Becoming Them: A Zombie Novel

Thirteen

"I think we should just focus on getting out of here, alright?" Cara negotiated, in which a few people murmured their agreements. Luther's death had hit them hard as Caleb's had. It was understandable since they had all worked together during the beginning of the epidemic and would work together until the very end. They had all gotten very close in the time that went by, and losing one of them would amount to unimaginable pain on their part.

Jamie, Aaron, Joe, Nick, and Cara disappeared off somewhere and then reappeared sometime later with large bags in their hands.

Turning to Paula, I asked, "What's in all the bags?"

"Guns. Loads of them, with ammo. We found a huge stash here," she replied, giggling like a child receiving a Christmas present. "It wasn't a surprise that the pigs would have the most guns stashed up."

"Why hadn't someone else come here first after all this time?"

"Because they were mostly protected, but I guess we just got lucky that anyone protecting this stash had died or gotten lost before they used it all up."

"Are we all ready to go?" Adrian asked everyone, grabbing my attention.

Joe stepped in front of me as I began to walk. She blocked my way, and her height caused me to have to crane my neck to look at her. Her mouth twisted into a frown.

"Anything wrong, Joe?" I asked, puzzled.

"Where did you get that necklace?"

Joe caught me by surprise. In all the commotion, I had forgotten, yet again, about what happened with the necklace. "I—"

"You went into my room and looked through my stuff?" she pressed on, not giving me a chance to answer. Her scrutinising glare made me feel like she was testing me, which only flared up my own anger. Who was she to question me when the necklace belonged to me in the first place?

"What's going on?" Aaron asked.

Soon, the rest of the group huddled around us, unsettled by the growing tension, but were drawn in because of curiosity.

Joe didn't answer until she was sure Adrian had finally entered. She strolled over to him, her teeth clenched and eyes wide with fury. She whispered in his ear, and his confused expression changed to a look of understanding. Then, he whispered something back, rubbing her shoulders for reassurance as he did so. They both nodded to each other.

Adrian sauntered over to me, a look of judgement in his eye. A smug smirk rested on his face. "Joe tells me you've been poking around in her room. Is that true?" he asked me.

"Yes, but that's only because me, Evie and the kids were playing Hide-and-Seek, and hid out in the rooms. I was the seeker, and when I was looking in Joe and Aria's bedroom, I found the locket in Joe's closet. It's mine!" I screamed.

"Wait," Adrian interjected. "That's yours?"

"Yeah. I thought you said you guys didn't find the necklace on me when you found me."

Realization crossed his face. "Oh, right, yeah. I did."

"So, how did it end up with Joe?" I asked.

Adrian turned to Joe. "Explain then, Joe. You know we don't tolerate lying and thieving within the group. It'd only cause more problems, you know that."

Joe looked baffled, turning to Adrian and staring at him as if he had just betrayed her.

"No, you—"