The digital clock went off making Karai stir from her sleep. She squeezed her eyes shut before glaring tiredly at the device reading 6:00 A.M. She reached down and searched around with her hand and grabbed a slipper. It tumbled over the night stand once the slipper made impact and partially unplugged it from the wall. Karai huffed, resting her face in her pillows not wanting to move. Suddenly, she could hear someone knocking from the other side of the door.
"You awake Karai?"
She sighed. "Yeah Mom, I'll be down in a few."
"OK; we're getting ready for work so hurry up and say bye to your father."
She watched her mother's shadow from under the door pass by. Once sitting up and rubbing the remaining sleep from her eyes, Karai looked around and shuffled through her belongings before glancing towards the bedroom window, which was closed. And to her desktop, which was off. She started to think about the eerie conversation she had seen on facebook, and the faint sounds she thought of as gun shots.
Maybe the whole thing was a dream?
Soon she was up and dressed and heading downstairs. The rest of the family were in the kitchen with Ryan adjusting his walkie talkie attached to his shoulder and Evada handing Karai an egg sandwich. Evada then rummaged through her veterinarian bag, taking a double check in case she was missing anything. "Anything new going on at the Animal hospital?" Rin asked, taking a bite from an English muffin. "Got a couple of surgeries to do today...then I have to make a visit to the Miller farm and examine the Animals there for any health issues. The people are very good to them at least. And...well, whatever else the day has in store for me I guess."
"What about you?" Rin gestured to Ryan.
"A very, very long shift on the other side of town."
"They assigned you a day shift on the other side of town? Why?" Jay questioned with squinted eyes.
"It's just how the schedule is. I may not be back till late tonight."
Karai sat at the kitchen table with her legs up to her chest and eating a granola bar now. She chewed while watching everyone, then rewrapped her earphones around her ipod.
"Alright, I'm off." Evada announced, walking over to Karai and placing a kiss on her head. She air slapped kisses at her sons before locking lips with Ryan and made her way for the door. "I love you all, have a good day and I'll see you tonight."
"Hey Mom, we should get an Animal at some point." Jay suddenly suggested.
Evada looked from him to Ryan who shrugged. "Yeah...I've been thinking of getting a pet. Maybe a German Shepard?"
"How about a Cat?" Karai said.
"Geckos." Rin voiced his opinion.
"Hamsters are cute." Evada smiled.
"A Gorilla." Jay grinned.
Everybody gave him a strange gaze.
"Why? Where the hell are you going to put a Gorilla?" Ryan questioned.
"I'll find a spot."
"Why do you want a?-No, ne-never mind, no Gorillas! We'll discuss it tonight." Evada shook her head. Ryan was right behind her now, since they were leaving at the same time. He waved to his three kids and closed the door behind them. Leaving the trio alone until Jay sighed. "Don't want to go to school, I just want to stay home and relax."
"You'll survive. It's just for half the day." Rin replied with his mouth full. Their parents started up their vehicles and pulled out of the driveway, honking their horns as they left.
"That's still too long!"
Rin spat in the sink and looked to Karai who had spaced out. "Hey, you alright?"
"Hm? Oh yeah. I'm fine."
"Uh...are you sure?"
She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it again. "...Nothing, it's nothing."
Jay stared at her before shifting his eyes to a suspicious Rin. The older sibling paused, then shrugged a shoulder. "Alright I guess?"
"Wait, that news report's gotten you shaken up don't it?" Jay guessed.
"Yeah, that's it."
"It is pretty creepy..." Jay added, looking out a window. "Let's not think about it. Everything's fine; come on we gotta go." Rin assured. With that, all three wolfed down the rest of their breakfast and grabbed their bags. Soon they were in the truck and heading for the high school.
...
"Guess what I watched for the first time last night?" Marka exclaimed. "I thought you were SO TIRED that you couldn't lift your pinkie." Trevor said sarcastically. Marka gave him the eye. "I didn't say that, and it's called waking up after a deserved nap. Anyway, I watched Jurassic World." Karai looked to her "oh really? Is it good?"
"Woman, it's fucking awesome!"
"Don't tell me anything! I haven't seen it yet!" Jay yelled. "You ain't getting a thing outta me." the Hawaiian grinned with pride. They stared at one another until an intense look washed over Jay's face. "Goddamn it! Tell me one little part, just one!"
Marka laughed "nope."
"Come on! Just one!"
"Yeah...no." Marka walked off, with a whining Jay at her heels. "No, Don't say anything, I want to see it too!" Rin called after them. Karai nodded agreeing.
"I can agree to that. It's pretty great." Trevor said "I guess my cousin'll be coming by later before we leave today. You know, the one in Georgia."
"Jasmin? I thought she was in college." Karai replied. "She is, but their school year ended early. She's driving up here to see me and the family, and texted me a little while ago saying she'll stop by the school to drop me off something. She's probably in the city already."
"Oh cool."
