Capsule Outbreak

12 Keeper of the Tunnel

Allie's POV

I'm leaning against the wall in the tunnel, just seeing the light of the candle, thinking about what just happened. I can't accept the fact that Duke is gone, and Maggie and Louis too. I'm still crying, not knowing what will happen to my life now. How can I tell Charlie that Maggie is gone? I know he won't accept it; he's just eight years old and has lost his family. I carry the candle and walk towards where they are.

Unexpectedly, I step on something tough. I use the candlelight to see what it is and see a skull. When I light the other side, I'm shocked to see many skulls there. I'm confused about what nightmare this tunnel holds and worried about the kids.

I see Trevor lying on the ground, unconscious. I try to wake him up, but he doesn't respond. Seeing blood on the ground coming from his head, I realize someone struck him hard. I'm worried about what is going on; the kids and the shopkeeper are also gone.

"Trevor, wake up, please!" I said, worried about him. Suddenly, he regains consciousness, feeling intense pain.

"My head, someone just struck my head!" Trevor said, wincing in pain.

"Where are the kids, Trevor?" I asked softly while treating and wiping off the blood on his head.

"I didn't see them here when I came back. Then this happened!" Trevor responded, enduring his pain.

"Can you stand? We have to find them!" I asked him.

"I can. Let's find them!" Trevor said softly.

We move away from there, walking slowly while holding the candle. Then we see three zombies approaching us.

"No way, zombies inside the tunnel? How did they get in?" I said, seeing Trevor still in pain.

I use my skateboard to fight the zombies approaching. I kill one but get cornered by the other two, accepting that I will get bitten and die. Unexpectedly, Trevor starts throwing rocks at the zombies. One gets hit in the eye, causing it to fall down, and I immediately strike it with my skateboard. The other one gets hit in the mouth, causing it to choke and fall, and I strike it too.

We continue to walk in the tunnel, and as we move away, I realize something is wrong.

"Trevor, do you feel something wrong? Because I really feel bad!" I asked, worried.

"Really, there's something wrong here. First, the tea shop was free from zombies until the shopkeeper invited us to drink honey tea outside, causing zombies to find us. Second, it's ridiculous that there's a tunnel under a tea shop; what is the tunnel for? Third, someone suddenly struck my head hard, and I lost consciousness. Lastly, the kids are gone with the shopkeeper!" Trevor explained.

"You're right, it looks like the shopkeeper betrayed us. He is the keeper of the tunnel. I saw many skulls earlier that look like humans who were intentionally killed and didn't turn into zombies. I'm really worried about the kids!" I said, worried.

"We have to kill the shopkeeper before it's too late," Trevor said.

"Help, Allie, help us!" I hear someone shouting far away, echoing towards us. Realizing it's Charlie's voice, we run to it immediately but don't see anyone, just a two-way path.

"We have to split up to find the kids," Trevor suggested.

"No, I wouldn't let that happen. You're hurting, Trevor. We have to stick together!" I said, seeing him in pain.

Then the shopkeeper appears, holding a gun.

"She's right, you have to stick together!" the shopkeeper said, laughing at us.

"You betrayed us!" I shouted, suddenly approaching him and slapping his face. He immediately shoots my foot, causing me to fall to the ground.

"Allie!" Trevor said, worried, seeing my foot bleeding.

"I will kill you!" Trevor shouted.

"Where are the kids? What did you do to them?" I asked angrily.

"Well, don't worry about them. I offered them as a gift to our tribe. You can see their little organs and skulls later!" the shopkeeper said, grinning.

"You're not going to do that, you're a monster!" I shouted at him in tears.

"I'm more than a monster! I just came back here to kill you two!" the shopkeeper said, grinning.

Suddenly, zombies approaching, and growling as they come closer.

Then, Trevor immediately approaches the shopkeeper, and they start fighting. The gun falls to the floor. I strike the shopkeeper with my skateboard, but he fights back, punching me in the stomach. I fall to the ground. When Trevor gets a chance, he strikes the shopkeeper with a huge rock on his head, causing the shopkeeper to fall near his gun, feeling dizzy. Zombies coming out from one way.

"Let's go, Trevor, zombies are coming!" I said to him while trying to stand, feeling immense pain. But as we're about to leave, the shopkeeper shoots Trevor in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground, bleeding heavily.

"No, Trevor!" I shouted, seeing him dying. Then zombies come out and eat the shopkeeper.

"Allie, promise me you'll escape this tunnel, find the kids, and live for me!" Trevor said softly, trembling. I look at him while in tears, unable to do anything, feeling so much pain. Zombies are approaching him, and his last words are, "Allie, just run, save the kids!" Then the zombies start to eat Trevor. I start to run the other way, not knowing what will happen to me.

After some time...

I'm sobbing, losing my mind. I've lost everyone—my boyfriend, my friends, and the kids! I just want to die. Suddenly, I pick up a huge rock, planning to kill myself, but when I'm about to strike my head, I am interrupted by the voices of the kids, echoing, needing help. I don't know if it's just voices in my head, but I follow where the sound is coming from.