Good God, I didn’t think they would be coming so fast. I heard the outbreak had started out in Bethesda but I was sure we’d have at least 24 hours to escape before anything happened. I had just gotten my things packed when the sirens began. I ran out of the apartment with my girlfriend and we both looked to the sky and saw several fighter jets zip by. A few moments later a fleet of black hawks circled above us as a voice yelled over what had to be the most efficient radio system ever (having been able to speak over all those propellers was pretty impressive).
“Citizens of Washington, the city has been surrounded. The outbreak is imminent and we are fortifying the city to stop the spread. No one is allowed to enter or leave until further notified. Please stay indoors and board up.”
I noticed other neighbors had come out to hear the news. Like me, they all had either confused or terrified looks. Some sprinted right away to the Safeway down the street. Others shot straight back into their apartments, locked the doors and shut the blinds.
“Come on let’s go!” My girlfriend was yelling at me while tugging my arm. Did I want to run to the Safeway too? I’m sure there are plenty of things that we need if we’re going to be holed up for a while. I made a quick list in my head of what we had back at the apartment and knowing my girlfriend, it was all organic (so it’s bound to go bad real soon) and most of it would go to the dogs.
“You take the dogs back inside. I’ll be back.” I said.
“Where are you going??” She said in a panic.
“We need supplies. I’m going to raid the Safeway down the street."
“Be careful!” She yelled since I had already made a mad dash to the store. Another man was sprinting next to me and we both ran as if only one of us would get anything.
Out of breath I realized I should have run a bit faster. I knew the other guy was thinking the same exact thing, both of us looking at the store flooded with people ransacking the shelves for anything. I tried to push my way through, unsure what supplies, if any, were left. I felt bad pushing an elderly woman out of the way to get to the batteries and water. None. Of course.
The canned goods were already gone, the bathroom supplies, even the hand soap were gone as well. I somehow managed to wrangle a garden hose (what the hell was I going to do with that), a few wire hangers (my girlfriend would go nuts) and as much dried food I could carry. The man I had run in with was getting beaten up over a bag of rice which made me sort of happy that I had, in essence, pretty useless things.
The streets were now overflowing with people unsure of what was going on. It was clear that some people had no idea that a zombie outbreak occurred the day before and others were clearly not happy about being trapped. A man and his wife were kneeling on the sidewalk praying while their young daughter was crying over their shoulder. I couldn’t help but shake my head…I don’t think God ever imagined this…I’m not sure what he could do right now.
I get back to my apartment and quickly enter. I noticed my girlfriend on the couch crying and she wasn’t alone. I dropped my bags and hugged the other two who were there.
“How did you guys get here so soon?” I asked.
The female, a beautiful black woman with the voluptuous figure, wiped tears from her eyes as she spoke. “The soldiers were gathering out by my neighborhood before they made the announcement. We both knew to come here. It’s easier in numbers.”
“What’s going on over by where you are?” I asked again.
“Tanks. Lots of them.” My male friend said. A large afro sat on top of his head that moved ever so slightly as he walked over to the window to peak outside. “There’s a lot of commotion outside. We’re going to have to pack our things up and go.”
“Go where?” My girlfriend asked, still in tears. “The city's surrounded."
“That’s what they’re saying.” He said. “They don’t have enough people to surround it. We just have to find the chink in the armor and get ourselves out.”
“And where is this chink?” I asked.
“We’ve noticed their movement is coming from the Maryland side and the South from the military bases. I’m sure there’ll be a little chink in the armor towards the Southwest. There’s no real threat out there yet.”
“Then it’s settled. Towards Virginia we go.” I said picking up our supplies.
“What are you going to do with a hose and a few wire hangers?” My friend asked.
“You never know. But seriously we need to get out now.” I looked at all of them and they all agreed with a slight nod. My girlfriend ran to the bedroom to prepare the dogs for the travel. God forbid they don’t have their sweaters for the cold weather.
Within minutes we were ready to head out the door and I led the way. I opened the door expecting to see the long hallway that usually greeted me but instead I looked into the eyes of a strange man in a suit;
“Is your name Victor?” The strange man asked.
“What is this about?” I replied.
“I’m going to need you to come with me.”
“Ah, I don’t have to do that.” I said adamantly.
“I think you do.” The man said as he took out a gun and pointed it straight at me.
“What the fuck!” My friend yelled from behind.
“Kel, calm down…” I said, a lump in throat forming. “What is it that you want?”
“Oh, you’ll understand…but right now you just have to come with me.”
I turned around and gave my friends and girlfriend a look. “I’ll be all right. You guys go.” Kel nodded as he understood and the three of them ducked under the gun and left, the two dogs barking on the way out.
“Okay I’m coming with you.” I said. “Just tell me what you want.”
“I want you to tell me exactly what you know.” The man said. I wasn't planning on telling the truth ever.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Episode 48: American University or Bust!
How the hell did I get myself into this mess? A few months ago I was the leader of my gang...okay well of my three member gang...fine, one member and one psycho bitch that wanted to kill us, but that's not the point.
Now I'm lying on the wooden floor of a cabin suspended 50ft in the air having just survived some crazy satanic ritual where I got a crazy symbol nailed into my arm. I'm having a bad day and I blame everyone else in my group for this...why was I the one chosen to sneak into Rufus' room and spy on him? I'm not particularly cunning or sly, Jiko is. I'm not particularly smart, Mel is and I'm not particularly...that's enough of that.
Thinking back months ago I thought things were going well, relatively speaking. The world had begun to go to shit with the zombie apocalypse and all but at least I had a plan. If you remember I was with two other girls after Friendship Heights fell to ruin thanks partially to the United States Military coming in and torching the place to the ground.
Vankelia was a sweet, quiet and quite adorable (blush) Liberian-American girl before the outbreak happened. Although she remained adorable a vicious side of her appeared. I'm sure her survival skills set in but she became a fighter and a good teammate even when we led our coup against Elizabeth and her crazy ways.
The other girl with us, Ashleigh, was a small blonde girl who didn't seem to draw attention to herself much. I know she came from a rich family but even that was hushed by her personable and humble nature. But after we successfully left Elizabeth behind, Ashleigh went bat shit crazy. When I say bat shit, she tried to kill us!
After I subdued her (I guess Vankelia can get some credit for it) we found out that Ashleigh knew of a hideout, a safe house, a base outside by Arlington where we could find safety and protection. I'm not sure why she had to kill us for it but we tied her up, hitched her onto a small little wagon and planned on heading out there.
At least that was the plan. A few rogue herds of zombies littered the streets down Wisconsin Avenue towards downtown DC and we had to take an alternate route. Ending up by American University the first night we heard gun shots and flashes from IEDs, I think that's what they're called -- I did see "The Hurt Locker" after all.
"I think there are people at AU." Vankelia said as we hid in the now decrepit Japanese Ambassador's home. It would hold for the night since the edifice was made from white washed stone but boarding up the entire house was nearly impossible and we only had enough to hole ourselves up in a tiny room...not big enough for a long haul.
"Should we try and go there?" I asked, remembering that we still had Ashleigh to worry about. We had her tied to a chair on the other side of the room.
"Fucking let me go. Seriously. I can help you." She said struggling to loosen her bind. Vankelia got up and slapped her across the face hard. So hard, in fact, I winced and felt bad for Ashleigh.
"You listen here, bitch. You shut up or I'll feed you to the zombies. I have no use for you. I really don't. I have no heart left and would not feel an ounce of sadness if I watched your body be ripped apart."
"Wow Vankelia, that's enough!" I said surprising myself as to where I had found my voice to say something to her. "Let's just tie her mouth and she'll stay put." I pulled her aside, far away from Ashleigh's earshot.
"Maybe once we get to AU, we can find someone to help us get the info out of her."
"Torture?" Vankelia asked. My eyes grew wide at the suggestion...but I shook my head.
"No...I...I don't know. But we'll see who's there and if they're even willing to help us."
Morning came and we headed off to the main campus. With only a few zombies pocking the street, it was easy picking and gave me some much needed warm up when I hacked their heads off.
American University was a sight to behold. Each of the entrances to the main quad had been blocked off with barriers, chain link fences and barbed wire. We saw a guard tower shoddily made from old wooden boards and a person standing atop keeping guard.
"Help us!" I yelled up. The man looked down, his gun pointing out on us.
"We have no room." The man said. I looked past him into the open quad behind. It was green and spacious and definitely not crowded.
"What do you mean? I don't see anyone in there." I said. From behind me I could hear Ashleigh trying to speak from behind the cloth we used to gag her mouth. "Keep quiet." I told her. "Please sir, we've been on the run for weeks...we just want some rest and security."
"I said no!" The guard yelled. Again Ashleigh struggled to say something.
"What is it!" I said removing her mouth gag.
"Let me speak to him!" She insisted. Not sure where this was going, I looked at Vankelia. She motioned her head to let her up but she kept a knife pointed at Ashleigh's back.
"So rude." She said over her shoulder before looking back at the man. "Jonathan?" Ashleigh asked. The man removed his helmet revealing his baby face. He couldn't have been more than a year older than us. "Jonathan Masters?"
"How do you know my name?" The boy asked.
"Your dad works with my father. I'm Dr. Canton's daughter, Ashleigh. We used to have play dates when we were younger."
"Oh my God! Hey Ashleigh! I didn't recognize you there." He said.
"Can you please let us in?"
"I wish I could but I'm not allowed to. Those are my orders."
Ashleigh gave Jonathan a cheeky grin and immediately turned around. "Fucking asshole." She said under her breath which caught me off guard. "We're getting in one way or another." She said sounding sure. Vankelia gave her a look but Ashleigh reassured her worries. "Just trust me okay? I'm tired of running around too. I'd like to get in. I'm sure they're unable to guard the entire perimeter. We just have to scout the area and find the weak spot. Got it?" We all nodded and began to look.
After nearly walking the entire perimeter of the campus, we found a spot by the seminary behind the school that was unguarded and hidden from view from the guard posts on either end. "This is where we sneak in." Ashleigh said. "Ready to climb?"
I looked up the fence and noticed the barbed wire at the top. I gulped the fear that settled in my throat.
"Stop being such a wuss." She said giving me a look. "I'll go first since you're being such a baby." She began to climb. Vankelia followed her immediately. They were both already near the top before I mustered the courage to follow. After several minutes I had jumped down on the other side with only a few cuts and scratches.
"Thank God we made it." I said as the three of us looked up at the fence we had just climbed.
"Huh, funny running into you here, isn't it?" A voice from behind us said. We all craned our necks slowly to reveal the owner of the voice.
"Wow...it is..."
Now I'm lying on the wooden floor of a cabin suspended 50ft in the air having just survived some crazy satanic ritual where I got a crazy symbol nailed into my arm. I'm having a bad day and I blame everyone else in my group for this...why was I the one chosen to sneak into Rufus' room and spy on him? I'm not particularly cunning or sly, Jiko is. I'm not particularly smart, Mel is and I'm not particularly...that's enough of that.
Thinking back months ago I thought things were going well, relatively speaking. The world had begun to go to shit with the zombie apocalypse and all but at least I had a plan. If you remember I was with two other girls after Friendship Heights fell to ruin thanks partially to the United States Military coming in and torching the place to the ground.
Vankelia was a sweet, quiet and quite adorable (blush) Liberian-American girl before the outbreak happened. Although she remained adorable a vicious side of her appeared. I'm sure her survival skills set in but she became a fighter and a good teammate even when we led our coup against Elizabeth and her crazy ways.
The other girl with us, Ashleigh, was a small blonde girl who didn't seem to draw attention to herself much. I know she came from a rich family but even that was hushed by her personable and humble nature. But after we successfully left Elizabeth behind, Ashleigh went bat shit crazy. When I say bat shit, she tried to kill us!
After I subdued her (I guess Vankelia can get some credit for it) we found out that Ashleigh knew of a hideout, a safe house, a base outside by Arlington where we could find safety and protection. I'm not sure why she had to kill us for it but we tied her up, hitched her onto a small little wagon and planned on heading out there.
At least that was the plan. A few rogue herds of zombies littered the streets down Wisconsin Avenue towards downtown DC and we had to take an alternate route. Ending up by American University the first night we heard gun shots and flashes from IEDs, I think that's what they're called -- I did see "The Hurt Locker" after all.
"I think there are people at AU." Vankelia said as we hid in the now decrepit Japanese Ambassador's home. It would hold for the night since the edifice was made from white washed stone but boarding up the entire house was nearly impossible and we only had enough to hole ourselves up in a tiny room...not big enough for a long haul.
"Should we try and go there?" I asked, remembering that we still had Ashleigh to worry about. We had her tied to a chair on the other side of the room.
"Fucking let me go. Seriously. I can help you." She said struggling to loosen her bind. Vankelia got up and slapped her across the face hard. So hard, in fact, I winced and felt bad for Ashleigh.
"You listen here, bitch. You shut up or I'll feed you to the zombies. I have no use for you. I really don't. I have no heart left and would not feel an ounce of sadness if I watched your body be ripped apart."
"Wow Vankelia, that's enough!" I said surprising myself as to where I had found my voice to say something to her. "Let's just tie her mouth and she'll stay put." I pulled her aside, far away from Ashleigh's earshot.
"Maybe once we get to AU, we can find someone to help us get the info out of her."
"Torture?" Vankelia asked. My eyes grew wide at the suggestion...but I shook my head.
"No...I...I don't know. But we'll see who's there and if they're even willing to help us."
Morning came and we headed off to the main campus. With only a few zombies pocking the street, it was easy picking and gave me some much needed warm up when I hacked their heads off.
American University was a sight to behold. Each of the entrances to the main quad had been blocked off with barriers, chain link fences and barbed wire. We saw a guard tower shoddily made from old wooden boards and a person standing atop keeping guard.
"Help us!" I yelled up. The man looked down, his gun pointing out on us.
"We have no room." The man said. I looked past him into the open quad behind. It was green and spacious and definitely not crowded.
"What do you mean? I don't see anyone in there." I said. From behind me I could hear Ashleigh trying to speak from behind the cloth we used to gag her mouth. "Keep quiet." I told her. "Please sir, we've been on the run for weeks...we just want some rest and security."
"I said no!" The guard yelled. Again Ashleigh struggled to say something.
"What is it!" I said removing her mouth gag.
"Let me speak to him!" She insisted. Not sure where this was going, I looked at Vankelia. She motioned her head to let her up but she kept a knife pointed at Ashleigh's back.
"So rude." She said over her shoulder before looking back at the man. "Jonathan?" Ashleigh asked. The man removed his helmet revealing his baby face. He couldn't have been more than a year older than us. "Jonathan Masters?"
"How do you know my name?" The boy asked.
"Your dad works with my father. I'm Dr. Canton's daughter, Ashleigh. We used to have play dates when we were younger."
"Oh my God! Hey Ashleigh! I didn't recognize you there." He said.
"Can you please let us in?"
"I wish I could but I'm not allowed to. Those are my orders."
Ashleigh gave Jonathan a cheeky grin and immediately turned around. "Fucking asshole." She said under her breath which caught me off guard. "We're getting in one way or another." She said sounding sure. Vankelia gave her a look but Ashleigh reassured her worries. "Just trust me okay? I'm tired of running around too. I'd like to get in. I'm sure they're unable to guard the entire perimeter. We just have to scout the area and find the weak spot. Got it?" We all nodded and began to look.
After nearly walking the entire perimeter of the campus, we found a spot by the seminary behind the school that was unguarded and hidden from view from the guard posts on either end. "This is where we sneak in." Ashleigh said. "Ready to climb?"
I looked up the fence and noticed the barbed wire at the top. I gulped the fear that settled in my throat.
"Stop being such a wuss." She said giving me a look. "I'll go first since you're being such a baby." She began to climb. Vankelia followed her immediately. They were both already near the top before I mustered the courage to follow. After several minutes I had jumped down on the other side with only a few cuts and scratches.
"Thank God we made it." I said as the three of us looked up at the fence we had just climbed.
"Huh, funny running into you here, isn't it?" A voice from behind us said. We all craned our necks slowly to reveal the owner of the voice.
"Wow...it is..."
