Why Did I Leave The Truck? Oh Right Cause I’m an Idiot!

Yeah I’m not sure where to start I’m not a writer and I’ve always hated journals. I guess I should start from the beginning my name is Joshua and I’m currently stuck in a building with five other people and a dog.

It’s hard to tell you what signs there were of anything being wrong that day. Maybe it was when Damon called saying he wasn’t going to work today cause Ady was in the hospital, we usually car pooled, I had helped get him a job at the construction company I worked for putting in a good word for him, and he never let me down on a job. I’d known Damon for a long time he’d been out of work for some time and Ady was the head of house income for while there after he lost his job. Damon married Ady after she was out of high school, he was older than her Lina didn’t like that too much, but she never seemed to put him down. I had first met Lina at their wedding, she was running around making sure everything was just right for her baby sister. I poked fun at her for pushing people around at that time I thought she was one of those control freaks with OCD, needless to say she didn’t take to kindly to me.

So when she moved in across the hall three years ago now I guess, I avoided her like the plague I’m sure she did the same, but when Damon and Ady moved in 6 months later with two year old Marek I got o know her, turned out we liked a lot of the same things, she wasn’t OCD and unless you stepped on her toes she was mellow her and Damon got along great annoying Ady by playing video games and speaking geek. Not that she’s a geek by all means no, she liked cars owns a gun what’s more she knows how to use it, she also knows how to hit believe me I know.

No there was no real sign of anything being wrong that day; the news spouted the same old thing about the campion virus and riots in major cities. So I drove to work that day by myself.

My buddy Kevin and I were on the third floor installing some of the carpet when our talkies crackled and panicked words came from them “Greg’s been hurt! We need medical help.” Greg was one of the guys unloading supplies, I had given him the keys to my truck cause I had pick up some stuff the boss had asked for earlier, the voice on the walkie-talkie was Rudy and if he sounded panicked it was bad that kid was hard as nails well I shouldn’t say kid he was older than me. Anyways I ran to the stairs and started down with Kevin right on my heels half way down we started hearing screams and loud noises we stopped looked at each other he had the same puzzled look I did we grabbed the hammer from our belts and continued down again, other workers had joined us from the upper levels, when we burst through the door of the first level it was like right out of a movie. I mean if a camera was rolling they couldn’t have asked for a better shot.

“Zombies!!” Kevin yelled it was odd to me at first but I looked and yep they were zombies. Now Kevin is or was I hope he’s ok, he’s a zombie fan a movie or a game came out with zombies he had it his wife always complained about that.

I looked around for something other than my trusty hammer and saw some cordless nail guns I grabbed one a throw another to Kevin, “Its to late to save them in here!” he called I nodded and we ran outside others followed us assuming we know what to do. I looked at my truck and it was surrounded by those things one of them caught sight of me and ran right towards me “Holy shit they run!” we said in unison I shot at it with the nail gun and he kept right on coming I backed up and heard 2 pops and the zombie fell right at my feet dead.

“Come on you moron we’ve played zombie games shoot them in the head.” Kevin said.

“Right cause that’s the first thing that pops in my head is. Hey look zombies lets have a fun day of head shots” I said the last have of that sentence in a British accent and he rolled his eyes.

“Lets move! Anyone have a truck we have to get the hell out of here before we’re food!” I hollered, Juan at the back replied “This way!” we followed.

“Stay close together and kill it if it gets close.” Kevin yelled

We ran back into the building through it and out the back others in group took a cue from us and picked up more nail guns as we came upon them, we got into the company truck three people in front and five others on the flat bed, those with nail guns at the edge ready to shoot. I felt like I was in a nightmare because I just watched a stupid zombie movie.

We road out of there with zombies walking or running after use, any that managed to hold on were beaten or riddle with nails. Once we were at a safe distance Kevin banged on the cab and yelled “Pull over!”

We all stud out there by the truck deciding what to do everyone wanted to go home to there families, I had no family well… that I cared about, but I figured I’d go home anyways and see what was going on, on the road we saw people in hazmat suits with military people around them herding others in to vans one of them flagged us down and tried to get us all in one of the vans during the argument of no we’re not getting in and the yes you are zombies appeared we were quickly forgotten and our small band was off again.