Marka and Jay returned to the group with the Hawaiian a bit agitated now and Jay started screeching. "OK, enough bro." Rin lightly pushed him away "we can get it tomorrow or something."
The first bell rang and all the students began heading for their classes. A large group of them walked for the gym. Karai watched them go, slightly wondering what the PE teachers had in store in them.
The sound of coughing met her ears.
She saw another teenager coughing into her fist. A couple of her friends-she assumed-stood close to her asking if she was alright. The teenager sniffled, assured them she was quite fine, and Karai had to continue on her way as the coughs became a bit louder.
...
Fourth period was already here. The first three flew by and the day was quickly coming to an end. All the students were getting anxious for the final bell to ring.
Only forty minutes to go.
A soccer ball soared through the air from a hard kick, as the players on both teams chased after it outside. The PE teachers watched intensely, waiting to write down another score. An officer, one who patrolled the school grounds, stood by the two adults watching on in amusement.
"I remember when I played soccer when I was little. Long before we met." Trevor said, watching the classes. Karai nodded placing her pencil down. She looked to him with a smile "were you into any other sports?"
"Hockey, basketball. Now just swimming."
"Swimming's awesome."
"I know."
The two were in a study block together; and since she was now done with her homework, she joined him by the window.
"Have you thought of getting into any sports?" he asked.
"Mm. I don't know, I thought of tennis once." She replied with hands on hips.
He shrugged, "I guess I can see you in tennis."
Karai turned around to look at the clock on the wall for the third time, and heard the sound of coughing in the hall again.
Only now...it sounded more violent.
Her eyes shifted over to the little window by the classroom door and sees the same girl from earlier quickly strolling pass with someone else by her side for support. She hunched over and gagged into her hand and then they were out of sight.
Their study hall teacher looked up from her desktop. But the other kids paid no mind.
"Well...I hope she'll be alright."
Suddenly, the intercom overhead came on.
"Trevor Persky, to the main office please. Trevor Persky."
The teacher gave him the OK so he hopped down from his spot. "It's probably Jasmin." he said, which Karai nodded to. He rubbed an arm and was out of the classroom as she watched him go. She turned back to the classes playing soccer out on the field and was actually quite amused watching them. She chuckled quietly if one messed up, silently commented "yay" if a team scored a goal, and so on. But when she looked beyond the field, out towards the bushes and trees, movement caught her eyes. Karai squinted them as all attention from both classes went to it. A figure staggered out of the woods. Walking strangely. Arms swinging limply to and fro...the officer walked ahead of everyone after some long intense moments. He held a hand out as if he was trying to talk to the person who looked as if they...were twitching now. She could see that everyone on the field were becoming increasingly nervous. With one teacher pulling her hat off and rubbing her head nervously. Another student in the room walked over to the window. "Hey, something's happening!" she said, grabbing everyone's curiosity. So then the whole group was crowding the windows.
A siren pierced the air, and Karai noticed something on the front of the person's shirt. Something red.
Dark red.
Blood.
It was blood.
She held her breath, as said person suddenly screamed an ungodly scream and sprinted wildly at the officer. He quickly pulled out his gun and fired, sending two bullets into the chest and one finally in the head. Everyone outside started screaming in horror while the body dropped as Karai's classmates shouted, gasped and yelled "oh my God!" all around her. Some even pulled out their devices to record the scene. The officer then radioed back up with a request for an ambulance while the classes were coming back inside. "Get away from the windows now!" She heard their teacher demand. Some obeyed, most stayed put to watch what else would happen. Making the adult walk over to them, sweating in fear from what she just witnessed and began pushing a couple of them away. Making the other kids return to their seats and start grabbing their things.
Nervously, Karai stored her notebooks and pens into her bag, zipped it shut and slung it over her shoulders. And then, more gun fire from right out the window started up again. The teenager swung her head towards the window for the second time as everybody else quickly gathered around them again. "Holy shit!" one boy shouted over the others' loud yelling. Karai pushed pass all of them just in time to the the officer shooting down more figures running animalistically in his direction. They were all yelling out the open windows for the officer to get out of there, when another figure appeared behind the cop and looked to be sneaking up on him as he went to reload his gun.
"Behind you!" Karai screamed.
The officer turned, looked up at her and then gets tackled violently to the ground from the crazed human. His weapon flew far out of his reach as the person on top of him started wildly beating the man in a frenzied fashion. They were about the same size, so he couldn't just throw his attacker off himself. He tried fighting the person off, screaming and cursing and throwing his own fists up as he kicked his legs underneath them. The attacker leaned down and bit into the side of his neck, and dark blood gushed out of the gouge and all over the ground; leaving the officer screaming even louder in pain mixed in with the frightened wails of the classmates. They rushed for the door as Karai backed away, gripping onto the side of a desk and knocking over a chair in the process. She stared at the windows from where she stood, whimpering in terror with her mind spinning.