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Episode 47: The Blood Oath
"You think you're going to sneak in my room and get away with it?" Rufus questioned David as he carried him into his cabin.
"I...I...I just got lost." David lied as he was trying to plead for his safety.
"What I hate more than sneaks are liars."
"But I'm..." David began.
"Now it's time for you to go to sleep." And Rufus struck David right in head with the back of his hand knocking David out instantly. Rufus smiled as he lifted David's limp body in the air.
***
"You're a natural." Bradley said to Sarah as they enjoyed a snack up in the tree tops. "I've never seen someone adapt to tree dashing to quickly and so effortlessly."
"Thanks. I tried my best." Sarah responded taking a bite out of her sandwich. All of a sudden Bradley became serious as he shifted his body to face Sarah. Startled, she shifted back a bit almost losing her balance but catching herself in time.
"We attack tonight." Bradley said.
"Excuse me?"
"I mean...not attack...but infiltrate. I know you're ready. You know, Breanna's camp."
"We're just going to rescue my friends right?" Sarah asked.
"Of course." Bradley replied, grinning slightly when Sarah looked away.
***
The other three survivors sat in the cabin as Breanna went over the game plan.
"So most of the people in Bradley's camp defected from your camp and followed him?" JC asked.
"We started as one camp after the zombie breakout. We were together when it happened...with our parents." Breanna said.
"What happened?"
"There is no need to divulge into that." Breanna said. "We need to focus on getting your friend back. Here is the rest of the plan..."
The group sat and listened for the next hour.
"So you guys got the plan?" Breanna asked. The three survivors nodded as they looked at each other in agreement. The door opened and several people walked in with weapons ready and their faces camouflaged. "They will be joining us tonight. They've all been debriefed and are the best soldiers in my camp. There is no way we won't be able to get your friend back. Just no way...Where is Rufus?"
***
David slowly woke up, blinking his eyes to refocus. The room was dark although he could see strands of sunlight peaking through the curtains. His head hurt as if he was hit by a bus and his body felt heavy. Everything was still a bit foggy as he head throbbed. He could hear mumbling a few feet away from him but he couldn't see who it was. His eyes felt heavy and David thought rubbing them would clear them up. He tried to lift up his hand and instantly realized he was tied up. Panic stricken he begun to flail and noticed his legs were also bound and tied to a wooden board on the floor. A heavy laugh permeated through the room as a few other chuckles joined in. David craned his neck as far up as he could and saw several dark robed figures around him with blood red candles lit encircling his body on the floor. One man stepped forward, a small hunched frame, his head covered in a pointed hood, and stood over David's immobile body carrying a leather bound text.
"Diabolus ortum. Accipere viventium ad infernum. Ut immortui ambulare inter nos. Ut sunt vincere lux." The man chanted.
David panicked even more but struggling did nothing. He tried to scream but no noise came out. The man pulled a long silver dagger from his robe as he read more from the text.
"Meum sanguinem est sanguine. Ut aperire in denigrata flumen. Ut eam suscipiat malum in corda. Sit malum effundam in nobis ... ut eam tenebrescere animae."
The man pulled back a sleeve and made a slit on his forearm with the silver knife. Another robed figure rushed forward to catch the crimson blood that flowed out of the hunched figure with a wooden bowl. He took the bowl from the other and walked over to David, kneeling by his head.
"You will drink this." The robed figure said. David began to weep as he tightened his mouth to try and stop it although he knew it was futile. The robed figure chortled. "It'll make you strong." He said.
Two more robed figures approached David and both sat down kneeling by his arm. They each took out a bowl filled with a dark substance and a long thin rod with a steel nail tied to the end.
"Hold still and it won't hurt." They both said as they rolled up David's shirt sleeves.
They both dipped the tip of the nail into the black substance and started to pound it into David's arm using a tiny hammer-like instrument. David winced as the motion felt like a million tiny needles piercing into his skin. They continued at it for another five minutes and stepped away when they finished. David screamed in agony and the hunched figure took it as an opportunity to pour a bit of blood into David's mouth. He tried to spit it out but the man held his jaw shut until he had no choice but to swallow.
The door burst open and someone rushed in. "Breanna's looking for the rest of us! We're attacking tonight!"
"What?" The hunched figure stood up. "We haven't finished the ceremony."
"There is no time Dmitri, we need to clean this up before we are discovered." A voice David recognized as Rufus. "We need to hurry. I will go out and distract them. Get the boy up and keep him from talking." Rufus said and rushed out the door after ripping his robe off and tossing it on the ground.
"Don't you worry." The man took his hood off revealing his old wrinkled face with a gray stringy beard that fell down beneath his robe. He squeezed David's face with his bony hand and looked at him directly in his eyes -- his eyes were both a different color. "You utter a single word about this and you will die." Dmitri said. "Got it?" David nodded furiously. "Not a word."
***
"There you are Rufus. That took a while. Where were you?" Breanna asked.
"I was leading a few of the younger people how to properly store the stream water we collected."
"That is fine. I hope you are informed of our mission tonight."
"Yes ma'am." Rufus bowed his head. "I will prepare everyone to head out come sunset. We will be ready by nightfall."
"Good. I knew I could always count on you." Breanna said. Rufus hid a small grin and excused himself.
"We're going to get Sarah back tonight." JC said to the others.
"Finally...and maybe we'll be able to figure out what that zombie-like creature we stumbled across was." Mel said.
"And maybe get the hell out of here..." Jiko said. "Something about this all gives me the creeps."
"Yeah, we should go check on David...that lucky bastard is probably just sleeping in the cabin without a care in the world." JC said.
"Don't worry...we'll just have him carry our things tonight." Mel said. The three of them laughed in agreement.
David was tossed back into his cabin dripping sweat all over his face. With all the fear and confusion for a moment he forgot that he had been branded with something on his arms. He rolled up his sleeve and noticed a symbol tattooed.
"Holy shit..." David said when he realized it was the exact first symbol of the zombie-like creature they had found in the woods. What would have happened to him if they had finished their ceremony? He didn't want to think about it nor would he have time to think about it because come nightfall neither camp knew they would be clashing with one another...and neither camp knew how much blood would be spilled that night.
"I...I...I just got lost." David lied as he was trying to plead for his safety.
"What I hate more than sneaks are liars."
"But I'm..." David began.
"Now it's time for you to go to sleep." And Rufus struck David right in head with the back of his hand knocking David out instantly. Rufus smiled as he lifted David's limp body in the air.
***
"You're a natural." Bradley said to Sarah as they enjoyed a snack up in the tree tops. "I've never seen someone adapt to tree dashing to quickly and so effortlessly."
"Thanks. I tried my best." Sarah responded taking a bite out of her sandwich. All of a sudden Bradley became serious as he shifted his body to face Sarah. Startled, she shifted back a bit almost losing her balance but catching herself in time.
"We attack tonight." Bradley said.
"Excuse me?"
"I mean...not attack...but infiltrate. I know you're ready. You know, Breanna's camp."
"We're just going to rescue my friends right?" Sarah asked.
"Of course." Bradley replied, grinning slightly when Sarah looked away.
***
The other three survivors sat in the cabin as Breanna went over the game plan.
"So most of the people in Bradley's camp defected from your camp and followed him?" JC asked.
"We started as one camp after the zombie breakout. We were together when it happened...with our parents." Breanna said.
"What happened?"
"There is no need to divulge into that." Breanna said. "We need to focus on getting your friend back. Here is the rest of the plan..."
The group sat and listened for the next hour.
"So you guys got the plan?" Breanna asked. The three survivors nodded as they looked at each other in agreement. The door opened and several people walked in with weapons ready and their faces camouflaged. "They will be joining us tonight. They've all been debriefed and are the best soldiers in my camp. There is no way we won't be able to get your friend back. Just no way...Where is Rufus?"
***
David slowly woke up, blinking his eyes to refocus. The room was dark although he could see strands of sunlight peaking through the curtains. His head hurt as if he was hit by a bus and his body felt heavy. Everything was still a bit foggy as he head throbbed. He could hear mumbling a few feet away from him but he couldn't see who it was. His eyes felt heavy and David thought rubbing them would clear them up. He tried to lift up his hand and instantly realized he was tied up. Panic stricken he begun to flail and noticed his legs were also bound and tied to a wooden board on the floor. A heavy laugh permeated through the room as a few other chuckles joined in. David craned his neck as far up as he could and saw several dark robed figures around him with blood red candles lit encircling his body on the floor. One man stepped forward, a small hunched frame, his head covered in a pointed hood, and stood over David's immobile body carrying a leather bound text.
"Diabolus ortum. Accipere viventium ad infernum. Ut immortui ambulare inter nos. Ut sunt vincere lux." The man chanted.
David panicked even more but struggling did nothing. He tried to scream but no noise came out. The man pulled a long silver dagger from his robe as he read more from the text.
"Meum sanguinem est sanguine. Ut aperire in denigrata flumen. Ut eam suscipiat malum in corda. Sit malum effundam in nobis ... ut eam tenebrescere animae."
The man pulled back a sleeve and made a slit on his forearm with the silver knife. Another robed figure rushed forward to catch the crimson blood that flowed out of the hunched figure with a wooden bowl. He took the bowl from the other and walked over to David, kneeling by his head.
"You will drink this." The robed figure said. David began to weep as he tightened his mouth to try and stop it although he knew it was futile. The robed figure chortled. "It'll make you strong." He said.
Two more robed figures approached David and both sat down kneeling by his arm. They each took out a bowl filled with a dark substance and a long thin rod with a steel nail tied to the end.
"Hold still and it won't hurt." They both said as they rolled up David's shirt sleeves.
They both dipped the tip of the nail into the black substance and started to pound it into David's arm using a tiny hammer-like instrument. David winced as the motion felt like a million tiny needles piercing into his skin. They continued at it for another five minutes and stepped away when they finished. David screamed in agony and the hunched figure took it as an opportunity to pour a bit of blood into David's mouth. He tried to spit it out but the man held his jaw shut until he had no choice but to swallow.
The door burst open and someone rushed in. "Breanna's looking for the rest of us! We're attacking tonight!"
"What?" The hunched figure stood up. "We haven't finished the ceremony."
"There is no time Dmitri, we need to clean this up before we are discovered." A voice David recognized as Rufus. "We need to hurry. I will go out and distract them. Get the boy up and keep him from talking." Rufus said and rushed out the door after ripping his robe off and tossing it on the ground.
"Don't you worry." The man took his hood off revealing his old wrinkled face with a gray stringy beard that fell down beneath his robe. He squeezed David's face with his bony hand and looked at him directly in his eyes -- his eyes were both a different color. "You utter a single word about this and you will die." Dmitri said. "Got it?" David nodded furiously. "Not a word."
***
"There you are Rufus. That took a while. Where were you?" Breanna asked.
"I was leading a few of the younger people how to properly store the stream water we collected."
"That is fine. I hope you are informed of our mission tonight."
"Yes ma'am." Rufus bowed his head. "I will prepare everyone to head out come sunset. We will be ready by nightfall."
"Good. I knew I could always count on you." Breanna said. Rufus hid a small grin and excused himself.
"We're going to get Sarah back tonight." JC said to the others.
"Finally...and maybe we'll be able to figure out what that zombie-like creature we stumbled across was." Mel said.
"And maybe get the hell out of here..." Jiko said. "Something about this all gives me the creeps."
"Yeah, we should go check on David...that lucky bastard is probably just sleeping in the cabin without a care in the world." JC said.
"Don't worry...we'll just have him carry our things tonight." Mel said. The three of them laughed in agreement.
David was tossed back into his cabin dripping sweat all over his face. With all the fear and confusion for a moment he forgot that he had been branded with something on his arms. He rolled up his sleeve and noticed a symbol tattooed.
"Holy shit..." David said when he realized it was the exact first symbol of the zombie-like creature they had found in the woods. What would have happened to him if they had finished their ceremony? He didn't want to think about it nor would he have time to think about it because come nightfall neither camp knew they would be clashing with one another...and neither camp knew how much blood would be spilled that night.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Episode 46: `Tree Dashing
"Hey, are you ready?" Bradley poked his head into a cabin. Finishing a knot on her belt, Sarah looked up and nodded. Bradley returned with a smile and led her out of the cabin.
"So today we're going to teach you the art of tree dashing." Bradley said as he brought her to a clearing with a circle of trees surrounding them. Sarah looked up above and already saw at least a dozen youngsters laughing and having fun while jumping, swinging and climbing in the trees.
"They're already pretty good aren't they?" Bradley said. Sarah smiled and agreed.
The day Bradley had brought Sarah back to the camp he had explained the entire situation to her...that her friends were in danger being with Breanna, his sister.
"She's a ruthless killer and has a heart of the coldest ice." Bradley began, "Your friends are going to die in her hands unless we do something about it."
"What happened between the two of you that made you mortal enemies?" Sarah asked. He didn't respond but looked out the window instead trying to avoid the question. Sarah grew silent and understood that it probably wasn't an appropriate time to ask.
"Then how are we going to help them?"
Bradley explained that they had to infiltrate the camp and get her friends back. The survivors in his camp were excellent tree climbers and their agility were par none to anyone in Breanna's camp. They learned to move through the trees when they realized that zombies couldn't climb. It was essential for their survival.
"We will sneak in there in the middle of the night, find them and bring them back here. But by now, either their dead or Breanna has already brainwashed them to believe that you've been kidnapped by a horrible person. She's evil, that one. I can't even stand to look at her."
Sarah felt a pang of sympathy for Bradley. He had been nice to her the entire time and all he wanted was to help her get her friends back. He must have a good heart, she thought...he must be the knight in this story.
But now they were busy climbing trees. Sarah began to climb one with the assistance of vines that were wrapped around the trunk to help the younger children and new climbers up.
"Once you're up there, don't look down!" Bradley said as she began her ascent. "Just keep looking forward and above you. Pretend you're on the ground!"
Sarah gulped as she climbed, closing her eyes every time her foot missed a holding and she didn't feel any ground beneath her. "Easier said than done..." She thought. Taking a deep breath, she focused on looking up where a few children were giggling and whispering waiting for her to reach them.
"Hurry." A voice from above her said.
"How did you get up so fast?" Sarah asked Bradley who was already in a tree above her. He jumped from one branch to another, like a dance in mid air. He met her at the branch she climbed onto.
"Here grab my hand."
She grabbed it and felt a warm pulse run down her spine. Her face grew flushed and a her throat dry.
Bradley smiled back. "Come on, it's easy." And he showed her how to tree dash.
***
"Fuck I'm done for." David said trying to find anything to hide behind.
"Yeah I need a break." Rufus' booming voice yelled back at someone. The knob at the door began to turn...."I said put it over there!!" The knob stopped. "You idiot, let me take care of it. Follow me!!!" And his earth shaking foot steps began to dissipate.
David collapsed on the floor from relief but realized he needed to roll the rug back over the floor and get out of there.
He peaked his head out the door and quickly dashed out back to his cabin where it was safe to really collapse...he was supposed to be sick after all.
Moments later there was a knock on the door.
"Come in..." David said feigning weakness. Rufus entered.
"You think I'm an idiot don't you?"
David bolted up from the floor and backed up quickly to one side of the cabin as Rufus approached him.
"I know what you did." He got closer. Pinned to the wall, Rufus grabbed David by the shirt collar and without much effort lifted him up to his eye level. "Now you're coming with me."
"Wh...where?" David asked nervously.
"You want to pray?...Let's pray."
And Rufus led David back to his cabin where his screams for help were muffled by the hustle and bustle of the chores being done around camp.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Episode 45: The Masked Man and The Hidden Symbols
Jiko blinked three times fast to refocus his eyes for the darkness. The sly figure disappeared around a corner and Jiko kept pace a few steps back. The mystery man looked inside a cabin but immediately left and moved on soon after.
"Who is that and what are they looking for?" Jiko thought. He figured it was one of Bradley's cronies trying to find where the medical supplies were.
The mystery man arrived at another cabin. This time he knocked. The door cracked open a little and a familiar face poked out checking around for anyone else.
"Rufus!" Jiko whispered to himself. Once deciding the coast was clear Rufus let the mystery man into his cabin. Jiko snuck around the side and peered ever so slightly over the windowsill. A lantern, just like in his cabin, was flicking on the floor. The shadows danced on the walls and he saw Rufus and the man talking in the middle. The man had a bandanna over his face but Jiko could tell he was tall and athletically built.
