HOME | DD

Description
Day 7

The next day the group made their way towards the train station. It didn't take long for them to reach it as the streets were unusually deserted, only having to take one detour around a small group of infected. Sam slowly moved down the concrete steps leading to the station. It was pitch black inside. The power had obviously been disabled or damaged, knocking out every light in the station. It was so dark that Sam couldn't see his hand in front of his face.
"Jesus, I can't see a thing!" Harry mumbled.
"I got it." Alexa said, fumbling with the pistol.
The torch's beam illuminated the large logo of the London Underground. The words Hounslow East were printed on it in bold white letters. Bloodstains covered the walls and floors, covering the dark graffiti and filthy white paint with a sticky, brownish crust. The group made their way down to the platform, sticking close together to avoid losing anyone in the darkness. Alexa scanned the platform with the light, searching carefully to ensure there were no infected and listening carefully for any sign of movement. There were none. Sam was beginning to feel uneasy, it was like outside the gallery all over again, except this time they couldn't see a metre in front of them.
"We need to get down on the tracks and head west." Lenny said.
"I'll lead the way if you want Alexa." Derrick said.
She took one look down the long, dark tunnel and gratefully handed over the pistol.
Derrick took it, checking the magazine to ensure it was full. "Okay, everyone ready?" He asked. "Okay, let's go."
Sam could never remember feeling so tense in all his life. The tunnel was dark and claustrophobic. Every noise was amplified, making him jump as they made their way down the tunnel in silence. The rails had been deactivated, making it safe to touch them. Sam was grateful, as he kept almost tripping over them as they made their way down the cold, damp tunnel. Sam lost track of how long it took them to reach a station with power. After trudging through the dark for ages they eventually saw a patch of light at the end. The group picked up the pace, eager to be out of the pitch-black tunnel. Sam sighed with relief as he entered the station. It felt like waking from a very bad dream. This station was also empty, the silence was uncomfortable in the enclosed space, at least outside there was the sound of the wind and the grunts and snarls of nearby infected. The silence of the station was stifling; it was so quiet every noise sounded like a cannon firing. Sam turned back to the others, who all had similar looks of relief at finally being out of the tunnel. As he looked around them his relief faded, being replaced by a cold sense of dread.
"Where's Sharon?" He asked slowly.
They turned, staring back into the empty blackness of the tunnel.
"She… she was right behind us!" Lenny said. "Where the hell did she go?"
"She was inches behind me." Aiden said. "I didn't hear a thing."
"We have to go back for her." Alexa said firmly.
Derrick shook his head. "If we lost someone the first time the only thing that's going to happen if we go back in there is we lose someone else."
"Then what do you suggest?" Alexa said, her voice rising with every word. "That we just fuck off and leave her to die? To wander around in those tunnels until one of those things finds her?"
Sam cut in before Derrick could reply. "I'll go in. Alone."
"Are you insane?" Aiden said. "What happens if you get lost as well? What then?"
"It's simple." Sam said, "You wait for me here. If an hour passes and I haven't come back, then you leave without me and continue towards Heathrow. Understood."
"It's a bad idea Sam." Derrick warned.
"I'm not just walking away from one of our friends. I've got to try."
Alexa handed him her pistol. "You'll need the torch on this. Just uh… just be careful."
Sam checked the magazine, taking the spares that she handed him and headed towards the tunnel entrance. He looked back once, "I'll see you in an hour then." He said.

Sam was alone in the darkness. If he looked back he could no longer see the patch of light that lead back the way he came. He stepped quietly, hoping to hear any sign of life, footsteps, heavy breathing, Sharon's voice… anything. As he made his way further and further in he began to lose hope. He hadn't seen a single sign of her whereabouts and the only sound had been his solitary footsteps as he made his way down the tunnel. Just as Sam was considering giving up, he heard something, it was only faint, so faint he couldn't even hear what it was properly, but it was definitely there. Sam swung the torch around frantically, searching for the source. The torch's beam lit up another tunnel, splitting off from the one he had been walking down. As he cautiously made his way down the tunnel the noises were becoming far more pronounced. Low growling and scurrying sounds echoed through the tunnel as he crept closer and closer towards the source. The torch's beam picked up something lying across the middle of the tracks. Sam's gagged as the stench of rotting flesh hit the back of his throat. Sam moved close enough to the figure to see it properly, and his heart sank. It was Sharon; her glassy eyes were open, staring endlessly at the tunnel's ceiling. Blood pooled around her, pouring from several bite marks on her neck, arms and legs. Sam took another step towards her, he couldn't leave her here like this, she deserved a proper burial. It was then that he saw them. Looming in the darkness just out of the torch's beam were dozens of infected. Their eyes reflected the beam, as they hissed slowly and began to advance. He backed away slowly, raising the pistol so that it was ready to fire. They stopped once they had reached Sharon's body; they simply crouched there, hunched over her in an almost protective stance. Sam was worried, this wasn't normal behaviour, usually they would have blindly charged with no concern for safety. He couldn't understand why they had stopped. It was only once they had formed a defensive semi-circle around Sharon that he understood. They were defending their food. These infected were unwilling to risk their lives trying to gain more food when they already had enough to satisfy themselves. This fact alone terrified Sam. It implied they were becoming more intelligent; their lack of tactics was the only advantage they had over infected. He backed away slowly, keeping the pistol and torch firmly on the infected. They made no attempt to follow him, they simply watched, their expressionless faces staring back at him, unmoving.

Relief flooded through Sam as he saw the patch of light appear at the end of the tunnel. He checked his watch; he had been in the tunnel for nearly two hours. Dread flooded through him at the thought of having to make the rest of the journey to the airport alone. However as he stepped into the searing brightness of the station the others were still there to greet him.
"You're back!" Lenny exclaimed, "Did you find…?"
Sam shook his head slowly; no one spoke for a few moments. Aiden looked devastated, Sam remembered that it was now two of his friends that they had lost.
Derrick cleared his throat, "Well… I guess there's no point in staying here then. Let's go."

