Surviving the Undead

Chapter 6

Everyone stared at me in shock. "Your... sisters?" asked Luke.

"Yes, my sisters. My parents were away on vacation, and we were staying with my grandparents in Milford. I headed home early because I was planning on staying with my best friend for a few days... The outbreak started while we were at her house," I explained.

"So where's your friend?" asked Aidan. Luke shot him a warning look.

"Dead," I said simply. "We were on the way to my house to get supplies. They surrounded us, and she got bitten."

"Bitten doesn't mean dead," said Aidan. "Is she still walking around as a zombie?"

He was going to make me tell them the whole thing. Fine, it would just teach them I wasn't as weak as they seemed to think I was. "When she got bitten, I put her out of her misery."

Vanessa gasped and drew closer to Luke. "You killed your friend?!" she whispered.

"She wouldn't have been my friend anymore," I said, challenging her with my eyes.

"She was still your human friend when you killed her!" said Vanessa angrily, balling up her hands into fists. She stepped towards me. "You're a murderer."

I bared my teeth with a glare, and swiftly moved towards her. My hands were around her throat as I pinned her to the wall. "Don't you ever call me that, you stupid little girl. How about when you get bitten by a ghoul, which you will, I just let you die slowly and then turn into a filthy, flesh-eating monster. Is that what you want?" I hissed.

Vanessa squeaked pathetically as her face turned red. I felt strong hands on me, pulling me off of her. Killing Vanessa wasn't my intention, so I let myself be pulled away.

"What the hell?" spat Aidan. Apparently he was the one holding on to me.

"You heard what she called me," I said, yanking my arms free. I crossed them over my chest.

"That doesn't give you the right to strangle the girl," he said, glaring at me. I stared back coolly.

My eyes roamed across the angry and shocked faces around me. There was one face that didn't hold either expression. James was trying to suppress a growing grin. I raised an eyebrow at him, but my attention was drawn away from him by the sound of Luke's voice.

"Come on, guys. Let's all just calm down," soothed Luke. "Elle, I agree that you did the right thing by your friend. I would want someone to do the same for me if I became a zombie."

I nodded at him in appreciation.

"At the same time, you can't just attack one of us when we say something you don't like. We're working together as a team now, got it?" he continued.

I hesitated for a moment, but then nodded.

"Good," he said, sounding relieved. He glanced out the window. "It looks like the sky is clearing up. We should be able to set out after all."

"But Luke, it's still all wet outside," whined Vanessa.

"It won't be by the time we have to sleep, which is the important thing," he said, soothing her by wrapping his arms around her. "Besides, her sisters are more important than us getting a bit wet."

She pouted, but nodded. I rolled my eyes. This was going to get annoying quickly.

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"My feet hurt," whined Vanessa.

"It's just a little way until the store, you can sit down while we grab supplies," said Luke, rubbing her back.

She was already complaining about her feet hurting after we had been walking for half an hour. I was trying to remain calm, but if she continued whining I was going to have to say something.