Rufus slipped him something that the mystery man quickly put into his pocket. Jiko's eyes grew wide trying to figure out what it was...there was something not right here.
"What are you doing!" Jiko jumped, startled and turned around to find a guard behind him.
"I ah...am just taking a midnight stroll."
"Guests are not allowed out of their rooms at night. This is forbidden and is for your own personal safety. Now I must take you back to your cabin." The guard pushed Jiko in front of him. He turned around for one final look and saw the mystery man sneak out of Rufus' cabin and jump over the banisters to the forest floor below.
The guard brought Jiko back into the cabin with a stern warning and his friends awaiting him. He explained everything to them as they sat in awe at what was going on.
"What do you think that package was?" JC asked.
"I don't know...but do you think it'll be safe if we ask Breanna about it tomorrow?" Mel questioned.
Jiko shook his head. "No, no...but whatever Rufus is doing, he's doing it behind Breanna's back...we have to figure out what it is."
"How?" JC asked.
"Tomorrow...we'll have to slip into Rufus' cabin and search around." Jiko said.
"How will that work? There are guards everywhere and Breanna is going to need us to discuss our plan of action."
"Not all of us..." Jiko said looking at David.
"Wait, what? What do you want me to do?" David said with fear in his voice. Jiko laid out the plan and everyone went to bed...some sooner than others, as David struggled to find comfort in his role the next day.
The next day the group gathered in Breanna's cabin where they found her deep in thought, sipping tea.
"We're ready to go over the plan now." JC said. She continued to sip her tea without looking up once. "Aren't you listening?!" JC said growing angry. "Our friend is out there and we need to help her now."
Breanna barely looked up from her cup and gave a small grin.
"Why are you smiling? I don't see anything that's funny." JC said.
"Ugh..." They all turned around to see David stumbling in the back.
"What's wrong?" Mel asked.
"I don't feel too good...can I be excused and just go back to the cabin to rest?" David asked. Mel looked back at Breanna who had now stood up and went over to her oak desk rifling through papers.
"Well...can I?" David asked. Breanna didn't even look up from the documents on her desk. She just waved her hand to excuse him.
"Look for anything suspicious and cover your tracks." Mel whispered before David left.
"Now are you ready to tell us the plan?" JC said sternly. "We need to get out there now."
"So eager...to try and save a friend that is probably dead." Breanna said sifting through papers.
"I don't care! We're going to try!" JC said slamming his hands on her desk causing paper to fly everywhere.
"And a short temper...tsk tsk...you're going to just walk into harms way and not only kill yourself but the rest of your group."
Jiko looked up from sharpening his knife.
"But fine. We're going to have to infiltrate his camp. I'm sure you're up to the task?" Breanna said looking at Jiko. He re-sheathed his blade and nodded. "Good...then here's what we do..."
Sweating profusely from the heat and his nerves, David looked around to make sure that no one was watching. Rufus had gone to the brook by the blueberry fields with two others to gather food and water so he knew he only had a limited time. He quietly crept into the cabin and immediately thought to begin searching the cabinets and the desk drawers. Nothing. He looked under the bed and in between the pillows. Nothing. The books on the shelves yielded nothing except that David was surprised to learn that Rufus could actually read.
He began to pace back and forth afraid of what Mel might say if he came back empty handed. That's when he noticed something written on the floor. It peaked out slightly from beneath the old red rug. He pulled it back a little and noticed a circle etched into the wood with symbols all around. Instantly he recognized a few being the same that they had seen on the creature in the woods a few days back.
"What is this!!" He thought to himself as he unrolled the carpet even more to unveil the entire circle. In the middle was a pentagram and spots where candle wax had dried. David was sure this was an altar of some kind but what and why...
"Bring the water to the basins. I'm going to take a breather." A voice from outside the door boomed.
"OH SHIT!" David said quietly. Rufus was a mere second away from opening the door and finding him in there. He had no idea how he was going to escape this one...it seemed like the end for him.
"Who is that and what are they looking for?" Jiko thought. He figured it was one of Bradley's cronies trying to find where the medical supplies were.
The mystery man arrived at another cabin. This time he knocked. The door cracked open a little and a familiar face poked out checking around for anyone else.
"Rufus!" Jiko whispered to himself. Once deciding the coast was clear Rufus let the mystery man into his cabin. Jiko snuck around the side and peered ever so slightly over the windowsill. A lantern, just like in his cabin, was flicking on the floor. The shadows danced on the walls and he saw Rufus and the man talking in the middle. The man had a bandanna over his face but Jiko could tell he was tall and athletically built.
Rufus slipped him something that the mystery man quickly put into his pocket. Jiko's eyes grew wide trying to figure out what it was...there was something not right here.
"What are you doing!" Jiko jumped, startled and turned around to find a guard behind him.
"I ah...am just taking a midnight stroll."
"Guests are not allowed out of their rooms at night. This is forbidden and is for your own personal safety. Now I must take you back to your cabin." The guard pushed Jiko in front of him. He turned around for one final look and saw the mystery man sneak out of Rufus' cabin and jump over the banisters to the forest floor below.
The guard brought Jiko back into the cabin with a stern warning and his friends awaiting him. He explained everything to them as they sat in awe at what was going on.
"What do you think that package was?" JC asked.
"I don't know...but do you think it'll be safe if we ask Breanna about it tomorrow?" Mel questioned.
Jiko shook his head. "No, no...but whatever Rufus is doing, he's doing it behind Breanna's back...we have to figure out what it is."
"How?" JC asked.
"Tomorrow...we'll have to slip into Rufus' cabin and search around." Jiko said.
"How will that work? There are guards everywhere and Breanna is going to need us to discuss our plan of action."
"Not all of us..." Jiko said looking at David.
"Wait, what? What do you want me to do?" David said with fear in his voice. Jiko laid out the plan and everyone went to bed...some sooner than others, as David struggled to find comfort in his role the next day.
The next day the group gathered in Breanna's cabin where they found her deep in thought, sipping tea.
"We're ready to go over the plan now." JC said. She continued to sip her tea without looking up once. "Aren't you listening?!" JC said growing angry. "Our friend is out there and we need to help her now."
Breanna barely looked up from her cup and gave a small grin.
"Why are you smiling? I don't see anything that's funny." JC said.
"Ugh..." They all turned around to see David stumbling in the back.
"What's wrong?" Mel asked.
"I don't feel too good...can I be excused and just go back to the cabin to rest?" David asked. Mel looked back at Breanna who had now stood up and went over to her oak desk rifling through papers.
"Well...can I?" David asked. Breanna didn't even look up from the documents on her desk. She just waved her hand to excuse him.
"Look for anything suspicious and cover your tracks." Mel whispered before David left.
"Now are you ready to tell us the plan?" JC said sternly. "We need to get out there now."
"So eager...to try and save a friend that is probably dead." Breanna said sifting through papers.
"I don't care! We're going to try!" JC said slamming his hands on her desk causing paper to fly everywhere.
"And a short temper...tsk tsk...you're going to just walk into harms way and not only kill yourself but the rest of your group."
Jiko looked up from sharpening his knife.
"But fine. We're going to have to infiltrate his camp. I'm sure you're up to the task?" Breanna said looking at Jiko. He re-sheathed his blade and nodded. "Good...then here's what we do..."
Sweating profusely from the heat and his nerves, David looked around to make sure that no one was watching. Rufus had gone to the brook by the blueberry fields with two others to gather food and water so he knew he only had a limited time. He quietly crept into the cabin and immediately thought to begin searching the cabinets and the desk drawers. Nothing. He looked under the bed and in between the pillows. Nothing. The books on the shelves yielded nothing except that David was surprised to learn that Rufus could actually read.
He began to pace back and forth afraid of what Mel might say if he came back empty handed. That's when he noticed something written on the floor. It peaked out slightly from beneath the old red rug. He pulled it back a little and noticed a circle etched into the wood with symbols all around. Instantly he recognized a few being the same that they had seen on the creature in the woods a few days back.
"What is this!!" He thought to himself as he unrolled the carpet even more to unveil the entire circle. In the middle was a pentagram and spots where candle wax had dried. David was sure this was an altar of some kind but what and why...
"Bring the water to the basins. I'm going to take a breather." A voice from outside the door boomed.
"OH SHIT!" David said quietly. Rufus was a mere second away from opening the door and finding him in there. He had no idea how he was going to escape this one...it seemed like the end for him.
Episode 44: O Brother Where Art Thou?
The sun was softening as the day rolled into late afternoon.
"Um, should it be taking this long?" JC asked. Breanna was gazing out the window by the side of her ruby throne.
"Your friend is in danger! Rufus!" Breanna called. The giant of a man entered the cabin, causing the floor beneath the survivors to shake.
"What do you mean!" JC sounding nervous. "What's going on?"
"Grab me my sword, we need to go find her." Breanna instructed. Everyone got up, equipped themselves and hurried out of the cabin.
They all rushed out of camp towards where the blueberry fields were to find any signs of Sarah.
"SARAH!" David yelled. Hearing this, Breanna hit David just hard enough with the butt of her sword to his head. "Ouch! What was that for?" David asked.
"Do you want all the zombies to hear you and come after us!?" Breanna said. Rufus was right behind her cracking his knuckles in David's direction. He lowered his head and quickly quieted down.
Over by a tall patch of grass Breanna began crawling and looking for something in particular.
"What is she looking for?" Mel asked. Jiko ran over and joined her and quickly realized what was happening.
"There's blood here." Jiko said.
"Sarah?!" Mel panicked and ran over to notice the darkened ruby drops that laced a patch of grass.Both Breanna and Jiko followed the trail to a mound of dirt, leaves and debris that have been trodden black. Everyone gathered around it as Rufus lifted the mound in one sweep of a lift. Mel let out a small scream.
The mutilated body of a man, freshly killed, was hidden beneath the pile. On top of the man's chest was a small picture of a family with two young children. Breanna looked away for a second but got up and brandished her sword. "Back to camp..."
"But what about Sarah?" JC asked as he tried to keep up with Breanna's quickening pace.
"We can't help her." She said sharply. "It's too late."
JC looked at his other companions trying to find support. Mel looked confused, Jiko showed little emotion pondering the situation and David had no idea what was going on. JC sprinted ahead of Breanna and stopped in front of her, staring her down in the eyes. Rufus began to charge down the middle but Breanna stopped him with a gentle pat on the arm. "It's fine..." She said to her giant friend.
"You have a lot of heart don't you?" Breanna asked turning back to JC. He just looked back. "Enough heart to survive, huh? You're not like the others that have come through this way. Other people that have been lost I've sent packing just to get them out of my hair. But you're different. You're all different..." She said looking at everyone else, "Except maybe you..." looking at David, "You're just...special."
"So will you help us get Sarah back?"
Breanna nodded. "Yes...if she's still alive." And she continued walking back to camp.
"If? What do you mean IF?" JC demanded.
"The person who took her is a cunning, conniving and cruel individual. He leads a small band of survivors just on the other side of the blueberry fields and they have been trying to infiltrate my camp for the last couple of months to raid our medical supplies. But I know he'll probably keep her for ransom...at least for a little while."
"How do you know so much about him?" JC asked.
Breanna looked straight into his eyes and without skipping a beat said, "He's my brother."
The survivors looked at each other as they trailed behind Breanna, finally making it back to camp. They all entered a smaller cabin not far from the one they had been in before.
"It's getting dark. Rest tonight and tomorrow we will go over the plan." Breanna said. "And whatever you do, do not leave this cabin." She left.
The survivors gathered around a few lanterns that sat in the middle of the floor where their sleeping bags were.
"What do you think is going to happen tomorrow?" David asked everyone else.
"I'm not sure...but it must be weird knowing that her brother is the enemy..." Mel said.
"I wonder what happened between them." David pondered.
They continued talking as the lanterns gently flickered and the sounds of crickets orchestrated the night.
A few bursts of light from outside caught Jiko's eye. He got up, flicked open his butterfly knife and looked. There was nothing for a while.
"What is it?" Mel asked from the floor. Jiko signaled them to be quiet. The rest of them gathered by the window as well. Another few bursts of light radiated in the darkness. From a distance the woods seemed as if they were casting an eerie glow. Small bursts of oranges and yellows dusted the darkness but disappeared as quickly as they happened.
"Could be another fire?" Mel asked, recalling the blazing inferno the group experienced back in Friendship Heights.
"Let's hope not...we barely survived the last one." JC responded.
"Everyone be quiet and duck!" Jiko instructed. They heard footsteps creaking from outside as they all peered slightly over the windowsill to see who was outside. A man, veiled in the darkness, crept quietly, looking around as if the area wasn't too familiar.
"Who is that?" David whispered. Mel shut him up. Jiko made a signal for them to go outside. "But Breanna said not to go outside." David reminded them. Jiko ignored him as the others followed. He quietly opened the door and did a somersault behind a barrel to hide from view.
"Tell us what you find!" JC whispered to him. Jiko nodded and dashed into the night.
"Your friend is in danger! Rufus!" Breanna called. The giant of a man entered the cabin, causing the floor beneath the survivors to shake.
"What do you mean!" JC sounding nervous. "What's going on?"
"Grab me my sword, we need to go find her." Breanna instructed. Everyone got up, equipped themselves and hurried out of the cabin.
They all rushed out of camp towards where the blueberry fields were to find any signs of Sarah.
"SARAH!" David yelled. Hearing this, Breanna hit David just hard enough with the butt of her sword to his head. "Ouch! What was that for?" David asked.
"Do you want all the zombies to hear you and come after us!?" Breanna said. Rufus was right behind her cracking his knuckles in David's direction. He lowered his head and quickly quieted down.
Over by a tall patch of grass Breanna began crawling and looking for something in particular.
"What is she looking for?" Mel asked. Jiko ran over and joined her and quickly realized what was happening.
"There's blood here." Jiko said.
"Sarah?!" Mel panicked and ran over to notice the darkened ruby drops that laced a patch of grass.Both Breanna and Jiko followed the trail to a mound of dirt, leaves and debris that have been trodden black. Everyone gathered around it as Rufus lifted the mound in one sweep of a lift. Mel let out a small scream.
The mutilated body of a man, freshly killed, was hidden beneath the pile. On top of the man's chest was a small picture of a family with two young children. Breanna looked away for a second but got up and brandished her sword. "Back to camp..."
"But what about Sarah?" JC asked as he tried to keep up with Breanna's quickening pace.
"We can't help her." She said sharply. "It's too late."
JC looked at his other companions trying to find support. Mel looked confused, Jiko showed little emotion pondering the situation and David had no idea what was going on. JC sprinted ahead of Breanna and stopped in front of her, staring her down in the eyes. Rufus began to charge down the middle but Breanna stopped him with a gentle pat on the arm. "It's fine..." She said to her giant friend.
"You have a lot of heart don't you?" Breanna asked turning back to JC. He just looked back. "Enough heart to survive, huh? You're not like the others that have come through this way. Other people that have been lost I've sent packing just to get them out of my hair. But you're different. You're all different..." She said looking at everyone else, "Except maybe you..." looking at David, "You're just...special."
"So will you help us get Sarah back?"
Breanna nodded. "Yes...if she's still alive." And she continued walking back to camp.
"If? What do you mean IF?" JC demanded.
"The person who took her is a cunning, conniving and cruel individual. He leads a small band of survivors just on the other side of the blueberry fields and they have been trying to infiltrate my camp for the last couple of months to raid our medical supplies. But I know he'll probably keep her for ransom...at least for a little while."
"How do you know so much about him?" JC asked.
Breanna looked straight into his eyes and without skipping a beat said, "He's my brother."
The survivors looked at each other as they trailed behind Breanna, finally making it back to camp. They all entered a smaller cabin not far from the one they had been in before.
"It's getting dark. Rest tonight and tomorrow we will go over the plan." Breanna said. "And whatever you do, do not leave this cabin." She left.
The survivors gathered around a few lanterns that sat in the middle of the floor where their sleeping bags were.
"What do you think is going to happen tomorrow?" David asked everyone else.
