The Falling Stars (The Vamps and One Direction Zombie Apocalypse)

Chapter 9- The Envelope, The initial, and The number 14

My scuffed trainer drew a line on the tiles. So many thoughts, as per usual, were running through my head, disallowing me from concentrating on anything else. I wanted to concentrate on something, anything else, but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t hear the music that Melody was singing under her breath. I couldn’t smell the paint as Sofia worked on her art and I couldn’t see Emilie, Brad and Alex getting along like a house on fire. My vision was clouded, like someone had kicked sand in my eyes and they were flashing like when you close them and rub them too hard. When I was young I thought the lights you saw behind your eyes were a portal to another dimension, and that the brightest lights you saw were the people you knew looking out for you.

But now the lights were dim, because there was no one to look out for me. And all I could hear was names, running through my head and spinning, making me dizzy, sick with emotion. My families names ran past as well as others, Eleanor, Katrina, Ava, and the girl whose name I never found out. Top of my list was the name I hadn’t dared to speak for at least two weeks, as the reaction of my best friends was almost heart breaking. But they angered me, those so-called friends. They acted as if Tristan was dead, in the past, gone. Gone. I couldn’t let that word register. Gone, gone, gone. Tristan is gone. The voice of doom which had been following me around for almost half a year whispered in my ear and made my neck prickle, its hollow voice loud in my brain, icy fingers raking down my back.

I had to go out, find him. We hadn’t searched for Tris for over a month. I counted back the days. 46 days. We hadn’t searched for 46 days.

I hauled myself out of the chair I’d been slouched moodily in, and ran a hand through my hair. Everybody stared as no-one was on work duty, so I raised my eyebrow. I went to leave the room, to a chorus of ‘Where ya going Con?’

I aimed my gaze at James, who had his arm wrapped around Lucy like he would never let go.

“I’m going to find Tristan.”

He shook his head, and Brad stepped forward.

“Connor. Tristan’s dead, you have to see that now. It’s been nearly half a year, I-“

I cut him off.

“Fine. Don’t come. None of you have to come. But I’m going to find my friend.” I walked out of the room stomping a little louder than normal. I stomped down to the armoury, where it was silent, and started to look up and down the rows of weapons, when something caught my eye.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I frequented the armoury, and often just sat there to get away from other people, so I should’ve thought I would notice if something was moved. Prior to this day however, the archery stand was in front of the North wall, but it had moved at a slight angle away from it, and there was a marking on the brick about half way between the top and the bottom.

I moved closer, shoving the archery stand out of the way. On closer inspection, it was the number 14. This puzzled me, but seemed familiar, like I remembered it. It was exactly the 14th brick up, but that didn’t bother me either. The fact that it was near to archery gave me weird de ja vu. I poked the brick, half expecting some movie-esque panel to open up and give me the cure to the zombie illness, but nothing happened apart from the brick loosening a little. I pushed the brick again and wiggle it around with my finger tips, shaking it and easing it forward. Eventually, after at least ten minutes of easing, the brick slid out and fell to the floor a centimetre from my foot.

I stuck my right arm into the hole, using the three remaining fingers to feel around until I came into contact with something soft. I hooked my finger around it and pulled it out, finding a smooth metallic green envelope, labelled ‘I knew you would find this’

What the hell? I was guessing one of the kids had a treasure hunt and this was the last item to find.

The item was still interesting though, so I walked over to the other side of the room and sat on a bench, scrutinising the immaculate envelope. I undid the fresh seal and pulled out a piece of paper.

‘I know who found this. If you are reading this I know exactly who you are.

That’s a really creepy way to begin a letter, but anyway, I have a few things to tell you, and you have to believe me. Make of them what you wish but please follow my directions.

1: Keep on good terms with Jake, I don’t understand why yet, just do.

2: Don’t forget who you are.

3: Don’t trust ANYONE on the inside.

4:Try not to cause any more arguments.

5: Lastly, and this is vital; DO NOT go looking for Tristan. This will resort in all your deaths. You’ll know when you’ll know.

Stay out of trouble, I’m not finished with you yet ;)

N.A & A’

The initials at the bottom were written in very fancy curly handwriting, so it took me a while to work out what they said. NA & A, NA, NA, what did NA stand for? It rung a bell. NA, 14, archery, was it a code? I flatly had no idea, and the sense of recognition was annoying me.

I abandoned my trek to find Tristan and trudged up to my room. I could hear twittering in the meeting room, and they were quite obviously discussing my little outburst. I put them out of my mind and just re read the letter, over and over again, trying to make sense of it all and find out who sent it.

AN/ Dedicated to @district5 because she is awesome!!!