Outbreak
2. The Beginning
Taylor somehow managed to contain the pained yelp that jumped up in the back of her throat, but she could not mask the wince in her eyes. Nor could she suppress the troubled shudder that momentarily passed through her body. And she was unsuccessful in her attempts to blink back the sparkle of brimming tears. I apologised with great remorse as her hand left mine to gently dab the solitary drops of salt water that threatened to spill out of the corners of her eyes. She mumbled a hollow reply but failed to meet my gaze.
I wasn't apologising for stepping on her toe for the eleventh time in this unsuccessful waltz. And my apology was not for the waste of time and money she had spent on a pedicure that I had surely maimed by now. Of course, I was truly sorry for those things but, compared to the real problem at hand, they were nothing. No, the real reason she was on the brink of tears was far graver and, although I tried to hide it, it was hurting me too.
Tonight. It was meant to be our night. But it was a disaster. How could we have fun in the knowledge that in a few short weeks we'd be separated forever? We were both being realistic about graduation, knowing full well that we were taking completely different paths in life. Our clumsy waltz was half-hearted. Our eyes seldom met. Neither of us had worn a genuine smile. And this would be the last real memory we'd have together. Our night to remember.
The blissful music faded and we slowed our choreographed spiralling. She turned her attention to gaze carelessly around her, already having lost interest in me. I heaved a disappointed sigh and followed her wandering line of sight to the left of us.
Troy and Gabriella were still dancing, staring lovingly into each others eyes as if oblivious to the entire world around them. I couldn't help but feel jealous at how perfect things were for them. Gabriella had driven miles from Stanford tonight just so she could be with him. They may have been going to colleges that were worlds away from each other but something told me that no distance could ever lessen their love for one another. Taylor and I on the other hand, were already drifting apart. Her hands were in mine but we had never been so isolated. She may as well have been across the room.
A calm melody of harps and violins swelled into a slow, romantic tune. Something awkward suddenly surrounded us as all the couples in the auditorium got closer. It was as if we didn't know each other. We were strangers forced to dance together in a room full of established relationships. Everything was wrong.
"Do you wanna sit down?" She was looking at her feet and already pulling away from me.
I knew it would be easier if I just said yes. No good would come of prolonging our inevitable separation. But I couldn't bring myself to let the night end like this. Because I knew that it would be something I'd regret forever.
I shook my head. "No." I replied, pulling her back towards me.
Clearly surprised by my unexpected reply, she half-stumbled into my caring hold. I didn't give her a chance to protest or comment, instead going with my instinct and wrapping both arms around her tense body so my hands rested on the small of her back. She frowned at me with scepticism and uncertainty as if such intimacy was foreign between us, before resting her hands stiffly on my upper arms. We swayed then, still with a gap between us of about a foot and her eyes remained fixated on one of the buttons of my white tuxedo. My fingers toyed nervously with the purple silk of her dress as I considered my next move.
Our silence was devastating. It proved what I had feared. We were no longer drifting apart. We were stuck. Far away from each other. And my greatest fear was that there would be no turning back. My heart broke every time I looked at her, at the thought that I would probably only ever see her gorgeous face again in pictures. Lifeless pictures which wouldn't be able to come up with witty retorts like she did or state random statistics like she did. And I was kidding myself I ever thought we'd call each other. She was going far. She had plans. And she didn't need me.
It took me a moment to realise that she was no longer lightly swaying to the music. Stopping my own relaxed movements, I looked questioningly into her eyes to find that she was staring blankly ahead, clearly deep in thought. She blinked away the haze of contemplation and her weary eyes met mine.
Despite her evident sadness, she was still beautiful as ever. Her short, shiny hair framed her flawless face and her skin had a natural glow about it. With both sincerity and unshed tears, her warm brown eyes twinkled and set my heart in an unsteady rhythm. She looked like an angel in her prom dress. My angel.
