Age of the Dead

Planning

Obviously Julie would lock the door. Why would she just leave the door open. Maybe if I knock she will know I'm not a rotter. Just as I bring my hand up to knock on the door it swings open. We all run inside. I almost trip over the 'welcome' mat. I stumble through the doorway and get inside. Just as I hear the door slam shut Mason says "Saw you through the window." What? There were no windows on the building? Mason looks to his right there is a small window that is only a half foot in width and a foot high. It is now covered by a purple sheet that is much bigger than the window was. Im guessing it was a sheet that they grabbed from Brandon's grandmother's house. It is pinned up with the two cuticle cutters.

"Was there anyone in here?" As I ask Julie notices Jake and Lea.

"Four rotters, no people. Who are they?" Julie asks looking at Lea hunched over catching her breath.

"We found them in the salon we were in." I respond.

"Have any weapons?" Julie asks both of them. Jake pulls out a small knife and shows it to her.

"That's all?" She asks I can tell she doesn't really believe him.

"Yup." He says and puts it away.  "So where we headed now, new friends?" Jake says sarcastically.

"I was thinking we could stay the night here and eat dinner with the food we brought. When we get up we can get our families and go to the refugee camp Jake was telling me about earlier." I look over to him.

"Yeah it is only about 10 miles away from here, up the road to the right." He is pointing to his right. Lea cuts in and says

"Oh yeah! I remember Mom and Dad talking about that before-" she trails off. I know what she was going to say though 'Before her parents died'.

"What is it called?" I ask trying to make sure he actually knows what he is talking about.

"River Mount Haven. Haven't you seen the signs for it? They're everywhere." Jake says. Lea nods along. I walk to the middle of the room and sit down. We all form a circle Julie to my left and Luke to my right. I pick my phone up I only have 38% battery. The cell phone service doesn't work. I look at the time 4:43pm. I can see the town through a sliver that is not covered by the sheet. The sun is sitting on the tops of the trees. The sky is layered with shades of orange and pink and purple. I can see the autumn  leaves on the trees. I take the time to enjoy the quiet and the beauty though it ends as soon as it begins.

"So earlier you guys said you have food? Jake and I haven't eaten for two days." Lea says.

"I have some." Brandon says. He pulls out a can and hands one to Lea and takes one for himself. We all decide to have a dinner. Luke and I share a can. Julie and Mason share. Lea and Jake,  and Brandon has one to himself. We sit in silence for about 15 minutes. Then Luke gets up and lays a blanket -the one he got from Brandon's Grandmother's house- on the ground by the back. I put my blanket down by the front counter. I get under the blanket and lay my head on the bag I brang. I don't sleep yet. I can't. So I wait about two hours before I get up and look out the small window. I remember hearing about the first person who 'came back' I thought it was a commercial for a movie or a prank or something. I didn't ask for this life, but it didn't just happen. We-humans-pushed the world to its breaking point. Chaos now reigns the world, not us. I never thought I would see the town like this, the town I once called home. Now only a shadow of its former self. I have my hand on the curtain pulling it back slightly so the moonlight  shines in casting its rays on my face. I suddenly feel a hand on my back. I turn quickly seeing Luke standing in the light of the moon now. His blue eyes sparkle. I can tell he is tired. God, you're so beautiful. I think to myself. His hair is messily swept across his eyes.

"You should try to sleep." he says letting his hand drop off of my waist.

"I don't want to sleep. How can I? The world is crashing down around us and we are just letting it." I say defensively.

"We can't do anything about it now. We pushed the world to its breaking point." He says as if he read my mind. "Its not gonna go back just because we ask it politely. We have to fight to live now." He does make a good point.

"I just wanna go home." I say. After it comes out of my mouth I realize how childish it sounds.

"We will, tomorrow and we will find our families and go to that refugee camp Jake was talking about." His face looks so soft in the moonlight.

"I know." I say. Luke grabs my hand.

"Come on, you need sleep." He walks me over to my blanket and waits until I look comfortable to go back to his own.