Like a duck

The dark slide would've been more fun if not for the fear inducing moans that followed you down. You came out the bottom and onto an old, squeaky mattress stacked on another mattress. Jake helps you up. You find yourself in a dimly lit garage, a four-door car lifted upon a hydraulic lift and a van muddy parked in front of a shuttered door. There is a bloodied body behind a fenced off area next to a sturdy looking door which is bolted closed. A small, pudgy-looking man with a thick stubble strutted over with an outstretched hand.

"Name's Ryker, are you the last one kid?" You shook his incredibly strong grasp.

"Uh huh..." You look around your group and see some of your group climbing into the back of the van. Others are grabbing things from around the garage. "Your friend... I don't think he made it." Ryker takes his hand back and wafts it in front of his face.

"That man's a stubborn bastard, he'll make it." He said firmly. "Come, let's get out of here. We can find him later. For now we need to get somewhere safe." You nod as he leads you to the van. Just as all seems calm for a moment, there's a banging on the bolted door. James is first to act, pushing a metal chair under the handle.

"Time to leave old man!" Charlie snaps. Ryker scoffs but heads to the front of the van.

"Alright, get in guys. And someone give me a hand with the shutter." You head to the front and go to the chain on the other side, closer to the blocked door. "Motor broke this morning and didn't get fixed so we'll have to manually pull it."

The metal screeches as you both pull. The banging on the door gets louder until a hand smashes through followed by moans and a scream. "Ahhh let gooooo!" James screams as he's pulled into the crack. One of the girls runs toward him with a large kitchen knife at the ready. She makes it to the fenced area when the door breaks and a swarm of bodies pours in over the bottom half which is still attached. She lands a solid stab in the first one's upper chest but it pushes on, unfazed, and quickly overpowers her and snaps its teeth straight into her throat.

With the shutter up you run to the back, narrowly avoiding the reaching arms of what would be a gruesome ****. The engine roars to life and you leap into the open back as the van starts to go. Claire and Dwayne pull you in as two others slam the doors closed behind you. There's little light that comes through the front window, just enough to see a stack of large bags and what remains of your group sat on the ground in a square sort of shape. "Thanks guys." You mutter as you sit back.

Everyone is silent as the van happily ploughs along the smooth road. Finally sat you get a moment to reflect. This is a virus... Bella is dead, the school seemed to know something. That same question surfaces from earlier. "What is going on?" You ask into the dark. You're met with the constant silence.

"Surely you've guessed by now?" The older woman asks.

"I mean... Yeah, but I wanted something concrete, something to back up what I was thinking."

"If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck..." She mumbles.

"What are you on about lady?" Charlie snaps.

"I ain't no lady, son. Name's Linda. And I'm sure your friend knows exactly what I'm on about." You feel a shift of everyone's attention, even through the dark you can tell everyone is giving you their attention.

"We ain't friends, he just happened to know about these type of things. I wouldn't be caught dead being friends with a freak like-" There's a solid thud and groan of pain, as well as you think the hint of elbow movement from Dwayne.

"From the limited information I've got... Hmm, Claire you said about being bit. Mrs Z said about a virus. People attacking others and reacting to sounds." There's no way. Although... If it quacks like a duck... "Zombies..." You breathe the word out, sounding even more unbelievable out loud.

"Theory confirmed then." Linda sighs. "Guess you owe me a drink Claire." There's a small chuckle among the girls which quickly dies out.

"Zombies?" Ryker asks from the driver's seat. "Where to gang?"

"Isn't there a small shop along this road, just before the main road leading to the city?" One of the girls asks.

"Yes sis, that shop is just the cutest." Another girl exclaims a bit too loud.

"Keep the excitement minimal Chloe." Linda chastises. "But that does sound like a good place to start, good idea Maria."

"Maybe we should exchange names, so we all know who we are?" Jake suggests. He starts, the rest of the guys introduce themselves ending off with yourself. The sisters turn out to be twins and the only new name you hear is for the quiet girl named Megan.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your driver. We're pulling up to the shop so hold on while I park us up." Ryker narrates from the front as the van slows to a stop. Everyone piles out and stretches their legs off. Ryker steps out too just as you get to the front of the van while Dwayne and Charlie go through the bags in the back.

"We need you to stay here." You inform him. "You're our driver so we need you safe and ready to drive in case something happens in there." He gives you a firm nod.

"Suppose you're right, I'll be here and I'll keep myself safe." He grins and pulls out a handgun from a hidden holster under his jacket. "Besides, I got the bad boy to keep me nice and cosy, it's a .44 magnum."

"Well... You keep yourself nice and cosy out here alright. I'm sure some others will stay out here too." You pat his arm and go check on the back. The bag contained a few guns which were handed out to the rest of your group.

"Aw shucks Michael, looks like there's none left for you. Too bad, I hear women like men with guns and uh," Charlie lifts up the pump-action shotgun. "I've got quite the big gun." You hear the twins give an annoyed sigh.

"That's okay darling." Linda coos into your ear. "I personally prefer a man who doesn't need a large gun to compensate for protecting me..." The twins then giggle at her teasing. Linda runs her hands down your back and around your waist causing your cheeks to heat up. She does however hand you a pistol and whispers into your ear. "I'm a cook, I've never fired a gun so I'm sure you'll be better than I will."