Rid the People

Chapter 8

This chapter was SO fun to write.

A lot of action, and a huge huge cliffhanger/twist at the end. I really hope you guys enjoy this. And if you do, please leave a vote! It really helps me out 💖

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They couldn't shout for his name, not unless they wanted to attract every dead straggler in the vicinity. When they made it back to the very spot they last saw Harry, at the end of the dual carriageway, they stopped and assessed the situation.

"What do we do?" Lizzie asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She sounded unfazed, in which Esme stepped forward, clearly acknowledging this.

"We wait, obviously," She said.

"Right... yeah... of course."

"If you know that, why are you asking? Why are we implementing any doubt here?"

Cassidy felt Esme's irritation: She was fidgeting frantically, pacing back in forth in a desperate manner.

"No one knows what they're doing," Cassidy interjected, for she felt the sudden urge to fight Lizzie's corner. "Besides, we have a plan. It wouldn't be illogical to stick to it." She looked over at Lizzie, whom was shrinking back from the sudden confrontation, trying to avoid everyones gaze from when she last spoke.

"Are you joking?" Esme said in disbelief, squinting her eyes at Cassidy as she looked her up and down, making Cassidy shrink too. And though Esme looked like the girl next door; brown hair, brown eyes, wide smile - she had a mean face when she was pissed off. "We're not going to Lizzie's house knowing Harry is out there. It's not happening."

"Esme," Tobias said, sighing. "We can wait here for a bit but it's really not ideal to do it for long."

"Why?" As soon as Esme spoke, Dan nudged Cassidy on the shoulder and pointed towards two dead stragglers; both stumbling towards the group from a distance. The group had been spotted, Cassidy could tell from the way they picked up a bit of speed, which was enough to outrun a person catching their breath.

Esme took out her gun and aimed, but Tobias knocked her arm down.

"Idiot." Esme growled. "I could have put a bullet into my feet."

"Then don't be an even bigger idiot and use a gun on two stragglers," Tobias spat back, his jaw clenching in frustration. "It will attract unnecessary sound."

They were getting nearer. Cassidy could feel the anxiety rise again; will she ever get use to this? The way their skin was decaying into a greenish grey, their jaws snapping with thick, bloody flesh. They all had the same milky white eyes, loss of colour. And though Cassidy had only glanced, she hadn't seen any life behind them. They were ravenous to bite people, she knew that much. They had been twisted by a strain of virus only known to be fictional, and this fact was admittedly scarier than any other physical aspect.

Tobias took out his knife and whistled for Esme to follow. Together, they ran forward and met the two stragglers halfway, who growled and spluttered upon the sudden challenge. Cassidy felt her breath catch in her throat; the bodies fell, but Tobias had fell with them. Esme had let out a scream, in which Cassidy, Lizzie and Dan sprinted forward.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Tobias yelled, pulling away from Esme as she cried into his arms.

"What just happened?" Dan asked above her cries, placing a hand on Tobias's shoulder.

"It almost bit my arm." Tobias said, breathing heavily against Esme's body. He pulled away, rolling up his sleeve. "It didn't though."

His arm was clean, he was right. But his black sleeve was ripped with a glistening layer of wet blood.