THE INFECTED PART SIX

 THE INFECTED PART SIX

We've been walking along this road for roughly two days now. The one town we came across was filled with Lurkers. We haven't been able to eat anything, and people are starting to let it show. The group is angry, sad, and uneasy. We need to find a place to settle, no matter where it's at. It's my responsibility to get these people somewhere safe.

"Sarah, when do you plan on letting us rest? It's been days." Harvey asks.

"It's been barely two days. We'll rest when we find some food. I promise." I say.

The problem with that is, I don't think we will find food. If we do, it won't be much. Not enough for all of us, that is. Eventually we will come across something. I keep thinking about all the people we lost, because of what I did. I don't think anyone will be able to forgive me. I cost so many people their loved ones, their friends, and their home. This world is entirely unforgiving and I gave them even more of a reason to hate it.

"You really should be more understanding, you know?" Michael says. "My daughter is dead about ten miles back and I'm still here, pushing forward with all of you. I'm tired, I'm hungry and I'm ready to be somewhere safe too, but the world really doesn't work like that anymore, does it, Harvey? Sarah didn't ask to be the leader of this community we have, Sarah didn't cause all of this that's happened to us, this was because some maniac decided that the world should work his way and only his way, so cut her some slack while she drags all of us through this shit storm of a world and fights our demons so that we can stay snuggled up in a bed with food in our bellies every night while the world literally rots out from underneath us. We will find somewhere but it's going to take a little longer, does that sound good to you, Harvey? All of you?" Michael shouts at the crowd behind us.

A unison yes comes from the group.

"Thanks, Michael. I'm really trying here, I know that- "

"Save it, Sarah. I get it, I've accepted the world that we live in a long time ago. I'm not blaming you for any of it, not even Rebecca, but it's up to you to keep it that way. Do you understand?"

I nod and look up at the horizon. There I spotted a building, with a fence around it.

"Look at that." I say to Michael and Antonio.

"That looks like a school. It's possible that the lurkers have kept out of it, but there's only one way to be sure." Michael says.

"Yeah, and with a school comes a nurses station that has at least the bare minimum of medical care." Says Harvey with a slight smile on his face.

"Well, then let's get over there, clear it out if it needs to be, and then fortify around it. We can use the classrooms as rooms, the roof as a watchtower, and the existing fence as a perimeter. This could work, but we have to do it safely, smart and quick. Got it?"

Everyone nods and we make our way to the school.

Once we arrive at the school, we notice that there isn't much activity as far as lurkers are concerned. There are a few of them wandering aimlessly in the courtyard but we take care of them without a hitch. We think that it's an area that they really didn't get to. That is, until we approach the first set of doors into the school. On the set of doors is a sign that reads, "Stay Out! MY AREA NOT YOURS."

"There's people in there." Michael says.

"With people, comes bigger problems than a few lurkers could cause." I say. "If there are people in there, then we may need to turn around and find a different place to settle down."

"No, we can't do that. We've already been walking for days, this is the only thing that's worth a damn that we've found. We can find these people and possibly make a deal with them to allow us to stay here with them. We can make it work. Section off a part of the school for our people and give them the other half. It could work, Sarah. We just need to find them and talk to them." Michael says with a stern look.

I let out a sigh, "Okay, let's find these people."

We walk around the entire building multiple times and can't seem to find anyone. We've looked through the windows and saw empty corridors, a few cots here and there but other than that, nothing. We all regrouped back at the first set of doors that we found. A sound echoes through the empty courtyard. Something deep and ominous, like a low growl that you heard in the old, cheesy, sci-fi movies growing up. Not just one low growl but multiple. All around as if these growls were scattered around the building. That's not possible though, we searched all around the building multiple times, we would have seen something if it were there.

"The roof!" Antonio shouts.

We all look up at the roof and we see infected dogs, I count ten, fifteen, maybe twenty infected dogs. They're bigger than an average dog, that's because I notice these are wolves, not just dogs but wolves! Infected wolves!

"Oh no." I sigh.

"Everyone, it looks like we have a fight on our hands, that I don't think we can win. There's too many of them and we're too weak to handle it right now. So just give it your all and kill- "Michael says.

A low whistle blows through the courtyard. The wolves all calm down and walk back to the center of the roof, out of sight.

"You would kill my beautiful pets?" A voice echoes.

"Hello!?" I shouted.

A man walks to the edge of the roof where the wolves were standing but a moment ago. He is wearing a hood and a mask. In a deep Spanish accent, he speaks.

"Welcome to La Guarida del Lobo! You were not invited, but I am not a rude host. I heard that you would like a sanctuary behind my walls. I can grant that. Only temporarily of course. You see, I'm not much of a people person and- "

"The Wolf Den? The wolves....you trained them?" Antonio asks.

"Oh, right, yes. In a way. It was on a whim that I used this whistle when they were about to rip me to pieces and they seem to think I'm their leader now. It was a very crazy realization that I now possess a power to command this infected pack of wolves. It gives me a slight upper hand against you if you were to betray my generosity and good faith in allowing you to stay behind my walls. My name is Luis and I have food, water, and beds. You will eat, you will rest and then you will get the hell off of my land. Understand?" Luis says while playing with his whistle.

"Thank you, Luis." I say.

Just as soon as the words leave my mouth, he bows. Disappears and then opens the doors for us.