Excitement and adrenaline bubbled and shone through Rory as he jumped from foot to foot, waiting for Helena and James to jump out of the newly broken window. Sam was leaning against his and Brendan's shoulders. His bright coat was ripped and dirty, and he gripped his machete tightly. Brendan's eyes were serious and fierce. He held his rifle cocked and stood ready to sprint.
They waited for a long ten seconds. Rory's stomach slowly started to turn over.
He shared a glance with Brendan and loaded his crossbow uncertainly. Few arrows were left; he had to be cautious about his usage. He wondered desperately what was taking Helena and James so long.
"James!" Brendan finally started to shout. "Helena, James, come on!"
"Helena!" Rory's voice was hoarse. Too much time, too many seconds. Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen.
"James!"
And then finally. Finally. A figure jumped through the window, landing in front of them, pushing himself into a roll before sitting up.
James.
His eyes were wild and red and his cheeks were flushed under the soft moonlight.
"Go, go, go!" He started screaming at them. "They're coming!" He was holding his machine pistol and started shoving them. Rory's heart slammed into his chest in response.
"Wait, we have to wait for Helena," Rory said frantically, shooting glances up at the broken window. No movement came from the jagged hole. Dizziness slowly washed over him.
"Helena, where's Helena!" Rory screamed. "Why isn't she here?!"
"Where's Helena?!" Brendan stared at James and then at the window. "Where is she?!"
Rory's vision was tilting sideways. They had to go back. Helena was missing and they had to go find her.
His eyes noticed the tears on James' cheeks and couldn't make sense of them.
"They're coming," James whispered. "The zombies. We have to go now. Trust me, please."
Brendan stood frozen, staring at James. It was as if they knew something Rory didn't. Brendan's eyes were strangely glossy. He was strangely unfocused. Sam's face had turned to stone. No expression showed on his face. Like a blank sheet of paper. His legs shook under him.
And then Brendan turned away, with Sam, and James.
"No!" Rory screamed. "We can't leave her! She's in trouble! She-"
"She's DEAD YOU FUCKING IDIOT" James whipped around and grabbed Rory's shirt front, pulling right up to James' face. "SHE'S GONE AND SHE'S NOT COMING BACK AND WE NEED TO GO, NOW."
Rory stared at James. He stared at the tears that glittered on his cheeks.
That wasn't right.
Helena wasn't dead.
He had saw her only a few moments ago. She was alive. He knew she was.
This was some kind of joke.
James grabbed him and started to yank him away, away from the window, away from the building, and away from Helena.
No.
"NO!" Anger washed through Rory and beat against his head. "No she's still there! She's alive I just saw her James! Is this some kind of sick joke to you!? WHERE IS SHE!?"
Rory's words stopped making sense. He didn't know where his voice started and his thoughts finished. He couldn't see James anymore. He couldn't see anything.
