"There's a small town coming up." Rodney announced. "We'll be taking a small break once we reach. You're free to loot but you have to move around with a group of at least five people."
"You and Nico seem to be the best of friends." Alyssa said to me.
"I don't why but he likes to hang around me quite a bit." I responded.
"No, no, no, it isn't just him. I heard your conversation with him earlier."
"I'm interested in sign language and he's good at it. There's nothing else to it." I said with grin.
"Mhmmm, why can't you boys never be truthful?"
"Say Ejay, there wouldn't happen to be any girl your interested in right now?" Mali asked walking up behind me.
"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't."
"See what I mean?!" Alyssa exclaimed. "Why you can't be like Dameer? Look at him, holding hands without care in the world."
"Hold on, this the first time I've seen them holding hands." Mali said.
"Mali shush, I talking to bush boy."
"We're all bush boys and girls now, you can't just call me and Lj that."
"Don't change the subject bush boy." Alyssa replied laughing.
"I rather talk to the person I like first, before I mention it to other people. How about that?" I asked.
"Fine I'll live with that." Alyssa replied.
"You admitted just now that there is someone though." Mali stated.
There really isn't anyone I think about in a romantic way right now. I care about everyone out here but to say I'm in love with anyone is a stretch.
"Alright everyone, let's take a ten minute break. Like I said, if you feel the need to roam around and explore this town, then do so in groups of at least five people and notify one of the captains."
"Hey Nico, that's a mango tree right." Nesha asked pointing into the yard of one of the houses.
"Ouu, nice spot." Nico replied. "Let's check it out."
"Come on Dameer get up." Nesha ordered pulling his arm.
"Ughhh my poor legs." He replied while falling to the floor.
"Leave his lazy ass." Alyssa said.
"I'm coming too." I said.
As I stepped forward I felt a tug on the back of my shirt which made me turn my head behind me. Angie was holding onto my shirt and looking up to me.
"I'm coming too." She said to the others.
"We got five, let's go!" Nico exclaimed.
"Yanno, if you do stuff like that you're making it easy for Alyssa and the others to assume stuff." I said to Angie.
"I don't mind." She replied.
"Well if you're gonna keep holding onto my shirt then you might as well hold my hand."
I said that as a joke but as I began walking away I felt her grab my arm. Surprised, I quickly turned and looked at her and this time she was staring at the ground instead of me. I grinned and grabbed her hand then walked to catch up with the others.
"Small hands." I said jokingly.
"Shut up, fatty."
The five of us walked over to the house that Nesha and Nico were interested in. They were only interested in it because of the full mango tree in it's backyard.
"Hey the front door is open." Alyssa stated as she examined the building. "How about we check out inside."
"After we get enough mangoes off of the tree." Nesha said.
"How about you and the Russian go raid the mango tree while the rest of us see what's inside." Alyssa responded. "If there's nothing of value we'll be right out to help you two."
"I'm happy with that." Angie says as she approached the door.
"Wow, okay. Nico let's go." Nesha said pulling him towards the backyard.
"Hold on she just called me 'The Russian'." Nico stated.
We stepped into the abandoned house and found an absolute mess. Destroyed furniture, broken glass, and holes in the walls.
"Safe to say no one's been here for a long time." I stated stepping through the room.
"Looks like an animal ran through here." Angie said. "I doubt anything of value is in here, maybe we should just join Nico and Nesha."
"Look at this." Alyssa said as she reached to pick something out of the rubble.
She stood up with a picture frame in her hand. Me and Angie walked over to her to inspect it with her.
"It's a family." She said showing us the picture. "A mom, dad and two daughters."
"What are the chances any of them are still alive?" Angie asked.
"Who knows?" Alyssa replied. "They could've left this place years ago and who knows which way they went."
"Those two girls look so young here." I stated. "Neither of them look older than ten years old."
"Every house in this town probably has a story to tell, and most of them don't have happy endings." Alyssa said. "I hope these guys are safe wherever they a-"
CRASH!
The three of us turned to the hallway where the loud sound came from.
"Something fell?" I asked walking towards the corridor.
I gazed down the hall and didn't see anything that could've caused the noise. Maybe Nico is messing around outside.
tap tap tap
"...You guys heard that?" I asked looking back at Angie and Alyssa.
"Heard what?" Angie asked.
tap tap
I slowly pulled my knife out and walked down the hallway to investigate the tapping.
"What's the matter Ejay?" Angie asked.
"Just being cautious." I replied.
tap tap tap tap
Sounds like something tapping on wood. It's definitely coming from one of the rooms at the very end of the hall. I quietly move towards the sound while Angie and Alyssa watch on from the living room. At the end of the hall only one of the doors were closed, the other two were broken off.
tap tap tap tap tap tap
I grip my knife tight and place my arm on the door. As I opened the door a horrendous smell came pouring out of the room. This room only had a bed inside but other than that it was clear compared to the rest of the house. At first glance I couldn't see anything that could be causing the noise, but then as I entered I heard rustling above my head. I quickly turned and lifted my knife then a bird flew down at me. I fell down to the ground as the bird flapped around the room out of control.
"This boy turned into a ninja because of a pigeon." Alyssa said standing in the door way.
Cocoo Cocoo
It flew around the room for a bit before eventually finding its way out of a broken window.
"I guess that's how it came in." I said sitting against the bed.