The attacker continued beating violently on the officer, who was weakening quickly from blood loss. They pounded into his face as hard as they could, breaking knuckles and cheek bones and making squelching sounds before snatching up a rock nearby and smashing the rest of his face in with it. More blood squirted up in thick and thin streams with each hit. One of the officer's eyes hung loosely from its socket as his body went limp. But the attacker didn't stop there. They grabbed both sides of his head despite broken bones in one hand and began slamming his head up and down on the ground. The body twitched and shook under them slightly until suddenly, the attacker stopped; Let go of the officer's head which was now attached to a broken neck, surrounded in brain matter and rose to their feet in their gored, bloodied glory. They growled in an animalistic tone. Blood, saliva and sweat dripped off them before running off in search for another victim.
...
Karai listened as the intercom came back on over the loud panic of everyone running and screaming in the hallways. She stood quivering in one corner of the empty classroom eyeing the door trying to decide if she should stay in here or find another way out. She could hear a voice on the intercom, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Her breath was heavy, she was scared but she didn't start crying like any teenage girl would at this point. Finally, she paced to the door and peered out the little window; watching as all the other kids raced by. Some were even kicking, punching and slamming each other around for a quick and desperate clear path of escape. Others were shoved down and trampled, and Karai swore she could hear their bones splintering and breaking underneath the stampede.
More screams filled the air outside, and now the voice on the intercom was also wailing in agony and terror and begging for help. She looked to it then back out at the hallway to find it less full. Karai quickly looked and explored around the room for some sort of weapon. She rushed over to the paper cutter and tried breaking the blade off, twisting and pulling at it with all her strength. Grunting, she placed a foot up against it and pulled again. She let go and staggered away, huffing in annoyance.
Cautiously and after what seemed to feel like an eternity, she slowly walked back over to the window and peered out again while gingerly taking the doorknob. With the pace of a Snail and her eyes shifting back and forth, Karai very carefully opened the door. Loud, shaky breaths escaped her lips until she was able to peek her head out and get a better look. Screams echoed down one end, it was a mess and lockers were stained with blood from students who were injured in the panic. She could see crippled, trampled bodies laying broken on the floor throughout the hall.
'What the fuck's going on?...Wait...'
Last night's news report echoed in her head.
'Great.'
Karai exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. She had to find her brothers and friends. Cautiously, she left the classroom and let the door slide shut behind her. She looked around once more before quickly making her way down the hall. Then she started running. She burst through a pair of double doors until something else slammed open behind her. Karai whipped her eyes over her shoulder seeing a teenage boy standing in another doorway-bloodied, growling and crazed staring at her murderously before releasing a shriek and charged her. She tried moving out of the way but he was too quick; he slammed into her and they fell down the flight of stairs ahead of them.
Karai cried out in pain as the infected didn't seem to be fazed at all. Horrific sounds tore from his throat while he scrambled on top of her and started wildly clawing at the girl. She pushed away, kicked, beat on his chest and screamed into his face as blood and drool dribbled down his chin. She looked into his eyes that held a haunting crazed glare before grabbing a fistful of his matted hair and slammed his head into the wall repeatedly. He gasped and choked on his own spit as he rabidly tried to bite into her; instead he ended up scratching her across her cheek, leaving four small scratches and trickles of blood streaming down her skin.
"GET THE HELL OFF ME!"
Suddenly, the door below them was blown open, and Karai heard a pair of footsteps racing up after them. The infected was violently ripped off of her body and slammed into the nearest wall. She looked up through squinted eyes seeing Rin shouting in rage while driving a pocket knife into the infected's head. He quickly and repeatedly stabbed the attacker; with blood and fluid squirting all over the wall behind it. The infected's body sunk to the floor, dragging Rin down with it until the older teenager was satisfied with his kill.
Both were trembling and breathing violently; staring at the body. They slowly looked at one another as Rin held his hand out to her.
"Are you OK?"
She nodded, taking his hand. "Where did you get a knife?"
"I always carry a knife."
"Since when?"
Rin slid his hand down part of his face. "Look, that's not important right now. We have to find everyone else and get the fuck outta here. Now stay close and follow me." Karai nodded, and he opened the door he came through when they reached it. He picked up a baseball bat from the floor right outside the doorway where he dropped it and handed it to her.
Karai took it without hesitation. "Did you call Mom and Dad?"
"I haven't had a chance to yet."
The main halls on the first floor of the building were in no better condition than the halls above. Blood and gore decorated the walls, floor and ceiling, notebooks, paper, bags and several other items laid scattered all over accompanied by mutilated bodies. The glass case containing the school's most prized trophies was shattered and classroom doors were either broken in or partially ripped off their hinges. Lockers were smashed in and damaged light bulbs flickered above the two. Rin gazed at her with a set jaw and determination fierce in his eyes. Both nodded and raised their weapons, not saying anything about the continuing screams coming from outside or deeper in the school. Karai followed close behind her brother as they scurried through the halls.
"Had everything under control my ass." Rin hissed.
