Mortality

Chapter 5: Savannah

 

We slowed to a walk once we got within a few blocks of the school. I expected to hear the sounds of a gunfight or at least yelling of some kind. There was nothing. Alex and I glanced at each other, but no one spoke as we kept making our way toward home. I had to stop myself from looking over my shoulder every few steps.

When we got within a block of the school, we heard the noises that stalked my nightmares—tearing flesh and frenzied moaning. I pulled my crossbow off my back, and the guys all drew their weapons. Not for the first time, I wished I hadn’t left my gun behind. There was a certain comfort in using something so deadly.

There was a row of houses that we’d cleared a long time ago, each one with a set of windows facing the school’s parking lot. I tapped Zack on the shoulder, and managed to catch Alex’s and Pierce’s attention with a low cough before heading toward the first house on the block.

“I don’t…” Pierce whispered.

“I know.” This doesn’t look good.

We entered the house, which had been left unlocked but mostly stripped of furniture and supplies as everything had been moved over to the school. We all stayed silent as we walked to the other side of the house, toward a large bay window.

The first thing I saw as I pulled back the curtain was a swarm of at least eight of the dead feeding off a body, right across from the school where everyone we knew had been living. From the looks of things, this group was only a small portion of the one that had descended on Ravencrest High School. I heard someone gag behind me.

“What the hell happened?” Zack whispered.

There were at least another thirty of the dead on the lawn, all distracted by a meal. And those were just the ones we could see. The double doors that led into the school’s lobby were wide open.

“We have to see if we can help,” I said, but I couldn’t stop staring out the window.

“There are too many,” Zack replied, and I knew he was right.

“No, it looks like they’re all first generation. They’re stupid enough that they’ll just keep eating and let us walk right by,” Alex said.

“Yeah, until they finish eating,” Zack responded, shaking his head in horror.

“Look, guys,” Pierce said, pointing toward the parking lot on the west side of the school. “Most of the vehicles are gone. They got away.” At least half of the cars that usually sat unused in the lot were gone.

“Not everyone,” Alex said, looking pointedly at the half-devoured body on the ground. “And there could still be more people trapped inside. We have to go.” Alex dropped his backpack to the floor and began reloading his gun.

“Alex, we can’t.” Zack put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “I’m sure they got out. Paulson would never leave without your mom, and she wouldn’t leave Marybeth behind. They’re fine.”

“Hate to break it to you, but we don’t even know that Paulson got out,” Alex retorted, his voice beginning to rise. “We have to go in there.”

“We’d never make it back out again,” I said. “We can’t.”

“You’re not hearing me. I’m going in with or without you guys!”

“Alex, please! We can’t. Our families need us to catch up with them, to help them rebuild. Not to die fighting a lost cause.” I felt my eyes well up as I pleaded. I wished I could reach out and hug him, that I could make this better for him somehow.