Chapter 3

Nicole tried desperately to pull herself to safety, but she was too weak and frightened to gain full strength. She was hopeless and she needed desperate help immediately.

I hopped to my feet abruptly. I heard Kenneth's husky voice by my feet mumbling something. I wasn't quite sure if it was in his sleep or it was directed towards me.

"Ana." I looked down at him, he stared up at me with confounded eyes. "Whats goin' on?"

I pointed a trembling finger at the shack's ledge where 5 fingers were just visible to make out by the small source of light given off from the moon. "It's Nicole." I made a frantic gesture for him to come help me pull her up to safety.

We rushed to the edge, observing Nicole's deathly pale face staring helplessely above, her eyes were vacant as she viewed us leering in on her. "H-help!" she hollered, her bottom lip quivering as more moans erupted from the pack of zombies below; they were getting hungry.

I squatted down on my knees beside Kenneth who was already crouched down and taking action. We both grabbed an arm and began yanking Nicole's slightly heavy body up onto flat ground before she was a quick, small snack for a zombie- or zombies.

We pulled and pulled desperately, but she wasn't making any effort to help us and herself out. She was too frightened to make even a minor attempt to grip the ledge and heave herself up. It was just like holding a limp body up by one arm. I thought that if we pulled on her arms any harder that we were going to pull them right out of their sockets.

"Come on Nicole, help yourself some!" roared a blood-red faced Kenneth.

"I'm too scared, I can't do it," Nicole whimpered. She glanced at me, as if pleading me for some aid. "Ana..."

After many pathetic attempts, we managed to heave her up. She was ghostly white, her lips quivering, her whole body trembling. Her entire body and clothes were drenched with sweat. She was shivering uncontrollably, her eyes buldging right out of her sockets. I crept over to where Terry's motionless body lay and snatched the sheet off of him swiftly. He shuddered and his eyes jerked open, I ignored his mumbles and pouts and retreated back over to where Kenneth rubbed Nicole's arms rapidly to try and warm her up, as it was a very chilly night, especially out in the wide open. I wrapped Nicole up in the sheet and huddled close to her, creating a fusion of warmth from our body heat. Nicole turned to me, marvelling greatfully.

"Thanks, Ana," she choked.

Terry appeared beside me a moment later, a look of utter concern planted on his face. "What the hell? Nicole-why is she shivering, and so pale? I thought I heard screams. I wasn't sure if it was in my dream about me going to school pantless or if it was in real life."

"Shivering and screams... zombies. Go figure," Kenneth replied bluntly.

Terry frowned, watching Kenneth stand up straight and make his way back to the sleeping area. He then focused his attention upon Nicole. "You alright? Sorry I wasn't there for you, Nick."

Nicole managed a weak smile. "It's alright. I a-always have A-na... Kenneth."

Terry embraced Nicole in his broad, outstretched arms. He allowed her to nuzzle up close to him. I got up instantly, assuming that my work here was done. I then joined Kenneth on the hard wooden floor, shivering and rubbing my goose bump-covered arms rapidly, longing for a sheet of warmth on top of me. If it was anybody but Kenneth, I would have snuggled up close and enveloped him into a warm embrace. If it had been Michael or...

Lost in deep thought, I hadn't realized Kenneth's deep rumbling voice saying something to me. I jumped, startled and looked at him expectantly.

"You fine?" he questioned. "You looked a bit out of it there."

"I suppose I was," I replied. I sat up and called out to the cuddling couple. "Are you guys done yet? It's getting pretty chilly over here."

They sat in silence for another moments silence before finally standing up and sauntering back over to where Kenneth and I lay reluctantly. They lay together, placing the sheet on top of everybody. But again, me being on the end meant less warmth, less sheet, and less body heat.

I lay there in complete, utter silence, my body motionless, my eyes opened wide, my mind fully awake. I couldn't seem to sleep, yet again. The hungry snarls from the blood-thirsty zombies below kept me awake. Knowing what I lay above, it chilled me to the bone. Who knows, we could wake up to zombies seeping into the shack, all bareing their teeth, ready to feast on their buffet. Or we might not wake up at all.

