The windows shattered, and the zombies began flooding into the house, filling every corner.
I had to barricade the door with heavy objects from the room on the second floor, just in case they managed to break it open.
I spent a good 10 minutes sitting there, contemplating my escape plan.
Glancing into the mirror, I spotted a group of people behind the mass of zombies. I called out, waving my arm by the window. "HEY, OVER HERE!"
As I did, the pounding on the door grew stronger. It was a mistake on my part to shout and draw more attention to myself.
I turned on the TV, cranking up the volume.
I pushed the TV against the door, the static noise attracting more zombies towards the room's entrance.
Time was running out, and I devised a plan to lure the zombies inside the room to reduce their numbers outside. Now I needed to figure out a way to safely get down from here.
I considered throwing the bed or the futon out the window, but the opening was too small to fit them through.
Then, an idea struck me. "I know..."
Down on the street, Lee, Kenny, and Doug were relieved to see the kid alive and unharmed.
Kenny walked towards a nearby car, fortunately finding an open window. He removed the bricks and any obstructions that could alter its direction.
Kenny urgently called out, "Help me! Let's push this towards those m*therf*ckers."
Lee and Doug quickly positioned themselves, ready to assist. Kenny took charge, preparing to initiate the action.
"On the count of three," Kenny declared, his voice filled with determination.
1...
2..
3.
Simultaneously, all three of them exerted their strength, pushing the car forward. The vehicle charged towards the zombies, blocking their exit and crushing a few in the process.
Lee swiftly dispatched the remaining walkers with his trusty axe.
Observing their effective teamwork, I wasted no time in finding a way to descend from the second floor.
I tied the blankets together, creating a makeshift rope that I secured between the two windows.
Regrettably, there wasn't enough blanket to form a complete rope, but it did reach a point where I could safely let myself down.
Taking a deep breath, I released my grip and descended, landing on the ground with a jolt. The impact was somewhat painful.
Kenny quickly approached me. "Come on, kid."
He effortlessly lifted me back to my feet.
Lee and Doug followed suit, with Lee trailing behind to eliminate any lingering zombies in pursuit.
The path back to the drugstore was relatively clear, with only some debris and broken vehicles obstructing their way. The group ran smoothly, making their way back to the shelter.
Once inside, they closed the door and blocked the windows to fortify their temporary refuge. They gently set me down, the man who carried me looking at me with concern etched on his face.
"Were you bitten?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.
I shook my head. "No," I replied.
Relief washed over their faces as they exhaled heavily.
Lee, the man in the blue jacket, spoke up. "Pack up as many supplies as you can before the walkers start to gather outside again."
Carley had already packed most of her belongings into her purse. There wasn't much left to gather inside the store.
"Clem, you lead our new friend. Follow Katjaa and Duck. We'll join you later," Lee instructed.
The little girl, Clementine, grabbed my hand and spoke softly, "Come on..."
Reluctantly, I followed her. After all, I had made an effort to save their lives from a swarm of zombies, so i exoected them to send me somewhere safe. However, the current atmosphere was somewhat unsettling.
"Uhmm.. Clem right?"
"Clementine"
"Nice to meet you, Clementine," I replied, introducing myself. "The name's Riley"
As we reached a motel, I noticed a woman (Lilly) who was busy piling up the corpses of the zombies. She wiped her hands on her clothes, visibly disgusted by the grim task.
Clementine observed the scene with a mixture of sadness and disgust. She let go of my arm and moved to sit behind the R.V, where the boy named Duck approached her, attempting to strike up a conversation.
Katjaa, if I remember her name correctly, appeared to be unpacking items from a small truck.
"Were you the one who did that?" a voice spoke from behind me. I turned around to see (Lilly), the woman who had been piling up the corpses of the zombies.
There was something about her that seemed intimidating, perhaps due to the difference in height, but she also gave off a sense of being a good person. I replied, "Yes?"
Lilly's serious expression softened, transforming into a smile. "What a brave little kid you are"
Leaning against the side of the RV, she posed another question. "Where's your family?"
I didn't know how to answer that, so i kept my mouth shut. But it seems that keeping quiet at that questions conveyed a different message on her thought which bought sadness on her face. Thats not my problem so i'll leave it at that.
