Chapter 1
***The events in this novel take place during the enemy***
I glance behind me at my group to check if everyone is present. Wouldn't want someone to get taken by some zozoz, would we now? I think to myself. Zozoz are our slang word for zombies. To me it has always sounded like a name for a clown. Zozo the clown, it would be funny except there are no more clowns in the world. Only people who are careful and stay hidden are still alive.
I guess I am the 'leader' of my group. To be honest I have no idea how I got the title. I woke up a few months back and everyone was like hey what up leader! I was confused the honored then I was scared. It's all on my shoulders, death, life, battles, safety. Especially safety. I continue to scan through our tiny group. My tiny group.
Holly, who is 14 years old, is wearing a camo jacket that is covered in mud and patches of dried blood, her light brown hair is tied back in a messy bun. Grace is walking next to holly, she is also 14, she is wearing a purple hoodie with skinny jeans, and her black hair is neat and looks recently brushed. I have always admired how she looks the cleanest of all of us. Todd with his perfect brown hair and bright green eyes is just behind me. He is also 14 and so cute, everyone has a crush on him except for grace who is in love with Martin. He is wearing jeans and a black hoodie his sword is by his side. He is by far the best fighter among us. Martin is next to him chatting casually.
Martin is hilarious and extremely smart. We would not be alive if it weren't for him, he is the oldest and is 15, and he has black hair and dark blown eyes. Last is little Amanda who is only 7, we found her nearly dead with a bunch of zozoz on her, we managed to keep her alive long enough to save her. She has curly blonde hair and deep blue eyes. She is wearing a black Nike hoodie and jeans with pink flowers on the bottom. She is constantly scared but she can be a wicked fighter when she has to be. Right now she is clinging onto holly's arm while humming a song in one of the Disney movies.
Suddenly Holly motions for me to stop, her multicolored eyes deadly serious. I look ahead and see about 15 zozoz pouring out of an alleyway their hands and faces bloody from a recent kill. I glance at Todd, who draws his sword, and then at Martin who nods and pulls out his pistol. Grace immediately grabs Amanda and heads to the side. I catch her telling Amanda to get her weapon ready then doing so herself.
I flick my wrist, a signal to get in formation, Todd stand next to me with holly and martin to my right.
"Lets kick some zozoz ass." Screams martin
"For Narnia!" yells holly
I laugh and draw my weapon. It's a 1m long sword dotted with crystals so it sparkles in the sun. Holly and I found it in a museum a long time ago, just after the disease took hold of everyone over 15. After I found this sword we met grace, martin and a boy called Artie when they were finding food. Artie quickly got taken by three zozoz, a lot of the younger kids do. We met Todd about a month later in a house that we decided to spend the night in. I absorb my opponents, pick my targets and…
"ohmigod help, help, help!" Grace screams hysterically.
I turn and see 10 zozoz surrounding grace and Amanda. Amanda is crying while she does her best to batter the zozoz away. But it isn't good enough they are being overwhelmed. While I stand here and do nothing. My brain is in overdrive, then I see a door behind grace and I get an idea.
"everyone get inside!" I yell into the crowd of puss and boils. I see a bloodstain figure standing up clutching Amanda. Grace. She turns and hobbles into the house, quickly followed by Holly, martin and Todd. The door closes. I am alone. Alone, left to face 30 zozoz by myself.
"I don't want to die," I say under my breath, "I wont die," this triggers a memory. Back in the early days of the apocalypse holly made a rule: stay alive as long as you can because you never know when someone will save you. It's kind of our motto and our job. You see we are determined in helping other kids survive so we set up safe houses all over London. Each safe house has non-perishable foods, weapons, medicine, maps (with other safe houses on it), a set of evacuation instructions (incase zozoz attack) and a guest book for fun. So far we have created 42 safe houses and are on our way to Elmhurst Street to create another one. We do this because we know that it can save someone's life and when we die we can rest in peace knowing that we have left out mark.
