Cold + Dark

Chapter 7 : Kayley's View

ⓍⓧThe Next Morning...ⓧⓍ

Cooper had been hard at work putting some glass; even melting sand, and putting it on our front porch. I had been very busy this bright and early morning, towards the middle of the day. I've been cleaning the kitchen, going through our survival supply, ammunition and all, then making beds. OK, yea, that last one was pointless, but at least it looked nicer. I installed some deadbolts on the front and back door. Then I moved the bookcase back. I cooked myself and Cooper lunch, then realized later in the day that Kai and Autumn still weren't back. I made them some dinner, but I was pretty sure they wouldn't be back tonight.

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NOON TIME

Autumn's View

"Hey, Kai?" I asked.

"Yea?"

"Honestly, I think we should make a guitar; we've got quite a bit of time, plus our walls are soundproof, remember?"

"Yeah...maybe. Who would even have the time, out of our group, to make a guitar? Yea, it would be a nice exception..."

"AND very romantic," I add.

"But who would play it? No one knows how to play, I don't believe," Kai determines.

"Actually, I do..." I say, "From a very long time ago." I burst out crying.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I played guitar at my mother's funeral, so yea, that..."

"Oh, I'm very sorry," Kai said.

"She was killed by one of them!" I yell at a zombie, but they were already completely killed. I walk down the steep hill. The gardens were just in that greenhouse down there. Everything we need should be down there. Jumping ahead beside me, Kai shows up. He's holding my hand.

"We should jog down, grab whatever and put into a basket, then scramble away back to the cabin," Kai says.

"Gotcha," I tell Kai, "So, how're you doing? You don't look too hot..."

"Just tired. Let's go," he said. We tread down the hill, and go to the greenhouse. We grab some tomatoes, carrots, peas, beans, lettuce, strawberries, and blueberries. We then put them in baskets, and head back. We run, and I trip on a branch. I stumble, and regain my balance without falling down, and then have a harder time going. We trudge.

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A couple of minutes later, I start running again. Almost galloping, if you ask me. By now, the sun is starting to set, and we are about ten minutes away from the cabin.

We slow down and walk. My leg is trembling. Kai is propping me up now. I lean on him and he's pretty much hugging me. I wish he could just carry me home. I jump off of his arm and I run to the cabin. Kai is following, jogging after me.

I enter the house, finally. Supper is on the table, and Cooper and Kayley are both sleeping.

We eat and then go to bed.

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DURING THE NIGHT

Cooper's View

I hear some thumping noises on this cold and dreary night. They sound like someone is pounding on our back door.

I go to the door and speak casually, "Who's there?"

"Justin," he replied.

"What do you want?" I say harshly through the door.

" Just to give you this. It's for Hannah's abrasion," he speaks.

I open the window enough to take it, then close the window back up.

"Remember, you have to leave. If not, Kai will..."

"Kill me, I know," Justin says; he starts to trail off.

"Also," I say.

He turns back around and looks at me.

I continue, "If anyone besides me sees you, you definitely could be in trouble. Be safe, Justin."

And with that, he leaves.

I start to return to my room.

"Eh, Justin, huh?" Autumn says, "And he gave you items for treatment for 'Hannah's' abrasion? Very touche."

"Let it be. We'll fix her tomorrow. And Justin isn't trusted."

I walk off before Autumn can say anything. She shouldn't blab anyway. Or listen in, for that matter. I put away what Justin gave me, in my bedside cabinet, and got under my bed covers. She had no right to be interfering with a strict conversation she wasn't involved in. Or eavesdropping, for another matter. Nothing percepted her. At all. Nothing scared her, either.

I shut off my light and go to sleep.

My dreams consisted of Autumn sneaking across the house and spying on me. But, as it turns out, this was no joke. She was actually there, outside of my doorway, watching me. Then, she pretty much jumped off the way and slid away when she realized that I noticed her.

This is one very freaky night.

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At Dawn

Autumn's View

I'm sitting in my room, looking out the window, at a zombie dangling off an oak tree.

'Put up just recently,' I thought to myself. 'Most likely by Justin. I don't care.'

I'm pacing around the room feverishly.

'WHY, did he do this to Kai, Cooper and myself?'

I see this little paper stuck to my desk, the words cleanly written on it:

"Together we are united by a handful because no one can bring us down for what we are!"

I realize this must be Kayley's note.

"Huh?" I hear this crashing noise, like a pan had fell onto the ground. "What was that?" I questioned.

I'm now walking into our dusty hallway. Nobody keeps this thing clean. It's gross. I slowly walk into the kitchen, being aware that there may be an intruder.

It seems that Kayley had dropped a frying pan while trying to make breakfast. Something must have been hot? She didn't have a potholder.

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My eyes started to blacken, and I collapsed into a big heap on the floor.

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Kayley's View

Noon; The Hospital

Kai and myself rushed into the ruins of an old, abandoned hospital. Kai threw the door to the side and we both pummeled in, sprinting quickly to avoid being seen. I almost got entangled in electrical wire, but we bursted into one of what was a patient room. My hair fell out of my messy bun, dirty blonde and stringed.

We opened some cabinets, finding a couple of needles, some bandages, morphine, as well as some slings and crutches. I bagged everything everything but the last two items. Kai grabbed them for me. I spoke a silent thank you, and we left the room. A zombie turned the corner and was facing the both of us. Kai bashed its head in with the end of the crutches and we left the ruins, closing everything up and noting ourselves to come back for further reasoning. We rush back to the cabin where Autumn is on the floor, and it looks like her life is slipping away.