Life of the Dead (work in progress)

Standing Targets

August 21st, 2056
After the windows broke in my former home, there was long pause before anything happened. The zombies seemed to be as shocked as we were. Then the zombies, without any warning, no change of expression, no tension, leaped through the windows. That was when I got a good look at the zombies that were in my yard. Four of them. Isabel Mathews. Johnathan Mathews. Max Mathews. Gissel Carmen. My mom. My dad. My brother. My best friend. I stool there, frozen, as all of my classmates streamed up the stairs, screaming, shoving, and I STOOD THERE!! I'm so stupid! I hate owing people. Now I owe Noah my life. As I stood there, staring stupidly at the most important people in my life, dead and trying to eat the rest of my friends. I looked into Gissel's chocolate brown eyes, searching for some sign of life. The zombie stared into my eyes as I did hers. No emotion. Then I was in one of my happiest memories. I was at Rock Island, swimming in the lake that surrounded the island. I was swimming with Gissel, out to a small past of a wrecked ship like the pieces that littered the beach. Gissel was already there, encouraging me to swim faster. Her face was smiling but as I got closer I saw her eyes. They were as dead as the snake we had found earlier that day that a hawk had eaten. Suddenly, her face withered, her shoulders sagged as if she lost all will to live and reached out to grab me with her decaying hands. I tried to stop swimming toward her, to turn around and swim back to the shore, but my body wouldn't stop. Every kick brought me closer and closer to the zombie that had once  been my best friend. I was mere feet away from Gissel when a hand grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. All at once, I was back in the ruins of my house, the zombie's hands inches from me. Noah had grabbed my shoulders and was dragging me toward the stairs. I turned toward him and saw
a look of relief on his face as he could tell I was conscious. I turned around and saw Jack kick the zombie that was about to kill me backwards. Studying his face I saw what looked like tears in his eyes.
"Come on Hazel!" Noah yelled. I ran up the stairs, with Jack close behind. I looked back at the living room of my house one last time, but was shocked by the gruesome sight below. Allie and Carter had been trying to hold the zombies back to let the others escape, but hadn't been able to escape soon enough. They..... were gone.
Many on the roof were physically breaking down, some curling up in a ball, trying to imagine that what just happened didn't. I could relate. I wanted to do the same. Oh, I have to go. Jonalie needs me at the gate. I'll write later. It's the only thing that keeps me sane.