The Last Alive

Chapter Twenty-Six - Holy Shit, We Escaped

Chapter Twenty-six

Holy Shit, We Escaped!

"Emma!" Nathan screamed.

The world slowed down in those few seconds that I fell. I looked down and saw Nathan running to me. Meaghan had a look of absolute horror on her face while Taz seemed be frozen in place. Liz squeezed her eyes shut, probably to not see me splat on the ground.

Is this how I go?

I squeezed my eyes shut as the cement stairs grew closer. I didn't land on them though. I landed on something somewhat softer and not stable.

"Oh God," I heard the soft thing under me groan.

"Nathan?" I looked at him in confusion.

"I wasn't about to let you go splat." He smiled weakly.

"You could have killed yourself!" I yelled, punching him in the shoulder.

"Nah, but I'm pretty sure I broke a rib or two."

"Why did you do something so stupid?"

"I'm sorry for saving your life. Would you rather have died?" he asked.

"I may have survived," I mumbled.

"Doubt it, and if you did you'd be pretty much immobilized. Meaghan and I would never have been able to get you back."

"You could have left me," I said, standing.

"Really, Emma? You think either of us would have just left you here?"

"I'd have left you," I mumbled.

"No you wouldn't." Meaghan helped me stand.

"I know. Well, now that we're all partially broken let's get out of here."

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Nathan led the way up the stairs.

The main hall was free of the undead for now. I knew we had to hurry if we wanted to get out unscathed. I was always so anxious to get to the hockey arena; this was the first time I couldn't wait to get out.

"Are you going to leave them like that?" Taz asked, looking at the zombie hockey players in the center of the rink.

"Yes."

"Why?" He held the kitten out to me.

I happily took it and stuffed her back inside my jacket. "Why not? They aren't hurting anyone."

"Why won't you just put them down?"

"One of my favorite players is out there," I said.

"He's not a person anymore," Liz said.

"So? They're not going anywhere or hurting anyone."

"Alright, if you say so." She shrugged her shoulders.

"I do. Now can we please leave?" I asked.

I pushed past him and headed for the front door. Outside the large glass doors the streets were clear. I pushed them open and escaped into the even cooler air. I took a deep breath, looking up to the hazy morning sky. Sunlight was beginning to peak over the horizon, trying to push through the clouds hanging over the city. Winter would be early. I zipped up my jacket being careful not to squish the kitten still more than happy to snuggle against my stomach. I was amazed that she had not been squished or smashed in the time she spent there. Straight ahead, only a few blocks away, the blockaded city was nothing more than a shadow of its former glory. The tall wooden fence was higher than the court house and there were sporadic guard towers with armed men on them at all times.