Chapter 4: Demolition Derby
Sanchez crushed his foot down on the gas and the squad car went tearing around Davis squad car and took off north down Weldon.
Damn it they got Davis, Ed was yelling at Sanchez across the center consul of the squad car. Davis had half our ammo we are completed screwed.
Shut up and get a grip Ed, Sanchezs knuckles were turning white has he gripped the wheel. There was a hint of anger mixed with grief in his voice. If Ed heard it then he let it slide. weve got to stick to the plan that Davis had, call the folks in Rearden and get them to safety. Get there ourselves if we can and hole up and wait this thing out.
That wasnt exactly what he said, Eric put his toe in the water of the conversation.
What do you mean Ed asked an annoyed look on his face. The junior Officer looked like he was starting to crack under the weight of this dying world.
He said we needed to survive and rebuild. What do you think he meant by that? Eric was testing the waters. He was starting to think that maybe the Officers didnt share his ideas for their future. I think we have to consider that in order to survive we need to consider finding more people. I dont know about you guys but I dont have all the skills we are going to need to rebuild society.
Well figure it out when he get to safety. Eds words were like daggers making the point that there was no room for argument in his mind.
Weve got to save who we can along the way Officer Kirk. Every person from here on out might be the one person we need to outlive the zombies. Eric found himself pleading to the two Officers sitting in the front seat. He was worried about Lindsey. He hoped that if he did his part to save a few strangers along the way that maybe some strangers would save his girlfriend if they found her. It was a silly hope Eric realized. How many people were going to see the end of the day at this rate?
We cant take that risk. Weve got to save ourselves first after that well do what we can. Therell still be survivors in the morning. Ed was staring off into the distance not daring to meet Erics eyes in the rearview.
Eric knew the officer was afraid but how he could resign himself to letting other people die at the hands of the zombies was beyond Erics ability to understand. They had to save who they could cause fifty people might not make a difference in a world overrun with zombies. Spokane alone was home to over two hundred thousand people. If eighty percent were turned would forty thousand people be enough to fight off the undead? What if more people were dead? What if ninety percent, ninety-five are zombies now. How many people would they need to make a new life? Youve got to be kidding me Ed, we cant leave people to die if we have a chance to save them. If we let the zombies get the people we find who are still alive and holding out against the zombies theyll get bit and then theyll turn and well have more zombies to kill and fewer people to help us kill them.
If theyre in a safe place with supplies then theyll probably be there tomorrow or the next day. Ed still refused to look at Eric in the back seat.
Eric opened his mouth to make another plea when Sanchez broke his silence, We save anyone we find who isnt bit. He turned his eyes to the junior officer to his right, Im the superior officer and thats who we are going to do things. Were going to need people. We wont make it without people to help us.
The muscles of Eds jaw tightened and he swallowed hard forcing down the angry words in his mouth. I wont forgive you if you get me killed.
You wont be the first person to haunt me because I couldnt save them, Sanchez said with a matter of fact tone. Heres the plan. We slow down; start driving about ten miles per hour. Everyone keep in eye out for people. They might try flagging us down from their houses or cars. If theres a group of zombies we try and kill them. A small group and we use the axes and stuff. A larger group and we use the guns.
How big of a group are we going to engage? Eds jaw was still firm but Eric could see from his reflection in the rearview that the junior officers eyes had softened some.
Sanchez sat silent for a few seconds mulling it over. In the Back seat Eric tried to work out his own limit zombies they could safely attack. Eric was sure the number had to be a low one. They couldnt count on any survivors being armed so a group of zombies had to be a manageable number for three men to handle.
The Hispanic officer shook his head a few times and then answered, ten, if there are more than ten zombies were going to have to leave the survivors. We dont have the means of thinning them out before we attack and well use up too much of our ammo if we have to shoot more than ten.
Thats still too many bullets by my count. Weve got how many between the three of use? Ed was looking out his door window. Eric turned his attention to the sights outside. There were several doors that had been smashed in, a few with blood splattered scars on the wood. There was a black SUV in a drive way. Its doors were hanging open. A small arm dangled out of a passenger door. Eric saw the limb twitch. Eric pressed his mouth to his forearm as he choked down the bile stinging his throat.
Sanchez turned left at the intersection of 32nd and Weldon. The carnage in front of the car was the same sight Eric had just been staring at. Windows broken, doors smashed in, cars abandoned, and every at least one reanimated body in every house or yard. Some stared out with accusing eyes from living rooms or doorways. They begged for release. They hungered for flesh. They were reaching out for food as the squad car moved slowly down the street.
