Don't Talk To Strangers | BOOK 1

eighteen

Elle McBriar
July 24th, 4 months and 12 days after the first zombie report

Gage offered to come with me today. 

We didn't take the van this time, mainly because we didn't need it.

"Are you sure you're okay to walk? Paxton said your leg is still healing." Gage said, looking worried. I shrugged off his suspicion, "I'm fine, seriously. Paxton worries too much."

We were waking through bushes, whacking the leaves and crunching over them.

"I don't understand why are we walking through ruble and broken buildings? There's a perfectly good trail on a path." I whined, getting sticks stuck in my hair, "Because there is an infestation of zombies. Do you really want to risk getting seen and getting ambushed again?" Gage warned.

I huffed, shaking off the memory of getting attacked.

We've been walking for almost an hour, from my shitty memory, the shops should be just through this clearing, "Who would've thought we'd be shopping for something other than supplies huh." Gage joked, "Well we didn't know we'd be this bored." I smiled.

After walking for what felt like forever, we finally stumbled upon the shops I'd been at a couple days ago. We pushed our way through. But there was a snap. It sounded like a stick snapping.

Whipping my head around, I saw nothing, "Calm down, it's probably nothing." Gage said, although he didn't seem quite so convinced himself. We only brought knives with us and silly handgun because Paxton was back at home loading them all.

"If we get mauled, I blame Paxton." I huffed, following closely behind Gage, "Don't worry. I blame Paxton too." 

There it was again, that snapping sound. "Gage, I don't think we're alone." I whispered, eye's narrowing at my surroundings. We're too closed in right now for zombies to get us. So where is it coming from.

"ELLE, BEHIND YOU." Gage screamed, but that's all I remember before my vision was filled with black dots.

* * *

My head thumped. A sharp pain erupting in the back of my head. I opened my eyes, immediately regretting it as a bright light burned my eyeballs.

I groaned, trying to sit up. Turns out, I was already sitting. 

I lifted my head, looking around. Where the hell am I? And what happened? I wriggled my body, feeling the rope dig into my skin and ankles, then I remembered, "Gage?" I screamed, "Hey I'm here, I'm right behind you." He panted. It was then I could feel the heat from his body and the deep breathing, "What the hell happened? Where are we?" I croaked out, my throat dry.

"I don't know. I woke up a few minutes ago." 
"What did you see before we got taken away? I remember you yelling my name."
Gage sighed, "All I saw was someone dressed in all black, a mask over their faces. I tried to fight them off but they're too strong." He sounded defeated, done for.

I looked around, we in a single room. One door, no windows. There was a table to our far right, a blanketed sheet covering it. A bright lamp above us, burning the back of my neck. I was uncomfortable and my head throbbed, I feel like throwing up.

"We need to get out of here." Gage whispered, "Yeah no shit." I whisper-shouted. I looked down, "They took my radio-" I wiggled my legs, "And my knives. Shit." I hissed, "Mine too."