FULL OBLITERATION (Book #3)

𝕿𝖜𝖔

I chuckle to myself.

"What's so funny?" Amber mumbles.

She wakes up from her slumber with a soft smile playing on her lips when she notices the one playing on mine. I guess seeing each other smile here and there is a sight to one's sore eyes considering the current state we're all in. In a world gone to madness, it's nice to see a smile being contagious too.

"Nothing," I murmur to her. "Just remembered something funny."

I remembered how Bray, back in the safe world, was telling me how he's been waiting for a zombie apocalypse all his life, 'forget what the fuck my other self is telling you, you gotta save me!' How stupid, he doesn't even know how serious it is here. Regardless, he somehow still manages to make me laugh even when the world is ending.

I glance at his dormant body, cracking my knuckles. He seems at peace but that's just an illusion. We all know he'll be one of them when the time runs out. I can't let that happen. And he promised me not to let that happen – both in this world and the other.

"Where are we?" Carmen rubs off the heated dust particles on the window.

"Welcome to one of the safe zones: Zone 2," Emmett announces. "These safe zones are what's standin' between us and them. We lost Zone 1 already, one of the main reasons why they launched the missiles – to maintain the virus."

"There was a safe zone in our town?" I ask.

"Yes," Dad replies this time. "It's where your mother was supposed to take yous while I was gone getting answers. We know now that she didn't make it... Nor the zone."

"How many safe zones are there?" I ask another question.

"There shoods be a safe zone in every city," Uncle Emmett takes over again. "But given what happened to Zone 1, I don't think any safe zone will stay 'safe' for long."

"So what's gonna happen then?" Amber asks. "We're not gonna stay here?"

"Just 'cause Zone 1 went to hell," Jace speaks up, "doesn't mean the rest will." He says this like a statement but it sorta sounds like a question with the way he doubts himself.

"Kids," Dad utters, "y'all have been through hell and back – literally. What y'all could use right about now is a hot shower and some rest. Let's keep those questions at bay for a second, shall we?"

We seem to be heading towards an enormous cylinder-shaped stone building. It must've been a centre or facility of some kind. It has guards in black uniforms posted on top of it, busy on the lookout for any lurkers while having their smokes. By the looks of it, they've already shot plenty of lurkers as the circumference of the building has a bunch of dead bodies scattered around it.

"This whirlybird has done us some good," Uncle Emmett pats the chopper's side. "It's runnin' on fumes and the heat has cooked up the engine quite a bit," he rolls a toothpick around in his mouth. "Once I land in Zone 2, everythin' else happens on foot, lads. Let us pray there are no more missiles launchin'."

"Knock on wood," Dad knocks somewhere.

"That shower?" Jace runs a hand through his greasy blonde hair. "I dibs first considering we've almost died about 4 times now and each time my balls sweat more."

"Jace! Ew," Amber slaps his leg.

We're right on top of the stone building, ready for Uncle Emmett to land. From our bird's eye view, there are 3 huge blue flat letters on the cement: ARC. The chopper drastically begins shaking and buttons flash red with one of 'em saying 'engine failure' in big bold caps.

"Emmett!" Dad says alarmingly, holding onto the side of the chopper. "What's going on?!"

"Just slight turbulence, lads!" he hollers. "Hold onto somethin'!"

The chopper flips on its side and I'm pretty sure it's gonna crash not land. The rest of us try to hold Bray's comatose body still while holding onto something at the same time.

"Hang on! The engine's failin'!" Uncle Emmett presses a few more buttons, sliding some buttons up and down before roughly straightening the chopper back up. "Aaaaand.."

*Thud!*

"..We've landed, lads."

Everything stops shaking all at once and dark smoke comes out from the back of the chopper.

"Nice job," Dad gives a sigh of relief and pats Uncle Emmett on the back.

"This beaut let me down in perfect timin'," Uncle Emmett kisses his fingers and then presses them on the ceiling. "Phew! That was close."

"Make that 5," Jace gulps before hopping out.

Uncle Emmett chuckles at him.

"I'm going where you're taking him," my scan drifts to Bray as I take off my headsets.

"'Course you are," Dad tells me. "But right now, you needa freshen up, have some food and rest."

"Dad-"

"Dean," he says in a stern tone. "We'll keep him safe in the meds bay for you under tight supervision. After dinner, yous all can come and visit him."

"Go on now," Uncle Emmett flicks his toothpick out the window, "get outta here, mucker. Your dad's right. We'll keep him safe."

Okay.

Alright.

But Ima need that shower first, Jace.

Jace. Jace. I still need to have a word with him about getting my sister pregnant.