Life After Death

Chapter 41

About twenty seconds passed before Vivian snapped out of her state of disbelief. For the first time since the catastrophe, a sparkle of hope twinkled in her eye as she raised the item to give a response. Knowing that if Aanya was on the end, not only was she alive, but the chances were that Leesa, and the others were also alive.

"Hello?! Aanya? Is that you? It's Vivian," She uttered into the radio, giving it a few seconds. But there wasn't a response in return, "Aanya?"

Doubt began to seep into her eyes again as the silence grew longer. Was it really Aanya? Or was it some Reaper scouting out a response to see how many they had left to hunt and kill? Or had she rather imagined the whole thing instead?

Nevertheless, she pushed those thoughts away. She knew what she had heard, she had recognised it almost instantly. It couldn't be a mistake. She wasn't completely lost in exhaustion and hunger yet. And the slight twinge of an accent that came through was unmistakable. It had to be.

So, she zipped her bag back up, and slung it over her shoulder, wasting no time in heading back to the others. Using a broken shelf to smash in a Lurkers head which was now thrashing at the window, likely having heard the extra noise - either from the commotion earlier, or her now.

"Guys. Guys!" She cried out as she ran back towards their makeshift camp, if you could call it that. Jade, Javon, and Whitney doing their best to neatly and respectfully deal with the dead they'd found, hardly being able to dig themselves three 6ft holes, while Jace siphoned the extra gas.

"What? Is everything okay!?"

"Yes, yes. The radio," She waved it up and down in front of them, "I forgot I had it, but then I heard speaking, it was Aanya."

"You heard Aanya speak through it?" Jace instinctively questioned, as if making sure he had heard her right.

"Yes! She was asking to see if there were any survivors around."

"Really?" Jade now asked, but it sounded more like a dismissive scoff, "You really think it was Aanya? Nice joke."

"Why would I be joking?"

"There's no one out there, you see this!?" She gestured almost aggressively, "Everyone's dead."

"Well you've changed your tune," she now scorned, "What happened to us not being the chosen ones?"

"I got a reality check."

"So, what, so you think I'm lying!?"

"No, not necessarily," She responded in an inexpressive manner, "But I doubt it was Aanya. It was probably a trap or something, someone trying to lure us out of hiding."

"I know what I heard Jade, I'd of thought you of all people would believe me, what with your constant state of delusion and foolish hope."

By now, the others were well aware an argument was about to break out, and a surprising one at that. Creeping closer as if ready to intervene, Jace's eyebrows raised at their words, and he was about to cut in with some sort of defence before Jade beat him to it anyway.

"Well sorry for being slightly cautious about a random radio message anyone else could have heard. Did you respond?"

"Yes, I did."

"Was there an answer?" Whitney now asked, beating whatever remark Jade was about to make, her gentle demeanour a sudden change in the air.

"No, it was silent."

Jade just scoffed again, "So you just communicated more with Reapers over a radio than you have us for the last two days."

"It wasn't Reapers!"