Immunity

8

Sweet relief rushes over me when my eye-lids flutter open in the morning and I find myself alive, still human.

I look around, expecting to find the kids still in their beds, but no. They are up, their clothes on and back-packs strapped over their shoulders. Every single one of them has a gun. Even the twins. My mouth gapes open. I guess I must have looked pretty... animated, because I hear a chuckle from Hugo.

But the thing is, they fiddle with them as if they were toys.

I move to cross my legs, and feel a pull on my foot. The trap. Jesus, almost forgot about that... I dont know what I'd say if I'd just been pulled up to the roof like before. 'Yeah, I must've accidently hooked my foot into it when I was sleeping,' like that would work.

I flick it off, and quickly fold my legs, and act normal. "So what are we doing today?" I say cheerily,

Only Hugo looks up from his gun, and its more of a glare from underneath his long fringe. "We are looking for supplies, you are coming along,"

Literally, everytime he talks, it sound like serious sarcasm, if thats even a real thing.

So I'd become the dog once again over night. Great.

I had already assumed that I wasnt going to be given a weapon, but I was pleasantly surprised when Hugo tossed a cricket bat into my lap. Sure, it banged into my knee, and that hurt alot, but I was gratefull to have a weapon. Tt was one of those big cricket bats made from solid wood.

I smiled in thanks. I could see myself using it, more than I could see myself with a gun.

"Alright, come on," Hugo says and the kids begin walk. We come out into the libary, the sun sparkles off the shattered peices of glass infront of the door.

The group stops in its tracks.

Hugo curses under his breath and walks over to the door. "Its smashed! Infected might be in here!"

He sounded pissed.

I had to tell him it was me, otherwise he'll go crazy thinking some zombies are in here. But, of coarse, I'm frightened about how he'll react. I might get kicked out.

"I did it, trying to get in here yesterday," I pipe up.

He glares at me, and shakes his head. He walks over the peices of glass, squishing them into the carpet. "You will get some wooden planks and board this up!" He shouts at me, "Do you understand the danger you put us in?! Jesus!"

It becomes really silent, everyones breathing quietens and that weird feeling fills the air. That guilty, dirty feeling.

"Sorry..."

He shakes his head again and turns to the door. He squeezes his fingers through the gap of the two sliding doors and prys the open so there's a gap big enough for someone to walk through. He gives me another glare, and stamps through.

"He's never yelled like that before," I hear Ria mumble, one's of those mumbles thats meant to sound like their saying it to themselves, but really, its just a sly comment they want you to here.

I ignore it. LIke she's never been screamed at before.

Out in the open, I watch the expressions of the kids change.

The stretch up slightley on their tippy-toes, and they shut their eyes close pleasently, happy little smiles cross their lips and they breath deep.

Then they gag on the stench of rotting corpses. Forgot about that.

"Shit, how many of you died out here?" Leo remarks, holding his nose. Its hard to remember how young he is, his personality is so... mature.

"...a lot." I manage. Small clips of memories come back. Running. Little crying girls with blond hair. Grateful mothers. The bonnets of cars.