1st May, 2013.
My head was spinning, my heart was beating, I felt faint, like I was going to fall, I grabbed my bed and quickly fired a text to our entire group, except Joe.
“Joes now its here weapons only” It read, people knew it was urgent by the distinct lack of punctuation and grammar.
At that point, I panicked.
I picked up a backpack from my floor and emptied it out; I put in a few objects that could be thrown either to make noise and distract a zombie or to possibly hit it, I knew it wouldn’t kill one, but it might knock it over or damage the brain on impact, I then threw the bag on, ran out of my room and went to tell my parents that we needed to go to Joes. They didn’t see the urgency in my reason, but did in my voice, I was quite an academic at school, and if I told my parents something, they generally believed it, so they followed my instructions, they picked up a backpack each and filled it with the kitchen knives like I told them to, while I went into my garage and picked up all of my four lacrosse sticks, went I got back into the house my family were all at the door waiting for my word, words do not describe how proud I was of them at that point. I handed each of them a lacrosse pole and told them to aim for the head, don’t be afraid to hit too hard, any Infected that are already walking need to be eliminated before they can infect more. Then, after a round of hugs and “Good lucks,” we left the house, and headed for Joes… The roads were oddly busy, obviously not many had heard the warning, but we were prepared. I led the way down the street, stick in both hands, looking like another average lacrosse player going to late night training at my club. My family all followed my lead, staring blankly forward, never looking elsewhere, I saw my friend at the corner, his family also carrying backpacks, but no immediate weapons, I was concerned by this, but then again, we were packing enough to protect the eight of us, me; Amelia, my sister; Lisa, my mother; Mike, my father, Alex; Tom, Alex’s father; Leo; Alex’s little brother and Sarah, Alex’s mother. Four sticks for eight people, it could be better, but it’ll do. We set off, drawing all kinds of strange looks from passers-by, I was still taking the lead, with Alex, now holding the stick my dad was holding, was bringing up the rear, always looking back to check for danger, Leo was keeping him company, whether that was good or bad, I don’t know.
When we got to Joes house I was surprised to see that we were second to last there, all accounted for, the original twelve and their families… No, something was wrong, there wasn’t enough people there.
A head count proved me right, of the original twelve, one was missing, but exactly who it was I could not say for sure, but we should give them time to get here whoever it is…
The minutes felt like hours, I couldn’t take it, the last person to arrive hadn’t, and I sent off the text at least half an hour before, and none of us live anymore that thirty minutes away, I live the furthest and got here in ten. It hit me hard and fast. Eleven people. One missing. Jack, check. Alex, check. Jake, check. Joe, check. Flo, check. Becky, check, thank God. Kate, check. Katie, check. John, check. Sarmad, check, surprisingly. Amy, check. Eleven. It was like a train when it hit me.
This is the first time I’ve admitted this, but I welled up when I realised. I ran upstairs to Joes room, a place I knew no one would be in, but also that I felt comfortable in, and I lay on the bed face down, and just lay there, not crying, not even feeling the least bit upset, I think it was just shock that made me well up, and not actual upset… I’ve never been good with showing my feelings, especially sadness, I just don’t get upset, at all, it’s rather strange, and though people just assume I’m upset about things when they think I should be.
I got up from the bed, having reflecting on the events and called my friends to the kitchen, I told them not to bring their families, that I needed to talk to them alone. They complied and upon entering the kitchen many of them exchanged worried looks, they also could see that their numbers were depleted. Eleven of them, not including me, as always. They looked to me, confused, and many of them worried.
