Last Dawn of a Horde

Chapter Seven: The Plan Reprise ~1 John

~John~

    I covered his mouth real tight that his pleas turned muffled.

    James was shaking so hard he almost broke my beautifully carved nose. When we’re out of searchlights circling the roads, we hid in the trees.

    “Ssssh,” I shushed James. “Stop, stop, stop. It’s me, John.”

    I removed my sweaty hand off of his dry mouth. James turned to me, his face full of fear. It took him two seconds to recognize it was me, his best friend. If he didn’t recognize me, I figured out he was ready to punch.

    “J-John?” he mumbled.

    “Sssshh, the SWAT can hear things down to fifty decibels,” I said, probably scaring him a bit. “So if you want to talk, make it real slow and weak, okay?”

    I was feeling a jolt of energy upon seeing him alive. We walked past trees, and because we were so quiet, I will know if something was on our tails. James kept himself close to me, as if he didn’t want to get far from me. I understand—I’ll do the same thing.

    I was thankful he got past zombies of some kind alone. When we were near the warehouse, I knocked several zombie heads with Miguel’s clean racket off. Then I knocked on the heavy metal door.

    “It’s me, John!” I called. Then I hear metal grumbling, and Perry and Rolcene opened the door.

    After we closed the door, everybody came into applause; even though my classmates are all busy, they stopped whatever they're doing and ran towards James.

    “James! Thank God you’re alive!” Noe trilled.

    “Oh, I knew it! You’re a fighter!” June said, holding a half-chopped bell pepper.

    More girls and boys circled him.

    Sophie cried as she embraced him. “Oh my God! We thought you’re dead! You just disappeared and—Oh no!”

    James smiled at us. “I’ll not be dead by a zombie attack.”

    Rolcene came forward. “Yeah, so we’ll have Leo kicked out of here!”

    I didn’t understand what he means, but Leo reacted violently. Camille, Anee and the other girls ushered him to check for any injuries. He was limping like a dog, and he seemed to got a strain.

    “We’ll talk later, okay?” I told him.

    My best friend nodded and grinned at me as he was surrounded by attending girls.

    Meanwhile, I was sitting next to Jules. He seemed surprised that I set out by myself, but he said nothing bad.

    “Lucky for him, he did it weaponless,” Jules said. "He managed to survive on his own."

    I called Miguel over, and I showed him his beloved racket. He looked anguish, and all I said was, “Sorry.”

    “Let James have the leftover chicken soup!” Jules ordered. Then I see James sitting alone like a king on the end of our long table, with about five plates before him.

    “Where did you find him, anyway?” Jules asked.

    “In the woods,” I answered. “Three zombies dead meters away from him. Then I got him out of the road.”

    “Searchlights are on?”

    I nod.

    He looked upset. “We need to find a new place real soon,” he wished. “Sooner or later the police will know we’re here.”