The small group fled towards their dorms with haste as a group of undead pursued them slowly. “Come on we’re almost there!” shouted Nathaniel approaching the doors to the dormitory. A loud scream reverberated from the large lawn in between the buildings on the campus. Echo stopped when he heard the shriek and looked around to find the source. “Echo, what the hell are you doing we need to get out of here!” shouted Nathaniel when he saw Echo stop in the middle of the path. “Did you guys hear that?” asked Echo continuing to look around. “People are dying, Echo, there are gonna be screams. I don’t want to die, so let’s go!” shouted Jordan as he passed Echo. Another scream of the same origin once again echoed across the campus. Echo ignored his friends and continued looking around for the source of the scream.
Echo’s eyes finally came across a blond haired girl running across the lawn away from a small group of undead. He ran towards the girl in distress, grabbing a branch off the ground as he did. The girl stumbled and fell on the ground and the undead shambled closer and closer to her. Echo swung the branch at one of the undead smashing it into the back of one of the undead’s heads. The undead crumbled to the ground as blood spattered across the rest of the group. The small group continued shambling after the girl, who continued to scream. “Get away from her!” shouted Echo slamming the branch into the head of another undead. “Run!” yelled Echo stepping in between the girl and the Undead. The young woman got to her feet and began to run towards the cafeteria building. “No! Don’t go in there!” yelled Echo as he snapped the branch over one of the undead’s head. The girl grabbed the handle to the cafeteria door and ran inside. Echo plunged the broken branch into an undead and ran for the cafeteria. Echo approached the big window that looks into the building, but before he reached the building a loud scream came from the building as blood sprayed across the window. Echo stopped in his tracks as he watched the figures inside the building consume the girl that he’d saved through red tinted glass.
Nathaniel arrived at the dormitory and yanked the handle. “Dammit Echo why did you lock the door!” shouted Nathaniel yanking on the handle. Nathaniel turned around, but did not see Echo. “Where the hell is Echo?” asked Nathaniel looking at the three men in front of him. “He ran off for some reason,” said Jordan. “Don’t tell me he went to find whoever was screaming,” stated Nathaniel annoyed. “Who cares about him just unlock the door and leave him,” barked Aaron as he looked back at the group of undead closing in. “We are not leaving him out here, besides I don’t carry my key because this door is never locked,” stated Nathaniel sternly yanking on the door handle in frustration. “Why are we not leaving him, he left us and took the key. Let’s go somewhere else and leave his ass behind,” grunted Aaron getting into Nathaniel’s face. Nathaniel grabbed the back of Aaron’s neck and forearm and slammed him against the wall. “Don’t talk about Echo like that, we will never leave him out here. I’d leave you out here before I’d even think about leaving him,” whispered Nathaniel harshly. “Nathaniel they are almost here, Mikey and I don’t have our keys either. We need to find Echo,” said Jordan getting closer to the door. Nathaniel released Aaron and Aaron turned to face Nathaniel. “Do that again and I’ll kill you,” threatened Aaron flashing a kitchen knife. “Hey both of you knock it off!” asserted Jordan getting in between Nathaniel and Aaron. “Echo!” Hollered Mikey as the three others continued to bicker.
Echo stood staring at the blood stained window. “Echo!” reverberated Mikey’s voice across the campus. Echo turned to see the group of undead approaching the dormitory. Echo began sprinting back towards the dorms. Upon arrival he saw Mikey with his back to the wall, and the other three fighting. The group of undead were quickly approaching. “Guys get inside!” Yelled Echo with the group of undead turning towards Echo. “Holy shit,” exclaimed Nathaniel seeing the crowd turn towards Echo. Echo plunged his hand into his pocket and retrieved the key to the dormitory. “Nathaniel catch!” yelled Echo throwing the key over the crowd of undead. Nathaniel reached out his hand and caught the key. “Echo come on!” shouted Nathaniel unlocking the door. “Don’t worry about me just get inside!” Screamed Echo over the sounds of undead moans. “We are not leaving you!” yelled Jordan as Mikey and Aaron entered the building. “Just go I’ll be fine,” shouted Echo running toward the parking lot. “Echo! Wait! Come back!” Shouted Jordan about to run after Echo, but was stopped by Nathaniel grabbing the back of his shirt. “We can’t save him right now,” stated Nathaniel pulling Jordan into the stairwell and shutting the door.
