The zombie game

chapter 4

Tom was walking home from school when it happened; he saw the trucks driving through the streets, soldiers with machine guns piled into them. Tom ducked behind a group of thrash cans as the soldiers were driving passed. What is going on? Thought Tom. He stayed by the trash cans for a few more minutes until the soldiers had passed, and then he sprinted from the trash cans toward his house. A few people were screaming through the neighborhood, and Tom heard a sharp blast, followed by a silence. He knew what had happened; a person or two had been shot. But this was America. What the hell is going on? Tom stopped right in front of his house, ducking behind it, when an explosion ripped through the street, creating a fireball that towered over the houses. He peered around, seeing flame. Tom threw open the back door and tore into the house.

“Mom! Dad! Where are you?” he shouted. He looked through the kitchen and didn't see anybody. Tom whipped around and climbed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. As soon as he reached the top of the stairs he saw his mom and dad packing their clothes frantically.

“Tom! We need to leave now!” his dad screamed. Tom grabbed a few pieces of clothing from his dresser and threw them in a bag that lie on his parents bed. He looked out the window. Soldiers were beginning to step out of their trucks, aiming their machine guns, and even more sharp reports of gunfire echoed off the houses.

“What is happening?” asked Tom.

“The president has put this city under martial law. We need to get out of here now!” his mother shouted, grabbing a bag filled with clothes and slinging it over her shoulder. Suddenly someone was pounding on the door.

“We should stay up here,” his father said, “if they have any sense they won't come here to search us.” A few mumbled voices and then a larger banging sound. A couple of shouts. Another banging sound and then the door fell to the floor. Footsteps against the wood and louder voices. The soldiers had entered. Tom's mother shut the door silently, ducking behind it, hoping that the soldiers wouldn't come in the room.

“What...” started Tom.

“Shhh...” said his mother. Tom heard the footsteps on the stairs. All hope seemed lost. Tom was hiding under the bed when the soldiers started knocking at the bedroom door.

“Anyone in there?” asked a soldier. Everyone tensed, their bodies becoming rigid.

“If there is anyone there, and you aren't revealing yourselves we will break down the door and kill each and every one of you,” said another soldier. “It is a requirement that you come with us. By order of the President of the United States.” They all stopped breathing momentarily, and then the soldier banged on the door. Tom had stopped breathing, hiding under the bed, when the door was slammed open, causing his mother to fly back, banging her head on the opposite wall. Three soldiers, armed with machine guns, burst into the room. His father grabbed a pistol from his pocket and fired, shooting one soldier in the arm. But the man didn't get far because a soldier fired his machine gun and the man went down in a hail of bullets. Blood splattered the wall. The soldier aimed the machine gun at Tom's mother. She was whimpering against the wall, blood trickling down the side of her head.

“Come with us ma'am,” the soldier said, “or we will have to...”

“Kill me? Kill me then. I can't live in a world like this. This is supposed to be a free country. What the hell do you think your doing in here, unannounced, having killed my husband, harming us?” questioned his mother.

“It is by order of the President,” said the soldier, “now come on.”

“No,” she said.

“Go mom,”Tom's voice came from under the bed.

“Anyone there?” asked a soldier.

“Yes,” answered Tom. He stood up from under the bed. Tom advanced toward the soldiers and stopped once he saw his father, dead, on the floor.