They dropped me off as close as they could, I lived some what out of the way and I didn’t want to keep them. I ran the rest of the way to my apartment my lungs burned with the cold air, as I neared the complex I could hear some screams coming from there shit I thought its here too, I ran to my building and up the stairs when I reached that top a body fell out of Mali’s door and I hard a thud as the head hit the banister it was Lina then Mali came crawling out “Shit!” I aim and pulled the trigger Zombie Mali fell side ways but she wasn’t dead I put on in her eye and now she was dead again.

I turned and pointed my nail gun at Lina making sure she wasn’t going to get up and attack me, besides the blood she was just dazed I helped her up and told her about what I’d seen on the way here guys in suits with vans putting people in them. She said Marek’s name and started for the stairs I grabbed her and reminded her she was in panties, which I didn’t mind seeing she has a nice body she ran to her apartment then back out in to Mali’s and back to hers I chuckled to myself and answered Lina’s protest of men being men.

I walked into my apartment figured being here wasn’t safe either I changed my clothes for some zombie proof clothes, which working on construction you buy clothes that are… well wear and tear proof I also grabbed my gun and figured I’d use it when I ran out of nails no point in wasting ammo I picked up some extra mags loaded them and stuck those in my bag with the extra box of pullets. I looked around for things I might need, a jacket, sleeping bag, some food, I was hungry we were close to lunch break when the zombies showed up so I pulled some Chinese food out of the fridge ate it cold and out the door I went at the stairs Lina almost ran into me, on they way down the stairs I explain that I was on foot, and she ordered me in to her truck which I didn’t mind cause I’d take a ride over feet any day zombies attacked she picked up Mali’s dog much to my dislike but I said nothing.

I didn’t know where we were going but on the way there a mini van hit a car I got out to help when I saw that the windows had blood on them plus the savage growls I heard stopped me mid stride then back in the truck I went we took off. Lina drove at scary speeds running stop signs and dodging cars I held on to the oh shit handle all the way to the daycare.

When we pulled up I saw blood on the window and at the entrance door was hanging on one hinge great I told myself but then Lina started walking toward it I tried to stop her but I knew her well enough when she shrugged off my hand that she’d shoot me first before giving in, I turn back to the truck grabbed my nail gun and in we went, after another round of zombie shooting we pulled out two kids and one of the day care staff then Lina went after the dog and brought back to my extreme amazement Marek, she gave me the keys and after some arguing about not going to where sick people go to die, she actually gave in I was surprised but I wasn’t about to argue my luck so off we went to leave the city that was quickly going to hell.

After an oh so very informative radio broadcast and some Q and A later, about four blocks from the on ramp the traffic was worse than usual everyone was trying to get out, I slowed the truck when Lina said “No don’t get in line with the traffic park.”

“But we need to get on, everyone is trying to get out so there’s bound to be traffic.” Was my reply if we didn’t get in line we’d wouldn’t be able to.

“Yes I know that, but it doesn’t seem to be moving, besides radio said stay away from large groups, can you think or a larger group than this?” She pointed out, Now I was the one making stupid assumptions

“Yeah well the radio said to stay indoors and you saw the door to the daycare center.” I tried to save face.


“I don’t know there is something very wrong about this traffic jam though, look at it.” Great we were now going on Feeling but she was right it didn’t seem to be inching at all I pulled into one of the parking lots going around a shop and parked facing the street. I turned off the car put the keys in my pocket got out feeling the cold air hit me, an annoying question came my way “Where are you going?”

“Going to see what’s the hold up.” I replied and shut the door before any other questions and or comments could be thrown at me. I rubbed my hands together and off I went on my wonderfully journey to die.

You know I always figured there were two kinds of people in this world, those that would do anything to for themselves and those that would do anything for others. It turns out now there are three kinds of people those that would do anything for their material shit, which is worthless now, seriously I once saw a guy running away with his flat screen TV leaving his five year old daughter screaming after him.

And back to the story at hand I was about a block away I could see that it was a blockade I figured I’d come this far might as well ask why it was there; stupid me had to show her wrong, but I got a dose of you’re a moron right over the head that day. I heard some far away moans and growls as I crossed the street looking down, what I saw stopped my blood cold with a little help of good old weather; there was a ton of them almost like a moving wall.