"?" says a fat zozo who looks almost human although his head is deformed with boils. Our eyes meet and I know that he is smart, fast, strong and extremely dangerous.
"No I-I-I'm not the cure," I say
"Feeeeeeeeeeeeeed" says the fat zozo. His dead eyes stare at me hungrily.
"No, no need to feed on me. Here have some chicken," I say and toss the zozo a fillet. He scoffs it down, biting off his finger in the process. He crunches down the bone and blood flows from his mouth catching on a boil, causing it to burst everywhere.
"," says the fat zozo
"More what? Chicken?" I ask cautiously
"Yes chihen," he responds. I pause. Ohmigod he understands me! I think to myself. I obey and toss him some chicken. Again he scoffs it up hungrily. Suddenly he runs at me, arms open. I instinctively raise my sword but he runs past me and starts to attack the zozoz that are scratching the door of the house. He kills them, Every last one. Then he looks at me and gurgles the word "chihen?" he is like my pet zozo! He listens, obeys. Who needs to fight when you have a zozo to fight for you?
"Yes chicken" I say and toss him some more meat. "Hey," I think of a name for him, "Tank, can you kill those zozoz over there?" I point to the initial group of zozoz who are frozen and confused. Tank obeys and a few minuets later all the zozoz, except for Tank, are dead.
"This is awesome," I say, "tank come here a sec," tank strolls over is it me or has his eyes gotten more intelligent?
"Hang on tank let me get my friends," I head to the door and knock 3 times. Todd opens it.
"ROBYN ZOZO LOOK OUT!" Todd screams
"Todd this is tank he is a good zozo," I say calmly.
"Tank," I turn to face him, "stay here if you want more chicken." And with that I walked inside.
Chapter 2
She lay on the train tracks. She had given up all chance of survival days ago. Now Zoe lay here waiting for the mothers and fathers to find her and feed on her. She swallowed and imaged them tearing her open, ripping off chunks of flesh and eating it. The thought made her sick. She mastered up the courage and dragged herself over to the little boy that lay almost dead a few meters away from her. He too had escaped the great fire by going underground, at a great cost. They had never anticipated the herd of mothers down here. Zoe and many others had fought for their lives and somehow they had managed to kill them all.
Zoe's fingers brushed the little boys legs causing him to whimper.
"Its ok, its alright, your safe now," the words comforted her
"Mummy is that you?" the little boy whispered. He couldn't be older than 5.
"No its my name is Zoe, what's your name?" She asked
"Bill" the boy said.
"Well bill its okay there is no reason to be scared now," she reassured. She herd footsteps behind her and saw to fathers approaching them.
"Oh god, bill close your eyes, its going to be ok I promise." Zoe whispered. She fought back a sob and drew her knife. The first father attacked she stabbed him in the leg causing him to come down. The second father was on top of her his rotten gums inches from her face. She quickly rolled over and stabbed him in-between his eyes. One down and only one to go.
Bill started sobbing and Zoe turned around just in time to see the first father on top of bill. The father hissed at Zoe then tore a chunk out of bill's chest.
"NOOOOO," Zoe screamed. Rage and adrenaline flowed through her; she threw her knife at the father. It made a sickening thunk as it hit his skull.
"Bill, Bill, bill are you okay?" Zoe cried as she crawled over to him.
"Zoe," he sobbed, "I want my mummy."
"Its okay bill, your safe now, nothing can hurt you." Zoe cried
"Mummy… I can see my mummy," bill whispered then he closed his eyes for the last time. Zoe's tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She kissed bill on his cheek then stood up. She will survive, for Bill. The girl in the darkness turned her back on the little boy and walked up the stairs and into the sunlight.
Chapter 3
I fell asleep almost instantly. After I had explained how tank is outside and what he is capable of doing, it was getting to late to set out. So here we were, crammed into a tiny bedroom on the top level of this house. I hope Tank does his job and guards the front door. Otherwise we will all die.