Then six, if we come across a house or car with more than six zombies surrounding survivors we engage. More than we pass it by. Sanchez had sided with Eric on the argument of rescuing survivors but he was now evening the score by siding with Kirk on the issues of ammo. Eric didnt like the idea of leaving anyone alive who could be saved.
What if we ran over the zombies? Eric was grasping for anything to save more people.
Theyd get stuck under the axel and high center us, then wed be stuck. Kirk was staring out the windshield again letting his eyes drifted from center to the right and back again in long scans. The few zombies that were outside were limping and shuffling after the car but few behind quickly.
Im not saying with try and steamroll them but maybe if we hit them we can bust them up, break some bones. They cant walk on broken legs can they? Eric was working out plans of attack on larger zombie groups. If they could draw a large group close to them and then plow into them theyd be able to reduce the zombies mobility and thus make it easier to kill them in large groups.
I guess well find out. Sanchez slammed on the breaks, dropped the squad car into reverse, and with his eyes looking over his right shoulder began to rev up the engine as the car quickly picked up speed. Almost a dozen zombies had lined up behind the squad car chasing it in an attempt to claim the flesh of the living men inside. Eric kept staring back at the zombies who were growing large in the rear window as the car kept gaining speed. The lead zombie in the small cluster looked like a soccer mom with a track jacket and jeans. A portion of her left cheek had been torn out. Her eyes were grey and dead. The intensity of her hunger couldnt bring back the light of life to eyes. Eric watched as she grew larger in the window until a hard thud sent Eric into the back seat and he watched through stunned eyes as her head bounced off the trunk of the car.
Three others were hit with the back end of the squad car as Sanchez slammed on the breaks. He pulled the shifter back into drive the tires screeching as he started forward again. Sanchez drove a half block forwards before hitting the breaks and turning around in his seat. Eric watched in anxious anticipation as the cluster of zombies started breaking up. The zombies who had been left untouched awkwardly shuffled and tripped around the bodies of their fallen comrades.
The soccer mom started to move her hands pressed against the asphalt as she tried to push herself up to a standing position. When her attempts to pull her legs under her failed she turned her head to stare at her unresponsive legs trying to piece together why they wouldnt do her bidding. It worked! Eric yelled in triumph, You broke her legs.
Or her back, Sanchez added. Either way it works.
Time to put this new plan into action, Kirk said with the first smile.
Sanchez crushed his foot down on the gas and the squad car went tearing around Davis squad car and took off north down Weldon.
Damn it they got Davis, Ed was yelling at Sanchez across the center consul of the squad car. Davis had half our ammo we are completed screwed.
Shut up and get a grip Ed, Sanchezs knuckles were turning white has he gripped the wheel. There was a hint of anger mixed with grief in his voice. If Ed heard it then he let it slide. weve got to stick to the plan that Davis had, call the folks in Rearden and get them to safety. Get there ourselves if we can and hole up and wait this thing out.
That wasnt exactly what he said, Eric put his toe in the water of the conversation.
What do you mean Ed asked an annoyed look on his face. The junior Officer looked like he was starting to crack under the weight of this dying world.
He said we needed to survive and rebuild. What do you think he meant by that? Eric was testing the waters. He was starting to think that maybe the Officers didnt share his ideas for their future. I think we have to consider that in order to survive we need to consider finding more people. I dont know about you guys but I dont have all the skills we are going to need to rebuild society.
Well figure it out when he get to safety. Eds words were like daggers making the point that there was no room for argument in his mind.
Weve got to save who we can along the way Officer Kirk. Every person from here on out might be the one person we need to outlive the zombies. Eric found himself pleading to the two Officers sitting in the front seat. He was worried about Lindsey. He hoped that if he did his part to save a few strangers along the way that maybe some strangers would save his girlfriend if they found her. It was a silly hope Eric realized. How many people were going to see the end of the day at this rate?
We cant take that risk. Weve got to save ourselves first after that well do what we can. Therell still be survivors in the morning. Ed was staring off into the distance not daring to meet Erics eyes in the rearview.
Eric knew the officer was afraid but how he could resign himself to letting other people die at the hands of the zombies was beyond Erics ability to understand. They had to save who they could cause fifty people might not make a difference in a world overrun with zombies. Spokane alone was home to over two hundred thousand people. If eighty percent were turned would forty thousand people be enough to fight off the undead? What if more people were dead? What if ninety percent, ninety-five are zombies now. How many people would they need to make a new life? Youve got to be kidding me Ed, we cant leave people to die if we have a chance to save them. If we let the zombies get the people we find who are still alive and holding out against the zombies theyll get bit and then theyll turn and well have more zombies to kill and fewer people to help us kill them.
