Chapter One
I kicked a zombie in the head and watched it fall to the ground. I'm surrounded. I'll never survive. I stupidly went into a school and now I'm stuck on top of the banister. I know what you're thinking: Why was she stupid enough to go into a school, where the zombies are sure to be? Well, my answer is simple: I need food. I ran out of food two days ago. I scouted out the school for a few hours and saw no movement, so I thought it was safe to go in. How wrong I was. Ten were in the hallway, but they didn't notice me until my sneaker squeaked. I started running but more and more came. Then I ended up on the banister. If I could get to the window, I could kick it in and drop, ten feet, fifteen feet? I'll survive.
"HEY!" someone yelled. It wasn't me. I looked around me and saw a girl with a gun (I wish I had one of those.) by the farthest door to the right."Uglies! Over here!"
All the zombies got away from me and went after the girl with the gun. "When they all go, run to the third door to the left! You'll be safe there!" The girl ran and all the zombies followed her. I jumped down and ran as fast as I could to the third door on the left. One zombie was in the hallway and going the other way, I silently walked past him. I tried opening the door but it wouldn't budge.
"Please, open the door! Some girl told me to come here! Please!" I said banging the door. I heard a a whispered conversation that I couldn't hear. One of the zombies was starting to come my way.
"PLEASE! Open the door!" I hit the door and the zombie started running to me. I kicked it in the head and it fell back. Then I bashed its head in with my foot. Or else it would've come back to life and try to eat me again. More heard the noise and were coming toward me. I hit the door again and the zombies got closer. The smell of rotting flesh began to suffocate me and I started gagging. The emaciated zombies moved closer and closer. I thought I was dead and I got ready to fight for my life.
"Please, let me in!" I begged once more. Nothing. Nobody answered. The ugly linoleum floor was covered in blood. A lot of the zombies looked like teenagers. So this school must have been a high school. One stepped in front of me and I kicked with all my might. The others advanced and I knew I was dead. Suddenly the door opened and I was pulled inside. The door was immediately closed and I laid on the ground.
There were only two people inside. Two boys about seventeen. I couldn't see their faces because they were too busy barricading the door. The room was an average size for a classroom; all the desks and chairs were pushed against the walls and windows. There was a whiteboard and a black board with nothing on it. The walls were white, but I saw some blood splatter.
"Good enough. Now who are you?" Both of the guys turned and looked out me. They were both really tall, but one had dark blonde hair and the other had black hair. They both had lean, muscular bodies, the one with black hair had blue eyes and the other had green eyes.
"My name is Emma Nightshade. Who are you?" I said. I still hadn't gotten up from the ground and I'm too scared to. I brushed my brown hair back and wished my blue eyes had no sign of fear in them.
"I'm Kyle Jonte," the blonde guy said.
"I'm Mason Stone," the black haired guy said. "Where's Arlene?"
"Uh, the girl with the gun?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"I don't know. She just told me to come here," I said. He nodded and sat down.
"Kyle, you don't think. . . ." Mason looked at his hands.
"I don't know. So, what are you doing here?" Kyle asked me.
"I came to look for food," I answered.
"Why would you go into a school for food?" Mason asked.
"I didn't want to go into a grocery store because they freak me out." I fiddled with my hands and waited for one of them to say something. Unfortunately they didn't say anything which made the awkward silence even more awkward.
"Did you hear that?" Kyle asked. And I did hear what he did. I heard a footsteps, like someone running.
Suddenly someone was banging on the door. "Mason, open the door!" Mason and Kyle immediately went to work on the door. I got up and helped them. Then, much more quickly than my entrance, the girl with the gun was inside the classroom (a.k.a Arlene).
We hurriedly put the fortress back together and she flung herself into Mason's arms. "I almost died," she exclaimed. She pulled back from him and I saw that they looked a lot alike. Except she was shorter and younger looking.
"I'm so glad you are okay," Mason said.
"Yeah. I thought I wouldn't make it. Huh, glad to see that you made it. I'm Arlene," she said extending her hand.
I shook her hand. "Emma."
"So. . . ." she said. "Um, this is my brother, Mason. And my boyfriend, Kyle."