They made the rest of the journey in silence. Emergency lights lit the tunnels ahead of them, making it far easier to navigate the route. After a few hours they reached the station they wanted. A large sign reading "Terminals 1, 2, 3" hung over the large staircases leading up to ground level. The stairs had been blockaded at some point, most likely by the military attempting to evacuate people from the airport. However it had been destroyed, chunks of debris were scattered around the station, and the stench of blood and rotting flesh was overwhelming. Darkness had fallen by the time they all reached the surface. Infected swarmed around the main hub of the airport, crawling over buildings or barking at each other with a raspy, inhuman tone. Sam and the others took cover at the station entrance, hiding behind a bus stop and surveying their surroundings.
"What now?" Aiden asked.
"We shouldn't make a run for the plane at night." Sam replied. "Too much could go wrong, we need to find a place to bunker down until morning."
Derrick nodded in agreement. "I suggest we move to the Travel Lodge and blockade a floor. It's not ideal, but it's the best we'll be able to do."
"Has anyone else noticed the infected are acting strangely?" Alexa whispered. "Usually they just stand still or group up. But these ones seem more… energetic."
"They're evolving again." Sam said quietly. "They were like that in the tunnel. It's almost as if they're becoming more and more like animals."
"Well we'll just have to be more careful won't we?" Lenny said, "And somehow standing right in the middle of a shed-load of them doesn't seem like a good idea. Let's go."
The Travel Lodge was a large, five story hotel to the South of the cluster of terminals. It had only just been finished, and tales of bad budgeting and inferior materials had dogged the new building for the entire year it had required to construct. The automatic doors slid open as Sam crept inside the empty entrance hall. Their footsteps echoed loudly on the tiled floor, it made no difference however. The entrance hall was empty.
"Why wouldn't there be any infected in here?" Sam asked. "With the number outside you would have thought it would be filled to the rafters with them."
"I guess they just wanted to join the group outside." Harry mumbled.
"Pack instincts." Derrick said gruffly, "They're becoming more like wolves."
"Well as long as they don't hear us we'll be alright then." Aiden said confidently. "Let's go find a room."

The second floor of the hotel was easily the most defensible. It was made up of a large square landing with all of the rooms opening out onto it. Before anyone settled in Sam, Derrick, Lenny and Aiden blocked off the stairs and elevators. The doors were locked securely, and then barricaded with heavy tables and chairs from several of the rooms. A small fire exit on the other side of the landing opened up onto a small concrete staircase that led down into the main hub of the three terminals. The door had no lock on it, only had a push bar on the inside.
"What do you reckon?" Derrick asked "Is it worth barricading it?"
"No, they can't get in from the outside and it's not like they know how to open doors." Lenny answered. "Let's leave it, we can use it as an escape route if we have to as well."
Alexa had just finished helping Harry into his bed when the others reappeared. "Is everything secure then?" She asked.
"As secure as we can get it. I'd be more comfortable if we could lock the doors better." Derrick replied.
"Stop worrying so much." Lenny said, rolling his eyes. They don't even know we're in here. We'll be fine until the morning."

Sam sat alone in the landing. Derrick had insisted that all the lights were turned off to avoid being spotted. It was oddly quiet. Before the infected could be heard growling and moving around the airport, even through the Hotel's thick walls it was noticeably loud. But now it was silent. Sam tried to tell himself they had moved away to hunt, or maybe even sleeping, but even he didn't believe that. The sound of a door closing brought him back to reality with a jump. He switched on the torch at the bottom of Alexa's pistol and pointed it at the source of the noise. The door remained closed, everything in the exact same position it had been. After several minutes he switched off the torch and shook his head. His paranoia was beginning to affect him. He frantically searched for an explanation to the noise. Perhaps it was just his imagination, or a noise from outside coming in through an open window, he could feel a draft after all. Slowly, he began to relax, drifting back into his thoughts. That was when all hell broke loose.

A few minutes earlier Harry was wide awake. Hs arm throbbed painfully and he felt unbearably thirsty. Wincing slightly he got up and limped across the spacious room towards the bathroom. As he poured himself a glass of water he heard the door shut.
"I'm in here." Harry called quietly, as he opened the bathroom door. The infected leaped on him, sending him crashing painfully to the floor. He cried out as his wounded arm slammed bore the weight of his fall. Harry punched it twice, but they were weak blows and the creature ignored them, instead sinking its teeth deep into his arm. Harry pulled his arm free, leaving a large scrap of flesh in the creature's mouth. It swallowed greedily, proceeding to tear into the side of his neck, sending blood spurting out over the sink and bathroom. Suddenly there was the roar of a gunshot and the body slumped sideways. Lenny grabbed Harry from the floor and dragged him outside.

Infected were swarming in from both the main stairs and the fire exit. Sam, Derrick, Alexa and Aiden were in front of the door to Harry's room, waiting for Lenny. Sam had heard Harry cry out at the exact moment that both doors exploded open, with infected swarming inside. It took every ounce of strength and determination to switch on the lights and survive until the others arrived, but he made it. Lenny reappeared, supporting Harry's limp frame and clamping a hand over the horrific wound on his throat.
"Where do we go?" He yelled.
"The emergency exit!" Derrick yelled. "There's roof access!"
Sam, Aiden and Alexa concentrated their fire on the fire door, cutting down the infected trying to squeeze their way through and creating an opening. Sam didn't hesitate, leading the way into the stairwell and concentrating on the group still swarming up the stairs. Lenny and Harry passed him, heading up the stairs with Alexa in the lead. Derrick and Aiden appeared behind him, and Sam began to back up the stairs with them, still firing down on the crowd clawing at their heels. They stormed through the door to the roof. Footsteps were thundering up behind them as they slammed it shut, Lenny and Sam throwing themselves against the door to stop the creatures breaking through. The impact of the blow nearly threw Sam off of his feet, but he managed to maintain balance and keep the door shut long enough for Derrick to lock it with a thick padlock.

