A/N: This is Havoc. Many of you have read my short, sweet and silly chapters of Over Oceans. This is something a bit different, a lot longer. I took it down only because I found someone stealing it and posting it as their own on another site. Leave a review for me. Do you want more? Or should this stay down?
End-Life
5/11 - 3:19 PM
Music - Track 84 - Zombie - Natalia Kills
I can hear them. Walking, moaning, gasping. I quickly pull my auburn hair back. I hate these bangs; they always seem to get in the damn way. I make sure my PSP is tucked in tightly, my headphones are safely threaded through my shirt, in my ears and not going to be pulled out when it gets rough. I need this music. I pat my handgun strapped to my thigh, ready my bat, and hit play...
Then I step out in the streets, and here they come. I make them faceless, nobodies, nothing. The first one makes his way to me, grabbing at my face and neck. I swing hard and crack his skull open. I run down the street, trying to stay in the open so Riku can sharp shoot any that are in my blind spots. I hear a gunshot, but I don't stop running to look. One of the rules are to never look back. I learned that one the hard way.
I have to bash another head in as I get closer to my destination: a gas station. Inside are two things waiting for me. Food and Sora. I just want to strangle him for going out alone. That's another rule. Maybe I should write a book for all these damn rules. I need Sora though; he's my ears.
I kick one of them away from the door and smash the bat against her head so hard brain matter splatters the wall of the gas station. I think I'm taking my anger out on them now. I see Sora inside. He runs to the door and ushers me in, but I can't go in yet. There's too many out here. I may go in and we may never come back out if they gather around us, so I start swinging at as many as I can. I take out two that are getting too close to the building, and one more that has started scratching at the large window.
A few start getting closer, hearing the commotion. I kick one of the first way, stunning him momentarily. The second is more aggressive and goes right for me. I waste no time in sweeping his feet out from under him and breaking his head open as soon as it hits the pavement. The first has regained his composure and has joined the third in pursuit of me. I kick the third and last one out of the way, using her as a way to step away from the first to get in a good swing at his head. My swing follows through and sends his head flying down the street. I feel a hand around my ankle. I tell my body not to twist away; I don't want her nails to break my skin through my jeans. I take a breath and bring my bat down on her face twice. I'm not taking any chances.
I see Sora opening the door of the gas station again so I make myself run inside. I refuse to look at him and start filling my pack with anything my brain registers as food. Chips, jerky, anything canned, packaged candies, snacks, as many drinks that I can fit. I can't hear much because of my music but I know the air is tense. Sora is stuffing more into his already full bag next to me. His shoulder brushes against mine, and I lean away. I know it isn't the time or place to be mad but I can't help that I'm pissed.
My bag is full and my song is a little over halfway done. We gotta get out of here fast. I go for the door, Sora right behind me with his machine gun and food bag slung over his shoulder and an axe in hand. We have to get back down the street to Riku and our impromptu home base. I look back at Sora's face for the first time. He nods. He's my ears until we reach base. I survey the street. More have gathered but have yet to surround us.
I throw open the door and we run as quickly as we can, dodging the ones who are slow and bashing in the heads of those who are fast. Sora grabs my hand. One squeeze. That means there's a handful of them gaining on us from what he can tell of their foot steps.
"Slow?" I whisper. I don't want anymore attention from them so I keep my voice low. One hard squeeze: yes. "Run like hell." He nods and we sprint all the way to home base. We pass dozens of faces, only attracting the attention of a few. Thank God for our converse. They hardly make any noise at all when we have to run or sneak. We don't say another word. All I can hear is my music in my ears, feel my heart beating hard, and my breath is heavy. Sora's hand is getting sweaty in mine so I hold a little tighter. We'll make it there. We'll make it to base.
I hear a few gunshots taking out a few of the fast ones behind us. "Faster." I choke out. Riku hates wasting bullets so I know we're going to get a speech when we get there. We're so close now. We turn the corner where I came from and it's deserted, just like it was when I had put in my earphones. My song is nearing it's end so I push my body harder. I have to be inside once the music stops. I have to be. Have to be.
We let go of each other's hand and burst through the door of home base; Riku must have unbolted it seconds before we got to the door. We throw our bags to the floor, close the door, and bolt it back up. Then we grab our things and head up a few flights of stairs. I'm still running. Stepstepstepstep. I know my adrenaline must be pumping because during any other day of just running, my body would have given out on me. I've never been very athletic.
