Victoria's life has been hell ever since she was little. Her dad abuses her constantly and her mother looks the other way. She feels lost in this world with no help coming her way, but one day she discovers a letter on her bed that will change her life FOREVER. This story is all rights reserved so back off! (:

The smartest children never remain in Johnson City Middle School. Why? It's not because they drop out, get removed, or can't deal with the educational modules. It's because the teachers do not allow smart kids. The Rules: 1: No asking questions. Just do as we say. 2: Never state your opinion. It doesn't matter. 3: Don't read anything outside of this school. 4: Never deny a teacher's request. 5: Never tell us no. 6: Respect us. 7: No cellphones, laptops, computer usage. 8: No cursing. Punishments Disrespect: Gets hit. 5 strikes/atonement Liars: Tongues grated Stealing: Left hand chopped off Speaking your mind or out to a teacher: Mouth sewed Caught outside of class without a pass or good reason: Feet are burned by fire Caught with cellphone: Acid poured into ears

After escaping a stalled elevator into a zombie apocalypse, Emily must learn how to trust people again or risk losing everything in this terrifying world. ***** For Emily, every day of the last two years have been a blur. She keeps her head down, takes her college courses online, and only goes out to work at her mandatory internship. But all that changes on the day the office elevator breaks down, leaving her trapped when the screams begin. And when the doors finally open, revealing a dystopian world ruined by bloody teeth and disease, Emily is launched into a terrifying run for her life, caught between the strangers she's not sure she can trust and the man-eating monsters that hunger for her flesh. Now she must learn not only how to survive in this new and dangerous world, but also how to overcome her own inner demons before they cost her something more precious than her life. [[Wattys' Shortlist]] [[Promoted by AMC]] Content and/or Trigger Warning: The story contains some gore, violence, strong language, and dark themes. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]