The Z's

Part 3: Ben

"Dad, I'm not a kid anymore so please stop treating me like one" I said to my father with more than a bit of irritation in my voice. I understand that but the area may not be safe tonight." he told me I could hear the concern in his voice. "You tell that every, single, night" i replied as i flopped down on our couch

"I know that and I'm sorry, but with the increased rate of Z's being seen in the area I'm worried" He was the head of the trackers in our area and I know he was just trying to keep safe. It was his job after all, but the Z's were still human; they didn't ask or want what happened to them, and instead of trying to help them the world moves to isolate them and forget them. Some of them may be dangerous but so are humans. "Ok dad i'll stay, if only to get you to stop worrying and leave me alone." I told him a smirk on my face. He chuckled a little bit and smirked back. "Thanks Ben, I'll probably be working late so don't wait up for me kiddo." he says walking out of my room.I nodded in reply, he left my room closing the door behind him.

I sighed and moved to plopping down onto my bed. I started to think about what the world was like before all this Z's stuff, I could barely remember I was so young at the time of the outbreak, Things happened so fast. As a kid not taking the time to explain what was happening, The one thing I do remember is my mother. She died around the time the Z outbreak first started. I remember her long black hair and her ocean blue eyes and her skin is slightly tanned. I remember the way she smiles and how happy her dad and I was.

I also remember how the z virus slowly turned her beautiful tan skin pale and her ocean blue eyes once fill with light and joy were now dull. I remember the day before she died I was laying in bed with her. Dad told me not to because I could get infected, but I didn't care if it was my mom. I was laying there hold her hand and we look at me while stroking my hair and said "Ben my love i'm gonna need you to take of your dad for me" I asked her why and i she told me "We i maybe here for you and him and you know he gets his more of baby then you" she say with a weak laugh. I look up to her smiled and told " of course mommy anything for you" and kiss my forehead and stroke my hair

I remember the next day when she died how dad cried. It sounded as if he was dying himself and maybe he did a little. After that he was not the same man I knew. Then when the Z outbreak started to die off and the world came together and formed the "Alliance" I thought maybe so good can come out of all this hurt. Then the people who survive Z started gaining abilities. Out of fear and hate, "humans" started to attack Z's and others feared that they would strike back or start a new outbreak and kill the remaining "humans" till the Z's were the only ones left.

The Alliance assumed the only way to protect everyone was to go back to the days of separate but equal. They set up a new police force i guess you could call it to keep the peace or so they told everyone. My dad was one of the first to sign up for it and at first I was happy he started to live life again. Then I found the reason he did it, I hear him talking to one of his friends from work

"These things don't belong with us, they are not even human, they should have died like everyone else with this disease." I knew my dad was still hurt from the virus taking the love of his life, but he hate the Z's so much he was willing to murder them.

I knew then that the man I loved when my mother was alive. The man that always has a smile on his face. The man that loved to play pranks and make people laugh and the man that raised me to see the good in all people died when my mother did.

I got up from my bed bored after ten minutes and went to the bathroom. I walked down the hallway of our house. We had one of the nicer houses in the community that we lived in because of my father's position. It had three rooms and two bathrooms so me and my dad got our own which I'm thankful for. The third room was my dad's office which was forbidden for me to go in. When I got in the bathroom I looked in the mirror and I noticed how I looked like my mom. My shoulder length hair was the same auburn color as her, and I had her caramel skin too. My eyes didnt come from either parent; they were color all my own in my family.

As I looked at myself I started thinking about how all i do is sit in this house because my dad was scared that a Z's would get me which was ridiculous. I was trying to waste my life in hiding and fear of nothing. Living in the community was cool but i don't have friends cause i can't go out the house unless with my dad and I'm home schooled so that dont help. It was an upscale prison to be honest. Today I was going to fix that and go have a life.

So I decided I am going to go out and explore and see what life has to offer. My dad is not going to be back later so I had more than enough time. I went back to my room and threw on a grey hoodie, some black jeans and black sneakers, and headed out.

As I opened the door to escape the prison that was my house, I saw one of my dad's guys and closed the door so fast I almost smashed my foot. Shit I thought to myself I forgot about the guys on the patrol and of course they all knew me and would mention to my dad they saw me and I clearly didn't want that. I was going to be more careful, I slowly reopened the door just enough to check the area to see if it was clear and it was. The tracker was nearby but not paying attention so I hurried and rushed out and made sure to keep my head low so that no one could see my face.

So far I was doing well and it helped that it was getting dark and hard for people to see. I never realized how big our town was. Still most everyone knew everyone and due to my lineage everyone and I do mean everyone knew me. This was one of the larger towns, but still only about 300 or so people. The Government only fully recovered a few years ago and it was time to fully rebuild until then we had our town or safe haven as people called them.

The sun had almost fully gone down and close to the outer rim of safe haven. I looked at the sky and saw the purples and reds and pinks in the sky. There was a tree nearby so I went over to it and sat down. The sky was so beautiful and had been so long since I had been outside to enjoy it, due to the fear from my father. I know he meant well but i was not a kid anymore. I lost my mom that day too but i dont have The Z's. They were in the same boat and it's a miracle they survived, i can't hate them just for that.

I watched the sunset until it was completely gone. I sat under the tree for another minute before I got up. I decided that it was time to head home before dear old dad knew I left. As I begin to get up and make my way back I hear something in the distance. I thought to myself probably just an animal or something. But then I saw a light "shit" I cursed out my father probably when he checked on me and saw I was not home. He must have sent his men out to find me.

I looked around for somewhere to hide and I saw some bushes that looked promising. I quickly ran into and crouched down. " Ty are you sure this is the right direction?" I heard a Girl say, "Who is Ty?" I thought I had never heard that name before. The girl's voice didn't sound familiar either now that I think about it.

I peck from the bushes just enough to see who was out. When I looked at it my mouth dropped literally, It was a group of kids. The girl was holding flames here hand, that must be the light that I saw. I couldn't believe she was a Z, and she is one that means the rest of them must be too, Z's this close to Safe Haven had never happened. Shocked, I didn't notice them talking again. I heard a boy say " hold on i think i hear something near" he was wearing a grey hoodie he was kinda muscular and I knew I couldn't take him in a fight, not that i couldn't fight i mean my dad taught me how to deal with threats. He looked at a boy in the middle and I looked at him too.

He had hazel eyes and brown skin glistened in the light of the flames; the girl was still held in her hands. He looked around and closed his eyes as if he was listening for something. I watched him and he reopened his eyes and he was looked at directly at me. There was no way he could see me in these bushes, Then suddenly i felt a pull on my body dragged towards them. I couldn't stop it.

I tried to fight it with all I had, but it was not use. But then it stopped and fell to the ground. Due to fear of what was going to happen next, I was breathing heavy enough that you could hear me a mile away. I was looking down at the ground because I didn't know what awaits me if I looked up. After a minute or so I gathered my courage and looked up slowly. When I did there was no one there, I did a double take to make sure and still no one. I let out a sigh of relief and stood up and then dust myself off. Maybe I was imagining it all or something I laugh at myself for acting like a little baby.

Then I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around without thinking and there they stood. The Z's and I stood there again in fear speechless. The Boy with the hazel eyes came closer to me, I thought to myself, this the end im sorry dad i should have listened. He got a few inches from me, looked me in the eyes and he hand came out to me and smiled and said " Well hey Im Ty". I looked at his hand and then back up to him and then I fainted.