NO ONE POV
The bottle was the first thing that hit the floor. The damned bottle with pink fairies on it, that Sydney just had to pick up when she raided the house. At the time it had reminded her of her old life. What the world used to be. She once had something similar to it when she was younger. Her dad had gotten her one for her sixth birthday.
Looking back, it now seemed to have been a very bad idea. Every zombie in the area looked in her direction, their moans increasing in sound. 'Fuck', she thought. There was no way she could take them all down, not on her own. They crowded round her, the stench of death filled Sydney's nose. The zombies came in all directions, swinging their hands and dragging their dead bodies with them. A mother approached her, shrieking and snapping her teeth, her hair now gone and flesh rotting. Sydney looked at her with deep brown eyes. This mother was different; her eyes seemed almost... captivating. Shaking her head Sydney dodged the mother to the left and ran. This herd was too big, too fast and too dangerous. It would be suicide if she stayed.
She didn't understand, not only a day before had the road been clear, now they were everywhere and swarming the streets. Sydney panicked as her impending death seemed to loom close. Her heart pounding in her chest and her feet slapping the concrete ground she ran through the streets, turning random lefts and rights.
As she passed various houses, the young teenager mentally debated hiding in one of them, 'No' she decided. It was too risky, the doors weren't strong enough and she didn't know what was inside.
Looking back, Sydney saw that the zombies were falling behind,
"Thank God", She muttered to herself, brushing her hair over her ear. Silently, the girl jogged along the road, looking out for any more signs of the parents.
"All clear", she whispered to no one. Sydney smiled to herself, a year ago if she had been surrounded by that many parents; well let's just say she wouldn't have made it out alive. She had come so far since then, she even had her own gun and knew how to use it.
Just as she had sat down, the oh so familiar sound of groans and a distinct smell of corpses came back. Peering over her shoulder, Sydney sighed. They had caught up with her. Slipping her bag over her shoulder, she stood and stared at them for a moment. Then she ran. Her heart thumping, Sydney got scared. She couldn't run forever. There were two options, she decided. The first would be that she somehow outran them and hid, hoping they didn't smell her out, the second option would be for her to kill all of them and peacefully walk away.
It was moments like this that she wished she was still with her group, but they had all been bitten or killed. For the past five weeks Sydney had been running, raiding houses and supermarkets for food and shelter. She was completely and utterly alone and hadn't seen a proper human in all that time.
Sydney heard the group catch up with her, she was getting tired and couldn't run for much longer. Turning round and stopping she pulled out her gun.
BANG BANG
Two of them went down.
BANG BANG BANG
Three more fell. Sydney moved her arm and re-aimed at the group, She pulled the trigger and 'Click'. Sydney stared at the gun as a look of horror appeared on her face. She was empty and had no spare ammo.
"No, no , NO!" She yelled in frustration, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. 'This is how I'm gonna go' she thought, 'Being torn apart by monsters'. Shifting her bag, Sydney turn back around and started to run again. Her legs screaming at her to stop, she only ran faster, her golden hair whipping past her face.
Making a rash decision Sydney headed straight for a house. It wasn't an option any more, her body was exhausted and she didn't have enough weapons to take them on. Ducking past the trees she routed towards what looked like the strongest house. Reaching the knob, Sydney turned it, only to find the door was locked.
"Who even locks doors in the middle of the apocalypse?" She murmured. This could not be happening. Turning her head, Sydney quickly snapped it back. It was not a pretty site that she saw. There were about thirty zombies staggering towards her, reaching their decomposed arms out. They were practically tripping each other over in order to try and eat her. Sydney shuddered at the thought.
Picking up a stone from the driveway, she swung her arm back and threw it. Wincing at the loud noise the glass made Sydney climbed through the now shattered window and looked round her new surroundings. There wasn't much going for the room, just a bloodied couch propped up against a door which appeared to be tied to the wall. Hearing the zombies hands banging on the walls outside her Sydney trembled and walked through the wooden doorway.
SYDNEY POV
I walked through the wooden doorway. Deciding what to do, I sat down. There were lots of zombies outside, and it was getting dark. I'd been running for what I presumed to be about fifty minutes.I was never any good at running, always last in the school races, I could never climb the rope to the top. I caught my breathe and leaned my hands against my thighs. My chest heaved forward as I wheezed. My asthma inhaler had long since run out. And all the pharmacies I'd looted had near to nothing. The world was running out of supplies, and fast.
