Annihilation

Chapter 6 - Lucien

TATIANA'S P.O.V

I was woken up from a deep sleep by Cassius. He sat there, his eyes red and puffy. I guess that he had taken watch from Elias earlier, or maybe even someone else.

I pushed my tired body into an upright position, eyeing my friends. Elias fidgeted under a blanket, tossing and turning as nightmares flashed in his mind. Lyndi, however, could be mistaken for dead, if it wasn't for her breath faintly misting up in front of her face. Dyson was curled in a little ball, as if he was trying to escape from his fears.

"Tatiana," Cassius whispered. My eyes darted to his eyes, where a small tear was caught in the corner of his eye. "Can you watch over?"

I nod. "Okay, but tell me why you're crying," I said, moving slightly closer. Even bullies have feelings.

"I'm not crying," he replied defensively. "I've been yawning for so long; my eyes have begun to water.

I shrug, not really buying the lie. Yes, there is logic behind it. Do I believe it? Absolutely not.

"Wake me at eight, if there's trouble, before."

I looked at my watch. 6:07am. I wonder how long Cassius had been up for.

I think about him, trying to figure out what he was crying about. Was he guilty of something? Did he miss his family? Did he even have a family?

I picked up some of the knives from my new backpack. It's weird to think that this entire zombie thing wasn't even happening forty eight hours ago.

I slashed at the air, letting the knife cut through the silence. I threw a couple of the smaller ones at soft objects. I'm not trying to trigger a zombie attack.

I checked my watch again as I collected the few knives I had thrown at a piece of plastic. 6:43am.

It only really hits me now that Lyndi isn't going to live for long. When she was taken to hospital at first, which was three months ago, they said she wouldn't live last mid-August. I don't want her to die.

I peeked out of the fogged up window, surprised at how cold it was. I thought July was a warm month? Well, I guess I was wrong again. Every month in England is cold. Outside, in the frosty alleyways, zombies loitered around. Not as many as we encountered yesterday, but at least half of the city was lurking somewhere in the dark shadows of the life-abandoned town.

I check my watch again, desperate to get moving. 7:01am. Jesus.

I'm not waiting any longer.

I tap on Elias' cold shoulder. "Elias," I whisper. He stirs slightly, mumbling about his mum and dad. I sit back, breathing into my frozen hands as he lets his dark eyes adjust to the darkness of the room.

"What's wrong?" He mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"We have to go," I say, a sense of urgency making its way into my voice. Maybe I'm just worried for nothing - maybe the zombies have forgotten we're here.

Better be safe than sorry though.

He gets up from the uncomfortable floor and peers out of the window. He muttered something under his breath - something that sounded like a swear word - before turning back to me, a knife gripped in his right hand.

"Wake the others," he whispered.

I sat on the floor next to Lyndi, who I refused to let take guard. With her conditions, she needs all the rest she can get.

"We have to go," I say, choking on my words. I look at her pale face, realising it could be lifeless soon. She sits upright, her ginger hair falling around her.