Day 58

Its a good day today, I am back home in the flat with Steve, alive and un bitten. Waiting it out in the shop probably was the best plan of action, we would have got about 10 feet before getting chewed up if we left any earlier. The alarm at Wilkinson's finally died out in the end, whatever power source it was wired up to probably ran out of juice. It was a good thing, because hearing that noise constantly for like a week could drive you up the wall. I can only assume Wilkinson's is swarming with infected now, they probably still don't even know why they were drawn there in the first place, but it didn't take them long to spread out and make our escape easier.

Early on in the week I took this picture through the shops metal shutters, I was very careful not to get noticed, however they really weren't interested in this shop as we managed to get in here without being seen, it would have been a different story if one of those things saw us. It only ever takes one, the rest follow like sheep if they think there is fresh meat somewhere.

These pics here were the living conditions we had to put up with for a full week. Very tight, claustrophobic and musky smelling from us unable to wash and wearing the same clothes day in day out. In fact I'm surprised the zombies didn't smell us out, I think if we stayed there any longer, they probably would have done. We took our chance and left this morning, I could see our tower block as soon as we made it outside, It was only half a mile away, but seemed like a hundred with all the deadly obstacles in the way. The birds were still dying because the street were littered with bird corpses, knowing full well that it was the birds that brought this plague, we tried our best to keep away from them as much as possible, not easy when there are undead zombies only at arms reach in any direction. My leg was still in pain, only slightly, but enough to prevent me from gaining any real speed. It wasn't long before they noticed us, and all changed direction it was like a perfect synchronised movement among the dead. We could not turn back now even if we wanted to, it was make or break, I hadn't come this far to let them get me now. What didn't help was that not only did I have an injured leg, but I also had to carry half of our supplies while Steve carried the rest. I definitely had a lot more than last time, so it would be a much longer time before going out again. I made another mistake, while trying to avoid a dead bird I ran right into the reach of a zombie, the bastard grabbed onto my arm and tried to pull me down. For a weak dead and rotting corpse, he really had one hell of a tight grip, I could see the enthusiastic and excited look on his bloody face as he closed in to take a bite, foamy drool leaking out the corner of his mouth. I tried with every ounce of strength to push his head away from my body, he just would not let it go.
Steve was starting to make some ground and hadn't realised I had been grabbed, I doubt he would have came back for me a second time, I really needed to get my act together and stop putting myself in these dangerous positions. My limited balance was already compromised with my bad ankle and the zombie was pushing down on me, If I fell it would all be over. The stench seeping through his rotting pores was disgusting, not nearly as bad as the foul stink of his breath onto my face. With one hand I was pushing his head back, careful not to let my fingers get to close to his snapping blood coated teeth. The other hand was frantically reaching down to my pocket as i finally managed to get a grip on my pistol. I pulled it out, jammed the barrel into his mouth so far his lips nearly touched the trigger guard. I twisted it round so it pointed upwards, turned my head away then pulled the trigger. The air filled with a deafening crack that echoed throughout the town. I felt warm liquid spray onto the side of my face, immediately recognising it to be blood. Steve turned around urgently to see what was going on, I think he nearly shit himself as he wasn't expecting that to happen. A small red fountain appeared at the top of the zombies head, spurting out and splashing down over his face adding to the dried crusty blood already on him. His blurry grey pupils rolled back into the top of his head and he lifelessly collapsed like a rag doll. I didn't waste any time to catch up with Steve who had already turned around to continue running a crowd of zombies were already snapping right behind me, it didn't help that the gunshot had alerted everyone else in the area. I was starting to think I wasn't cut out for this, I was more of a danger to myself and anyone with me due to the mistakes I kept making.

We got to Stevenage Gardens which is right where my block of flats are based, see below pic...

... We had to make it around the pond and finally we would be home, at first it looked to be an easy task, then we bumped into these unfortunates.

It was all good until the girl in front clocked us and we had to move double time to not only outrun them, but to also get far enough that they don't see us get into the flats. By now I am in proper agony, the pain in my ankle came in heartbeat bursts every 2 seconds, getting away fast was starting to become less of an option for me. I didn't have a choice really, and I wasn't going to let Steve carry me back, if you can't make it on your own two feet then you get left behind, no point slowing everyone else down and tiring someone else out while they carry you, its not fair. So with that thought I pushed the pain into the back of my head and pushed forward. It felt like hours, but in no time at all, we arrived at the back entrance where we needed to climb up to the overhang where the window to get in was. Steve climbed up first, then leaned down, took my hand and helped pull me up. I wouldn't have made it without him, but soon enough, we were both up. I needed to rest, we had made it to safety, but I had 11 flights of stairs to climb with a seriously damaged ankle.
Steve let rip at me on the stairwell, "are you trying to get us both killed?" he said, i think if he had the chance he would have shouted it out, but kind of did it in an angry throaty whisper, it wasn't loud but you could tell he was not happy. I told him I was sorry, but I could tell it didn't make any difference, I was a liability, I thought that I was up to the challenge of walking amongst the undead, but truth be told I was a walking accident. While I sat there catching my breath I tried to wipe the blood and spongy brain matter from my face, it was a good thing I turned around when i fired, if that blood got in my mouth or eyes I could have caught the infection. Steve asked me if I had been bitten, naturally I told him I hadn't, at least I don't think I had. I checked myself over for my own personal satisfaction and I was bite free. After a few minutes I decided that it was time to get up and continue, I could rest as soon as I made it home, so a long, painful slow walk later we finally made it to the 10th floor. Steve had walked passed Robyn's body, holding his nose and being careful in case she came alive and grabbed him, however I explained who it was, to which he gave me a sorry look. He didn't need to say anything, I saw the same look of upset in his face as he lost so much more than me right in front of him. 2 flights later and we were on the 12th floor. I pulled out my keys, unlocked the front door, staggered down the corridor into the living room and collapsed on my arm chair. Steve followed while looking over the place, he sat on the sofa, laid his head back and closed his eyes. We didn't say anything for hours, we just sat there, reflected on our day and relaxed.