CHAPTER 10
One week had passed since Johnny's group made the Mall their temporary home and situation didn't get any better. The infected were still all around the Mall and it didn't seem like they were just going to leave. In fact, to the survivors, it looked like their numbers were slowly rising, day by day.
"So, what do you think, how long will we have to wait?", Jeff asked Johnny as they were both standing on the roof while looking at the vast army of the undead beneath them.
"I don't know man, just look at them, there are like hundreds of the zombies down bellow. And it's not like we can kill them to carve a way out. It would take us days and days to do that and it's very risky, I don't think that it's worth the risk", Johnny sighed.
"I see. But I think I know a way that doesn't involve us getting killed or getting our hands dirty", Jeff smirked.
"What, how?"
"Do you see how big this Mall is? Have you ever been through all the stores?"
"No, only a few of them, and even then it was with my wi-, I mean, I didn't really. Why, is there something that could help us?"
"There's huge store for sports equipment, that I didn't even know existed."
"And? How's that gonna help us?", Johnny was confused.
"Well I found some paragliding stuff there, which wasn't stolen or raided and I think that we could escape from here with them", Jeff said.
"Wait a second, are you suggesting that we should paraglide from the roof to the ground, away from the infected?"
"Not quite. I did find some parachutes so we could use them."
"Parachutes? I don't know...the roof is not that high that we could jump down and evade the infected. We'll have to wait for a strong wind, sprint from one side to the edge of other and pray to God that it carries us away from the zombies and that we reach the ground before they reach us and devour us whole. You really think that it's worth the risk?", Johnny scratched his head as he turned toward the soldier.
"So it's settled, we wait for the wind", Jeff smirked and went off the roof to the second floor of the Mall.
"Hey, I didn't say that", Johnny chuckled as he followed him down and close the door behind him.
However, as the men descended from the roof, there was Lori waiting for them, with a worrying expression on her face.
"Hey, Lori, is everything okay?", Johnny said as he put his right hand on her shoulder.
"Not really, not at all. Luna and Lola are sick, really sick and I don't know what to do. I tried to cool them down with cold water and bandages, but their fever is still too high. I'm afraid that it might be something more serious", Lori said while visibly shaking.
"Could it be a bite?", Jeff asked as he approached her.
"No, I checked them both several times and there isn't a scratch on them."
"It must be from stress, considering that they lost a sister and one has gone missing, plus Luna's best friend also died, it all accumulated and just burst down on the poor girls. Wait a second, I thought I saw a drugstore on the first floor or did I just imagine that?", Johnny said.
"No, you're right, there's a small drugstore down bellow, but I have also checked it. Unfortunately, everything that was there was raided and stolen, not a single pill or a painkiller remains. Everything is gone. And, judging by their state, I think that a regular painkiller might not even help them, an antibiotic would be needed and only a doctor would know about that. If only we had a doctor here...", Lori bowed down her head in defeat.
"Well, what you know, we might just have one", Johnny smiled while tapping the girl on the shoulder.
"Wait, where?", Lori was confused.
"He isn't here currently but I will got and get him, I think that he's still in the hospital. His name is Jay and he's my schoolmate."
"But we can't go outside, there's zombies all around the building. It would be suicide opening the door and stepping into them."
"I know that but Luna and Lola are sick and they need help, now. Plus Jeff has a plan how to get outside and it looks like we're gonna implement it today already", Johnny giggled.
"Yeah, we're gonna do that. Those two girls will get all the help they need, I promise you that", Jeff reassured Lori.
"Thank you so much, you have been so caring towards us since all of this started", Lori said as she rushed to hug Johnny as tightly as she could.
"All right, all right, let's go the sports equipment shop before I start to get real emotional here", Jeff chuckled as the other also laughed.
Lincoln was standing in front of the main door and staring at the zombies that were hitting and scratching on the glass, but to no avail as the glass was thick and the doors were only a few meters long so the vast majority of the infected were trying to get through to the front but were ironically blocked off by their fellow zombies in front of them. Looks like they were also useful for something, Lincoln smirked.
