Day 2: Children of the Grave Part ll

—Then I know what to do. We must disturb the dead and attract their attention. Since we lack electricity, let's use these little scumbags for the job. Jason, try to shoot one of those kids to see their reaction.

Nikolai ordered. Jason shot and, the little zombie girl started screaming. This attracted more of the dead around her that tore her to pieces.

—Any harm makes them scream... this will come in handy.

Nikolai did the math, and it was about twenty or so dead that were around the playhouse. While they had enough ammunition to take them all out, they didn't want to attract more with the noise.

—I know what I'm going to do. Jason, cover me.

Nikolai climbed down from the shop and approached one of those little zombies. He grabbed it and, in doing so, hit it with the shotgun he was holding. Naturally the child began to cry and, that's when Nikolai charged him. The little zombie didn't have much strength, but he did have very powerful vocal cords.

The zombies were attracted by the sound and did not hesitate in an instant to follow him. Nikolai approached the group of zombies that surrounded the toy house and, it was there that he ran to another direction, still with the body of the little boy to throw him into a princess store. The dead entered the store, although it was not the expected amount, so Nikolai began his wanderings again.

Jason saw another small zombie pass by... it was time to act. Hitting the creature with his bat and making it scream, Jason picked up the zombie and carried it. He also approached the group of zombies in and around the playhouse, who were attracted by the noise. Jason threw the body of the boy who didn't take long to be surrounded.

There were fewer zombies left around the house, and those around were busy enough eating. Nikolai pulled out a pistol with a silencer and shamelessly shot at the dead around the playhouse, banging on its doors and windows or else grunting as they were eager to get inside.

—Jason, you keep using those little scumbags as bait, I'll take it from here!

And with that said and done, Slater kept running around the square to set off those "alarms", grab them and throw them in places away from the fantasy neighborhood that was the playground.

Nikolai knocked on the door and identified himself.

—It's time for you to get out! All civilians in here must leave immediately! We have seen you enter here through the cameras and we have come to help you. Come out right now, damn it!

It took awhile for the door to open, until a dark-haired woman with blood on her face came out.

—Oh God, the military! —She hugged Nikolai as if he were an old acquaintance. —Thank God they are here! Markus! Tell the children to come out!

And Markus came out, accompanied by the other little ones who had survived the massacre. There were five of them.

—What are we going to do now? —Asked the man whom Nikolai identified as Markus, because he was the one the woman had called him.

—Escape! We don't have much time!

Then Nikolai saw something surprising in one of the shops behind the playground. The lights outside were on, as were the other attractions.

—What the fuck?

But his surprise was even greater when he saw a pickup truck enter the area, running over any rotten person it could find. They couldn't believe who it was that had arrived.

—There's not much time! Get in! —Incredibly ordered Holly, who was accompanied by Bryan.

—Get in the fucking vehicle now! —Bryan honked the horn for everyone to get in. The children climbed into the vehicle, while the adults and Nikolai climbed into the back of the van.

—Damn! What about Jason? Jason!

—Drive! They're getting closer! —Holly had a rifle in her hands, which she used to blow off the heads of the approaching zombies, as did Nikolai.

—But woman, I can't leave him behind! —Nikolai commented angrily, as he didn't want to leave his best friend behind.

Jason was too far away, as zombies blocked his way. He was on the second floor of Children's Heaven, running away.

—Oh fuck! Bryan! Drive around the edges of the second floor! Jason! Jason! Jump! There's no choice!

Bryan took heed, as he, too, could see Jason around the edges of the second floor. He triggered the vehicle as Jason ran. There was a moment when the zombies gave Jason no more room to escape, so he had to recur to his last resort.

Jason didn't even have time to properly calculate the distance from the van, but he did what his instinct felt was right.

He jumped.

Bryan could hear something very heavy fall into the back of the van. It was Jason who landed on top of Nikolai, who took a good blow to the arm as he tried to soften his friend's fall.

—Close the gates, Megan, we're coming out! —Holly said over the Walkie-Talkie. The van crossed Children's Heaven just in time before the gates descended. Part of those metal grates embedded themselves in the zombies' bodies, piercing them and leaving a part of their bodies in a different square.

—That was the most fucked up thing I've ever done in my entire fucking life! —Jason was happy, quite exalted... from the emotion he kissed Nikolai, who also thought it was really crazy.

—Jason, you crazy fucker! —Bryan commented from the driver's seat, all smiles. The kids didn't quite understand what was going on.

—Thank you so much for saving us! I'm Asha Love! And this is Markus Thompson.

