Henley Academy. A highly prestigious school for the 'wealthy and gorgeous'. It was a wonderful school if you were those average preppy numbskulls or jocks whom only were able to attend because of the high need of outstanding football players. There are those few that enter because their parents could afford it, yet they were helpless cases. I am one of the few that became a student for my academics and not money. I wasn't a prep nor a jock. I wasn't an emo crybaby or goth. I wasn't the dancer or the cook. I was the performer, the thinker, the genius, and,on rare occasions, the class clown.

I stuck out like a sore thumb. My hair never went a week being my natural color,brown. I kept it simple this time. My hair in the front was a beautiful rainbow. Everything else was brown. I sat on a cushiony chair with my legs being were my head should be. The lobby was nearly quite. There was always that damn ticking of that enormous grand father clock.

Once you entered the school it didn't look like a school. It looked like a nice old building. The outside made it seem like a large church. A loud ring came from the clock tower signaling an hour had passed. I waited impatiently. I fiddled with the buttons to my black plaid button up shirt. I then buttoned it up till my white shirt wasn't visible. If Dev seen me like this he'd have a fit. He'd rant that I was dressed too loosely,whatever that meant.

Henley was the oddest school. We had dorms to sleep almost all year. There were some weekends we were allowed to visit family. My friends allows visit every weekend. I visit anytime one of them offers me a lift. Occasionally I'd only stay at their homes. Other times I'd go 'home'. My mother was rarely home. Nowadays she's either up early or on business trips.

Loud chattering echoed down the hall. I wiggled around till I sat up like a normal person. My fingers dug into one of the numerous holes in my black pants. Dev better not saying anything about my pants. The loud chat had finally reached me.

"Sam shut up! Dev's defiantly going to pick us up,"a voice rang.

Sam scoffed,"Whatever. He better not be late."

A clump of my friends had chuckled their way to me. I blinked for I was out of the loop. How could three of them be so loud? I soon smiled,being polite and all,"Yo."

Jackie was the closest to me. Her full name was Jacqueline. Calling her that was a death sentence. She was a pretty Spanish girl. Her hair was nice. It was black,and shiny. Jackie's the type of girl who reads three giant books in a day if she's bored. She wore humble clothing and never seemed to frown.

Sam stood behind her. Her light face was hidden behind her blonde hair. She was absorbed by a video game on an old game boy. Must be Mario. It's nearly impossible to pull her away from it. I call her The Gamer. She has the money to buy any game she wants. Sam preferred oldies and horror games. I couldn't last a minute with horror games. She wore 'nerd' type classes and video game shirts and jackets.

Matt was my rocker. Me and him jammed constantly. I met him through Dev. Him and Dev became friends cause their moms work at the same place. Matt's younger than Dev,we all are, which made him seem like his brother. There's two things I love about Matt. His hair is long and curls towards the ends and when he's mad he gets a Spanish accent.

"Hey guitar queen,"Matt had grinned."Is Dev bringing the van?"

Simultaneously they placed there school regulated book bags on the ground next to my chair. They were all black with name tags on them. It made no sense why but if you didn't fallow the rules the principal would lay it down. I had learned it the hard way.

"Where's your bag?"Sam looked away from her game.

"Over in the corner."

Matt did an awkward stroll to the front doors. He stood underneath the flag that had the schools colors,purple and black,"Dev's here."

Matt rushed and grabbed his bag. He than found my bag and rushed out the door. He used his shoulder to hit the pushy bar thing and flew out the door. I never seen him run like that. Jackie waited for me to stand so we walked together. Her bag was dragged behind her. Sam slowly grabbed her bag not taking her eyes of the game. She followed behind. We were possibly the last kids in the school.

"Slow down!"Jackie ordered.

Matt gave a laugh,"Shot gun!"

That caused a spark and I rushed close to his heels,"No fair!"

The outside walk to the parking lot was long because the school was huge. They were going to change it but never got around to it. The sun pestered and sizzled us but we raced anyway. Matt had skidded seconds before touching the passenger side. Dev was startled by the sight. He jumped bringing himself out of the car.

