Chapter 6
My emotions fade away in a second. I’m on my feet and aiming one of my pistols at the tree that they hide behind, ready to blow a zombie’s head off. I shouldn’t have lingered on the swing. I should have realized that I was in danger of a zombie attack the moment I stepped foot out the door, and stepped right back in.
The suspicion arises that this zombie is… hiding? It can’t be. A zombie doesn’t know stealth. It’s not smart enough for a sneak-attack. Whoever is behind that tree, it’s a living human.
“Come out.” I tell them. I lower my gun. “I won’t hurt you if you won’t hurt me.” Time creeps on slowly, and still nothing moves. All is still as I stand reasoning with a tree trunk. I don’t get it. Neither of us are zombies. Why won’t they just show themselves? “Please?” I try.
Apparently they respond to good manners. Slowly, cautiously, someone steps out from behind the tree. It’s a boy. He looks to be about 20 years old. Then again, the apocalypse has somehow made everyone seem older.
We stand there, looking at each other. He’s tall. Taller than me. He’s skinny. He isn’t scrawny, but he’s also no Hulk. His black hair is cut short above his eyebrows, which sit above sparkling green eyes. I can see them gleaming in the moonlight from here, maybe 20 feet away. The light reflects on his tan skin- he’s sweating nervously. Finally, he breaks the silence.
“I’m Zaden.”
“I’m Abby.” He stares at me intently, almost with what seems like contempt. His broad shoulders are tight- his whole body looks to be stiff.
“How old are you, Zaden?”
“16. You?”
“15.” His eyes widen, his body becomes loosened, and a hoarse little laugh escapes from his mouth. He rolls his neck and rubs it, as if he had just now noticed how uncomfortable he was. Suddenly, I’m embarrassed. I’m not sure why. “What’s funny?” I ask, a little harsher than I’d meant to be.
“Nothing! Nothing. I just… thought you were older.” I feel even more embarrassed, and again, I’m not sure why.
“Same to you.” I say evenly.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be-”
“Where are you from?” I need to change the subject. I’ve only known the guy for 30 seconds and I’ve already managed to make him feel uncomfortable. Typical.
“Roosevelt, Montana.” He tells me. “I’ve been living with my grandparents for the past couple years. I was on my way to Illinois to find my parents and my brother. I mean, if they’re even…”
“Yeah.” I save the conversation before things get awkward again. He sighs as well, grateful for my interruption, then picks up talking again.
“What about you?”
“I haven’t made contact with my family yet. I’m going home to check-”
“Oh, no, I meant… where are you from?”
“Oh,” I can feel my cheeks getting hot, “I’m from here.” Smooth, Abby. Smooooooth.
He looks at the ground and laughs silently. His shoulders bob up and down. “So, you’ve survived a week staying here?”
“Well… I’ve only been conscious for 2 of those days- the first one and today.”
“How so?”
“I was attacked on the first night and knocked unconscious until this morning.”
“You managed to survive for almost a week, unconscious, on your own?”
“Well, not exactly…”
“Who’s this?” Katie says, calmly and quietly enough to make her voice sound deadly. She steps out from behind the same tree Zaden had been hiding behind. I guess I wasn’t as sneaky as I had thought, slipping away from her in the dead of the night. She must have followed me. Zaden jumps a bit and whips out a pistol, turning around and putting it right in Katie’s face, all in less than a second.
“It’s ok, Zaden- she’s with me.”
“Zaden? I’m Katie. Nice to meet you.” She pushes the barrel of his gun down and walks past him, intentionally hitting him with her shoulder and giving him a look that could kill. She stands by my side facing him as I stare at the ground, my face bright red.
Suddenly, Zaden’s hostility returns. “Katie. Cool. Well, sorry to bother you two then. I’ll be on my way.”
“What?” It escapes my mouth faster than I can contain it. “It’s dangerous out here. Stay with us for the night.” It’s more of a demand than it is an offer, and I’m surprised to have made it with such little thought given to it.
“Oh, no thanks” Zaden says, “I should get going. Bye, Abby.” As he walks past me, he adds quietly, “Nice meeting you.”
I turn around and watch him go. Then I turn to Katie. “Way to go!” I yell.
“What?” She says defensively. “I was helping!”
“Helping? You scared him off!”
“That’s what we wanted! We can’t risk taking him! It’s just another life to be responsible for- another person to save.”
“Right, because you’d be the one saving him. Not the other way around? Of course. Why can’t you just admit a little help would be nice?” I start stomping back to the police station, paying no attention to the fact that Katie was clearly offended by my accusation.
“Oh, don’t tell me you liked that boy!” She yells after me. I don’t stop walking. “You can never resist a tall guy with green eyes! Of course.” She adds. Joke or not, I’m not letting her cheer me up right now.