I dream that I am on a train, watching the fields go by. Suddenly the train slows down and I notice that we are pulling into a station. On the platform there are hundreds of zozoz, their mouths open and drooling. I start screaming as I realize that they are waiting for the train to stop so they can climb aboard, I scream for the driver to keep going but it is no use. The train stops. The doors open. I see them pouring into the cabin. Clambering over each other trying to eat me first. I swing my sword and the first row goes down instantly. The rest take a step back, cautious of my ability. It looks like I may survive I grin to myself. Then something leaps onto my back, I turn and see zozoz behind me. I am surrounded. The zozo on my back pulls me down and the rest of them jump on me, tearing at my clothes, ripping my flesh. I scream but no sound comes and I realize that there is a hole in my neck where my voice box used to be. Tears flow from my eyes as the train turns blurry and fades into oblivion.
I woke up sweating, to a slurping sound. I opened one eye and survey the room; Holly and Amanda were asleep in the corner behind me. Todd was just in front of me with martin to his immediate left. Grace was on the other side of the room, closest to the door, there was something on top of grace, a siluett in the darkness.
I slid my hand carefully along the floor and tapped Todd on the arm. His breathing pattern changed so I knew he was awake. He rolled over and stared at me silently asking me what the problem is. I looked at the thing on grace and he immediately understood, something or someone had gotten in.
Todd reached for his weapon, too fast, the weapon scraped against the floor. Todd froze but it was to late, the intruder had stood up and was lumbering over.
"ZOZO!" I screamed, my attempt to wake the others. There was ten seconds of confusion as everyone got organized himself or herself. We crammed ourselves into the far corner placing ourselves as far away from the zozo as we could.
"Chihen," the zozo murmured. Oh no I thought Tank. Tank stopped a few meters away from us.
"T-t-t-tank I have a deal for you," my voice was heavy in my throat, "you, you can have grace if you let us go-,"
"Robyn what are you doing?" holly hissed.
"She's already dead. It doesn't make a different-," I replied
"Robyn she is your friend-," holly said annoyed
"Was holly, was," I stated
"Tank if you let us go you can have grace but you must let me check something first. Deal?" I asked
"Deal," tank replied.
I let go of Todd's arm and walked over to grace my heart heavy. I knelt down and put my hand to her neck suddenly her eyes fluttered open. Oh god what have I done? I have sentenced my friend to death, holly had been right.
"No…" I whispered
"Robyn? What's going on? Is it dead?" grace asked
"Grace I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I murmured
"Sorry for what?"
"For getting you into this mess, letting tank… eat you... I'm sorry,"
"Its ok, you can save me now. Right? RIGHT?"
"N-no I cant save you but I can stop the pain,"
"What do you mea-," grace started to ask but then she got it. I could kill her and stop the agonizing pain, of being eaten alive, that would follow. "Go ahead," she whispered, "make sure you tell Martin everything." With a shaky breath I rest my dagger under her chin. Grace closes her eyes. I wait a few seconds, building up the courage, and then I push down. Grace goes still.
I stand up and nod at Holly, tears stream down my face. Todd runs over and wraps me in a hug. Well at least one good thing has happened today I think to myself as I lead the way out of the house and onto the deserted street.
Chapter 4
Shayla dragged Max across the roof. Her foot caught in a shingle and she went down hard, taking Max with her. The four year old started crying and Shayla quickly hushed him up. Harry turned around, his curly brown hair stuck to his forehead.
"We have to keep moving, before they find a way up here," he said to Shayla
"I'm trying, but its hard lugging around a kid," Shayla replied annoyed
"Then lets ditch him,"
"Are you mad? He's my brother! I can't just leave him,"
"Look over there," said max. She followed his gaze to a sign that read: safe house with an arrow pointing down. Huh fancy that. Harry slung max over his shoulder and started to run towards the sign, Shayla brought up the rear.
Suddenly Shayla was being held back, something had grabbed hold of her foot. She cried out, but Todd was to far away to run back in time. As if on cue, they appeared on the roof. They spotted her and their leader bellowed.
