Day 22

The sun had just set and the air was getting cooler by the second, Will and Jeff knew they were close to the old NORAD base housed under Cheyenne Mountain, but more importantly, they knew they were close to shelter. Running as hard as they could through the woods, they could only hope that they would reach it in time. As cold as it was, the elements were the least of their worries.

The road to the base was run down and nature was beginning to reclaim it, but it was still easily visible. They hunkered down on the side and caught their breath, watching the air leave their lungs in clouds that floated upon the cold Colorado wind. Will poked his head up and surveyed the area. There was a fairly large group of undead shambling around the entrance. A flash in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Turning his head, he could see the outline of a man in the distance, and he was carrying a flashlight.

"We're not alone", he said.

"Maybe he's friendly... should we make ourselves known?" Jeff said. Will nodded in agreement, and they snuck around the horde and into the base.

Will put his weapon in the man's face and demanded he identify himself.

"B-B-Bob... I was in the medical ward here, Alone. I found a flashlight and somehow managed to find my way out here... What the fuck is going on? Don't kill me, please!"

Jeff and Will gave him a quick rundown of the events leading up to today. He asked to join, and seeing no threat, they obliged.

As they made their way into the base, they noticed two hangers housing Predator drones. "Whoa... I remember hearing all about these as a kid, never got to see one in person. What about you?" Jeff said as he turned to Will.

"No, I've never...GET DOWN!" Will said in a hurried hushed tone,

"What is it?" Jeff asked.

Will pointed out across the street, "I saw someone move..."

Bob stuck his head out a little too far. A sharp crack rang through the air, Bob's body jerked violently, and he collapsed in a pool of blood and brains.

"Shit... let's sneak out the back and see if we can get behind him" Jeff said.

Will nodded and started to slowly and carefully make his way to the back door. He alerted Jeff that the way was clear. Jeff started to turn and head towards Will when he saw a man drop from a rooftop. He started walking towards the hanger, undoubtedly to search Bob's body

for anything useful.

"Fuck... bandits".

The two slowly made their way towards the street in between the two hangers as the figure came closer. "Get ready!" Jeff whispered to Will,

"I've got him"

As the bandit slowly made his way around the building and searched Bob's body, Will let loose with a blast of buckshot only to miss. "Shit!" Pellets hit the ground all around him, he then got up and ran off behind the building.

As the bandit turned to the corner with his weapon raised, Jeff was waiting and sent a barrage of 9mm bullets into the man. He crumpled over into a pathetic lump of meat, dead.

"I GOT HIM!" Jeff yelled to Will, "There's another one in the building!" Will answered back as he took off sprinting trying to take him by surprise before he could draw his weapon. The other man jumped out the window in hopes of escape, but Will had been an all-star long distance track runner in high school and had no problem catching him.

The bandit turned to fire. He was fast, but Will was faster, and put twenty-four buckshot pellets into the man's stomach. As he lay on the ground, unable to even scream from the pain, Will drew his knife and plunged it into the bandit's eye. He spat on the body, "Miserable piece of murdering shit". However, Will felt a small pang of guilt as he said it, this bandit wasn't his first kill. Probably wouldn't be his last either. It was getting easier to kill every day. He could only wonder as he walked away from the body how long it would be until he started to even enjoy it.