"I'm not sure...but it must be weird knowing that her brother is the enemy..." Mel said.
"I wonder what happened between them." David pondered.
They continued talking as the lanterns gently flickered and the sounds of crickets orchestrated the night.
A few bursts of light from outside caught Jiko's eye. He got up, flicked open his butterfly knife and looked. There was nothing for a while.
"What is it?" Mel asked from the floor. Jiko signaled them to be quiet. The rest of them gathered by the window as well. Another few bursts of light radiated in the darkness. From a distance the woods seemed as if they were casting an eerie glow. Small bursts of oranges and yellows dusted the darkness but disappeared as quickly as they happened.
"Could be another fire?" Mel asked, recalling the blazing inferno the group experienced back in Friendship Heights.
"Let's hope not...we barely survived the last one." JC responded.
"Everyone be quiet and duck!" Jiko instructed. They heard footsteps creaking from outside as they all peered slightly over the windowsill to see who was outside. A man, veiled in the darkness, crept quietly, looking around as if the area wasn't too familiar.
"Who is that?" David whispered. Mel shut him up. Jiko made a signal for them to go outside. "But Breanna said not to go outside." David reminded them. Jiko ignored him as the others followed. He quietly opened the door and did a somersault behind a barrel to hide from view.
"Tell us what you find!" JC whispered to him. Jiko nodded and dashed into the night.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Episode 43: The Blueberry Fields
The group of survivors were amazed at what they saw as they entered Breanna's camp. At least a dozen wooden houses were built high in the trees with thick rope ladders and rope bridges connecting each one.
"My God! It's like Star Wars...or Lord of the Rings." David said in awe.
"It's necessary for survival. Zombies can't climb." Breanna said chopping a rope from a tree. A ladder unraveled and fell by her feet. "Let's go."
Everyone began to climb but David was still on the ground in awe. He heard a grunt and felt warm breath on his shoulder. He looked up and saw the behemoth of a man looking down at him. Scared, he gulped and ran up the ladder.
"Don't worry!" Breanna stifled a laugh. "That's just Rufus. He's harmless...unless you cross him."
They entered what seemed to be the largest of the tree houses and Breanna took off her shoes. She looked at the others who understood that they should take their shoes off too. She went to the center where a large ruby cushion sat on the floor and set herself on it facing towards the rest of the group. Rufus arrived and stood guard by the door.
"There must be an elevator. No way he could have climbed that tiny ladder." David tried to whisper to Sarah who only nudged him in the ribs back.
"Did you take note of these symbols?" Breanna asked. JC nodded and pulled out his note pad and passed it to her. She looked down at it and instantly her eyes widened. To avoid any further questions though she cleared her throat and retained her composure. "I don't know what these are...sorry."
JC gave her a look. "Okay...you made it seem like you knew what they were."
"No, but I do know someone who might but he won't speak with you unless you gather him a basket of blueberries."
"Excuse me?"
"Yes, he's a smart old man, but he's a kook. He only speaks with us if we bring him blueberries from the fields just beyond camp.
"Aren't there zombies out there?" Mel asked.
Breanna looked at the group. "You guys look fully equipped. But if you don't want to know more about these symbols..."
"How do you know he'll know what these are?" JC asked.
"Trust me, he knows everything." Breanna asked and gave a small yawn. "But if you're too scared to go out there, I'll send one of my men to help you. He'll meet you at the fields."
"I'll go." Sarah said standing up. "I need to get some exercise anyway. Listening to David complain all the time has stressed me out." David stuck his tongue out at her. She grabbed it and gave it a twist causing him to wince in pain.
"Be careful." Mel said.
"It's day time, I'll be fine." Sarah moved towards the door, patted Rufus on the arm who only looked down and snarled. Sarah snarled back. This made Rufus smile and oblige, moving out of her way.
"I'll be back later."
She grabbed her gun and climbed down the ladder, Rufus looking down at her.
"Are you coming with me?" She asked the giant of a man. His arms were probably twice the size of Sarah's body. When he didn't make a sound Sarah shrugged and continued on her way.
The blueberry fields were just out of sight from the camp in a clearing by a trickling brook. The sun danced through the leaves and butterflies fluttered by the buttercup flowers and peonies. Sarah couldn't help but think that this place seemed too surreal. Out there is a world that is slowly coming to an end and here in the forest is a random haven. She smiled when she found the blueberry bushes growing along the brook. She began to pick them and tossed a few in her mouth. The sweet purple juice overflowed all over her tongue as she bit down on each tiny morsel. A small shiver crept up her spine at the euphoric feeling. It reminded her of childhood.
"Enjoying the berries I see." A male voice from behind said. Sarah looked behind her, her mouth full of the berries. The tall man with blonde hair and blue eyes smiled. She quickly swallowed the berries just to get a word out. "You must be the guy that Breanna sent to help me."
A small pause. "Yeah...yeah that's me. Why are we picking blueberries anyway?" The man asked.
"To get the old man to answer our questions about the symbols we found on someone."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Oh..."
"Do you know anything about this old man?" Sarah asked.
"He is crazy, that's for sure."
"I'm Sarah by the way." Sarah said offering her hand.
"Bradley, nice to meet you."
The two continued to speak and grew quickly accustomed to each other as they traded survival stories and enjoyed blueberries.
"No way! You got it right in the head?" Bradley asked with sheer amazement.
"Yeah, I mean it's nothing. It was only 100 yards away." Sarah said.
"No, that's amazing. I'm sincerely impressed."
Sarah hid her flushed cheeks with her hair.
"Okay I think this is enough." Sarah said and began walking back to camp.
"Wait, let me show you a short cut." Bradley said.
"Huh? The camp is only a little bit ways over there. How can there be much more of a shortcut?"
Bradley laughed. "Fine I was joking. But I want to show you something." He offered his hand to her this time. She hesitated. "I should be going back..."
"Come on, please?" He said trying to throw her off with some puppy dog eyes.
Sarah looked around for a minute. "Fine...but only for a second, okay?"
"I promise. Just follow that path that way." He said letting Sarah take the lead.
Bradley looked back and grinned. He's sure no one will find the body of the man he had just killed.
"My God! It's like Star Wars...or Lord of the Rings." David said in awe.
"It's necessary for survival. Zombies can't climb." Breanna said chopping a rope from a tree. A ladder unraveled and fell by her feet. "Let's go."
Everyone began to climb but David was still on the ground in awe. He heard a grunt and felt warm breath on his shoulder. He looked up and saw the behemoth of a man looking down at him. Scared, he gulped and ran up the ladder.
"Don't worry!" Breanna stifled a laugh. "That's just Rufus. He's harmless...unless you cross him."
They entered what seemed to be the largest of the tree houses and Breanna took off her shoes. She looked at the others who understood that they should take their shoes off too. She went to the center where a large ruby cushion sat on the floor and set herself on it facing towards the rest of the group. Rufus arrived and stood guard by the door.
"There must be an elevator. No way he could have climbed that tiny ladder." David tried to whisper to Sarah who only nudged him in the ribs back.
"Did you take note of these symbols?" Breanna asked. JC nodded and pulled out his note pad and passed it to her. She looked down at it and instantly her eyes widened. To avoid any further questions though she cleared her throat and retained her composure. "I don't know what these are...sorry."
JC gave her a look. "Okay...you made it seem like you knew what they were."
"No, but I do know someone who might but he won't speak with you unless you gather him a basket of blueberries."
"Excuse me?"
"Yes, he's a smart old man, but he's a kook. He only speaks with us if we bring him blueberries from the fields just beyond camp.
"Aren't there zombies out there?" Mel asked.
Breanna looked at the group. "You guys look fully equipped. But if you don't want to know more about these symbols..."
"How do you know he'll know what these are?" JC asked.
"Trust me, he knows everything." Breanna asked and gave a small yawn. "But if you're too scared to go out there, I'll send one of my men to help you. He'll meet you at the fields."
"I'll go." Sarah said standing up. "I need to get some exercise anyway. Listening to David complain all the time has stressed me out." David stuck his tongue out at her. She grabbed it and gave it a twist causing him to wince in pain.
"Be careful." Mel said.
"It's day time, I'll be fine." Sarah moved towards the door, patted Rufus on the arm who only looked down and snarled. Sarah snarled back. This made Rufus smile and oblige, moving out of her way.
"I'll be back later."
She grabbed her gun and climbed down the ladder, Rufus looking down at her.
"Are you coming with me?" She asked the giant of a man. His arms were probably twice the size of Sarah's body. When he didn't make a sound Sarah shrugged and continued on her way.
The blueberry fields were just out of sight from the camp in a clearing by a trickling brook. The sun danced through the leaves and butterflies fluttered by the buttercup flowers and peonies. Sarah couldn't help but think that this place seemed too surreal. Out there is a world that is slowly coming to an end and here in the forest is a random haven. She smiled when she found the blueberry bushes growing along the brook. She began to pick them and tossed a few in her mouth. The sweet purple juice overflowed all over her tongue as she bit down on each tiny morsel. A small shiver crept up her spine at the euphoric feeling. It reminded her of childhood.
"Enjoying the berries I see." A male voice from behind said. Sarah looked behind her, her mouth full of the berries. The tall man with blonde hair and blue eyes smiled. She quickly swallowed the berries just to get a word out. "You must be the guy that Breanna sent to help me."
A small pause. "Yeah...yeah that's me. Why are we picking blueberries anyway?" The man asked.
"To get the old man to answer our questions about the symbols we found on someone."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Oh..."
"Do you know anything about this old man?" Sarah asked.
"He is crazy, that's for sure."
"I'm Sarah by the way." Sarah said offering her hand.
"Bradley, nice to meet you."
The two continued to speak and grew quickly accustomed to each other as they traded survival stories and enjoyed blueberries.
"No way! You got it right in the head?" Bradley asked with sheer amazement.
"Yeah, I mean it's nothing. It was only 100 yards away." Sarah said.
"No, that's amazing. I'm sincerely impressed."
Sarah hid her flushed cheeks with her hair.
"Okay I think this is enough." Sarah said and began walking back to camp.
"Wait, let me show you a short cut." Bradley said.
"Huh? The camp is only a little bit ways over there. How can there be much more of a shortcut?"
Bradley laughed. "Fine I was joking. But I want to show you something." He offered his hand to her this time. She hesitated. "I should be going back..."
"Come on, please?" He said trying to throw her off with some puppy dog eyes.
Sarah looked around for a minute. "Fine...but only for a second, okay?"
"I promise. Just follow that path that way." He said letting Sarah take the lead.
Bradley looked back and grinned. He's sure no one will find the body of the man he had just killed.
Episode 42: A New Mystery
"What was that!" Sarah jumped from her sleep, trying to find her gun in the dark. The other survivors also woke up to the sound of JC's shotgun fire. David stood up but ran into a tree from the confusion, scratching his face up as he fell backwards.
"Where are the zombies!" Mel asked JC brandishing a knife. Jiko stood next to her with his 10inch serrated hunting knife ready to attack. But there was only silence as they looked at JC's stunned face.
"I shot something." He said shaking slightly.
Mel ran over and noticed the body lying on the floor. "It's a zombie." She turned to everyone. "We need to get out of here now. The noise and light will attract more of them."
"Way to go." Jiko said as he passed JC. David, who was usually the one who messed up, just walked past JC without a word. The survivors began to clean up the camp but JC was standing over the dead body observing it.
"What are you doing?" Mel asked as she was quickly packing her things.
"There's something not right here..." JC said. She walked over to him.
"What do you mean? We need to get out of here." She said. JC reached his hand for the body. "Quit that! You don't want any blood on you."
"It's warm..." JC said.
"What?" Mel asked, her eyes focused to see better in the dark.
"The body, it's warm...zombies don't radiate heat. We've learned that from all the other ones we've killed. Why is this one warm?"
"How am I supposed to know but we don't have time to think about that. We need to go."
"There's something wrong here Mel!" JC pried the eyes of the dead being open and lit a flashlight into it. "Blue...his eyes are blue...there's still life in him. This man isn't a zombie..."
"What are you talking about? Of course it's zombie. It looks exactly like one!" Mel said getting frustrated.
"It doesn't smell like one." Jiko said suddenly appearing. Mel and JC looked up at him. "I know...I've been around them plenty to know they smell like rotting flesh. He looks like a zombie...but doesn't smell like one."
"Then what? He's a human that looks like a zombie? For what reason?" Mel asked.
"I'm not sure..." JC said scanning the body. He lit his flashlight over the body and noticed a small black mark on the body's arm. Curious he rolled up the sleeve and was taken aback by what he saw.
"What the...?" Mel began. A series of about 15 symbols ran up and down his arm. It was nothing the group had ever seen. By this time Sarah and David had joined the rest of them.
"Maybe it's Swahili...you know maybe that one means you click your tongue." David said demonstrating his ignorance by clicking his tongue between each word. "It's...click like...click this."
"Why do we keep him around?" Jiko whispered to Sarah who just shrugged her shoulders.
"What do you make out of it?" Mel asked JC.
"I don't know but I'm going to copy the symbols down." He took a pad of paper and a pencil and began sketching the symbols. He took great care to copy each one correctly as a few of them were extremely intricate.
Jiko stood up and began sniffing the air. Instantly he knew what was happening. "Guys you might want to back up." Everyone looked up at him. "NOW."
The dead man's body reanimated and lunged up at JC who was closest but Jiko had run behind the zombie and stabbed it straight through the skull with his hunting knife. The zombie made a gurgling noise and fell to back to the ground.
"He was human??" Mel asked shocked.
"I don't think completely..." JC responded.
"We have to get out of here now! There's probably more of these...these...human zombie hybrids...whatever they are!" Mel said. The rest of the group agreed and they got out of there quickly, making sure they covered their tracks. They traveled through the woods, following the stars (Mel learned from books at American University) as they headed east in hopes to get out of the woods and to somewhere familiar.
Dawn was breaking and the group was still meandering through the dense forest.
"Can we...take a break?" David said huffing and puffing behind them and tossing his bag on the floor.
"I don't think it's safe yet." Sarah said looking behind her periodically. "Mel do we keep going?"
The stars were fading fast but the rising sun continued to offer the group their bearings.
"JC, what do you think?" Mel asked.
"I think we can finally rest a bit. I don't think anything has been following us this entire time."
"Seriously, I'm tired." David said falling to the ground.
"Get up!" Sarah demanded. "I hear trickling water over there. Go get some fresh water for the camp." She tossed the empty canister at him. He begrudgingly got up and sulked away from the group.
The leaves were crunching beneath the group as they all sat down. JC pulled out his pad and began studying the symbols. They looked alien, nothing he had ever seen. He knew that looking at them, no matter how long, wouldn't make them more understandable so he shook his head and put the pad away.
Jiko was busy putting away his tools when he looked up. He drew out his knife immediately and was prepared to attack.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A man said. David was on the verge of tears and Jiko knew there was a gun pointed straight into his back.
The rest of the group heard the man and looked up at the same time. Mel, in a flash, tossed a knife in the direction of the man, but a female right by him swiped it out with a sword causing the throwing knife to ricochet into a tree.
"Put the gun down." The female said speaking to both JC and Sarah who had their fingers half way down on their triggers. They didn't budge. The female chuckled. "I guess you're not that important to them are you?" She said to David. "They won't even let their weapons go...you must be, what....the fifth wheel?"
"Who are you and what do you want?" Mel asked the strangers.
"We should be asking you the same question." The female responded. "This is our territory. We own this land."
"What are you talking about?" said Mel.
"Are you an idiot? Do I have to repeat myself? This is OUR land. You're on OUR land. Now get out or we kill you."
"What's so special about this place?" JC asked. "It's in the middle of no where."
The female looked at her partner agitated. "I've had enough of this. Kill him."
David squealed and closed his eyes shut.
"WAIT!" JC screamed. "We'll leave! We didn't mean to trespass. We were running away from a zombie."
"A zombie?" The female asked.
"Yeah, you know...the walking dead..." JC said.
"I know what zombies are...but there hasn't been a zombie in this area for months."
"Well..." JC began "It wasn't really a zombie."
"What do you mean?" The female asked.
"It's hard to explain...it was as if he was part human still...and he had these strange symbols on his arm."