Harry was slumped against the doorway, blood pouring out of the wound to his neck. He was ghostly pale, and seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness.
"Is there anything we can do for him?" Alexa asked softly.
"No. He's been bitten. All we can do is wait." Derrick replied grimly.
"What? No!" Lenny shouted. "He's fine! I can carry him to the plane and he can come with us! We'll… we'll find him a cure or something!"
"It's no good Lenny." Derrick said. "He'll turn before we make it."
"No he won't! Come on Sam we can't just leave him…"
Sam didn't know what to say. He knew deep down that there was no hope of him surviving, but no matter what he couldn't bring himself to say it.
He didn't have to. "He's right Lenny." Harry mumbled. He was barely audible over the sound of the infected hammering on the door. "I'm not going to make it. Just promise me one thing."
Sam nodded "What is it?"
"J-just stay with me until I g-go. Then put me down."
Derrick made to interject but Sam cut him off. "Alright." He said firmly, "We will."
They sat there for several minutes. The pounding on the door was ceaseless the entire time; the infected's howls resonating through the door. Lenny and Alexa were talking to Harry, evidently telling them one of his stories.
Sam stood a short way away from them, deep in thought. Derrick came over and stood next to him. "How do you reckon they got into the building? Did you see anything?"
Sam shook his head. "No, I only heard a door slam shut. It must have been when the one that got in opened the fire door. I didn't hear anything else until the door swung open and they smashed the debris out of the way of the main door."
They stood in silence, Sam watching Harry slowly degrade before his very eyes. "It wasn't your fault Sam." Derrick said, "You know that right?"
"Yeah, yeah I know." But deep down Sam felt responsible. If he had been more vigilant, if he had checked the door, then Harry might have still been able to make it. They had relied on him, and he had failed them.
"You should go be with him." Derrick said softly, "Before… you know…"
Sam nodded, "Yeah, thanks Derrick."
Harry was just finishing his story as Sam arrived. He was finding it difficult to speak, his words were slurred and his voice grew weaker with every word. Yet despite all of this, his eyes still had their familiar glint that he got whenever he regaled someone with one of his tales. "So this copper, t-turns to this bloke that's just puked all over him, a-and I just turn an leg it as fast as I c-c-could down the r-road. That copper never found me. And I still got to hang on to t-the beers!"
Lenny and Alexa laughed softly, stopping suddenly as Harry's weak chuckles turned into chest wracking coughs. Eventually they died away, replaced by weak, wheezing breaths. "They were good time." Harry whispered finally, "Good times…" And with a final breath he was gone. Sam's entire body went numb with shock. He couldn't believe it. One of his oldest and wisest friends, who he had known for six years, was gone. Lenny looked heartbroken; his usual carefree demeanour was gone, wiped out by grief and exhaustion.
After staring at Harry's lifeless body for a few moments he turned to the others. "I want to be the one to do this." He said.
No one disagreed. Sam handed him Alexa's pistol, he had forgotten to return it to her since the attack. "Here, take this." He said, "It'll make less of a… mess."
Lenny took the pistol, checked to ensure the safety catch was off, and waited. After about a minute Harry stirred. He looked up at them blankly, a faint moan escaped from him as he tried to stand. The colour had drained from his eyes, the white irises reflecting the small amount of light on the rooftop.  Lenny stood up and levelled the pistol. He hesitated, the weapon shaking in his hand, "I'm sorry mate." Was all he said. The shot echoed around the rooftops. Harry's head snapped back, blood spattering against the wall behind him as he slumped back down against the wall again. They stood in a shocked silence around the body. Sam could still hardly believe it had happened.
Eventually Aiden broke the silence, "Um… I think he would have wanted this…" He was holding the old repeater Harry had used since the beginning, he had refused to drop it even after he had been shot, and he had carried it the whole time.
"He always did love that rifle." Sam said.
Aiden laid the rifle across Harry's lap, placing his hands across it so that he cradled it in his arms.
They stayed for another minute before Derrick interrupted. "There's a ladder over here," he said, "We can use it to get around the infected."
The others followed Derrick towards the ladder, leaving Sam and Lenny alone with the body.
"Hard to believe he told us that same story only 5 days ago." Lenny said quietly, "Seems unreal doesn't it?"
Sam nodded sadly, "There's nothing more we can do here buddy. You ready to move on?"
Lenny turned, "Yeah, I don't want to stay here anymore."

The main hub was now abandoned. It seemed that the sound of gunfire had drawn every infected in the entire airport towards the hotel. The ladder had given them an escape route, and the group had now turned north towards one of the runways that surrounded the terminals. A large chain link fence separated them from the runway. It was at least two metres high and topped with coils of razor wire.
"How are we supposed to get through here?" Aiden whispered.
"I found these while we were checking out the hotel," Derrick said, holding up a large pair of bolt cutters. They made short work of the fence, and within a few minutes there was a hole large enough for them to crawl through. The runway had evidently been the sight fir a final stand for the military. Abandoned military cargo planes littered the parking bays, some showing huge levels of damage from gunfire and explosions. Hundreds of bodies lay scattered around the area, both civilian and military. Fires burned around the area, some dangerously close to the parked planes. The group walked amongst the destruction, searching for a plane that could safely get them in the air.
Aiden was the first to see it. "What about that one at the end of the runway?" He asked, pointing straight ahead of them. Sat next to a large tanker was the plane. It was a large, sturdy plane, with a propeller on each wing and a sleek design. It was painted with a green and brown camouflage, with a union jack on the side and the symbols of the RAF on the wings. The door was close to the tail, and Derrick tugged it open and looked inside. The interior of the plane was filled with 10 or so passenger seats. Radio equipment and other surveillance devices were also inside.
"There's no sign of the pilot." He called, "I guess he got infected and went off to join the others."
"But can you fly this thing?" Sam asked.
Derrick looked around at the controls, "Yeah I'm pretty sure I can fly this. The real issue is will it get us to Canada?"
"What do you mean?"
Derrick lowered his voice; "This thing has enough fuel to get us there, but only just. If we have a good tail-wind we'll make it comfortably."
"And if we don't?"
"We end up crash landing in the middle of the ocean with no hope of rescue."
Sam bit his lip. "Is there somewhere else we should go to?"
"No. I think the US is our best bet. All the European countries are likely to be infected, I heard on the news that that's where the virus originated from in the first place. We'll just have to hope that luck's on our side."
Derrick and Sam made their way out of the plane. They called everyone together to outline their plan.
"All right everyone listen up." Sam called, "We've got our ride out of here but there's a snag, it's out of fuel.
"There's always something isn't there?" Lenny muttered.
"This tanker here can fill the plane up nicely." Derrick said, indicating the large lorry parked next to the plane. "All you lot need to do is keep your eyes open for any infected that show up once I turn on the pump. It's quite loud so it may bring a few running."
"As long as we don't draw any attention to ourselves we should be ready to go before a serious amount get to us." Sam finished.
"Well that isn't so hard." Aiden said. "This should be pretty easy."
At that precise moment one of the planes exploded.

