Keep Your Eyes Open

Anxiousness

That afternoon's training session was a lot harder than the firearms training. The guy who took closely resembled Paul Walker.

We mainly used knives and learnt how to use them correctly, and where would cause the most damage on the zombies.

Harri went half way through, to get some sort of prosthetic arm fitted for when he uses the assault rifle. 'Paul Walker' was surprised at my technique, and told me I would have no problem slashing a zombie.

I didn't want to get that close to a zombie. What if it turned around and bit me? Then I would damage Harri beyond belief. 

"Tabitha, can I talk to you quickly?" 'Paul Walker' pulled me to the side. "I've noticed you look... What's the word? You don't look like you want to survive anymore."

"No, I do. Trust me, I want to survive this."

"Victory is all you need now Tabitha, if you do this you're free," he took my shoulders. "I know you can do this. You've got the skills. Don't be a casualty. Survive." I nodded and felt this power growing inside me. Courage, some might call it.

"I can do this." He smiled and patted my back.

"You've got this," he muttered. I walked back to my training area and started furiously training, now with a new feeling and outlook on this entire thing.

I was so fully concentrated on my work, I hadn't even realised that Harri had walked back in.

"Right, you guys can have a break." I was panting and my arms seemed to weigh my entire body down. Harri walked over to me, carrying a clear water bottle.

"You were working pretty hard there..." He commented. "You seem pretty ready for hand to hand combat if I'm honest." I put my knife on the table, because knowing myself, I would have forgotten where I put it. I practically chugged the water down, as it began to trickle down my chin, I stopped to wipe it off.

"I don't want to do hand to hand combat if I'm honest with you, I don't want to have to get that close to a zombie in the first place." Wiping my sweaty palms on a near by towel, I sat down on a wooden bench. Only then did I realise how tired I truly was. "How was your prosthetic arm fitting thing?"

"It was good, it isn't a full arm prosthetic, it's more of a support thing for the assault rifle that just so happens to fit onto my half-arm."

"Right," I nodded my head. "Man, I worked way too hard just then. But I'm proud of myself." I could see that everyone else was sweating and panting as well, and nearly everyone had collapsed onto a mat or bench.

"Do you want me to help stretch you out?"

"Yeah," we moved to an empty mat and sat down, our legs in a 'v' shape opposite each other and our feet touching. I took Harri's hand with both of mine and he slowly leaned backwards, stretching out my legs and back. He leant back so far that I managed to touch my toes with one of my hands.

He slowly began to lean forwards again, and when we were both upright, he helped me up.

"Thanks," I mumbled. I shook out my legs, sat back down, and had some more water.

"What do you think of this whole thing?" Harri asked me, as he too sat down again.

"Honestly? I think it's pretty dumb. I don't get why they wouldn't send out their own troops, those who have been specifically trained to do this. I just don't trust them fully, something is definitely up."

"They've fed us haven't they? They have practically said we can leave this place and never have to return, after doing them a small favour."

"Harri, don't you see? They're making us risk our lives again! Remember how many times we've done that already? Remember who we have lost?" His head hung low, and I had a sudden pang of sadness ring throughout my body. Beth would still be alive, Tom, Ady, Annalyse... All those people...

"Hey Tabs! Can I talk to you for a second?" Vaseva called from across the room.

"Bye," I kissed him on the cheek quickly before speed-walking off to Vaseva. When I was close, she grabbed my arm and took me down a corridor into a supply cupboard.

"Do you think something is up too?" She whispered quietly.

"Yes, it all seems a little too pre planned. Why would they need us? They've got troops of their own."

"Exactly! I asked them about it and they said they would be sending in troops with us, it's just that we apparently add to the numbers or some shit like that."

"I personally think we'll just be getting in their way," I concluded. Vaseva was furiously nodding in agreement.

"Anyways, I was just curious as to what you thought, let's get back..." She opened the door and we jogged back together.

"Wait, did you catch the name of the trainer?" I asked her, as when he was introducing himself I was lost in my thoughts.

"He's called Robbie," she answered quietly.

"Cheers."

We arrived back in the room the exact same time Robbie came back. He called us all in and began to explain to us that we were to have the rest of the day off, as we no longer need any melee weapon training. Which, to me sounded like, you are vaguely well prepared and that's good enough for us. Which, for what seemed like a very militarised programme was a little sloppy.

We were able to go outside for once, but we had to stay within the confines of the area. We all sat down and played duck, duck, goose. Granted, we got strange looks from everyone else, but we were still only children and they couldn't keep us from having fun.

That night, I was exhausted. So when the lights were eventually turned off, I had no problem with falling asleep.

The last day before the hunt went by quickly. Almost too quickly for my liking.

We had a meeting which was led by Mr Ford. It was to brief us on the plan and as to where we would be doing it. They had sent out drones earlier and a large group of zombies had been spotted not too far from here, they predicted that across Germany, there were only a few big groups left. We only had to participate in the first one, as it was the largest group.

We were to begin in the late afternoon, as apparently this is when they aren't as hostile. We would still be able to see, which helped calm my nerves. I had worries we would be attacking in the dead of night.

After we were dismissed, it was nearly late afternoon. I decided to head back to the dorm and just hide for a few hours until dinner.

I was not ready for this, I thought I would be OK, but it turned out my nerves were going to get the better of me.

I wasn't really scared for my own life, I was mainly scared for my friends. They had come so far, and gone through so much, that they don't deserve to die now.

As I was thinking, I remembered how we had an antidote, and how we were on the way to solving what happened.

But then I fell into depression and insanity, and it all just got put on the back burner. As it turned out, despite what the movies depict, it was a whole lot more emotionally damaging.