Teen Team Crafted

Every Word Was True

Mitch's POV

I locked myself in my room.

Again.

I hear someone's fist pound against my door. "Mitch! You gotta come out!" The familiar voice of Jerome rings in my ear.

"You can't make me!" I yell back, knowing I just sounded like a six year old. I act like one, too.

Eh. How else can you have any fun?

Yeah. As if I've had fun for the past week.

I curl up on my bed, not daring to shut my eyes, even though I must be going on my third night without sleep.

Every time I close my eyes, all I can see is my brother, anger in his eyes, pushing me away. Putting all the truths out in the open.

"You underestimate my power." I hear Jerome say in a goofy vice, and I almost crack a smile.

Almost.

"I know you won't come in here, Jerome." I say. We're best friends. We respect the Code of the Locked Door, which we made up when we were six.

The locked door is the universal sign for 'leave me alone.' No breaking down the door, no coming in.

"I won't, biggums. But there's nothing in the code that says I can't talk to you from the other side of the door." (A/N: You know what would be awesome? If someone made a fanart of this. Mitch on one side of the door and Jerome on the other. Just a thought.)

He's right.

I wrap my arms around my legs. "Go away, Jerome. I don't want to talk."

I turn over on my side, and the words my brother spoke echo through my mind.

"You were gone, Mitch."

"Come on, Mitch. You can't stay in there forever."

"I searched for years, Mitch. Years."

"Talk to me."

"You abandoned me in that attack."

"Mitch! Seriously, talk to me!"

"You stopped being my brother the day you let me die."

"You're scaring me, Mitch. Say something!"

But I can't. The words are louder now, and my head aches.

Every word was true...

*Flashbackiness*

I'm back in my old house, staring at myself, only I'm four. I'm sitting against the wall, a frightened expression on my face.

I can see a two-year-old version of Shane sitting in the corner, crying.

I remember this day. I'd like to forget it, but it's impossible. I can't forget the day where zombies raided the village, and my brother died, and my father, and all my friends, or so I thought. Sky made it through.

I stare at my four-year-old self. It's strange, looking at yourself from the past. Kind of like staring into one of those mirrors in a fun-house.

I'm slightly impressed. I was holding it together pretty well. I remember what I was thinking this night.

I have to be strong for Shane.

My dad wasn't here yet, but I could remember every detail. My heart lurches. My dad.

I haven't seen him in ten years.

Suddenly, he bursts in the door, making my four-year-old self jump in surprise, then get to his feet, and run up to my dad to give him a hug.

I remember being so glad to see him, and finally feeling safe. Feeling as though everything would be okay, that we would all make it out safely, Dad, Shane, and I.

How wrong I was...

"Daddy? What's going on?" My younger self looks up at him, eyes full of fear and confusion.

"We've got to go, Mitch." Dad says, and picks up Shane, who's way too young to outrun the mobs by himself.

I could. I was the fastest kid in the village. I could even beat some of the adults. I remember that my dad didn't like it when I went too fast, because I had a bad habit of running into people. And fences. And buildings.

My dad looks down at me. "Mitch, when we get out there, I want you to run as fast as you can."

I remember him saying this, and how excited I got because I was never allowed to go as fast as I could.

I smiled as younger me stared at him, a disbelieving but excited look on my face. "As fast as I can?"

My dad smiled a little bit. "As fast as you can." The smile quickly faded on his face, and he got down on his knees so he was eye level with me. "Listen very carefully, Mitch. You keep running. You don't stop. Never turn back, no matter what happens, okay?"

Younger me looked a little confused, but nodded. "Okay. I promise."

"Okay." My dad looks a little more relieved, but that doesn't hide the grim look on his face.

The he opens the door, and I run out of the house, my legs almost a blur, I was going so fast.

My dad kept up with me for a while, but then he started slowing down.

That's when it happened.

A crowd of zombies overtook him and Shane.

I knew what happened next. My younger self could hear the screams.

Don't turn around, don't turn around...I thought inside my head, but I couldn't change the past.

Younger me broke my dad's rule.

And turned around.

"Daddy! Shane!" He screamed.

Then, remembering dad's rules, turned and ran away, tears streaming down his face, leaving me with nightmares that would haunt me for years.

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Sorry if there are any spelling mistakes I missed, the 'O' key on my keyboard isn't working completely right for some reason. :[