After Death

Chapter 5 (Kids in the Cafeteria)

Chapter 5: Kids in the Cafeteria

Ethan Warren

May 19th 2022

0 days before outbreak

Minnesota: Armstrong HS

Season 1

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"Tell me who you are now!" The woman with the knife yelled.

"We're students from the school," I explained.

"Why are you here? Have you come to take our food, come to kill us?"

"We just need supplies, that's all."

"We're not giving you shit." She pushed the knife further into Rudolph's neck. He tensed and reached for his own knife.

"Rudi, no. We're not here for trouble."

"Leah? Who are these people," another young woman asked.

"Leah, let him go," someone else said. Leah stared at me in horror as she pulled the knife away. As soon as he was free, Rudi ran to Ashton who held him close.

"Get in, quick."

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Aiden Palton

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I was furious at the woman for threatening Rudi but I hid my anger, I figured it would only make everything worse.

The cafeteria was filled with five other people besides our group.

"This woman with the glasses is Khai Reaver, the blonde one is Connor Linsburn, he's Calvin Dal Vain, and the lovely lady with a knife is my older sister, Leah Souixer. I'm Amy, sorry for the rude greeting. We didn't think any students were left here. We've been held up here since everyone started panicking and running away." None of us smiled at them or even showed any sense of joy. We were here for weapons, not to make friends.

Leah was standing too close to Rudolph, he looked uncomfortable. She still had the knife but before she could try anything again Rudi took his own knife into his hand and put it to her neck, catching us all off guard.

"Give us what we want or I will kill her." Rudi said, staring furiously at Amy. I was a bit concerned, I knew he had no intentions to actually kill her but it still worried me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, we can talk about this," Amy said, worried for her sister.

"Tell your dog to back down, Ethan," Calvin said, a smirk printed onto his face. Ethan only glared at him, we all agreed that Rudi was doing the right thing. At least the right thing for us. We wouldn't get out of here without the knives and we can't stay here forever. Living in a classroom, sleeping on desks, and eating granola bars wasn't living. It was our greatest fear of the future.

"Amy, you can give in to them. There's worse people out there," Khai pointed out. Khai would go on to be one of the most reasonable of us, the sacrifices she made for us all will always be remembered.

Rudolph let down the knife from Leah, seeing the sorrow in Amy's eyes.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," she cried, running to her sister.

"Give us the knives from the kitchen or you may not be so lucky next time," Rudolph threatened.

"Okay, okay, we will," Amy said out of fear.

"No. We won't. Amy, we don't know these people. You can't just do this because you're scared," Leah said.

"I can't lose you," Amy cried more, hugging her sister aggressively. Khai walked up to us, we still stood by the large cafeteria doors, we didn't know what these people planned to do to us, our best option was to stick together.

"We won't give you all of the knives, but we will help you get out of here. We want out of here too." There were no signs of disapproval, everyone knew that's how it had to be.