"Calm down!"he hollered. His eyes scanned me and narrowed at my pants. I shooed his eyes away.

Devon's his true name. He never liked his name so Dev was an alternative. His hair was short but still had some curls. He was tan. Dev is the oldest out of us all and graduated last year from Henley. He hates the school as much as I do. Dev's the reason why we have most of the rules we have today. He was a bad seed. Now he just watches me while my moms on buisness trips. He nearly always kept the same radio station on. It was a music station that seemed to always be interrupted by a special announcement on the news.

The van he drove was like those church vans that had four rows of seats. All bags were thrown in the moment Jackie and Sam came. They sat in their own row of seats. Immediately upon sitting the news boomed loudly.

"All Florida citizens we advise you to stay away from people shambling and moaning in the streets. We advise no close contact with shamblers. An infection is being spread threw bites. Please stay locked safely in homes till the United States Government settles this,"it warned.

Sam was to preoccupied in her game. Jackie questioned its logic. Dev had stared at the radio. It had changed back to a song like nothing had happened. I thought it was a complete joke. Halloween had already pass so that kind of set it off. Matt had thought it was a joke and showed it by a chuckle.

"Sounds like zombies are amongst us!"he laughed.

Dev coughed the situation off,"We gotta pick up Dezzie."

Everyone's eyes had aimed to kill him. I can't stand her and she's my own sister. Her school wouldn't be closed for a couple hours, her still being an elementary devil. Sense her birth I thought she was always out to get me. To make my life a living hell was her mission. She'd die happy when I died miserably. Dezzie was evil to everyone but her friends and Dev. She's rotten to the core.

"She can't be out yet,"Jackie muttered,it nearly sounded like a sigh of some kind of relief.

Dev drove the car with a silent statement,"Her school kinda sorta maybe closed early for the heat and no air conditioning."

"No!"boomed throughout the car.

"She's a good kid!"Dev defended.

The scoffs followed that statement and in a dead silence we stopped trying to convince him of her evilness. Faces of despair filled the car. The radio gave the same warning only more urgent.

"Please will the citizens please stay away from bitten friends and family! The illness is spreading very quickly!"

That same moment you could feel the speed of the car increase. We zoomed to Dezzie's school. My heart was racing. My eyes had swelled to big saucers. Matt squirmed between the driver and passenger seat to the back where I sat. It was custom to move to the back for Dezzie. She was my sister. I wouldn't want her to get harmed for not wearing a seatbelt.

Dev exited the car and ours eyes scanned the sad excuse for an elementary school. It was almost run down. Named the poorest school in the state. Ironically their mascot is a king. It was a battlefield in there. Care only for yourself.

Dev would always rush in and rush out. He didn't like this school. That half-second went by a blink. Dezzie was at Dev's heels. She wore a similar outfit like mine except she wore a rainbow plaid shirt. She'd skipped to the door and flung it open. Dezzie's face scrunched up.

"Eww. It's Matt,"she gagged.

Matt lurched forward,"No one likes-"

I grabbed him,"Shh."

Dev entered the car. No shock to another public announcement going off. He smacked his hand on the power button. It was as if he was saying 'enough'. Dev pulled out of the school with a sign of relief. A block away Dezzie fought with us.

"Why do you guys go to that stupid school?"she muttered.

Matt mumbled under his breathe,"Better than your crap hole of a school."

"At least Henley doesn't have paint chips. Sounds yummy doesn't it Dezzie? Bet you tried one,"Jackie snapped.

Dezzie growled,"Shut up,nerd!"

A battle began. Even Sam dragged herself away from her game to fight. Dezzie got more angry towards me for some reason. She had spun around to look at me and swung at me. Of course she missed. I slapped her across the face which brought tears.

"Enough!"Dev ordered while still driving. His eyes didn't look at the rode,"I don't want to hear a peep out of you till we get home or-"

"Dev watch the freakin' rode!" Dezzie commanded as she gripped seat.