Because of his anger and resentment towards Chandler, he completely forgot about his sister Lana and girlfriend Ronnie Anne. Were they safe, were they taken by the second or the third bus or some other survivors, or did the meet their end in the most horrible way possible-by being torn apart and eaten alive. No, it can't be, both Lana and Ronnie Anne are two of the toughest people he knew, they wouldn't get defeated by some slow-ass freaks, Lincoln thought.
Now for Chandler, Lincoln wasn't fully sure what to do. But whatever he planned to do, nobody can know about this, nobody. They would call him crazy or mad, or other idiotic words like that. But Lincoln knew what he saw, he was sure at it, like nothing ever in his life. What if someone else saw it but just kept quiet for the same reasons as Lincoln-that nobody would believe them? Maybe Lincoln should go to all the group members and talk with them, thus deducing if anyone else saw Chandler do what he did.
But on the other hand, that isn't a good idea, they'd think that he's paranoid and overreacting and...wait, yes, that should do it. Lincoln turned around from watching the infected and started to walk to a nearby store.
Lucy, Lynn and Francisco were sitting in the Mall Caffe that was on the second floor or what was left of it. Most of the tables and chairs were damaged or completely destroyed by the previous 'visitors'. But luckily for the trio, they managed to find an untouched table with three chairs just for them.
"This is so boring, I want to go outside", Lynn yawned.
"I don't think that that would be a good idea right now, considering all of the undead outside", Lucy said in her usual monotone voice.
"I know, but unlike you, I'm not used to just sitting between four walls and writing some mediocre vampire fanfictions, you know?", Lynn teased her younger sister and roommate.
"Your attempts to anger me are amusing but it won't work, it never works, remember?", Lucy replied with a small hint of a smile on her lips.
"It was worth a shot", Lynn laughed.
"Is this normal for the two of you or does this only happen in situations like this?", Francisco was confused.
"Oh, this is a normal thing in our family, don't worry, you'll be seeing it a long since you're gonna stick with us for a long time it seems", Lynn chuckled.
"I don't mind it as long as I'm with you", Francisco kissed his girlfriend on her right cheek, causing her to blush.
"Kill me", Lucy sighed while rolling her eyes.
"Poor Bobby, he's eating himself up inside from worry about what happened to his sister, do you think that he's gonna be okay?", Clyde asked Lisa as they were sitting on the bench on the first floor.
"I'd assume yes, after some time. If he lets his optimism overpower his pessimism, it would be possible", Lisa said while adjusting her glasses.
"Uh...yeah...whatever you say", Clyde nervously scratched his head.
When Clyde still had his unhealthy crush on Lori, he despised Bobby, her actual boyfriend, but the hate was one-sided on Clyde's side. But as Clyde has grown out of this childish unrequited love, so has his pointless resentment of Bobby dissappeared.
"Okay this is gonna be awkward", Clyde whispered as he started to walk towards Bobby who was standing near the boutique, leaned against the wall.
"Hey, Bobby, what's up, how you, uh, doing?", Clyde said, trying to sound as happily as possible.
"Oh, hey Clyde. To be honest with you, I'm don't feel so good", Bobby replied as he faked a smile.
"Worried about Ronnie Anne?"
"Yeah, even though I try to convince myself that she made it out of there alive, there's always a feeling, something inside of me that keep telling me that she died", Bobby said as he bowed down his head.
"Come one now, you speak like you don't know your little sister. She's one of the toughest people I know, she and Lana both, they are alive and well, just in another shelter, trust me", Clyde said.
"You really think so?"
"Of course I do, and so should you. There's no use in being pessimistic all the time, you have to look on the brighter side."
"All right, I'll do that, thanks mate", Bobby tapped him on the shoulders and started to run towards the second floor.
"Hey, where are you going now?", Clyde asked him.
"I don't know exactly, somewhere where I can be optimistic", Bobby said as he waved him off.
Never knew that I was such a wizard with words, Clyde mumbled to himself.
"So, Fiona you were here the whole time?", Leni asked her friend as they sitting in the raided boutique which was their workplace.
