Becoming Them: A Zombie Novel

Ten

     So, I splurged out every detail to Cara who listened intently. Her anger was unveiled once I mentioned what happened at the mall, and how I'd almost been torn apart by awaiting hands. She was upset when I told her about the group that we saw being eaten by zeds. And shock overcame her when I told her about the conversation I overheard when I was in the vents. I even told her that I knew about what happened to Drew, in which she downcast her eyes in response. But overall, she was overjoyed to see me good and well.

     We sat at the kitchen counter, just talking.

     "Cara," I said.

     "Yeah?"

     "Y-you wouldn't do anything to hurt me, right?"

     She seemed surprised at the question. "Where's this coming from?"

     "It's just ... that if you cared, you would've at least told me what I was here for."

     Cara shook her head. "If I told you, you would have left straight away. And you'd have no one to protect you. You'd be defenceless."

     "You don't know that ..."

     She chuckled. "Really? You're telling me that if I told you a few days in about how you'd just be used as bait, you wouldn't think we were crazy and run off to survive on your own?"

     "I don't know."

     "I'm just glad you're okay. And you don't know how mad I am at Adrian for making you go through that."

     "Yeah. But the look on his face when I fell through the ceiling was priceless," I said, laughing. Cara let out a laugh, too.

     "Would've loved to see that," she said.

     By the time I finished explaining everything to her, she began to dislike Caro and Joe, too. Well, more than usual. She despised Adrian the most. But she didn't ever show it, just continued to listen to orders.

     "Why do you listen to Adrian?"

     "What d'you mean?"

     "It's pretty clear you don't like him. And some of the others don't agree with his opinions. Why do you all listen to him?"

     Cara shrugged. "I guess, if we didn't, we'd be on his bad side. That would mean he'd keep a close eye on us, and would probably find any old reason to force us out of the group. With Caro and Joe and anyone else on his side, he'd definitely have his way."

     "I don't think it's right. Besides, I doubt most of them would be on his side. I told you how they reacted against Adrian when he forced me out to the zeds, didn't I?" I admitted.

     "Yes, but I wouldn't want to risk anything. It's just tough luck. But you're already on his bad side, I guess."

     "Yeah, I can tell. But he tries not to show it."

     "You gonna try to get on his good side again? It would be good for you in the long run," Cara said.

     "I don't really care. I can watch my own back, now. I can protect myself. So if he pulls another stunt like that, I'll be prepared. But it's not me I'm worried about. I'm worried about what he has planned for Skylar and Elliot. If he has anything planned that is."

     "True."

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     The next few days went elegantly slowly with no fights or arguments and I didn't have to run into Adrian in any of the days that came and went. I wanted to keep that going for as long as I could.