Karai glanced outside while passing by another large window. A small group of infected broke down a set of doors with unbelievable strength, and tackled the victims trying to get inside down. The same scene she has seen more than enough times already played again before her and the baseball bat shook visibly in her hands.
"Don't look, just keep going."
She did as told, until a janitor closet came into view. "Wait, Rin, let's hide in there for a second so I can call them."
He looked at what she was pointing to and nodded "kay."
Both dove into the closet with Rin locking the door behind them as Karai pulled out her cell phone, brought up her contacts and first dialed their mother. She held it up to her ear waiting eagerly for her to answer. Rin stared at his sister intently until Evada finally picked up.
"Ka-rai? Hell-o? Can you-ear-e?"
"Mom, we're still at the school and everything's!-"
"Where are y-ou?! Yo-u're breaking up, you nee-d to!-"
"What's going on?" Rin questioned.
"Can you hear me Mom?! I said we're at the school and-"
There was a scream in the background.
"-God...O-h my God...Je-sus no! G-Awa!-AAHH!-"
"Mom! What's going on?!" Karai shrieked into the phone, now on the verge of tears. "What's happening?!"
There was another horrific scream followed by crashes. Then the line went dead.
Both siblings stared at one another with wide, frightened eyes. Karai tried dialing their mother again and again, but no one answered. Tears dripped down her cheeks as Rin ran his hands through his hair petrified with ragged breaths. She slowly knelt down crying softly and Rin reached out for the phone.
"...Give me the phone...I'm-I'm going to try Dad's...OK?..." he gingerly plucked the phone out of her hands and dialed their father. Several long rings passed, but Ryan never answered the call. He tried a few more times, eventually receiving the voice mail. So then he tried the police department phone number and waited for someone to answer in silence.
"The South Carolina police department is very busy with several other emergency calls. Please wait for someone to assist you or try again later."
Karai looked down at her hands which were speckled in blood from the infected that attacked her.
"Goddamn it..." Rin growled, hanging up the phone "no one's answering."
"S-so now what?..." Karai weakly asked, taking back her phone.
"Like I said, we'll find the others and get the hell out of here. Find our families and get somewhere safe."
She nodded meekly.
"Hey," Rin placed his hands on her shoulders. "We'll be alright. You'll be alright. I promise...you're going to be OK Karai."
She nodded again as he handed her the baseball bat again. "Now, let's get out of here."
Cautiously, Karai opened the door and both peered out in both directions before they slid out of the closet. She followed her brother as he was about to lead her to the west part of the school building when another set of double doors slammed open, and a group of infected stumbled through them screaming and gurgling in their own blood. Their eyes rested on the brother and sister and their faces contorted into rage and fury. Karai recognized one of the infected as the girl from earlier. The girl having a mad coughing fit. The girl claiming that she was just fine.
The girl stared at her with an unnatural, animalistic hatred she couldn't understand. Her torn face twisted in an ugly, angry, bloody and hellbent detest that burned a hole into Karai's very soul and she screeched while charging forward with the rest of the sick.
"GO!" Rin roughly snatched the front of her shirt and pushed her ahead of him. "Just go! There's too many of them!"
And then they were running. Running for their lives with the infected not far behind. They crashed through yet another door and sprinted up the steps when Rin tripped over himself. Karai screeched to a halt and helped him up. They barely had enough time to start running again. She swung the bat as hard as she could into the closest infected's skull, making a sickening cracking noise as it caved in and smashing its face into the wall. Rin kicked another back down the steps, sending it crashing into the others and they all fell half way down the steps. The pair made it to the second floor as the infected collected themselves; soon giving pursuit again.
They ran pass a room they paid no attention to. The door to it opened, and Jay was suddenly standing in the infected crowd's way firing bullets into their skulls with the desert eagle held firmly in his hold and face grim. Rin and Karai screeched to a stop again, watching on in bewilderment at their younger brother.
"Jay!" Karai shouted as the last body dropped.
"Yeah?" he turned to them dully.
"Where the fuck did you get a gun?" Rin questioned.
"From the dead cop outside...hey! It's not like I had a choice or anything! I couldn't find a decent weapon nearby!" he added when Karai gave him a look of disgust. "Get in here." Both followed Jay into the room as he locked the door behind them. Karai hugged their younger sibling as Rin gave him a pat on the shoulder. They nodded to each other and started talking about what's happened so far as Karai looked around. She spotted Marka huddled in a corner with hands clasped over her ears.
"Marka."
The Hawaiian slowly looked up at her friend, seeing parts of her clothes and skin were stain in blood. Her eyes were brimmed with tears as she shakily got up and rushed over to hug Karai. "What the hell's happening? What's the hell's going on?! I thought they had that damn virus quarantined! A-are you OK?...You weren't bitten were you? Did you get a hold of your parents? I can't get a hold of mine and-and!-"
"Hey, hey, hey, calm down alright? Relax. I'm fine, I wasn't bitten. We can't get a hold of our parents either...we both tried."
