With the barricade being fully raised, Lisa looked back toward Valerie and Monica, seeing the surprise on their faces. "Come on!" Lisa prompted with a wave of her hand. "Let's go. We're free!".
It took a minute for both Valerie and Monica to make it to the opened exit, with Lisa meeting them both halfway.
"We're free..." Monica commented, repeating Lisa's words as she let a smile grow on her lips.
Looking outside, Valerie noticed that the rain had only increased in intensity. Looking at a lamppost allowed her to see how hard the rain fell.
A small river flowed down toward where the barricade of the parking cut off access. However, before getting a chance to flood the inside, the rainwater flowed into a drain that stretched across the driveway, introducing the outside world into the small parking space. And it was over these drains that the three women stepped over, splashing their feet with each step they took until there was a shelter over their head no more and they were exposed to the droplets that fell.
Valerie let out a groan of slight frustration as she felt the cold droplets cool her scorched skin. However, soon she was to get used to it.
Walking further up the road, the view for the women was opened that bit more. Around them, they saw a long line of fence acting as another wall of defence from the outside world. However, it didn't feel like that to Valerie. Instead, the pit of her stomach churned with unease.
They were faced with yet another challenge before they were to finally step into the world that lay on the other side of the metal fence.
An unearthly roar came from their left as they turned and shone their lights on the sound. Three zombies stood there, on the outside, desperately trying to make their way in.
Valerie gulped. Maybe it wasn't all too bad that they were surrounded by a metal barrier after all.
Walking a few more steps forward, red lights caught the attention of the three women. It took them all a second more to realise that they belonged to a car.
And as if it were to be clockwork, Valerie's phone goes off. Surprise ran through her as she immediately plucked it out of her pocket and saw it was an unknown number. 'It's him...' Valerie thought to herself.
So answering, she placed the phone by her ear. "Hello?".
"Fucking hell... I finally managed to get a hold of you," his voice was much clearer now. "Looks like they got the mobile data back up and running.". He paused for a second. "Either way, I've arrived, but I can't seem to get into town because of a blockage...".
"We're out..." Valerie responded, keeping her eyes on the jeep on the other side of the fence. "I-... I see a car... I think it's you.".
Over the line, Valerie could hear some murmuring before the door opened and closed shut. Narrowing her eyes at the car, she could see half of a head pop up from above the top of the roof.
Seeing the figure move, Valerie glanced at Monica and Lisa before she too decided to move toward the fence. The closer she got the more she could see of the man. However, with it still being night-time, most of his face was still darkened.
Reaching the metal fence, right below a lamppost, it managed to illuminate how he looked. A shaved face and a pair of dark orbs.
And the closer she got the more he uncovered his actual height as he in the end looked down at her and she looked up at him.
It was also then that she looked down at her phone, her screen wet, ending the call before wiping the wetness away and putting it back into her pocket.
"Detective Valerie Simmons, is that right?". His voice was different from how it sounded over the call.
"That's correct... and you are?" Valerie asked back.
"Officer Griffin Andreas," he introduced himself. He proceeded to look at Valerie for a second more before his eyes averted to Lisa and Monica, who appeared as mere silhouettes approaching the gate behind Valerie. "Is that your crew?".
Gazing back, Valerie nodded. "I hope there's enough space...".
"Is that woman injured?" Griffin asked, talking about Monica.
"She landed badly on her leg. Twisted her ankle..." Valerie responded.
"Alright, well, let's get yous out of here then..." Griffin replied, looking to his left and right to see where the gate of the fence was located. Moving to his left, he stumbled across it, however, it was chained up, restricting any movement.
"Did you find it?" Valerie asked, moving to where Griffin stood.
"I did... but it's chained up," he responded, looking at Valerie. "You might wanna stand back..." he added, taking the chain into his hand, looking back down as he pulled out a gun.
Knowing what he was going to do next, Valerie did just that. She took a step back. She observed him as he took a second's worth of gaze at the metallic lock before putting it down. Seeing where he had to shoot, he aimed up his gun before pulling the trigger, breaking the lock.
Stripping the chain off the gate, he opened it, allowing Valerie out. However, she stood by the opening as she waited for Lisa and Monica. Once Valerie moved out of the way, Griffin got a closer look at the other two women as they too walked out. They were both covered in blood and the rain only made the red liquid further diffuse down the bright colourations of their clothes.
"What the fuck happened in there?..." Griffin asked.
Lisa half turned her head before responding with, "Don't even ask...".
Griffin followed the women until they reached the car. That is where he spoke back up again. "What is both of your names?". Talking to both Lisa and Monica.
With Valerie taking hold of Monica, another man came out of the vehicle, helping out Monica on her other side.
Lisa turned around and faced Griffin. "My name is Lisa. Hers is Monica...".