Asha LoveAsha hugged Nikolai and Jason, as well as Holly, even though she didn't know them.
—It was crazy! I'm Markus! We thought we were going to die back there! You're fucking crazy! —Markus patted Nikolai's hand and asked Jason if he was okay, to which Jason nodded.

Markus Thompson—Not as crazy as hiding inside a toy house in the middle of the apocalypse, that´s for sure —Nikolai smiled at Markus.

—What's going on, sergeant? What's the situation like out there? —Asha asked, as she saw the horrors of the park with her own eyes.

—It's hell. So... miss... I'm not a sergeant... it's just a suit. Help won't come... I'm Nikolai Kalinic, this is Jason Slater and this is Holly Jones. Bryan Fisher is driving. We are a group of survivors who have a safe place in the mall. We've already hit the streets... people and zombies are two big pests. All the streets are blocked, and Bryan said all the exits, both in and out, are blocked by dozens of vehicles.

—Oh God...no... my parents...

Asha began to cry. She covered her face and began to cry. She was shaking and all kinds of horrible things were going through her head that could have happened to them. Holly felt sorry for her and hugged her.

—It's okay, sweetheart. It's okay...we all have stories to tell here and we've lost so many people...I lost my husband when this all started... my daughter was left without a father and now I have to look out for the two of us. We have so many strong people in our shelter, you just need to calm down and cooperate with us, okay?

Holly's words managed to calm Asha, who was still crying, at least for a moment. The group made it to the entrance of the Dark Horse Plaza, opting to get out of the vehicle as the gates were still in place. Jason inserted the keys and each adult took at least one children with them, while Nikolai and Bryan shot anyone who approached.

—Not with the kids, fucker! —Bryan exclaimed, blowing a rotten man's head off with a shotgun blast.

The group walked across Grand Mont Plaza. One of the girls began to cry while another little boy tried to soothe her. They all climbed through the four floors of the plaza, killing any infected they came across and, being supported by the team of survivors who fired their rifles at the dead that approached the group. They all reached the roof of the shoe store.

—All right, kids! Apparently these people want us to come up. Please hold on to the ladders very carefully and climb up. Markus, I will take Kali with me. Please tie my sweater around her so we can both go up.

—Right away, Asha.

Markus did as instructed and Asha was the first to go upstairs, followed by the other little ones who were being guarded.

Holly was the last person to go up, closing the entrance with the glass plate used by the roof.

—Thank you so much! —Asha hugged Holly as she seemed truly grateful for the actions of the civilians she barely knew.

—Hope is not lost with a group that sacrifices for strangers... especially those who do it for children. You are all heroes —Markus continued, shaking hands with Jason, Bryan and Nikolai.

—Oh my God! —Mia was shocked to see children on the roof. —Kids!

—Please take all the children to the designated infirmary area! —Lilly asked Cindy to guide the little ones, which she did immediately. She then approached Asha and Markus. Lilly was already dressed in slippers, a white coat and was also dressed in white, although she had blood stains on her uniform.

—Are you the group doctor? —Asha was happy to see someone from the service being alive.

—I am the group nurse. I will be checking the new survivors for scratches and bites.

—Oh! There you can be sure that these children are fine. We've cared for them for hours... and kept them out of harm's way.

—So far from danger that you let them be surrounded and almost died? —Lilly replied curtly, silencing Markus. —Our protocol is as follows: You can have shelter, food and also a place to rest here, but everyone must submit to the screening test. All new entrants need to be screened to prevent an infected person from entering.

—Are you telling me they are going to strip the children? —Asha was surprised by what Lilly was letting on.

—That's right. And you two as well. We take the safety of our group very seriously. If you are so afraid that we are going to do something to them, you can be present during the examination. As the nurse and also as a woman I have been assigned the role. Don't worry about the doctor, in case you have a problem with a man doing the examination. You can have full confidence that the service you will be given will be upright and professional.

Lilly looked like a different woman than the one seen the day before.

—How can we be sure of that? And that you don't just want to undress us out of morbid curiosity —Markus was direct.

—Please! The members of my group wouldn't have bothered to rescue a group of strangers. Tell me... Do you want to risk the lives of these children in the safe zone by letting in someone who was bitten and then kill them?

—Markus! The nurse is right. They are doing this for our own good. And what is your name?

—Lilly Christensen.

—Miss Christensen, I would like to be present when they do the examinations on the children, although I can tell you that they will only waste your time because they are NOT injured or bitten.

—Whether it is a waste of time or not I will decide what to call it. Please come in, and follow me to the infirmary.

The group went inside, meanwhile other civilians were shooting at the dead who were still wandering around Grand Mont Plaza.