Chapter 13 Teamwork

I covered my mouth with my trembling hands, trying not to make my breathing too noisy as Li and Timothy coiled themselves in a corner, sweating terribly in fear. Mona hid behind Li, whose face was so pale I was scared he might collapse from too much tension and terror.
The hairs on my skin stood in suspense as another bone-chilling howl echoed in the area. Jayson crouched and lifted his hand in front of us protectively, anticipating the incoming attack that may happen once the undead finds us. He tightened his grip on the ax as we all silently waited for the owner of that shadow; the moaning grew more audible as seconds passed.
"Move!" Jayson hissed between his teeth, so low that I almost didn't hear it. He slowly stepped and walked beside the aisle between the high piles of the huge boxes that were in front of Li, signaling us to go inside.
With my brows furrowed, I hesitated to go inside the aisle because just staring at those huge and heavy boxes; it gave a hunch that those would definitely smash us to a pulp if it collapses while we were in there.
But Li followed Jayson and then Mona. Timothy looked at me as if he could read my mind. He still went in though. When I didn't move to where I was sitting, Jayson furiously eyed me for being too stubborn and waved his hand again to get inside it.
Well, I guess maybe it's better to die being smashed by piles of boxes than be one of those Creepers.
I quickly stood but a moan made my head turn from its direction. A Creeper wearing a jumpsuit appeared behind me, screaming, the second it saw me stumble through that small space.
And then an idea suddenly came to me.
I kicked the boxes piled in front of me, creating a noise. More screams were heard and then a few more seconds later, a horde was already coming towards us. I took the butcher knife from my satchel and steadied myself as the undead started to charge in my direction, baring its teeth while his arms were stretched, ready to seize me.
"Harriet what are you doing!" Jayson cried.
I didn't know what came to my mind but I impulsively kicked the boxes beside me as they noisily fell on the solid floor. I acted through my instinct. It was crazy, I know! But I believe my plan will work. It should work!
The adrenaline made me warier and my senses became sharper. I gripped the butcher knife more tightly, waiting for the right timing for the Creeper to lunge himself on top of me. When the Creeper did what I exactly expected, I wielded the butcher's knife as if it was a sword while the undead was in mid-air. I severed its head away from its shoulder, sending it hurtling past me and rolling down the floor. Its mutilated body dropped beside me as the dark putrid liquid gushed out from its chopped neck.
My chest heaved up and down as I stared down at the body of the undead. I lifted my face to see Jayson's reaction who was stunned as much as I was from the unexpected counterassault I did.
"Let's go!" I cried at him.
He just nodded his head, still couldn't believe what he had seen. I had to push him forward to make him start running inside the aisle. I stopped a few seconds and banged the butchers' knife on the concrete floor, wanting to get the attention of the undead inside the building. They stirred from where they were standing and furiously ran towards us, screaming and howling.
"What are you doing, Harriet! You'll get us all killed!" Li cried as they all flinched upon seeing a group of new Creepers heading in our direction.
"JUST TRUST ME!" I shouted back at him. I don't know if it was my angry yell or the Creepers, the reason why he suddenly flinched back, looking scared.
C'mon! all of you...!
I glared at the incoming horde of the undead and then when I thought that their distance was enough, I stepped back and pushed Jayson and the others towards the end of the aisle, away from the piled boxes. The Creepers ran inside the aisle one by one, the spine-chilling look on their faces made my head throb from the adrenaline rush from the anxiety I was feeling.
Please make it work.
I ran from the right corner of the aisle, waiting for them all to gather inside it. It was as if Jayson had figured out what I was trying to do and he quickly placed himself on the left corner, holding the ax in his hand.
He gazed at me as he breathed nervously, his back flat against the material. The veins on his neck got more visible as the tension elevated each second. We were both surprised when Timothy ran beside me and also Li on his side. Both their faces were full of determination to help with whatever crazy plan we were intending to do. Even Mona with her small, thin frame stood behind Li, her arms outstretched to the boxes and were also ready to push it.
All of them looked me gravely in the eye, waiting for my command.
"NOW!"
With all the remaining strength that we had, we pushed the heavy boxes to topple over the running Creepers that were still inside the aisle. I was dreaded when it didn't budge. IT WAS TOO HEAVY! But then, behind me, Timothy grunted with all his effort to move the boxes on our side, his biceps appeared as he vigorously shoved it with all his strength, making the upper ones shudder by the force.
"Aaaaaahhhh!!!!" we all let out a cry as we gave all our strength. Our only chance to survive here.
The heavy boxes collapsed on top of the Creepers, squashing every one of them. A thick cloud of dust surrounded the area and all five of us quickly ran away from it, as we all coughed and sneezed.
When we made a look at the commotion we did, a thick dark liquid cascaded the floor from under the boxes. They're all dead. My plan worked!
We all looked at each other; a small smile of victory showed on our faces, still couldn't believe that we survived another dreadful situation again. I was panting but I could feel the trembling of my hands and body due to the adrenaline that made my blood rush frantically inside my veins. I couldn't believe how stupid and brave I acted. I couldn't believe I made us out of here! Jayson glanced at me, giving me a good job" kind of grin.
"You saved us, Harriet!" Li whispered with astonishment in his eyes.
"No. It's a team effort," I answered as I exhaled sharply. Another scream was heard again. We have to move.
"Let's go!"
The heat outside was getting less. But the sun was still bright. We could only move in broad daylight because it was more dangerous to execute this plan during the night when it was dark and it would be too hard to see the roaming Creepers around here.
"Here! This way!"
Jayson ran towards an alley again. We had no choice but to take this path because we couldn't just run in an open area with hungry undead everywhere.
We went straight to different channels of the aisle behind every building. This street was apparently rows of public pubs. The walls were vandalized with random images and words and I even caught a glimpse of a phrase saying All Hail Scarlet Tundra".
No way those terrorists have fanatics here!
I pray we won't encounter any of those wretched demons or we might end up having numerous holes all around our bodies. I wonder how advanced their technology is against the government of Arcania. But obtaining biochemical this dreadful was enough to shudder a whole continent in fear.
When we reached the end of the dirty and smelly alleys, a wide empty road welcomed us with a bunch of Creepers limping around. The subway was four blocks away from us and it was surrounded by tall buildings and a wide road on the left side of it. But it was barricaded by a thick wire mesh. Only the moans and groans of the undead could only be heard aside from the occasional whistling of the wind.
"What should we do?" I asked Jayson. His nose wrinkled, still catching his breath. He folded the map in his hand and gave it to me. I took the map and placed it inside my satchel. We're in a real desperate situation now.
"I still have few bullets for my rifle," Jayson said as he exhaled his frustration. "But we're not sure if someone would help us in time before all those Creepers reach us. We have to take the risk and pray that someone was out there, still looking or expecting any survivors.
There were less than twenty Creepers around the entrance of the subway.
"There is no other way but to try," I said.