All Of Us Are Dead

Chapter 4 - present day

The party was winding down, and the crowd had thinned out to just a few lingering guests. Tommie and I had retreated to a quieter corner of the backyard, away from the chaos. The stars twinkled above us, and the air was cool and refreshing after the warmth of the party. We had been talking for hours, and the conversation had turned into something deeper and more personal.

"So, Ashta," Tommie began, a thoughtful look on his face, "I've noticed you and Quin are pretty close. What's your take on him? Why are you two so tight?"

I tilted my head, considering his question. Quin and I had indeed become fast friends over the past month. "Well, Quin and I just click, I guess. We have a lot in common—same sense of humour, similar interests. Plus, he's just a genuinely good person. I think we both needed someone to talk to and hang out with, especially after I moved here."

Tommie nodded, his gaze fixed on me with a mix of curiosity and something I couldn't quite place. "Yeah, Quin's a great guy. It's just unusual for him to get so close to someone so quickly. I mean, he's friendly, but he doesn't usually let people in like that."

I chuckled softly, feeling a bit self-conscious under his scrutiny. "I guess we just hit it off. We've been hanging out a lot—grabbing ice cream, shopping, going to each other's houses. It's been really nice to have a friend like him here."

Tommie leaned back, a contemplative expression on his face. "And what about you? What do you think of Quin? I mean, you two seem to have a special connection."

I shrugged, a smile tugging at my lips. "He's an amazing friend. We just get each other, you know? He's been really supportive and has made the transition here a lot easier. It's hard to put into words, but I guess you could say I really value our friendship."

Tommie's gaze lingered on me, his eyes searching for something. "You know, Quin's been talking about you a lot lately. I'm just curious—what's your take on him? Is there something more there, or is it strictly friendship?"

I felt my cheeks flush slightly at his question. "No, it's definitely just friendship. Quin's a great friend, but I'm not looking for anything more than that. I think he's been a bit of a mentor, really. He's helped me settle in and made me feel welcome."

Tommie seemed to relax a bit, though he continued to study me with interest. "Got it. It's just interesting to hear about how close you two are. Quin doesn't open up like that often, so it's nice to see him with someone he can really connect with."

I appreciated his insight, though I couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was more to his questions than he was letting on. "Yeah, it's been great getting to know him. And I'm really glad we've become such good friends."

Tommie smiled, and the conversation shifted to lighter topics as we continued to enjoy the calm of the night. Despite the casual tone, I couldn't help but wonder what had prompted his curiosity and whether there was something more to his interest in our friendship.

As Tommie and I continued our conversation, the energy of the party seemed to fade into the background. The late-night chill wrapped around us, making the warmth of the ongoing chatter feel all the more comforting. But that sense of calm was abruptly shattered.

A person burst into the room where Tommie and I were talking, their face a mask of panic. They were gasping for breath, stumbling over their words in a way that made no sense. Their eyes were wide, darting around as if searching for something or someone. Tommie immediately sensed the urgency and tried to calm them down, his voice steady and soothing. But his efforts were in vain; the person's hysteria only seemed to increase.

Just then, Riley, one of Tommie's soccer friends, entered the room. His expression was grim, and he wasted no time assessing the situation. "Tommie, everyone's leaving. There's something on the news—people are going crazy, biting each other. It's a mess out there."