James’s Note: Make sure when you pick your path to hit the vote button to make it count.
Over the next few days, you agonize over what to do. You hesitate to leave the safety of the college, but things are starting to get worse here.
The rations you’re given are getting smaller and smaller. You make friends with one of the National Guard soldiers and he tells you things are worse than you know. They’re not getting orders from outside anymore. He doesn’t know whether that’s because they’re not coming, or because the Commanders here are disregarding them.
As the two of you talk, he lets slip that several of the soldiers are planning on deserting. According to him, they decided they didn’t sign up for this. Their few weeks of training didn’t prepare them for this and the actions of those in charge of this facility are starting to scare the crap out of them.
He says you can’t come with them, but they will be staging a huge distraction. Since the two of you have bonded, he tells you when it’s going to be.
Considering fleeing on foot to be tantamount to suicide, you make your plan to get your Jeep back. Besides, your dad loved that Jeep. The day before the planned distraction, your friend manages to get the keys back to you. He says he’s sorry you can’t come with them.
Saturday, at midnight, all hell breaks loose, just like he said it would. You hear people yelling about a fire in the agricultural wing, in addition to what sound like a hundred other little emergencies.
You sneaked out to the lot where they keep the vehicles. When you see the familiar side of your Jeep, it’s like being reunited with an old friend. You’re surprised by the fact no one appears to be guarding it, until you see the dead soldier lying by an old pickup truck.
Apparently this was not an entirely bloodless operation. You try to get a hold of yourself and not think too much about the gaping knife wound in his throat.
As you crouch down to take a look, you see that his rifle slid under the truck. You scoop it up and check it just like your dad taught you. It still has a full magazine.
You load into your Jeep and are pleasantly surprised most of your supplies are still there. You think someone had been keeping this as their own personal stash.
You had for the East Gate, and find it already broken down. You drive by the bodies of two more guards and out into the dark Texas night. Off to the east, you see the fading tail lights of what you can only assume is the deserting soldiers Humvee.
You put distance between yourself in the college, debating your next move.
Click Here To Read More of Our Stories
1. The Apocalypse We Chose
2. Go for the Jeep
3. Head for the Deer Camp
4. Approach with Caution, Gun Ready
5. Take the Fight to the Woods
6. Loot the Dead
Gray Matters: The Works of Sharon and James Gray 