Jay looked to Rin in horror and disbelief. And Rin could only shake his head...confirming it was true. He sat down in a chair, resting the gun on the table and spaced out, sighing not knowing what to say or do.
Both girls looked outside again at the city. Dark black smoke filled the air in thick streams from several buildings; and they could see the light of fire through several windows. Down below everyone was running, being chased, shooting or getting the beating of a lifetime once driven into the ground by the infected. Screams, sirens, gunfire, explosions filled the air with the added noises of vehicles crashing into one another or into something else. They witnessed an entire coach bus fly up and crash back down onto its side, sliding across the ground and crushing unfortunate souls who couldn't get out of the way in time. The streets continued to fill with dark crimson blood and gore and windows were smashed as more unlucky victims were torn out of their hiding spaces and bludgeoned to death beyond any recognition at all.
"My God...everything was fine this morning. Everything was alright..." Marka quietly said.
Karai pulled the blinds down so they wouldn't be spotted. And then, all four of them heard the doorknob jiggling frantically before loud pounding came from the other side of it. Alarmed, they all held up their weapons. Jay snatched the gun and pulled the trigger back while Marka's weapon being a golf club. Rin looked to the younger teens and unlocked the door. He opened it and flung himself away, knife ready as everyone else prepared themselves. Jay immediately held the gun up, which earned him a shout for mercy.
"Hey! It's me! It's me!"
Everybody relaxed, and allowed Trevor to come inside holding a bloody and battered cricket bat. He was sweaty, his shirt also covered in blood and grime from whatever else came his way. "Shit man...this is nuts."
"Told ya it wouldn't be fun!" Marka retorted.
"Oi, I said the panic in the beginning would be a pain, now did I?"
Someone else entered the room behind him wielding a katana that was in no better shape than the rest of their weapons.
"I knew it was Jasmin." Trevor grinned to Karai. She only smiled back.
"What's up everyone?" Jasmin greeted casually while closing and locking the door. Then she turned to Jay as she rested her blade on her shoulder. "Where'd you get the gun?"
"Um, from outside...I don't have many bullets left."
"Oh." she nodded once before spitting a piece of gum out to the side on the floor and walked further into the room. "Wait, how'd you guys know we were in here?" Marka asked.
"Uh...we heard your voices while passing by?" Trevor answered.
Jasmin calmly joined Karai's side and leaned her katana against the wall before pulling a blind down to take a look outside. "Any of you get a hold of your families? This shit's crazy."
"No, none of us can get a hold of them." Karai replied.
"Same with us," Trevor started "we tried multiple times in the main offices."
Rin and Jay had pushed one of the heavy desks up against the door. "Hey, try the T.V, they might be talking about this." Rin instructed. So Jasmin grabbed the remote off a counter and switched in on. After flicking through a bunch of channels, she found the news selection. All eyes were glued to the screen starving to know what was going on.
"-The large and rapid spread of this mysterious, infectious disease has infected residents far faster than doctors expected. According to experts, this virus, known as the Green Flu, is believed to be a mutated strain of rabies which attacks the hosts brain; causing them to lose higher brain functions and makes the host extremely violent and very homicidal. It is believed about fifteen-thousand individuals have been infected with the virus so far, and the death rates have rapidly increased in only a matter of hours..."
"This ain't no flu..." Jasmin muttered grimly.
"...Experts have also stated this virus mutates daily. It is likely the extensive mutation arise from common factors. However, the exact factors remain a mystery. While the origin of this disease is also unknown, it is suspected one or more individuals have contacted it somehow outside the quarantined areas; which is how it spread this outbreak further southeast, northeast and west. The military urges non-infected individuals to remain calm and stay indoors. Do not go outside unless absolutely necessary. It is also encouraged to stay armed if needed..."
"So, we're in an apocalypse. A zombie fucking apocalypse. This is just great." Marka scoffed.
"Well," Jay started, joining her side. "Technically, they're not zombies. I haven't seen them eat human flesh; and zombies don't scream in pain when you shoot them. Basically, they're living humans sick with this 'Green Flu' and it turns them into deranged lunatics like the reporter just said."
"Oh whatever. Zombies, psychotic sick people, we're still in an apocalypse."
Karai observed the photos flash across the television's screen, showing what exactly was going on outside the school's walls. Huge vehicle crashes, buildings crumbling down, explosions, soldiers shooting and killing infected, the infected attacking victims...then a video of one of the sick played with it trying to attack whoever held the camera. Their screams, both feral and full of horror made Karai want to tear her ears off. But she remained calm, and looked back to the others as the video flashed to static.
"...We need to get the fuck outta here." Rin stated the obvious. "Where are we gonna go once we leave the school?" Trevor asked.
"We should stop by our house and get ourselves real weapons." Jay suggested, earning a curious glance from Jasmin. "Our Dad's a state trooper, so he keeps a bunch of guns in a safe in our basement. He taught us how to use them for self defense, and I say this is the perfect opportunity to use them just for that. Have you ever shot a gun?"
