Jeff had frequented Austin in his earlier years with his dad. His father was an electrical engineer for prisons and large facilities of that nature. Jeff used to go on weekend trips with his father to Austin to do electrical work for a large company called Human Research Funding known to most as HRF. This company provided a majority of the funding for research in the midwest area. They also helped to develop new innovations in cancer research and had a team of scientists at their facility.
Jeff loved those trips with his father. He doesn't remember much about Austin, but he distinctly remembers the direct route his father took each time commenting about how he had found the quickest route in and out of the city. Jeff also recalled his father's hearty laugh that sounded as if it came from deep inside his belly. That laugh was warm and Jeff smiled as he heard the distant echo fade away back into his memories for safe keeping.
Jeff told Skyler of the route he and his father had taken so many times and they planned to use that route and just be extremely cautious. Just outside of Austin they came across an abandoned shopping cart with four working wheels. It was risky, but Skyler convinced him to take the chance.
"Just think of all the weapons we can carry and food we can haul. We'll have stuff to last us for days, even weeks maybe," Skyler remarked.
"You make a good point, but I'm worried about all the noise it will make and that will attract death creatures. Well, I guess if we could find some oil to grease the wheels it would be worth our while," Jeff reasoned.
"Dude I totes phased out on you. I have some WD-40 in my bag. I used it to lube my saw blade back in Montana and grabbed it when this all started just in case. I never thought I'd actually used it," Skyler gleefully returned.
Jeff and Skyler set about greasing the wheels and loading up their new find. This shopping cart was turning into a great thing and Jeff's hope continued to grow. Within reason of course.
The two men, they were no longer boys, headed toward the big city of Austin with renewed hope and the comfort of having a friend. The route proved to be just as empty as when Jeff and his father would take it to HRF. Halfway through their journey and they had only come across the odd death creature here or there. Never any groups, only one or two stragglers met them at a time. At lunch they opted to sit and rest inside a bank. Their lighthearted attitude carried over from the morning and Jeff and Skyler played a small game of cops and robbers inside the bank. They were really getting into the game when a large thud brought them back to reality.
The thud was the bloody face of a death creature attempting to walk through the plate glass window. To their horror the death creature was not alone. When they looked up at the cause of the disturbance they found death creatures as far as they could see. Apparently they had come across a death creature feeding ground and didn't realize it until they were trapped inside the bank.
Well shit. I knew I shouldn't have let my guard down. We live in a time when our lives are always in danger and I was foolish to forget that for even a moment, thought Jeff.
(to be continued. . .)
View Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 or Part 5
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