There's no way you're risking your neck for someone who's going to get you all killed eventually. You scramble into the vents quick, but you can't resist poking your head back through to call to them.

"Hurry. The door is breaking."

"Char, please, climb the frigging desk and get in the vent!" Louis shouts at her.

The undead lose it on the other side of the door. The sound of shouted words put them in a frenzy. Maybe they're angry because they can't say words anymore, you think.

Louis is tugging Charlotte by her hands. He climbs on the desk and tries pulling her up. She finally starts to respond when it happens-

The door gives and the first undead tumbles through, landing on the floor with a squishy, rotted smack. Others trample right over it, crunching it's bones to get to the wildly screaming girl in a mini skirt. Her scream merges with Louis' cry. You've retreated inside the vent and can't see what's happening, but you hear the soppy sounds, the blood curdling screams. Louis climbs in, covered in spatters of blood and shaking like he's just made it out of a battlefield. He has, you realize.

You lay a hand on his shoulder and share a silent, painful glance. He's fighting tears, and sobs for you to go. Sally is down the vent, waving at you to come on around a corner. Had it not been for the fine lines of light from another vent cover, you'd never have seen her. Unsteadily, you follow her, trying to be as silent as possible. You can hear muffled thumps and sobs behind you as Louis follows. You look back.

"I'm sorry," you say.

He nods, acknowledging your words, but he doesn't speak. You don't blame him. Your thoughts flash to your own family. Are they okay? Have they tried to call you? You tell yourself to stop thinking about it. You just have to do whatever you can to make it to them.

You're deep in thought when you suddenly bump right into Sally's bottom.

"Sorry," you say.

"Shhh," she whispers. She points out a vent below.

Through the the fine slits, you see movement. Shuffling. It's some of the undead.

"Chuck says we should move on, catch them by surprise," she whispers. "We need supplies, but...I think we should go back to the body shop. Get a car. Get out of here. We can find food later."

You look through the vent again, trying to count them. You see three. All ghastly and gnarly; you can even smell them faintly. There could be even more out of sight.

There could also be some in the body shop. The whole town was becoming overrun with them, so it makes since that most places you go, you'll have to deal with a few at least.

"I'm with Chuck," Louis says with conviction.

You glance over your shoulder. His loss is mingled with fury and oozes through his expression. He's out for blood, you realize. But is he so far gone in rage that he'd dive into something dangerous?

Your stomach grumbles, almost as if it's urging you to make the choice to drop down right now and fight the undead, so you can have a decent lunch. But maybe they have a break room in the body shop. Maybe there are no undead there.

Sally is clearly waiting for your vote.

Charge in with Chuck - SKIP TO CHAPTER 27

Go to the body shop - SKIP TO CHAPTER 28