The two strangers looked at each in recognition of what JC was talking about. The male let go of David and pushed him towards the group. He fell to the floor and crawled frantically to Mel.
"Come with us." The female said. "You'll need to show us these symbols." The two strangers began to walk ahead. JC looked back at his group. They all nodded and begin to pick up their things. JC ran up to catch up to them.
"I'm JC, by the way." He said. The female remained silent. "Okay..."
They walked further until the female stopped.
"Breanna."
"Excuse me?" JC asked.
"That's my name." And for the rest of trek, the group walked in silence.
"Where are the zombies!" Mel asked JC brandishing a knife. Jiko stood next to her with his 10inch serrated hunting knife ready to attack. But there was only silence as they looked at JC's stunned face.
"I shot something." He said shaking slightly.
Mel ran over and noticed the body lying on the floor. "It's a zombie." She turned to everyone. "We need to get out of here now. The noise and light will attract more of them."
"Way to go." Jiko said as he passed JC. David, who was usually the one who messed up, just walked past JC without a word. The survivors began to clean up the camp but JC was standing over the dead body observing it.
"What are you doing?" Mel asked as she was quickly packing her things.
"There's something not right here..." JC said. She walked over to him.
"What do you mean? We need to get out of here." She said. JC reached his hand for the body. "Quit that! You don't want any blood on you."
"It's warm..." JC said.
"What?" Mel asked, her eyes focused to see better in the dark.
"The body, it's warm...zombies don't radiate heat. We've learned that from all the other ones we've killed. Why is this one warm?"
"How am I supposed to know but we don't have time to think about that. We need to go."
"There's something wrong here Mel!" JC pried the eyes of the dead being open and lit a flashlight into it. "Blue...his eyes are blue...there's still life in him. This man isn't a zombie..."
"What are you talking about? Of course it's zombie. It looks exactly like one!" Mel said getting frustrated.
"It doesn't smell like one." Jiko said suddenly appearing. Mel and JC looked up at him. "I know...I've been around them plenty to know they smell like rotting flesh. He looks like a zombie...but doesn't smell like one."
"Then what? He's a human that looks like a zombie? For what reason?" Mel asked.
"I'm not sure..." JC said scanning the body. He lit his flashlight over the body and noticed a small black mark on the body's arm. Curious he rolled up the sleeve and was taken aback by what he saw.
"What the...?" Mel began. A series of about 15 symbols ran up and down his arm. It was nothing the group had ever seen. By this time Sarah and David had joined the rest of them.
"Maybe it's Swahili...you know maybe that one means you click your tongue." David said demonstrating his ignorance by clicking his tongue between each word. "It's...click like...click this."
"Why do we keep him around?" Jiko whispered to Sarah who just shrugged her shoulders.
"What do you make out of it?" Mel asked JC.
"I don't know but I'm going to copy the symbols down." He took a pad of paper and a pencil and began sketching the symbols. He took great care to copy each one correctly as a few of them were extremely intricate.
Jiko stood up and began sniffing the air. Instantly he knew what was happening. "Guys you might want to back up." Everyone looked up at him. "NOW."
The dead man's body reanimated and lunged up at JC who was closest but Jiko had run behind the zombie and stabbed it straight through the skull with his hunting knife. The zombie made a gurgling noise and fell to back to the ground.
"He was human??" Mel asked shocked.
"I don't think completely..." JC responded.
"We have to get out of here now! There's probably more of these...these...human zombie hybrids...whatever they are!" Mel said. The rest of the group agreed and they got out of there quickly, making sure they covered their tracks. They traveled through the woods, following the stars (Mel learned from books at American University) as they headed east in hopes to get out of the woods and to somewhere familiar.
Dawn was breaking and the group was still meandering through the dense forest.
"Can we...take a break?" David said huffing and puffing behind them and tossing his bag on the floor.
"I don't think it's safe yet." Sarah said looking behind her periodically. "Mel do we keep going?"
The stars were fading fast but the rising sun continued to offer the group their bearings.
"JC, what do you think?" Mel asked.
"I think we can finally rest a bit. I don't think anything has been following us this entire time."
"Seriously, I'm tired." David said falling to the ground.
"Get up!" Sarah demanded. "I hear trickling water over there. Go get some fresh water for the camp." She tossed the empty canister at him. He begrudgingly got up and sulked away from the group.
The leaves were crunching beneath the group as they all sat down. JC pulled out his pad and began studying the symbols. They looked alien, nothing he had ever seen. He knew that looking at them, no matter how long, wouldn't make them more understandable so he shook his head and put the pad away.
Jiko was busy putting away his tools when he looked up. He drew out his knife immediately and was prepared to attack.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A man said. David was on the verge of tears and Jiko knew there was a gun pointed straight into his back.
The rest of the group heard the man and looked up at the same time. Mel, in a flash, tossed a knife in the direction of the man, but a female right by him swiped it out with a sword causing the throwing knife to ricochet into a tree.
"Put the gun down." The female said speaking to both JC and Sarah who had their fingers half way down on their triggers. They didn't budge. The female chuckled. "I guess you're not that important to them are you?" She said to David. "They won't even let their weapons go...you must be, what....the fifth wheel?"
"Who are you and what do you want?" Mel asked the strangers.
"We should be asking you the same question." The female responded. "This is our territory. We own this land."
"What are you talking about?" said Mel.
"Are you an idiot? Do I have to repeat myself? This is OUR land. You're on OUR land. Now get out or we kill you."
"What's so special about this place?" JC asked. "It's in the middle of no where."
The female looked at her partner agitated. "I've had enough of this. Kill him."
David squealed and closed his eyes shut.
"WAIT!" JC screamed. "We'll leave! We didn't mean to trespass. We were running away from a zombie."
"A zombie?" The female asked.
"Yeah, you know...the walking dead..." JC said.
"I know what zombies are...but there hasn't been a zombie in this area for months."
"Well..." JC began "It wasn't really a zombie."
"What do you mean?" The female asked.
"It's hard to explain...it was as if he was part human still...and he had these strange symbols on his arm."
The two strangers looked at each in recognition of what JC was talking about. The male let go of David and pushed him towards the group. He fell to the floor and crawled frantically to Mel.
"Come with us." The female said. "You'll need to show us these symbols." The two strangers began to walk ahead. JC looked back at his group. They all nodded and begin to pick up their things. JC ran up to catch up to them.
"I'm JC, by the way." He said. The female remained silent. "Okay..."
They walked further until the female stopped.
"Breanna."
"Excuse me?" JC asked.
"That's my name." And for the rest of trek, the group walked in silence.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Episode 41: Somewhere in the near future...
I can still see the flash. I thought I was a goner but Owen had yelled from behind fast enough to realize what Caroline was doing. I jumped out of the way and heard Owen running towards her shooting his gun towards her. She was able to escape and that was the last time we'd seen her. She was gone.
It's been 5 months since that day and the group has gotten significantly smaller. We ended up at American University where we found it barricaded but eventually it was taken over. In our attempt to flee, our group had once again been separated. The group I'm with managed to escape into the woods of Maryland and are trying to make our way up to Boston. When we were on campus, someone had a crank radio. An SOS message was playing over and over again:
If there is anyone alive, there is safety in Boston. Please make it to Boston, we will protect you.
This message repeated constantly and all of us agreed that we would all make it up there no matter what happened.
So you're probably wondering who I'm with. We may have the same names but we're completely different people. The last 5 months have hardened us and I try to avoid reliving those last months although I'm sure it'll be inevitable sooner or later.
Let me first introduce myself, but you probably already know who I am. I'm JC. I'm a sophomore in college but came back to Bethesda to work for the summer and that's when it all started. I know I'll probably never go back to school but I'm kind of excited that we're all headed up to Boston. Over the last 5 months I've been the leader of our group, although several others have stepped up whenever we got separated. I met a man at American University who taught me to master the shotgun. Killing a zombie is now second nature.
Then there's Jiko. A long haired, mustached, Filipino marijuana aficionado, to put it lightly. Jiko has always been an integral part of the group. He's a sneaky little fucker and has always been able to pick locks, forage for food and help surveillance. His arsenal of knives, which he had way before the zombie outbreak, and his quick speed has made him a lethal weapon when it comes to melee weapons.
Sarah, a small Korean girl known for her high sense of fashion and cut throat attitude was the manager of our store before the zombie outbreak happened. After that, she revealed her amazing prowess with hand guns and assault rifles. She went to the range with her parents when she was younger and loved every minute. Sarah's quick wit and sharp tongue keeps the group grounded for sure.
Our oldest yet most centered and rational member of the group has always been Mel. Her ability with throwing knives and her speed has helped us out in many situations that looked impossible to escape. For example, last month we were running from a group of at least twenty of them and we dropped our ammo. Mel risked her life to retrieve the ammo while taking out at least half of the zombies by herself. But when we're not running away from those things, she's always the most diplomatic one especially when I'm arguing with our final group member.
He has always been quite irritating and he's not very good at any particular weapon. I swear if it wasn't for the rest of us, I'm sure he wouldn't have survived. Fine...maybe I'm being mean. Just a little. He's fine with melee weapons and does offer some good ideas but he's mostly irritating. David is the youngest in the group and his immaturity is evident.
You're probably wondering how he ended up with us aren't you? He wasn't with us months ago, where our story last left off but he did end up at American. Don't worry, there's plenty of time to explain that but when American University became zombie infested, he somehow managed to attach himself with us. I know Mel is very patient with him and trying to teach him knives while Sarah has him constantly on extra shifts of recon and guard duty. "I'm teaching him how to shoot." Would always be her excuse.
We're in the woods probably somewhere past Frederick, maybe even in Pennsylvania. I'm not sure any more but none of us have ever been that good at navigation. At this point we're just trying to go east by following the direction the sun rises.
"We hit New Jersey and we'll go up from there." Sarah said to Mel as they poured over a map. Jiko was busy sharpening his knives while I had David go get water for the camp. I was on guard duty but couldn't help wonder what may have happened to the rest of the group.
"We have to find them." I turned around and said. Sarah looked up at me with a blank stare.
"Seriously?" She said. "How do you propose we do that?"
"I don't know...but we've been together for so long, we can't just give up."
"All we know, everyone else is dead." She said.
"For all we know, they could be out there looking for us! And we're not doing anything about it." I said, growing irritated.
"Don't raise your voice at me." She got up.
"HEY! YOU TWO CALM DOWN." Mel said putting the map away and getting in between us. "There will be no fighting. We need to secure ourselves here tonight until the morning. We'll start moving again at first light."
"We don't even know where we are..." David said coming back with a pail of water, spilling a good amount on the way.
"Did you cover your tracks?" Mel asked him. His eyes grew wide as he cursed under his breath and ran back. She shook her head and came back to the group. "But for now, the sun is going down. We should get rest. JC, you got first watch. Jiko is next." Jiko looked up from checking the point of his knives. He just nodded to confirm and went back to sharpening his tools.
I couldn't help but think that we should be looking for our friends. I know it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
"I'm sure we'll run into them. They heard the same message too." Mel said. I guess she noticed my worry. "Don't think about it too much. Only three hours and you'll get some sleep too." She went to help Sarah extinguish the fire, lest not to attract any zombies.
Later that night, towards the end of my shift, I couldn't help but start feeling a bit weary. My eyelids grew heavy as I tried to stay awake by looking out at one spot in the distance. I began to think that the spot in the distance was moving. And moving closer...
Suddenly I jolted when I realized that something was in fact moving our direction. I pumped my shotgun once and tried to squint my eyes to focus harder on the moving object. Waking up my group was supposed to be my next step but I didn't want to overreact before I knew what the object was.
It drew closer. The sweat from my hands forming a dew on my gun. My heart was beating so loud at this point I could hear it in my ears. It continued to move toward me...moving faster.
Only a moment later, I realized what it was. I tried to feel for someone's leg to wake them up but couldn't find them in my fright. "Crap..." I muttered under my breath as I pulled on the trigger, illuminating the night.
It's been 5 months since that day and the group has gotten significantly smaller. We ended up at American University where we found it barricaded but eventually it was taken over. In our attempt to flee, our group had once again been separated. The group I'm with managed to escape into the woods of Maryland and are trying to make our way up to Boston. When we were on campus, someone had a crank radio. An SOS message was playing over and over again:
If there is anyone alive, there is safety in Boston. Please make it to Boston, we will protect you.
This message repeated constantly and all of us agreed that we would all make it up there no matter what happened.
So you're probably wondering who I'm with. We may have the same names but we're completely different people. The last 5 months have hardened us and I try to avoid reliving those last months although I'm sure it'll be inevitable sooner or later.
Let me first introduce myself, but you probably already know who I am. I'm JC. I'm a sophomore in college but came back to Bethesda to work for the summer and that's when it all started. I know I'll probably never go back to school but I'm kind of excited that we're all headed up to Boston. Over the last 5 months I've been the leader of our group, although several others have stepped up whenever we got separated. I met a man at American University who taught me to master the shotgun. Killing a zombie is now second nature.
Then there's Jiko. A long haired, mustached, Filipino marijuana aficionado, to put it lightly. Jiko has always been an integral part of the group. He's a sneaky little fucker and has always been able to pick locks, forage for food and help surveillance. His arsenal of knives, which he had way before the zombie outbreak, and his quick speed has made him a lethal weapon when it comes to melee weapons.
Sarah, a small Korean girl known for her high sense of fashion and cut throat attitude was the manager of our store before the zombie outbreak happened. After that, she revealed her amazing prowess with hand guns and assault rifles. She went to the range with her parents when she was younger and loved every minute. Sarah's quick wit and sharp tongue keeps the group grounded for sure.
Our oldest yet most centered and rational member of the group has always been Mel. Her ability with throwing knives and her speed has helped us out in many situations that looked impossible to escape. For example, last month we were running from a group of at least twenty of them and we dropped our ammo. Mel risked her life to retrieve the ammo while taking out at least half of the zombies by herself. But when we're not running away from those things, she's always the most diplomatic one especially when I'm arguing with our final group member.
He has always been quite irritating and he's not very good at any particular weapon. I swear if it wasn't for the rest of us, I'm sure he wouldn't have survived. Fine...maybe I'm being mean. Just a little. He's fine with melee weapons and does offer some good ideas but he's mostly irritating. David is the youngest in the group and his immaturity is evident.
You're probably wondering how he ended up with us aren't you? He wasn't with us months ago, where our story last left off but he did end up at American. Don't worry, there's plenty of time to explain that but when American University became zombie infested, he somehow managed to attach himself with us. I know Mel is very patient with him and trying to teach him knives while Sarah has him constantly on extra shifts of recon and guard duty. "I'm teaching him how to shoot." Would always be her excuse.
We're in the woods probably somewhere past Frederick, maybe even in Pennsylvania. I'm not sure any more but none of us have ever been that good at navigation. At this point we're just trying to go east by following the direction the sun rises.
"We hit New Jersey and we'll go up from there." Sarah said to Mel as they poured over a map. Jiko was busy sharpening his knives while I had David go get water for the camp. I was on guard duty but couldn't help wonder what may have happened to the rest of the group.
"We have to find them." I turned around and said. Sarah looked up at me with a blank stare.
"Seriously?" She said. "How do you propose we do that?"
"I don't know...but we've been together for so long, we can't just give up."
"All we know, everyone else is dead." She said.
"For all we know, they could be out there looking for us! And we're not doing anything about it." I said, growing irritated.
"Don't raise your voice at me." She got up.
"HEY! YOU TWO CALM DOWN." Mel said putting the map away and getting in between us. "There will be no fighting. We need to secure ourselves here tonight until the morning. We'll start moving again at first light."
"We don't even know where we are..." David said coming back with a pail of water, spilling a good amount on the way.
"Did you cover your tracks?" Mel asked him. His eyes grew wide as he cursed under his breath and ran back. She shook her head and came back to the group. "But for now, the sun is going down. We should get rest. JC, you got first watch. Jiko is next." Jiko looked up from checking the point of his knives. He just nodded to confirm and went back to sharpening his tools.
I couldn't help but think that we should be looking for our friends. I know it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
"I'm sure we'll run into them. They heard the same message too." Mel said. I guess she noticed my worry. "Don't think about it too much. Only three hours and you'll get some sleep too." She went to help Sarah extinguish the fire, lest not to attract any zombies.