She stared down at her foot and realized that it was a piece of metal that had enwrapped itself around her foot. She tried to untangle herself by it was no use. She was only doing more damage; tearing up her ankle with her rushed movements. Then they were on her.
Nails tore at her skin, teeth bit her exposed limbs, and bones were broken. She looked at her killers, not very diseased but still extremely ugly. She let out a cry of pain as one of them tore of her arm. Another ripped open her chest, and she could feel it eating her insides. Then. She felt a pressure in her neck and she was swallowed by the darkness.
Harry ran towards Shayla, slashing at them, trying to save her life but deep down he knew it was to late. He battered away the last of them and hobbled over to Shayla. She was gone. He didn't even check for a pulse, there was know way that she could have survived the attack. Her guts lay everywhere, entangling them. Them. The word sent a shiver up his spine
"Shayla?" Max cried as he scrambled across the roof.
"Max, umm turn around you really shouldn't see this-," Harry started to explain but it was too late, Max had seen the remains of his sister. Even his young mind could figure out that she was gone. He started to wail. The sound echoed across the deserted streets, cutting through the darkness, making everything ten times scarier.
Harry knew that they would die. What chance would a fifteen and a four year old have against them? None. Maybe if it was just him, no kid, then he may stand a chance. It was Max that was slowing him down. No he would not leave him, he had promised Shayla that he would keep Max safe and he will. He owed it to her because he didn't get there in time. Their only chance was to find more kids. Until then they would wait in the safe house and pray that whoever created it would return.
Chapter 6
I walk ahead of everyone. Alone. I hear someone jogging toward me. It's Todd I recognize the rhythm of his feet.
"Robyn," Todd says to me, "please, listen. I know that you feel awful about what happened but we need a plan. We can't just wonder around waiting to die. We should backtrack and return to the closest safe house, take shelter, build up our strength. Then we come back here and face Tank. Sound good?"
"Yes but… Todd, I can't just leave Grace. I mean leave her there with Tank. She trusted me and I let her down. I never meant for anyone to die. I just wanted to help. Just wanted to help." I cried. Todd stood in front of me, stopping me in my tracks; his face was inches from mine. "Todd-," I moaned
"Robyn, you listen to me. Grace is gone but we are still here. Nobody blames you-," Todd argued.
"Holly blames me," I pointed out
"No she doesn't," reassured Todd. I take a deep breath.
"Fine," I say, "lets go to a safe house."
"Yes!" Todd cheers. He then grabs my hand and we run to the others. I give in way to easily, if Todd weren't so cute I would have said no. Poor Grace. She is dead along with all 13 of my friends. They all died in there own uniquely horrible ways; Kayla fell of the roof, Bryana got separated from us, Zoe disappeared in the fire, Nick sacrificed himself, Bobby got eaten, so did Nicole, Erica, Maddy and Sam. Sarah and Daniel, the twins, got trapped underground, some zozoz stole Andy and Mike, and Grace got murdered by her friend. Murderer. A voice chants in my head.
We catch up to the others and I immediately notice Holly staring at me, I know we are thinking the same thing: I'm a murderer. Then she notices Todd and I holding hands and I know that she officially hates me. She also has a tiny crush on Todd but I don't think that she likes either of us now.
"We have a plan-," Todd starts
"Does it involve her death?" Holly asks innocently
"No, but it gives all of us a higher chance of survival," Todd replies casually. Boys are so dumb; Todd doesn't even know that holly hates me!
"Nah ill pass… I think we should throw Robyn to the zozoz and then run past them. She can be a sacrifice," Holly said slightly creepily,
"Here's the plan," Todd continues, "We back trace and return to our last safe house."
"Smart idea," Martin says and we know that it is the final plan. Todd pulls out his map and leads us in the direction of the 'Lepton Rd safe house'. We all walk silently for about an hour until Amanda starts to whimper.
"What's up Ammie?" I ask her
"I can't find Grace anywhere!"