"Your brother?" I asked. I thought they were together and I would've never thought Kyle would date her. She's so, so small.
"Yeah." She looked at me in a puzzled way.
"Sorry, I just thought that you two were dating," I said blushing.
"EW!" they said in unison.
"I would never date my sister. She's weird and nothing like Ka-" Mason stopped suddenly and looked away.
"My brother is also a weirdo." She hugged Kyle and they went off to the far end of the classroom. I walked to Mason and sat next to him.
"I lost someone too."
He looked at me and smiled. "She was my best friend. She was the best person I've ever known," he sighed.
"I lost my sister. She sacrificed herself so I could get away." I looked at my hands and sighed. "I miss her everyday."
"Kate did the same for me," he said. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and saw that he was looking at me. I blushed in spite of myself. Boys always make me blush, at least they did before the world went to poop.
"So, are there any ways out of here? I need to get to Visalia. I can't stay here, I have to go. I have some family there and I'm hoping they are still alive," I said fiddling with my fingers. Mason put his hands on mine and I looked up at him.
"All the windows can be opened, so if you want, you can leave now. But that's not a good idea, during the day, all the zombies go to the second floor."
"What?"
"Whenever the sun comes out, none of the zombies are down here. Kyle and I searched the other day and saw them all walking around, zoned out. Like, someone turned off the switch that makes them flesh eating things," he said taking his hands off mine.
"Is there any food?" I asked.
"In the cafeteria."
"Where is that?" I asked. I'm really hoping it's on the first floor.
"Second floor," he said looking up.
"Fiddle sticks," I said putting my head between my knees. "If I go up there during the day, will they try to get me?"
"No, they let Kyle and I walk right past them," he said.
"Tomorrow, I'll do it tomorrow," I said to myself.
"Do you want help?" he asked. I looked into his turquoise blue eyes and smiled.
"Yeah, that'd be nice. Do you wanna come to Visalia with me?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"Just me? Or can Kyle and Arlene come too?" he asked.
"That's what I meant, as in all of us," I said. Actually, I wasn't planning on having all of them go, just him. But he doesn't need to know.
"Guys, come here," he said to the others. Kyle and Arlene walked hand-in-hand and sat down next to us. "So, Emma and I are going to get food from the cafeteria tomorrow. She has offered to take us with her to Visalia. I'm going, do you want to join us?" he asked them. My mouth dropped when he said that he was coming with me. But nobody noticed. Kyle and Arlene were looking at each other. Speaking with their eyes, not their voices.
"We'll go," they answered together.
"Well, I'm tired. So, I'm going to bed," Arlene said. She pulled Kyle back to their spot and they went under a blanket. Kyle wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head on his chest.
"You can have my blanket if you want," Mason said. He got up and retrieved a blanket from a corner. It was a big blanket, big enough for two people.
"We can share, I don't mind. Besides, I like knowing that I'm not alone," I said spreading the blanket out.
"If you insist," he said. He slid under the blanket and I did too. I moved closer to him so that I could feel his body heat. He pulled me closer to him and put my head on his arm and his chin on my head. Even in this crazy messed up world, we all need to feel needed and loved.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Kyle yelled into my face. My instant reaction as to punch.
"Ouch, you got spunk." I opened my eyes and saw him clutching his jaw.
"Next time, don't yell at me and you won't get hurt," I said sitting up. Kyle was the only one awake, but when I sat up, I woke up Mason.
He sat up quickly."Wazgoninon?"
Kyle and I looked at him. "What?" I asked.
"What's going on?" he said rubbing his eyes.
"Nothing. When do you want to go?" I asked.
"Give me a few minutes," he said. He stretched and groaned. I rubbed the gunk from my eyes and stood up. Mason and I folded the blanket and he put it back where he had it.
"You ready?" I asked.
"Yeah. Here's a bat," he said handing me a bloody bat. I grabbed it and took a few practice swings.
"Wow, you play?" Kyle asked me.
"Not really, but I used to go out to the batting cages. I enjoyed hitting the balls, I usually hit most of them." I pulled my black hair into a high ponytail and exhaled.
"Now or never," Mason said. Kyle and Mason hugged and nodded curtly. We took down the desks and Kyle looked out the door.