"You're embarrassing yanno." Angie said with a smile.
"I was about to say the same thing." Alyssa stated while laughing.
"At least I-"
tap tap tap
All of us paused and looked towards the closet door where the tapping sound definitely came from. The door creaked open slowly and a soft groan came out. I stood up and lifted my knife at the figure that was now barely visible inside the closet. It slowly crept into the light and revealed itself to me, Alyssa and Angie. It's definitely am infected, but wait...
"It's the daughter." Angie said. "One of the daughters from the photo."
"No way." I mumbled.
She stumbled out of the closet which made the three of us take a step back. Blood was smeared around her mouth and her messy blonde hair was covering one of her eyes. She looked at the girls, then after a few seconds looked at me. This girl couldn't have been more than ten years old.
"Tssk."
She took a step towards me and I gripped my blade even tighter. Why? My hand began to shake. Why couldn't you protect this little girl? Why God?
"Ejay." Angie called out.
She took two more steps toward me, but I held my ground. Damn it. She's wearing a blue skirt that stops at about knee length. Every step she took sent a paralyzing shiver down my spine. What happened next shook my soul to its very core. She reached both of her hands out to me and tears began rolling down her pale cheeks. I looked over to the girls and they were both stunned and watching speechless. I looked back to the girl and asked...
"Can you understand me?"
She took another step forward, and was now within arms length of me. I knelt down slowly and placed my knife on the ground in front of me.
"Ejay what are you doing?" Alyssa asked.
I gestured at her to be quiet by placing my finger over my mouth. The girl in front of me stopped moving and I noticed her right leg began to tremble.
"If you can understand me... then tell me your name?"
Her entire body shuddered and her head swayed back and forth slightly. Her grey eyes wandered from to the ceiling, then back down to me.
"Do you know your name?"
...
"Ka... Ka..."
"Oh my God." Alyssa said while covering her mouth.
My eyes widened in disbelief of what was happening. This girl is alive. She's conscious of what's happening.
"Yeah, that's it." I said encouraging her. "You got it, c'mon get it out."
"Ka... ey... Kai... ley."
"Kailey?"
"No way." Angie muttered.
I had to restrain every muscle in my body from hugging this girl. She was still very much infected. Her face was expressionless and she can't even keep her eyes on me. Veins bulging around the eyes and ears along with really pale skin. All signs of infection, however this girl...
"Kailey, I'm Ejay. Alright? I need you to talk to me more."
"Da... I... ki..."
"That's it, take your time."
"I... kill... dad."
"What." I replied in a shocked expression.
She started crying again and reached for me again.
"I... ca... nt... con... tro... it." She said as tears flooded down her face.
"Y'all still in here!" Nesha shouted from the front door.
Angie and Alyssa both jumped to the side after being startled by her, and I just looked in their direction.
"Uuuuggghhhhhh"
"Kailey what's wrong?" I asked.
Her arms twitched and she began to groan heavily, and stumble around a bit. Then it appeared she started to breathe heavily and right after that, she lunged at me.
"Ejay!" Angie yelled while aiming her gun.
She tackled me to the ground and attempted to bite and grab me. I held her off and continued to try and talk to her.
"Kailey, please! Kailey c'mon, are you still there!?"
"What happened!?" Nico asked running to the room with Nesha.
I pushed her off of me then pinned her arms to the ground. She continued to try fighting me but the longer I held her, the less she struggled.
"Hold it still." Nici said drawing his machete.
"No!" I yelled at him.
He stopped and stared at me in confusion. I look back down at Kailey who was now barely fighting against me.
"E... jay."
"Yes, yes Kailey it's me, I'm right here." I replied with a smile.
"E... jay... kill me."
The smile on my face melted away and left a broken image. My mind flashed back to Angie in the forest.
"Why..."
"I kill... dad. I can't cont...rol me." She said as she started crying again.
"Kailey..."
"Ejay, don't let her suffer." Alyssa said to me.
Her words dragged my attention away but only for a brief moment. I gazed back down to Kailey and took in the view of her one more time. I reached for my knife and slowly brought it up to her neck. With my hand shaking and body trembling, I said my final words to her.
"I'm sorry you were born into this world."
...
A cold chill ran down my spine as I stood over Kailey's body.
"She said she killed her dad right?" Nico asked.
"Yeah." Alyssa answered.
"I'm guessing this is his body then." Nico replied standing at the closet door.
"It's in there?" Angie asked.
"I suggest don't look in here if you can't handle disturbing sights." Nico said.
We walked up to the door and Nico backed up revealing what's inside. Probably one of the most grotesque scenes I've ever witnessed. A mutilated body that was almost sliced entirely in half. A piece of his thigh and face was missing as if it was bitten off. Nesha immediately stepped away and vomited at the sight.
"Let's get out of here." I exclaimed in a depressed tone.
...
"We were waiting on your group to return." Zhaire said as we approached. "Alright now that everyone's back we can continue."
"Sir, we have something to report." Nico stated.
"One infected was killed and another body was found nearby. No injuries was sustained during this encounter." Angie stated.
"Nice, once there were no injuries we can continue and overlook this. Let's move everyone."
"Who got the kill?" Liam asked.
"We don't really wanna bring it back u-"
"It was me." I said cutting Alyssa off. "That one was me."
"That's my boy." Liam exclaimed.
"Yeah, it's my sin and mines alone."