School Yard Apocalypse Book 1: Dead Flesh

Chapter 2: The roof

(((Picture of Mitch above! <3)))

Xanna and Miles were arguing about something... again. I wasn't concentrating on what exactly, but I think it had something to do with weapons. I rolled my eyes and got up to see what was happening downstairs. The doors were all open and I started to panic. 'Guys! The DFs are going to get in!' I yelled. No one seemed to notice me, they were all chatting with each other. I poked my head outside and gasped. People, real, living people were walking around outside. What the hell was happening? I was about to walk outside when I felt warm arms wrap around me. When I looked at who it was I became very confused. It was a boy, most definitely and he seemed familiar but his face was blurred out so I couldn't recognise him. Then it hit me, I must be dreaming but... his arms felt so real like someone was actually holding me. I shook my head and realised that this dream could end at any moment. I had to enjoy it while it lasted. He took my hand and suddenly we were upstairs by the fire. I was leaning against the wall and staring into his beautiful, grey-black eyes... I awoke suddenly, sitting up a little too fast and giving myself a pounding headache. It was still dark and everyone was still asleep... everyone I could see... someone was missing. I was still really tired but I was trying to do a headcount of everyone in the room. After a few minutes my head cleared and I almost face palmed. The empty spot was right across the room from me and I knew who sat there. Mitch was gone. I lifted myself onto my feet and stretched. Maybe he was downstairs? I didn't know why I was so concerned, after the incident with Caitlin chances were he was just going to the toilet or something, but I went downstairs anyway. After looking around in the kitchen and dining room for about ten minutes I decided that he definitely wasn't down there. I didn't see him when I went back upstairs either. Worry started to flare up in me now but I tried to block it out. He was probably fine. I gave up looking and was about to sit back down in my spot when I noticed the far door was open and a cold breeze was flowing in. I walked into the small storage room and saw that a window was ajar so I went over to close it. As I did, I heard a banging noise above me and someone cursing. What the hell? A pair of legs hung over the window like someone was sitting on the roof. I gasped and walked back a step as the legs started to lower down. Mitch climbed through the open window, his eyes widened when he saw me standing in front of it. 'Oh' he said, 'uhh... hey.'

I felt my cheeks redden slightly and turned away to hide them. 'Hey' I answered him, 'what uh... what were you doing up there?' Mitch looked embarrassed as he tried to think of an answer. 'I was kinda just... exploring because well... I couldn't sleep and then I realised how cool it is up there and... you just have to see it for yourself.' I was about to ask him what the heck he meant when he suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to the window. He pointed down. 'Look.' Just below us was a long rooftop leading to the next building where a window sat. Mitch continued his finger along and I followed it to see that the next building had a roof to the one across it as well and etc. 'It would be a great way to get supplies without having to sneak around on the ground' he stated, 'and also...' He motioned me to climb out onto the open roof. I wasn't a huge fan of heights but I followed him out. He turned around to look back at the building we were just in and pointed to the roof. 'That' he said confidently, 'is a really good vantage point, you can see heaps from there!' I smiled at him. 'Good find but uh... can we go back inside' I gulped and looked down, 'I'm not too fond of heights.' His happy expression was replaced with guilt. 'Oh sorry' he apologized.

'It's okay' I answered with a smile.

As he started to climb pack inside I looked up at the vantage point again. 'How did you get up there in the first place?' I asked him. He turned his head back to look at me and smirked. 'Here' he answered, 'I'll show you.' Mitch grabbed the top of the window frame with one hand and a loose brick with another. 'Are you sure this is safe?' I asked with worry. He gave me a reassuring smile. 'Don't worry, if I didn't feel it was safe then I wouldn't be climbing up here. I just need to remember not to look down...' he answered with a nervous chuckle. His raised his foot up to the bottom of the window frame so that he now stood on it. Then he raised the hand that was holding onto the loose brick onto the edge of the roof. One of his feet moved to the loose brick and he hoisted himself so that both of his hands were gripping the roof edge and one foot was on the loose brick. One last hoist and he was on top of the roof. 'See?' he said with a pant, 'not too hard.' Now that he was up there I realised I was standing on here on my own and I suddenly felt really nervous. It was so high up. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about what would happen if I fell. 'Hey!' Mitch called down to me. I opened my eyes and looked up at him. 'Are you sure you don't want to come up here and check it out?'