A loud crash echoed from the main bar.
Everyone froze.
A chair scraped across the floor outside.
One of the infected had stumbled into the bar counter.
Another began dragging its feet toward the hallway.
It's direction was towards them.
Diego's grip tightened around the pipe.
"Raf…"
"I see it."
The footsteps got closer.
The shadow of something passed under the crack of the storeroom door.
The infected had wandered close.
It was too close.
Everyone in the room held their breath.
The creature stopped just outside the door.
A low groan escaped its throat.
Diego's heart pounded so loudly he was sure the thing could hear it.
Seconds passed.
Then the infected slowly shuffled away again.
The tension in the room broke like a snapped wire.
One of the women quietly started crying again.
Diego wiped sweat from his face.
"Man… I swear I almost died just now."
Rafael finally stepped away from the door.
"We can't stay here.
The group looked at him.
"The explosion cleared some of them," he continued. "If we wait too long more will wander back."
"So what's the plan?" the man with the bat asked.
Rafael walked over to a dusty shelf and grabbed another broken pool cue.
"We move together."
One of the bar attender pointed out toward the back of the storeroom.
"There's a rear exit behind the kitchen. I saw it earlier."
The bartender nodded slowly.
"Yeah… it leads to the alley."
Diego stood up.
"And the infected?"
Rafael glanced toward the door again.
"There's eight."
He lifted the pool cue slightly.
"We distract them."
The room went quiet again.
Then Diego gave a small grin.
"Man… this is the worst day ever."
Rafael smirked faintly.
"Just stay behind me."
Diego rolled his shoulders and tightened his grip on the pipe.
Outside the storeroom, the infected continued wandering through the bar, unaware of the group preparing to move.
The storeroom door opened slowly.
Rafael pushed it just enough for a narrow gap to appear. The dim lights of the main bar spilled through the opening, stretching long shadows across the messy floor.
Everyone inside the storeroom held their breath.
There was no sudden movement that showed anything was close and the distant shuffling of the infected moving between broken chairs and overturned tables.
Rafael leaned forward and peeked through the gap.
One infected stood near the bar counter, swaying slowly like a drunk who had forgotten how to stand straight. Another dragged its foot near the shattered jukebox, leaving a dark smear across the floor.
The rest were scattered around the room.
Eight!!!!!
There were still eight.
Rafael slowly pushed the door open wider.
He stepped out first.
Diego followed right behind him, gripping the metal pipe tightly in both hands.
The others came out after them one by one.
The two women stayed close together, the bartenders behind them, and the two men with the bat and knife bringing up the rear.
The bar looked worse than it had earlier.
Glass covered most of the floor.
The smell of spilled alcohol mixed with the stench of rotting flesh.
Diego whispered under his breath, "Man… this place used to be fun."
Rafael didn't respond.
He raised a hand slightly, signaling everyone to stay quiet.
One of the infected suddenly turned its head.
Its gray, lifeless eyes locked onto the group.
For a second nothing happened.
Then it opened its mouth and let out a long, broken groan.
"Shit," Diego muttered.
The creature stumbled forward.
Another infected nearby lifted its head.
Then another.
"Move," Rafael whispered.
They began walking quickly toward the back of the bar where the kitchen door stood slightly open.
The infected started following. It was slow at first.
But once they locked onto the group, their pace changed.
Feet dragging faster, arms reaching forward.
Diego glanced over his shoulder and immediately regretted it.
"Raf… they're coming."
"I know."
They were halfway across the room when one of the women stepped on a piece of broken glass.
The sharp crack echoed through the bar.
She gasped and stumbled.
One of the infected lunged immediately.
It grabbed her shoulder before anyone could react.
She screamed, but couldn't finish it...
"HELP—"
The creature's teeth sank into her neck.
Blood sprayed across the bar counter.
The second woman shrieked in horror.
"Leave her!" Rafael barked.
But the damage was already done.
The infected dragged the screaming woman down onto the floor.
Two more creatures rushed toward her, tearing at her body.
The rest of the group ran.
The man with the knife hesitated for a moment, staring at the horrifying scene.
That moment cost him.
Another infected came from the side and slammed into him.
They both crashed into a table.
The knife clattered across the floor.
"NO—!"
A.N- Like is that guy for real you freaking held a knife and you just.... Huhh never mind I'm
His scream came out hoarse as the creature bit into his arm.
Diego grabbed Rafael's sleeve.
"Raf! We have to go!"
"I know!"
They pushed through the kitchen door..
The room smelled like old grease and burnt food.
Pots and pans were scattered across the counters.
The back exit was only a few steps away.
Behind them the infected were already stumbling into the kitchen.
"MOVE!" Rafael shouted.