APOCALYPSE

Chapter Six

As we were walking to the store that Shawn suggested we do, I couldn't help but stare at the back of Cleo's head, I felt my blood boil from anger at her secret of keeping all the information of our lives kept in folders in the brown door. The thing is, no one knew. No one knew besides me and Cleo about her dirty secret, I wanted to tell everyone; but not right now. Survival is far more important.

Leo nudged my side with his hard elbow "I heard you two arguing" His brown eyes went to Cleo then back to my direct "it was kind of funny" He chuckled softly, adjusting the brown bag that slung over his shoulder. I shot him a glare at his stupidity "Glad you thought it was a laughing matter." I kept my gaze ahead of me, trying my hardest to ignore the annoying boy. "Why were you guys fighting? I never heard Cleo yell like that before" he questioned.

"You'll figure it out soon enough" I replied with a frustrated huff coming out of my mouth. Leo kept talking to me, asking about the argument I had with Cleo "Come on! Just tell me, I will keep it a secret!" He spoke with a hint of mischief in his voice, I glared at him in annoyance, not wanting to hear his nonsense. "jeez, you got that psycho look in your eyes" Leo remarked, he quickly walked away from me by moving to Santiago's side, trying to avoid me. He tapped Santiago's shoulder as they both began to talk, leaving me by myself and my thoughts.

"Hey there" Bethany cheerfully greeted me, skipping over with a brand new red and pink bracelet in her hand. "Do you know Santiago's favorite colors?" She asked, she got out a heart shaped pendant, she carefully put the shaped bead on the small string that held the bracelet together, finishing her creation. She tugged down on her fluffy hood, covering her bright hair underneath, I shrugged in response to her question "No, I don't. But judging from his sweaters, probably every color." I answered her, my eyes still focused on whats ahead

Bethany hummed while she observed Santiago's clothes "does he wear blue often?" She turned her head back to my direction "I'm pretty sure he wore every color that exists" I quickly glanced at Santiago, his face plastered with a smile as a laugh came out of his vocal cord. "I'll make a blue and green one! Would you like to help?" She questioned, getting my attention.

"I'm sorry to inform you but right now we're in an alien apocalypse, we don't need to play any games." I stated with my tone being serious. Bethany's smile quickly faded into a frown after she processed my words "oh.. um.. sorry.." She muttered an apology before walking ahead of me in silence, her back slumped over while she kept working on the bracelet. I felt bad, I didn't mean to hurt her feelings since shes a nice girl but the Earth was overrun with aliens, who are highly dangerous. 

"It should be around here" Shawn remarked, looking up from the map he held in his hands. Ahead from us spotted a large, old, white building covered in graffiti and green goo that came from the aliens. As we walked further into the building area, shopping carts scattered around the parking lot with shattered glass all over the concrete. The eery building made me shiver, I remembered when the shop first opened, it was a huge thing that everyone tended to, now its complete garbage. 

"No offense but I don't think I will be eating food here" Santiago kicked one of the metal carts that was in front of him with his foot, he jumped in the air "ow!!" He complained as his foot stung with pain. "So guys-" Shawn spoke up after Santiago hit his foot "We need to get in a group of two" Shawn slipped his hands into his jeans before he continued "I'm going with Cleo" He announced while looking at the smiling girl who kept secrets. I sighed in relief, glad that I didn't have a chance to be in a group with her.

"Bethany and Santiago," Santiago eyed the two  "you two are together" He assigned, causing both of their cheeks to heat up in a pink shade, they both avoided eye contact by looking at their feet. That left me and Leo together, I balled my fist up in frustration as Leo stomped his foot on the ground "That is so unfair! Why do we have to be together?!" He protested the idea of us being in a group, I can't blame him, we both hated each other. "Because you two need to get along." Shawn simply answered the raging boys question, he cleared his throat "let's split up" each group split up in the store, going into different aisles.

  Crossing over my chest, I pondered "Where to go?"

