Brains? What brains

Chapter 2

​"How much longer?" Isaiah complained he dirty ginger hair mushed against the glass of the window, he had dark purple bags under his eyes, he looks like death.
​"Thirty minutes, now will you stop asking, that was your fifth time," Jason said before switching on the radio.
Braking news! A new drug called The Slap, popular among teens has seemed to have turned sour. It's been making people become animal like, and rotting their skin, organs, leaving them unable to function properly, extremely dangerous and highly contagious, you may kill on site.
Jason switched off the radio and grabbed Kendall's hand. "Woah, is it that the red stuff Maisie was handing out at the party?" Asked Mack looking at Isaiah, Isaiah had a pensive look on his face, then all of a sudden his expression changed into one of panic. "Oh crap, oh no, guys! Guys!" Isaiah said looking at all of us, his eyes wide. "What? Isaiah what's wrong?" I asked looking at him inquisitively.
"I took the drug."
The whole car goes silent for a moment. Jason swerves to the side of the empty high way and pulls over to the side of the rode.
"Get out" Jason said looking at Isaiah. "What Jason, come on man, we're best friends! Brothers even!" Isaiah said trying to reason with Jason. "We aren't risking getting infected with whatever you got," Jason said coldly, he can't even look at his best friend.
"Come on! Mack? Tedi? Kendall?" Isaiah looked at us for help. Me and Kendall stayed silent.
"Maybe it's not in his system just, when did you take the drug?" Mack asked trying to brainstorm. This is the most thinking I've ever seen from Mack.
"Forty-five minutes ago, why? What are you thinking?" Isaiah said looking at Mack who looked like a light bulb turn on in his vacant head of his.
"It takes six to eight hours for food to digest, maybe it's like that with this drug, Isaiah should try to throw up before It gets further into his system." Mack looked at us for confirmation.
"I can't believe we're in a situation where Mack is the 'voice of reason' we're screwed" Kendall said completely beside herself. It was quiet for a minute, "We can't not do it. Isaiah? What are you waiting for, get out and throw up?" Jason said looking at the boy with fiery red hair.
"I can't just make myself throw up Jason!" Isaiah said, a state of panic flooding back to him.
"Either throw it up or turn into whatever Maisie turned into at the party." I said firmly, I don't want any of my friends to turn into a...zombie?
Isaiah sat there for a moment, "Okay, um how do I..?" he was looking at all of us. Sometimes he acts like a child, or more than usual.
"Dude, just uh...just, make yourself gag, then you'll throw up," Mack said with enthusiasm. "You're just full of mediocre ideas today aren't you," Jason said sarcastically. "We don't have any other ideas" I said looking at Jason annoyed.
Isaiah took a deep breath and got out of the car, leaving the door open. He bends himself over and sticks a finger down his throat, for a couple seconds later and he is yet to throw up.
"Put more in!" Kendall advised from the front seat. "That's what she said" Mack snickered, "Why Mack? Why? We aren't in 2012 anymore" I said rolling my eyes. Mack made a face at me, causing me to start saying something else when I heard Isaiah throw up everything he consumed that day.
We watch as Isaiah wiped his mouth and slowly looked over the car. "Guys, um I think we have a little problem" he said pointing short pale finger behind us.
Everyone now swiftly turned our head, hundred feet away infected people running, no sprinting towards us.
"What the fuck! Isaiah get in the fucking car!" Jason said jamming his key into the ignition. Isaiah quickly jumps into the car; we all sit there waiting for the car to start. All we got was a groan and a sputtering sound before the car just dies.
"What? Come on! Come on!" Jason yelled at the steering wheel before hitting it. "What do we do?" Mack said scared looking at us all.
"What the do you mean, 'what do we do? We run dumbass!" Jason said as everyone quickly gets out of the car and sprint down the empty highway.
I hate running. I hate the winded feeling I get, I hate the pain, I just hate running. More than parties, yet here I am sprinting down a road that doesn't seem to end. I'm pathetically the slowest runner out of all five of us as well, being as I have asthma and a bad knee. I'm probably going to die first too.
I start fumbling around for my inhaler in my jean jacket pocket. I had my dark blue inhaler when I stripped on my own two left feet causing my inhaler to fly behind me.
I skid to a stop. The infected closing in, I look briefly in front of me. My friends further down the road, a black jeep Mercedes drove up to them.
"I can make it" I try to convince myself. I quickly grab my inhaler and take a puff as I sprint towards the car.
"Come on Teddi!" Kendall yells. As I open the door an infected grabbed my shoulders. "Ah! Fuck!" I yell doing a strong back kick sending the infected stumbling back. The creature yells in anger and lounges at me again.
