The Dead Are Among Us

What doesnt kill you, will only make you stronger.

Fire, everywhere I turned there was fire. The only way out was to climb down the ladder into what use to be my house, only now it was filled with hungry, decaying, Zombies. I'm doomed, the fire is getting closer, hotter, its melting my skin. I feel like the fire is inside of my body, burning my insides. "HELP ME!" I screamed out, I knew I was facing this miserable death alone, but it wouldnt hurt to try. "PLEASE, SOMEONE? I'M GONNA DIE!" I couldnt bare the thought of either burning or being eaten alive by discusting flesh munchers. I have to find my way out of this somehow. There past a small strip of fire was a bucket of rain water that I had prepared for drinking. I'll have to make a run for it in order to survive, I ran and volted over the small flames that nipped at my bare feet, I landed hard on the roof of that old house, causing a rock to lodge itself into my knee, but that will have to wait untill I get myself out of danger. I could feel the fire threatening to engulf me, I poured the water onto myself drenching my T-shirt and jeans. "perfect" I said to myself. The survival epesodes that use to air actually might really help me in a 'real life' situation, as unrealistic as being on a flaming roof, with one bucket of water during a zombie appocalypse may sound, thats what this is right now. I carefully jumped back through the small flames, because the flames nearest to the buckets previous location were growing larger, and more dangerous. It seemed like an eternity went by on that strange dark rooftop as I watched the fire grow and grow, and before I could jump off of the house into the crowd of moaning zombies, the fire lashed out and engulfed me, my skin itched and burned, I fell to the ground with the zombies, my body still on fire. I screamed in pain, slaping at my burning skin and the zombies that attacked me paying no mind that I was indeen a'flame. I began to shake all over, as a zombie sunk his teeth into the tender spot between my shoulder and neck. "STOP IT! GET OFF OF ME! IM BURNING! HELP ME HELP ME!" I shreiked a few last pleas. the zombie suddenly stopped biting me and grabbed my fore-arms and began to shake me violently. "RYLIE!, WAKE UP!" It screamed through its rotten teeth. "STOP LET GO OF ME! LET GO!" I fought the talking monster, kicking and screaming. "RYLIE STOP! YOU'LL POP THE STITCHES OUT! WAKE UP WAKE UP!" The zombies minty breath hit my hot face. "stitches?" I whispered. I felt confused that the zombie was even talking, and then; like a sudden rush of wind it all came pouring back into my brain, along with my vision. A very scared Dawson was crouched over me, much like the zombie had been, he was dabbing my face with a wet towel, sweat beaded off of my fourhead. I was burning up with fever for some reason, I couldnt remember how I had managed to get into the state I was in now, I searched my burning body for any sign of distress wondering if I had been bitten, but remembering the last time I had been scratched and was nearly shot to death in this same house, I doubted Dawson would be sitting here dabbing the sweat from my face if I could turn in to one of the shifters any moment. I noticed an ace bandage wrapped tightly around my shoulder, in the same place the zombie had just been biting me, was it a dream? Blood seeped through the bandage, and I could feel my naked body beneath the thin sheets that covered me. "W-Whats going on?" I stuttered, had Dawson attacked me? I remember the boy thats standing behind him too, but I cant think of his name, he was the one with charlies group. "Your just waking up from the drugs-" "What drugs??" I cut him off, wide eyed, what did he mean, was this really happening, why was I on drugs? "The drugs we used to take the bullet fragments out." The more he spoke the more I remembered about the previous events. Like being kidnapped, shot, falling from the horse in an attempted zombie escape, and up untill now. It was finally clear that you do not mix oxymorphene and sky vodka, ever.