I turned on my side to face Kenneth and I nearly yelped loud enough to alert the dead below. Kenneth's dark eyes were partially open and he was gawking at me, startled too, I suppose. I had no idea that while I lay here wide awake deep in thought, he lay here too, probably thinking of the same things, I guessed.

"Kenneth," I muttered hushly, my voice coming out raspy and twang.

"You still awake?" Kenneth questioned. "I hadn't a clue. You should sleep, you know."

"What difference would it make?" I interoggated him, lowering my eyes to the rough wooden cedar floor.

Kenneth lowered his face to try to look me directly in the eyes. "It'll make a lot. You'll be much more energized. Come on, Ana. Don't be so low spirited."

"Oh, and you're saying that you're not?" I demanded. "You're telling me that you're high-sprited and cheerful about this whole messed up, confusing situation?"

"No. I didn't say that exactly-"

"Then what? Kenneth, don't hand me this shit when you're the exact same way."

Kenneth was quiet for a brief moment before continuing on, thinking about what to say next, I suppose. "All I'm tryin' to say is you should at least get some shut eye, at least. Ana, I care about your safety. I'll do anything to protect you, myself, and the other two. But the only way to do anything, is to sleep and get recharged- you dig?"

I shrugged and my entire body sagged with exhaust. "I can't." Tears pricked at my eyes threateningly but I would do anything to hold them back, to prevent them from trickling down my icy cheek.

"Yes. You can."

I knew Kenneth didn't really think that this whole situation was going to end wih a positive conclusion. I personally didn't think we were going to survive or come out of this alive all too much, let alone Kenneth, of all people. He was only trying to comfort me, to warm me up and force me to think positively. He wanted me to insist that we were getting out of here unharmed so that I would put every bit of energy and strength in rescuing the four of us. He desperately wanted to get the hell out of here as much as the rest of us did, and he was going to give his all to make that happen. But as much as I wanted to share his postitive attitude, I couldn't bring myself to it. I insisted in my own mind that we weren't going to survive with a small amount of food, a thin sheet to cover us all, and only a few bottles of fresh water.

I tried to obey Kenneth's orders by shutting my eyes tightly, but not a wince of tiredness came over me and that made it tremendously difficult to attempt to fall into a slumber until dawn. So when I re-opened my eyes I was bewildered to find that Kenneth's eyes weren't completely opened and he wasn't even making a minor attempt to sleep.

"So what are you doing?" I inquired, cocking an eye brow.

"I'm staying awake and keeping alert and on the look out," Kenneth said in response, turning over on his other side to face the back of Nicole's embellished orange-red hair.

I lay there confoundedly, staring at the back of Kenneth's dark head aghastly. Had he really said what I thought he had said? I shook my head with utter bedazzledness. I knew Kenneth wouldn't be able to handle the job of staying awake and alert all night long. Exhaust would get the better of him and he would drift off until dawn broke out... And then I would be left to stay awake and keep on the look out attentively.

It seemed hours later when I finally, and rather abruptly, stood up erectly, observing the beyond. I heard the heavy breathing of Kenneth has he slept away. I wasn't willing to wake any of their deep slumbers of tranquility.

I staggered forward, sauntering to the shack's edge. I leaned forth, peering down at the demonic zombies below. If I fell right then, I would be a late night snack in a swift moment of chewing and tearing. I felt the hard lump in my back pocket. I carefully pulled it out and firmly grasped it in my slightly quivering, pale hands. I peered down at a foreign zombie which was trying desperately to climb up the thick tree trunk and feast on some innocent, young flesh. I poised the pistol in the proper position and aimed it at the brain-dead zombie. I poised my finger on the triggar and pulled with such venom, I felt so dangerous and aggresive, as if I myself was a snarling zombie waiting to stuff myself silly.

The zombie's head exploded instantly... And I didn't cringe once.