"Yeah, back when all of this started happening, there were soldiers and cops around here, they were taking care of this place", Fiona replied.
"You had it quiet good her then."
"For a few hours, yeah. Until that bastard came and started to kidnap everyone. Just when you think that people would unite against a common threat like this, it's only then that you see their true face, they do things that you never thought you'd see from them", Fiona said.
"Okay, this is scary, can we talk about something nicer, like the new dresses that have arrived here two weeks ago?", Leni quickly tried to change the theme.
"Oh, Leni, you're so naive as always", Fiona whispered.
"Chandler, when will you tell them?", Jordan asked her boyfriend as they were walking through the food store, inspecting the mostly-empty shelves.
"Oh God, not this shit again...", Chandler said in disbelief.
"What? How can you sleep at night knowing what you did? They deserve to know at least."
"And then what? They'd either throw us out to be eaten or straight up kill us. Have you noticed how Lincoln looks at me? He tried his best to avert it but I managed to see his eyes a few times, and man...that look...I have never seen anything like that before, that amount of hatred and anger, it gave me the chills, I've never felt that kind of fear in my life. That guy's a fucking psychopath, just like his older sister Lynn. I'm gonna have to eliminate them before they get to me...", Chandler whispered in her ears, with a devilish grin, causing the girl to back off a few steps.
"Chandler, what the hell?! I don't recognize you anymore, how can you say such things?! I telling them what happened to Lana and you aren't stopping me!", Jordan lashed at him and started to leave the food store but Chandler ran towards her and grabbed her by her hair, while putting a pocketknife on he throar.
"You will be a good little girl, and you won't do such a stupid thing, right Jordan?", Chandler whispered to her ear while still holding her.
"I won't...say...a thing...", Jordan said as she struggled to keep her composure. The poor girl could feel warm tears slowly falling down her cheeks.
"See, that's the Jordan that I like and fell in love with", Chandler said as he kissed her on her right cheek, tasting the salt from her tears on his lips.
"So...will this work?", Lori asked as she, Johnny and Jeff were standing on the roof, with two parachutes brought from the sports department.
"I mean, there is a chance...with wind...but there is currently no strong wind, despite being cloudy", Jeff said.
"No, it must work, it has to. Luna's and Lola's health depends on it, we have to risk it all", Johnny said as he put the parachute on his back.
"Eh I love adventures", Jeff smirked as he did the same.
"Okay, this is how we're gonna do it. The Hospital is south from the Mall, even souther than the Police Station. Since we're standing at the center of the roof and facing towards the Hospital, we'll turn around and run from the beginning of the roof to the end and jump."
"And then?", Jeff was confused.
"And we pray that we don't fall into the infected and get eaten for dinner", Johnny said.
"Sounds like a plan to me", Jeff chuckled.
"Lori, you can go back inside, we'll come as soon as we can, don't worry."
"Thank you both so much", Lori hugged Johnny and then went down from the roof.
"She might have a thing for you man", Jeff teased the confused police officer.
"No, she's too young and already has someone. Come on, it's already noon, let's go before the dark falls down", Johnny said.
The two men walked to the north side of the roof and turned towards the south side.
"Okay, now open your parachute", Johnny said as both he and Jeff activated their parachutes.
"Now sprint as fast you can!", Johnny yelled as the two of them started to sprint towards the south end of the roof.
"Jump as high as you can, now!", Johnny yelled as he and Jeff leaped into the air.
With the sounds of the countless zombies bellow growling at them, the parachutes managed to carry them just beyond the reach of the infected. They landed some ten meters away from the infected.
"Holy shit man, that was crazy!", Jeff exclaimed.
"Yeah, that was fucked up. Now, let's get these things off our backs and double-time it to the hospital", Johnny said. Jeff nodded.
The two men took off their parachutes and started to run south, towards the hospital.
"Look at that, they noticed us but just turned around and are continuing to pound the walls of the Mall", Jeff said as tried to catch up to Johnny, who was faster and ahead a few meters.