"Well Am," Martin starts, "She… went to bed. She was…tired,"
"Oh, when she wakes up can we go visit her?" Amanda asks
"She wont wake up," holly replies harshly, "I mean not for a long time,"
"Why is that?"
"She was extremely tired so Robyn told her to sleep so she did,"
"Is she safe?"
"Yes," I butt in. I let my reply sink in before I ask for a report on our progress. From what Todd showed me we should be there in ten minuets. After a while I notice something.
"Interesting," I say curiously, "where are all the zozoz?"
"Maybe they are at a party?" Martin butts in and starts to dance. Todd laughs and joins in grabbing my hand and spinning me round and round and round. He stops spinning me and I giggle, the world foggy to my eyes. I make out ten figures on a nearby roof, lying on their bellies. I stop giggling as the world returns to focus. The figures are dead zozoz. Kids must be nearby as the zozoz are freshly killed. I spot Holly running towards our safe house so I follow with the others just behind me.
Holly scrambles up the safety tree, as the bottom level is completely blocked off, and taps on the window. I climb up as well, reach the top and tap again. No reply. I collect the key from the hook in the tree and unlock the padlock on the window. Holly swiftly jumps from the tree to the window and is inside, I follow and help Amanda through and Todd and martin bring up the rear.
Once inside we quickly close the window and start searching the floor for any signs of kids or zozoz. The house looks clear until Martin notices a door that it closed and locked from the other side. I put my ear to the door and hear snuffling and whispers.
"Hello?" I say. The whispers stop and I hear a chair creaking, like it would if someone stood up. "We wont hurt you, were kids, five kids open the door," I reassure. There is a click and the door opens reveling a boy of about fifteen with curly brown hair and gray eyes. In the corner of the room there is another boy of about four snuffling. How did a four year old survive all this?
"Hey," the curly haired boy says, "we thought you were them," them meaning the diseased. "My name is harry and that," he pointed at the small boy, "is Max. He just lost his sister, Shayla, to them." Harry continues grimly.
"We just lost a friend too, a girl called grace. I'm Robyn by the way, and this is Holly, Todd, Martin and Amanda."
"How old is Amanda? Is she six?"
"Seven," I correct.
"So how long have you been here?" Todd asks
"A few hours. Why?"
"Oh its just that we created this safe house and we like to know how long people stay here. The longer they stay the greater chance of some zozoz finding them and we prefer that zozoz don't find this place."
"I see what you mean. Our last base got overrun a few days back. We have been trying to escape them ever since. But I killed them so they are no longer a threat."
"Good, they all need to be killed," Todd's voice softens, "To many have died. To many friends, kids just like us. Dead. Flat out dead. Because of them, The Grown-ups… I just wish that I can wake up… wake up and realize that it is all a bad dream. No a horrible nightmare. But it isn't… it isn't." Todd breaks down into tears. I wrap my arms around him, I can relate, every morning when I wake up I pinch myself to check if I'm still dreaming. Its better for the kids between the ages of 12-15 we can fight, survive, live. The kids between the ages of 8-12 can survive on their own but usually group together with older kids. It's the 5-8 year olds that have it hard; they are old enough to know what is going on but to young to do anything about it. Then there is the under 5's, the dead ones, there is still a few of them alive, like Max, but they are rare. Older kids don't group up with them because it's a death sentence. So they are the first to go. Except when they have a dedicated sibling but family commitment has to stop somewhere…
Its martin, that has the idea of sleeping in this room. Anywhere else in this house seems too vulnerable, to open, but this room is safe ad warm. I volunteer to keep first watch and as everyone falls asleep I think of the remainders of grace. There is probably nothing there anymore but I don't want to believe it. I know that one day I will accept the fact that grace is gone. I will accept the truth.
Chapter 7
Zoe fumbled with the flimsy lock. With a loud crunch it came free and she carefully set it on the ground. The kids that live here need better security she thought. She walked in and immediately knew that something was wrong. Against the base of the wall there was a crumpled child, there was another child further down the hall lying in what looked like a pus and blood. Above him the wall had a stain that matched the one on the floor.
