The stake bodied truck came to a rest a bit off the road and was driven in backwards, the truck was able to move forwards and not stuck. Next John took the time to camo net the truck but not until he disabled it in two places. Under the netting he made a reload for ammo, water and recheck his "butt pack" that held his MREs as he was reflecting that noise attracted the dead. John's next question was how well could they see?.
John stripped down to his skivies and redressed in his "Ghillie suit" and took the form of a shambling mound with a redressed rifle in various colors of earth.
Now to find a safe spot to hide in and maybe get some sleep too, if I'm lucky he thought to himself as he made his way into the heavy forest. He could do much but make noise as he made his way to the edge but once he got closer to the edge, he began to scan with his scope. " Damn it ... really?. More dead people?, crap " John told himself as he continued to scan the area and listen. The dead weren't trying to be stealthy and the dense woods assisted with mobility issues so john had a method of not being surprised. John did have to move at least thrice do to the dead close to the edge.
The first time that a dead woman passed by he thought that he would be seen but as she passed but his camouflage and john chuckled in his mind " Stupid dead ". As if on cue, the dead woman turned and sniffed the air, like she was a dog. The dead woman was dressed as a postal clerk with a wound to her leg and that was all that john could see. John wanted to bolt deeper in the woods but he kept telling himself that it wasn't possible for a human to smell another human being that far away. No I just can't buy that he was telling himself. It didn't matter what John thought that dead woman could or couldn't do, she was coming closer and the woman made a "growling noise". This was maybe a "signal" to other dead that "prey" was in the area, but with no air in the chest.. how could she make noise?.
"Move soldier!" that was what john's brain told him to do. "Run away!". Run away he did and leading three maybe four into the deeper part of the woods several times. John didn't have to believe in science but the dead could smell him. They mind not see him as "food" but they knew when "prey" was in the area for sure. After two more tries and alot of frustration, john got relief in the form of others near a gate.
He could come from behind because the noise that he would make going through the dense forest would give him away, so he watched from a distance till he could "trail behind them" and try flanking to keep "eyes on this group". John low crawled near the edge so that he was at least closer to the group and within listening range that fell into normal talking range.
Too may of them and john watched as one male was obviously brutal with his melee weapon. Damn, that is one big ass group he thought to himself. Even the women were fight and holding their own which --
"Okay long rangers up front. We need to pick some of these guys off before we venture any further into the property" was heard.
One woman shot several and unknowingly fired near john's cover as the dead creature landed right near to him about 12-15 ft away with an arrow in it's head. They were trying to "sniff" john out john thought as the group continued to drop the dead one by one. That is the reason why or maybe because the size of this group?. John didn't know that answer but he did have alot of questions. Silently John was "cheering them onward", yes take them out, alright another one down that makes four....
John figured that they would go for the house and he would go for the barn and get up in the loft before someone would see him... he hoped.