One of the small fires that had been burning around the airport had found its way to a cargo plane's fuel tanks. The behemoth had exploded with such force that it knocked Sam and the others off of their feet even at the opposite ends of the runway. Burning debris rained down over the area, lighting up the runway with a flickering orange glow. The blast had been so loud that Sam's ears were ringing; however even over the pitched whine he heard something that chilled him to his very core. The high-pitched howls of infected echoed across the runway, filling Sam with terror.
"Shit!" Sam yelled, "SHIT! What the hell do we do now?"
Derrick remained calm. "We need to hurry, place anything that isn't ammo inside the plane. Now."
The Bergens were hurriedly hurled into the plane, any ammunition left inside them was handed out, everyone filling their pockets with the bullets appropriate for their weapon.
"Alright, you lot hold out while I re-fuel. It's going to take a few minutes but I'll be as quick as possible. Keep a defensive ring around the plane and keep each other covered."
Sam could now hear the thundering footsteps of the thousands of infected now sprinting towards the site of the explosion. Already they were beginning to notice the small group of survivors nearby. They had two minutes at the most.
"Hold up lads." Lenny said, pulling out the six-pack of beer he had taken from the shop. "I think one last drink is in order."
Sam was surprised when Derrick didn't object, but pulled off one of the cans and gulped it down greedily. The others followed suit. The beer was warm, stale and tasted awful, but at that moment it was the most refreshing thing Sam had ever tasted.
"It's been an honour lads." Derrick said gruffly, tossing away the empty can and heading towards the fuel truck.
The others all checked their weapons, making sure they were fully loaded and primed. They spread out in a small semi-circle around the plane. The main hub of the terminals were directly to their right, the thundering of the infected's footsteps growing louder and louder.  Sam turned to Alexa. He wanted to tell her about how he felt towards her; he knew it was probably his last chance.
"Alexa…" He said quietly.
She paused in the middle of checking her magazine. "What?"
Sam tried to speak, but no words came out. He still didn't know how to say how he felt. She stared at him, her confusion evident. Sam sighed, "Fuck it." He said, and kissed her. Her eyes widened in shock for a few moments before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
"Ugh. Get a room you two." Lenny called.
Sam ignored him. Alexa stared into his eyes. "Wow, now there's a motivation for getting through this."
Sam smiled, "You mean the whole surviving thing wasn't enough?"
"Well yeah, but this is… a boost."
"Well as lovely as watching you two suck faces is, we've got company. So get your arses ready." Aiden said.
They quickly scrambled to their positions as the first infected came into sight. Hundreds of them scrambled over the fence, ignoring the razor wire as it tore through their skin. The leaders of the horde had already hit the ground, and were tearing across the runway towards the plane. Sam aimed carefully and fired, dropping several before they came anywhere close. Alexa began firing well-aimed shots as well, cutting them down in their stride. Lenny and Aiden waited until they were closer, their more inaccurate weapons would be ineffective at range, and they didn't want to waste their ammunition. After all, they were in for a long fight.

The infected were endless in their numbers. Several minutes had gone by and the crowds were only getting thicker. The four of them were still managing to hold their own, none of the creatures had gotten within striking distance, and bodies littered the ground. Miraculously, the horde began to thin. Only a few infected were scrambling over the fence at the other end of the runway.
Lenny stared around, bewildered. "What, is that it? There has to be more coming."
Suddenly the building across the runway to the right of the plane exploded. Infected poured out of the windows and doors, streaking across the runway. The group turned and began laying down fire into their ranks but it was no use, there were too many of them. They could only watch as the unstoppable horde drew closer and closer every second.  Aiden pulled out the crowbar Derrick had given him, holding it in his free hand.
"Cheers for everything Sam. You were a good friend." He said, and charged.
The others watched in horror as he ran deep into the ranks of infected, firing and swinging his weapons with an unnatural fury. The infected halted their charge, instead turning inwards, greedily searching out their prey. The creatures ignored the volleys of shots that were annihilating those closest to the plane, buying Sam and the others valuable time to reinforce there positions and reload. Eventually the sounds of gunfire from the centre of the group stopped, and the creatures turned towards the plane once again. As they charged Derrick called out to them.
"I'm done!" he bellowed "Everyone in NOW!"
Sam turned and sprinted towards the plane's open door as the propellers whirred into life. Their high-pitched drone temporarily drowned out the howls of the infected on their heels. It couldn't block out Lenny's cries however.

The creature grabbed Lenny as he ran, pulling him back towards the fast approaching horde. He pushed it away, only to be pounced on by another one attacking from behind. It sunk its teeth deep into shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. Blood spattered over his face as a shot shattered the creature's skull, throwing it off of him. Sam reached Lenny, grabbing him by the arm and hauling him towards the plane.
"Come on we need to move!" He screamed.
"It's no good mate. They got me…" Lenny panted.
"We'll get you out of here. You'll be fine!"
"No. You've got to leave me." Lenny said looking him in the eye, "I'll hold them off."
"Sam come on we have to go now!" Alexa yelled from the plane's door.
"You know you have to Sam." Lenny said.
Tears ran down Sam's face. "You're my best friend Lenny. I can't…"
Lenny pulled him into a hug, "I'm gonna miss you buddy. Now go." He shoved him hard in the direction of the plane and began firing into the horde that was mere inches away. Sam sprinted towards the open door of the plane, grabbing Alexa's outstretched hand and pulled himself inside. The door slammed shut behind him as he rolled onto the floor. He felt the plane begin to move as he scrambled towards the window. He could only watch helplessly as they passed Lenny's bulky figure surrounded by infected. He had moved towards the terminal buildings, clearing the runway of them to ensure the plane could safely take off. Sam watched as the image in the window blurred with the speed of take-off. The ground disappeared in front of him and he was pressed back in his seat as the plane gained altitude. After a few minutes he couldn't even recognise the airport in the miniature city below them as the plane headed for the coast. They were safe.

The Sun rose, casting an orange glow over the blood stained tarmac. Lenny was still fighting. Blood poured out of countless bite marks all over his body. He felt weak, and could barely stand, slumping against the truck used to re-fuel the plane; he continued to blindly pull the trigger, throwing round after round into the endless wave of bloodthirsty monsters. As his vision began to blur he saw it, a great flash of light, followed by a wave of destruction that shattered the terminal buildings and swallowed the waves of infected as they ran. The great wave tore towards Lenny, ripping up the tarmac and hurling infected through the air like rag dolls. As his vision began to blur and the explosive wave crashed into him, he smiled one last time.

The explosions rocked the plane violently, even from several miles away. Sam watched as the missiles hit the city, consuming it in fire and smoke. Alexa threaded her fingers through his and squeezed gently. He turned to her, smiling sadly.
"We made it." She whispered. "We finally made it."
"Yeah, I just wish that everyone else could have as well." Sam said.
He turned back to the window as tears silently ran down his cheeks. He made no effort to stop them. He felt exhausted to his very core. He wanted to do nothing other than sleep for a long, long time.
Derrick's voice called from the cockpit, "So… what now then?"
"We fly to Canada I guess. And then we see what happens."
"Do you think it's safe?" Alexa asked.
Sam looked back towards the burning city he had once called home. "Well… it can't be any worse than this."

