Dystopian zombie era

Chapter 13

The following day is busy. I get woken up early by Jay and he tells me that our room is the best for shooting zombies. I take clothes out the cupboard and shower. The guys are all up and ready. While I shower, they practice shooting.

After that I make porridge for everyone. I sit on the couch listening to the gunshots while singing a song as I eat.

'I want your love, and I want your revenge. You and me could write a bad romance.'

"Your singing really is beautiful." Silas makes his way downstairs. Beads of sweat line his forehead and his face is more flushed than usual. "Thanks, aren't you supposed to be up there?"

"I'm on a break." I point to the counter and he grabs a bowl of porridge before taking a seat across me on the couch. "How did you sleep? I'm sorry that you couldn't get a more comfortable spot." He shakes his head. "No worries."

"Congratulations on getting the lead role for the musical. I didn't know you could sing." He chuckles. "Well I had to do something else other than be the top student of the class. Thought I'd give acting and singing a try."

"I saw you at the auditions. You were seriously good." A look of sadness flashes across his face but it's suddenly gone. "Thanks. You were good too." There's loud footsteps racing down the stairs. It's Jay. "It's no use. The sound is attracting more zombies."

"They're coming through the door? Didn't you close it?" He shakes his head. "No. There was no way I could get to the door." Only then do I realise the shooting has stopped. Coral makes her way downstairs and heads straight to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. "Guess we'll have to stay here till our resources run out." Says Silas. "We're gonna have to close that door." I say.

"You're right." Says Jay. "But how?" Asks Silas. "There's too many outside."

"I'll distract them."

"No way. Are you crazy? That's too dangerous!" There's no way I'm letting Jay get chased by zombies. Or anyone for that matter. Duncan and the rest of the guys make their way downstairs. "What's dangerous?" He asks taking a seat on the couch across me. "We need to close that door. I'll distract the zombies while another person closes the gate."

"No." I say again. The bathroom door opens and Coral steps out. She's looking oddly alarmed. "What's wrong?" I ask her. "I'll do it. I... I can run fast and I'll be able to make it to the gate in no time." My eyes widen. Before I can say anything, Storm speaks. "I'll distract them. I'm fast too."

"Are you sure?" Jay asks while I keep my gaze on Coral. "It'll be fine okay?" She assures me. "I know you don't want Jay to go out there so I'll do it plus I'm not lying when I say I'm fast." She chuckles. "Wow, you're actually pretty useful." Says Duncan and Coral scowls at him. When Coral is close enough I reach out and grab her hand. "Don't get bitten okay? I kind of need a godmother for this baby." She looks surprised and even I'm surprised by my words. "Don't worry Darcy." She smiles and I do too.

"Alright." Storm tugs on his piercing. "I'll run out first and shout while running left. That should give you enough time to close the door."

"Wait, won't your shouting attract zombies from outside? What if Coral won't be able to close the door cause they're all tumbling in?" I question suddenly feeling uneasy again. "Are you really doubting how fast I am?" She asks. "It'll be fine. Stop worrying." I had never seen Coral run before. She didn't look like the type to anyway.

"You better take those heels off." Duncan mutters looking away. "I told you I run better in heels. Now shut up before I push you outside to the zombies." She growls. I can't help but smile. Ruby comes downstairs. "What's going on?"

"You'll see. You ready?" Coral asks Storm and he nods. Jay goes to the door and turns the lock. He nods at them before he opens the door and Storm runs out, weaving through zombies and shouting out. I'm stunned as he literally zooms across the opening. If this was a cartoon there'd be a cloud of dust behind him. The zombies take the bait and run after him, snarling.

Coral runs out and I'm shocked at how fast she is. She reaches the door in seconds and slams it shut, sliding the bolt into place. She calls out to Storm and they both bolt across the gravel and run back into the building. Jay closes the door but there's a loud banging. "Open up! I need help! We need help please!" I'm surprised to hear someone outside. I'm certain I didn't see anyone outside beside Storm and Coral.

Before anyone can protest, Jay opens the door and a woman and small boy tumble in. He closes the door and locks it, the zombies groan and push against the door.

The little boy starts crying and the woman holds him against her. Halley and Scarlett come downstairs. "What's going on?" Asks Halley. "Take them back outside. The boy's been bitten." Says Lex and I see red on the boy's blue top. The woman shakes her head furiously. "No, he wasn't bitten, he was scratched. Don't send us back out there." She pleads with tears running down her face.

Lex takes a step toward her but Jay stops him. "Don't." He says sternly. Silas takes his shirt off and rips a piece off before he approaches the woman. "Apply pressure on the wound." He tells her.

She takes the cloth from him and lifts the boy's shirt up. It's a nasty wound and I look away. Halley hurries toward her and helps her. The boy cries out in pain and my heart aches.

"What if he turns?" Asks Coral. "He got scratched not bitten. He won't turn." Answers Jay. "He didn't get scratched, he got bitten." Says Lex earning a glare from Jay. "He wasn't bitten, you have to believe me." She says sobbing. "Don't worry okay. Sit on the chair and I'll get you both some water." Jay turns to Halley. "Will he be okay?"

"The bleeding will stop but it'll get infected since we don't have antiseptic."

"Please, I'll do anything! Just let us stay here! We won't bother you!" Pleads the woman. I kind of feel sorry for her. "I think we should let them stay here. It's the least we can do." I say and the woman thanks me numerous times. "Well then. Back to shooting practice." Says Duncan already making his way upstairs with Lex in tow. I stand next to Coral. "I had no idea you were so fast."

She shrugs. "No one really knew." Storm appears beside us. "I knew." Coral rolls her eyes. "I told her to join cross country but she left me hanging."

"I had better things to do." Storm smirks. "Like what? Go to parties?" She sighs before she walks to the kitchen to get a bowl of porridge. Jay stands beside me and there's a series of gunshots. "I should go. Shooting is actually kind of fun." Says Storm before he walks off.

The woman and boy have calmed down now and are both sobbing softly. Halley approaches us. "He wasn't scratched." She says in a low tone. "He was bitten." I freeze. "What?"

"I examined the wound before I applied pressure. That's one big wound and I noticed lots of purple veins around it." Jay curses. "Lex was right."

"Well what do we do?" I ask. This is bad. He could turn any minute now and kill all of us but it seemed heartless to shove them out there with the rest of the zombies and let them get eaten. "Should we tell everyone?" Asks Halley. "No way." Says Jay.

"What are you three whispering about?" Asks Ruby with a mouthful of porridge. "Oh, I'm just telling them what to expect when the baby comes." Answers Halley quickly. Ruby nods although I can see she doesn't believe her.

"Um, sorry to bother you but do you have any food? My son says he's hungry." The boy is now quiet and breathing heavily. Faint purple veins are appearing on his face.

"Uh yeah. He can have my porridge." Says Jay before he goes to the kitchen and grabs a bowl of porridge before slowly approaching the boy.

The woman takes the bowl. "Thank you." She holds the bowl in front of the boy and he takes the spoon before he devours the porridge in a second. No one questions his behaviour though. "Do you think she knows?" I ask. Jay nods.

"She definitely knows."