She skirted past them and continued further down the hall, into the kitchen. She screamed. At the kitchen counter there was another boy. This one was alive. And he was muttering underneath his breath, "He took them, he took them, he killed the other, killed them, I'm alone, alone, come for me, kill me now."
"Hello?" Zoe asked nervously. The boy looked at her, his cheeks were streaked with tears.
"Hello," he replied. He had red hair and deep brown eyes.
"My name is Zoe,"
"Aiden,"
"What happened here?"
"An obese father attacked us, he stole two little kids, two ten year olds, and then he left. But not before he killed two of my friends. He threw jade across the room and smothered Arnold. I have been here ever since."
"How long ago was this?"
"A few nights ago,"
"Well, it wont happen again; we are a team now,"
"We are?"
"Yes, we have to stick together and we may live." Zoe explained
"Cool, but what's the plan?"
"Well I was thinking that we could like go and find other kids and like join their group,"
"Ok but how will we find others?"
"We could think of the top ten places where people may stay and start there," Zoe explained. Aiden quickly ran upstairs and returned with a map and a red marker.
"Lets get started," he said enthusiastically.
Chapter 8
Justin glanced at his eleven year old twin, Jessica. It was funny how they had learnt to read each other's eyes. This Father is special he told her, he is smart, and looks like he has been eating. Jessica replied by nodding her head. Ever since the epidemic started they have stuck together, refusing to join any passing army. Instead they are careful, they never touch the ground, never talk, and never kill. Not to mention when she made them roll in mud to get the smell of 'kid' off them.
Now they were camped up in a tree outside a street lined with corpses of dead adults. They had scrambled up here when they heard voices followed by a pack of kids. They sat up in the old oak tree throughout the battle that had followed, and eventually watched as the kids went into a house to sleep. They left the fat father outside. Stupid. He and his sister had watched as the father broke the door and strolled inside. About ten minuets later they saw the kids reappear, minus one, and walk away. That was it. No fight scene. This pack of kids was interesting. They were hard to predict. Those types are the most dangerous.
A few months ago they had run into a pack of kids similar to this one; they were kind at first but when they were camping out in a house, they left. Just disappeared. He and Jessica were ten and not very good fighters. He remembered how he searched the house, with tears streaming down his face, and found no one. He went back and woke Jessica, he tried to explain, but the thought of being alone again scared her. They eventually packed up and climbed onto the roof. Justin searched for their 'allies' but the horizon was deserted. From that day forward, they never trusted other kids.
Something below them moved, it was a lone mother, her face was gone but her skull remained intact. She moaned as she tripped. She was fleeing from something, but what? Just then a pack of 10 adults immerged each of them were strong, fast and smart and all of them carried weapons. Jessica gasped as they spotted the mother and sprinted toward her. The mother was crying as she pulled herself toward their tree, trying to escape. They leapt on her; there were sounds of teeth tearing skin and the occasional cry of the mother. After a few minuets the leader, a bulky male with no forehead, breaks away from the feast and walks over to a bandage that one of the kids must have dropped. He picks it up and sniffs it.
"mrugarh!" the leader cried and starts to head in the direction of the fat father and the kids. Justin froze in terror, if they don't warn the kids then the group of hunters would surely find them, but if they got ahead and warned them they could get caught up in a fight.
"Oh gosh, Justin what do we do?" Jessica whispered
"We should warn them, it will be the right thing to do but," he swallowed, "I don't want you or me to die,"
"I know, but if we stay off the ground then they cant hurt us. Can they?" Jessica asked innocently
"No. I don't think so. So we go and warn them?"
"Yes,"
"We better go if we want to get there first," Justin prompted. They quickly packed up and started to jump from tree to tree. Justin was determined to save the kids from this pack of adults. If he didn't he would regret it. He just hoped that he and his sister would come out alive.
Chapter 9
About an hour into my shift Todd wakes up. He scoots over to me then stares at me for a long second.
