Survival

Chapter 3

After some time, the three of us still remain in the room. John lays near the edge of the room, looking over to watch the zombies and "keep watch". I honestly think he's doing it just to impress El. Maybe I'm wrong.
The mini fridge is now completely empty. It really wasn't that full to begin with, but the Coke and few Twinkies didn't last long.
It's darker now. El reminds us that the zombies calm down at night and stop attacking, unless they're provoked. She devises an escape route that includes getting down from the room, sliding along the wall to the cafeteria and then climbing a ladder that leads to the roof. A simple yet flawless plan that is built in a matter of minutes.
We decide to execute the plan at 9:30, which is almost twenty minutes from now. The only problem with the room is that you barely get cell service in it. Other than that, it's a prime hang out joint, aside from the fact that John can get pretty claustrophobic, especially with more than just him and me occupying the petite space. I really don't mind. He usually lays near the edge that overlooks the commons area, watching the people walk here or there, "Always in a hurry", as he says.
Twenty minutes passes far quicker than I expect, and El readies herself to descend the frames. As she slips over the edge, John reluctantly follows, and I join them both. She stops about half way to gaze around. Her finger points to each zombie in turn, and I realize she's counting them up. There are more than a dozen, and from what I know about zombies, that's too many for three teenagers to take down. I suddenly notice that the apocalypse has started and erupted from almost nothing into a threatening situation. It seems so surreal.
My feet touch the floor cautiously. El and John are already sliding across the wall, watching the herd of undead carefully.
"There are fifteen of them," El whispers to us gingerly.
One of them twitches and I stop mid stride, watching it closely. A few more slight movements, almost like a person with Tourette's, and then nothing. I turn my head a see El sneaking away from the wall and towards the ladder. John follows close behind. I'm still a few yards from where they left the wall, but I decide it doesn't matter where I sneak from, as long as I'm right behind them. I crouch down low and cut across the commons. A snarl behind me ends my quick pace, so I slow down. El glances back quickly, continues sneaking and then stops and looks back with a terrified look on her face. John pivots around swiftly, witnessing something behind me that scares him more than only one Twinkie left in the mini fridge. I slowly follow their gaze, and when I've turned one hundred eighty degrees, I wish I hadn't.

___

The fifteen zombies that used to be huddled in the center of the commons area are now looming over me, all of them penetrating me with their dead, dull eyes.
I am completely and utterly frozen.
"Don't. Move."
El gives the command from behind me. No problem there, I think to myself, staring back at the creatures. And then John runs to the ladder, drawing the zombies' attention away from me. One of them lets out a high pitched screech before charging directly in John's direction. Thinking fast, El throws off her backpack and lays it on the ground in front of the path of the monster. It trips and slides along the ground, ending up right in front of the ladder. John is scrambling up it, glancing down every few seconds to make sure the undead are still below him.
I have to find a weapon of some sort. The other zombies are now shuffling towards El and me, getting ready to jump at any quick movements. I back up slowly, running into the door of a janitorial office near the cafeteria. I open the door slowly and slip inside. I look frantically around for something to do some damage with. I see a heavy looking wrench, and I pick it up. Sure enough, the thing weighs about ten pounds.
I open the door just in time to see El backed into a corner by a dozen zombies and John struggling to get the trap door at the top of the ladder open. The other three undead beings are climbing the ladder like a leopard stalks its prey: slow and steady with a hint of "yeah buddy you're dead in the next minute". I act fast. I sneak up behind the undead in the back of the pack, clubbing it on the head with the heavy tool. After a few slow swings, I've knocked a couple of them down. Hitting them on the head seems to be effective, so I continue bludgeoning them right in the skull. After I've downed enough of them that El is no longer in severe trouble, I slide the wrench along the ground to her and watch her handle the thing, letting out tiny grunts while beating the rest of the zombies.
John screams and I look up. The creature that is closest to him has a hold of his leg, and I think of ways to get past the other two...
The trapdoor flies open and four arms yank John up and out. Then the door slams shut, blocking off the zombies' path, which frustrates them. El finishes the last of them while the ones on the ladder are climbing back down. I run back to the janitorial closet to arm myself. I find a garden hoe, and come out of the closet swinging like a mad man.
We finish the zombies off and climb the ladder. The trapdoor is no longer stuck and it opens easily when El pushes it. We walk to the edge of the building and look out over Blackwood, our home city.
The word desolate describes it perfectly. Police sirens and mobs of zombies fill the streets. Utter chaos has sprung up overnight. The moon shines bright through the wispy clouds, illuminating the devastating scene. Many survivors peak through the barred up windows with fear. Many more fight back against the race of inhuman beings.
"Hey!"
El and I turn around quickly.
Two boys hold John near the other edge of the school. One holds a gun to his head.
"What a fine night for a ransom," says the one with the gun.