We stopped at Bria's and Ana's to pick up their luggage. Charles had woken up and was busy playing twenty questions with Ana. We had just hit the road again when Axel said he needed to refuel his car and stopped at the station.

"I need something from the vending machine, I will be right back." said Bria.

Charles had to go to the bathroom and Ana offered to take him.

I decided to stretch my legs and hopped out of the car. I spotted the vending machine and made my way towards it, wanting to buy a drink. I checked my pocket for loose change.

The smell of cigarette smoke came wafting towards my nose. I peeked over the to side of the vending machine and saw Bria smoking. Behind her attracted from the smoke stood three mottled men. Their skin was hanging off their bones and their teeth looked rotten.

They appeared to be fighting over who would get to eat her.

"Bria!" I screamed. "Look Behind you!"

She whirled around and ducked as one man shot his arm forward. I looked around worriedly, not knowing what to do.

All the weapons were back in the car which was too far away. I leaned over and grabbed the cigarette out of Bria's hand and threw it into the eyes of the mottled man. He blinked and moved forward menacingly. The cigarette hadn't affected him!

I was running out of ideas. I looked around wildly and spotted an old rusted iron bar lying near the vending machine. I tried to take it but it was stuck. I pulled wildly, scraping my hand in the process.

I finally pulled it through and bashed it on the top of the mottled man's head. He went down but the heavily rusted rod broke in the process.

While I was fighting him, the other two zombies had advanced onto Bria who was cowering on the ground. I breathed in. It was no use fighting them. I decided to make a run for it.

"Bria." I yelled."Run."

Bria sprang from the ground and started running. We both raced towards the car while the zombies followed groaning and grunting. These somehow seemed hungrier than those we had seen before.

"We have to distract them. Split up." I said.

Bria nodded and went running to the left. I raced to the right and glanced back. The trick had worked. The zombies looked confused and were sniffing, trying to catch our scent.

I crashed into someone and we both fell down. It was a boy with a mop of blonde hair falling into his eyes. He extended a hand to help me up.
"I am sorry." I mumbled, giving him my hand.

He didn't reply and with one swift move, flipped me over.
I screamed and flailed my legs, trying to kick him.

"Don't be scared. I was just trying to see if you were infected or not."

He let me down. I glared at him. Suddenly I remembered Bria.

"Those mottled men were after us. Bria..." I gasped. I had forgotten about her.

"Is she a blonde? Blue eyes?"

I nodded. "Why? Did you see her?"

"Don't worry. My friends just rescued her and some other people who were in the washroom." He smiled at me, his brown eyes lighting up.

"I am Harry. Harry Taylor. Nice to meet you."

"Nell." I said."Listen I need to get back to the car, we must be on our way."

"Where are you guys going?"

"To North Wellsington to meet up with my parents and sister."

"It's not safe to travel the roads. The are filled with infected people. We are headed there ourselves. It is too risky to travel at night so we have made camp at the local high school. You guys should join us."

I told him it was a good idea and headed back to the car. Bria was already there. I told them about Harry and everyone agreed it was safer to travel in a large group.

But Axel looked at me.

"Do you trust the guy? I mean you just met him."

"He looks nice."

Axel raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips. He said nothing more but simply followed Harry's large black truck as it pulled out of the station.