If theyre in a safe place with supplies then theyll probably be there tomorrow or the next day. Ed still refused to look at Eric in the back seat.
Eric opened his mouth to make another plea when Sanchez broke his silence, We save anyone we find who isnt bit. He turned his eyes to the junior officer to his right, Im the superior officer and thats who we are going to do things. Were going to need people. We wont make it without people to help us.
The muscles of Eds jaw tightened and he swallowed hard forcing down the angry words in his mouth. I wont forgive you if you get me killed.
You wont be the first person to haunt me because I couldnt save them, Sanchez said with a matter of fact tone. Heres the plan. We slow down; start driving about ten miles per hour. Everyone keep in eye out for people. They might try flagging us down from their houses or cars. If theres a group of zombies we try and kill them. A small group and we use the axes and stuff. A larger group and we use the guns.
How big of a group are we going to engage? Eds jaw was still firm but Eric could see from his reflection in the rearview that the junior officers eyes had softened some.
Sanchez sat silent for a few seconds mulling it over. In the Back seat Eric tried to work out his own limit zombies they could safely attack. Eric was sure the number had to be a low one. They couldnt count on any survivors being armed so a group of zombies had to be a manageable number for three men to handle.
The Hispanic officer shook his head a few times and then answered, ten, if there are more than ten zombies were going to have to leave the survivors. We dont have the means of thinning them out before we attack and well use up too much of our ammo if we have to shoot more than ten.
Thats still too many bullets by my count. Weve got how many between the three of use? Ed was looking out his door window. Eric turned his attention to the sights outside. There were several doors that had been smashed in, a few with blood splattered scars on the wood. There was a black SUV in a drive way. Its doors were hanging open. A small arm dangled out of a passenger door. Eric saw the limb twitch. Eric pressed his mouth to his forearm as he choked down the bile stinging his throat.
Sanchez turned left at the intersection of 32nd and Weldon. The carnage in front of the car was the same sight Eric had just been staring at. Windows broken, doors smashed in, cars abandoned, and every at least one reanimated body in every house or yard. Some stared out with accusing eyes from living rooms or doorways. They begged for release. They hungered for flesh. They were reaching out for food as the squad car moved slowly down the street.
Then six, if we come across a house or car with more than six zombies surrounding survivors we engage. More than we pass it by. Sanchez had sided with Eric on the argument of rescuing survivors but he was now evening the score by siding with Kirk on the issues of ammo. Eric didnt like the idea of leaving anyone alive who could be saved.
What if we ran over the zombies? Eric was grasping for anything to save more people.
Theyd get stuck under the axel and high center us, then wed be stuck. Kirk was staring out the windshield again letting his eyes drifted from center to the right and back again in long scans. The few zombies that were outside were limping and shuffling after the car but few behind quickly.
Im not saying with try and steamroll them but maybe if we hit them we can bust them up, break some bones. They cant walk on broken legs can they? Eric was working out plans of attack on larger zombie groups. If they could draw a large group close to them and then plow into them theyd be able to reduce the zombies mobility and thus make it easier to kill them in large groups.
I guess well find out. Sanchez slammed on the breaks, dropped the squad car into reverse, and with his eyes looking over his right shoulder began to rev up the engine as the car quickly picked up speed. Almost a dozen zombies had lined up behind the squad car chasing it in an attempt to claim the flesh of the living men inside. Eric kept staring back at the zombies who were growing large in the rear window as the car kept gaining speed. The lead zombie in the small cluster looked like a soccer mom with a track jacket and jeans. A portion of her left cheek had been torn out. Her eyes were grey and dead. The intensity of her hunger couldnt bring back the light of life to eyes. Eric watched as she grew larger in the window until a hard thud sent Eric into the back seat and he watched through stunned eyes as her head bounced off the trunk of the car.
Three others were hit with the back end of the squad car as Sanchez slammed on the breaks. He pulled the shifter back into drive the tires screeching as he started forward again. Sanchez drove a half block forwards before hitting the breaks and turning around in his seat. Eric watched in anxious anticipation as the cluster of zombies started breaking up. The zombies who had been left untouched awkwardly shuffled and tripped around the bodies of their fallen comrades.
The soccer mom started to move her hands pressed against the asphalt as she tried to push herself up to a standing position. When her attempts to pull her legs under her failed she turned her head to stare at her unresponsive legs trying to piece together why they wouldnt do her bidding. It worked! Eric yelled in triumph, You broke her legs.
Or her back, Sanchez added. Either way it works.
Time to put this new plan into action, Kirk said with the first smile.