Numerical Apocalypse

thirteen

I woke up way too early.

My watch read 8:00 am. We didn't have to leave for the zombie attack until 9:30.

I groaned and rolled back over.

Only after I laid there in silence for a moment did I realize that Lena wasn't in her bed.

Strange. She doesn't get up before nine, normally.

Theo found me in the hall, the morning light catching his 20.

"Have you seen Lena?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Uhm- did you just get up?"

I glared at him. "Yeah, why?"

"Uh-" he chuckled. "Have you looked in a mirror?"

I raised one of my eyebrows at him. "Yes? Your point?"

Theo tucked a strand of my hair back. "I think you need to use a hairbrush."

I scoffed, trying to keep the blush away from my face. "Hairbrushes are for peasants."

Theo's hand was still in my hair. He shook his head at me and shoved his hands into his grey hoodie pockets self-consciously. "Then you may want to consider yourself a peasant for five minutes."

I sighed. "Fine. But that means you have to look for Lena."

Theo scowled. "I already know where she is. She's been chatting up a storm with Jack in the training room for fifteen minutes now."

"She's with Jack?"

My tone must have sounded suspicious, because Theo smirked. "Yep. Ms. Thana and Mr. Jim are in there too, though, organizing equipment."

"That's no better. Then it's like a double date." I tore my fingers through my hair, combing it out, and headed for the training room.

The targets from yesterday were leaned up against the wall in neat rows.

Sure enough, Lena was standing in the middle of the room, talking to Jack.

I walked over, hands nonchalantly in the pockets of my blue hoodie.

Lena smiled brightly at me immediately, the 7 over her head shining. "I'll be on the front line!"

I raised my eyebrows, looking from her to a grinning Jack. "Oh? So he finally recognized your talent?"

"Well..... not exactly." Lena looked more excited than I would have been at the mention of being at the front of the battle. "I'll be communicating with the other captains, and making sure everybody knows what to do."

Jack nodded, his 16 bobbing. "With your personality, there isn't anywhere else I'd put you."

Lena practically glowed.

I had a bad feeling about the whole situation. "I'm sure you can do it, Lena, but you know the front line is... at the very front? As in, the first to get hurt and potentially killed?"

Doubt crossed her delicate features for a moment, then Lena shook her head. "I know, but Jack thinks I can do it." She smiled at him.

The sour feeling returned to my stomach at the trust in her eyes. "Lena...." I hooked my arm around hers and pulled her to the hall.

"What?"

I took a deep breath. "Theo and I don't trust Jack."

Lena rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't. You don't trust any guy I like."

"He's like-" I paused, counting. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21... "-five years older than you are."

She shrugged. "So?"