"Look like the scent from the kids who stayed inside is stronger than ours, that's why they aren't following us", Johnny replied as he glanced towards Jeff.
What they had seen as the ran through the city, was something they had expected. The cars were crashed into tress or buildings, partially damaged or completely destroyed. Some of them were burning. The street were full of corpses but the thing that disgusted them the most, was seeing zombies children or dead children lying on the ground, brutally killed or just ran over by a car, like animals.
"Fucking hell, who would ever hurt a child like this? I understand if it's an infected but normal, innocent kids?! What the fuck man?", Jeff said as he was slowly getting tired from running.
"Some people are just like that, plain evil. But there are some who were once good guys, and in a desperate situation like this infection now, they do horrible things, sometimes they are necessary, but sometimes they do it just to satisfy their own self de-", Johnny stopped running, turned his head left and started to stare at something.
Jeff, who was running right behind, barely managed to stop himself from crashing into him.
"Shit, man what the hell?", Jeff furrowed his brow.
"Look at that...", Johnny whispered as he pointed left.
It was the police station. There were a lot of zombies, in and around the entire station, just wandering with some of them fighting for some leftover corpses and feasting on them. A significant majority of the infected were wearing police uniforms, which already told Johnny and Jeff everything they needed to know, without even saying a word.
"Jesus Christ, even the police station is lost...", Jeff sighed, "...but this must be much harder for you, right? You probably lost many friends here".
Johnny took a deep breath and looked at the sky, which was dominated by grey and sorrowful clouds.
"Honestly, most of them arrogant or corrupt pricks, only a few of them were actually cops in the real sense of cops, who actually wanted to help people. My schoolmate Ryan, who was also my police partner, was a little rough at times, he probably belonged to the group that I first mentioned, but still, he was my friend, probably my best friend. To think that he died here, eaten by some monsters...let's just go and get the doctor, the girls need us", Johnny said as he started to walk forwards.
"Wait, we're not running", Jeff asked.
"We have to cool down a little, plus it seems that there are more infected in the area between the police station and the hospital than in the area that we passed, that is the path between the Mall and the station", Johnny explained.
"So, we're gonna sneak from cover to cover until the hospital?"
"Precisely, it'll take a while but at least it will keep us safe. Come on."
The two men managed to slowly but surely reach the hospital while some human voices along the way. But they didn't even bother to check them out and made sure not to reveal their presence, it was better to be safe than sorry.
"Well, here we are, the Royal Woods hospital and it looks fucked up just as I thought it would be", Jeff sarcastically said.
"Wait, we didn't bring any weapons, right?", Johnny asked.
"No, we were afraid that it would drag us down as we made our famous jump down to the ground."
"Damn, we could have least brought some knives with us."
"Well, on the first glance , it doesn't look as bad as the police station, so there will probably be less of the infected in there, which would make our job easier."
Johnny and Jeff sneaked past several zombies without attracting any attention, and finally entered the hospital.
"So, where do we start? Should we go room to room or just yell from the top of our lungs and see if anyone still alive responds to our call?", Jeff smirked.
"First we'll go to my friend's Jay office, he's a general practitioner MD, to see if he's still alive. Then we'll what to do next", Johnny explained.
"All right then. Where's his office located?"
"Fortunately for us, it's on the first floor. If I'm not mistaken, it's the eighth room on the right side, so let's see then."
They counted to eight and found Dr. Jay's office and, surprisingly there weren't any zombies on the first floor, yet. Johnny knocked on the door once. No answer, the door was locked. He knocked again and again but to no avail.
"Uh, Jay, are you there? It's Johnny, your pal, I've come to get you."
Now some sounds could be heard from the inside, and then again silence.
"Man, come on, let's just find some medicine or something, we're sitting ducks here", Jeff said.
"No, let's wait for a minute or two. Maybe he's still in there", Johnny replied.
Only a few second after Johnny said those words, some clicking could be heard as the door was being unlocked.
When it opened, Jay was behind them. His current appearance was rather scruffy, as his face was kinda dirty just like his hair, which was unkempt and it fell down to his shoulders. The Doctor's eyes were also bloody, and he had eye bags, either from not sleeping or overworking.
