Resurrection Hour: Her Handsome Stranger | ✔

Chapter Two

Sharon wasn't sure where the open door went, but it had to be better than where she was. Dashing towards it, she dodged tables and chairs, staying on the opposite side of where the zombies were. The minute she was through the door, she slammed it closed and then rested her head against it, trying to catch her breath.

"That was close!"

Suddenly, a multitude of growls sounded behind her and she froze in place. Please don't let this be the courtyard. Slowly, she turned around afraid of what she would find.

"Not the courtyard. Not the courtyard," she chanted.

But sure enough, that's exactly where she was, and at least 20 zombies were marching towards her. "Doh!"

She glanced around, trying to find an escape route, but she was entirely closed in, except for the door behind her. Across the way, she spotted a ladder, but that's exactly where the majority of the creatures were. All closing in on her. Tightening her grip on her crowbar, she whacked the closet one in the head and rushed towards her freedom.

As she was running, there was a high pitch child-like snarl, making her head spin in its direction. There, she saw a young girl with blond hair caked with dirt. Her lower chin missing and her head hung slightly to the side as she limped her way towards her.

Sharon's stomach twisted with nausea and despair. "Jessica," she murmured as her hands shot to her mouth, stifling a cry. The girl used to come over for play dates with her son. They were like the best of buddies.

During that moment, frozen with shock, a zombie grabbed her backpack, yanking her towards him. She let out another cry and struggled to get loose. Another closed in on her left, and she was left with little choice but to wiggle her way out of the backpack. Pulling her arms free, she took off in the direction of the ladder, hitting another along the way.

Eventually, she made it to the ladder and swore when the first rung was a foot above her head. She'd have to pull herself up somehow. And it's not like she was super woman. Ropes and pull-ups weren't her thing. She slipped the crowbar into her belt and tried to use the wall as leverage to climb up. It didn't take long until her foot hit the bottom rung. But at the same time, a tall male zombie, with half his clothes missing, grabbed her foot.

Sharon shrieked. "Go away!"

Her world was like something out of a horror movie, but there was no pausing the show. No taking a break. Nothing. It was fight or be killed. "Let me go!" She kicked out with her other foot, holding tight onto the rungs as the zombie tried to pulled her down.

After one final kick, she was free and climbing up the ladder, just as the others reached for her. She was so bloody thankful that they didn't know how to climb. When she reached the top, she collapsed onto the roof of the building, her breathing rapid and her pulse racing.

Smacking the roof with her hand, she let out a scream of frustration. She'd dropped their food. Thankfully, The medicine was in her front fanny pack, but they needed food, too. They only had a few cans left.

As she stared up at darkening blue sky, she wished like heck that a helicopter would fly by. But the sky has been empty of planes for at least two weeks now. It's like they'd all been grounded. Even helicopters that were out in full force in the beginning had died down now.

Life had changed so fast. Most people were rounded up and taken to safe zones, but even those fell faster than she had imagined possible. She was glad that she had stayed hidden with her kids during the evacuation. It's not that she didn't trust groups, but she'd seen too many horror movies to know that they would always be the first to fall. Someone would get in somehow, and it would end up being a massacre. And she was right. It was no surprise, really. They lived in a big city.

Once her son was well enough, she was going to try and get them to her parents place in the country. That was her number one goal. They had their own well. And there was a bunker under the house if things went south, stocked with enough food to last a year.

She could remember teasing her dad about his prepping, even her mom got mad because he'd bring so much crap home. No one was laughing at the preppers now. They knew something was coming. Maybe not a zombie apocalypse, but something that would turn the entire world upside down.

Sitting up, Sharon finally took a good look around. Aluminum vents lined the roof and off to the side was a closed door. She hoped it was unlocked and that it would lead her back into the school, closest to where she came in. She needed to get back to her kids before they went out looking for her. Her daughter was hard enough to keep indoors.

Climbing to her feet, she made her way over to the door and put her ear against it. The other side appeared to be silent, but that could just mean that they were in veg mode on the other side. She knocked on the door and then listened again.

Silence.

Carefully and quietly, she opened it and found herself staring into darkness. Sharon swallowed hard. That wasn't good. And since it had been day time when she left home,  she didn't bring her flashlight with her. When would she learn to always be prepared?

"Anyone down there?" she called.

She glanced around the roof, and then back down the dark stairwell. There had to be another way to get down. The chances of running into something in the dark was too high.

After closing the door, she wandered to the edge of the roof and did a full walk around. There was no other ladder, except the one leading down to the courtyard.

There was, however, a lower roof. It was a bit of a drop, but if she slid off the side and held on, she'd be able to nail the landing. The closer she could get to the ground level, the better. Turning around, she carefully climbed over the little wall and let herself down gently. When she was as low as she could get, she let go of the wall, falling the few feet to the roof below.

As her feet hit the floor, she let out a cry of relief. Phew. She didn't hurt her ankle. That was something she'd seen far too often in movies. A girl tries to get away, falls and hurts herself, then dies, or the guy risks his life to save her. Dusting off her hands, she began her inspection.

On the North side of the roof, she looked over the edge. There was a staircase on the ground level that went down to another door. It was too far for her to try and jump down. The West side led to the courtyard. A place she never planned to go again. Feeling defeated, she walked to the south side and looked down.

"Eureka!"

Below were two large overflowing garbage bins. The stench reached the roof. That was not going to be a fun landing. She would end up stinking to high heaven and back. Mind you, the zombies might not notice her then. She wouldn't smell like a human. Horrible B.O was a bonus in this day and age. Sharon laughed. Who knew one day smelling like garbage would be the 'in' thing.

Sitting on the edge, she swung her legs over the side and took one final look around to make sure there weren't any friendly neighborhood creatures around. Satisfied, she shoved off from the wall, aiming for the garbage can below.