"You should get some sleep," he whispers
"I wont be able to sleep. Got to much on my mind," I reply harshly
"You are no good to us tired. Get some sleep."
"I would but-,"
"But what?"
"I am afraid. Afraid that if I go to sleep I will wake up and tank will be eating someone else that I love-," I stop realizing that I just gave away that I had a crush on him.
"Like who?" Todd asks. Great. Just great. Now I have to tell him.
"Well holly, Amanda, martin and you," I said quietly. He laughed, a sign that he saw right through me.
"You know what? You were right. I'm exhausted. Goodnight," I said quickly
"Nice try," he said sarcastically, "but your not getting away from me that easily." He leaned over and kissed me, when he stopped a tear rolled down my cheek. "Don't cry," he said
"Its just that now you mean something to me a-and I don't want to lose you," I cried
"I promise that I wont leave you," he reassured
"That's a big promise considering our circumstances," I joke
"Maybe, but at least I'm trying," he notes. We sit in silence for a while then I rest my head on his shoulder and slowly drift asleep. Raised voices wake me up. Holly is yelling, "are you sure? Are you sure?" It is chaotic. People are running around panicking. Amanda and max are crying, Todd is hustling me up; martin and holly are talking to two eleven year olds who are the source of the panic.
"What's going on?" I ask sleepily
"Justin and Jessica, the eleven year olds, saw a pack of zozoz heading our way," Todd explains, "they say they look dangerous". As if on cue an athletic mother bursts through the window. Her left arm is broken in numerous places and she wears a belt of what looks like fingers round her oversized belly. She moaned then quickly darted forward and picked up Jessica, the only one who didn't react fast enough and group together, she moaned once more than jumped out of the window.
Justin went hysterical, he flung himself after the mother, but harry and I held him back. He kicked and bit and screamed Jessica's name. Holly looked at me and I shook my head, I knew what she was going to do, she ignored my head shaking and ran over to the window and jumped out. Now everyone was going even more hysterical; Harry and I had let go of Justin and had run over to the window, Todd was comforting max and Amanda, martin was yelling something and Justin was trying to jump out the window. Martin pushed past us and also jumped out of the window, I saw him thrash his way through the zozoz to get to holly and Jessica. He managed to grab one, I have no idea which, and head back. Suddenly the zozoz attacked him. I have never seen anything so scary; there was several blood curling screams and a lot of ripping, then quite.
"TO THE ROOF! TO THE ROOF!" yelled Harry. We picked up the supplies that we could find and climbed the ladder up to the roof. I pushed my way onto the roof. The rising sun hits my eyes, blinding me momentarily. I reached my way back down the hatch and pulled up Justin, whose face was drenched in tears. I quickly pushed the hatch shut and padlocked it.
"Where now?" I asked
"This way," said harry as he pointed to the right, "it's the opposite way to where I came from." my heart jumped into my stomach, that way was were we left grace, I didn't want to return to that house. The house. Graces remains. The thought of coming across the remains of my friend makes me puke.
"Robyn are you okay?" asks Todd although he already knows the answer.
"Yes I'm fine. I'm just scared." I reply shakily. I might as well admit it; I have never said that word. Ever. To me that word is a sign that I have given up, that I see no hope in the future. I grabbed Amanda's hand and ran along the rooftop. Harry was carrying Max and Todd was helping Justin. We ran as if our lives depended on it. They did. I keep checking for signs of pursuers, but nobody followed.
Eventually we passed the house with grace. My legs couldn't move. Wouldn't move. I froze. Amanda tugged me trying to speed me up. Suddenly everyone threw himself or herself onto the roof. I instinctively followed everyone else and flattened myself against the shingles. One pressed into my jaw so I shifted to get into a better position. Big mistake. When I moved, my jacket scraped the shingles making a loud rustling noise. I froze. Not even daring to breath. I head a loud roar and a stampede of feet. They were heading our way. I hoped that they would go away. Forever. But they were now right on the other side of the roof, still on the ground.
For now.