Description
Day 7

The next day the group made their way towards the train station. It didn't take long for them to reach it as the streets were unusually deserted, only having to take one detour around a small group of infected. Sam slowly moved down the concrete steps leading to the station. It was pitch black inside. The power had obviously been disabled or damaged, knocking out every light in the station. It was so dark that Sam couldn't see his hand in front of his face.
"Jesus, I can't see a thing!" Harry mumbled.
"I got it." Alexa said, fumbling with the pistol.
The torch's beam illuminated the large logo of the London Underground. The words Hounslow East were printed on it in bold white letters. Bloodstains covered the walls and floors, covering the dark graffiti and filthy white paint with a sticky, brownish crust. The group made their way down to the platform, sticking close together to avoid losing anyone in the darkness. Alexa scanned the platform with the light, searching carefully to ensure there were no infected and listening carefully for any sign of movement. There were none. Sam was beginning to feel uneasy, it was like outside the gallery all over again, except this time they couldn't see a metre in front of them.
"We need to get down on the tracks and head west." Lenny said.
"I'll lead the way if you want Alexa." Derrick said.
She took one look down the long, dark tunnel and gratefully handed over the pistol.
Derrick took it, checking the magazine to ensure it was full. "Okay, everyone ready?" He asked. "Okay, let's go."
Sam could never remember feeling so tense in all his life. The tunnel was dark and claustrophobic. Every noise was amplified, making him jump as they made their way down the tunnel in silence. The rails had been deactivated, making it safe to touch them. Sam was grateful, as he kept almost tripping over them as they made their way down the cold, damp tunnel. Sam lost track of how long it took them to reach a station with power. After trudging through the dark for ages they eventually saw a patch of light at the end. The group picked up the pace, eager to be out of the pitch-black tunnel. Sam sighed with relief as he entered the station. It felt like waking from a very bad dream. This station was also empty, the silence was uncomfortable in the enclosed space, at least outside there was the sound of the wind and the grunts and snarls of nearby infected. The silence of the station was stifling; it was so quiet every noise sounded like a cannon firing. Sam turned back to the others, who all had similar looks of relief at finally being out of the tunnel. As he looked around them his relief faded, being replaced by a cold sense of dread.
"Where's Sharon?" He asked slowly.
They turned, staring back into the empty blackness of the tunnel.
"She… she was right behind us!" Lenny said. "Where the hell did she go?"
"She was inches behind me." Aiden said. "I didn't hear a thing."
"We have to go back for her." Alexa said firmly.
Derrick shook his head. "If we lost someone the first time the only thing that's going to happen if we go back in there is we lose someone else."
"Then what do you suggest?" Alexa said, her voice rising with every word. "That we just fuck off and leave her to die? To wander around in those tunnels until one of those things finds her?"
Sam cut in before Derrick could reply. "I'll go in. Alone."
"Are you insane?" Aiden said. "What happens if you get lost as well? What then?"
"It's simple." Sam said, "You wait for me here. If an hour passes and I haven't come back, then you leave without me and continue towards Heathrow. Understood."
"It's a bad idea Sam." Derrick warned.
"I'm not just walking away from one of our friends. I've got to try."
Alexa handed him her pistol. "You'll need the torch on this. Just uh… just be careful."
Sam checked the magazine, taking the spares that she handed him and headed towards the tunnel entrance. He looked back once, "I'll see you in an hour then." He said.

Sam was alone in the darkness. If he looked back he could no longer see the patch of light that lead back the way he came. He stepped quietly, hoping to hear any sign of life, footsteps, heavy breathing, Sharon's voice… anything. As he made his way further and further in he began to lose hope. He hadn't seen a single sign of her whereabouts and the only sound had been his solitary footsteps as he made his way down the tunnel. Just as Sam was considering giving up, he heard something, it was only faint, so faint he couldn't even hear what it was properly, but it was definitely there. Sam swung the torch around frantically, searching for the source. The torch's beam lit up another tunnel, splitting off from the one he had been walking down. As he cautiously made his way down the tunnel the noises were becoming far more pronounced. Low growling and scurrying sounds echoed through the tunnel as he crept closer and closer towards the source. The torch's beam picked up something lying across the middle of the tracks. Sam's gagged as the stench of rotting flesh hit the back of his throat. Sam moved close enough to the figure to see it properly, and his heart sank. It was Sharon; her glassy eyes were open, staring endlessly at the tunnel's ceiling. Blood pooled around her, pouring from several bite marks on her neck, arms and legs. Sam took another step towards her, he couldn't leave her here like this, she deserved a proper burial. It was then that he saw them. Looming in the darkness just out of the torch's beam were dozens of infected. Their eyes reflected the beam, as they hissed slowly and began to advance. He backed away slowly, raising the pistol so that it was ready to fire. They stopped once they had reached Sharon's body; they simply crouched there, hunched over her in an almost protective stance. Sam was worried, this wasn't normal behaviour, usually they would have blindly charged with no concern for safety. He couldn't understand why they had stopped. It was only once they had formed a defensive semi-circle around Sharon that he understood. They were defending their food. These infected were unwilling to risk their lives trying to gain more food when they already had enough to satisfy themselves. This fact alone terrified Sam. It implied they were becoming more intelligent; their lack of tactics was the only advantage they had over infected. He backed away slowly, keeping the pistol and torch firmly on the infected. They made no attempt to follow him, they simply watched, their expressionless faces staring back at him, unmoving.

Relief flooded through Sam as he saw the patch of light appear at the end of the tunnel. He checked his watch; he had been in the tunnel for nearly two hours. Dread flooded through him at the thought of having to make the rest of the journey to the airport alone. However as he stepped into the searing brightness of the station the others were still there to greet him.
"You're back!" Lenny exclaimed, "Did you find…?"
Sam shook his head slowly; no one spoke for a few moments. Aiden looked devastated, Sam remembered that it was now two of his friends that they had lost.
Derrick cleared his throat, "Well… I guess there's no point in staying here then. Let's go."