BOOM! The infected was shot head in the left eye, the body falls to its knees, then falls face first. I look behind me and see a boy around my age; maybe, with a para .45 in his hand. His dark brown hair pushed back, with light blue eyes squinted in concentration, his skin tanned.
"Come on before the others catch up." The boy said to me before getting back into the driver's seat. Without missing a beat, I jump into the car. I take another puff of my inhaler and rest my head on the headrest of my seat.
"Hey I'm Monett, this is my brother Miles" A girl with short bright blonde hair with dark brown glasses porched on her petite nose said politely.
"Teddi" I said politely back shaking the hand she offered.
"I heard" she said with a small laugh. I give her a small smile, then I turn to her brother who was driving us to where I assume Kendall's beach house.
"Thanks for um...saving me back there" I said to Miles who still keeping his eyes on the road. "You're welcome" He said curtly before paying his full attention back to the road.
"This is not making any sense, what's happening" Kendall said leaning into Jason's side.
"This drug called The Slap is a black market drug, it's supposed to make you feel an adrenaline rush, it's highly expensive, and popular among the rich and famous; at least that's what it was in the beginning, it was just a drug to get high, then drug suppliers started to mess with the dosage; adding chemicals that aren't meant to mix together, the result was a freaking apocalypse." Miles explained drumming his thumbs on the steering wheel.
"How do you know so much?" Mack asked leaning forward from the seats in the very back. Miles took a breath, "My friend used it all the time, then he got this new batch and said that they made it more intense, better, not knowing this 'better batch' turned him into a zombie" Miles said quietly, Monett placed a hand on his shoulder, clearly talking about it brought back haunting memories. That shut Mack up real fast.
Miles pulled into a food market parking lot, and parked the car. I can see people old, young, boy, girl running in and out of the store carrying things. Some even wrestle for food from each other's arms. Random bodies lay skewed throughout the parking lot with weapon such as knifes sticking out their back, bullet wounds throughout their bodies. The smell of decaying flesh in my nose as I open the car door. Kendall coughs at the strong odor, "Why are we here?" I asked patting Kendall on the back as she continued to cough, like that was going to solve the problem.
"We need to stock up on food before we go anywhere" Miles answered looking at me straight in the eye, the first time we actually made eye contact since I met him. He had the gun he used to kill the zombie that attacked me in his hand before putting it behind him in the waistband of his jeans; placing his jacket over it. "You're going to use a gun? They aren't infected!" Isaiah said with wide eyes.
"It's for protection, they won't try anything if they see a gun" Miles said as if it made perfect sense, which come to think of it it does. "I think boys and girls should split up!" Isaiah said loudly, followed by Jason shushing him than replying with, "Have you seen any horror movie, like ever?", "Jason's right, we stick together, but if we get split up for some reason, the car is the rendezvous point." Miles said as we all start walking, "we should go to a weapon store, one gun isn't going to do it." Monett said walking alongside her brother while me and my nerd herd stay behind.
"Who do you think out of all of us is going to die first," Mack asked as we walked into the store. The group all look at me, I gasp quietly, "really guys? Yee of little faith." I said offended. "Teddi don't be so surprised, you have asthma, a bad knee, I mean come on, you almost died from running away from the herd of zombies, when everyone else was ways away" Jason said matter-o-factly, which had Kendall slapping his arm and giving dangerous look. "Teddi is actually really good at..." Kendall stops thinking of what good I'm actually am when it comes down to a zombie apocalypse. "Don't Kendall you're not helping," I said rolling my eyes before walking a little faster.
"Way to go Jason, now she's mad at us" Isaiah whispered to Jason though I could hear him loud and clear. "What? Me? Mack's the one that brought it up, and we all looked at her, it's not all my fault." Jason whispered back, but by that time I was already walking with Monett and Miles. Though I know that they heard what my friends said, they thankfully pretended that they heard nothing.
"Think we need to stick with the processed food, or packaged, I'm pretty sure that they will cut the power soon," Miles said looking at me and Monett.
"I really need to use the restroom." Monett said as we were grabbing random protein bars off selves. Miles sighed, "Can't you hold it?" looking at his sister with the 'really?' face. "No Miles I can't I've been holding it" Monett said and started to do a dance to add emphasis. "Okay, but you're not going alone, Teddi, do you mind going with Monett to the bathroom?" Miles asked looking at me. "No problem I need to go as well" I said, Monett smiled at me before turning to her brother holding out her right hand. He looked at it for a second than gave it an awkward high-five. "No Miles the gun, we can't go without protection" Monett said with her hand still out in front of her.
