Age of the Dead

Heading out

I walk along the street outside the salon. Why? I am not quite sure. I feel the breeze in my hair. Luke walks up beside me. He is laughing.

"What are you laughing about?" I ask smiling. He opens his mouth to speak and as he does I feel someone pull my arms behind my back. I feel a blade of a knife pressed to my neck, the cool metal just resting there. Then I realize it is Brandon. Jake comes out of nowhere and runs up to Luke. He puts him in a choke lock and presses a gun to his temple. I can feel my screams ripping my throat apart, but I can't hear anything. Jake looks me in the eye

"This is for rejecting my request earlier." He smirks. I feel my heart racing in my chest. I hear the Bang of the gun. Luke's head jerks to the side. Then he falls limp.

I feel my tears soaking my face. I feel someone grabbing my arm shaking me violently. I open my eyes. My own screams fill my ears. I jerk my body sitting up out of the blankets. My face is covered in sweat and tears. I can't tell them apart anymore. I see Julie sitting at my side shaking me. When I sit up she stops. Luke is standing on my left. I leap out of my bed and pull him into a hug.

"Oh my God! You're alive!" I breathe, because I can't quite speak yet. I am pulling him in so tightly.

"Were you dreaming?" Luke asks me. "You were screaming your head off for the last 30 minutes."

"Are you okay?" I hear Julie ask.

"Yes- well, no. I mean. I am now." I say finally letting go of Luke. I see Jake walking over to me. I almost want to yell at him, but it was my own mind that created the nightmare not him.

"What happened in your dream?" Jake asks.

"Nothing, I'm fine now." I say trying to avoid the conversation.

I take a step back and realize everyone is staring at me.

"So we're getting our families today?" Julie asks

"Yup." I say "Pack your things were going in 30 minutes." Everyone spreads out picking up their blankets. We leave our cans on the ground because there is no use for putting it in the trash any more. We only take about 15 minutes to pack the blankets. The group stands by the door eagerly. I look out the window, happy to see most of the rotters are gone now. There are only about 20 that still roam the streets. We can take them. I look around more and see the suburban, crap I forgot I left it all the way across town. I think to myself. If we run and shoot some rotters down on the way out we can make it in two minutes flat.

"Ready?" I ask smiling. I get a few nods.

"Guns and knifes up, watch each others backs." I say remembering Eliot. "There are only a few out there, but keep an eye out in all directions. We can not afford to lose anyone." I say hopefully everyone is listening. I pull my knife out of my waistband and put my other hand on the door. I look to everyone one last time before I swing the door open. I run out and stab the first rotter in the head that I see. I am running beside Julie. She was on the track team before this all happened. My lungs are burning for air. I look behind me to make sure everyone is catching up. Everyone is there. I turn back almost slamming my face into a rotters. I fall on top of it and stab its head. I see a hand reaching out at me and I grab it. They pull me up, I look up to see Jake. I ignore the disgust I still feel when I look at him. I get up and begin running again.

 We make it to the suburban and this time I jump into the driver seat. Luke in the passenger seat. Julie and Mason in the middle row of seats. Then Jake Brandon and Lea in the back. Its nice to see Brandon making a new friend. I floor the car and I head toward the development we all live in. It is only a minute and a half from where we are now.

When I finally pull into the development Luke says

"That one's mine." He says pointing to a large white house.

"Can you guys wait in here until Luke and I get back? Brandon can you come with us?" I ask because he is the tough one in the group and if something happens we'll need him. He nods and climbs over the seat and gets out of the car.I get out and slam the door behind me.