Code Z

Broken

I jumped back in horror as I stared at my dead best friends face. Motionless with no expression. Steven did this. It had to be him. Who else would kill such an innocent kid. I raised my gun at him in a rage I've never felt before.

"You killed him you son of a bitch!!", I screamed at him. "If it wasn't for you, he would still be alive!!", I put my finger over the trigger.

"Aiden. I had nothing to do with this, I swear to god.", Steven said with fear in his voice.

"No. You're times up, pal. We gave you a chance, and look what you've done.", I pointed at Antoine's lifeless body.

"I wouldn't kill one of your people. Especially not a kid. Believe me, Aiden. I'm not like that.", Steven said.

I flipped over Antoine's body and looked at the stab mark in the back of his head.

"Do you see what you've made me do?!! Do you have any fucking idea?!!", I squeezed harder on the trigger.

The rest of the group came over to see what the yelling was about.

"What the fuck are you yelling about now?", Carson said.

I stood up and pointed my arms at Antoine like Vana White.

"Congratulations, Carson. You've won a dead best friend!", I said in my best gameshow host voice.

Carter came to join him. Their jaws dropped open at the same time. They looked at Steven the same way I did. Hatred.

"Kill this worthless piece if shit.", Carter said.

"With pleasure.", I said with a smile. I was hysterical.

Steven kicked the gun out of my hand and Carter put a right hook into his temple and he fell on the ground.

"Guys. I know you probably don't wanna listen to me right now, but if you don't turn around, every single one of us is gonna die.", Steven said calmly.

"BULLSHIT!", I screamed at him. Carson turned around.

"Ummm, Aiden. He's not kidding.", I turned around then. A horde about the size of Seattle was headed towards us.

"Ho-ly shit.", I said.

The girls were across from us. Avoiding the commotion. Kat was surrounded by about 6 walkers. Trying to defend herself. I couldn't see Kat or Erica anywhere.

"We gotta help her!", I said to Steven.

"Let's go!", Steven yelled.

We ran towards Kat and the group of walkers. I tripped and fell on my back. There were four walkers behind us. Steven looked back at me, unsure what to do.

"Go! Help her! I'll be fine.", I said to him.

He ran of towards Kat. I heard about a million shots behind me. A walker tried jumping on top of me.

"Fuck!", I yelled. I kicked it off. Just then Steven and Kat ran for me. Steven took out all for walkers with ease. Kat threw herself on top of me and have me the tightest hug I've ever felt.

"Oh my god, Aiden. Are you alright?!, Tears were running down her eyes.

"I'm fine.", I said to her, embracing her just as tight as she was me.

We got up and saw Jessie leaning up against a tree. She was clutching her shoulder. We walked over to the tree. Under her hand was a giant scratch mark all the way down her shoulder to the middle of her chest.

"No. No no no! Jessie!", Kat screamed.

"You have to go. My ride is over. You can live with out me Katrina. I know you can. We've been best friends ever since the day we were born. I'll never forget you.", Jessie said.

Kat was balling harder than anyone I'd ever seen. I myself was trying to hold back my tears. I ran back to the duffel bag and came back with a small G18 pistol and about 15 rounds of ammo.

"Take this, Jessie. You're gonna need it., I said to her, "We're headed to LA. Once you get out of here, find a group. Try to get there. We'll be waiting."

"Aiden, I'm not getting out of this. All I need is one round. For me.", Her voice was small and quiet.

"I can't let you do that.", I said.

"It's for the best, Aiden. She can't live with this pain.", Steven said. "Let her go."

"I agree.", Carter said.

"Me too.", Said Carson.

"If you go, I'm going with you.", Kat said strongly.

"No. You need... To live... For Aiden... For the Erica... And for me...", Jessie said in a faded voice

Kat ran up to Jessie and hugged her tight, sobbing loudly.

"I'll never forget you, Jessie Carmen.", Kat said.

"And I'll never forget you... Katrina Mathers.", Jessie said. "Give me the gun Aiden."

I loaded one round in the chamber, cocked it and handed it to her. I couldn't believe I was letting her do this.

"Keep... Her alive... She deserves the best... I love you... All of you...", She pulled the trigger. Those were. Her last words.

Kat began crying even harder. I hung my head in sadness. Carson came up and put his hand on my shoulder. Carter walked up and pulled Jessie's eyelids down.

"We should bury her. Both of them. Steven said. "I think it's the right thing to do."

"Yeah.", Carter said. The rest of us were at a loss for words.

Carter and Steven dug the two graves quickly. We took a sheet from the RV and wrapped Jessie's body in it. Carter wrapped Antoine's in another sheet. We set bodies down in their holes and filled them back up with dirt. I used a large piece of paper and a Sharpie to act as a headstone. We attached it to a long piece of wood and set in in the ground at the head of the two graves.

The paper read, "The lord took two more today. The hands of evil show no mercy. Why, us lord. Why?"

We all embraced each other at the foot of the graves, and cried for the ones we lost.