Dawsons POV**

Sweat beaded down her pale face as she laid there, tossing turning, every few seconds a flush of red washed through her burning cheeks, She's having a reaction to the medications, the only way to break the fever would be to wake her up. I bagan by calling her name, when I did, she began to shake and swing her arms with her still asleep eyes wide open. It took about ten minuts of shaking and fighting with her to finally wake her, and once she awoke she was confused on how she had got into the state she was in, her big blue eyes red and scared. I could tell by the way she looked at me and my brother that she thought we had tried to 'hurt' her, physically. I understood because she had on nothing but her panties. I had to explain to her exactly what happened and why. Her only comment was asking for clothes, I went downstairs and got her bag. It smelled better than you would think a post appocalyptical survival girls bag would smell. When I returned up stairs with it, she asked me to do something that I didnt really think she would ask. "Will you stay Dawson? I cant...I cant do this by myself." She said quietly, it obviously emmbarassed her to ask such a personal favor, although it wasnt anything I hadnt seen. "Yeah, Ill stay." I said scratching the back of my head akwardly, I've been with lots of girls in my lifetime, but this felt so much different. I didnt understand the feeling, it was like I didnt just want her to see her naked and do what most men would do with a girl like this, willing or not. It was more like I just wanted to help her do exactly what she needed to do, and enjoy every minut of helping her, in hopes that she would ask for more help. It just didnt make since why I felt this way. "Will you help me up, I'm really sore." She whimpered, I'd never seen her so down before, shes so indipendent and physically strong. I wish I could just take back what I did that day in the kitchen, she'll never forgive me for that. I slid my hand slowly under her warm back and gently pulled her to a sitting position in bed, she used her good arm to hold the covers over her chest. "Thanks" she said smiling shyly at me, her cheeks pink. "No problem, what can I get for you out of your bag?" I asked turning away so she wouldnt see my face turn red, she thought for a couple of seconds. "I have a pair of pink under armour shorts in there, and a T-shirt will be fine. will you grab a bra and some underwear too? I need to shower." She said, I knew this would be tough. hmmm, should I go with the pink thongs to match her shorts, or the black lacey ones that had white bows in the center? There were so many pairs of underwears in this bag, I just dont know where to start, I cant panick now. I chose the safest way out, I grabbed a pair of cheeky silk white panties and a regular white bra. When I turned around she looked at me, and then at what I had picked out. "Nice." She said, smirking. I just rolled my eyes at her remark. I'm just a guy afterall, and I'm sure white would go nicely with her tanned skin. I laid the clothes on the counter in the master bathroom next door and left the door open so she could get in there easily. "Is that all?" I asked, worried that I sounded to impatient. "Thanks." she said nodding an ok as I walked to the door. "Are you sure?" I asked one last time before exiting the room. "I think so." she looked uncertain. "I'll only be downstairs, yell if you need me. She gave a small smile as I shut the door. I stood by the door listening to make sure she got to the shower ok, once I heard the water start, I turned to walk out, I came face to face with a grinning Kaiden, I jumped back in suprize. "Its kinda stalkerish to listen to a girl take a shower." He said as he munched on a fresh cucumber. "I wasnt listening to her shower, I was listening to make sure she got TO the shower." I said pushing him out of my way and striding down the stairs into the living room and plopping on the couch. "Well I think you might have a soft spot for her." Kaiden smiled, walking down the stairs and sitting accross from me on the other couch. "I dont have a 'soft spot' for anyone Kaiden, I just dont want to lose any valuable survivors, she is very resourcful." I tried to convince him. "Well whatever you call it, I think she trusts you, so you dont need to mess that up or-" "can we talk about something else?" I interuppted. "Like what?" He smarted off. "Like why was Rylie not wearing a shirt when she got here? Did you let one of them touch her?" I questioned, growing furious at the thought of her crying for help while someone took atvantage of her small frame. "She tore her sweater after she was shot, to stop the bleeding I suppose. Dont worry, I made sure she stayed warm." He said inocently, but the way I heard it was a taunting manner, saying that her had 'kept her warm' I jumped off the couch and lunged at him, pinning him to the floor with my elbow at his throat, I could kill him with one swift movement. Anger boiled inside of me, but fear framed his face and I realized that he didnt mean anything by what he said "d-a-w-s-o-n.. -c-h-i-l-l-.." was all he could cough before I let him go, I jumped back up to my feet, towering over him. "I-I'm sorry man, the way you said it.. it ... it just sounded bad, I'm sorry." I said offering a hand to help him up. He grabbed my hand and I pulled him to his feet, still standing over his 5'10" frame. "Its cool, just dont bullshit me when I ask if your into her. Its pretty obvious. Besides, I didnt mean it like that, I guess I should have know to choose better words." "Yeah you should have-" "Dawson!" a yell from upstairs echoed into the big living room. Imidiantly I spring into action, I'm up the stairs and through the bedroom door in a split second. "What! Whats wrong?" I asked flustered by all the comotion. She was standing there with a towel wrapped mostly around her body, all that one arm could cover anyhow, and she was holding her bra together with one hand behind her back. "I just needed you to help me cli[p this, I cant do it." She said, although I couldnt see her face, just her backside. "Um.. Ok" I stalled, I walked over to her slowly and stopped inches from her still wet body. My breath on her neck causing prickles to sprout up everywhere. "I dont know how" I said dumbly but honestly, I've always been the one to take the perstering things off, not ever have I had to put one back on. "You just put the little curved metal part into the looped metal part." She definatly dumbed it down for me. I followed the first grade level directions and got it right on the second try. "Thank you." She said spinning around to face me. She dropped her towel on accident, the sudden whirl of her turning had caused it to fall from the tucked in place. I turned my head quickly, right after I caught a glimps of how perfectly toned her tan body was, and how soft and perfect she looked with the white undergarments on. "I'm so sorry." I said with my head still turned away. "No I'm sorry, I didnt think it would fall." She appolagized, although she shouldnt have, I was star stricken. She scurried to the other side of the bed and slid the pink shorts on. "I guess it doesnt matter anyhow, I cant put this shirt on either." She said with a huff, I looked at her, her perfect pouty face coming into play. It would make any man drool. I stumbled clumsily over to her, and helped her to put the shirt on. It was difficult but I managed. "I'll come downstairs now I'm starved." She said. Shit, I bet she was hungry, she hadnt really eaten in about three days. "Okay, what would you like? I'll see what all we have." She smiled at me, limping down the stairs behind me. "I'm not picky." she laughed a little, thats the first time I'd seen her smile, and boy was it one heck of a smile. "We have some of the veggie soup that you brought that had been frozen." I offered. "Yes! That sounds great!" she said exitedly. Then once we made it the bottom of the stairs and into the kitchen, the doorbell rang.

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Thanks to all of my loyal readers out there! Love you guys bunches, I have big plans for the next chapters! BIG PLANS!! Happy Halloween, I hope everyone is spooked out! Beware of the trick or treaters!!! <3