They made the rest of the journey in silence. Emergency lights lit the tunnels ahead of them, making it far easier to navigate the route. After a few hours they reached the station they wanted. A large sign reading "Terminals 1, 2, 3" hung over the large staircases leading up to ground level. The stairs had been blockaded at some point, most likely by the military attempting to evacuate people from the airport. However it had been destroyed, chunks of debris were scattered around the station, and the stench of blood and rotting flesh was overwhelming. Darkness had fallen by the time they all reached the surface. Infected swarmed around the main hub of the airport, crawling over buildings or barking at each other with a raspy, inhuman tone. Sam and the others took cover at the station entrance, hiding behind a bus stop and surveying their surroundings.
"What now?" Aiden asked.
"We shouldn't make a run for the plane at night." Sam replied. "Too much could go wrong, we need to find a place to bunker down until morning."
Derrick nodded in agreement. "I suggest we move to the Travel Lodge and blockade a floor. It's not ideal, but it's the best we'll be able to do."
"Has anyone else noticed the infected are acting strangely?" Alexa whispered. "Usually they just stand still or group up. But these ones seem more… energetic."
"They're evolving again." Sam said quietly. "They were like that in the tunnel. It's almost as if they're becoming more and more like animals."
"Well we'll just have to be more careful won't we?" Lenny said, "And somehow standing right in the middle of a shed-load of them doesn't seem like a good idea. Let's go."
The Travel Lodge was a large, five story hotel to the South of the cluster of terminals. It had only just been finished, and tales of bad budgeting and inferior materials had dogged the new building for the entire year it had required to construct. The automatic doors slid open as Sam crept inside the empty entrance hall. Their footsteps echoed loudly on the tiled floor, it made no difference however. The entrance hall was empty.
"Why wouldn't there be any infected in here?" Sam asked. "With the number outside you would have thought it would be filled to the rafters with them."
"I guess they just wanted to join the group outside." Harry mumbled.
"Pack instincts." Derrick said gruffly, "They're becoming more like wolves."
"Well as long as they don't hear us we'll be alright then." Aiden said confidently. "Let's go find a room."

The second floor of the hotel was easily the most defensible. It was made up of a large square landing with all of the rooms opening out onto it. Before anyone settled in Sam, Derrick, Lenny and Aiden blocked off the stairs and elevators. The doors were locked securely, and then barricaded with heavy tables and chairs from several of the rooms. A small fire exit on the other side of the landing opened up onto a small concrete staircase that led down into the main hub of the three terminals. The door had no lock on it, only had a push bar on the inside.
"What do you reckon?" Derrick asked "Is it worth barricading it?"
"No, they can't get in from the outside and it's not like they know how to open doors." Lenny answered. "Let's leave it, we can use it as an escape route if we have to as well."
Alexa had just finished helping Harry into his bed when the others reappeared. "Is everything secure then?" She asked.
"As secure as we can get it. I'd be more comfortable if we could lock the doors better." Derrick replied.
"Stop worrying so much." Lenny said, rolling his eyes. They don't even know we're in here. We'll be fine until the morning."

Sam sat alone in the landing. Derrick had insisted that all the lights were turned off to avoid being spotted. It was oddly quiet. Before the infected could be heard growling and moving around the airport, even through the Hotel's thick walls it was noticeably loud. But now it was silent. Sam tried to tell himself they had moved away to hunt, or maybe even sleeping, but even he didn't believe that. The sound of a door closing brought him back to reality with a jump. He switched on the torch at the bottom of Alexa's pistol and pointed it at the source of the noise. The door remained closed, everything in the exact same position it had been. After several minutes he switched off the torch and shook his head. His paranoia was beginning to affect him. He frantically searched for an explanation to the noise. Perhaps it was just his imagination, or a noise from outside coming in through an open window, he could feel a draft after all. Slowly, he began to relax, drifting back into his thoughts. That was when all hell broke loose.

A few minutes earlier Harry was wide awake. Hs arm throbbed painfully and he felt unbearably thirsty. Wincing slightly he got up and limped across the spacious room towards the bathroom. As he poured himself a glass of water he heard the door shut.
"I'm in here." Harry called quietly, as he opened the bathroom door. The infected leaped on him, sending him crashing painfully to the floor. He cried out as his wounded arm slammed bore the weight of his fall. Harry punched it twice, but they were weak blows and the creature ignored them, instead sinking its teeth deep into his arm. Harry pulled his arm free, leaving a large scrap of flesh in the creature's mouth. It swallowed greedily, proceeding to tear into the side of his neck, sending blood spurting out over the sink and bathroom. Suddenly there was the roar of a gunshot and the body slumped sideways. Lenny grabbed Harry from the floor and dragged him outside.

Infected were swarming in from both the main stairs and the fire exit. Sam, Derrick, Alexa and Aiden were in front of the door to Harry's room, waiting for Lenny. Sam had heard Harry cry out at the exact moment that both doors exploded open, with infected swarming inside. It took every ounce of strength and determination to switch on the lights and survive until the others arrived, but he made it. Lenny reappeared, supporting Harry's limp frame and clamping a hand over the horrific wound on his throat.
"Where do we go?" He yelled.
"The emergency exit!" Derrick yelled. "There's roof access!"
Sam, Aiden and Alexa concentrated their fire on the fire door, cutting down the infected trying to squeeze their way through and creating an opening. Sam didn't hesitate, leading the way into the stairwell and concentrating on the group still swarming up the stairs. Lenny and Harry passed him, heading up the stairs with Alexa in the lead. Derrick and Aiden appeared behind him, and Sam began to back up the stairs with them, still firing down on the crowd clawing at their heels. They stormed through the door to the roof. Footsteps were thundering up behind them as they slammed it shut, Lenny and Sam throwing themselves against the door to stop the creatures breaking through. The impact of the blow nearly threw Sam off of his feet, but he managed to maintain balance and keep the door shut long enough for Derrick to lock it with a thick padlock.

