Remembering my trouble navigating through the abandoned cars littered across the freeway, I made my way instead to the off ramp and proceeded upward. Compared to the on ramp this side was empty, just ad I expected, with only one or two cars waiting for a light that would never change. As I crested the hill I was greeted with a fantastic sunset. The brilliant reds and yellows streaked across the sky in long waves, dipping into purple as they touched the horizon. The sun was directly ahead, it's brightness diminished by the thick clouds and vibrant color. I squinted and drove forward, the only vehicle for miles. To my right the city loomed, it's building casting long shadows in the fading light. It was lost, and I had no intention of returning. Ahead lay a new life, a new future, and the fulfillment of all my expended efforts up to this point.
I cruised along easily, being careful to keep my speed around 40mph to optimize my fuel. The gas gauge read empty, but I would run it until it died, making sure I used every last drop. Tracy's map showed a gas station off the side of the freeway exit, but there was no guarantee I could get the pumps to work. Most were digital these days, and without a working monetary system or electrical power they would be useless. Gigantic hordes of fuel just sitting in the ground, waiting for someone to use their ingenuity to tap into their reserves.
I glanced at the map. I had just passed exit 72 and I needed to exit on 74. The cars were more sparse as I left the city, and I looked at my side view mirror and saw the buildings fading in the distance. Rolling down the window I was greeted with clean, fresh air for the first time in days. It reminded me that we are only guests on this planet, a small part of the planet's population and history. It felt all consuming inside that city, the smell of death everywhere, huge mobs of infected roaming the streets, but just a few miles outside the city nature still ruled. The tall grass on the sides of the road would soon find their way through cracks in cement and the trees would one day uproot the pavement to replace the smooth surface with their powerful branches.
I have always been a fan of city life. I loved the feeling of developed streets and eclectic shops, access to everything and anything you need within a fee blocks. The convenience of a comfortable apartment and an evolved transportation system give you the ability to focus on cultural and philanthropic events, and I would spend my evenings sitting in a sandwich shop late at night reading a magazine by the illuminated street lamps that surrounded me. It was a wonderful life, an easy life, and while I knew it was gone, I wasn't sad. The new life that lay before me was exciting and adventurous. I felt like a pioneer, embarking on a new chapter that would surely test my limits and challenge my ingenuity. The best part was thinking who I would be spending it with. Tracy was everything I had ever hoped for, beautiful and confident, talented and energetic. When I saw her I would let her know how I felt about her, and without the nonsense of office propriety or the competition of other men we could start a life together. I smiled, thinking of how excited I was to see her, and wondered if it would really work out in real life as easily as it did in my head.
My headlights illuminated the sign for exit 74 and I moved to the right. Only a two lane highway at this point I could move freely on either side of the road as needed, and glanced back at the city behind me. It wasn't much more than a few spindles of shadow on the horizon, and I hoped this distance would keep its new inhabitants far away from us. As I got to the bottom of the ramp I felt the van sputter. The gas station loomed ahead, it's tall canopy black against the starlit sky. I coasted to a stop on the road in front of the station and climbed to the back of the van. Grabbing my rifle I waited, wanting to see if my arrival would trigger whatever dark menace would surely be lurking outside. I peered through the windows, looking for any sign of movement. The lights were out and I saw nothing lurking in the shadows. I just needed enough time to use my reserve can to fill up.
As I climbed out of the back I quickly unscrewed the gas cap and tipped the nozzle into the hole. The familiar gurgle of fuel seemed loud in the silence of the clean night air. I looked around cautiously, watching for any sign of movement or danger. In a tree somewhere I heard the familiar drone of a cicada bug, and his solemn yet peaceful sound was soon followed by a chorus of his compatriots in the distance.
Tipping the can upward to empty the last few drops I pulled it out and replaced the cap. As I glanced at the gas station a soft glow caught my eyes. The tanks had power! Their LED screens dimly illumitated, I stopped, wondering if I could fill up the van and my reserve cans too. The stations always had a manual button that would turn on the pump, for those who pre-paid rather than using their card at the pump. I strained my eyes, trying to see inside the darkened building. How were the pumps still getting power yet the lights inside were out? I closed the van doors and stood, weighing the options. I could just move on, hoping this last can of fuel was enough to get me there, but if I could fill up that would not only guarantee my arrival but give us fuel to do other things. I imagined how useful the van would be with a full tank of gas. Scavenging for supplies, hauling timbers to build walls and other structures... It was worth the risk.
