Zombies Part 6

They continued walking, and Kristi blocked Rachel from seeing the zombies as best as she could. The child was traumatized enough. "Here's the last stretch of hallway," Kristi spoke up. "The door is down there."

The commander looked around the corner. He frowned and pulled out a small pair of binoculars. Noticing their curious looks, he said, "Specially designed to see these zombies."

"Like infrared, but not," Kristi said delightedly. "It's . . . zombie . . . red . . . never mind." Her boyfriend laughed softly. (Let's give him a name now. Jace.)

"Yeeeaaah." The commander brought the binoculars up to his face. "Something like that." He mumbled to himself, "Should've used them on the roof." Kristi could hear the guilt in his voice. She wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words.

"There's a lot of zombies in that bowling alley there. No doubt they'll come swarming out when they catch sight of us. We need to move quickly." His voice was business-like again.

"My bowling alley . . . " one of the employees, who managed the alley, said faintly.

"I'm just glad you all got out of there in time," another employee told her consolingly.

Kristi set Rachel down. "I'll need to use this gun," she told her. "Grab hold of my shirt and don't let go. We're going to be just fine." Rachel nodded and grabbed Kristi's shirt tightly.

They started down the hallway as quietly as they could. "Aaaaaahhhhggggg." The zombies had seen them.

"Run! But stay together!" Bang, bang. Shots rang out.

"Don't let go!" Kristi shouted to Rachel. Never had that hallway seemed so long. Jace stayed right by Kristi's side, protecting her and Rachel. Several times, the zombies got very close, and Kristi shuddered when the rotting hands touched her. Then she blew their heads off with her gun. She checked on Rachel, who's eyes were closed tightly. "Yes, keep your eyes shut," she encouraged.

"Help!" Two people had gotten separated from the main group.

"I got this," the commander said, running back. He looked haggard and blood was dripping freely from his side. "Go!" Boom. "Go!" The two terrified employees ran past him to join the group. Kristi reached the door and quickly punched in the code, holding it open and covering for those behind her.

"It's clear in here!" a voice drifted back.

"C'mon!" Kristi shouted.

Jace back up toward her. Everyone else was through. "The commander fell down," he said, face pale. Then he faced the zombies again, advancing slowly and concentrating his fire on a knot of zombies. Kristi covered his sides, but she knew she couldn't do it for much longer. There were so many zombies. The commander was there on the ground, surrounded by the creatures. We can't get to him, Kristi despaired. "Get inside, Rachel." She tried to keep her voice steady. "I'll come in a couple minutes."

The little girl darted through the doorway and Kristi felt a sense of relief. But Jace was still out there. And the commander. Jace had almost reached him, but zombies were starting to fill in the space behind him, cutting off his retreat.

No, no, he can't get surrounded. He'll never be able to make it back to me. Desperately, she increased her fire. "Jace! I can't hold them off much longer---you have to come back!" He'd reached the commander now and was hauling him to his feet, dragging him slowly toward the door.

They're not going to make it. No, no, no. The commander saw the dilemma and pushed away from Jace, stumbling and barely holding himself up. "Go," he rasped out.

"I can't just leave you!"

"She needs you. Don't make her do this alone."

Jace caught sight of Kristi's tear streaked face before seeing the commander fling himself at the zombies. "No!"

Much as Jace hated it, he knew the commander was right. He wouldn't leave Kristi. He forced himself to run in the opposite direction, toward the door and Kristi. Even then, it was close. He slipped in the door behind Kristi and they pulled it shut.

Jace caught sight of the commander through a tangle of zombies as the door closed. Bang. "He shot himself," Jace said hoarsly. Shaking himself from the image burned into his mind, he turned to Kristi, who had slumped against the wall. "We need to barricade the door."

She nodded and pulled herself up. They dragged heavy items from a side passage nearby. Kristi had always wondered what was down the passageway, but now she didn't much care. When they finished, she faced Jace. The stared at each other for a couple seconds, then fell into each other's arms.

"I thought I lost you." Tears slipped down Kristi's cheeks.

"Shhh, I'm not going anywhere." He tightened his arms around her.

"Promise?"

He hesitated. "I won't make a promise I can't keep, Krisit. But I do promise that I'll try." She nodded and lifted her face to kiss him. It had to be enough.