Zombie Exodus: Side Stories, Brody & Madison, scene 16 (Patreon)

continued from scene 15

Madison thinks momentarily, placing the cup on the ground next to her lawn chair. "The convenience store sounds best for us. Not only does it have fuel, but it should have food and other things we can use to survive the winter."

"Then that's where we should go," Brody says.

---

Madison and Brody stand in their uncle's spacious bedroom, preparing to leave the safety of their sheltered haven for the first time in three months. The room is filled with a soft, diffused light filtering through the heavy curtains. Madison chooses practicality over fashion, slipping into sturdy jeans, a plain T-shirt, and a lightweight windbreaker. She secures an AR-15 rifle across her back and holsters a backup pistol on her belt.

On the other hand, Brody opts for comfort, donning a pair of jeans and a sports shirt. In his hands, he clutches a gleaming machete and straps an automatic shotgun across his back.

Their footsteps echo through the silent house as they make their way to the garage. They cautiously step into the dimly lit space, their eyes widening as they lay sight on a formidable vehicle that would make any prepper proud — a rugged, armored Toyota Land Cruiser.

Madison approaches it first, her fingers tracing the lines of the reinforced body armor that encases the Land Cruiser. "Look at this," she whispers, awe in her voice. "It's practically a tank."

Brody nods, his eyes scanning the heavy-duty tires and suspension. "Uncle Nate really went all out with this one."

Brody takes a few minutes to tie several duffel bags to the roof rack, along with a plastic storage box, while Madison places a first-aid kit and some emergency rations in a built-in chest inside the vehicle.

While Brody fixes the last duffel bag to the roof rack, Madison quickly enters the front passenger seat.

"Hey, we never decided who was driving," Brody says, climbing down.

Madison clicks her seatbelt into place. "You're driving."

"Neither of us knows how to drive, but somehow I have to do it?"

"That's right. Now get in."

Brody clenches the garage door's handle, his knuckles white with tension, as he begins to crank it open manually. When it's entirely up, he walks around the Land Cruiser and eases himself into the driver's seat, his confidence waning as he adjusts the rearview mirror, unsure of what he's doing.

With a cautious turn of the key, the Land Cruiser rumbles to life. Brody's foot hovers above the gas pedal, his uncertainty evident in the hesitant way he depresses it. The vehicle lurches forward, the acceleration uneven, causing Madison to grip the door handle, her knuckles going white in tandem with Brody's.

As they venture out into the suburban city, the sight unfolding before them is profound devastation. Streets once teeming with life and activity now lie silent, lined with abandoned cars and overgrown vegetation. Storefronts are shattered, their contents looted and scattered. Houses show struggle and despair, with boarded-up windows and hastily erected barricades.

Madison's breath catches as she takes in the magnitude of the chaos outside. It's one thing to hear about it over the radio and see images on SurvNet, but to witness it firsthand is a different level of shock. Nature has begun to reclaim what was once urban sprawl, and the cityscape is painted in a palette of decay.

As they navigate the streets, their eyes darting between abandoned vehicles and derelict buildings, a sudden movement catches their attention. Up ahead, a figure sprints desperately down the road, their breathless cries for help barely audible from within the armored vehicle.

Brody slows the vehicle to a crawl as they watch the young woman running from a zombie. The twins can't help but stare at her, disheveled brown hair cleaning to her face, eyes wide with terror: tattered clothing billows as she stumbles, the pursuing horror closing the gap. The zombie is a gruesome sight. Its flesh hangs in tatters, and its eyes are clouded over with the unmistakable glint of hunger. Each jerky step it takes is a grotesque dance of death.

"We have to save her," Brody says.

Madison lets out a heavy sigh. "I knew you were going to say that. We're not saving anyone. We are driving to the convenience store —"

"No! We are helping her."

continue to scene 17