My fixatedly adoring gaze must have perturbed her because she quickly looked away. And, as hard as I tried, I couldn't stop. Perhaps I was making her uncomfortable, but I suddenly felt I had to absorb every inch of her so she'd remain in my memory like this forever. I wanted to be able to shut my eyes ten years from now and still be able to picture the colour of her lip gloss. Still remember the scent of her perfume as if she was right there with me. Still feel the warmth of her skin gently radiating through the soft fabric of her dress.
Unbeknown to me, I was unconsciously pulling her closer, in a final act of needy desperation. For want of her intimacy. She shot me an inquisitive frown with hints of what I'm sure was desire. A flash of a playful smile that subtly twisted the corners of her lips sent euphoric shivers down my spine. I didn't stop pulling her to me until her body was pressed so closely to mine that our rapid and exhilarated heartbeats had merged into one synchronised rhythm.
Before I knew it, her lips were on mine. I was enveloped in a tender warmth as her arms wrapped tightly around me. I felt her smile against my mouth and instantly wanted to witness her joy. I drew back almost regretfully to watch as a dazzling grin spread over her brightening face. At that moment, I didn't need to tell her how much I loved her. I knew that just our blissful smiles were enough. We were motionless. Entwined. In a sea of dancing bodies. In the middle of a swirling whirlwind of colour and laughter. Just the two of us.
"Hey." Troy cleared his throat to get my attention. I hadn't even noticed him approaching.
He stood beside me and Taylor with Gabriella at his side. She had her hand in his and was resting her head comfortably on his shoulder. They both had a perceptively contented look about them and were eyeing Taylor and me with a sort of modest understanding.
Gabriella gave me a sincere look and began to speak. "Do you mind if I steal Taylor for a second?" She asked kindly.
I didn't want to be torn from my girlfriend, having only just re-established the love I thought was lost, but nodded understandingly. Gabriella grinned with gratitude and took Taylor's hand and the girls wandered towards the refreshments, chattering in their usual excited way. I was left with Troy and we regarded each other for a silent moment of empathy.
"This prom isn't so bad after all." He said quietly.
We looked together, out at the strangely empty auditorium. It hadn't been the best turn-out; half of the expected guests not arriving due to some bug that was going around, but I had to agree with him. It certainly was a night to remember.
There came a sudden pounding at the emergency exit doors. Hush fell among us as we listened in both curiosity and an underlying ounce of apprehension. The music was turned down as Kelsi; the DJ, strived to hear the rapid and continuous thuds. Mr. Matsui called over the banging that the entrance was around the other side of the school, but the urgent noise did not cease. It sounded as if a thousand wretched hands were clawing at the door, desperate to get in. Troy and I looked at each other and we both felt the instant, unspoken urgency to reunite with our girlfriends. Taylor and Gabriella must have had the same idea as I could already see them slowly making their way back towards us.
When confident that I'd soon be back with Taylor, I allowed my line of sight to travel back to the door. I was just in time to see Matsui, with an exaggerated roll of his eyes, give in and reach for the door handle. Something in me wanted to yell out. Make him stop. But then, where was the logic in that? Chances were, someone had arrived late and had chosen the wrong entrance. Although, what would explain the strangely ominous feeling that loomed over me and, from the look on everyone else's faces; them too?
I heard the screams first. Blood-curdling cries like the shrill call of a dying animal. Like hundreds of dying animals. And then the trample of frantic feet. A stampede of frenzied people. They flooded through the open door like a tsunami, swallowing Matsui whole. Moving so fast, they were nothing but a blur with the odd panicked face and bloodied hands registering in my vision every once in a while. A smell of dirt and terror darkened the air as the room was filled at an inhuman speed.
I was suddenly surrounded by a mass of moving bodies and my confused state was swept away by their frenzy. I began to run against the strong current in the direction I had last seen Taylor. To my great relief, Troy was close beside me.
"There!" I heard him shout as his arm waved in the air above the crowd, pointing down into somewhere in the madness.