"All clear, be careful." Mason and I hurriedly walked out into the brightly lit hallway. I heard Kyle putting the desks back in place and sighed. I hadn't slept too well last night. Like all the nights, I had the dream when my sister got torn to shreds and I did nothing but ran. But this time I was one of the zombies. Mason took my hand and led me around corners and up a staircase. I saw two zombies with blank expressions in the hallway but they didn't pay attention to us. Mason turned right and before I knew it we were in the cafeteria. Nobody was in here, it was empty and clean. Mason and I walked to the back of the cafeteria and he opened the door. It was dark and creepy.
I heard something and stopped mid-step. "Did you hear that?" I whispered into Mason's ear.
"Yeah, get down on your hands and knees, and don't say anything." I did what he said and followed him to the back of the room; to where the food would be.
"Hello?" a voice called out. Mason stopped moving and I ran into him. "It's Jackie Kindling, who's there? I heard you come in! I know you're here!"
"Jackie? It's Mason Stone? Are you okay?" he called into the darkness. I couldn't see a thing, except Mason.
"Where are you?" The lights flicked on and I saw a girl about fifteen, her hair was strawberry blonde and her clothes were torn and bloody. She looked okay.
Mason and I stood up and he smiled at her. "Is there any food left?" he asked.
"Yeah, why? Are you leaving? Can I come? Please don't leave me here! I can't stay in here. They come into the cafeteria, I stay quiet, but I think they're going to find me. Please," she begged. Mason looked at me and I shrugged.
"I don't care, my car fits five people." I looked at her and smiled. "You can come."
She smiled and jumped. "By the way, I'm Jackie."
"Emma. Now can we please get some food and get out of here!" I said looking around. They followed silently and we grabbed all the nonperishable food we could find. Our arms were loaded with goods and I held the baseball bat between my right index finger and my right middle finger.
"It's twelve, we better go now." Mason kicked the door so he wouldn't have to drop anything. We ran back to the classroom and Mason knocked on the door.
"Kyle, it's us. Open the door." I heard things moving and soon the door was open. "We need to go, now," Mason said. Kyle nodded and Arlene walked into the open with a blanket.
"Who's ready for a road trip?" she sang. I smiled and started walking to the exit.
"See you in the car," I yelled over my shoulder.













* * *

"Emma, slow down!" Mason said. He's just a chicken. He's scared because I'm going one hundred miles. I smiled at him and sped up to one ten and looked at him.
"What was that?" I asked. His face was pale white and he looked like he wanted to grab the wheel from me.
"Emma, please slow down," he begged. I rolled my eyes and slowed down to eighty.
"Is that better?"
"No, go down about twenty more."
"No."
"Yes."
"Nuh-uh."
"Aw, look at you two. Already fighting like a couple, even though you're not," Arlene joked. I blushed and slowed down to seventy-five.
"Arlene, shut up," Mason said.
"Make me," she retorted.
"I don't make trash, I burn it," he shot back. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. That line is soo old. I don't make trash, I burn it. Ha! I heard that when I was eight, which was nine years ago.
"A god, Mase. That was cool, like, nine or eight years ago, but you need to grow up now." I snickered and instantly regretted it when Mason looked at me angrily.
"Okay, guys. Please don't argue. Jackie and Kyle are asleep, and we don't want to wake them up," I said yawning.
"Do you want me to drive?" Mason asked. I looked outside, it seems safe. We are on a country road with trees on both side of us. Maybe we can just stop here for the night.
"No, I think we'll stop here for tonight." I pulled over and took off my sweater. I can't sleep in a sweater, it makes me angry. "Good night, you two. Be nice, I don't want to hear arguing!" I said. I leaned the back of my head against the window sill and pulled my knees to my chest.
"Good night, Arlene," Mason whispered.
"'Night, Mase. I love you," she said.
"Love you too." I heard clothes rustling and assumed that Arlene moved so that she was laying on Kyle's chest. Soon I heard her soft snore, I opened my eyes and saw that Mason was looking at me.
"Can I help you?" I whispered.
"Are you comfy?" he said motioning to the way I was sleeping.