"Lets drop that, i'm lilly, that little girl over there is Clementine... (Pointing at duck and katja) thats duck and katjaa, wife of that man who carried you.. (Turning her head towards the big guy) thats my father. Larry.. Whats yours?"
"Riley "
After a long minute came the other guys who were left behind in the pharmacy, Carley, doug, lee and kenny. All of them with a bag barely filling up.
As soon as they came in view, duck rushed to his father side for a hug.
"DAD!"
Kenny recieves it warmly, sharing a smile.
Clementine walks to lee as lee speaks in soft tone.
"Hey there clem"
A man(Doug) handed me chocolate bar
"You really saved us back there, thank you... I'm doug, thats lee, kenny, glenn and carley.. I still can't believe how you pulled those stunts with the walkers"
Before leaving, his face shifted to sadness and tiredness, he muttered "I just wish everything gets resolve quickly... It's hard seeing children risk their life"
Carley walked over on a desk, playing the radio on. News reports says about the safe place's to stay. And the the possibility of Atlanta, charlotte and orlando becoming the main shelter base for survivors.
I muttered "Thats no good"
Which was heard by carley "What is?"
"Nothing.. "
Lee and Glenn were engaged in a conversation near the car, seemingly discussing something important. As Lilly approached, Lee motioned for her to stop, indicating that they needed privacy. Meanwhile, Glenn climbed into a vehicle and drove away, sharing a smile with Lee as he bid farewell to his departing friend.
Lee then turned his attention to Kenny and Katjaa, joining them in conversation. As they talked, I found myself lost in my own thoughts, reflecting on my current situation and the uncertainties that lay ahead.
Various question keeps appearing on my mind
"How did i got here?"
"Why is everything chaotic?"
"Since when zombie's became a thing?"
"How did i turned into a little girl? Possesion?"
In all those question, no answer can be found. The last thing i remembered was replying to a weird message and blacking out.
Perhaps it was that.. But i don't see how a message could do that to me. But then all of their question was zombie related.. Right now thats the most closer to my case.
"Somethings wrong? You look nervous" Carley checked up on me.
Startled i quickly replied "i'm fine"
I got up, just then a strange urge made me to want a mirror.
I look around, finding 1 hand mirror on Carley's desk. I grabbed it and looked.
It felt like somethings missing, i looked at it but the strange urge just don't stop.
Well i must say, i look pretty cute. I'd like to have this girl as my daughter... Jokes aside. A strange figure reflected on the mirror.
Observing it close, it was me... Or the previous me. Watching at a distance with a creepy smile right on the forest.
Cold ran over my spine, that was my real body, staring right at my very eyes. His eyes was void black and had white pupils.
The atmosphere he's emitting is like those horror villains on movies. I'm scared, not because i'm seperated from my real body. But because i know that this is not a dream.
I ran towards myself.
Lee and the others hurriedly call
"HEY!!"
"RILEY!!"
Suddenly i got cold feet, halting me from my steps before i could step foot in the forest and get close to myself.
My body spoke, using my own voice.
"Welcome to my W.O.R.L.D"
I want to say something but my mouth just won't move. Strangely, the falling leaves was suspended on the air, not even moving or falling a single inch.
"I'd like to see how'd you will live and survive as a weak little girl in a zombie world"
"And before i go, i'd like to give you a warning, dying here is the same as dying in your reality. So don't try to escape with suicide. All you need to do is live for as long as you can and i decide wether i should send you back or not"
After that, he dissapeared in a cloud of smoke. Everything resumes as memories of this body fills my head.
Coincidentally, we share the same name. Except for the fact that i lost my family after i was born and this girl, riley lost her family by the zombies right at her very eyes. She dies after getting run over by the stampede of people fleeing from the dead.
And by some work of miracle, all her wounds healed and i was bought to her deceased body that came back to life, not as a zombie but as a living human.
Such a tragic fate, a memory that i wish i never saw.
Tears flows down on my face, sadness fills me up. I felt bad for the kid, but also feels bad for myself. When those memory came, it's as if it was me living those tragic moments.
Lee grabs me from behind, noticing me crying, he stopped and gently tapped behind me.
Calling me over...
"Come on, it's not safe here"