"Jesus Jay, you look like shit", Johnny stared at him with his mouth wide open.
"Just come in, hurry", Jay said, as they all entered his office and Jay locked the door again.
"Are you okay man? Were you bitten?", Johnny asked his old friend as he put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm good man, and no, I wasn't bitten. It's just that I haven't had much of sleep since all this started, so that's why I look like hammered shit", Jay chuckled.
"Okay, but what about everyone else? The rest of the doctors, the nurses? Don't tell me..."
"Unfortunately, yes. Everyone is either dead or also dead but at the same time walking and eating other living beings. I tried to understand what this infection, disease is all about, but I haven't gotten to any logical conclusion, no one has so far. I have been in my office since the hospital has fallen, sometimes I sneak out of here to get some food from the cafeteria and get back here. It was exhausting but I did manage to survive, so far."
"I applaud you doc, you survived longer than some far competent people", Jeff grinned.
"Okay, Jay, listen now. Long story short, me and my group are now stuck in the Mall, I don't know for how long, and there are two girls who are really, really sick and they need your help. They probably need antibiotics or something like that", Johnny said.
"How old are they and have you checked for bites?"
"They're clean, their older sister checked them, otherwise they would have already turned. Anyways, the older one is fifteen, the younger is six."
"Yes, I see. Well then, let's go, before it's dark", Jay said as he grabbed his medical bag, which had a first aid kit in it and unlocked the door.
"I'll lead the way, come on", Johnny said as he stepped outside the hospital.
"Woah, hold on. You haven't even introduced me with your friend", Jeff laughed.
"Geez. Jeff, this is Jay, he's a doctor. Jay, this is Jeff, he's a soldier. Can we go now", Johnny said, visibly irritated.
"Sure man, lighten up a bit", Jeff smirked.
Unlike the way here, the group didn't run, instead they carefully sneaked towards the Mall, because now they had a doctor, who wasn't at full strength, and was carring a bag of medical supplies with him. Still, they managed to go past the undead after approximately half an hour.
"Well, here we are, the Royal Woods Mall and our temporary home", Johnny said.
"Damn, that's a lot of infected, how did you manage to get out?", Jay asked in awe.
"You see those...parachutes? Never mind", Jeff pointed upwards with his right index finger, but the two parachutes were gone as they were probably trampled over by the vast herd of the infected.
"So, any plans on how we are going to get there without opening the doors and letting them all in?", Jay asked.
"Have any of you ever watched any zombie movies?", Johnny asked them.
"Not really."
"I tried but I fell asleep after some minutes, that genre just isn't for me. And now it's happening in the real life, the irony."
"Well, you see, we are now at the south side of the Mall, the back side. And at the back side of the building, there's a fire escape, that leads to the roof. We can go through the there to enter the Mall", Johnny said.
"Okay, but how are we gonna get through these guys? You can't mean to fight them all, can you?", Jeff was confused.
"Of course not, that's why I asked you if you have watched any zombie movies. You see, the infected, they aren't going to fight themselves, unless for food, but even that's very rare."
"That's interesting to know, but what does it have to do with us getting to the Mall?"
"It's simple. We tear open an infected man, cover ourselves in their guts and slowly pass through the herd, and one by one climb up the stairs. Sounds like a plan, right?", Johnny smiled.
"That's some crazy shit but I agree, I don't see how we'll enter any other way", Jeff nodded.
"What about my bag? I can't just normally carry it, they'll recognize that something is wrong", Jay said.
"Hang it around your shoulder, and then we'll see how to get it up the stairs, for now we have to find a zombie to do what must be done", Johnny said.
"There is one", Jeff pointed to a zombie that was pinned beneath a crashed car some few meters away from them.
Johnny found a big rock and threw it at the zombie's head, killing it. Then, he used the broken glass from the car and cut open his stomach. He spread it with his hands and started to smear the blood all around him, Jeff and Jay soon joined him. Also, they separated the intestines into three parts and each put it around their necks.