An elbow caught my ribs and I was momentarily winded. Troy struggled ahead of me. Through the maze of chaos, my eyes caught Gabriella's. I'd never seen such fear. Troy was holding her desperately by the wrist. They were attempting to get closer to each other. If they could only break through that barrier; that rapid and uncontrollable stream of crazed people. They were screaming, voiceless. And even in the blur of flurry I could see their desperation to be close. Gabriella's gaze never left Troy's. She was being pushed and shoved as the crowd surged around her. Her mouth was open as she shrieked unheard prayers. Tears of mascara streamed down her face.
I couldn't stand still. My feet were constantly moving as I struggled to keep my balance. I swayed this way and that unable to resist against the overpowering current. The screams around me joined into a deafening roar. But over it all, I could hear Taylor calling my name.
I looked frantically from left to right. Then left again, right again. Her voice was full of plea. But I just couldn't see her. I called out to her but my voice was lost amongst the many bellowing others. My view was clouded by disarray. It was only when I focused on my surroundings that I realised the extent of our situation.
This wasn't a riot. A riot that had gotten out of control was my only logical explanation to it all. But, no. This was something far worse. This was a massacre. Blood was literally spurting in all directions, flying upward in red bursts like a multitude of tiny fountains. Bodies went limp as they were clawed at, bitten and torn to shreds. Before long, I realised that the ground was no longer hard wood beneath my feet. I discovered I was stood on a carpet of people. Innocent people. People I knew. People I'd been in classes with, stood behind in the lunch queue. Even people I'd played basketball with. Dead. Slaughtered. And their killers were all around me.
Troy yelled out with anguish and frustration and pain. In a sudden surge of commotion, his grip had been violently torn from Gabriella's. And in a split second, she had disappeared into the mayhem. I could see him trying to relocate her; about to dive into the mess after her, and knew I had to stop him. Before we fell victim too.
I reached out uneasily and took him by the shoulders. "We have to get out of here!" I yelled.
He shook his head hysterically and tore away. I grabbed him again, forcefully. "We need to get to safety!" I told him. "We'll find them. We just have to get t--!"
Troy reeled back suddenly, out of my hands once more. This time though, it was through no choice of his own. A petite girl had launched herself out of nowhere and hurtled, claw-like fingers first, into Troy's chest. She managed to rip his shirt and I vaguely saw drops of blood appearing on his skin as he winced and wheezed. The girl quickly recovered but rather than flee, she charged at Troy once again.
I didn't bother to think before lashing at her with my fist. She was small. Almost weightless. And I had misjudged my strength. Rather than stagger backwards or retreat as I had expected, she simply toppled to the floor. Into the merciless onslaught of trampling feet. She let out a final whimper as I watched her skull finally give way to the pressure of the stampede. A red stain encircled me and drowned my shoes in filth.
"Get to safety." Troy suddenly agreed, not taking his eyes from the pulp that was once Bridget Moore's head.
The smell of burning plastic and flesh lolled easily on the breeze. Save for the few peeping stars, the entire night sky had been blotted out by a mass of thick back pillars of smoke. They seemed to originate from a never-ending blaze which stretched as far as the eye could see on the shattered streets below. Sirens wailed from abandoned ambulances. Their pitiful calls were answered only by the shrill alarms of cars which had been ambushed or destroyed in a flustered haste. The fire roared and crackled and spat as it claimed another house. Another business. Another life.
A grey, powder of ash was swept into my eye and I blinked furiously. There was a sudden rush of cold that spread shivers from my neck through my arms, to the tips of my fingers. I clutched my blazer to me and tucked my knees closer to my chest. The concrete ground on which I sat was trembling beneath me and I felt disturbingly unstable. Standing at my side, Troy shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly aching from his hours of standing but not yet ready to admit defeat to his sore feet.
