The Dead Among Them

|1| The Tree by the Dam

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away... lived prepubescent me. I was once innocent, kind and shy. I use to rely on my best friend for social needs and my family for happiness. It was easy. No one hunting me down, no food cut short, no fear for my life and loved ones. I took advantage of everything back then. Now I would give anything for even a drop of clear water. Or even a foot rub, which I could really use right now.

Running was hard. Especially when the person (or in this case people) had longer legs and sharper knives than you.

I breathed in and out in a rhythm. Listening as the footsteps behind me faded. Thankfully, I lost them, but not completely. Think is where stealth comes in. And when it comes to my light feet and years of practice, it's simple for me. Second nature. I hide behind a shelf of cosmetics and lower my breathing volume. But when I look up, and see young girls with fresh, clean faces and bright smiles, advertising some brand of purple lipstick, I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach. If things weren't the way they are today, I could be walking around with a clean face and that specific brand of purple lipstick.

I reach up to grab a stick of a weird dark red. To take home and wear, when I'm alone, pretending to get ready for some stupid party held by some brunette babe with cheap alcohol and hormonal boys, just to feel like a normal teenager... just once. But when I wrap my fingers around the lipstick, I knock over rows of makeup, one after another. The sound is loud and my heart starts racing. When the cosmetics finally stop dropping the next sound makes my heart stop. "There she is!" Screams a deep unfamiliar voice.

Shit shit shit. I scrabble to get up and start running in the opposite direction of the approaching footsteps. Slipping on the fallen products as I go. I run down rows upon rows of unpurchased items. When I see the door to the exit, my sprint turns into bolting. My throat burns and my chest caves. But I keep going when I here guns going off. I make it to the door and leg it through. But I wasn't expecting what was awaiting on the other side. Just as my step reaches the outdoor concrete, big arms come out and circle around my small frame. "Got ya'" says a raspy voice into my neck.
I scream as possible. To get the attention of at least one of my friends, But the guy wraps his callous hand around my mouth. I try biting his hand, but it's like biting into leather. It doesn't affect him in the slightest.

"I got er' boys!" He yells to his mates. I yell a muffled scream into his palm and try to wriggle out of his grasp. But to no prevail.

This is it. This is how I die. I feel hot tears slide down my face as fear starts to swallow me whole. I'm so sorry Rhi.

Years of hiding from the dead only to be killed by the living. How do I get out of this?

My name is Ashley, and I've been living a nightmare for over six years.

But I should probably go back to the beginning.

--- Summer, February 2nd, 2014 ----

Ashley, age 7

I ran down the steep gravel driveway of my Uncle's farm. Stumbling over my own feet in excitement. I'm exited to see my uncle of course, but whom I'm most exited to see, is my best friend, Jaxon, who lives next door. He's eight, and been the closest person to me since I could remember.

I reached the bottom of the driveway and ran through the door of my Uncle's. "Uncle James!!" I yelled in a rush.

"Button!" I got a response. And then came my 26 year-old uncle whipping round the corner and running toward me. "There you are!"

He lifted me off the ground and into the air. "How's my little angel going?" he kissed my on the cheek. And put me back on the ground.

"Good." I twirled my finger in my hair and looked at James with puppy eyes. "Can I go see Jax now?"

He smiled and shook his head. "I should have known you didn't bolt down the driveway to see me." He sighed and gestured to the back door. "Go have fun kiddo."

I didn't need to be told twice. "I love you." I said quickly and ran out the back door. Sprinting to the breaking wire fence that separated my uncle's land and Jaxon's family's. I climbed over the fence and continued running to the little green, collapsing house on the hill. When I reached the door, I stopped for a second to catch my breath, and then knocked three times.

I heard yelling and some scuffing behind the old mahogany door before it finally opened to reveal Aaron, Jax's older brother. "I figured it was you." He smiled. "I'd let you in, but I don't want to put that stress on you. I'll go get the bum head." I nodded in a daze and watched as he closed the door halfway and walked down the hall. Aaron was 14 and I had the biggest crush on him for 2 years. I use to think we were going to get married and live happily ever after. And he knew about my little fantasy, and thought it was 'cute'.

I broke out of my daydream when I saw Jax open the door and give me a huge smile. "Ash! You're here!" He closed the door and put on his cargo print dark blue and yellow gumboots (His favourite). "I want to show you how high I can climb the tree by the dam now!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me away. "Come on!" He whined. And we broke out into a run down the hill to the dam. A fit of giggles escaping us both as we tripped and continued on our adventure to our favourite tree.

This is what I missed the most.

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This only a short chapter to sort of introduce Ashley and Jax when they were young. This story is based in Australia, so Australian slang will be used. If I write a word or a phrase that you don't understand, don't be afraid to ask.

ConnerHagerman out.