We reach home base. It's an empty, completely open room with just the four basic walls you need. There's one wall with windows facing the street. It's best place for a base. Especially at night. We're four floors up from the ground, four doors are separating us from them, and we can see everything on our street and a few over from our position. I personally think four is a lucky number; it's too bad there's only three of us.
My eye catches the lone mirror in a corner. I see a girl with her long auburn hair pulled up, earphones in her ears, and her black t-shirt drenched in sweat. Her jeans are a little dirty and there's blood around the ankle from when one grabbed her. She's breathing hard but her eyes are shining. My song ended when we got through the door so I pull out my earphones and let them hang from the neck of my shirt. I survived another day outside.
"Whadya get?" Riku looks through my bag. He's been having a craving for a certain chocolate candy. I see a huge smile appear on his face as he pulls out a chocolate candy bar. "Oh God, thank you. Thank you!" He tears it open and practically inhales it.
"Chill Riku. We gotta make this stuff last as long as we can." Sora says firmly. He doesn't want to be the bad guy. I know the feeling. But sometimes you have to be. So I snatch my bag up and hide it in my sleeping bag.
Riku doesn't even seem to notice or care as he savors the chocolate in his mouth. I hear my tummy rumble so I eat a a stick of jerky. Funny how it's only been three days since it happened. Maybe day four will be lucky for us. I hope so since the plan is to leave out tomorrow to find some of our friends and family.
"Hey." Sora is taking a seat next to me. His hair is more disheveled than usual, and he looks so exhausted. My heart wants to pull him close and let him sleep on my shoulder. My brain wants to push him away and scream. So I opt for a neutral ground.
"Hi." It's softer than I wanted. I wanted to sound indifferent.
"I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have gone out by myself like that..." He trails off and looks at my hand. He better not try to hold it, but my heart beats faster. "I just didn't want to put you in danger. I thought I could do it by myself." He looks back across the room, to the windows lining one side of the room.
My fists clench. I really want to hit him, scream, and cry. I can't though. We have to be quiet.
"It's fine. I just think you're stupid. You need me, like I need you. We're in this together. Splitting up is not an option. This isn't some Hollywood horror film." I look at him, and his blue eyes are staring into my own. I have to swallow before finishing. "We're living this, Sora."
He looks like he's about to say something. His mouth opens a little then closes, and he keeps rubbing his hands on his jeans. "Kairi, I-"
"Shh." Riku flashes a light at us and we all three fall silent. "Groaners."
We've nicknamed them groaners due to to sounds they make as they shamble down the streets. They're slow, but somewhat intelligent. They know sound equals food. Anything that is alive and has flesh is food. I wonder if they got desperate, if they would eat one another. Then I hear one of them groaning in the street. I clamp my hands over my ears, trying to block it out, tears coming to my eyes. I can't stand this sound. It takes me back to day one...
5/8 - 6:38 PM
Music - Track 26 - Down with the Sickness - Disturbed
I'm sitting in my dorm room, earphones blasting. My room mate, Selphie, isn't back from her class yet. I find it a little odd that she isn't. She usually rushes right back to our room after class to eat. Man, that girl can eat. I wish I knew where she put it all. Must be all the softball practices.
I check my cell phone for the time. I really wanted to go with Selphie to grab some food from the cafeteria. My best friends, Sora and Riku, are suppose to be there. I sigh, and my phone vibrates in my hand. It's Selphie. I smile, tuck my headphones in my pocket, and answer.
"Hey Selph-" A scream comes over the receiver. Over and over again. I hold the phone a little away from my ear.
"Oh God! Help me! Someone help me!" I hear a girl scream.
"Selphie. That's not funny." But those screams don't sound like her.
Then I hear groaning. More screaming. "Please!" I hear the girl say again. "Leave me alone!" Then an ear piercing screech... and then slurping sounds.
"Selphie! Stop it!" But all I hear are the teeth gnashing and groaning noises coming from the receiver. I bite my lip and end the call. This is too much. It has to be a joke.
I look out of our little window across the courtyard. I expect to see students walking through to go to class or the cafeteria but I see no one. The wind blows through the trees eerily and the sun is starting to dip down below the horizon. Chills run up and down my arms.