Looking round once more I gathered my thoughts, I really wanted to get out of this place and find somewhere safe but I couldn't. My body was tired and the only thing I'd eaten in the past 48 hours were the chocolate scrapings from some tin I found on a road.
My eyes scanned through the window that wasn't broken and frowned. Outside, on the road was my chocolate tin that I'd finished off. Confusion clouded my mind, had I circled back? I couldn't think straight, I need to sleep. Turning my body round I crashed into the wall, forcing my legs to take me to the stairs. 'Let the zombies get me' I thought, 'Let them get me'. I could still hear them, shoving their decomposed shapes at the house.
Before I could take my first step on the stairs I felt a cold barrel press against the back of my neck.
"Turn around, now!", I heard a boy say. Complying to his request I slowly moved around.
Keeping my face neutral I took in the three figures before me, the boy still pointing a gun at my head. He looked to be 15 years old. Behind him I saw a dark-skinned woman holding a long sword. I recognised it as a katana. Next to her, was a very badly injured man covered in dried blood. He still looked fully capable of killing me if he had to.
"Pick up your bag", the boy instructed.
I swallowed, feeling very scared and nervous. I couldn't die, not like this. Not having survived two years of the apocalypse only to be killed by a teenage boy. I was only 14 for Christ's sake. The thought alone was humiliating.
Nevertheless, I did what he said and placed my backpack over both my shoulders. I didn't want to anger him and make the situation any worse. My entire body was now alert, my mind awake.
"Climb back through the window", the boy's voice was cold and heartless. I sucked in a breathe, 'no' my mind screamed. No, no, no, NO!
"Carl", The man spoke. He had a strong voice, one that screamed authority. His eyes pivoted to me and he took me in.
My heart started beating really fast in my chest. I clenched my fists and looked round. I couldn't keep my eyes still.
The boy, Carl, ignored him. "Climb back through the window, and leave". His voice shook on the last word. His face was emotionless. His gun was still pointing at my forehead. His fingers clenched round the trigger.
My heart sunk. Panic began to set over my body. I started shaking. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Carl", the man spoke again. His voice louder.
"No, dad I got this", Carl said, his voice monotone.
"No!", This time it was me that spoke. I looked Carl straight in the eyes. My deep brown eyes locking with his ocean blue ones. "Please", my voice quivered. "Please don't send me out there". I adjusted my bag on my shoulders. They were starting to ache from the weight.
He didn't respond, only pulled down the safety trigger. "Leave now". His pupils dilated back and forth, his eyes swirled with emotion. Regret, I hoped bitterly.
"Carl, no" The woman was speaking now. Her voice was eerily calm. "Put down the gun".
Thankfully, he did what she said. I observed them closely again. The woman had shifted her stance, ready to fight. Her hand was holding onto the katana and her shoulder protectively in front of the man. She placed her hand on the boys shoulder. He had a dirty blue shirt on and a sheriffs hat. She pulled him back behind her and stood in front of me.
I gulped as I looked up at her. She could easily take me down with one push.
"Who are you?", the man questioned me.
"My names Sydney," I tried to keep my voice from shaking but I failed. Fear coursed though me, all the different scenarios that could happen raced through my mind. They could feed me to the zombies, they could kill me, hell I could even be raped. But I seriously doubted that last one. The two guys looked more likely to kill me.
"How old are you?" The woman asked. Her hand no longer holding the sword. She must not think of me as a threat. I'm thankful for that small indication that I probably won't be hurt.
"I'm 14 years old", I reply truthfully. I hope she end the questions soon, I need to sit down. My head is spinning and I can't focus on any of them.
"Are you with a group?" She asks me another question. Her dark eyes imploring my own.
"I...I...no" I feel myself begin to sway. "No I don't have a group". My legs start to shake and my knees tremble. My eyes start to flutter as I fall to the ground. I'm most likely looking like an ungraceful lump right now. The boy named Carl rushes forward and catches me. Our eyes make contact and I can feel his practically piercing through me. I mumble a 'thanks' and then my eyes shut once more and thats when everything goes dark.