"Fucking hell, this stinks worse than my shit when I have diarrhea", Jeff chuckled while pinching his nose.
"Just breath with your mouths. Jay, will we get infected by this shit?", Johnny was curious.
"Well, the virus only works when it get's mixed with your blood, so just try not to cut or scratch yourself on something and you'll be fine", Jay replied.
"Okay then, here we go. Remember, walk like them, it resembles limping, stay together, and if you have to talk, only in whispers, and short sentences. Let's go", Johnny ordered them.
Step by step, limp by limp, the group of three slowly reached the herd. And now came the hardest part, walking in-between beasts, monsters that could eat them all alive if they find out that these three are still normal humans. Their heartbeats were getting louder and louder, but they managed to keep their composure, until finally they had reached the wall of the back side of the Mall and the fire escape. Luckily for them, the the lowest of the stairs was on the ground so they only had to climb up and they would be safe. Emphasis on 'only'.
"Jeff...go...first...", Johnny whispered, taking pauses in-between, not to attract any unnecessary attention.
Jeff slowly walked towards the first ladder and quickly climbed over and towards the roof and dissappeared from Johnny's and Jay's sight.
The zombies reacted to it by growling and targeting the ladder but they quickly gave up when he left upstairs.
"Throw...bag...up...then...go...", Johnny once again whispered, now to Jay.
Jay took a deep breath and threw the bag up the ladder and quickly climbed up, grabbed his bag and followed up Jeff's footsteps. Again, the infected tried to climb up the ladder, but since they're incompetent for that, stopped after a few moments.
Now it's my turn, Johnny thought to himself. He slowly approached the ladder and climbed up, as quickly as he could.
"Sorry guys, but I'm gonna live a bit more", Johnny mockingly said as he blew a kiss towards the vast horde of the undead. They could just growl at him but that's it.
"I can't believe what we had just done, that was some crazy shit man", Jeff laughed.
"Yeah, it was crazy", Jay replied.
"Well, we made it out of there alive. We stink a little but that's the least of our problems now, let's clean ourselves a bit and then we'll continue", Johnny said as they went to the second floor of the Mall.
After cleaning themselves up, they had no choice but to change their clothes, since they were permanently damaged by the intestines of that infected man trapped under the car. They went to the clothes store to find something new to wear.
Despite the stores being mostly raided, the three men still managed to find something for themselves. Jay found a white shirt with buttons and long sleeves and blue jeans. Jeff chose yellow cargo pants, a green t-shirt and a black trench coat. Johnny changed his police outfit with black jeans, a blue shirt with long sleeves and a suede leather jacket, with fur inside and a fur collar.
After re-dressing, they went to the mattress store, where the group slept, as it had enough mattresses for everyone to sleep. But currently, only Luna and Lola were there, laying sick, while Lori was watching over them.
"Hey Lori, we're back", Johnny said while waving at her.
"Oh you're here, you came faster than I thought you would. Did you bring the doctor, and what's with the outfits, trying some new fashion?", Lori giggled.
"We had some difficulties on the way here but that doesn't matter now. Jay is gonna check on Luna and Lola."
Jay stepped forward and took a look upon the two girls. Their faces were yellowish in collor, and they were shaking nearly all the time from the cold.
"Don't worry this is nothing serious, just give them this ibuprofen with water every three hours and they'll be as good as new in a day or two."
"Doctor, do you know what's the reason for this, it just suddenly happened, until now they were healthy just like the rest of us", Lori asked.
"Most likely from accumulated stress or some emotional loss, I assume that during these several days since the start of the infection, they had suffered some trauma, right?", Jay asked.
"Yeah, just like all of us", Johnny sighed.
"Well, thank you doctor very much, I'll keep that in mind. Now you three can go and relax, you have earned it", Lori thanked them as Jay gave her the pills.
"Hell yeah, let's go eat something with some cold beer", Jeff said as he went to the food store. Johnny and Jay immediately followed him.
Several hourse had passed since then, and night had fallen. Most of the group members were asleep with only a few of them still awake, doing various things around the Mall.