A couple seconds of silence loomed over us. Miles got the gun from his waistband and handed to me, now it was Monett's turn to be offended. I took the gun from Miles' hand, our hands touched and I felt an odd pleasant feeling that came from it, but it was over too soon. I was left holding a hand gun in my hands. I felt the cold metal on my tanned skin as I look at the para .45, I've never held a gun before.
"Why did you give her the gun?" Monett asked looking at Miles with an annoyed face. "Anyone, and I mean anyone, even a blind person can shoot better than you" Miles patting her back softly. "Ugh whatever let's go" Monett said as we started to walk, following the direction that hung from the ceiling to the restroom. "I'll come with" Kendall said jogging up to us.
Once we rounded the corner we all heard Mack say, "girls always go in groups."
We all roll our eyes at that.
​Once we arrived to the restroom we were yet again bombarded with a fowl stench. I cough while Monett gags. "Oh goodness gracious, why?" Monett complained while she was looking for a stall that was usable. We looked in each stall for a working toilet, every stall was plugged up and over flowed with human excrement. That was until we looked at the last one, it looked usable. "Okay, Monett you go first, then I'll go" I said walking over to the sink, Kendall right next to me. Monett nodded her head than quickly got into the stall. Me and Kendall sat there for a moment, "Hey Teddi, sorry about- ", "No, you guys are right, kind of, I won't be the last I don't think but definitely not the first" I said leaning against one of the porcelain sinks. "Maybe, then who would die first?" Kendall questioned checking her hair in the mirror. "I think-" I was cut off by someone stumbling into the bathroom. She had wild greasy black hair, oily yellow skin, and a pale complexion. She looks like what Isaiah looked like before he threw up.
​She clumsily fast walked to a sink opposite end to where we were staring, impolitely I must add, she looked at herself for a moment, she started to scratch her face. Chunks of skin started to fall from her face, her breath labored. It took everything in me to not throw up. Suddenly she stopped and leaned over the sink, and started to cough. I heard the sound of distant flushing and turned to see Monett walking out of the stall. We all stay silent as Monett cleaned her hands. The paper towels were by the woman and stared at each other, Monett, against everyone's better judgement walked slowly to the paper towel. Right as Monett was about to grab the towel the lady went berserk. It caused all of us to scream; Monett sprinted back to us, behind Kendall.
​"Shoot! Shoot!" Kendall yelled as the the woman start to charge at us. I shakily raise the gun, for a moment the world stops, everything freezes, only thing audible to me is the single breath I take before I pulled the trigger. Everything seemed to come back into focus and normal pace once the body of the woman falls to the floor, I shot her in her left cheek, and I've never felt so unscrupulous in my life.
​"What's wrong we heard gun shots" Jason said as the boys burst into the women's bathroom like it was normal. Miles comes in after and looks at the body on the floor, then to me who still has the gun raised in my hand, shaking violently, my hazel green eyes wide in complete fright. Monett's dramatic telling of what happened served as white noise as Miles slowly walks up to me. He slowly places his hand over mine before gently grabbing the gun from my hands. "It's okay, she was infected, just breath" Miles said calmly as he put the gun back in the waistband of his jeans. I didn't know I was holding my breath; I gasped out and took a shaky breath. I started to fell cold causing my body to shake, my thin jean jacket no longer serving as warmth anymore. Miles swiftly took off his hoodie and placed it on my shoulders, he then placed his large hands over my small shoulders steering me out of the bathroom, the other trailing closely and quietly behind.
​"We, uh, we stocked the whole car, enough food to last us a long time," Isaiah said awkwardly to no one in general. Once we walked outside to the car we all realized at once that now not all six of off won't fit in the car.
​"We have to steal one," Miles said his hands were still on my shoulders, I'm not complaining though. All of us look for a car and we found a silver beat up Toyota Camry that is still in good shape. Before we could say anything, Mack kindly pushed us out of the way and started to work on hot wiring the car. "Mack stop messin-"Jason was cut off by the sound of a motor roaring to life. We all look astonished, not knowing little ole Mack can hot wire a firkin car.
​"Woah dude that's sick" Isaiah said looking at Mack's handy work. "I can only have three in my car, so you guys take this one and I'll take Monett and Teddi" Miles said looking at me who was still in a state being completely spaced out. Everyone agreed, Kendall rubbed the side of my arm but I could barely feel it. Miles and Monett take me to the car, helping me and placing me in the front seat. Once he closes the door I lean my head against the glass and look out the window. I the only thing I see as we follow the Camry is the body of the first person I've killed, knowing now that with what's going on that definitely won't be the last.