"Honestly, no. My neck hurts and my legs have never been in this much pain, since, well, ever," I said. "They just need to stretch, we've been in this car for three days? Yeah."
"Why don't you just stretch them out? I don't mind if your legs are in my lap," he said.
"Are you sure you won't mind? I haven't showered in, like, a week," I said.
"I don't mind, because I haven't had a shower in ten days, I miss my Axe shampoo," he complained. I laughed.
"Well, if you don't mind, then I guess it's okay. Don't complain if you wake up with my feet in you face," I said. He smiled and I let my legs slide onto his lap.
"Good night, Emma," he said.
"Good morning, I mean good night," I said laughing at what I said. He laughed quietly. I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep. I dreamed that I eating cotton candy, but it was snatched from my hands.
"Hey! That's my cot-" I stopped my sentence and looked into my mom's face. "Mom, that was a cotton candy."
"Run! Run, Emma, run!" she yelled. She convulsed to the ground and I squatted next to her. "RUN!" she yelled. I stood back up and looked at her. She looked up at me, but her eyes weren't the beautiful blue we shared, her eyes were blood red.
"Mom, are okay?" She reached for my face, but I moved away. She stood up and jumped on me. I pushed her off and ran, but she was too quick. She grabbed my leg and bit down.
"AH!" I sat up quickly and saw Jackie being bitten. Kyle and Arlene where trying to pull her away from the zombie's mouth. Mason was hitting it with the bat and I just sat there with my mouth open.
"I can't get her!" Arlene cried out.
"GO! DRIVE!" Jackie yelled to us. The zombie still had its mouth around Jackie's leg. I don't need to be told twice to leave. I started the car and looked at everyone. They nodded their heads and I pulled away from Jackie. I'm sorry, I think in my head. I drive away from Jackie, but I can't help looking in the rear view mirror. She's laying on the ground screaming and the zombie is biting through the bone of her arm. I gagged and speed up to one fifteen. Before we knew it, we were away from Jackie and that entire area.
I pulled over at the edge of the treeline. The sun was starting to come out. At least I had a few hours of sleep. "What happened?" I asked.
"She was trying to make a break for it. I heard her whispering to herself, 'I'm gonna leave as soon as Emma is asleep.' I thought she was just going loony, but she wasn't. I think she was opening the door when the zombie grabbed her. All I remember was her grabbing me. Kyle woke up immediately, and so did Mason. Then you woke up and drove away," Arlene said.
Wow, why does everything seem to be going okay. Then someone makes a freaking stupid mistake and everything gets messed up. "Are you okay, Emma?" Mason asked.
I looked at him and nodded my head. Then the nausea crashed over me. I quickly unbuckled my seat belt and opened my door. I stuck my head out the window and puked.
Someone held my hair and pat my back. After a few minutes of puking, I sat up shakily. "Can some hand me a water, please?" I asked. I heard shuffling and then felt a bottle in my hands. I tried opening it but couldn't. For some crazy reason, I broke down. "The. Stupid. Bottle. Won't. Open!" I cried.
Someone took the bottle from my hands, then lifted it to my mouth. "Open you mouth," Mason ordered. I did as I was told and water filled my mouth. I leaned over the side of the car and spat it out.
"Can I have some more?" I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked at him. He smiled and handed me the water bottle. "Thanks." I drank some and closed my door.
"Gum?" Arlene asked. I took it and chewed. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I guess." I shrugged and leaned against my seat.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked.
"I just don't want any of us to . . . you know. I don't think I could handle it," I said rubbing my face.
She rubbed my shoulder, I looked back at her. "It won't. We're too awesome." We all laughed at Arlene's craziness.
"Do you wanna keep driving or go back to sleep?" Kyle asked me.
"Um. . . . I don't wanna drive, but I don't wanna sleep. Would somebody else drive?" I asked.
"I'll drive!" Mason said.
"Okay, let me just drive up so you don't have to step near my puke." I drove about five feet and stopped. I got out and switched sides with Mason. As soon as I was in the car, I buckled myself in and pulled my knees to my chest. I wrapped my arms around my knees and looked out the window. Ten minutes passed in utter silence. Before I knew it Arlene and Kyle fell asleep and it was just me and Mason.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Better now. I'm not as shaky," I said.