Jordan was sitting on a bench on the second floor she heard someone climbing up the stairs from the first floor.
"Hey Jordan, what's up?", Jordan froze the instant she heard that familiar voice. It was Lincoln.
"Oh, h-h-hey L-Lincoln, nothing, the same as u-usual. How are you doing?", Jordan answered, somehow connecting the words together.
"Oh, I'm fine, great actually. You see , we never had a chance to talk since all this started and that's kinda sad since we were really good friends. Let's try and catch up, shall we?", Lincoln said with an artificial smile that creeped Jordan out like nothing before, as he sat by her side.
"O-okay."
"So, how's Chandler? I hadn't talked with him for a while, it's same case like with you, and makes me sad, you know?", Lincoln said with a sad expression.
Please don't mention anything about Lana, please, Jordan though to herself.
"He's fine too, thanks."
"I have to go to the bathroom but before that, I have to ask you something. Can you tell Chandler to come to the roof now, I now that it's dark now and Johnny wouldn't like it very much but it's something urgent that can't wait, can you do that for me, please?", Lincoln winked at her as he went to the bathroom.
Oh shit, he's onto us now but I have to find Chandler and warn him, Jordan whispered, while still shaking. Was it possible for a boy her age to scare her that much?
She rushed to the first floor and found Chandler reading some comics in the comic store.
"Chandler, he talked to me now, he knows for sure, he asked for you, he...", Jordan stopped to catch her breath.
"Woah, woah, Jordan calm down, what happened", Chandler threw the comic away and rushed to Jordan to hug her.
"Lincoln just talked to me and he, he wants to see you at the roof, now, when it's dark outside, don't you understand what that means? We have to tell the cop or the soldier, now, before he hurts us", Jordan said in panic.
"Why the fuck would I do that? You think I'm scared of that little shit, huh? I have to go upstairs and show him that we are not afraid of him or anyone else, I don't need anyone's protection. I'm going on the roof and you can't stop me", Chandler said as he went to the roof.
"If I can't stop you, then I'm going with you", Jordan said as she followed him.
Lincoln left the bathroom, and made his way towards the roof.
The night outside was not that dark, so Lincoln clearly recognized Chandler and Jordan standing near the southern edge of the roof. He started to walk towards them until there was only a few meters apart between them.
"Hey, Lincoln, 'sup", Chandler smirked.
"You know the reason why you're here Chandler, don't you?", Lincoln asked, with a grim expression. He wasn't really in a mood for jokes.
"I think I know, it involves one of your sisters, right? Can you remind me, I'm kinda forgetful", Chandler grinned.
"Well, you pushed Lana, my younger sister, out of the way so that you can get your ass and your girlfriend's over to the bus, therefore risking my younger sister's life. I think that's what happened, and that's what I saw", Lincoln still kept his serious face.
"Oh, now I remember, that insignificant kid with those ugly pigtails? Sorry Linc, but my life and my girlfriend's life is more important than hers or anybody else's. It's just the way it is, man, you have to understand it. You would have done the same, believe me."
"Fuck you Chandler, and you too Jordan. I really liked you guys, you were good friends to me, and I thought that you were a cute couple, but right now, I just want both of you to die in the most horrible way possible, will that be possible", Lincoln's serious expression now changed to a devilish grin.
Lincoln took a step forward.
"Lincoln, if you want to fight me, then fine, but don't hurt Jordan, please. Honey, just get away a few meters, so you don't get caught in."
"Chandler, Lincoln, please stop this, this isn't gonna end well", Jordan said as she started to cry.
"Don't worry, sweetheart this is just an exhibition match, right Linc? Nobody is actually gonna die", Chandler chuckled. But what happened next, was something that neither Chandler nor Jordan expected.
Like a wild beast, Lincoln growled and leaped towards Chandler, grabbing him by his collar and slamming at the edge of the roof, with his head hanging out.
"Linc, just c-calm, d-down, okay man, you're n-n-n-ot thinking rationally", Chandler said as shivers went down his spine and the rest of his body, he started to shake as a sudden cold enveloped him.
