holding up one finger. She disappeared momentarily and returned, scrawling out a phone number on the glass with a black marker.
Conor typed out a text message and once all the numbers were up, he sent it.
Stay quiet! Are you safe? How many people? We are making our way down. Conor.
By their reaction, Conor could tell that their phone had made a loud noise upon receiving the text and she quickly fumbled with the phone to silence it. Immediately the undead mob reacted, eyes turning toward the building as they shuffled toward the shattered doorway. Somehow they had heard it.
The women stared down in fright as hundreds began to pour into the building.
A message appeared on Conor's phone.
Help us!!!
Aiden and the others fidgeted in frustration, knowing that the zombies were racing up the staircases and would soon be upon the women.
Simon sent a text message.
Roof!
He could think of nothing else, no way to save them. He saw the women talk amongst themselves and then run off, the blonde raising a hand in thanks before she fled.
Another text appeared on Conor's phone from Aiden.
Fewer zombies on the street now. Easier for us to escape?
Conor nodded and motioned everyone down the corridor where the door to the building's north stairwell stood. Upon reaching it, he stared through the window, searching with his eyes. It seemed empty.
He opened the door and stepped inside, listening closely.
Nothing.
He indicated that the others should join him and they filed in as silently as possible.
The door closed behind them and they readied themselves for the descent. The old ladies huddled together, breathing heavily, carefully stepping down at the rear. Bobo was there to help if they needed it.
Conor led the way, once more clutching the scissors in his fist. They went down two floors and then heard the piercing screams from above.
"Shit," Aiden whispered in his ear. "Vernon and the girls are gone."
Everyone stared up the steps, listening as the screams grew more crazed. They could hear Vernon's shouts and the growls of zombies as they closed in, then his voice grew suddenly silent. The noise of the undead continued, moans and repetitive pounding.
"Sounds like they're trying to break down a door or something," Klaus whispered. "Maybe Vernon got them into an office? Barricaded the door?"
"Or they could just be dead, man," Aiden said. "You're not thinking of going back up there, are you?"
Klaus shrugged, glancing up the steps.
"No, Klaus. It's no good. We have nothing to fight with," Aiden said. "No way."
"Aiden's right," said Conor. "We can't risk it. I want to save them, too, but we would all end up dead."
"Dammit. This sucks," Klaus said, clenching his fists. "I don't give a shit about Vernon, but the girls..."
"I know, Klaus," said Conor. "Come on, let's go. We have no choice."
They continued downward, following Conor. Another four floors passed and they discovered a scattering of objects on the landing in front of them. By the looks of it, someone had dropped a toolbox there and its contents had spilled out. Screwdrivers, a hammer, nails and leaning up against the wall, a fire axe. Bobo bent down and snatched it up, hefting it in his hands with satisfaction.
At least, now, they had some sort of weapon.
They went down several more floors without incident, pausing on the seventeenth to catch their breath. Here is where they found the skeleton of the toolbox's owner, obvious by his shredded work clothes that they observed nearby. By the looks of it, he had been one of the building's maintenance crew.
So Bobo with the axe, Klaus and Aiden wielding screwdrivers and Conor with the hammer continued down, hearing only the occasional shuffling as they passed certain floors. They had paused on the eighth floor when the door above them burst open and they could hear the unmistakable sound of zombies pouring into the stairwell.
They stared at each other in a panic and started down the steps, but the sounds dwindled, the
Conor typed out a text message and once all the numbers were up, he sent it.
Stay quiet! Are you safe? How many people? We are making our way down. Conor.
By their reaction, Conor could tell that their phone had made a loud noise upon receiving the text and she quickly fumbled with the phone to silence it. Immediately the undead mob reacted, eyes turning toward the building as they shuffled toward the shattered doorway. Somehow they had heard it.
The women stared down in fright as hundreds began to pour into the building.
A message appeared on Conor's phone.
Help us!!!
Aiden and the others fidgeted in frustration, knowing that the zombies were racing up the staircases and would soon be upon the women.
Simon sent a text message.
Roof!
He could think of nothing else, no way to save them. He saw the women talk amongst themselves and then run off, the blonde raising a hand in thanks before she fled.
Another text appeared on Conor's phone from Aiden.
Fewer zombies on the street now. Easier for us to escape?
Conor nodded and motioned everyone down the corridor where the door to the building's north stairwell stood. Upon reaching it, he stared through the window, searching with his eyes. It seemed empty.
He opened the door and stepped inside, listening closely.
Nothing.
He indicated that the others should join him and they filed in as silently as possible.
The door closed behind them and they readied themselves for the descent. The old ladies huddled together, breathing heavily, carefully stepping down at the rear. Bobo was there to help if they needed it.
Conor led the way, once more clutching the scissors in his fist. They went down two floors and then heard the piercing screams from above.
"Shit," Aiden whispered in his ear. "Vernon and the girls are gone."
Everyone stared up the steps, listening as the screams grew more crazed. They could hear Vernon's shouts and the growls of zombies as they closed in, then his voice grew suddenly silent. The noise of the undead continued, moans and repetitive pounding.
"Sounds like they're trying to break down a door or something," Klaus whispered. "Maybe Vernon got them into an office? Barricaded the door?"
"Or they could just be dead, man," Aiden said. "You're not thinking of going back up there, are you?"
Klaus shrugged, glancing up the steps.
"No, Klaus. It's no good. We have nothing to fight with," Aiden said. "No way."
"Aiden's right," said Conor. "We can't risk it. I want to save them, too, but we would all end up dead."
"Dammit. This sucks," Klaus said, clenching his fists. "I don't give a shit about Vernon, but the girls..."
"I know, Klaus," said Conor. "Come on, let's go. We have no choice."
They continued downward, following Conor. Another four floors passed and they discovered a scattering of objects on the landing in front of them. By the looks of it, someone had dropped a toolbox there and its contents had spilled out. Screwdrivers, a hammer, nails and leaning up against the wall, a fire axe. Bobo bent down and snatched it up, hefting it in his hands with satisfaction.
At least, now, they had some sort of weapon.
They went down several more floors without incident, pausing on the seventeenth to catch their breath. Here is where they found the skeleton of the toolbox's owner, obvious by his shredded work clothes that they observed nearby. By the looks of it, he had been one of the building's maintenance crew.
So Bobo with the axe, Klaus and Aiden wielding screwdrivers and Conor with the hammer continued down, hearing only the occasional shuffling as they passed certain floors. They had paused on the eighth floor when the door above them burst open and they could hear the unmistakable sound of zombies pouring into the stairwell.
They stared at each other in a panic and started down the steps, but the sounds dwindled, the
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