When the Sun Fell

Chapter 17 - Eachother's company

Lauren

Thomas stepped behind me as I began climbing up the flight of stairs. Something had been making a suspicious noise, and the curiosity centre in my brain told me to investigate.

Apparently Thomas had a storm lantern on him, and luckily I had a small tin of kerosene. Seemed like we weren't going to be such a bad team after all. The yellow glow illuminated the grey walls, but gave the stony environment a warm glow as we climbed.

I was trying to judge which floor to get off on by where I'd last heard the noises, so I stopped at floor 6. The door that led to the red carpeted hallway had a window with wire mesh inside, and I was able to see enough through the shattered glass that I could tell there was no immediate threat. Other than the person behind me. I still wasn't sure about him, he seemed way too jumpy. I took it as being over tired, but he still had most of my weapons, so I remained alert and aware of any subtle changes. Who knew how good he could be with a gun? Still, he was being friendly, and I hadn't smiled for a very long time until I met him. Yikes, now not only was I caught in the apocalypse, but also in a very heated debate with myself.

The floor was silent, so I motioned for Thomas to enter first. If there were any dangers, I decided it was better him than me. He stepped forwards warily, turning the steel doorknob and pushing open the frame, giving me a look I couldn't read. One step, two steps, no interruptions or any signs of danger. I followed behind him, my dagger at the ready.

Then I felt my body being thrown back at the metal door by a force greater than any I had ever imagined. My first thought was that my companions had turned out to be much less friendly than I had suspected, but when I opened my eyes from the initial shock, I got a very different idea of our situation, although I still wasn't completely aware of what the hell was happening. A dark shadow bolted across the hallway, from one room to another. This one being followed by a slightly slower figure, I identified it as a Shade.

There was some rustling in the room labeled 217, and I motioned Thomas to follow me as I recovered from the initial pain and began quietly walking along the wall. The floor shook with the moans of the Undead, but I heard another familiar sound. I just couldn't quite place it.

Quietly, I stepped towards the corner of the door. I kept the dagger in my hand, feeling so nervous that my knuckles were turning white when I gripped the handle. My heart was beating quickly, hammering through my chest as I peered around the splintered border of the door.

Joel

Grace scurried out of the way of the chopper, now only about 20 yards from the large business building. Below me, the streets and windows were once again exploding with the screams and wails of the undead. It felt unnatural and strange to see a glimpse of the world before it fell to shit, but who was I to complain? I might finally get a chance to see a normal day again. Maybe I would get to eat a meal that didn't come from a can? That would be pretty awesome.

It was too late for me to save myself from slipping into memories, if only for a brief moment. How I missed my family, as dysfunctional and abusive as they might have been. My parents had never been the same since the night my father attacked me, he began to avoid me completely other than to call me the occasional profanity or complain about whatever minor offence I had committed. And my mother, well, she kinda just slipped away. I mean she was healthy, obviously, but she was weak and never stood up to my father. But at least she was nice to me.

It was my sister I missed the most. She was the other half of me, the more social, party-type person, and I probably would never have stepped out of my shell had it not been for her. Sure, I preferred the company of the online world to a big sweaty mass of strange people dancing to stupid music, but somehow she managed to bring some fun into the situation.

Then I pulled myself out of the little abyss I had fallen into.

The building shook as the rails of the helicopter hit, and I found myself being pushed to the ground by the intense wind created by the propellers. I felt my heart pounding in my chest, it seemed way too close to the point of breaking my ribs. Anxiety filled my veins and suddenly I got a rush of adrenalin when I realized the potential danger of this situation. What would I do if these people were not friendly? But then again, if they weren't, wouldn't they have either ignored us or shot us from the air?