Our heads violently jerked from the impact. Dev gave a more violent jerk to look over at the hood of the car. He looked mortified. His head shook.

"No. No. This can't be real. I crashed the car! Did you see what we hit?"

Shaken, we all shook our heads. He got out of the car. We all immediately started protesting. I even latched onto Matt. A pitiful sight yet he entertained the moment. His arm laid on top of me. Dev was roaming around the front part of the car.

"Dev just get in the car,"Dezzie pleaded.

He gulped,"It was a guy."

Dev squinted his eyes.

"What's happening?"Matt questioned.

A split second of silence erupted. The sudden quack of Dev forcing his way into the car made me jump. He floored it making a clean escape. His heart leaped out his chest.

"What happened?" I asked.

Jackie muttered,"Where are we going?"

Dev gasped for air,"Henley."

"Why?!"we all complained.

Matt's arm moved. He was angry and I listened closely. His eyes glared out the door. The van had never been so noise with chatter from us and the radio station.

That Spanish accent came out,"Ma's gone chew me out."

"Call her,"I muttered.

He did. Matt pulled his phone out and dialed the phone. It rang twice and his mom's fast talking could be heard.

Matt seemed distant,"Mommy...what are you talking about?"

I was attempting to hear everything she's was saying. His mom had a thick accent her living in Puerto Rico a majority of her life. I made out one word. 'Bit'.

"No mommy it shouldn't turn gray. Mommy stop crying,"there was a sudden pause. Matt's voice cracked slightly,"I love you too mommy."

At the time the van has never been so loud it has never been so quite. Matt whipped his right cheek. I couldn't see what he whipped but I knew what it was. It was a tear.

Dev broke the silence,"What happened?"

He had looked at the mirror to peak at him. I looked out my window. I knew well Dezzie looked out her window.

"Mommy said a man bite her and its turning gray. She thinks she might be dying and was happy I called. She told me Papi had to leave Georgia cause this infection…brought the dead back. Mommy said 'Tell Isabel to call her ma. She's down on that trip. See if its better there and go'."

I didn't hesitate. I crammed my hand into my pocket to get my slide phone. Speed dial one. It rang for a while.

"Did you hear the news?" Ma's voice immediately questioned.

I ignored her question,"Ma…how is it there?"

"Airports and marinas are closed down. Everyone is safe if that's what you want to know. The kids are playing. The adults are talking. James is having fun even though I gotta work,"she sighed."How's it back home?"

"I don't care if James is having fun. I'm scared. Mommy...something bad's happening."

"Dezzie's fine right?!" Ma got louder.

"Mhmm."

She said goodbye with a sob. Her orders were to call frequently. My fingers clenched in a ball and I punched my seat. Jackie's arms were placed around my neck. Her body was over the seat. She broke a rule. Dev would have snapped at her.

"What's wrong, dumpling?"she asked oh so creepily. Her fingers drew on my cheeks.

A sharp turn sent her back into her seat. Dev's eyes were narrowed in the mirror. I looked back to Jackie whom was giving a pout. She tried,and failed at it, to lighten the mood.

Dev gulped,"What she say?"

"Airports and marinas are closed but everything's fine,"I muttered through my teeth.

My head faced out the window. We zoomed down a road a block away from where we had hit the man. This neighborhood was empty. The houses were big and possibly had game stations living in there. The car spend faster and we Tokyo drifted into the school parking lot. We had left less than an hour ago and now the lot was vacant. He drove like a mad man. Dev flew towards the dorms.

"Who's got their key?"he murmured. I could hear a hint of anger.

Matt grumbled,"My roommates are slobs. It's filthy."

I looked behind me. Jackie and Sam were my roommates. I fished out our room key that those two never bothered to carry. The key hit the many random objects I had attached to it. There was a small shoe, penguin, zebra, cancer zodiac keychain and random braids of colorful string. At the sit he sprang out with one command. 'Get out'.

We did.

He told us to get to the room.

We did.

He told us not to worry…but…we could help it.

He told us that everything will go back to normal in a week.

It wouldn't.