My phone vibrates again in my hand and I almost jump out of my skin. It's a text this time.
From: Riku
Stay inside. Pack clothes/food. Shoes/jacket on. Brt.
I trust Riku with my life so I do just as he said. I lock my door, grab a backpack and fill it with the basics of clothing, the food I have in our mini fridge, and put on my converse and a light-weight jacket. I wrap my headphones around my playstation portable and tuck it in my bag too. I put my cell in my pocket and sit on my bed. I'm fidgeting and wanting to look outside but I make myself stay on the bed.
I hear a thunk at the door. I stand but hesitate to open it. My hands are shaking. There's another thunk, louder this time. I shake myself, unlock the door, and open it. My heart stops.
Standing in the doorway is Selphie. She's bleeding from her side, and her eyes are vacant. She can barely hold her head up. Then I notice her mouth. It's stained around her lips and down her chin in fresh blood. She tries to gnaw at the air. Then she reaches for me. I scramble back and hit the back wall, close to the window.
My brain feels fried. I can't form a coherent thought. She slowly shambles toward me, arms out to snatch me up. I feel the glass of the window behind my left arm. I finally start to think again, and I get ready to break the glass with an elbow strike but she's too close now. I start to panic again and feel around on the wall for anything I could use to escape.
Selphie's softball bat is on my right side. I pick it up and get ready to swing. I go for her chest and sides, too afraid to process the thought of actually killing one of my friends. She goes down after a few hits. My hands are shaking; my breath is coming in gasps.
"Kai! What the hell?" I look up and Riku is in the doorway, a bag on his back and a bat in his hand as well. His long silver hair is pulled back in a pony tail and his aquamarine eyes wide with what I assume is fear.
"She... she..." I can't even speak. Her mouth is open, her eyes blank. What happened to Selphie? Does Riku think I killed her?
He grabs my back pack. "Take the bat with you and let's get out of here." I nod and follow him out. I feel numb. We run out into the student parking lot where Riku's truck is waiting. I get in on the passenger side and sit the bat between my legs. Selphie's blood is on the sides of it. I think I'm going to vomit.
Riku starts up the truck and looks over at me. My hands are shaking so I squeeze them between my legs so he can't see. "We have to get Sora. Then we're outta here. Alright?" He's looking at me, waiting for me to meet his eyes. I do so hesitantly, afraid that he thinks he is looking at a killer. But all I see when I look into his eyes is Riku, my best friend. I nod and look back down at my thighs, away from the blood-splattered bat and the windows.
Riku pulls out quickly and heads toward the boys' dorms. Then a thought hits me.
"Why didn't Sora come with you? You could have left the boys' dorms together." I feel confused, and hope to all that is holy that Sora is okay.
"I didn't come from the dorms, Kai. I came from my parents' house. I went to get those." he tilts his head toward the back seat. I turn to look and see bags or different sizes. I don't understand until I see the barrel of a gun sticking out of one of the larger ones. I shrink back.
"Riku, what the fuck is happening?" I'm on the edge of hysteria, and we're close to the dorms already. I need answers.
"I'll tell you when we have time." He pulls into a parking spot, and I hear him swear under his breath. I follow his line of sight and I see Sora with a golf club in his hand, trying to hit people off of him. My mouth drops open. Are they attacking him? If so, why?
"Stay here. I'm grabbing him then we're gone." And with that, Riku jumps out of the truck, bat in hand, and begins to whack the people away from Sora. I feel my eyes tearing up. Something is happening. Something terrible.
Riku finally gets them away from Sora enough to clear a path and they run back to the truck. I open the door from my seat and Sora jumps inside and into the back seat.
"Ouch! What the hell? I think I sat on a ... gun?" Sora looks as terrified as I do.
Riku gets in and is already backing out of his parking spot. "Later. I promise."
I look back at Sora and his eyes are on the bat in the floorboard. My tummy turns inside out. He must know I might have killed some one. I feel his hand on my shoulder, and I can't stop myself from looking at him.
"It'll be okay Kairi." He looks sincere and I want to believe him. Oh, I do. But this is getting out of control. Much like Riku's driving right now. He's taking curves to fast and driving down back roads. I have yet to see any people. This makes me worry. Why were those people attacking Sora? Why did Selphie look like that? Is this some kind of sick joke? Then I remember Selphie's eyes and the blood around her mouth. No. It's not a joke.