“I can’t believe we just left him out there,” murmured Jordan sitting down on the top step of the stairwell next to Nathaniel. “We wouldn’t have to worry about leaving him if that dumbass wouldn’t have run off to save some other dumbass,” grunted Aaron as he leaned on the wall. “Leave him alone you Nom!” shouted Mikey, staring at Aaron with terrified eyes. “What the hell did you just call me you little bastard,” scorned Aaron as he began to approach Mikey. He viciously grabbed Mikey’s shirt and pinned him against the door. “Why don’t I just feed you to the shitheads outside,” uttered Aaron as he held Mikey off the ground. “What the hell is going on down there!” yelled Nathaniel as he walked down the stairwell to where Aaron stood holding Mikey. “This little asian punk called me somethin’ in his language, and I know it wasn’t anything nice,” grunted Aaron as he slammed Mikey on the door again. “Let him go,” stated Nathaniel darkly as his eyebrows lowered over his eyes. “You are just gonna let this punk get away with everything?” asked Aaron turning his attention to Nathaniel. Mikey used this distraction to kick Aaron in the stomach causing him to be released and he swiftly crawled away. Aaron held his stomach for only a second and then turned to Mikey, but before he could do anything Nathaniel smashed his fist into Aaron left eye. Aaron fell to the ground and held his eye. Blood began to trickle from in between his fingertips. “My eye! My eye!” screamed Aaron as he began to squirm on the ground. Mikey ran up the stairs and stood next to Jordan. “If you do anything like that again and I’ll kill you,” stated Nathaniel as he walked up the stairs pasted Jordan and Mikey. “What did you call him?” asked Jordan causing a grin to form on Mikey’s face.
A short time passed and Echo still had not returned to the dormitory. “Where is he?” asked Jordan to himself. “Probably in someone’s belly,” stated Aaron dabbing his eye with his sleeve. “Shut the hell up Aaron,” scolded Nathaniel looking out the small window on the door. “Do you really think he’s dead?” asked Mikey as his eyes widened in fear. “I’m sure he’s fine,” lied Nathaniel trying to give Mikey a little hope. “Holy shit,” stated Jordan as he stumbled to the ground. “What’s the matter, Jordan?’ asked Nathaniel rushing to Jordan’s side. “Neva,” whispered Jordan to himself. “You’re best friend is out there and you are concerned about some girl,” criticized Nathaniel. “She’s not just some girl, Nathaniel,” scorned Jordan getting to his feet. Before Nathaniel could respond the door flew open and Echo ran in, slamming the door behind him. “Echo,” rejoiced Mikey as he ran to him. “None of you got bitten or scratched,right?” asked Echo frantically and out of breath from running. “I don’t think so,” responded Nathaniel. “I think that’s how you become one of them,” stated Echo still breathing heavily. “What are we gonna do?” asked Mikey sitting down next to where Jordan was.
The room was silent for a moment. “We fight,” proclaimed Nathaniel grabbing a mop from the corner. “With what?” grunted Aaron sitting against the wall. “With anything we can find,” stated Nathaniel raising the mop in air. “How are an asshole, a studly man like me, a skeleton, a rule loving religious fool, and a pipsqueak gonna fight off hundreds or even thousands of those undead shits. “Because we have hope,” stated Echo approaching Nathaniel. “Save it for your false god,” scoffed Aaron dabbing his eye. “Hey why is all of a sudden religion a part of this?” asked Nathaniel handing the mop to Echo. “Because I bet this fool thinks we’ll be fine because some magical, omnipotent being is looking out for us,” grunted Aaron pointing at Echo. “I do believe that, but you don’t need to be religious to have hope,” said Echo unscrewing the mop head from the handle. “Whatever man,” stated Aaron dabbing his eye and wincing. “What happened to your eye?” asked Echo calmly. “Ask the asshole over there,” snarled Aaron motioning to Nathaniel. “Let me take a look,” said Echo approaching Aaron. “Why? What are you gonna do?” inquired Aaron bitterly. “I shadowed a nurse last year when I still wanted to be one, so I can help a little,” replied Echo kneeling next to Aaron. Aaron reluctantly let Echo look at his eye. “Looks like you’ve got a cut on your eyeball, but that will heal pretty quickly by itself. Also you have a gash below your eye that could really use a few stitches,” reported Echo as he examined Aaron’s eye. “What are you gonna stitch me up doc?” said Aaron sarcastically. “I actually can, I’m in a sewing group on campus and I have some supplies in my room,” said Echo standing up. “Ha! You are in a sewing group,” laughed Aaron. “Yes, I was, and I will be willing to stitch you up if you wanted,” returned Echo as Aaron continued to laugh. “Why are you even helping this asshole,” grunted Nathaniel as he approached Echo. “Because it is the right thing to do,” said Echo as he walked towards Mikey and Jordan. “Get away from me shithead,” uttered Aaron to Nathaniel. “And what if I don’t? Are you gonna stabbed em?” muttered Nathaniel sarcastically. “Guys! Stop fighting and let’s go upstair to gather some supplies out of our rooms,” shouted Jordan as he walked up the stairs followed by Echo and Mikey. Aaron got off the floor and followed Jordan. Nathaniel stayed for a moment clenching his fist in anger, but then followed the group.
YOU ARE READING
Undead Volume 1: The Road Home
Ciencia FicciónA group of friends fight each other, their feelings, and the undead.