Later that night, towards the end of my shift, I couldn't help but start feeling a bit weary. My eyelids grew heavy as I tried to stay awake by looking out at one spot in the distance. I began to think that the spot in the distance was moving. And moving closer...
Suddenly I jolted when I realized that something was in fact moving our direction. I pumped my shotgun once and tried to squint my eyes to focus harder on the moving object. Waking up my group was supposed to be my next step but I didn't want to overreact before I knew what the object was.
It drew closer. The sweat from my hands forming a dew on my gun. My heart was beating so loud at this point I could hear it in my ears. It continued to move toward me...moving faster.
Only a moment later, I realized what it was. I tried to feel for someone's leg to wake them up but couldn't find them in my fright. "Crap..." I muttered under my breath as I pulled on the trigger, illuminating the night.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Episode 40: Night 7.5/Sometime in Week 2 - Season 1 Finale
Lauren H.
You can ask anyone that was there and they will relive the story in a completely different way. It was probably the worst three days of any of our lives and that's not easy to say after the hell hole of a week we've been put through.
But it's my turn to tell the story and I don't care what anyone says, I'm going to be completely honest and real as to how the events unfolded.
"Put pressure on his wound!" Mel yelled at me. I looked at her in shock and then down at Eric who was bleeding profusely all over me. I couldn't stop shaking and immediately realized that I was seeing someone die in my arms. Not again, not again I thought...this couldn't have been happening to me. He had been shot by a stray bullet. It was most likely from one of the soldiers who was firing indiscriminately is all directions when the zombie horde showed up.
"DO IT NOW LAUREN!!!" Mel said as she got up, drew out her knives and headed out into the fray. I took my sweater off and pressed down on Eric's stomach, at the point he had been shot. His face was pale and his eyes were beginning to roll back as he coughed up a trace amount of blood.
"Fuck...not again." He said trying to sound strong. I couldn't do anything but shake and press down hard. He groaned in pain. I pressed too hard.
People were darting past me, guns and weapons at the ready. Some others were to the right, helping another wounded person...I couldn't tell who it was through the swirling dust clouds.
"Where did they come from!" I wondered. Out of no where a wave of zombies had appeared where the soldiers were moments before. They masked themselves in the smoke and debris and began to attack immediately soon after. A lot of the soldiers were instantly killed but of those that remained, they charged through the horde with the two tanks at their disposal. Our group wasn't as lucky. We were surrounded by zombies on all sides and a huge ring of fire that trapped us in our own gladiator arena...only one group would survive. It was them or us.
"Jiko, watch your back!" I heard JC yelling as he shot zombie after zombie that were approaching with a quickness. Elizabeth had managed to trap herself in with us and even after Owen gunned down a few zombies that were after her, her stoic face gave no indication of appreciation. She looked twisted, like that evil clown from the movie "It". I can't imagine what was going through her mind, only that she remained emotionless with every spray of her bullets.
Eric coughed again. This time more blood accompanied it. I tried to cry, it felt like what was expected, but I couldn't. I tried to press harder but whatever I did only caused him more pain.
"Lauren duck!" I heard Mel say. I lowered my head as a knife whizzed past me by mere inches. I heard a dull thud and turned around to see a zombie fall down on its side. It had leaned over ready to bite me. Its limp body fell on me and I felt its blood drip all over my back. I squeamishly rolled the zombie off of me.
I looked to the other group of us to the right and realized, after hearing a little girl's crying, that it was Jenny who was wounded. Caroline and Lauren N. were with her trying to stop her bleeding and calm Adelaide down.
"Let me go." I looked down. Eric was still coughing.
"What?" I asked.
"Let me go...I've already escaped death once...let me go."
"No, I won't. I won't let you die." I cried.
"It's not your choice...it's mine. Let me go. I want to go out this way."
"Eric, please let me help you."
He smiled for a second. "You know, this is the first time you've ever wanted to help me Lauren. Now I really want to go out this way." He coughed more blood. He was right. I had always been a bit hard on him at work. He just never knew that he was actually one of my favorites...kind of like a little brother to me, an annoying one, but a little brother none the less.
"If you ever run across David again...take care of him okay?" He asked me. I nodded through my tears. He closed his eyes, coughed one more time and his breathing ceased. I cried out his name once but had to shake it off and realize that my other friends were still fighting. I put my sweater over him and got up to where Sarah was, killing zombies left and right. I was a bit afraid to approach her actually...
You can ask anyone that was there and they will relive the story in a completely different way. It was probably the worst three days of any of our lives and that's not easy to say after the hell hole of a week we've been put through.
But it's my turn to tell the story and I don't care what anyone says, I'm going to be completely honest and real as to how the events unfolded.
"Put pressure on his wound!" Mel yelled at me. I looked at her in shock and then down at Eric who was bleeding profusely all over me. I couldn't stop shaking and immediately realized that I was seeing someone die in my arms. Not again, not again I thought...this couldn't have been happening to me. He had been shot by a stray bullet. It was most likely from one of the soldiers who was firing indiscriminately is all directions when the zombie horde showed up.
"DO IT NOW LAUREN!!!" Mel said as she got up, drew out her knives and headed out into the fray. I took my sweater off and pressed down on Eric's stomach, at the point he had been shot. His face was pale and his eyes were beginning to roll back as he coughed up a trace amount of blood.
"Fuck...not again." He said trying to sound strong. I couldn't do anything but shake and press down hard. He groaned in pain. I pressed too hard.
People were darting past me, guns and weapons at the ready. Some others were to the right, helping another wounded person...I couldn't tell who it was through the swirling dust clouds.
"Where did they come from!" I wondered. Out of no where a wave of zombies had appeared where the soldiers were moments before. They masked themselves in the smoke and debris and began to attack immediately soon after. A lot of the soldiers were instantly killed but of those that remained, they charged through the horde with the two tanks at their disposal. Our group wasn't as lucky. We were surrounded by zombies on all sides and a huge ring of fire that trapped us in our own gladiator arena...only one group would survive. It was them or us.
"Jiko, watch your back!" I heard JC yelling as he shot zombie after zombie that were approaching with a quickness. Elizabeth had managed to trap herself in with us and even after Owen gunned down a few zombies that were after her, her stoic face gave no indication of appreciation. She looked twisted, like that evil clown from the movie "It". I can't imagine what was going through her mind, only that she remained emotionless with every spray of her bullets.
Eric coughed again. This time more blood accompanied it. I tried to cry, it felt like what was expected, but I couldn't. I tried to press harder but whatever I did only caused him more pain.
"Lauren duck!" I heard Mel say. I lowered my head as a knife whizzed past me by mere inches. I heard a dull thud and turned around to see a zombie fall down on its side. It had leaned over ready to bite me. Its limp body fell on me and I felt its blood drip all over my back. I squeamishly rolled the zombie off of me.
I looked to the other group of us to the right and realized, after hearing a little girl's crying, that it was Jenny who was wounded. Caroline and Lauren N. were with her trying to stop her bleeding and calm Adelaide down.
"Let me go." I looked down. Eric was still coughing.
"What?" I asked.
"Let me go...I've already escaped death once...let me go."
"No, I won't. I won't let you die." I cried.
"It's not your choice...it's mine. Let me go. I want to go out this way."
"Eric, please let me help you."
He smiled for a second. "You know, this is the first time you've ever wanted to help me Lauren. Now I really want to go out this way." He coughed more blood. He was right. I had always been a bit hard on him at work. He just never knew that he was actually one of my favorites...kind of like a little brother to me, an annoying one, but a little brother none the less.
"If you ever run across David again...take care of him okay?" He asked me. I nodded through my tears. He closed his eyes, coughed one more time and his breathing ceased. I cried out his name once but had to shake it off and realize that my other friends were still fighting. I put my sweater over him and got up to where Sarah was, killing zombies left and right. I was a bit afraid to approach her actually...
***
Ashleigh
I needed to get myself out of these binds. My fingers just barely reached the knot but it was just enough to start working on it. What a lame knot…it’s obvious that David never went to boy scouts or if he did, he probably never got his knot tying badge. I, on the other hand, was one of the best girl scouts in my troop. Not only did I sell the most cookies but I ran rings around other people when it came to badges.
I felt so humiliated. They tied me up and pushed me into a wagon that were usually used to drag small children behind their parents biking. If I could just undo a few of these knots, I’d be able to free myself and escape. They wouldn’t dare try and kill me. I just needed to kill them first. Who was this new Ashleigh? I wasn’t sure I liked her.
“Mom, I think I’m sick.” I remember I used to say whenever I didn’t want to go to school.
“Come here and let me feel your temperature.” She would press the back of her hand on my forehead. “You’re right…” She would pretend. “You’re heating up! I think we’ll need to go to the doctor but for now, you go rest and I’ll bring your breakfast.” She said with a smile. I would go back to my bed thinking I had won. Minutes later, as I got myself comfortable under my comforter, my mom would walk back into my room. “We’re going to need to give you a shot today.”
I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to get ready. This worked every time.
What happened to that Ashleigh? A silly needle scared me and only after a week I was willing to stab someone I knew to death. I was willing to spill blood and to do anything that I needed to do to make sure I survived. A part of me wanted to preserve those memories, as awful as they were, of my mom threatening me with needles. It is way better than the reality I am living right now. I’m not even sure my parents made it to the safe zone and after seeing Friendship Heights and what’s been going on, I’m not even sure the safe zone still exists.
“We’re almost to the metro stop!” David said as he and Vankelia rode faster. I could see the flames engulfing the horizon and the smell of smoke and dead bodies filling my nose. As we got closer, the flames grew larger. A ring of fire surrounded most of the area around the metro and even through the blaze, we could hear gun fire, screaming and people fighting.
“What’s going on?” Vankelia asked as we looked at the fire.
“I don’t know, but let’s go around and see if there is an opening to this place.” David said.
“Let me go!” I protested. “If it gets dangerous, I need to be able to fight.”
“Or save yourself?” David said looking at me. “No way. I know you’re not telling the whole truth about this survival plan of yours. Until you’re willing to take Vankelia and me to this place, there is no way I’m letting you go.”
“And risk me getting killed? Then you’ll definitely have no chance to get an in on this survival plan.” I said.
“Maybe we should let her go?” Vankelia asked. I nodded my head furiously to show my agreement.
“And risk her kill us first? I’d rather risk her life later than risk our lives now.” David said, pulling a large knife out of his bag. “Maybe…” He said playing with his knife. “Maybe if we cut off her hands, she won’t be able to attack us.”
“Are you crazy!?” I screamed.
Vankelia’s eyes grew wide. “I’d be all for it.” She was already all for killing me, why not torture me instead?
David shook his head. “I was just kidding V, calm down.” He said. She clearly showed disappointment and got off her bike to take a better look at the wall of fire in front of us. Suddenly we heard a large scream from the other side that caused her to jump back.
“What was that?” She asked.
“I don’t know, but let’s go and find that opening.”
They rode off. I had one knot left to untie.
I felt so humiliated. They tied me up and pushed me into a wagon that were usually used to drag small children behind their parents biking. If I could just undo a few of these knots, I’d be able to free myself and escape. They wouldn’t dare try and kill me. I just needed to kill them first. Who was this new Ashleigh? I wasn’t sure I liked her.
“Mom, I think I’m sick.” I remember I used to say whenever I didn’t want to go to school.
“Come here and let me feel your temperature.” She would press the back of her hand on my forehead. “You’re right…” She would pretend. “You’re heating up! I think we’ll need to go to the doctor but for now, you go rest and I’ll bring your breakfast.” She said with a smile. I would go back to my bed thinking I had won. Minutes later, as I got myself comfortable under my comforter, my mom would walk back into my room. “We’re going to need to give you a shot today.”
I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to get ready. This worked every time.
What happened to that Ashleigh? A silly needle scared me and only after a week I was willing to stab someone I knew to death. I was willing to spill blood and to do anything that I needed to do to make sure I survived. A part of me wanted to preserve those memories, as awful as they were, of my mom threatening me with needles. It is way better than the reality I am living right now. I’m not even sure my parents made it to the safe zone and after seeing Friendship Heights and what’s been going on, I’m not even sure the safe zone still exists.
“We’re almost to the metro stop!” David said as he and Vankelia rode faster. I could see the flames engulfing the horizon and the smell of smoke and dead bodies filling my nose. As we got closer, the flames grew larger. A ring of fire surrounded most of the area around the metro and even through the blaze, we could hear gun fire, screaming and people fighting.
“What’s going on?” Vankelia asked as we looked at the fire.
“I don’t know, but let’s go around and see if there is an opening to this place.” David said.
“Let me go!” I protested. “If it gets dangerous, I need to be able to fight.”
“Or save yourself?” David said looking at me. “No way. I know you’re not telling the whole truth about this survival plan of yours. Until you’re willing to take Vankelia and me to this place, there is no way I’m letting you go.”
“And risk me getting killed? Then you’ll definitely have no chance to get an in on this survival plan.” I said.
“Maybe we should let her go?” Vankelia asked. I nodded my head furiously to show my agreement.
“And risk her kill us first? I’d rather risk her life later than risk our lives now.” David said, pulling a large knife out of his bag. “Maybe…” He said playing with his knife. “Maybe if we cut off her hands, she won’t be able to attack us.”
“Are you crazy!?” I screamed.
Vankelia’s eyes grew wide. “I’d be all for it.” She was already all for killing me, why not torture me instead?
David shook his head. “I was just kidding V, calm down.” He said. She clearly showed disappointment and got off her bike to take a better look at the wall of fire in front of us. Suddenly we heard a large scream from the other side that caused her to jump back.
“What was that?” She asked.
“I don’t know, but let’s go and find that opening.”
They rode off. I had one knot left to untie.
***
Sarah
Yo, let me tell you, they were coming at us like Kkangpae through the thick smoke. It was never ending and those bastards kept coming after us. Good fortune on our side, the soldiers that were unlucky enough to get stuck in the flames with us were the first ones to be mauled by the hungry things.
We saw the way out. There was one section of the blaze that looked like it was dying and about to open up a passage for us to escape. We just needed to secure it and keep the zombies at bay until it opened. I wanted to shoot those jiggas and bust a few caps but I knew I needed to conserve my bullets. I wrapped my machine gun around me and pulled out my sick machete. Its black carbon fiber body and razor sharp edges caused for a deadly pairing.
“Sarah, let’s go!” Owen said to me pulling out his own dinky machete. I laughed but rushed in with him.
“FUCK YOU!” I said slicing off a zombie’s head. It looked like my ex boyfriend. It made it that much more gratifying.
Lauren H. was behind me getting up after putting her blood soaked shirt over Eric’s face. I knew we had lost him at that point.
“What can I do?” She asked me. I gave her a look.
“Really, you don’t see anything you can do right now?” I replied back. I tossed her a handgun. “Go fucking kill those things!” She looked a bit frightened by me as she ran off trying to take the safety off of her handgun. If I hadn't seen her later that day, I would have bet that she would have died right then and there. Who can't take a safety off of a gun? Seriously.
I noticed Elizabeth shooting zombies with the most blank look on her face. I stopped and observed her. She didn't seem human any more. It looked like the face of a serial killer, no remorse, no feelings at all.
"Yo Elizabeth." I called out to her. She didn't answer back. "Elizabeth." I called again. She still didn't look at me. "Rude..." I muttered under my breath and continued killing the zombies in front. Out of the corner of my eye, I realized she wasn't going after any of the other zombies any more. Elizabeth was only shooting down zombies that were in her way of getting to someone...one person in particular.
"JC!!!!!!!" I yelled out and rushed to get to him.
Yo, let me tell you, they were coming at us like Kkangpae through the thick smoke. It was never ending and those bastards kept coming after us. Good fortune on our side, the soldiers that were unlucky enough to get stuck in the flames with us were the first ones to be mauled by the hungry things.
We saw the way out. There was one section of the blaze that looked like it was dying and about to open up a passage for us to escape. We just needed to secure it and keep the zombies at bay until it opened. I wanted to shoot those jiggas and bust a few caps but I knew I needed to conserve my bullets. I wrapped my machine gun around me and pulled out my sick machete. Its black carbon fiber body and razor sharp edges caused for a deadly pairing.
