got into the truck. I was driving, Patrick hopped in the passenger seat. I stepped on the gas pedal and we moved out of the back street.

(This Part of the Story is From Jess's Point of View)

We sat around in the pub for quite a while, still planning our escape out of here. Mark kept looking out of the windows, the front streets and the back streets were both covered in stranglers. The ones in the back were still trying to bust the back door down. They weren't going to with that jukebox in the way. I sat on the ground surrounded in gasoline containers. This was the jackpot, only problem was how do we take the jackpot with us? I spotted a lighter in the corner of the room, and then got an idea. We could use the lighter to set some gasoline on fire. We could pour some out outside and start a fire to take down some of the stranglers. I got up and ran over to the lighter. I picked it up and looked at it.

"Please work." I said, closing my eyes.

I flicked it, nothing. I kept flicking it over and over again, nothing.

"Dammit!" I yelled, I kept flicking it but nothing would happen.

I threw it at the wall and it broke. There was nothing inside. We were screwed.

"Wait a second," Mark said pointing at the lighter, "We don't need a lighter, we just need a spark."

"Good luck, the damn thing is broken anyways." I said.

"No, we're not using the lighter."

"What the hell are we doing then?" I asked.

"Alright, listen, here's the plan." he said, I walked closer to him.

"Bullet's can set off sparks too. Stranglers are also attracted to bright things too, right? I can throw the gasoline container out through the window, and you shoot it. You'll puncture through the container, and the gas will pour out. Then you keep firing on the gasoline. Don't miss, make the bullets count. If we do this right, we can start a fire. We are going to have to waste a container of gasoline for this, but oh well, right?"

"That's actually a good idea," I said, "It's risky though. If I start shooting it, and it doesn't spark, we have just attracted dozens of stranglers to this building. We will die."

"There is no other option. Let's do this." Mark headed for a container, there were six, now we have five.

He aimed, and threw the gasoline container out of the window. It landed on the street right in the middle of a bunch of stranglers. They looked confused, and started looking around from where that came from. I took his silenced rifle from him, it was more accurate than my dual wields. I took a deep breath and aimed for the container.

"You can do this, you can do this." Mark said under his breath.

I opened my eyes and aimed as accurate as I could, I then started firing. The bullets sprayed the ground, putting holes in the stranglers feet. They all looked at this building and screamed. They ran for the building and I kept firing.

"Come on!" I yelled, I kept firing.

It wouldn't work, I then ran out of ammo. I dropped the rifle and sighed, this was it. The stranglers started banging on the front door. They were going to get in. I looked at Mark, he closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. I heard a screech from outside on the main streets, I looked back out the window and saw our truck hit a bunch of stranglers. The stranglers stopped banging on the bar and looked over at the truck. Jeff and Patrick hopped out of the truck and opened fire on a bunch of them. Stranglers were dropping like flies, my eyes lit up and I smiled. I looked back at Mark, and he smirked. They came through. Just at the right moment. I went out to help along with Mark, I tossed him the rifle and grabbed my duel wields. I kicked the front door open and started firing at stranglers. After a bunch of shooting, most of the stranglers were gone. More were bound to come though, I heard screams not far away. They heard all the gunfire. I headed into the bar and came out with some gasoline containers, everyone ran in and started helping. After Jeff and Patrick helping, we had five containers of gasoline in the truck. I hopped in the back with it, along with Mark. Jeff drove and Patrick sat in the passenger seat. Jeff stomped on the gas pedal and we sped off.

(This Part of the Story is From Julie's Point of View)

I was waiting in the food court for Jeff and Patrick to come back on their rescue mission. I shouldn't have told them where Mark and Jess went. I hope they never find them. I want Jess to die, I want her to be ripped apart by stranglers. She killed my dad without mercy, he was crazy but he didn't deserve that. I watched the whole thing too. The group let it go because she just lost her brother, I don't care. Maybe if I killed her they would forgive me since I just lost my dad. Sabrina kept looking over at me, like I was some menace that had to had an eye kept on. I needed out of here, I needed some space. I sat up and headed for the door.

"What are you doing?" Sabrina asked.

"I'm going for a walk." I said.

"I don't think Jeff wants anyone to leave-"

"Shut up Sabrina."

I opened the doors and headed out of the food court, Sabrina didn't say anything else. That stopped her. I walked around the mall, where was a place I could go where nobody could find me or bug me? The basement. I started walking around, trying to find it. I saw an elevator, but it obviously wouldn't work. I saw a staircase next to it leading upstairs, and downstairs. I headed down the staircase, I walked down a flight of stairs and found a door. I opened it, the door opened right up. Inside was a dark room, it was like a small storage room. I walked around, and looked around the place. I saw an air vent on the back wall, I wonder where it led to. This place was actually starting to creep me out, I wanted to leave but I didn't care if something happened to me. I turned my head and saw a knife on one of the shelves.

(This Part of the Story is From Jeff's Point of View)

I was mad, but I was also happy we finally found fuel. It's about time we get some gasoline, now all we need to do is get it to the generator in the back of the building and fill it up. Then we have electricity, thank god. It's been so long, I can't wait to flick a switch and see a room light up. I can't wait for all of the things we can do. The mall was revealed and it kept getting closer, soon we would be there. I turned my head and looked at Jess and Mark in the backseat. They were talking, and they looked pretty shaken up. Being that close to death must have been scary, I would know.

"Jeff look out!" Patrick yelled.

I turned my head back and looked out the front window, there was a small pack of stranglers running at the car in front of us. I narrowed my eyes and sped up. I wasn't going to move for them.

"Jeff what the hell are you doing?" Patrick asked.

There was a thud and blood splattered all over the car, it covered the window. I stopped. I got out of the truck and looked around. Patrick hopped out.

"Jeff what the actual hell is your problem man?"

"I wasn't going to move," I said, "If I did we might have spun out of control. These bastards deserve it anyways."

Jess and Mark got out of the back, they walked closer to me.

"Dude that wasn't cool," Mark said, "I almost flew out."

"You've been acting different lately," Jess said, "You seem so much more angry now. Or is it just me?"

"I've noticed too." Patrick said, glaring at me.

There was a growl under the car, I looked under the truck and saw a strangler. I had run it over already, and it's legs were gone. It was trying to reach me. I pulled out my knife and stabbed it in the head.

"Are you still pissed off about Dan and Gretchen?" Mark asked me.

"No, it's the apocalypse," I said, "Sorry if I'm a little cranky."

"You've never acted like this though, what is it?" Jess asked.

I had another flashback, it was of Samantha and I again. We were at our wedding, we were about to kiss, then blood started streaming from her eyes. What was going on? The flashback ended and I received a terrible headache, my ears rung and I covered them.

"Jeff?" Patrick asked, touching my shoulder.

"Get off me!" I yelled, I backed up and punched the truck as hard as I could.

I hurt my fist, and put a pretty big dent into the side of the truck. I held my hand and fell to my knees. What was going on? Are these messages? What is happening with Samantha? It's tearing me apart with these flashbacks.

"Jeff!" Patrick grabbed me and tried snapping me out of it.

A tear droplet fell from my eye and I watched it hit the ground.

"I just want to see her, I want to know where she is." I said.

"Who?" Patrick asked.

"My wife."

Everyone stopped talking for a while, they just stood there. Not knowing what to say.

"Samantha?" Mark asked.

"Yes her. I keep getting flashbacks. It's driving me crazy." I said.

"Come on," Patrick said, "Let's get you home buddy."