"Yes sir I have," Jasmin replied, picking up her katana. "Good with 'em too. Though I prefer hand to hand combat."
"Then let's do it," Rin said "grab what we can at the house, if we can't get out of here today we'll hold up somewhere for the night then haul ass tomorrow. 'Cause we sure as hell are not staying put."
He and Trevor moved to either side of the desk, looking at one another with determination while grasping it and looked to the other four. Everybody readied their weapons, with Jay pointing the gun to the floor. They all nodded for the boys to move the desk. Once it was out of the way, they peered out finding one end of the hall infested with the infected. One looked towards them; its face pulled into a sneer and it charged as it released rabid, gibberish shrieks. Both pulled back into the room, telling everyone what was out there.
Jasmin heard the infected coming. "I got this..." She walked ahead of everyone, watched as the infected came closer as she raised her katana, and stuck the blade deep into its head. Its gargled shrieks were cut short while she pulled the katana out. The body collapsed as thick blood streamed and dripped off the weapon, making a pit pit pit noise when it hit the floor.
Then, she signaled everyone to follow her while keeping her eye on the horde down the hall. They snuck away as quietly as they could out of the room and tipped toed for the staircase.
...
The sun was setting.
The group of six crouched by a main door, staring out at the parking lot crawling with the sick. Crows and Ravens were pecking at bodies. There was a clear path ahead leading to Rin's truck and Jasmin's silver dodge viper.
"How are we gonna get through that?" Marka hissed. "...Well, we all have enough blood on us to mask our smells, maybe they'll leave us alone?" she added hopefully.
"Our smell?" Jay shook his head "this isn't The Walking Dead Marks."
"It was a thought."
Karai tapped her fingers against the corner of the wall in thought. "Maybe they can be distracted somehow." Looking around, she snuck over to a body and searched its pockets. She eventually pulled out a phone and checked the playlist. She cranked the volume as loud it could, cracked the door open and played a song. Loud Metallica music screeched from the speakers and Karai chucked it as far as she could away from the vehicles. Everyone watched, as the infected glared in the direction and ran over to investigate. When they couldn't figure out where it was exactly coming from, despite the phone lying right in front of them, they all started beating on one another snarling and shrieking.
Karai narrowed her eyes at the sight before Trevor nudged her forward. The small group quietly moved on, casting a glance now and then at death not far from them.
"Let's take the truck." Karai said, to which everyone agreed.
"My poor baby..." Jasmin whispered sadly, eyeing her sports car.
Jay kept watch on the group from the back. However, as they were making their way across the parking lot, an infected noticed him. It growled, shrilled, and leaped on him from behind. He yelled in surprise as they fell onto the hard concrete. His five companions whirled around in shock and rushed over to help him as Jay fought furiously with his attacker. He shot off the gun, sending a bullet between its eyes; causing fluid, blood and brain matter to spray all over his face and chest.
The group of infected turned their heads at them.
Trevor's eyes widened "oh...shit..."
"Brace yourselves!" he shouted as Karai and Marka helped Jay up. They looked on in horror with the infected racing after them in bloodied, raging fury. Jasmin unsheathed her katana and swiftly sliced half the head off of one infected, its arms flailed at her as it hit the ground. Trevor smashed in another's skull with his cricket bat as Rin slit one's throat wide open. Its neck jerked back, ripping flesh and exposing its windpipe. Fluid sprayed out of it as he turned and kicked another back, he stomped in its face as Karai shoved a couple of them away. They came at her again. And for a moment, just a moment, she hesitated. Thinking about when they were recently normal people. Someone shouted her name when they got closer. With a yell, she smashed in their frontal lobes, caving them in and turned to Marka for assistance.
Marka swung her golf club into another infected's face; unaware she was about to be ambushed by a small group from behind. Jasmin, Karai and Trevor all attacked at once, smashing and slicing their throats, faces and heads in and beat them until they were no more than just gory pulps.
"Come on! Let's go!" Jay screamed, standing by the truck and shooting at more incoming infected from afar.
"Quit shooting! You'll attract more of 'em!" Jasmin shouted, stabbing her katana through another's sick, beating heart.
"Excuse me for trying to help!"
"Dibs on driving!" Trevor hollered in excitement as they sprinted for the truck.
"Augh! Alright fine!" Rin yelled back, tossing the keys his way before stabbing an infected in the skull. He ripped his knife out, creating a thick stream of blood and bits of flesh to fly into the air. Trevor caught the keys one handed and unlocked the doors. As quick as they could, the group scrambled inside shouting over one another as Karai and Jasmin swung and cut away at attackers who got too close. When all was clear, Karai jumped in the back and Jasmin in the trunk.
"Let's go! Hurry up!" Jay yelled.
"You're making me NERVOUS!" Trevor shot back, with the keys shaking in his hand until he got them in the ignition.
"Now's not the time to be fucking around Trev, just go!" Jasmin shouted, patting the roof of the cabin.