"Don't care" He rudely answered my question with his arm crossed over his dark clothing, I wanted to avoid him but since Shawn put us together it was quite difficult. The teen repeatedly stomped his foot while he walked on the tiles, I couldn't handle his annoying attitude "Will you stop that?!" I yelled, not holding in my irritation for him. "Nope!" He started to hit his foot against the floor more harshly, making the noise louder "You know what? You're on your own" I left him by himself, exploring the store without the help of his company.

I found myself in an tool aisle, on the shelves it included tools such as hammers, wrenches and crowbars. I placed my backpack down on the broken shelf and unzipped it open, grabbing a few tools that could be helpful for our survival in such a world we live in. I closed my eyes while I held a wrench in my right hand, remembering the time when my parents car broke down, me and my dad had to go to the tool shop to buy the items we needed to start the car.

"What's a wrench?" I asked, my small hand in my dad's larger hand as he picked up a large tool "This," He showed me a wrench, I giggled "it looks like a Lego hand!" I exclaimed as I pointed at the shinny tool "It does!" My dad begin to laugh with me, enjoying my company. "Since you're a good help, what If me and you get ice cream after this?"  I dropped my plush toy on the floor "yes!" I jumped up and down, my blonde locks flying in the air "Okay, calm down."

My blue eyes began to fill with tears, threatening to spill out when I remembered the past memory of my family, I realized how much I missed them. Sniffling, I quickly wiped my face and focused on my task of collecting things I needed. I reached for a wrench in front of me and carefully put it in my bag, while doing so I heard Leo yell.

"SHIT!" Leo yelled on the nearby aisle, it had a tone of anger or possibly worry. I quickly zipped my bag up and grabbed my pocket knife, knowing something bad happened. I sprinted to the aisle where I heard the scream from.

In my horror, Leo stood with his hands in the air, in front of him a large alien hovered over him. Leo's eyes were wide with feat, his chest heaving from the rapid breathing from the fear he was in. I was determined to defeat the monster.

I approached the alien slowly, Leo's eyes shifted to me and back to the creature, a slight understatement of what was going on. Leo regained composure after knowing that I was there to protect him. Holding the knife tightly in my right hand, I raised it in the air and plunged it into the aliens back full of force. The alien let out a piercing squeal from the pain it felt, the alien struggled to stand up from the pain I gave it, the green monster fell on the floor causing a loud thud. I cautiously went to the creature, making sure it was dead. As I analyzed the creature I noticed a red substance on the aliens sharp claw- blood.  

I turned to look at Leo, his arms and hands shaking in fear from the scary situation he was in "Did it hurt you?" I asked, concerned. He moved his hands all over his body, making sure he didn't feel any hot liquid or a cut of any sort "I think i'm okay" I let a sigh out of relief. I then realized someone else must've gotten hurt "we need to go look for the others" I informed Leo, his brows raised up "Why?" "just follow me."

Leo and I quickly made our way to where Cleo and Shawn were examining the chairs in the furniture aisle. "Guys, we have a problem" Leo wasted no second from explaining what happened to his encounter with the alien, including blood he saw on the claw. 

Cleo's eye widen in fear while Shawn's eyes got dark "Where is the alien now? Did you kill it?" Cleo frantically asked the two, worried that one of them could've gotten hurt. Leo turned his head, looking at me "Ella killed it" He confirmed that the alien isn't the treat anymore, but the person missing was far more important.  "We need to find Santiago and Bethany" Shawn suggested, all four of us walked through the store, hoping to find the two others.

We first checked the food aisles, knowing the love of food that Santiago had, sure enough, Santiago stood near the canned goods, browsing the many options with a focused expression. Cleo approached the boy "Have you seen Bethany?" Santiago turned to Cleo with a puzzled face "she went to the bathrooms, why?" he responded with a can of soup in his hands, not aware of the dangerous atmosphere. 

"how long was that? "I spoke up, Santiago's attention on me "Uh.. ten minutes?" He was uncertain how long ago Bethany left since the clock didn't work that was on the walls. I silently looked over at Leo, both sharing the same look "Why? What's wrong?" Santiago started to get worried. 

"Bethany's gone."