by Tahnee Fritz
I smile and words finally find me, “Of course it was.”
“It was worth risking his life for the taste of human flesh?” he asks again, pressing the barrel of his gun against my forehead.
“You will never pull the trigger. You need me to cure the people for your army. How else would you take over the world?” I say.
He nods in agreement, “You are right about that. I can’t control the world without the cure. But I don’t exactly need him and maybe it would just be a waste of time to torture him.”
Trevor turns away from me and aims the gun at Jason. He squeezes his finger around the trigger and the world around me passes by in a blur. I leap through the air and tackle Trevor to the floor. The gun flies from his grip, but a bullet has been fired. I don’t take the time to see where it landed or who it hit, but I hear a grunting coming from a man in pain.
Trevor growls at me, then slams his elbow against my ribs twice in a row. I roll away from him and grit my teeth from the slight pain in my bones. He is slowly crawling to get to the gun and I see his men across the room changing their aim to me. They let go of Jason and he drops to his knees, clutching one of his legs in pain. The bullet had hit him and the smell of his blood drives the revenge in my unbeating heart forward.
I clench my hands into fists and quickly jump to my feet. One of the men fires his gun and I dart to the side getting out of the way just in time. The bullet smashes in to the brick wall behind me, sending a small cloud of dust floating through the air. I speed across the room, moving faster than either of them could see, and slam my fist against the tallest man’s face. He flies backward, crashing to the floor next to Jason and blood pours from his broken nose.
One of them runs into the hallway and the other is fumbling with his gun. The trigger is stuck and his eyes are trained on me instead of trying to fix the problem. I quickly step closer to him and grab his wrist and spin it behind his back until his shoulder pops out of place and the gun falls from his fingers. I kick the back of his leg and he kneels before me. Finally, I bring my mouth to the side of his neck and clamp my jaw down hard against his skin. It breaks and that amazing warm blood flows down my throat while he screams out in pain.
A gunshot blasts through the air and the man goes limp in my hands. Trevor stands with the gun in his outstretched arm and I let the dead man fall to the floor. I pull myself to my feet and stare into the wild eyes of the man I want to rip apart.
“Maybe you do deserve to die.” He seethes.
I shrug and say, “Maybe I do, but that isn’t for you to decide.”
He lets out a cackling laugh as he speaks, “I own you bitch! I am the only one who gets to decide what happens to you.”
Trevor raises the gun and his finger slowly closes around the trigger. Before that blast fills my ears and takes over my mind, I have a flash of something before my eyes. My old life, maybe, a family gathered around a table enjoying a nice meal. It quickly changes to the happiness between two young lovers and I recognize myself in the picture but not the boy I am with. That goes to the hatred I feel for everyone in this building and I am letting the revenge slip through my fingers.
The bullet flies through the air and hits my shoulder close to my neck. I wince from the pain and take a step backward. I press my hand against the wound and fight through it. I see Jason with his arms wrapped around Trevor’s legs as they both fall to the floor and the gun slips from Trevor’s grip once more. Jason pulls himself to his knees and slams his fist into Trevor’s jaw three times until the man’s eyes close. He quickly pulls himself to his feet and limps toward me, leaving the gun behind on the floor.
“It’s time we get out of here.” Jason says, but I stand still.
My eyes are glued to the target lying on the floor. He is barely moving and his eyes are fluttering open and closed. Blood seeps from the cut on the top of his head and out through the corners of his mouth. I can see his chest moving up and down with every breath he takes. It would be so easy to bend over and grant him the death that has been a long time coming. I could suck the very life from his body while I get to taste the succulent blood that I have been craving ever since the moment I woke up in this form.
“C’mon, we gotta go!” Jason tugs on my arm, but I do not turn to him.
I can’t move my eyes away from my prey. I take a step toward Trevor and feel a sharp tug on my arm. Jason pulls me away from the body and drags me toward the door.
“We don’t have time for this, we have to go!” he shouts and forces me away from my prize.
There is rage boiling in the pit of my stomach, rapidly flowing through the rest of my body as I leave the nagging reminder of revenge on the floor in that room. My hands are shaking, but my feet move forward with Jason as he leans against me while we walk briskly.