Chapter 10
Aiden and her were heading down the road when she heard the sound of an adult yelling. Her first instinct was to go the other way but Aiden stopped her.
"They must be moaning at something," he said
"I know but I don't want to get caught up in a fight," she replied
"If you were the poor child that was trapped, scared and about to die you would want a savior. Right?" Aiden pointed out
"They are probably dead by now-," Zoe replied
"What if their not?" Aiden demanded, "then what? Leave them? Abandon them? There just kids Zoe. We all are. Everyone in this destroyed world is either being hunted or hunting. Which one are you?"
Aiden shot her a horrible look then turned and ran toward the fight. Which one are you? The words echoed in her head. Rebounding against her skull. She crouched down and pressed her hands to her ears, trying to block out the words. But the words would never leave her.
Aiden sprinted toward the fight, his heart pounded, his feet slapped the ground, and he wanted to scream. Scream at Zoe. Some ally she was. If it was himself trapped in a house he was sure that she would leave him. Certain.
He turned the corner and skidded to a stop. He saw the adults crowding at the base of an apartment. At the top he could just make out a little girl with blond pigtails peering over the rise of the roof. He noticed one of the adults holding a knife. No not holding more like aiming. His heart caught in his throat. The world slowed down as the adult let go of the knife. It spun through the air. Aiden was frozen. He wanted to cry out but his mouth wouldn't work. THUNK. He looked down. His hoodie was already soaked with blood. His blood.
Chapter 11
I watched in horror as the boy with hair the color of flames sunk down to his knees. His jacket was already turning the color of his hair. Red. I glanced over to Todd his expression matched mine, A mix of horror and guilt. My heart wanted to help the boy but my head thought of it as suicide. It probably was.
"Are we just going to sit here and watch him bleed to death or are we going to take this opportunity to attack and possibly save his life?" I asked
"What are we waiting for," Todd said grimly, "let's go kill some zozoz." He started to lead Harry and Justin over the edge.
"Stay here," I said to Amanda and max, "if anything happens stay together and head for the palace. We will hopefully meet you there and if not there should be other kids." I knew in my heart that if we die, they wont last another day. Amanda must know this too because she is not responding, At all.
When I hit the ground I am immediately picked up as a target. Two grown ups charge me one of them was the one that hurt the red head boy. I sidestep the father and sliced at the mother's head. My blade caught on her jaw and with a hard tug it came free. The mother crumpled to the ground. The father grabbed me round the neck and bared his rotten teeth. I quickly kneed him in the leg and slashed across his stomach. The mother grabbed my ankle so I instinctively turned around, tripped and went down. Pain shot up my ankle but I ignored it as I jabbed the mother in her deformed neck. With both my opponents gone take the opportunity to look at my ankle. I nearly faint. It is twisted at an impossible angle so now my toes face up the back of my leg.
I let out a sob. I know that it's not healable and cripples don't last long in this new world. I survey the battlefield and I am surprised to find that we won! We actually won! Relief spreads through my body by it is quickly replaced by dread. Harry and Todd give each other's high-fives and share their stories. Justin is crouched over the red haired boy. Justin looks at me and shakes his little head then he screams and points to my leg. Todd is by my side before the scream ends.
"Your leg," he whispers
"Yeah its pretty bad Isn't it?" I say trying to keep in the sob, "you have to leave me."
"No," Todd said
"Yes," I replied mimicking his tone, "I won't last long. Head to the country side, live a happy life, grow old," Todd laughs. He looks down then looks at my eyes searching for something.
"You sure?" he asks
"Positive," I say, "You should go now. Don't make this goodbye any more painful," He kisses my cheek and I notice a tear running down his cheek. I hand him my sword. He takes it.
"I'll see you soon," he says as he stands up and joins the others who are now off the roof.
"Cant wait," I say back. He turns and leads the group down the road. He didn't look back.
When they were gone noticed a radiant sunset illuminating the sky. It was beautiful. I closed my eyes and held onto the beauty until the sun disappeared from the sky. I wasn't scared.