Zombsania

Part 1.3

FEBURARY THE 9th:
DAY 8:

The nights were strange and twisted - even stranger than the world at day, where you could see the unstable people fill up the population.

It was a few nights ago when the person started to come inside.

Cara and I were taking turns watching the windows to make sure none were broken, while the other person would disappear into the oblivious state of slumber.

It was my turn to watch, and I was sat on the counter with the baseball bat that was hid in a cupboard, probably so the worker could protect themselves from an armed robbery or something. Usually my mind was filled with wild thoughts that would keep my up, but knowing that I had to stay up made my eyes feel heavier by the minute.

It wouldn't matter if I just lay down and take watch would it?...

A dark figure... Darkness... The figure again... Moving... The sound of deodorant... Darkness... The figure.

My eyes are open as soon as I realize what was going on. I could see his silhouette. His curls of hair. His lean shape. He must have noticed my eyes open because he walked towards me hesitantly, in fear, knowing he shouldn't be doing this.

He seemed to change his mind because he looked back the other way and ran out the doors.

I couldn't sleep the rest of that night. Was he one of them? Had I just let him in like that? Did he hurt Cara? I shot upright and realized that I could still see Cara's stomach rising up and down on the floor, and hear her peaceful snores. Lucky her. Did he get what he wanted? Would he come back if he didn't?

* * *

The next morning there was an elephant in the room. It was sitting on the wall. Well, it was part of the wall. The muddled puzzle pieces fell together: the spraying noise that I heard last night, was spray paint. But graffiti was not what sat on the wall. This was not vandalism.

It looked like a plan.
He had left a plan for us?

I woke Cara up, so we could be confused about the spray paint on the wall together. It looked like a map, but only showing one pathway, going from the rectangle called petrol station, through our town, out of the suburbs, down the dirty road, and through to the next, smaller, more outback town. It lead to an 'X' called power tower ( please turn on ). Our eyed followed the wall and there was a code ' 77362999' along with a side note saying that the key can be found around the guards neck who he had already 'gotten rid of'.'

A shiver went down my spine, seeing the words 'gotten rid of' written with such confidence. Maybe he was one of them? Cara never would tell anyone about how she killed Josh.

But still, I read the last part of the graffiti message, which made me feel sick to the stomach. I didn't want to turn into him. I didn't want to turn into one of those murderous people outside.

It read: ' P.S, bring something to protect yourself you will definitely need it. I also left the handgun in the guards pocket.' It also ended with a sarcastic ( or psycho ) smiley face.

'It's like... A plan...' Cara said, stating the obvious, 'it's like they want us to do their plan... Nori how did they get in? Are we going to trust them?'
I ignored the first question,' I don't know... It could be a trap or something?'
'But why would they want us?' She asked.
'But why can't they just do it?'
'True... It looks like they want us to turn the power on... I could do with some hot water and lights.'
'Were doing fine aren't we?'
'Well I'm not.' She crossed her arms, becoming snappy.
'It not easy to do. You know how far away that place is?'
'What and you think I can't do it?' Her voice squeaked.
'No that's not-'
'You don't know what's good for us. We need this to look after ourselves. We could get more out of the day and the night. If we turn the power on, we may even survive. And other people could survive too.'

I gave up.
I've never been the one who makes the decisions.
'Up to you.'

I needed to pee.
Well actually I didn't need to pee, I just wanted to get away from the conflict.

* * *

He came in the next night. During my shift - this time he was later.
I was expecting him though, so I waited up.

It was like waiting to try and see Santa Clause as a little kid.

I kept my eyes wide open, watching him bring in the pile of fence palings. We're they for us? What in the hell? He brought two big piles in, before walking to 'admire' his spray painting. Watching him walk around, on a mission, was like watching recorded footage of a robber sneaking around a house.

It was my own bat falling from the bench to the ground, echoing around the store, that really startled me. And before I even thought about picking it up, the guy was by my side, a gun held to my head.
He spoke quickly, his voice was deep and sounded young, ' I swear if you fucking even look at me this bullet will be through your head, you understand?'

I nodded. My throat was closed up. I couldn't speak.
'Face the wall opposite the door,' he ordered.
I listened, swallowing, trying to get air into my lungs as I faced the graffitied wall.
'Now listen - tomorrow you are going to stick those fence palings on the window, make your little base all nice and safe, and then you will start your hike to the power station, okay?'
I nodded, a tear falling down my face. Even when my parents would hit me, I had never felt this threatened.
'Do you understand me? Repeat what you are going to do.'
I began to tell him what I had to do, when the headlights were shone through the window.

'Oh fuck! They're here?'
Who is here?
'Get your girlfriend, we gotta get out of here.'
My girlfriend?
He checked the window, ' is there a back door?'
'Uhh, um yeah, it's rusted shut though.'
'Okay, that's good enough. Grab a fence paling, you gotta protect yourself.'
I listened to him, he seemed to know what he was doing.

Cara was already awake, sitting up, wide eyed.
'What the hell is going on?!' She screamed. I handed her her a fence paling.
'I don't know...' I said honestly.
She continued to stare, expecting a better answer, but that was the best I could come up with.

'Hurry up, alright!' The guy yelled. At the last minute, I remembered to grab my baseball bat and small backpack from near the bench. And we ran out the door that the guy had somehow managed to get open.

We rushed out, being eaten by the darkness of the night. It's the first time I had ever seen the night sky this beautiful. The light of my stars caught me in a trance. I couldn't pull my eyes away. The lights dotted the sky like the freckles of Josh's face. Was this him tormenting us? There seemed to be clouds years away made of stars.

I would never look at the stars the same again.

Now I will look up and remember my insane friend that we had to kill.