For a moment, the firing ceases. We can hear the hurried voices of the raiders, but can’t understand a word they are saying. All of them start to scamper back into their vehicles. Each of us stands and looks over our cover to see them all in a rush. I hear one of them yell out something about greyskins.

Gilbert must have heard it too because he slams his fist against the car and swears loudly. “First the raiders, and now greyskins.”

“They must have been drawn in by the gunshots,” Ethan answers.

“Well, we’re not going to be running away on foot,” Gilbert says. He leans onto the trunk of the car and takes aim at one of the SUVs riding away. The first shot takes out the back window. I duck for cover as one of the raiders turns around and fires at us through the shards of broken glass. I know Gilbert’s next shot is true when I see the driver’s head split open. Blood covers the windshield and the SUV comes to a slow stop as the remaining raider tries to shove the dead driver out the door to take his spot. “Ethan,” Gilbert yells. “Follow me.”

Ethan doesn’t argue as he carries the rifle and follows closely behind Gilbert. The raider is struggling to get the driver out of the seat and take off. He fires a few random rounds at the two guys, but they don’t even come close to the mark. Gilbert and Ethan raise their guns and fire almost everything they have into the front cab until the man is lifeless.

Gilbert yells for me to follow them and get into the SUV. I can hear the grunts of the greyskins getting louder. Soon they will be filling the streets, eating whatever fresh blood they can get to. My knees are planted firmly on the ground as I kneel in front of Lucas’ body. Tears mixed with blood stream down my face and I’m not certain I have the strength to follow the others.

I hear them call out my name. I can hear the greyskins closing in around us. The hissing, the lust for flesh, the smell of death. Lucas had promised me that we would survive this catastrophe together. He told me that we would be a couple of the few that made it to their old age, and that someone would someday make a cure for this disease that plagued mankind. He promised that I would survive and that he would be by my side the entire way.

Lucas has broken his promises.