Harry was slumped against the doorway, blood pouring out of the wound to his neck. He was ghostly pale, and seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness.
"Is there anything we can do for him?" Alexa asked softly.
"No. He's been bitten. All we can do is wait." Derrick replied grimly.
"What? No!" Lenny shouted. "He's fine! I can carry him to the plane and he can come with us! We'll… we'll find him a cure or something!"
"It's no good Lenny." Derrick said. "He'll turn before we make it."
"No he won't! Come on Sam we can't just leave him…"
Sam didn't know what to say. He knew deep down that there was no hope of him surviving, but no matter what he couldn't bring himself to say it.
He didn't have to. "He's right Lenny." Harry mumbled. He was barely audible over the sound of the infected hammering on the door. "I'm not going to make it. Just promise me one thing."
Sam nodded "What is it?"
"J-just stay with me until I g-go. Then put me down."
Derrick made to interject but Sam cut him off. "Alright." He said firmly, "We will."
They sat there for several minutes. The pounding on the door was ceaseless the entire time; the infected's howls resonating through the door. Lenny and Alexa were talking to Harry, evidently telling them one of his stories.
Sam stood a short way away from them, deep in thought. Derrick came over and stood next to him. "How do you reckon they got into the building? Did you see anything?"
Sam shook his head. "No, I only heard a door slam shut. It must have been when the one that got in opened the fire door. I didn't hear anything else until the door swung open and they smashed the debris out of the way of the main door."
They stood in silence, Sam watching Harry slowly degrade before his very eyes. "It wasn't your fault Sam." Derrick said, "You know that right?"
"Yeah, yeah I know." But deep down Sam felt responsible. If he had been more vigilant, if he had checked the door, then Harry might have still been able to make it. They had relied on him, and he had failed them.
"You should go be with him." Derrick said softly, "Before… you know…"
Sam nodded, "Yeah, thanks Derrick."
Harry was just finishing his story as Sam arrived. He was finding it difficult to speak, his words were slurred and his voice grew weaker with every word. Yet despite all of this, his eyes still had their familiar glint that he got whenever he regaled someone with one of his tales. "So this copper, t-turns to this bloke that's just puked all over him, a-and I just turn an leg it as fast as I c-c-could down the r-road. That copper never found me. And I still got to hang on to t-the beers!"
Lenny and Alexa laughed softly, stopping suddenly as Harry's weak chuckles turned into chest wracking coughs. Eventually they died away, replaced by weak, wheezing breaths. "They were good time." Harry whispered finally, "Good times…" And with a final breath he was gone. Sam's entire body went numb with shock. He couldn't believe it. One of his oldest and wisest friends, who he had known for six years, was gone. Lenny looked heartbroken; his usual carefree demeanour was gone, wiped out by grief and exhaustion.
After staring at Harry's lifeless body for a few moments he turned to the others. "I want to be the one to do this." He said.
No one disagreed. Sam handed him Alexa's pistol, he had forgotten to return it to her since the attack. "Here, take this." He said, "It'll make less of a… mess."
Lenny took the pistol, checked to ensure the safety catch was off, and waited. After about a minute Harry stirred. He looked up at them blankly, a faint moan escaped from him as he tried to stand. The colour had drained from his eyes, the white irises reflecting the small amount of light on the rooftop.  Lenny stood up and levelled the pistol. He hesitated, the weapon shaking in his hand, "I'm sorry mate." Was all he said. The shot echoed around the rooftops. Harry's head snapped back, blood spattering against the wall behind him as he slumped back down against the wall again. They stood in a shocked silence around the body. Sam could still hardly believe it had happened.
Eventually Aiden broke the silence, "Um… I think he would have wanted this…" He was holding the old repeater Harry had used since the beginning, he had refused to drop it even after he had been shot, and he had carried it the whole time.
"He always did love that rifle." Sam said.
Aiden laid the rifle across Harry's lap, placing his hands across it so that he cradled it in his arms.
They stayed for another minute before Derrick interrupted. "There's a ladder over here," he said, "We can use it to get around the infected."
The others followed Derrick towards the ladder, leaving Sam and Lenny alone with the body.
"Hard to believe he told us that same story only 5 days ago." Lenny said quietly, "Seems unreal doesn't it?"
Sam nodded sadly, "There's nothing more we can do here buddy. You ready to move on?"
Lenny turned, "Yeah, I don't want to stay here anymore."

The main hub was now abandoned. It seemed that the sound of gunfire had drawn every infected in the entire airport towards the hotel. The ladder had given them an escape route, and the group had now turned north towards one of the runways that surrounded the terminals. A large chain link fence separated them from the runway. It was at least two metres high and topped with coils of razor wire.
"How are we supposed to get through here?" Aiden whispered.
"I found these while we were checking out the hotel," Derrick said, holding up a large pair of bolt cutters. They made short work of the fence, and within a few minutes there was a hole large enough for them to crawl through. The runway had evidently been the sight fir a final stand for the military. Abandoned military cargo planes littered the parking bays, some showing huge levels of damage from gunfire and explosions. Hundreds of bodies lay scattered around the area, both civilian and military. Fires burned around the area, some dangerously close to the parked planes. The group walked amongst the destruction, searching for a plane that could safely get them in the air.
Aiden was the first to see it. "What about that one at the end of the runway?" He asked, pointing straight ahead of them. Sat next to a large tanker was the plane. It was a large, sturdy plane, with a propeller on each wing and a sleek design. It was painted with a green and brown camouflage, with a union jack on the side and the symbols of the RAF on the wings. The door was close to the tail, and Derrick tugged it open and looked inside. The interior of the plane was filled with 10 or so passenger seats. Radio equipment and other surveillance devices were also inside.
"There's no sign of the pilot." He called, "I guess he got infected and went off to join the others."
"But can you fly this thing?" Sam asked.
Derrick looked around at the controls, "Yeah I'm pretty sure I can fly this. The real issue is will it get us to Canada?"
"What do you mean?"
Derrick lowered his voice; "This thing has enough fuel to get us there, but only just. If we have a good tail-wind we'll make it comfortably."
"And if we don't?"
"We end up crash landing in the middle of the ocean with no hope of rescue."
Sam bit his lip. "Is there somewhere else we should go to?"
"No. I think the US is our best bet. All the European countries are likely to be infected, I heard on the news that that's where the virus originated from in the first place. We'll just have to hope that luck's on our side."
Derrick and Sam made their way out of the plane. They called everyone together to outline their plan.
"All right everyone listen up." Sam called, "We've got our ride out of here but there's a snag, it's out of fuel.
"There's always something isn't there?" Lenny muttered.
"This tanker here can fill the plane up nicely." Derrick said, indicating the large lorry parked next to the plane. "All you lot need to do is keep your eyes open for any infected that show up once I turn on the pump. It's quite loud so it may bring a few running."
"As long as we don't draw any attention to ourselves we should be ready to go before a serious amount get to us." Sam finished.
"Well that isn't so hard." Aiden said. "This should be pretty easy."
At that precise moment one of the planes exploded.

