Then There Were Three

CH 22

"We're almost to the SuperMart, according to this map," My dad says, squinting at the map. We all groan. Our trip back; which was supposed to take a day or so, has now gone on for 3. Thanks to Mr. Greene and my dad's wonderful mapping skills. If you couldn't tell, that was sarcasm. 

I slow my stride to walk next to Kendall, who's been ignoring me since I blew up on him about going out alone. 

"Hey." I try to engage in conversation. He looks up at me, then back at his feet. "I wanted to apologize for blowing up on you when you went out on a walk alone. I just... I don't know, really. I was scared, and I'm sorry," I say, my cheeks turning pink.

"Aw, you care about me!!" he says with a girlish giggle. I hit his arm, "Be quiet!" But I laugh, too. It feels great to laugh. To let go and to just be happy, even if it's for a short amount of time.

"I accept your apology. And, I'm sorry, too. I should have told someone I was going out," he laughs again. 

"I accept your apology, as well. But yeah... you should have. Friends?" I smile at him. He nods, "Friends."

"Hey, we made it!" My dad shouts, folding his map up as we stand in front of the supermarket. 

"I'm going to wait out here. You guys go," My mom says, grabbing a bottle out of her backpack and sitting on the ledge of the window with Oliver.

Mr. Greene bangs on the door and waits for the zombies to come out of hiding and "show themselves". 

"Kendall, you'll come with me," Mr. Greene says, holding the door open for everyone. He nods, grabbing his flashlight. I follow my dad to the opposite side of the store, holding my flashlight and his half empty backpack open. 

"So, someone has a crush, huh?" My dad makes googly eyes at me. I didn't even know fathers were capable of making such embarrassing faces. "On who?" I ask, pretending not to understand. My stomach flips thinking about being able to like Kendall. He laughs at me shaking his head, "Obvious, isn't it? 

 "Dad, no, stop." I say, blushing. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, it's adorable! My little girl, her first crush..." He trails off, touching his heart jokingly. 

I groan, trying to keep my cheeks from burning off. " I don't like him, dad. I couldn't even if I did."

"I'm going to pretend that sentence made sense." He replies, laughing slightly. 

I ignore him, walking down the aisle to get away. Sticking my flashlight in between my teeth, I reach forward to grab a heavy box of first aid. "Score!" I whisper under my breath. It probably sounded more like me choking, since I have a flashlight in my mouth.

"Dad!!" I shout, holding the kit in one hand, the flashlight in the other.

"What? What's happened?" He turns around the corner and pulls his knife out. "Nothing... look!" I show him the first aid kit.

"Great find. You can take that outside to mom so you don't have to carry it the whole time. She can put the supplies in her backpack."

"You sure you'll be okay?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "I'll be fine, Elizabeth. Go." He smiles his gooy grin at me. 

I walk outside into the bright light, shielding my face from the sun. "Dad told me to bring this out here," I set the large kit on the ground. "Wow, okay, great. I'll sort it out," My mom smiles at me. I start to turn back to the store when I hear a loud scream. My stomach lurches. I left my dad alone. My mom stands up, pulling out her knife, but I urge her to sit down. "Stay here," I plead.

I run inside, searching for everyone. "Kendall? Mr. Greene?" I yell. "Dad?" I hear groaning and look down every aisle to see where it's coming from. I thought we cleared the zombies out! 

I find the aisle where the zombies are, aiming my gun. I don't care if it attracts more. I just want to know who's laying at it's feet. 

 I shoot the couple of zombies, their decaying bodies crumpling to the ground on top of the victim. Running forward, I use all of my strength to pull the heavy bodies off of the person breathing heavily below. "Kendall? Mr. Greene?" I say loudly, in case whoever is underneath can't hear me. They run over, making my stomach squish into a ball. "Ellie?" Kendall's voice rings through my ears, making tears form in my eyes, "Is everything okay?" 

"No, no no no no." I whisper, pulling harder on the heaviest body, hot tears spilling out of my eyes. "let me help," Mr. Greene offers, his voice quiet yet urgent. "No!" I yell, pulling so hard on the body, its arm rips off. I hold the arm in my own two, staring at its fingernails, caked with dirt and fresh blood. I shake my head, this cannot be happening. Mr. Greene pushes me out of the way and urges Kendall to help him pull the body off of whoever it is. I still don't want to believe it's my dad. 

"Elizabeth I... I'm so sorry. We can't help him. They ate through his stomach," Mr. Greene whispers, even though it sounds like a yell. I feel like in a glass box, being watched by thousands of onlookers. I chuck the arm I was holding across the room, screaming at it.

"He's still breathing. You can say goodbye. I'm going to g-get your mother. Kendall you stay here," he says. Mr. Greene stands up, his face pale.   Kendall scoots back from my dad's body,  grabbing onto my hand. I scoot forward on my knees, sniffling. 

"Daddy... I'm so sorry. I never should have left you alone. It's all my fault. I never should have left I never should-" 

"Elizabeth, stop. 's n-not your fault. No one's f-fault," My dad pauses, his breathing hitched. 

"Richard, oh my god," my mom gasps, her voice barely audible. She runs forward, kneeling at his head. "Honey I'm so so sorry..." She starts sobbing, kissing his face over and over. Mr. Greene is outside, holding Ollie and pacing up and down. 

"Shh... It's going to be alright," she says, as he starts crying. "I love you three.. s-so so much. Keep each other s-safe. P-please. Take care of Oliver. M-make sure you tell him h-how awesome his daddy w-was," he smiles weakly and he shuts his eyes. "Daddy no, please no," I can barely speak through my sobs. I start shaking him, trying to wake him up. Kendall grabs onto my arms, pulling me away, "We have to... make sure he doesn't come back. " He walks my mom and I out, his face as white as a sheet. 

"He's gone." My mom says, grabbing Ollie from Mr. Greene. He nods, walking back into the grocery store.

I sit on the curb, my head in my hands. I can see Kendall's shoes as he sits next to me, wrapping a sturdy arm around my shaking body. 

Now he's actually gone. I start crying again, the tears won't stop. I hate this feeling. I never want to feel it, ever again. 

"There weren't any zombies in there when we went in. Kendall and I checked. Someone sent those in there, there was a truck out back. Opened, with chains on the doors. It wasn't there when we got here. Someone did this," Mr. Greene says. I sit up, anger bubbling inside me, "and they're going to pay." 

OOOOH PLOT TWIST. I hope you enojoyed this. SO sorry it took a whole month to update. It should be about every 7-10 days or so :)