Snippet #2536325

"Shit! Shit, Holy Shit!" Erik yelled. He'd ducked instinctively as soon as the shots were fired. Casper was still on the ground staring at Davids body, Anna hard started screaming and the other two were going into shock, well With Tierman you never know but it was a bad scene all around. Erik reached down and grabbed Casper by the back of the shirt and started hauling him back until he stumbled to his feet. He still looked to be in a daze after that though, the effect of having someone shot right in front of your eyes, a man you'd called friend could do that.

"Let's GO! We're leaving, we gotta go NOW!" Tierman heard yelling but was still staring at Davids corpse, it had been a damned fool thing to do. Turning he gathered Anna and Beverly and started going after Erik, pushing one in front of him and pulling one behind until everyone's natural instincts, momentum, and herd behaviour kicked in

Casper stumbled on still a little dazed at the whole situation. It was partially the death of David and partially the jarring way with which is plan for the group to get to safety had ended. He had war gamed out so many different scenarios, but never in his wildest imaginations had he though that the Military themselves could be the ones to stop them reaching safety. He was vaguely aware that Erik was talking to him, telling him they needed a new plan. The others looked to him. But right now he needed to reprocess, to start from square one and figure them out a way to beat this turn of events. "Find us a safe place" He mumbled.

Erik couldn't believe it. That was all the direction they were going to get? "Tierman, I need you buddy, you gotta keep these guys going, we're going to push out towards a suburb and clear us out a house. I'm going to push ahead and clear the way. Keep moving, don't stop for anything." He handed him his axe. "Good luck."

It was a slog, They tried to keep moving, sometimes creeping, sometimes running, sometimes fighting desperately. Every now and again, Erik would come back, covered in blood and gore, to point them around an obstacle or gathering of infected that was cropping up. Finally, red eyed and much the worse for wear, the tired group limped into a house in a suburban neighborhood. Most of them falling dead asleep wherever they could find a comfortable place.

Erik wound up sitting quietly in the kitchen, drinking from his flask of whiskey. If the others had been awake, as Casper had, they might have heard him singing quietly to himself as he drank.

"So fill to me, the parting glass, and drink a health whate'er befalls. And gently rise and softly call, good night and joy be with you all."

(The Parting Glass)