Rain - A Zombie Apocalypse Story -

Chapter Four: Shoes

Chapter Four

Shoes

When I was seven years old my mother told me something I would never forget. She said that some day we won't be safe. That some day, we were going to have to rely on each other, because in the end, what else is there? Even now as I look out at the tortured city of Sydney, her words ring clear in my mind. Maybe she wasn't so crazy after all.

Large fires have scattered themselves across the tall buildings, working hard to paint the sky black with their smoke. The streets have been abandoned with nothing but empty cars filling up the space. And to top it all off, blood resides everywhere. I pinch my nose shut at the familiar smell of smoke but it's no use. The stench of death and decay have already flooded my senses, leaving me breathless.

As we stood frozen, completely unaware of the violent shouts behind us, the feeling of utter hopelessness flooded me. I clutched my hand to my chest and sobbed silently. I hoped that when we got off the plane we would be safe, that we wouldn't have to be scared anymore. But what use is hoping? It's clear now that hope isn't what's going to help us. Fear slammed up against me like a wall and left me defenceless against the tears that seeped out. It wasn't long before i felt Alan tugging me along once again. I didn't resist. I didn't want to resist. As long as he lead me away from the devastating scene I would be happy. Somewhere safe.

"Help!" The familiar voice filled with panic snapped me out of my thoughts and dragged me back to reality. Stone cold reality. I spun around and released myself from Alan's hold with a small shake of my wrist. Esther was struggling against a small man who had already sunk his teeth into her fragile neck. I winced at the sight of all the blood but shook it off. I stepped forward but before I had any time to do anymore, Alan's familiar grips were around me once again. I looked back at him in shock and found him with a pitiful expression directed towards Esther.

"What are you doing!?" I screeched. "We have to help her!" I shook my wrists violently and tried everything in my power to rid myself of his iron claws. Daisy ran to her grandmother thoughtlessly and grabbed onto the man with her free hand. She tugged on his short brown hair until he released his grasp from Esther, who fell to the ground with a lifeless thud. It wasn't long before the mans attention was focused entirely on poor Daisy. He wrapped his long fingers around her neck and slowly brought his blood stained teeth down to her.

Her shrieks pierced the air and sent daggers of guilt threw my heart. Ronnie, the small baby wrapped in a bundle of cloths fell to the ground. Alan's grasp refused to relent, so instead I looked to Robyn for support. "The baby!" I screamed out with a hoarse voice. She looked at me stunned as if she were completely unaware of the current situation. I pointed towards the baby and screamed out her name several more times. Robyn looked down at the screaming bundle of blankets and suddenly realized what I was asking. She ran forward in her bare feet and skidded to a halt. Three other people had joined the small man and were now flocking around Daisy like wild animals. One of them scooped up Ronnie and disappeared from sight.

"We have to go! Now!" He roared, furiously pulling me away from the horror. He continued to yell commands at me but I couldn't hear him. I could still hear the screams of the baby however, and nothing would block that sound out. Help. The baby was crying for help. And I didn't help her, I stood by and watched the animals envelop her. My fault. It's my fault she's gone.