"Maybe you should slow down some. You don't want a ticket." I say. He just laughs and keeps going. I bite my bottom lip, suddenly feeling very, very small. Sora sits quietly in the back, taking the bumps on the road with grace. He catches me looking at me and tries to give me a reassuring smile. I just can't bring myself to smile back. Instead I ask, "Where are we headed?"
"To a bunker for now. We'll camp there for tonight and I'll explain everything." Riku looks as if he's concentrating hard, making sure to drive fast without flipping us over at ever curve or turn. I decide to keep my mouth shut for the rest of the ride.
I peek out of the windows every once in awhile, checking out the scenery, the people, and whatever else could give me a clue as to what's happening. We pass very few houses, most of which look old and abandoned. I have no idea where we are, and it seems like hours of nothing but the noise of the engine and dirt roads before we pull into a driveway of a broken down house. There's a garage that will just barely fit Riku's big truck. Riku hits a button on the side of his steering wheel and the garage door opens automatically. I'm surprised it still works just from looking at the shape of the house and garage. But looks can be deceiving.
The door raises up and not even a second after Riku pulls in, it closes and I hear several locks slide into place. Inside the garage, it looks sterile and strong, like no natural disaster would really do any damage. Steel supports the whole building from what I can tell, and now I begin to wonder what the house looks like inside.
Riku gets out and begins unloading the truck. I start to offer him a hand but when I open my mouth, he gives me a stern look and shakes his head. Sora doesn't bother asking, just climbs out and starts taking out each bag. Riku gets my attention, puts a finger to his lips then points to a small, steel trap door by the front of the truck. I get out, don't bother closing the door for fear of making too much noise, and open the trapdoor as quietly as possible. The guys begin toting the bags down the trap door's ladder. I wait impatiently, hands on my hips. The faster they got this done, the sooner we could get down there and know what the hell was happening.
I check my cell phone, hoping to have a text or missed call from my family or any of my friends. I'm becoming more and more worried by the second, but I have nothing. Not even a text from my younger sister, Namine. I feel like crying again. I just want to know if she has experienced what we have, and if she is okay and safe. I know how afraid my sister gets of thunderstorms; there's no telling how afraid she is right now if she's seen what I've seen today.
Sora grabs the last bag and motions me to go down the ladder first. I hurry over and make my way down the ladder and down into what Riku called "the bunker". We've dropped down into a hallway and directly down the hallway is a weird room, all steel, a keypad secured door, and security cameras watching the ladder, room, and door. Riku stands at the door, punches in a few numbers, and swings the door open. My mouth drops open.
It's like a steel home under ground, is my first thought. Riku takes the last bag and begins giving us a tour. Sora doesn't seem as surprised as me, so I'm guessing he's already seen some of the bunker from bringing in the bags. The first room is what Riku calls the weapons and power room. Generators line the walls with pack up power supplies, barrels of gasoline and oil, and spare solar panels. Farther into the room are stacks and stacks of weapons. I see guns of all shapes and sizes and even grenades. There are swords and knives, bats and golf clubs, axes and bows with arrows at the ready. I start to get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach; this is a war room.
We go through the next steel door and we enter a very large kitchen-slash-living room combo. To the right there's a TV set up with three couches and three arm chairs. Books line the shelves surrounding the big screen television. On the left is the kitchen, complete with two sinks, an island, a microwave, toaster, two ovens and many cabinets. Riku tells us the cabinets store even more appliances and several sets of dishes and cutlery.
I bite my bottom lip to keep keep from screaming. I want to know what's going on. I don't have to wait long to get my answer. Thankfully, Riku puts the last bag in front of the television and looks up at us with sad eyes.
"Take a seat guys. This is going to sound crazy." Riku looks down at the bag and unzips it. I take a seat on the center couch and Sora sits beside me. I see out of the corner of my eye that his hands are shaking like mine. Sora can put on this brave face, but I know how scared he is. I take his hand and give it a light squeeze. He looks up at me but I give Riku my attention.
He sighs and begins taking out each item from the bag. "What's happening here is something hard to understand. It's going to be hard to believe. My dad knew it was going to happen; he just didn't know the day. We've been preparing, ever since I was old enough to understand." He lays out three hand guns. "My dad isn't who you think he is. He's a scientist working for the government. Since the 1970's, he's been working on a new military weapon."