"They're coming!" Marka bellowed.
He turned over the engine with everyone yelling and was about to pull out when Rin placed a firm hand on his arm.
"Do. Not. Flood it. It's probably the only thing I have left."
"Don't worry dude," Trevor assured.
"I swear to God, if you destroy my truck Imma destroy you!"
Trevor grinned as he backed out and burnt rubber as he shot the truck forward. He ran a new group of infected over, splattering blood and organs all over the hood and sides and shattered bones under the wheels.
"It's the apocalypse! Let's have some fun!" Jasmin cheered with a laugh. Suddenly, she heard a wheezy scream; making her grin fade. Before her brain could process what she heard, a long, wet appendage shot out from behind a bundle of trees and wrapped itself around her upper arm and shoulder. She yelped when it yanked her back, sending her to the floor and slamming her into the tail gate. As the truck moved on, the appendage snagged before it went limp. Jasmin shook the impact off then took a look at what grabbed her strangely. She looked over the tail gate in the direction where it came from, but whatever it was either left or stayed hidden in the trees.
...
Trevor very violently drove the truck at a ridiculous speed towards Karai, Jay and Rin's home. They all shouted in surprise and slight fear as they got closer in only a matter of seconds. But Trevor turned the wheel and the truck screeched to a halt in the driveway. He shut the blood and gore covered vehicle off and everyone hopped out shaking lightly.
Rin opened his eyes, and relaxed seeing that everyone and everything was still in one piece and alive.
"I swear...I thought we were going to drive straight through the house. I must be delirious..." he muttered, hopping out as well.
Jasmin leaped out of the trunk, and Trevor froze seeing the appendage. "...What the hell is that?"
"I don't know. It grabbed me as we were leaving."
"It kinda looks like a tongue..."
The group of six rushed inside, warily looking in all directions as they went and froze at the sight in front of them.
Inside the house was ransacked.
The three siblings looked around nervously, as the sound of helicopters flying in the distance could faintly be heard.
"...Karai..." Marka started, until her friend shook her head. "Their cars aren't here. I don't think they ever made it home. That's if they're...they're..."
"They are." Jay comforted, walking over and squeezing her shoulder. Karai exhaled deeply, as Rin rubbed his head nervously.
Jasmin walked around, examining the family photos on the wall. "Let's try our folks again," Trevor suggested, making his cousin look over at them.
So the kids and Jasmin did just that; but as before, no one answered their calls.
"Where the hell are they?" Marka breathed. "Do you think they're with the military? If not, should we find them and go to them for safety?"
"Hell no," Jay replied "have you seen movies? Apocalyptic situations and the military don't mix well together. We're going to find them and search for our own safe place."
Marka shrugged "if you say so I guess."
Trevor rummaged through the fridge after Rin's approval for them to help themselves. Jasmin pulled out a cold container of whiskey from the back of the fridge as Karai jogged up the steps. "Hope you don't mind," the katana wielder said, holding the container up. Rin dismissed it as being alright and so she treated herself to some alcohol after a long day of fighting. She continued walking around and exploring the house, noticing something on the wall near one of the ruined doors leading outside.
Claw marks.
...
Karai reached under her bed and pulled out her machete. She unsheathed it from the holster and looked the weapon over. The things she had seen as they were getting here would not leave her mind.
Infected ripping people out of their vehicles, endless gunfire with bodies littering the streets. Vehicles flipped on their sides or upside down in which some were actually on fire. There appeared to be a huge riot going on down another street, people frantically raiding super markets and drug stores, some fought viciously over different reasons she couldn't see, the sick ferociously chasing down helpless families and just so many violent, ruthless bloody attacks...
"Nice machete."
The teenager looked over her shoulder finding Jasmin leaning in her doorway. She joined her side and asked for permission to sit on her bed to which Karai nodded to. Jasmin sighed, taking another sip of whiskey. She offered some to the teen, and Karai gulped down a few sips.
"You OK?"
Karai blinked. "No...this kind of shit only happens in horror movies."
"Well, that's what the world is and always will be. A never ending reality horror movie. Only it just got worse."
"Right?"
Jasmin giggled "so...where'd you get the blade?"
"My cousin up north gave it to me as a gift. I do well with melees better than guns."
"Ah, there's nothing wrong with that."
...
Rin entered the four numbers to the safe and opened it up. He stretched his hands out to the sides as Trevor and Jay peered in. Marka had taken watch on the main floor.
"Boo-fucking-yaw." Trevor grinned in a sinister way as Rin handed him their combat rifle.
"You...do remember which end the bullets come out of right?" Jay asked with caution.
"Tc! What kind of question is that?! I ain't that dumb!"
"I was being careful!"
Rin snickered madly as he unloaded the ammo and stuffed it in a duffle bag. "I call the sniper rifle!" Jay yelled, quickly snatching his chosen weapon.
...
