Surviving the Undead

Chapter 14

"According to the map, we need to take a right at the next street, then we'll be there," I said, folding up the map we'd found in a shabby corner store a couple of hours previously.

"Just in time," commented Aidan, his eyes looking up to the sky.

The sun was close to sinking over the horizon. As twilight approached, a definite chill was entering the air. I swung my backpack around in front of me, and reached in for a hoodie. As I pulled the soft cotton over my face, I inhaled the scent of home. For a moment I could forget everything; then I popped my head through the neck hole and opened my eyes. A pang of pain rippled through my chest. I wished things could go back to the way they were. I internally scolded myself. It was childish to think that way. Things could never be the same again.

"Ready?" asked Aidan.

I nodded. We started to jog lightly along the fringes of the sidewalk. We had decided we would be less obvious that way, even though some of the alleys and open doors we had to pass were cause for concern. By this point my feet were aching, despite the fact that we had been walking for days beforehand. Running for your life sure tired you out.

We rounded the corner, and I looked up in anticipation. There it was; my grandparents' building. The glass walls were reflecting the fire of the setting sun.

"There it is," I said, pointing it out to Aidan.

His eyes scanned the building from bottom to top. He let out a low whistle and said, "Please tell me they aren't in the penthouse."

"Well..." I trailed off.

"You have to be kidding me," he said. He sighed. "At least it'll be nice when we're up there, I guess."

I shoved him lightly. "I was kidding, idiot. We only have ten floors to climb."

"Hey, I think my reaction was pretty reasonable. I mean, that building must be at least thirty stories high!"

"Wimp," I said with a smirk.

Aidan's eyes drifted over my right shoulder, and suddenly his bat was hurtling through the air, seemingly towards me. I let out a yelp, and ducked.

I heard a sickening crack from behind me. Cautiously, I straightened myself and turned around. A ghoul was lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, tattered clothes fluttering in the wind. The stench that arose from his body triggered my gag reflex. I whipped around to face Aidan, and took deep breaths to clear my nose of that horrid smell.

"Would a wimp have just saved your ass?" Aidan asked. I took in another deep breath and then lifted my eyes to his. His lips were turned up in a smirk. He was propping himself up casually with his baseball bat.

I scoffed at his cocky expression, and marched past him. "Come on, let's get inside before more show up." It was astonishing how many ghouls were in this city alone. Whenever we could, we avoided conflict with them; but sometimes, conflict was necessary. Between us we had killed almost a hundred ghouls in just one day. Our current score? 49 for me, 49 for him. It had been 48 for him, before that last one.

"Not even a thank you?" he asked with a mock pout.

I kept striding across the street. My only response was to stick out my arm and extend my middle finger.

"Real mature," he called. "You're just mad because now we're tied." I could hear the humour in his voice.

I couldn't resist a small smile. I had to admit, being with Aidan all afternoon was quickly changing my perception of him. The more ghouls I successfully slaughtered, the less protective he became; and when he stopped being a chauvinistic, overprotective asshole, he was actually a decent guy. We'd both joked around with each other all afternoon, continuing our competition for the best way to kill a ghoul. Since there were two of us we always had each other's back. Despite my aching muscles, I'd had fun.