Rachael Entry 2: Raised

Chapter 13

After Laina ate her lunch Harry insisted that I go home to rest, even though he needs a moment to himself more than I do. But my protests fell on deaf ears and I eventually left. I check my watch, it's only 9:34 in the morning which means classes are still going. That means no Will or Eden to talk to, but it also means Sam won't be in our room and I can take a peaceful nap.

I open the door to my makeshift room. After three years I've been able to make it mine, with two beds, some posters from long gone idles I had, a dresser, a clock on the wall, and a nightstand that has a lamp and a couple of books on top of it. In the time the community has been here we all have recreated this school. I live in the old high school art room which is now split into two rooms, I'm still stunned by the work we've done here. I plop into my bed, over in the left hand side of the room, and face the wall. All I want to do is to doze off.

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"Goddamn it, fuck!" I swear under my breath. It looks like two dozen corpses have blocked our way back.

"We can do this, stay in formation" Ms. Halle yells at us backing up into circle formation.

"We should make a run for it and wait for it to clear out." Miles shouts back. Ms. Halle picks up her walkie talkie and speaks into it.

"Joseph, our way back is compromised, how is it around you?"

"Don't go back, you can take them. I'm in front of you, there are not that many." Harry responds, instead of the head of the run.

"Where the hell was the warning then?!" Miles panics from the other side of the street.

"It doesn't matter, we follow the boy's instructions. He's look out after all." Ms. Halle commands and heads into the stampede of corpses.

"Rachael!" Miles yells at me.

"We can't leave her, we have to fight too!" I say marching up to a corpse, I nail it in the brain with my knife.

"If you don't break formation you'll be fine they say" I hear Miles groan before taking out his gun and covering Ms. Halle. It looks like so many in her circle but if I keep paying attention to her instead of what's in front of me I'll get bit. I kick a corpse's' knee in and stomp on its head, it feels pretty badass, "Commander! You're going too far in!" Miles shouts to her, but I don't think she hears as she goes further and further into the horde.

"Ms. Halle!" I yell not paying attention to the corpse that starts biting for my neck. I hear a shot and I fall along with the dead body.

"Racheal! Keep moving!" Miles screams. My ears ring, but I listen to Miles even if bells are going off in my head. I crawl backwards as corpses fall at my feet, either shot or out to eat my legs, "Faster!"

I manage to get to my feet and barely pull my gun out from my hollister. I shoot at approaching corpses as it seems more apparent to me that I shouldn't ever bring a knife to a gun fight again. I glance back at Miles and he seems to be surrounded, his constant shouting has pulled off the dead from their single stream. They diverge in his direction. I run back to get away from approaching dead and shoot at the corpse's surrounding my friend. Eventually, there are enough for him to handle and I step off.

I hear a growl from my right side and am met with a decaying face. I lift my right hand up in front of my face before it sinks its teeth into my face. Suddenly, I hear a shot being fired from the front of the street.