Revenge of the Dead

Chapter 7: The Punches

We all stand in silence and then I hear the noise I've been both praying for and dreading.

A key.

The door slowly opens to reveal my Mum and Dad standing at the door, looking over us in complete awe. I smile at them sheepishly, my mind fumbling over what to say. 

"Hi," I say softly, holding back the bitterness that threatens to lace my silky smooth tone. Tears run down my Mum's face and she sprints down the steps to Sophie and I, she envelops us both in a warm hug and I squeeze her back tightly. No matter what they've done, they'll always be my parents.

"Y-you're alive?" my Dad stutters questioningly as he runs forward, gripping us both tightly and I nod into my Mums shoulder.

"Yes and we're together, I could never leave Soph behind," I say in a subtle tone but sarcasm still twists my voice.

"Come in, come in," my Dad mutters back after a moment of stifling tension and ushers us all inside their house, I look around me and gape in surprise. Metal grids cross over the windows as well as metal shutters that sit tightly in place, the wooden walls are now coated with metal also, the childhood home I once knew now feeling like a suffocating steel coffin. The steps I walked up now slide in behind us and a steel door bolts in place, a small click following the movement. 

There is an abundance of weapons lining the walls and I look up at them eagerly- knives, guns, machetes and baseball bats all sitting neatly in their respective rows. Body armour hangs off hooks welded to the walls and small electric devices sit on a desk with a computer, multiple matte black screens hang on the wall around it. I frown at the technology and turn to my Dad, a look of confusion on my face.

"What's with the screens?" I ask and raise an eyebrow.

My Dad smiles and walks over to them, he flicks a switch and the whole town lights up the screens before me. I gasp when I see the cliff we just jumped and the outside of this house that blends in so well with all the trees and cliff vegetation around it.

"I was going to turn it on just as you arrived, this means that we can see everything the infected are doing," he says proudly and I smile at him encouragingly.

"Well now it's working we have an edge over the infected, right?" I ask and he nods excitedly.

"I put them up before they evolved and I don't think they'll notice them, I made a point to place them inconspicuously," he mutters and presses a few buttons to adjust some cameras. "It's just taken so long..." he trails off and I nod my head slowly, before edging away and walking off over the room.

The group sits down in the living room and my Mum walks over joyfully, her face illuminated brightly with joy. 

"Do you need anything?" she asks and we all look around blankly for a moment before I reply.

"Um, can we get some food and drink?" I ask politely, "we haven't eaten today," I awkwardly but pause as my Mum has already disappeared into the kitchen.

She comes back and places milk and homemade cookies on the coffee table, I roll my eyes at my Mum but send her a small smile nonetheless. 

"Thanks, Mum, even if we're in the middle of an apocalypse!" I laugh and she chuckles along too.

"Hey! You're still my daughter and you've still brought your friends around. If I want to be a Mum I will be," she says finally and I roll my eyes again.

"I just wondered how you find time to bake, most of us are fighting for both their own and their loved one's lives," I say, a little too sharply and my Mums smile falters.

I slowly eat the cookies but they stick to the back of my dry throat and even the milk can't clear it, the dread of what I have to tell them next already affecting me. I can't believe they haven't asked questions yet, maybe they're preoccupied and haven't noticed.

The lies I tell myself.

Once they're both sat down I clear my throat and rise to my feet, crossing my shaking hands under my arms.

"Mum? Dad? I have to tell you something and I need to introduce you to the whole group," I say, careful not to single anyone out. They nod, signalling for me to continue and I tell them my story. The whole thing, and it's just as haunting the second time- I'm not surprised to see tears rolling down my mother's cheeks. I leave a few choice parts for the end and look up at them, tears pricking the back of my eyes. "Amelia's dead Mum," I say and she rushes over to me, holding me against her tiny frame tightly.

"Shh honey, it's ok, she's in a better place now and she died for those she loved," she coos gently and I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know how she forgave me," I whisper. "Or Toby for that matter, but he's dead now too. Because of me, the zombies want me and everyone's at risk," I say in panic. I hear Maria sigh and I look around, anxious to hear her thoughts. 

"Look, my brother wasn't an idiot, he forgave you because you were his friend. So did Amelia, they both loved you Madeline and we all make mistakes," she says and I smile at her words.

I can sense the tension at the mention of the experiments and my Mum and Dad both sit down quietly, I take a deep breath and do what I've been dreading.

"Guys, this is Maria, Toby's sister," I say and they both smile at her kindly. "This is Elijah, he lost his parents and was separated from his brother on the island a few weeks ago," I say softly.

"It's nice to meet you," Elijah says in a sincere but hesitant tone. I take a deep breath and turn to Josh, his eyes wary as they meet mine, 

"You guys remember Josh, right?" I ask "we were best friends ever since we were little..." I trail off and they both chuckle.

"Of course I remember the lad!" my Dad exclaims and I bite my lip, my nerves buzzing tensely.

"This is Ashia," I say and see my parents frown in confusion, my Mum opens her mouth but I cut her off.

"My daughter."

I see my parents gape and I step closer to Josh, holding Ashia tightly to my chest. 

"Y-you two had a baby?" my Dad stutters questioningly and I nod slowly, an awkward atmosphere settling thick around the room. My mum rises to her feet and walks over to me, hugging me tightly, her embrace sincere. 

"Congratulations!" she whispers, "can I hold my granddaughter?" she asks and I smile, nodding eagerly. I pass Ashia into her awaiting arms and she holds her lovingly, "Hello Ashia," she murmurs in a gentle tone. I smile but it falters as I hear a yelp, I spin around quickly and gasp as my eyes lock in front of me.

Anger burns in my Dads eyes and he punches Josh straight in the jaw.