Broken World

CHAPTER 2

Allies

I look up and see a boy that looks a few years older than me. He is a bit taller than me and has brown hair and brown eyes. He is generally attractive although I disregard the idea immediately after considering the circumstances.

"Sorry again, I couldn't think of another way to stop you" he says, "I'm Cameron by the way."

"Elle" I reply, "didn't think yelling, hey I'm not a monster! Would work? You could've hurt me."

"I didn't have much time to think" he talks back, "well sorry for saving your life"

"Thanks" I say, feeling guilty.

"Anyways, I know this is short notice but I have a safe place to stay if you want to come with me" he says.

"I'm just going to go back home and wait for my family" I reply, surprised at his question, "I need to clean things up."

"You don't get it do you" he says, "these things are everywhere, I've had to fight off 5 so far, and they're growing."

"I'm sorry what are they?" I ask, "these things are scary I agree but they look like a science experiment gone wrong there can't be more."

"Come with me and I'll explain" says Cameron, "unless you'd rather die."

He starts walking away and not wanting to risk it I follow behind him.

20 minutes later, or what I think is 20 minutes later, we come to a little shak, about as big as my shed in my backyard. Cameron opens the door with a key and let's me in first.

"Thanks" I say. When were both in, he shuts the wooden door behind him. It creaks as it closes and reminds me of a horror movie as the closet opens and the monster jumps out, but there's no monster in here. As Cameron turns on the lights I see were in a garden shed. Garden tools stack the walls and flower pots lay spread out on the ground. I smell dirt and wet wood, and see little worms wiggle as they make their way across the floor.

"Why are we in a shed?" I ask.

"Shh" Cameron shushes, "it's not safe just yet."

He slides off something on the ground, and I look into a dark hole with metal stairs descending into its depths.

"I am NOT going down there" I say sternly.

"Yea you are, unless you'd rather stay up here where they can hear and kill you, or worse, turn you into one of them." He says quietly.

"Turn me into one of them?" I ask curiously.

"I'll explain later" he says annoyed.

"I'm trusting you" I say.

"Shut up" he whispers, "they're coming"

I hear rustling and growling and I get tense.

"Quickly" he says quietly, "get in"

Tears quickly begin to roll down my cheeks as I hear footsteps and more growling. I begin to descend into whatever lies below.

Minutes pass as I climb down the ladder, with Cameron just above me. We stay silent and the repetitive sound of our feet and hands on the cold metal ladder starts to calm me down. As we get further and further down, it gets lighter, and soon I notice the smell of soap and bleach.

"Sorry about the smell" forgives Cameron, "I had to wash the blood out of my clothes."

Blood? I think to myself, then I remember him saying something about fighting 5 creatures.

"Here we are" he says, and my feet touch ground. I turn around and am facing another wooden door.

"S'cuse me" Cameron says, pushing himself in front of me in the tiny room we have. He unlocks the door and opens it. As it creaks open my eyes see a big room, with a fridge, oven, sink, stove, and dishwasher in one corner, a couch, tv and coffee table in the middle, and a big dinner table in the other corner.

"Underground hideout" I whisper mostly to myself, but Cameron must've heard me because he whispers back, "yea."

"It was made for if there ever was a war or anything, but I thought it would work for now too" he explains.

"Who made it?" I ask,

"My dad" Cameron answers, "he was a cautious guy, but, he's gone now."

"I'm sorry" I say, not wanting to get in Cameron's business since we just met.

"Yea well, anyways" Cameron moves on, "I've been living here since this morning, when the first things started showing up." I'm surprised, I didn't notice them this morning, although I had been busy listening to music and watching movies all day today.

"Huh" I say, more curious at what's happening than about this place.

Cameron invites me to the couch and hands me a glass of ice water.

"Explain" I say.

"Ok, so after reading a whole bunch of newspapers, I found out that a weird disease is spreading" Cameron starts to explain, "it's from a fungus and is pretty contagious"

Cameron explains everything and I understand more and more every minute. A fungal disease is spreading and it takes over a humans body, killing it. When the body re-awakes, the fungus has most control and that's why these creatures are killing so much. The disease is so close to what zombies are talked as, that I can't help myself but find this like a horror movie. I shiver, and Cameron asks if I'm cold and need a blanket or some tea. I take the blanket but not the tea, suddenly I'm not very hungry or thirsty at all. Apparently Cameron wasn't home when his house was attacked and his whole family killed. When he returned he ran straight to the hideout, bringing as much recent newspapers as he could find.

Cameron is smart, and he knows it.

"There's already a good bunch of food in here" Cameron says, "we can live for another few months without even leaving the hideout."

"Are you kidding?" I say a bit louder than I should've, "my family is out there!"

"I'm sure your family is somewhere safe" he answers but I can see in his eyes that he doubts it.

"I'll stay here for a few more days" I settle, "but not for a few months."

"Here I'll show you our room" Cameron says, "it's nice."

"Our room?" I ask confused, "what do you mean, our room?"

"I mean there's only one room, but don't worry there's two beds" he replies.

"Thank goodness" I say, Cameron laughs. He has a cute laugh.

The room is pretty nice, the beds have white crips sheets, and are big. Glass lamps fit the modern room and there are two white cabinets. The room is painted grey and a light with a white cover, almost like a ball, hangs just in between the two beds. Green leaves hang out of a greyish black vase tying the whole room together.

"I like your dad's style" I say, smiling.

"I do too" says Cameron, smiling back.

Cameron takes me back to the couch, and we sit down. I grab the blanket and wrap it around myself.

"Now what" I ask.

"We survive" answers Cameron.

•END OF CHAPTER 2•

Hey guys :) vote if you like it so far! Comment if you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas.

I'll try to publish chapters every Monday and Friday. Maybe sometimes in between.

-Riley