“Sarah, let’s go!” Owen said to me pulling out his own dinky machete. I laughed but rushed in with him.
“FUCK YOU!” I said slicing off a zombie’s head. It looked like my ex boyfriend. It made it that much more gratifying.
Lauren H. was behind me getting up after putting her blood soaked shirt over Eric’s face. I knew we had lost him at that point.
“What can I do?” She asked me. I gave her a look.
“Really, you don’t see anything you can do right now?” I replied back. I tossed her a handgun. “Go fucking kill those things!” She looked a bit frightened by me as she ran off trying to take the safety off of her handgun. If I hadn't seen her later that day, I would have bet that she would have died right then and there. Who can't take a safety off of a gun? Seriously.
I noticed Elizabeth shooting zombies with the most blank look on her face. I stopped and observed her. She didn't seem human any more. It looked like the face of a serial killer, no remorse, no feelings at all.
"Yo Elizabeth." I called out to her. She didn't answer back. "Elizabeth." I called again. She still didn't look at me. "Rude..." I muttered under my breath and continued killing the zombies in front. Out of the corner of my eye, I realized she wasn't going after any of the other zombies any more. Elizabeth was only shooting down zombies that were in her way of getting to someone...one person in particular.
"JC!!!!!!!" I yelled out and rushed to get to him.
***
JC
Call me a dreamer, call me a risk taker, call me whatever you want, but don't ever call me a follower. I've always been a leader and that's how I still view myself today. Even after the outbreak, I knew I could lead us...to what, wasn't always clear, but I new it had to have survival and safety somewhere in there.
That final night in Friendship Heights was the brink of me wondering if I was meant to be a leader. That horde of zombies that came through the fire...I couldn't do anything. Everyone splintered off in different directions and no matter how hard I tried to wrangle everyone, it was impossible to bring them all back in. No one listened. I felt like my calls were falling on deaf ears.
I slaughtered a few zombies with my Smith & Wesson handgun and as I was reloading a new magazine I heard Sarah scream my name from behind. I immediately turned around and pointed the gun at what I thought would be a zombie. Elizabeth's beady eyes were far more scary than any zombie's.
"It's just you." I said lowering my gun. But Sarah was still running towards me. I immediately knew why. Elizabeth raised a gun at me and put it straight into my forehead. I didn't have time to think, I immediately grabbed her hand and twisted it back allowing for the gun to drop. She kicked me in the stomach and as I flew back, she lunged at me causing both of us to fall down.
Elizabeth was now sitting on top of me, her hands around my neck as I tried to pry them from my hands. "What are you doing!" I tried to say saving my breath.
"It's time for you to go." She said lifting up her hand to strike me but Sarah shot it, blowing up her hand immediately, causing her to scream in high heaven. Elizabeth fell over me allowing me to get up. I looked up at Sarah who was putting her holster away as she pinned Elizabeth down this time.
"No one kills another human, GOT IT?" Sarah said as Elizabeth looked back, the first time in days with fear in her eyes. Elizabeth nodded her head and Sarah gave her hand to help her up. Elizabeth quickly grabbed it and twisted it behind Sarah, locking her up in a bind.
Sarah smirked. "What are you doing to do? Beat me up with your bloody stub? You can't hold me and attack me at the same time."
"I can take us both to the zombies." Elizabeth said as she started pushing Sarah towards the on coming horde. I pulled my gun out and pointed it straight at Elizabeth. She only smiled back.
"I thought no one kills another human." She said to me. My hands shook...Sarah had total desperation in her eyes.
Mel and Christa had run past us to try and kill as many of the zombies that were approaching. It only gave me a few extra seconds.
"You can't win." Elizabeth said. She got closer to the horde. Christa and Mel stepped aside unsure of what to do. One more step and there would have been no time to help Sarah.
BANG. All three women screamed. Elizabeth fell backwards, a hole sent right through her head.
"We don't kill other humans..." I began "But somewhere along the road, you lost your humanity..."
Call me a dreamer, call me a risk taker, call me whatever you want, but don't ever call me a follower. I've always been a leader and that's how I still view myself today. Even after the outbreak, I knew I could lead us...to what, wasn't always clear, but I new it had to have survival and safety somewhere in there.
That final night in Friendship Heights was the brink of me wondering if I was meant to be a leader. That horde of zombies that came through the fire...I couldn't do anything. Everyone splintered off in different directions and no matter how hard I tried to wrangle everyone, it was impossible to bring them all back in. No one listened. I felt like my calls were falling on deaf ears.
I slaughtered a few zombies with my Smith & Wesson handgun and as I was reloading a new magazine I heard Sarah scream my name from behind. I immediately turned around and pointed the gun at what I thought would be a zombie. Elizabeth's beady eyes were far more scary than any zombie's.
"It's just you." I said lowering my gun. But Sarah was still running towards me. I immediately knew why. Elizabeth raised a gun at me and put it straight into my forehead. I didn't have time to think, I immediately grabbed her hand and twisted it back allowing for the gun to drop. She kicked me in the stomach and as I flew back, she lunged at me causing both of us to fall down.
Elizabeth was now sitting on top of me, her hands around my neck as I tried to pry them from my hands. "What are you doing!" I tried to say saving my breath.
"It's time for you to go." She said lifting up her hand to strike me but Sarah shot it, blowing up her hand immediately, causing her to scream in high heaven. Elizabeth fell over me allowing me to get up. I looked up at Sarah who was putting her holster away as she pinned Elizabeth down this time.
"No one kills another human, GOT IT?" Sarah said as Elizabeth looked back, the first time in days with fear in her eyes. Elizabeth nodded her head and Sarah gave her hand to help her up. Elizabeth quickly grabbed it and twisted it behind Sarah, locking her up in a bind.
Sarah smirked. "What are you doing to do? Beat me up with your bloody stub? You can't hold me and attack me at the same time."
"I can take us both to the zombies." Elizabeth said as she started pushing Sarah towards the on coming horde. I pulled my gun out and pointed it straight at Elizabeth. She only smiled back.
"I thought no one kills another human." She said to me. My hands shook...Sarah had total desperation in her eyes.
Mel and Christa had run past us to try and kill as many of the zombies that were approaching. It only gave me a few extra seconds.
"You can't win." Elizabeth said. She got closer to the horde. Christa and Mel stepped aside unsure of what to do. One more step and there would have been no time to help Sarah.
BANG. All three women screamed. Elizabeth fell backwards, a hole sent right through her head.
"We don't kill other humans..." I began "But somewhere along the road, you lost your humanity..."
***
Ashleigh
"This way!" David yelled. He found an area of the ring of fire that we could go into.
"Why are we going in there!" I yelled, trying to buy some time to get the last knot untied. The little bastard didn't do half bad with the last knot. Plus it seemed really dumb for us to even go in there. I had a feeling we would just be walking into trouble and weren't we trying to survive.
"Huh..." I heard Vankelia say walking behind me. I craned my neck so I could see her. She was staring down my wrists where the knots were. "Trying to escape, I see." She squatted next to me and whispered in my ear. "If it wasn't for David who was keeping you alive, I would have cut you myself."
I looked up at her with doe eyes.
"You heard me." She said. "You don't try and attack us and think I can forgive you. And now you're trying to escape." She took the rope I had untied and retied them, tighter this time.
"Fuck you." I couldn't help myself.
"You're going to help us." Vankelia demanded.
"What if I don't?" I asked. She pulled a small switch blade out of her jeans and placed it on my throat.
"I can just kill you now and toss your body into the fire. David isn't here to save you. Now, what do you say?"
I didn't say anything. I couldn't.
David came back to us. "What's holding you guys up?" He asked. I had no choice.
"Fine." I finally said.
"Huh?" He looked at me then Vankelia.
"Fine. I'll help you guys survive." I said. Vankelia smiled. David still looked dumb founded.
"Well...okay!" He said.
"Let's get out of here first...and untie me!" I demanded. David began to move towards me with his knife to untie the ropes but Vankelia stopped him.
"I think she needs a little more time to think. Back to your bike, I'm taking over this operation now." She said. She took duct tape out of her bag and taped my mouth shut as I screamed. What was I getting myself into... I thought as they rode away from the fire with me dragging behind.
"This way!" David yelled. He found an area of the ring of fire that we could go into.
"Why are we going in there!" I yelled, trying to buy some time to get the last knot untied. The little bastard didn't do half bad with the last knot. Plus it seemed really dumb for us to even go in there. I had a feeling we would just be walking into trouble and weren't we trying to survive.
"Huh..." I heard Vankelia say walking behind me. I craned my neck so I could see her. She was staring down my wrists where the knots were. "Trying to escape, I see." She squatted next to me and whispered in my ear. "If it wasn't for David who was keeping you alive, I would have cut you myself."
I looked up at her with doe eyes.
"You heard me." She said. "You don't try and attack us and think I can forgive you. And now you're trying to escape." She took the rope I had untied and retied them, tighter this time.
"Fuck you." I couldn't help myself.
"You're going to help us." Vankelia demanded.
"What if I don't?" I asked. She pulled a small switch blade out of her jeans and placed it on my throat.
"I can just kill you now and toss your body into the fire. David isn't here to save you. Now, what do you say?"
I didn't say anything. I couldn't.
David came back to us. "What's holding you guys up?" He asked. I had no choice.
"Fine." I finally said.
"Huh?" He looked at me then Vankelia.
"Fine. I'll help you guys survive." I said. Vankelia smiled. David still looked dumb founded.
"Well...okay!" He said.
"Let's get out of here first...and untie me!" I demanded. David began to move towards me with his knife to untie the ropes but Vankelia stopped him.
"I think she needs a little more time to think. Back to your bike, I'm taking over this operation now." She said. She took duct tape out of her bag and taped my mouth shut as I screamed. What was I getting myself into... I thought as they rode away from the fire with me dragging behind.
***
Lauren H.
As quick as it started, it finished in a blur. The fires began to die out and the zombies started thinning out. This was Jiko's favorite time. He ran through them like a knife through warm butter. Everyone was exhausted and after separating the dead bodies of the soldiers and zombies it was a blessing to think only Eric, Jenny and Elizabeth had died through the ordeal.
I saw Adelaide in the corner crying by Lauren N. I knew what I had to do. I walked over to her and got on my knees to be eye level with her. "Adelaide..." I said softly. She cried and wrapped her arms around my neck and held tightly. I held her tightly as well.
I'm sure I had lost my parents at this point, never having closure with my mom. This little girl just lost her mom and now we're both orphans together. I knew, in my heart, since I first met this small child...it was now my role to fill the position as her guardian. I knew it was my job to protect her, in a way, to be her mother...
The guys had found the spark plugs to the cars and Owen and Jiko were already putting them back into our vehicles as I walked with Adelaide hand in hand. This little girl was going to change and it was my job to make sure it wasn't to become cold to the world.
As quick as it started, it finished in a blur. The fires began to die out and the zombies started thinning out. This was Jiko's favorite time. He ran through them like a knife through warm butter. Everyone was exhausted and after separating the dead bodies of the soldiers and zombies it was a blessing to think only Eric, Jenny and Elizabeth had died through the ordeal.
I saw Adelaide in the corner crying by Lauren N. I knew what I had to do. I walked over to her and got on my knees to be eye level with her. "Adelaide..." I said softly. She cried and wrapped her arms around my neck and held tightly. I held her tightly as well.
I'm sure I had lost my parents at this point, never having closure with my mom. This little girl just lost her mom and now we're both orphans together. I knew, in my heart, since I first met this small child...it was now my role to fill the position as her guardian. I knew it was my job to protect her, in a way, to be her mother...
The guys had found the spark plugs to the cars and Owen and Jiko were already putting them back into our vehicles as I walked with Adelaide hand in hand. This little girl was going to change and it was my job to make sure it wasn't to become cold to the world.
***
JC
We all looked back at the scene as the flames died down. We got into the two cars and went down the road towards Bethesda again.
As I drove the first car, I was sure there would be a lot of zombies roaming the streets, but it was relatively quiet. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Caroline.
“Maybe we can go back to our cars and siphon the gas from them?” She asked. I agreed. Jiko had found long PVC tubing in the back of the car that we could use to siphon gas out of one car and into another. All you had to do was stick the tubing into the gas tank of the car and suck out the air in the tube. This would cause enough pressure – think vacuum – that would cause the gas in the car to flow into the tube and out into a container.
We reached the street our shop was on and turned into the 4 story garage. We all got out and gathered around before we separated.
“Okay, fifteen minutes at most. Just siphon the gas out and come back.”
“Come with me JC?” Caroline asked me.
“Where to?” I asked.
“Back to the store, I left my keys there. I really want to grab my purse too, if it’s still there.”
“You should bring a weapon with you just in case.” I said.
“I don’t need to. That’s why I’m asking you to come with me.” She smiled.
We crossed the empty street to where the store was. The front windows were shattered from the first initial night and the bodies of our friends that were killed had disappeared by the time we walked in. They were either eaten completely or, God forbid, reanimated and became zombies themselves.
Plenty of blood still stained the floors and as I was taking a better look at the store Caroline ran ahead of me to the lockers in the back. “Be careful!” I said as I stepped over broken glass carefully.
“I’ll be fine. I just need to find my purse.” She said.
The board where we put up that day’s menu was still hanging, intact. All the different options stared back at me, albeit they were covered in an inch of dust, but none the less gave me a sense of what we had before the outbreak.
“JC, can you come back here?” I heard Caroline ask. I said yes back and walked slowly back to the office just to take it all in. We had survived so much but we still weren’t safe.
“What is it?”I asked. She was facing away from me. The back door was still wide open.
“I’m so sorry.” Caroline said. She turned around with a gun pointing right at me. My eyes grew wide and the last thing I saw was a bullet leaving a gun.
BANG.
We all looked back at the scene as the flames died down. We got into the two cars and went down the road towards Bethesda again.
As I drove the first car, I was sure there would be a lot of zombies roaming the streets, but it was relatively quiet. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Caroline.
“Maybe we can go back to our cars and siphon the gas from them?” She asked. I agreed. Jiko had found long PVC tubing in the back of the car that we could use to siphon gas out of one car and into another. All you had to do was stick the tubing into the gas tank of the car and suck out the air in the tube. This would cause enough pressure – think vacuum – that would cause the gas in the car to flow into the tube and out into a container.
We reached the street our shop was on and turned into the 4 story garage. We all got out and gathered around before we separated.
“Okay, fifteen minutes at most. Just siphon the gas out and come back.”
“Come with me JC?” Caroline asked me.
“Where to?” I asked.
“Back to the store, I left my keys there. I really want to grab my purse too, if it’s still there.”
“You should bring a weapon with you just in case.” I said.
“I don’t need to. That’s why I’m asking you to come with me.” She smiled.
We crossed the empty street to where the store was. The front windows were shattered from the first initial night and the bodies of our friends that were killed had disappeared by the time we walked in. They were either eaten completely or, God forbid, reanimated and became zombies themselves.
Plenty of blood still stained the floors and as I was taking a better look at the store Caroline ran ahead of me to the lockers in the back. “Be careful!” I said as I stepped over broken glass carefully.
“I’ll be fine. I just need to find my purse.” She said.
The board where we put up that day’s menu was still hanging, intact. All the different options stared back at me, albeit they were covered in an inch of dust, but none the less gave me a sense of what we had before the outbreak.
“JC, can you come back here?” I heard Caroline ask. I said yes back and walked slowly back to the office just to take it all in. We had survived so much but we still weren’t safe.
“What is it?”I asked. She was facing away from me. The back door was still wide open.
“I’m so sorry.” Caroline said. She turned around with a gun pointing right at me. My eyes grew wide and the last thing I saw was a bullet leaving a gun.
BANG.
***
Major cities around the country have already fallen to the mass outbreak that was first reported in the...zpppp...zpppp...metro area. If you are a survivor looking for a shelter, please head to….zpppp…zppppp….
“What the fuck!” I said hitting the radio that I had brought with me when I escaped the city. It’s been over two weeks now and if you asked me to relive that experience again by telling you my story, I’m not sure I could get through it without crying. I sat back in my car defeated and tossed the radio to the back.