That anger, hatred, fury, resentment in Lincoln's eyes scared both Chandler and his girlfriend more than any of the infected had so far. But, Chandler's eyes grew even wider when Lincoln wrapped his hands around his throat and started to squeeze, stronger and stronger.
Lincoln was extremely motivated with a murderous intent and a strong desire to kill Chandler, so adrenaline was fueling him, making him much more stronger than usual. In this state, based on his raw strength, it seemed like he would pose a serious threat even to his hyperactive older sister Lynn.
As Chandler could feel the life being choked out of him and he slowly started to lose consciousness, he felt Lincoln's grip was getting weaker and weaker, he opened his eyes and saw Jordan biting on Lincoln's right ear and him backing away.
"Fuck, you fucking bitch", Lincoln screamed as he touched his ear. It was bleeding from the deep bite, and it hurt like hell.
"Stop it, both of you please...", Jordan said with her mouth full of Lincoln's blood from his right ear. The poor girl fell on her knees out of desperation, and started to weep.
Chandler also slowly got up, and saw Lincoln still on the ground, recuperating from his wound.
"You piece of shit...you fucked with the wrong person...", Chandler said as he went towards Lincoln.
He grabbed the white-haired boy and started to drag him towards the edge, when he finally arrived, he grabbed him by the back of his shirt and leaned him over the vast undead that senses blood and was eager to have some late-night dinner.
"Imagine Lincoln..imagine dying like this...getting torn apart, eaten alive by bunch of fucking monsters and nobody can hear your screams, while you live this world in agony...like the piece of shit you are...", Chandler spoke with pauses and even that barely, as his throat still hurt badly from Lincoln nearly choking him to death.
Am I really gonna die like this, while trying to avenge my sister? Am I that pathetic? Lincoln was lost in his thoughts and the pain from his ear, which he thought were his last until...
"Hey, what the hell is going on here?! What the...Lincoln?! Chandler?! Jordan?!", Clyde was horrified as he got to the roof.
Clyde, thank you brother, Lincoln thought.
Just as Chandler and Jordan were distracted, Lincoln got up, and with all his might, pushed Chandler down from the roof into the massive herd of the infected.
"Fuck you Chandler, burn in hell forever!", Lincoln yelled, while starting to laugh maniacally.
"No...no...what did you do...", Jordan whispered as the broken girl went to the edge to see her boyfriend getting torn apart and eaten alive by the zombies.
"No, fuck, stop it, somebody help me, please...", were the last words that Chandler said or more precisely, screamed as piece by piece, he died in agonizing pain, ironically the same way he described Lincoln's would-be death.
"Jordan...I'm truly sorry...but no witnesses...", Lincoln whispered into her ear, with a devilish grin.
"What? Lincoln, please no, I tried to help him, you...", Jordan didn't even know what to say anymore, she forgot that Clyde was behind her back...
"It's simple, you fucked up my family, and you never, ever do that...maybe you won't learn from your mistakes but someone else will...if they're stupid enough as you and your idiotic boyfriend were...", Lincoln said as he pushed Jordan down the edge, just as he did with her boyfriend moments ago.
"No, please I don't want to die, not yet, please...", Jordan whispered as she felt someone bite down her throat, arms, legs, chest...every part of her body...until her soul finally left the poor girl's body who found herself at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people.
"Linclon? What the fuck did you do...", Clyde said quietly but Lincoln still managed to hear. As Lincoln came closer to his friend, he saw the boy's wounds on his ear.
"Fucking hell Lincoln, what happened to your ear? What is going on here?", Clyde asked Lincoln as tears started to roll down his face.
"It's over Clyde, bro, it's finally over. Thank you mate, you saved my life, I owe you one", Lincoln said with a genuine smile, the first in a while as he hugged the confused and emotional Clyde.
Lincoln Loud thought that it was over. But unfortunately for him and everyone else, this wasn't over, this wasn't the ending. Hell, this was just the beginning of something far more scarier than ever before, the calm before the storm and Lincoln Loud and his family and friends weren't ready for this. Everything was about to change, for the worse.