ZERO (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The elevator was out of order so Dane and Train followed Cassie up the stairs to her apartment. It had been a long day and everyone was exhausted.

Approaching the door, Cassie stopped dead in her tracks.

"What is it?" Dane asked.

"The door to my apartment is open."

"Stay back," Train insisted, placing himself in between Cassie and the door. He gently pushed the front door open and listened for any movement. All the lights were off and it didn't appear as though anyone was inside. "You two stay here while I go in and check it out."

Train made his way into the apartment and crept down the long hallway leading to the bedroom. He could smell the distinct scent of rotting flesh and feared the worst.

Keeping the lights off, he entered the main living area of the apartment and noticed debris scattered everywhere. The place had been ransacked. The couches had been flipped over and cut up, all the drawers in the cabinets had been ripped out and gone through, and all the cupboards in the kitchen were open, including the fridge. The light from the fridge lit up the small space revealing all the smashed dishes and other items from the kitchen scattered on the floor.

Train was careful with his footing so that he didn't step on any broken glass and make noise. Whoever did this may still be waiting for them in the apartment, or next door. Following the foul odour, Train found himself in the roommate's bedroom. The closet had been ripped apart, clothes were taken from the drawers and thrown about, and the mattresses was cut open. Whoever did this was obviously looking for something.

There was just enough light coming in from the window to see the feet sticking out from under the mattress, which was half hanging off the bed. Train lifted the mattress off the body and slid it back in place. Using his fingers, he checked for a pulse. There was none.

Train stood up and turned around. That's when he saw Cassie and Dane standing in the doorway. The instant Cassie saw her roommate's lifeless body, she immediately started screaming and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Dane, come on, man," Train said. "Get her out of here. She doesn't need to see this."

Dane tried to grab Cassie and pull her into the hallway, but she fought with him. She barged into the room, flicked the light on and ran over to her dead roommate.

"The lights," Train said, rushing over and hitting the switch. "Whoever did this could still be staking out the place, sitting in a parked vehicle on the street level, waiting for activity in the apartment. Cassie, come on, we have go, now!"

"Who would do this?" she cried.

"I'm not sure, but they may have been looking for us. It's not safe here. We need to go now!"

Crouching next to her roommate, Cassie was crying hysterically, unable to comprehend the sudden loss of her best friend. Train pulled her up to her feet and attempted to usher her out of the apartment. She squirmed free and insisted on getting a bag and filling it with some personal items.

"Quickly," Train said.

Cassie went to her room and stuffed a few personal possessions into a bag. She then went into the living room and saw the full extent of the destruction. Still in shock, she stood in awe, taking it all in.

"We need to move, Cas," Train said.

Cassie snapped back in focus and ran to her stash spot behind the fridge. Just as she grabbed what she needed, two smoke grenades came sailing through the windows, shattering the glass and quickly filling the room with smoke.