I pulled my rifle off my shoulder and checked it. Confident it was ready to fire, I pulled it tight against my shoulder and moved slowly toward the door. The pumps made a low hum as I walked toward them, and I pulled on pe nozzle off cautiously, pulling the trigger to see if gas would start. The handle clicked without resistance, and I replaced it and continued toward the door. Scanning from left to right I watched for any sign of movement. The wind blew the free branches, drawing my attention with their soft, distracting movement.
I peered in the windows of the station, watching for any movement. Part of me wanted to call out, warning that potential person huddled inside behind the counter with a loaded shotgun that I wasn't one of the infected, but I knew such a vocalization would draw the undead to my location, and I didn't need that kind of trouble.
My foot nudged a can of corned beef which rolled until it hit the curb. Seeing the worn label reminded me of how hungry I was, and I realized this store meant more than fuel, it was stocked with unhealthy food packed with preservatives, the kind that tasted good and lasted forever. If I could get the gas pump on I could be filling the back of my van while the tank filled. A smile broke across my lips and I had to remind myself not to get too excited, that I wasn't out of danger yet. I approached the large double glass door and saw the tube from the nearby air compressor tied around the handles. Someone had secured this door from the outside, and not to prevent human entrance. I could easily unwind the rubber hose from the handles if I wished, but I worried now what lay inside.
I tapped on the glass with the barrel of my gun and immediately saw figures rise from between the darkened store shelves. The familiar moan of the undead was muffled by the glass and as my eyes adjusted I saw the long black smears on the inside of the door. A man in coveralls was the first to emerge, pushing his bony fingers against the door. The hose held tight, and the door bounced back and forth as he pushed his weight against it. I stood a foot or so away, watching closely as two more joined him at the door. From the safety of the exterior I could easily dispatch them with a bullet in the head of each, and then open the doors to claim my reward, but what would that attract? I had no idea how inhabited this area was, how many zombies might be lurking in the woods behind this place.
I looked around at the parking lot. There were at least ten cars either parked in front or left at the pumps. Each one represented a possibility of supplies and fuel and an option for transportation, each one also representing at lest one if not more people infected and willing to hunt me down. If three were inside the building, where were the others? I backed away slowly, standing out in the open to ensure I wouldn't be surprised by an approaching ghoul. Scanning left and right I felt confident that if they were out there, they didn't know I was here.
I relaxed a bit, and walked over to one of the cars by the gas pump. It was a small sedan in poor condition, the owner clearly not caring about upkeep. The rear bumper was held on with duct tape, and the brake light above it covered in a clear red tape, an attempt to make it work without paying for a repair I guess. Inside the foor was covered in the remains of what looked like dozens of fast food meals from a variety of restaurant chains. I wondered how someone could be satisfied driving such a vehicle, how they couldn't take the time to toss some of this refuse into the garbage can standing only a few feet away. I rounded the car to the driver's side and to my surprise the gas pump was still in the car. Had the owner left it pumping to go inside and grab a stick of beef jerky and a soda? The counter on the pump still showed a balance, which meant it might still be active.
I walked to the pump and squeezed. I felt the resistance of the handle and as I squeezed I heard the sound of flowing fuel and the familiar click as the nozzle shut itself off. This car clearly had a full tank, and this pump worked. I eagerly rushed back to the van and started it. The van sputtered at first and then roared to life. I popped it into gear and pulled forward, then deftly flipped it into reverse and backed as close as I could to the pump. I felt my rear bumper crunch against the sedan and heard the duct tape rip free.
I moved quickly, not knowing if starting the van would attract some group of lonely walkers wandering through the woods. I pulled on the hose and extended it as far as I could, stretching it around to reach the opposite side of the van where my cap was. Removing the cover I shoved the nozzle into the hole and squeezed. One great thing about the end of the world, gas was a lot cheaper.
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