We left the motel behind, the morning sun casting its familiar golden glow over the deserted landscape. The truck's engine roared to life as we hit the road, the silence between us a comfortable familiarity.
As we drove, the scenery rolled by in a blur. Abandoned cars, buildings, and streets stretched out before us, a testiment to the world that once was. We didn't talk much, each lost in our own thoughts.
After a few hours of driving, we stopped at a gas station to refuel and grab some supplies. The building was empty, the shelves bare. But we managed to scrounge up some canned food and bottled water.
As we ate, I pulled out the map and studied it. We were making good time, but I had no idea where we were headed. The road stretched out before us, a seemingly endless ribbon of asphalt.
"What do you guys think?" I asked, looking at Danielle and Nick. "Do we keep heading west?"
Danielle shrugged. "I don't know. what's out there?"
Nick leaned in, studying the map. "There's supposed to be a town a few miles up ahead. Maybe we could find more supplies or some shelter."
I nodded, making a decision. "Let's head for the town. See what we can find."
With a new plan in place, we got back on the road, the unknown stretching out before us.
As we drove into the town, a faded sign caught our attention: "Welcome to Elk City, Oklahoma - Population 11,000". The sign was weathered, the paint chipped and faded, but it still stood proudly at the entrance of the town.
We drove down the main street, taking in the desolate landscape. The buildings were empty, the streets quiet. But as we turned a corner, we saw them. Zombies. Lots of them. They were shambling down the street, their eyes fixed on us.
"Get ready," I said, grabbing my gun. "We've got company."
Danielle and Nick nodded, their faces set. We had been in situations like this before, and we knew what to do.
We pulled over and got out of the truck, our guns at the ready. The zombies were closing in, their moans growing louder. We took aim and started firing, taking out the zombies one by one.
But there were too many of them. They kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. We had to move, and fast.
"Let's get to the grocery store," I yelled, grabbing Danielle's arm. "We can barricade ourselves in while we get supplies."
We fought our way through the zombies, our guns firing steadily. We took out as many as we could, but there were always more. Finally, we reached the grocery store and burst through the doors, slamming them shut behind us.
We leaned against the doors, panting, and listened to the zombies outside. They were relentless, pounding on the doors and trying to get in. But the doors held, and we were safe. For now.
"Let's get what we need and get out of here," I said, looking around the store. "This place is a death trap."
Danielle nodded, her eyes scanning the shelves. "I'll grab the supplies. You two keep them out."
Danielle worked quickle, gathering what she could and preparing to make a break for it with us to the truck. The zombies were still out there, and we knew we couldn't stay in the store forever.
As Danielle finished loading everything into all our bags, I peeked out the window to see how many zombies were outside. The street was filled with them, their eyes fixed on the store as the pounded on the doors and walls. I knew we had to be careful if we were going to make it out of here alive.
"Okay, here's the plan," I said, turning to Danielle and Nick. "We'll make a run for the truck. I'll take point and clear a path. Danielle, you cover our six. Nick, you stay in the middle and take out any stragglers."
Nick nodded, but then a sly grin spread across his face. He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a grenade." I've been holding onto this for an emergency like this," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
My eyes widened in surprise. "Where did you get that?" I asked, but Nick just shrugged.
Danielle's eyes lit up with understanding. "That's perfect," she said. "We can use it to clear a path."
I nodded, chnaging the plan on the fly. "Alright, new plan. Nick, you throw the grenade down the street, and we'll make a run for the truck while the zombies are...distracted. Danielle and I will cover our six and make sure no stragglers get too close."
Nick nodded, his grin growing wider. "I've got this," he said, holding the grenade up.
We took a deep breath, and I gave the signal. Nick pulled the pin, quickly opened the door and threw the grenade down the street. The zombies followed it distracted by a new sound. The grenade exploded in a blast of fire and smoke, sending shrapnel and debris flying everywhere. The zombies closest to the explosion were torn apart, their bodies mangled and broken. The others got thrown backwards.
"GO!" I yelled, and we sprinted towards the truck, our guns at the ready. We stepped over the bodies of the zombies that had been closest to the explosion, and avoided the ones that were now legless and crawling after us. We reached the truck without incident, and piled in, slamming the doors shut behind us.
As we pulled away from the curb, I let out a sigh of relief. The grenade had been a game-changer, and we had made it out of Elk City alive. For now, at least.