One of the small fires that had been burning around the airport had found its way to a cargo plane's fuel tanks. The behemoth had exploded with such force that it knocked Sam and the others off of their feet even at the opposite ends of the runway. Burning debris rained down over the area, lighting up the runway with a flickering orange glow. The blast had been so loud that Sam's ears were ringing; however even over the pitched whine he heard something that chilled him to his very core. The high-pitched howls of infected echoed across the runway, filling Sam with terror.
"Shit!" Sam yelled, "SHIT! What the hell do we do now?"
Derrick remained calm. "We need to hurry, place anything that isn't ammo inside the plane. Now."
The Bergens were hurriedly hurled into the plane, any ammunition left inside them was handed out, everyone filling their pockets with the bullets appropriate for their weapon.
"Alright, you lot hold out while I re-fuel. It's going to take a few minutes but I'll be as quick as possible. Keep a defensive ring around the plane and keep each other covered."
Sam could now hear the thundering footsteps of the thousands of infected now sprinting towards the site of the explosion. Already they were beginning to notice the small group of survivors nearby. They had two minutes at the most.
"Hold up lads." Lenny said, pulling out the six-pack of beer he had taken from the shop. "I think one last drink is in order."
Sam was surprised when Derrick didn't object, but pulled off one of the cans and gulped it down greedily. The others followed suit. The beer was warm, stale and tasted awful, but at that moment it was the most refreshing thing Sam had ever tasted.
"It's been an honour lads." Derrick said gruffly, tossing away the empty can and heading towards the fuel truck.
The others all checked their weapons, making sure they were fully loaded and primed. They spread out in a small semi-circle around the plane. The main hub of the terminals were directly to their right, the thundering of the infected's footsteps growing louder and louder.  Sam turned to Alexa. He wanted to tell her about how he felt towards her; he knew it was probably his last chance.
"Alexa…" He said quietly.
She paused in the middle of checking her magazine. "What?"
Sam tried to speak, but no words came out. He still didn't know how to say how he felt. She stared at him, her confusion evident. Sam sighed, "Fuck it." He said, and kissed her. Her eyes widened in shock for a few moments before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
"Ugh. Get a room you two." Lenny called.
Sam ignored him. Alexa stared into his eyes. "Wow, now there's a motivation for getting through this."
Sam smiled, "You mean the whole surviving thing wasn't enough?"
"Well yeah, but this is… a boost."
"Well as lovely as watching you two suck faces is, we've got company. So get your arses ready." Aiden said.
They quickly scrambled to their positions as the first infected came into sight. Hundreds of them scrambled over the fence, ignoring the razor wire as it tore through their skin. The leaders of the horde had already hit the ground, and were tearing across the runway towards the plane. Sam aimed carefully and fired, dropping several before they came anywhere close. Alexa began firing well-aimed shots as well, cutting them down in their stride. Lenny and Aiden waited until they were closer, their more inaccurate weapons would be ineffective at range, and they didn't want to waste their ammunition. After all, they were in for a long fight.

The infected were endless in their numbers. Several minutes had gone by and the crowds were only getting thicker. The four of them were still managing to hold their own, none of the creatures had gotten within striking distance, and bodies littered the ground. Miraculously, the horde began to thin. Only a few infected were scrambling over the fence at the other end of the runway.
Lenny stared around, bewildered. "What, is that it? There has to be more coming."
Suddenly the building across the runway to the right of the plane exploded. Infected poured out of the windows and doors, streaking across the runway. The group turned and began laying down fire into their ranks but it was no use, there were too many of them. They could only watch as the unstoppable horde drew closer and closer every second.  Aiden pulled out the crowbar Derrick had given him, holding it in his free hand.
"Cheers for everything Sam. You were a good friend." He said, and charged.
The others watched in horror as he ran deep into the ranks of infected, firing and swinging his weapons with an unnatural fury. The infected halted their charge, instead turning inwards, greedily searching out their prey. The creatures ignored the volleys of shots that were annihilating those closest to the plane, buying Sam and the others valuable time to reinforce there positions and reload. Eventually the sounds of gunfire from the centre of the group stopped, and the creatures turned towards the plane once again. As they charged Derrick called out to them.
"I'm done!" he bellowed "Everyone in NOW!"
Sam turned and sprinted towards the plane's open door as the propellers whirred into life. Their high-pitched drone temporarily drowned out the howls of the infected on their heels. It couldn't block out Lenny's cries however.

The creature grabbed Lenny as he ran, pulling him back towards the fast approaching horde. He pushed it away, only to be pounced on by another one attacking from behind. It sunk its teeth deep into shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. Blood spattered over his face as a shot shattered the creature's skull, throwing it off of him. Sam reached Lenny, grabbing him by the arm and hauling him towards the plane.
"Come on we need to move!" He screamed.
"It's no good mate. They got me…" Lenny panted.
"We'll get you out of here. You'll be fine!"
"No. You've got to leave me." Lenny said looking him in the eye, "I'll hold them off."
"Sam come on we have to go now!" Alexa yelled from the plane's door.
"You know you have to Sam." Lenny said.
Tears ran down Sam's face. "You're my best friend Lenny. I can't…"
Lenny pulled him into a hug, "I'm gonna miss you buddy. Now go." He shoved him hard in the direction of the plane and began firing into the horde that was mere inches away. Sam sprinted towards the open door of the plane, grabbing Alexa's outstretched hand and pulled himself inside. The door slammed shut behind him as he rolled onto the floor. He felt the plane begin to move as he scrambled towards the window. He could only watch helplessly as they passed Lenny's bulky figure surrounded by infected. He had moved towards the terminal buildings, clearing the runway of them to ensure the plane could safely take off. Sam watched as the image in the window blurred with the speed of take-off. The ground disappeared in front of him and he was pressed back in his seat as the plane gained altitude. After a few minutes he couldn't even recognise the airport in the miniature city below them as the plane headed for the coast. They were safe.

The Sun rose, casting an orange glow over the blood stained tarmac. Lenny was still fighting. Blood poured out of countless bite marks all over his body. He felt weak, and could barely stand, slumping against the truck used to re-fuel the plane; he continued to blindly pull the trigger, throwing round after round into the endless wave of bloodthirsty monsters. As his vision began to blur he saw it, a great flash of light, followed by a wave of destruction that shattered the terminal buildings and swallowed the waves of infected as they ran. The great wave tore towards Lenny, ripping up the tarmac and hurling infected through the air like rag dolls. As his vision began to blur and the explosive wave crashed into him, he smiled one last time.

The explosions rocked the plane violently, even from several miles away. Sam watched as the missiles hit the city, consuming it in fire and smoke. Alexa threaded her fingers through his and squeezed gently. He turned to her, smiling sadly.
"We made it." She whispered. "We finally made it."
"Yeah, I just wish that everyone else could have as well." Sam said.
He turned back to the window as tears silently ran down his cheeks. He made no effort to stop them. He felt exhausted to his very core. He wanted to do nothing other than sleep for a long, long time.
Derrick's voice called from the cockpit, "So… what now then?"
"We fly to Canada I guess. And then we see what happens."
"Do you think it's safe?" Alexa asked.
Sam looked back towards the burning city he had once called home. "Well… it can't be any worse than this."