Riku pulls out two first aid kits. "It's a disease. One that kills the brain, renders a soldier from doing his job. In sense, it's suppose to handicap them. And it's contained in a grenade in little shards that pierce the skin." He takes out a shot gun. "My dad knew everything about this. He also knew that the chemicals used to make the disease would cause the body to... reanimate itself, but only part of the brain would work."
I gasp. I can't hold back the tears that are in my eyes and rolling down my cheeks. "So... the people who become... infected with this virus... die and come back to life?"
Riku pours out the rest of the bag, and it's all ammo for the guns. "Pretty much, but here's the catch. They feed on flesh. Human flesh if they can get it, which they can right now. The disease is spread by blood or bodily fluid contact. So Dad warned them of the effects of the disease. From the looks of things today, I guess they didn't listen."
I grip the edge of the couch. Selphie. She didn't deserve that. And the thought makes me cry even more. Sora rubs my arm but I feel so numb.
"Dad sent me a text in our code word if this was to happen. So I got started on my end, I grabbed what I could, went to the house and got the weapons, then came back for my two best friends..." Riku stood and looked at us. "Dad isn't joining us in the bunker. He's got his own end to do. For now, we wait."
"No!" I cry out. "Namine, we have to get her. We have to get my sister. What about our families?" My vision is blurred with tears as I look at him, begging him with my eyes and voice to listen. He shakes his head at me like I'm a five year old who can't understand why she can't have candy for dinner, but I refuse to give up. "Sora, what about Roxas? How do you think you can bear to live down here knowing your twin is up there fighting for his life?" Someone has to listen. Someone has to!
Sora looks deep in thought, and I hope I reached him in some way. Then he looks up at Riku. "How long do we have to get them and get back here safely?"
"About One week. If that." Riku scratches the back of his head. "We can't leave... It's not safe. This disease will spread fast."
"We're getting Roxas and Namine and my parents. We're not leaving them. Roxas and my parents are only a few miles from the school at our house."
"Getting Namine is going to be the hardest... She is about thirty miles away at her school." I take out my phone and send her a text.
To: Namine
Pack and be ready to leave.
I'm confident that Riku will let us get our families. Riku chews his bottom lip, looking at both of us in turn. He must see how stubborn we are because he throws his hands up. I smile victoriously. "Fine. But after that week is up, we're back here, with or without them."
"We need to have a meet up point with them that's safe." Sora says.
Riku nods. "Yeah, the best thing for your parents and Roxas is to pack and board up the windows and doors. Let no light out at night and be as quiet as possible. And don't get bit or scratched. Better yet, tell them not to come in contact with them at all. As for Namine... She needs to get as close to here as she can so we can make it back here in a week."
Sora goes to the power room to call his parents and I can already hear him yelling into the phone and trying to make them listen. Namine and I lost our parents years ago. Maybe it was better that we had now. She's my everything, always has been. I speed dial two on my cell and call Namine.
"Kai? Is it you?" Her voice is trembling.
"Yes, it's me. Are you alright?"
"The news, have you seen it? People are going crazy. I'm so afraid." I hear her take a breath like she's trying to steady her voice. "I need you, Kai."
"Nami, listen to me. Pack some clothes, get in the jeep and get to..." I drop my voice and whisper the name of our secret spot. It was a place we went to as kids to get away from our foster parents. "I know you're fifteen miles away but you've got to get there. Don't stop until you are there. Then hide. They shouldn't be able to reach you there. Don't let them even touch you. I'm coming for you."
"I love you Kairi. I'll even go over the speed limit. I'll be there tomorrow..." My younger sister has always been so careful and safe. Then I hear screams in the back ground. "I'm going right now. I'll see you there."
"I love you Namine. Text me every chance you get."
"I will." Then she hangs up. I hold my phone to my chest. Suddenly it feels like a lifeline to the one thing I've always been able to count on in my life: my sister.
"Kai. Kai? Kairi, wake up." Was it a dream? I rub my eyes and look up, but it's almost pitch black until my eyes adjust. Sora is leaning over me, his blue eyes full of concern. So it's not a dream, and I sigh. And that's how we ended up here in this building. We're making our way through the city to grab Sora's family, then we'll be off to get my little sister, and finally, we'll all be able to rest in the bunker under Riku's guidance.