We'd been on the roof of the school for over three hours. It had taken a lot of physical force and verbal persuasion to get Troy to abandon his search for Gabriella and flee with me to the small wooden door that had led us here. Exhausted, bruised and bleeding, we had fought perilously through the unpitying crowd, still vigilant for our missing girlfriends. We made it to a narrow, darkened stairway and followed it to its peak. The roof. Troy's sanctuary. From here, we had watched the night unfold from above. The chaos on the street slowly died down as the number of normal people remaining diminished. The roads were gridlocked and there was fire all around. Eventually, the continuous screams died down to an occasional gargled cry. By then we had become accustomed to the distant sound of yet another life being stolen.
We argued. He was still insistent that Gabriella and Taylor were down there somewhere. Alive. In need. At one point, I'd had to pin him down to the floor to stop him from bolting straight back downstairs to find them. He was hectic. With both fear and confusion. He hadn't had a chance to register what had happened. Hadn't realised just how much danger was out there. We couldn't go back, I told him. Because we'd never find them. And we'd end up dead ourselves. That didn't convince him. If anything, it only encouraged him further. He was insistent that we save them. He seriously thought he had a chance. So I changed my approach. Holding his ear to the door; our only safe route back down, I let him listen to the sounds from below. The cries of the living were muffled behind the door. The shrieks of the possessed were nothing but a stifled echo. And I told him we would find them. Dead. Mutilated. Bloody. Broken. That was enough to change his mind about returning to the warzone.
Not a word had been spoken between us since then. He'd glanced at me once with intense resentment but for the remainder of our time up here, his eyes had never left the street below. He was searching. As if he would see them. He was certain they'd be running out of the school doors at any second and he'd see them bounding, alive and unhurt, down the steps of the main entrance.
"You should sit down." I suggested gently. He didn't even seem to hear. "You need rest."
He looked as if he was considering arguing but nodded despite himself. He turned away from the disastrous view and sat beside me. Neither of us looked at each other. Instead, we gazed straight ahead, both deep in our own overpowering thoughts. Eventually, mine became so deep I had to voice them.
"I dated Bridget once."
The image of the distorted mask of her crushed face hadn't once left my memory. The way blood had seeped from her tear ducts and the tiny white shards of her skull that clung to her brown hair. The way her skin sagged like melted wax on a shattered skeleton and how her flesh drooped into a lazy smirk.
"I remember." Troy answered in a hoarse, quiet voice.
"She was just another cheerleader." I remarked, remembering the day she had approached me in the cafeteria with her posse of giggling friends and plucked up the courage to ask me out. I'd only said yes to be nice. We had nothing in common and the date was far from a success-- "But she was nice. All into the environment and stuff…"
In the corner of my vision, I saw Troy turn to look at me. I couldn't face him, out of fear of what he may see in my eyes, so continued to focus on the ground ahead of me.
"You didn't mean for her to fall." He told me.
No, I didn't. But I also didn't need to push her so hard. Did I even need to push her at all? Perhaps she wasn't attacking him, but clinging to him in an act of desperation. Maybe I'd got it wrong. Exaggerated. My eyes had played tricks on me and I'd acted too quickly. Without thinking. Just lashed out. And ended some poor girl's life.
"What's going on, Troy? What happened tonight?"
As if in answer, the wind heaved around us enticing the fire into a cacophonous growl. Amidst the whisper of the ashes, a few distant screams could still be heard. Then, the world around us fell into a quiet turmoil, to which there seemed no end.
A/N: Another chapter for your reading pleasure. That was pretty dark, I must say. I hope you guys enjoyed it, although I feel the end of it is a bit rushed and there probably should have been more Troyella. Just so you know, there will be a few of these flashback chaps every once in a while to fill in the gaps from the past.Of course, I'd like to thank the special people whom I love so dearly; chaylorXtraylorlover101, corbinsbabygrl1, lilmissmonique, ChaylorTwilightQueen10, xAdorkablex48, Pandora147 and ChocolatexChicaxCasey95.
xX M Xx