Where did they all come from? Shit shit shit hadn’t I watched enough movies to know better than to leave the car! They were running walking dragging themselves toward the parking lot that was the traffic I turned and ran through the traffic to the other side I knew that if I started straight for the truck I’d never make it those running zombies seemed faster than my feet could carry me.

I had left my gun in the truck both of them; people started screaming around me, cars honking there horns, people rear ending each other, tires screeching. Me? Oh I ran, at first I was just running to get away then I realized I had the keys I could of left but it wasn’t in me to do it, so I ran full out back to the truck down other side streets I could see more zombies coming out of the streets ahead so I got on top of a car and started car hoping. I saw a family out of there car and the guy was handing every person something to carry the lady was pleading with her husband to just leave it she was tackled by a zombie her screams of horror filled my ears I thought they would burst, the guy pulled a gun from his belt but before he could aim another zombie got to him, the gun went off blowing off part of his teenage daughters head and her body fell to the concrete with a sickly thud, the little boy actually had some brains and took off running I lost site of him as he dodge through the cars

When I got closer I saw her, Lina, she was out of the truck there was a small space in traffic some people gathered around them a guy had a hold of her arm “Shit a zombie” I said out loud then she punched him and down he went like a sack of potato some lady ran to where the guy had fallen Lina looked at them and then she stumbled and held on to the back of a car to balance herself she’s bit I thought and out of the corner of my eye I could see a zombie running at full speed toward the blazer I jumped down from my perch I realized I had stopped when I saw Lina.

“Lina! The Truck, THE TRUCK!” I yelled she didn’t seem to hear me I ran as fast as I could the cold air searing my lungs all the while yelling “Lina!” I looked from the Blazer to Lina to the Blazer, as soon as the zombie hit the side of the blazer Lina reacted her gun came out in one instance and the zombie was down in the next, and shortly after the noise of the bang hit my ears. I saw her run to the truck get in and get out again she looked pissed “I’m dead” I told myself out loud, if the zombies didn’t kill me she would. I watched her climb on top of the blazer and look around as soon as she saw me getting closer she nodded in understanding that yes I was on my way back, then she pointed the gun at me “Fuck!” I throw myself on the ground then a zombie fell behind me. Ok so she wasn’t going to kill me yet she was going to make sure we were out.

Screams all around me went up in the air like a song, gun shots and moans were their course. Lina was still on top of the Blazer shooting anything that got close.I reach the truck and in I went taking the key out of my pocket and shoving it into the ignition in that same instance Lina was in next to me putting Marek in the back “Put on your seat belts all of you.” She barked orders nobody said a word they all did as they were told.

I turned the key and the Truck came to life I put it in reverse and stumped on the gas the wheels screamed and slid on what little ice there was but backwards we went, I shoved it into drive the blazer jerked forward and we headed for the exit of the parking lot I saw a group of them at the exit and slammed on the brakes. “Shit shit what now?” I asked stupefied.

“This ain’t exactly a Geo, Run them over!” She yelled.

I put my foot down on the gas as hard as I could hearing the wheels screech for a second time I ran over those things while pulling out of the parking lot the blazer jerked slightly over the bodies. “Keep your heads down you guys.” I said to the passengers in the back as we pulled on to the street and raced down it.

“They’re zombies, why didn’t you tell me that zombies were attacking?” Lina yelled at me.

“Fuck what do you want me to do sing it for you?” I replied annoyed, but really if Kevin hadn’t told me I’d have been just as clueless for a while.

You know how they say there are no stupid questions, well from the back came a question that was beyond stupid. “Shouldn’t we head to a mall if there are zombies?” Michelle asked innocently.

I looked at Lina and she looked back at me with the same expression I must have had, we both laughed. “No we need to get out of town, get some supplies and find some place safe.” I replied trying to be as gentile as possible.

“Take the back roads out of here.” Lina said.

“The entrance to the freeway was blocked, the back roads would be blocked too, at least I would guess.” I replied trying to the think fast on how to get out of zombie city.

“The dunes, they wouldn’t block those, there not streets and people wouldn’t think to use them to get out, at least not right away.” She pointed out.

I pondered this for a moment then nodded, they weren’t really dunes, it was a big chuck of land connecting one city to the next, often used as a trail for ATV, dirt bikes or horse back riding it was off road.

“Time to see how good this baby handles.” I smiled.

“Ok but remember it’s a rental.” I looked at her, she had a big grin on her face and I chuckled.