I stood with my back to the van as the tank filled. The wind blew softly through the trees, rustling the leaves and waving them back and forth across the cloudy sky. The moon, once gleaming and illuminating the night, now ducked behind some ominous looking clouds that rolled and poured over each other. The wind was bringing a large storm my direction, and as it picked up my senses were both heightened and muffled. Leaves scattered across the road, piling against the tires as I waited for the tank to fill. I looked back at the gauge on the tank. There was something very satisfying about having a full tank of gas, and as it reached the top I heard it click off. Reaching for the handle I inserted it back in the other car, hoping it would remain active for the next time I needed a fill up.
I glanced back at the convenience store, the three walkers weakly pounding on the glass doors in an attempt to get outside. While the food and water inside presented a significant opportunity, I decided to tackle it later, when I could come back with Tracy felt more prepared to load the supplies. Right now, I just needed to get to her. I climbed back in the van and started the engine, pulling away from the station glanced over at the walkers whose congested yellow eyes seemed to follow my movement in desperation. "I'll see you guys soon" I promised them, knowing that the next time we met it wouldn't end well for them.
I pulled out of the station and headed down the single lane road. Flipping on the reading lamp above the rear view mirror I glanced at the map Tracy had left for me. Turn right at the rusty stop sign, about 25 miles ahead. I tucked the map under my thigh and flipped on the radio, but was greeted with static. Nothing on any channel. Switching it off I leaned forward to look up at the sky. Trees covered most of the road like a tremendous canopy and I saw a few raindrops spatter on the windshield. They muddled in the dust on the glass and ran off to the left.
As I drove on the rain began to fall in large, fat drops. It splashed on the windshield and turned the dust and ash into mud, blocking my view of the road ahead. I flipped on the wipers, but the arms were broken to pieces from the walker attack back in the city, and they scraped uselessly across the glass, making it even harder to see. I moved my head left to right, hoping to find a spot where I could see well, and finally pulled over to the side of the road. Looking around for a rag or piece of cloth I saw a roll of light blue shop towels tucked behind the front seat. I grabbed them and pulled off four or five, tucking the roll back behind the seat.
As I stepped out into the rain I felt a large raindrop fall down the back of my collar, causing me to shrug my shoulders. The chill of the water sent goose bumps across my body and I instinctively pulled my collar up. Standing up on the front tire I wiped the windshield vigorously, using the falling rain to clean off the grime. I reached as far as I could and then hopped down and walked around the front of the van. The headlights shone through the night sky illuminating the falling rain in long, thick beams. As I passed in front of them I broke the beams, casting long shadows down the road.
Climbing up on the passenger's side tire I reached my arm across the windshield to wipe the opposite side but was immediately pulled backward. With no leverage I fell onto my back in the ditch and felt a sharp pain as I landed on something hard. Struggled to gain my footing, I looked up to see a dark shape above me, looming down in the darkness. I kicked upward hard, making contact with its chest and pushing it backward against the van. I pulled my legs underneath me to stand but it leapt on top of me again, clawing vigorously as my arms. Rather than push forward I took a step back, ducking behind a tree to put a barrier between us. It rushed around the tree and I grabbed its outstretched arm and pulled hard, using its momentum to fling it into the woods and hurl myself back toward the van.
Racing to the door I opened it and grabbed my rifle, turning to train it on my attacker. It swung its arms wildly, knocking the rifle from my grip and sending it flying in front of the van. I watched it slide on the asphalt several feet in front of the van and to my surprise, it ran for the gun. At first I assumed the sound had caught it attention but as the headlights hit it I saw the ragged figure of an angry man, covered in dirt and mud, his eyes flashing with a wild, untamed look. He picked up the rifle and I ducked behind the door, reaching behind my belt and retrieving my pistol. Several shots rang out and closed my eyes, mentally scanning my body for injury. The pain in my back surged but it only felt bruised, and I didn't feel any other issues.
"Stop shooting!" I called out, hoping to reason with my attacker. Several shots rang out again, hitting the door and sending bits of the plastic interior flying against my face. I ran to the back of the van and called out again. "Hey, I'm human, I'm not here to hurt you!" My plea was answered by several more shots, and I ducked down to the ground to see where he was.
The rain spattered on the ground in heavy sheets, and I could see two feet standing directly in front of the van. I aimed my pistol carefully and fired, watching as the leather of his boot ripped open and blood poured from the hole and began mixing with the rain. He let out a howl and I saw his body hit the ground, the rifle smacking the asphalt and sliding toward the driver's side wheel. "I don't want to hurt you." I called out, walking around the front of the van, keeping my pistol trained on his head. "But I will shoot you if you don't hold still." His dirty face looked up at me, filled with fury. He was hunched over on his side, holding his tattered boot and muttering in some unknown language. His hair was matted and dirty, with great clumps of leaves and twigs tangled into it. His coat was also covered in mud and dirt, and he looked as though he had been sleeping outside for several weeks. As I got closer to him he lunched out at me, grabbing my leg and trying to bite me. I kicked hard and felt a crack as I freed by boot by making contact with his face. Stepping back I pointed my gun at him but he didn't seem to care. Blood poured from his broken nose and he kept mumbling something, but I couldn't understand it. The rain was pouring so loudly I could hardly hear. "Listen, I can help you." I said loudly, but he didn't acknowledge my voice. "Can you understand me?" At these words he stopped and looked toward the woods, a shock of fear spreading across his face like a terrified animal. He scuttered to his feet and crawled the opposite direction, up the leaf-covered bank and into the darkness of the trees beyond. The dirt and blood where he lay we're pounded by the falling rain and I watched as they drifted off the side of the road.
I picked up the rifle and looked into the trees, trying to see what had scared him. I couldn't hear anything and I squinted in the darkness, trying to discern the source of his terror. Several dark shapes loomed between the trees, making their way toward me. By their shuffling walk I knew what they were and I leapt into the van. I didn't need to see their faces to know I had to leave.
