A Little Insane: Raising The Dead

Chapter Ten - Survival

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   “We're running out of supplies,” Annetta said, looking around sadly. “I didn't think we'd burn through everything in a week, but then again how could a high school prepare for an unexpected war with the supernatural?”

Riley also looked around at all the people sleeping in the halls. He pretended they were dead, just lying there cold and lifeless. It wasn't difficult to imagine it. He had seen death many times, he knows the way they smell, the way they looked, he would know if one of them was actually dead. But nobody was dead, not yet.

Supplies were short. There wasn't enough food for all of the people in the school, so they had to manage with what they got. The children were first in line before anything, then the elderly, and then the rest.

“I ate two small cups of applesauce today,” Annetta continued, complaining about her hunger. Riley noticed that her hunger was changing her, like she'd kill somebody to get a little bit of food. The worse part was that the other applesauce was his, but since he didn't need food, he'd given all of his to her, and it still wasn't enough. Now imagine everyone else who was starving, would they, too, kill to survive?

“The shield isn't making us prisoners,” Riley told her. “We can leave and return whenever we want.”

“Is that so?” a voice said, coming from one of the halls.

Riley got up to check who was stalking and listening in on their conversations. It was a young man, looked like his age. He reminded Riley of Nicholas, with the same buzz cut, like maybe he was a soldier.

“Yes,” Riley replied.

“How do you know this?” he asked, walking closer to Riley but stopping where he'd cross the line into the forbidden area, as people in the school now called it.

“I just know, he's my brother,” Riley said, staring into the young man's green eyes.

“My name is River and I want to help you,” he said.

“Help me with what?”

“You're thinking about going out for supplies, aren't you? I want to come with. I'm good at fighting and I'm sure you need all the help you can get.”

“I wasn't thinking anything. I was thinking that I need to help my friend here before she gets sick.” Riley waved his hand at Annetta, who was sitting against the wall watching Dexen. “I am not a leader, I am not responsible for anyone. If you are in trouble, then make up a plan and go out yourself.”

“I would if I knew what was going outside of this school. I keep hearing screaming, but it doesn't seem to be coming from people. They aren't screams I've ever heard.”

With their current situation, Riley couldn't afford to be cold. Fights would soon break out and he would be the one people would go to. Not counting Dexen, Riley knew more than anyone in the school. Questions would be asked, people would demand, and humanity would fall because panic will spread faster than wildfires.

Unfortunately for them, Riley still didn't know enough to keep them safe. He didn't know what demons were capable of, he barely even knew anything about hybrid demons, only what they looked like. And who knew what else was out there? If Jocelyn had raised the dead, what else did she bring?

“You might die out there,” Riley told him.

“We have children in this school, children who are beginning to starve, while the adults already suffer. I don't really care if I die as long as I die saving them,” he said.