He nodded his head but a second later, something caught his attention. What was once a white piece of cloth, now stained with blood, stuck to Lisa's neck.
"What's... that?" he asked, pointing to his neck as he kept his eyes on the bloodied cloth.
Lisa gulped as she placed her hand on her neck, where he was talking about. She had forgotten about the cloth. It was now wet, drenched in rainwater. And upon her pressing it, what remained was water mixed with the blood on her fingers when she retracted her hand. 'Fuck...'.
"We got attacked..." Monica interjected. "We got attacked at the station... The zombies were everywhere.".
"You're bleeding a lot..." Griffin commented.
"It's...". Monica stopped for a moment, taking in a deep breath. "It's nothing...".
With the man beside Monica looking at the blood red on her neck, he got a glimpse of her bloodied flesh. "Doesn't look like it's nothing...". With that, he reached over to try and peel the cloth pack so he could get a better look at the redness.
However, his initial attempt came to a halt when Monica took hold of his wrist. "Don't...".
"Are you hiding something?..." he asked, before wriggling his wrist from her grip and within a second, lifting the bloodied flap of Monica's shirt just enough, his eyes were met by a wound. A bite wound. "Shit...". Immediately, he backed away as he looked at Griffin. "She got bitten!".
Griffin took a step back, grabbing his gun. "You got bitten too then, didn't you??" he voiced, referring to Lisa.
He saw the fear in her eyes as she choked on her words.
"Why the fuck did you call us here!?". He looked Valerie's way. "Are you bitten too??? You gotta be...".
"No!... No, she's not," Monica responded, pausing, she swallowed the slight lump that grew in her throat. "S-she's the only one who got out of there, unharmed...".
Griffin narrowed his eyes at her. "You lied... how do you expect me to fucking believe you now... Do you want me killed?".
"Killed?!" Monica spat out.
"Do you know how this shit is spread??". Griffin walked up to Monica. "You get bitten and then you turn like them...". Turning to his left, he pointed his gun up before pulling the trigger. A gasp was heard as Valerie's horrified gaze moved to the body of a zombie, who tried to sneak up behind them, falling to the ground. A shot right in between its eyes.
"We just want you to help us..." Lisa spoke out.
Griffin was speechless. "How can I help you, now that you both have been bitten by these monsters??... There's no cure for that...".
"How do you fucking know so much?..." Valerie asked, her voice solemn.
Griffin turned his head toward Valerie, before looking at his buddy. "I have my sources...".
"What sources?..." she persisted. "What if they turn out to be fine?..." she added. However, her choice of words didn't settle well within her, so she took a deep breath and continued. "Look... we just want some help... we need help...".
"I'm sorry..." Griffin began, putting his pistol back into his holster. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I... we can do...". He looked at his buddy. "Let's go, Dev...".
"Y-you can't leave us here!?" Valerie exclaimed.
"I don't want to risk getting infected..." Griffin responded as he got close to Valerie.
"Bring her then with you..." Monica spoke up, causing Griffin to turn around. "S-she's not harmed... so bring her...".
"Are you out of your fucking mind!?" Valerie voiced, looking at Monica as she was still in her hands. "I am not leaving you here. Neither you nor Lisa...".
"Go..." Monica responded. "Go and leave this damned place...". Then looking at Lisa, Monica added, "Lisa and I will find a way... But you go...".
"Lisa..." Valerie spoke out warily.
However, after a second, Lisa nodded her head, agreeing with Monica. "Go... Monica and I will manage...".
"And so will I, we'll manage to live in Artrull..." Valerie replied, looking at the two women.
"Valerie.". Monica's voice was stern. "Don't make me have to drag you by the ear to that car...".
After another moment of silence, Lisa spoke up again. "We'll manage... I promise.".
Valerie felt her eyes swell with tears as she looked back at the car, catching Griffin's gaze. He nodded at her, "So, what's it gonna be?".
Valerie looked back at Lisa, who had a small smile on her face. She could tell she was teared up too by the redness around her eyes, as was Monica, but she wasn't easy to show her emotions.
Lisa nodded at Valerie before approaching Monica and taking hold of her.
"Take care, Valerie..." Monica began. "I pity me for not getting this close to you before... but we'll have time in the future.". With that, she smiled at Valerie before hugging her.
After, Lisa took a step forward, immediately hugging Valerie. "Have a safe trip. Ring us when you've arrived and you're safe.".
Valerie nodded her head as she bit her lips before letting her tears break the barrier. "Be safe... please... Please be safe...".
With that, Valerie walked back, giving both Monica and Lisa a final look before entering the backseat of the car.
With Griffin closing the door on his side, he looked back at Valerie. "Buckle up...". And with that, they were off.
Valerie looked behind, seeing the figures of the two women who quite literally saved her life being left behind in the rubble, to fend for themselves.