The Immune

Chapter 1 - Ash

I sat completely still, ears straining in the silence. I waited, heart thundering, to see if they would find me.
I watched, in agonising silence, the steady bean of light coming from the crack in the door. I was hidden away in the small cabinet beneath the sink. There had been nowhere to go, completely trapped. My panicked breathing was too loud for the silence, they would find me like they found the others. The claustrophobic space was my only haven, and I could do nothing but wait.

I had watched my father die. His blood still dripped from my hands where I had tried to stop the flow of blood. I had heard my brother's screams and could only suspect the worst. I had tried to get out, but the house was surrounded and they were moving fast.
This is the end. The end that I had been preparing for since I was seven. The end that I swore I wouldn't hide away from. But I was here, cowering.
They were in the next room. They were moving fast, searching. One was moving closer, the sound of broken glass crunching underfoot. It had reached the kitchen.
There was movement, a shadow, as it blotted out to light to my haven.
It was here, it was going to find me.
In intense agony I waited, listening, hand over mouth. I stared intently at the slice of light, waiting.
God, if you're up there, a little help please.
The shadow began opening cabinets, searching through them. What could it possibly need? How would it know I'm in here. Yet they must.
Panic overwhelmed me, boiling up, ready to systemsticaly explode. I was completely defenseless, without a weapon or even the chance of help.
I can do this. When it opens the cabinet I can just tackle it, i can just push it over and jog out the back. Maybe.

Might work.

Fuck this.

I couldn't bear another second.
With the speed of sheer urgency and despair I jolted from my hiding spot, flinging myself into the kitchen floor. Without looking back I sprung for the back door, leaving it behind me.
I could see the darkness of the night, it's embrace could hide me, keep me free.
It was too late to stop when the shadow appeared behind the door, too late to turn around.
On my next step I pushed off the ground , crashing through the door and into the figure.
The sheer force sent us both crashing into the floor. I rolled off of him and jumped to my feet, the forest wasn't far, I could smell it, I could feel the darkness and safety.
A strong hand gripped my ankle and yanked me down, twisting sharply. I used my free leg to stomp on the figure, but it's grip only strengthened, its painful grip pulling me close.
I tried desperately to scream, it's tight grip pulling me in close.I struggled and tried to pull free. The blood was pounding in my ears, my only concern was my survival. I had to get away, escape. Freedom was close.
I heard a guns safety click off , followed by the cold press of steel against the side of my head. I stopped struggling. I was dead.
The soldier from the kitchen had joined his struggling comrade on the back verandah. The soldier holding me was able to pull his grip tighter.
Silence followed for several long seconds. His armour made him look foreign and terrifying. No part of him looked human. He was just another faceless soldier. His alien appearance was in direct contrast to the western homesteads kitchen.
The descended Silence was interrupted by the distant moan of a zombie. Gunshots not too far away rung out. Both radios on the soldiers crackles to life -
"At least 25 zombies from the east, retreat imminent, 3 minutes til support fallback"
So many zombies, somehow they heard. The soldiers didn't know how to stay quiet that's what.
"Report in on objectives"
A boom filled the air shattering the dim. Hot air filled witht he scent of burning wood wafter in from the right. A dim orange glow lit up the area, highlighting shimmering dark shadows in the trees.
The barn.
The soldier holding me heaved me to my feet, and began to drag me back through the house. The last glimpse I had of the back yard included a growing thick smoke and stumbling figure emerging from the woods.

"Ashlyn acquired returning to 2" spoke the soldier front the kitchen . His voice sounded younger than the ageless uniform. A boy.
"Nathan acquired returning to 1"
"Brennan in 3 on route to base" my brothers, the sixteen year old twins. They were alive, but with where they were heading, I'm not sure for how long.I didn't know whether to be happy they were alive, or whether to starting grieving already.
Our small group had been joined by three more soldiers as we made our way outside the house and down the path. I was dragged along as they pulled me towards a truck. Dark shadows weighed in the woods either side of the road. Two trucks were left by the time we got to them. Two.
A scream so terrifying filled the air. A scream from a little girl. Gunshots filled the night air. The radios blarred sound of the siege. Turning back, I watched as the window on the top story lit up with bright flashes of gunfire.
A heavy silence descended. The scream had stopped. The gunfire stopped. The window remained dark, the moving figures hidden in shadow.
"Oh , God" I felt my legs sag beneath me "Lily!"
I struggled desperately flinging my leg into the knee on the man who held me.
Unprepared for my sudden weight and backlash, the soldier didn't see it coming. I dropped from his arms as he bagan to fall, I sprinted for the house.

Little lily. Only 10 years old. She was born into a world of madness, and she would die in it. I had to know though , she could still be alive. He group of soldiers had turned, I could hear sets of footprints approaching. I had one chance.
The door on the verandah opened before I could get to it.A man emerged. A man I new well.
My father.
The bullet in his chest didn't slow him down.His milky eyes were on me. Full of hunger. Blood dripped from his clothes. His walk sure and unhurried.
I stopped abruptly. Bent over, a feeling of absolute despair and horror fatigued me. The soldier behind me stopped too, it gripped my arm and pulled me back along side him.
He removed a gun from his belt and aimed at the creature that used to be my father.
"May I do it" I asked. The soldier visibly stiffened. I raised my eyes to the soldier mask, staring intently at where the eyes would be behind the foreign shield. I could feel him looking at me.
He answered by passing me the gun, his action slow with caution. This was goodbye. This was a promise , a promise kept.
I recognized the gun, that minutes ago was pointed at me.I stared at him for a few final precious seconds. It's milky eyes, cold and unfocused. He didn't recognise me.
The creature recognized the object in my hand, he roared in anger. He wasn't my father anymore.
It lept.
I fired.
I shot once, the power bolting up my arm, the sound echoing, attracting.
I gave the soldier back his gun without looking at him, and turned for the truck.
I was beaten and defeated, too emotionally worn down to attempt escape.
We were running for the truck. Shapes emerging from the forest running, their hands reaching. The smoke from earlier was the barn on fire. It had set fire to the nearby trees. This area would become a beacon to thousands.
My eyes filled and hot tears welled down my cheeks. I climbed into the back of the truck, glimpsing my once quiet home, now over run with zombies. The doors of the truck slammed shut, locking me in my prison.
It was now time to find out which was the worst of two evils.