Soul Survivor

Chapter 4

Carefully, making sure not to slip, I tread across the rooftop to where the roof of another house is. There is a small gap between them. I've always wanted to do this. Taking a few lunges backwards, I prepare myself. Don't slow down or you won't make it, I tell myself. One foot in front of the other, I dash as fast as I can over the roofing and thrust my left leg up into the air. I glide over the gap. This feeling is so amazing it takes my breath away.

I land firmly on the other house and the impact forces me to roll sideways in order to avoid breaking my knees. My bare feet sting. Now I wish I had thrown my school shoes onto the roof before I started climbing. Too late now. Still, I am exhilarated!

Pushing myself back up, I start to run again. Hopping from roof to roof, running down a long a row of terraced houses and flying over the gaps between detached and semi-detached estates. It is so much fun! I am on top of the town!

By the time I reach a house that has no others around it I jog to a stop. Panting heavily, I look for a way to get across the street to the next set of houses - but there isn't one. What a buzz kill; I was having such a blast. At least I've travelled quite far and much quicker than if I was on street level. Now all I have to do is drop down. It would be so convenient if there was a barrel of hay on the pavement or another pipe to climb down, or even a truck parked next to a van. Oh goodness.

I have to break into this house.

I'm standing on the roof so I'm pretty sure this already counts as trespassing. Here goes nothing. I wonder to the edge and look down for a window ledge. Bingo! Perfect. I turn around and place my hands on the side. One foot inches off and extends my leg. I move the other to abseil down the wall. All I have left are my hands gripping the gutter. My feet fumble about, looking for the ledge. I can't feel it - it's not there. Panic sets in. Knuckles turn austere. A red face looks down at the wall. The ledge is beneath me. A blind drop. I don't want to do it but I have to. Besides, I can't hold on for much longer - the gutter is digging into my sweaty palms. Ready? Drop.

My feet land on the ledge but one slips bringing the other with it, scraping my knee on the side. I bite my lip hard and scramble on my elbows. My upper arms shake. I swipe my left leg sideways and rest my heel on the ledge. Then I bring my other leg up to join the first and crawl onto the ledge. Phew.

I regain my breath for a moment and then turn my head to the side. Because it is a sunny day, all I am greeted with is my own reflection in the window. Wow, I look terrible. At least nobody is around to see me in this scruffy, worn out state. I sigh deeply. The reason for this is that I can't break double-glazing with a fist. That would only end up breaking my knuckles.

I saw a video on the web a while ago in which someone broke a car window by tapping it from corner to corner. I will try that but I seriously doubt it will work. So, I get to work tapping the window, starting slowly in the top corner and gradually speeding up the taps as I get closer to the bottom. I tap one last time and wait for a few seconds. Nothing happens.

I have no idea what to do. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? I swing my legs over the edge and sit for a minute, catching my breath and resting my back on the window.

***

Without warning, the window opens and I squeal as I fall back. My butt is still on the ledge and my legs over the edge but I am currently in a back bend position. I open my eyes to see the upside down image of a boy.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asks, surprised to see me. "Dexter?!" I shout. "Toni?!" He exclaims in return. This is his house? Holy crap. I know Dexter from school, he has been ill all week so he wasn't in today. "What- How- Why were you sitting on my windowsill?" He interrogates. "Well, I was on the roof and there weren't any other houses around so I had to find a way to get down so I was going to break in but then I got to the window ledge and couldn't break the glass." I ramble, still upside down. "Why were you on the roof? It doesn't matter, just get off the ledge before you fall." He says as he holds my arms and pulls me into the house. I fall to the floor and roll over, thanking him as I stand up.

He runs a hand though his ash blonde hair, which flicks up naturally, framing his face. When he perches on the bed I realise we're in a bedroom - most likely belonging to Dexter. The expression on his face is heavy. "What is it? What's wrong?" I demand. "It's my parents... They're downstairs... Dead." His eyebrows furrow together and his brown puppy dog eyes look up at me expectantly. "Did you see it happen?" I say softly and sit next to him. He hesitates and composes himself. "Yes."

"Dexter, I'm so sorry to hear that. A short while ago, the school was attacked. I saw a whole class get wiped out, and... Sat with Sammie as she passed away. So, I know how you feel. I don't know whether my family is dead or alive yet." I try to reassure him. "But right now, we need to deal with surviving ourselves. Do you have any idea what's destroying the town?"

"No, but it's not just us - it's everywhere." He sniffs and reaches for a TV remote on the bed. He switches on the television on the wall and I see it. As he flicks through the channels all that is there are images of destruction. One news report shows a map of the areas affected - the entire globe glows red. I hear phrases such as, "It is not yet known what caused this-" and "Wide spread disaster on a global scale-" My eyes, too, widen with fear. "There's no phone signal, or internet. Just news broadcasts." He informs me. It's like whoever is behind this wants people to see the horror.

"Dexter, we have to go." I get up and head for the door when he takes hold of my hand. "Wait, not that way. I can't bear to see my parents again." He panics. Letting go, he steps back. "Okay." I agree. "Is there another way out?"

"We don't have a back door." He states, "So no."

"Who the hell doesn't have a back door?!" I exclaim. He smiles and shrugs simultaneously.