Marka rummaged through the knives in the kitchen, humming a song to herself in an attempt to calm her nerves.
She paused, her eyes shifting when she heard an odd noise outside. Whirling around, she suddenly saw a spray of clear and green liquid shooting through the air at her. With a yell, the Hawaiian leaped out of the way. The strange liquid splashed onto the floor, counter and part of her hoodie and began to burn at a quick speed through everything it hit. Marka glanced down and tore her hoodie off.
She yelled for the others when she gazed back up finding a strange looking infected entering the house. In a matter of seconds, the five of them were stampeding their way to her with weapons ready. They looked on in disgust and surprise, shouting things to one another as the infected lunged. Ready to spew more of the liquid.
A loud gun shot made their ears ring. Karai looked to Rin who had just blasted part of the infected's head off and sent it stumbling back into a wall with his combat shotgun. Everyone took cover behind him, staring on in silence while Rin stood his ground and watched with cold, unblinking eyes, as if daring the thing to attack again for the longest moment. It groaned, slowly moving its head to face them again, slime sticking in its hair and the wall glistened in the dim light as the infected gargled in its acidic spit and blood. Rin shot again, it flew out the door unmoving and leaving a fresh, large dark stain streaming down the wall where it stood.
"Now what the hell was that?" Jay questioned, staring at the body. Karai observed its long neck, missing nose and ruined jaw. The acid from most likely in its stomach must of done that damage.
"Well, the reporter did say this virus mutates." She said. "Come on, as much as I hate to say it, we can't stay here. Anyone got any ideas as to where we should go?"
"Let's try my house," Trevor suggested "it might be in worse condition than this but maybe we can hold up there for the night. Hopefully."
Everyone nodded, and rechecked if they had everything they needed. Karai looked over at the body one last time before she ran outside to the truck. They all climbed in, and Rin peeled out of there back on the road.
...
Trevor's house had also been invaded, but it wasn't as bad as his friends' home was. Again, they got inside after killing some infected, inspected the place, pulled the blinds down and locked everything up. He had also told everyone to help themselves to anything in the kitchen while Marka called first dibs on taking a shower.
They were all exhausted.
A couple of actual peaceful hours passed, everybody was able to take well deserved showers, dress in fresh clothes, ate, drank and clean up their melee weapons. Rin had gone outside and used the hose to rinse off grime of all kinds off the truck. Jay had eventually taken watch up stairs as their sniper while his brother sprayed the ram 1500. As they settled, Karai happened to look outside and spotted what looked like a packet of paper that must of fallen out of a vehicle under a street light across the street. And something was telling her they would learn important information from it. She knocked on the window, grabbing Rin's attention. She pointed to the packet shifting her eyes from it to her brother. He raised an eye brow and looked in the direction before glancing back at her.
"Just get it." She mouthed the words.
"Damn it Karai..." he sighed, pulling out his knife and dropping the hose. He cautiously checked his surroundings before scurrying across the street.
Jay narrowed his eyes in confusion at him from his position at the window.
Rin snatched the packet up as he quickly scanned his eyes around. He rushed back to the house, looking up at the black sky that was speckled with stars. He could see the barrel of Jay's rifle sticking out of the window above him as he proceed to pass under.
"What's that?" Jasmin asked as Jay ventured down the stairs. All six friends gathered around the kitchen table as Rin flipped through the pages. "How coincidental that was left there...it looks like more information about this outbreak than the military was letting on."
"What can it tell us?" Trevor crossed his arms.
"Special infected..." Marka read carefully.
They all read those two words over and over again very carefully until it was Karai who turned the next page. She and Marka then took turns reading out loud eight different and very horrifying scientist reports about said infected. They looked at each other in slight fear.
"...So...that thing at our house must of been a Spitter..." Jay mumbled, pointing to the outside while observing the photo.
"And, the thing that grabbed me was a Smoker huh?" Jasmin huffed.
"Well, I ain't looking forward to seeing any-what are they? Tanks and...Witches?" Marka spoke up.
"And then there's this freakish goblin looking Jockey thing that humps your face." Karai pointed at the picture.
"Humps your face...ha ha ha..." Trevor chuckled.
"Chargers? Aren't they creative at names. Boomers...ew...Hunters. Huh," Jasmin read the report to herself. "...Hunters sound like a bad ass infected."
"Yeah, until they tear your heart out." Karai reminded.
"Meh."
"Let's keep it so we can read more tomorrow." Marka suggested "I'm freaking exhausted."
To that the other five agreed, and proceeded to shut off the dim lights. Jasmin announced that she would watch out for anything suspicious for a while longer.
With that said, everyone else found a comfortable place to sleep. Karai laid on her side staring at a wall with her machete close by. As she thought about everything they had been through so far and of the new situation they have been thrown in, exhaustion swept over her body and her heavy eyes slipped closed. For the rest of the night, all she dreamed of and heard was their broken world crumbling down all around them, and the screams of countless victims that had died today drowning in blood and gore and flesh and bones.