“Don’t worry about it.” My companion told me. “I think we’re making good headway. At least we’re out of the city.”
I looked at him with furrowed brows. I just couldn’t imagine how he was keeping such a positive attitude about the situation. I’m already a slightly neurotic individual…adding the end of the world does not help that at all. He could tell I had worry in my eyes.
“Kaley, don’t worry…we’ll get out of here.” He smiled. I tried to force a smile back. The small awkward silence was quickly broken by the snoring of our third companion in the back seat. We both laughed.
“50 miles away!” He pointed out. “We’re almost back to DC. I'm sure we'll find safety there!”
END OF SEASON 1.
“What the fuck!” I said hitting the radio that I had brought with me when I escaped the city. It’s been over two weeks now and if you asked me to relive that experience again by telling you my story, I’m not sure I could get through it without crying. I sat back in my car defeated and tossed the radio to the back.
“Don’t worry about it.” My companion told me. “I think we’re making good headway. At least we’re out of the city.”
I looked at him with furrowed brows. I just couldn’t imagine how he was keeping such a positive attitude about the situation. I’m already a slightly neurotic individual…adding the end of the world does not help that at all. He could tell I had worry in my eyes.
“Kaley, don’t worry…we’ll get out of here.” He smiled. I tried to force a smile back. The small awkward silence was quickly broken by the snoring of our third companion in the back seat. We both laughed.
“50 miles away!” He pointed out. “We’re almost back to DC. I'm sure we'll find safety there!”
END OF SEASON 1.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Episode 39: Night 7.4 - Veiled Woman
“Are you ready?” Eric asked. Lauren H. nodded. Caroline kept watch over the crumbling window frame.
“Go, go go!” She instructed. Lauren H. ran to the window and began firing random ballistics towards an adjacent building. “To the next building!” Eric yelled when they saw that the soldiers had noticed. They didn’t, however, know where the shots were coming from.
The shots signaled for JC’s group to let out a few gun shots from their machine guns. Jiko aimed a nice shot into one of the soldier’s necks and killed him instantly. JC gave him a disapproving look. “What…” Jiko stared back blankly. They caused everyone more confusion on the ground and the large man, obviously their leader, had begun to instruct them to fan out and find the source of the gun fires.
Sarah, Mel and Lauren N, perched on a low lying roof that Lauren had found while scouting around. Sarah picked off a few of the soldiers one by one that had spread out towards their line of fire. One escaped back to the group leaving Sarah cursing under her breath. “Damn, only if we were closer.” Mel said putting her knives back in her pocket. “Come on let’s go…we can’t hang out here for too long.”
A large group of the soldiers still situated in the middle where they continued blasting buildings with mortar and flame throwers. Christa and her group got as close as they could without being spotted. A small horde of zombies appeared out of nowhere and began to attack the soldiers allowing Christa’s group to move in even closer due to the distraction. One of the soldiers was killed by the zombies but the rest of the horde was burned alive or shot through the head. The group of soldiers gathered and tightened up even more, surrounding two tanks that sat there idle. Christa knew though, that the tanks could fire at any point, if they chose to.
“What are we waiting for?” Jenny asked.
“You’ll know when you see it…” Christa said as they listened to more gun fire coming from different directions. She knew that the other groups were moving around at a fast pace.
Suddenly smoke veiled the entire perimeter and surrounded the soldiers, hiding them in a mist of grey. It was the signal they needed. Jiko had dropped canisters of smoke bombs that they had from the equipment they gleaned off of the dead soldiers in the metro tunnel.
“Let’s go!” Christa, LeAndria and Jenny ran through the smoke and knew they wanted to get to the car they saw Adelaide in. Soldiers were coughing and lost in the thick smoke. They didn’t notice the women running past them. The smoke was beginning to clear up as they approached the car. “Damn it Jiko! You were supposed to use all of the cans!” Christa cursed. They ran behind a large stone pillar realizing it was going to be a bit too risky to try and get to the vehicle. But as they were beginning to sit and wait, Jenny ran for the car seeing how close she was to getting her daughter back. “Jenny no!” LeAndria yelled out.
Jenny reached the car and opened the back door. Suddenly a gun was pointed directly to her head by the veiled woman. Jenny could see her daughter in the back seat emotionless. Adelaide looked up and realized, even through the dirt and smoke that it was her mom. She immediately began crying and reaching out for the woman who stood still in fear of getting shot in the head.
“Who are you!?” The veiled woman asked.
“That’s my daughter! Please, let me have her.” Jenny cried. The veiled woman looked back at the small child and realized she was telling the truth.
“What is going back there?” A large booming voice came through the smoke. The veiled woman pulled Jenny in and slammed the door.
“Stay low.” The veiled woman whispered as she exited the car. She approached the large man. “Nothing. There is nothing going on…everything is fine.” The man gave her a questioning look and a quick up and down. “You look ridiculous in that veil.” He said and walked away.
The veiled woman entered the car and removed her disguise letting her long black hair to fall to her side. Jenny sat up and hugged a crying Adelaide.
“Where did you find her?!” Jenny asked through her tears.
“She was walking the streets during one of our recon missions to this part of town. I didn’t have time to look for you nor did I know where to start so I took her with me.” The woman said.
“Thank you so much.” Jenny wiped her eyes. “I’m Jenny by the way.”
The woman smiled. “Kathryn.” She brushed her hair to one side and Jenny immediately noticed the large burn on her face. Her hair had been hiding most of it but now seeing it closely, Jenny could see that one of her eyes had completely gone red from the damage. It looked fresh too.
“What happened?”
“This happened.” Kathryn said, talking about the fires that were happening around her. She explained to Jenny that after the outbreak in Bethesda she had gotten separated from the rest of her friends. She wandered the streets and made it all the way to Downtown DC, joining up with other random strangers. When the military began torching the surrounded neighborhoods, she and the other strangers began to retaliate because the military was killing people indiscriminately. They fought back for a few days but were eventually overpowered. She was about to be killed along with the rest of her group until the large man, who Kathryn explained, was the commander of a small unit of Torchers – as she also explained, approached her. “He had a fancy for me…” She said. “Even with this new burn.” The commander took her around in the car while they continued to torch buildings down and killing anyone who weren’t fortunate enough to have left the place.
“Now we’re here.”
“I’m with others, they’ll be killed. We need to help them.”
“Jiko is one of them?” Kathryn asked.
“Yes, yes he is…do you know him?”
“I was with him and a lot of other people when the outbreak happened.”
“So you must know JC, Christa and Caroline?” Jenny asked. Kathryn’s eyes grew wide.
“Yes I do! They’re alive?!” Kathryn said in glee. Jenny explained as quick as she could their entire situation.
“I can’t believe they’re all alive and around us right now!” Kathryn said.
“Let’s get out of here and we’ll rejoin the rest of them.” Jenny said.
“I can’t…there is no way I can escape right now…but the two of you might be able to.”
“Why, why not?”
“In a weird way…I feel obligated to stay with the commander, at least for a time being. He could have killed me but chose not to...I feel like I owe him something.” Kathryn said.
“That’s crazy! You shouldn’t be feeling any sympathy for your captor.”
“I know it’s crazy, but it is the way it is. But you have to go and take your daughter with you. Please!” Kathryn said unlocking the other side door, facing away from the group of soldiers.
“But…but…” Jenny stammered. Adelaide was pulling on her sleeve.
“Go!” Kathryn yelled over the gun fire. Jenny scooped Adelaide in her arms and began leaving the car. “One thing” Kathryn began, “Please tell my friends I’m fine.” Jenny smiled and fled. Kathryn put her veil back on and sat in silence waiting to explain where the little girl went.
To Christa and LeAndria’s surprise, Jenny came back without a scratch and with Adelaide in her arms.
“Let’s get out of here and hurry!” Christa said. “We have to set this final smoke bomb off to let the others know that we’ve completed the mission.” She tossed the can into the middle of the mix, causing yet another veil of grey smoke to cover the entire area. They fled through the smog and disappeared.
The group gathered again, ecstatic that their plan had worked and no one was hurt.
“Kathryn is alive?” Mel asked. “That is wonderful news.”
“It’s upsetting she couldn’t come with you though, Jenny.” Sarah said.
“But I’m sure we’ll see her again. She’s resilient.” Mel said. “I’m sure of it.”
The groups got into their cars and were ready to leave. JC put the key into the ignition. Nothing. He tried again…still nothing.
Christa got out of her car where she had the same result.
“What’s going on?” She asked. Everyone had left their cars. Nervous and tense feelings permeated among the group. They all just wanted to flee.
Jiko went under the hood to check.
“Ah guys” He began “There’s no spark plug…”
"What! How can that be possible?" JC said joining Jiko under the hood. Owen checked the other car and realized the same thing.
“Are you looking for these?” The group turned around and saw a familiar face. It was Elizabeth Puglisi. Her face seemed distorted and twisted. She began to laugh maniacally and darted off before anyone could react.
Would they ever leave Friendship Heights?
“Go, go go!” She instructed. Lauren H. ran to the window and began firing random ballistics towards an adjacent building. “To the next building!” Eric yelled when they saw that the soldiers had noticed. They didn’t, however, know where the shots were coming from.
The shots signaled for JC’s group to let out a few gun shots from their machine guns. Jiko aimed a nice shot into one of the soldier’s necks and killed him instantly. JC gave him a disapproving look. “What…” Jiko stared back blankly. They caused everyone more confusion on the ground and the large man, obviously their leader, had begun to instruct them to fan out and find the source of the gun fires.
Sarah, Mel and Lauren N, perched on a low lying roof that Lauren had found while scouting around. Sarah picked off a few of the soldiers one by one that had spread out towards their line of fire. One escaped back to the group leaving Sarah cursing under her breath. “Damn, only if we were closer.” Mel said putting her knives back in her pocket. “Come on let’s go…we can’t hang out here for too long.”
A large group of the soldiers still situated in the middle where they continued blasting buildings with mortar and flame throwers. Christa and her group got as close as they could without being spotted. A small horde of zombies appeared out of nowhere and began to attack the soldiers allowing Christa’s group to move in even closer due to the distraction. One of the soldiers was killed by the zombies but the rest of the horde was burned alive or shot through the head. The group of soldiers gathered and tightened up even more, surrounding two tanks that sat there idle. Christa knew though, that the tanks could fire at any point, if they chose to.
“What are we waiting for?” Jenny asked.
“You’ll know when you see it…” Christa said as they listened to more gun fire coming from different directions. She knew that the other groups were moving around at a fast pace.
Suddenly smoke veiled the entire perimeter and surrounded the soldiers, hiding them in a mist of grey. It was the signal they needed. Jiko had dropped canisters of smoke bombs that they had from the equipment they gleaned off of the dead soldiers in the metro tunnel.
“Let’s go!” Christa, LeAndria and Jenny ran through the smoke and knew they wanted to get to the car they saw Adelaide in. Soldiers were coughing and lost in the thick smoke. They didn’t notice the women running past them. The smoke was beginning to clear up as they approached the car. “Damn it Jiko! You were supposed to use all of the cans!” Christa cursed. They ran behind a large stone pillar realizing it was going to be a bit too risky to try and get to the vehicle. But as they were beginning to sit and wait, Jenny ran for the car seeing how close she was to getting her daughter back. “Jenny no!” LeAndria yelled out.
Jenny reached the car and opened the back door. Suddenly a gun was pointed directly to her head by the veiled woman. Jenny could see her daughter in the back seat emotionless. Adelaide looked up and realized, even through the dirt and smoke that it was her mom. She immediately began crying and reaching out for the woman who stood still in fear of getting shot in the head.
“Who are you!?” The veiled woman asked.
“That’s my daughter! Please, let me have her.” Jenny cried. The veiled woman looked back at the small child and realized she was telling the truth.
“What is going back there?” A large booming voice came through the smoke. The veiled woman pulled Jenny in and slammed the door.
“Stay low.” The veiled woman whispered as she exited the car. She approached the large man. “Nothing. There is nothing going on…everything is fine.” The man gave her a questioning look and a quick up and down. “You look ridiculous in that veil.” He said and walked away.
The veiled woman entered the car and removed her disguise letting her long black hair to fall to her side. Jenny sat up and hugged a crying Adelaide.
“Where did you find her?!” Jenny asked through her tears.
“She was walking the streets during one of our recon missions to this part of town. I didn’t have time to look for you nor did I know where to start so I took her with me.” The woman said.
“Thank you so much.” Jenny wiped her eyes. “I’m Jenny by the way.”
The woman smiled. “Kathryn.” She brushed her hair to one side and Jenny immediately noticed the large burn on her face. Her hair had been hiding most of it but now seeing it closely, Jenny could see that one of her eyes had completely gone red from the damage. It looked fresh too.
“What happened?”
“This happened.” Kathryn said, talking about the fires that were happening around her. She explained to Jenny that after the outbreak in Bethesda she had gotten separated from the rest of her friends. She wandered the streets and made it all the way to Downtown DC, joining up with other random strangers. When the military began torching the surrounded neighborhoods, she and the other strangers began to retaliate because the military was killing people indiscriminately. They fought back for a few days but were eventually overpowered. She was about to be killed along with the rest of her group until the large man, who Kathryn explained, was the commander of a small unit of Torchers – as she also explained, approached her. “He had a fancy for me…” She said. “Even with this new burn.” The commander took her around in the car while they continued to torch buildings down and killing anyone who weren’t fortunate enough to have left the place.
“Now we’re here.”
“I’m with others, they’ll be killed. We need to help them.”
“Jiko is one of them?” Kathryn asked.
“Yes, yes he is…do you know him?”
“I was with him and a lot of other people when the outbreak happened.”
“So you must know JC, Christa and Caroline?” Jenny asked. Kathryn’s eyes grew wide.
“Yes I do! They’re alive?!” Kathryn said in glee. Jenny explained as quick as she could their entire situation.
“I can’t believe they’re all alive and around us right now!” Kathryn said.
“Let’s get out of here and we’ll rejoin the rest of them.” Jenny said.
“I can’t…there is no way I can escape right now…but the two of you might be able to.”
“Why, why not?”
“In a weird way…I feel obligated to stay with the commander, at least for a time being. He could have killed me but chose not to...I feel like I owe him something.” Kathryn said.
“That’s crazy! You shouldn’t be feeling any sympathy for your captor.”
“I know it’s crazy, but it is the way it is. But you have to go and take your daughter with you. Please!” Kathryn said unlocking the other side door, facing away from the group of soldiers.
“But…but…” Jenny stammered. Adelaide was pulling on her sleeve.
“Go!” Kathryn yelled over the gun fire. Jenny scooped Adelaide in her arms and began leaving the car. “One thing” Kathryn began, “Please tell my friends I’m fine.” Jenny smiled and fled. Kathryn put her veil back on and sat in silence waiting to explain where the little girl went.
To Christa and LeAndria’s surprise, Jenny came back without a scratch and with Adelaide in her arms.
“Let’s get out of here and hurry!” Christa said. “We have to set this final smoke bomb off to let the others know that we’ve completed the mission.” She tossed the can into the middle of the mix, causing yet another veil of grey smoke to cover the entire area. They fled through the smog and disappeared.
The group gathered again, ecstatic that their plan had worked and no one was hurt.
“Kathryn is alive?” Mel asked. “That is wonderful news.”
“It’s upsetting she couldn’t come with you though, Jenny.” Sarah said.
“But I’m sure we’ll see her again. She’s resilient.” Mel said. “I’m sure of it.”
The groups got into their cars and were ready to leave. JC put the key into the ignition. Nothing. He tried again…still nothing.
Christa got out of her car where she had the same result.
“What’s going on?” She asked. Everyone had left their cars. Nervous and tense feelings permeated among the group. They all just wanted to flee.
Jiko went under the hood to check.
“Ah guys” He began “There’s no spark plug…”
"What! How can that be possible?" JC said joining Jiko under the hood. Owen checked the other car and realized the same thing.
“Are you looking for these?” The group turned around and saw a familiar face. It was Elizabeth Puglisi. Her face seemed distorted and twisted. She began to laugh maniacally and darted off before anyone could react.
Would they ever leave Friendship Heights?
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