Sky On Fire (an Apocalypse Story)

Chapter 13

I peeled my eyes open and peered into the semi darkness. Ethan was shaking me, telling me it was time for my shift.

I groggily nodded, wobbling a bit as I stood up. Georgia was already up, sitting near the doorway. Staring at the word Xavier on her arm. The black pen had was still as clear as it was when Georgia had first written the word. I had a feeling we wouldn't be talking much during this shift.

I ambled over to the door whilst Ethan lay down on his bed. I had the meat cleaver by my side and I had learnt that Ethan had infact been a butcher before the apocalypse! I sat down next to Georgia, my back against the wall, surveying all the sleeping people.

We sat in silence for a what seemed like hours but it was only a few minutes before Georgia broke the quiet,
"I hope he's dead." She quietly whispered. I did a double take at those words. Not what i was expecting at all!
"Xavier?" I replied. She nodded in anwser and I sank back against the wall. "Why?"
"He suffers in that zombie form. I wish he could be at peace but... I want to be the one to do it."

I nodded now. As strange as it sounds, I understood her. I understood that she needed to kill Xavier and that she felt like it was her responsibly to do so.
We lapsed into an awkward silence until I said,
" Why,"
"Huh?" She said whipping her head up.
"Why did this have to happen. And how did it happen? How did the bloody sun just suddenly explode?! " I elaborated
She shrugged
"I really want to know as well." She replied, "Everyone is dead Jade, and we will be next; Liam, Simi, Ethan, everyone at school and Xav-" her throat closed off and she gulped, unable to say his name. I nodded.

 "But what your forgetting is that, yeah we will all be dead soon enough but its what we do in this that counts. We could all die tomorrow but we would die happy, content with the fact that we helped cure the world by finding an immune person to this disease. We could die months in the future but not achieve anything other than killing zombies and staying safe in a safe house."
I paused, "I don't know about you but I would rather only have a few days left to live, but actually change something, so things will get better even if I'm not there to experience it."

I let the silence thrive as my words sunk in to both of us. I don't think I'd ever properly thought about that until now.

"Its only been 2 weeks Jade." Said Georgia giving me a small smile. "2 weeks since this shitstorm started and already so much has changed."

I nodded,
"So have we."

I let the silence rest until dawn arrived in the distance. It was too late, I realised as the sky brightened, no sun anywhere. It was too late to save her. The Georgia I once knew had been snuffed out, the same way a candle is extinguished. The fire was there for some time and now I worried it might never be again.

I watched her as she stared at the walls looking but not seeing. I didn't avert my gaze even when I heard the rest of my group start to stir.

Just as I was about to stand up I heard her whisper to me,
"Me and you. All that's left of the fandom trio. You better not leave me Jade."
"I'll try." I replied with a sad smile

***

We set out on the road again, a few hours after everyone had woken up. Moans and grumbles burst out of the ruins, alerting us to zombie activity.

Something was telling me that today wouldn't be as peaceful as yesterday.
We moved fast through the streets, trying to avoid killing any zombies and then attracting others.

I stayed by Echos side but kept a careful eye on Georgia. She and Abby were packed into the middle of the shield our group had unconciously formed around them .
"Not far now." Said Alex as he read the street signs on the end of roads. We took a left and the zombie noises got louder and louder.
Our fast walk turned into a run. My hair fell out of its quickly tied ponytail and It streamed around my face. I couldnt see and I tried to push it away but it was everywhere.
That was probably why I didn't see it, didn't see the half dead thing that had no legs. It crawled out of the bushes and latched onto my left foot, pulling it back. I fell onto the ground, my balance forgotten.
Searing pain laced through my ankle as jagged teeth were pried into them and I screamed. It was like slow motion. Everyone turned their heads at my cry for help. Panic and pain flashed through Georgia's face and she lunged towards me as I was dragged into the bushes...

Echo POV

She was gone. Jade was there one second and gone the next. The only thing that ever said she was here was her one shoe that had fallen off when she had fallen.
Georgia gave out a strangled sound like a whimper mixed with a growl and plunged into the bushes after Jade.
Well... she would've if Ethan hadnt grabbed her arm as if he'd foreseen that she would try and go after them.

"She's gone." He said as Georgia thrashed around in his grip, trying to get loose.
" She..  She said she would never leave me!!" Georgia half screamed at the bushes. I could sense the noise had awoken other zombies in the buildings. Figures were appearing in the corner of my vision.

The 3 adults saw this as well and they starte to look panicked.
"Im sorry girlie." Said Ethan as he picked up the gun and swung the handle of it at Georgias head. She was knocked out immediately and sagged to the floor.
Ethan picked her up and Josie picked up Abby. Then we started to run, away from the gathering crowd of zombies 

I picked up Jades shoe and clasped it tight before starting to run. She was the only one who was ever kind to me and now she was gone. Forever.

I let the tears run freely down my face as i ran through the fresh morning air. I wasn't the only one

IM SOO SORRY

But this isn't the last we see of Jade...
xx