The wound on Jason’s leg is keeping him from putting too much weight on it. I shake the revenge from my mind and put my arm around him to help him move faster. He is only focused on getting out of here and will not let me turn back. His arm is wrapped tightly around my waist, pushing me forward with him. Not only is he forcing me to move, but that annoying pinch in the back of my mind has returned and is egging me to get out of the building.
There are three people rushing at us as soon as we step foot out of the classroom. I recognize the two men who always stand guard outside of Trevor’s torture chamber. The third one is a burly woman with short blonde hair and dark makeup around her eyes. She carries a sharp machete while the men have guns aimed at us. We stop moving and I glare at each one of them, ignoring their demanding words.
The one standing closest to the wall is shorter than the giant in the middle of the three. The short one’s hands are shaking and the gun is wavering in his grip. I keep my eyes on my target and, before any of the three can react, I let go of Jason and lunge through the air. A gunshot erupts around us as I wrap my arms around the short one and tackle him to the floor. The bullet from his gun smashes into the moldy ceiling sending chunks of drywall on top of us.
I grab onto his hair and slam his head against the tiles until a sharp crack comes from his skull and the life is drained from his face. I quickly snatch the gun from his grip and point it at the other man left standing and squeeze my finger around the trigger. I don’t have to look to know that the bullet had killed him. The loud thud from his massive body hitting the floor gives that away.
The woman is the only one to remain. She grits her yellow teeth and her eyes dart back and forth between Jason and myself. He is wounded and weak. She knows she could take him down in seconds. She makes up her mind and lets out a shrill growl as she goes for him. The machete is raised above her head as she runs and heated anger fills her eyes. I toss the gun to the ground and take off after her and connect my body with hers, slamming her against the old metal lockers on the wall.
The scream emanating from this woman is louder than a gunshot and it is right in my ears. I grit my teeth and reach for the weapon still tight in her grasp. She tries elbowing me over and over in my chest and stomach, but does not prevail. I latch my fingers tight on her wrist and pin her arm to the wall and she lets out another scream.
“It’s time for you to shut up.” I seethe and clamp my jaw against her sweaty skin until blood pours out and fills my mouth.
She continues fighting against my grip, elbowing me and clawing against my neck and the back of my head. I keep stealing the very life from her body and my strength only grows while hers is rapidly fading. Her arm slowly goes limp in my grasp and I let go of her wrist. I back away from her, stare at the pale hue overtaking her face until she falls to the floor with her comrades.
I face Jason who is hugging the wall, then I glance to the room behind him. The pinch comes back to my brain and my eyes pull themselves away from the empty doorway and I move to Jason. I put my arm around him and we walk away from the bloody scene and head further away from my room. Further away from gaining my revenge.
We turn down the hallway that will take us
to the cafeteria and have no choice but to stop moving. Three woman and four men are blocking the way forward. That is the only way I know how to get out of here and backtracking will only slow us down.
One woman with hair as black as the night takes a step toward us, trying not to shoot if she doesn’t have to, “We don’t want to kill you.” She says, but I know she speaks a lie.
I keep my steely eyes set on hers and don’t move a muscle. My eyes pass over each of these people and I know I could make it out of here on my own. They would shoot at me and I would possibly get hit a couple of times, but all I need to do is jump over these people and run like hell to the door. Jason would be left behind to face the firing squad or Trevor’s torturous wrath, but maybe that is what he deserves for blocking me from making a kill.
“Just listen to us,” a man’s voice speaks up and I turn my glare to him, “Just calm down and come with us. It doesn’t have to end with us killing you.”
As soon as those words leave his lips a barrage of bullets fills the air, coming from the hallway behind them and three of them instantly fall to the floor. The other four turn around and return fire, but there are too many bullets flying at them to make a difference. In just a few seconds they are lying in a heap on the floor, blood pouring from the many holes on their bodies, while Jason and I await to see who’s coming around the corner.
I recognize Neil leading a small group of three with automatic rifles. One of them is the father I met outside before the zombie attack. He lowers the gun and waves for us to go with them. I nod and hold onto Jason. He limps against me and we make our way to exit the building.
* * *
Dark clouds have blocked out most of the sun, but the brightness of the day is still enough to bring a slight burning sensation to my eyes. I let go of Jason and quickly slip the sunglasses over my nose. Drops of water beads on the lenses but I still see everything out here perfectly.
There are three of Trevor’s guards lying dead on the concrete sidewalk beside the door to the school. Each man has a few stab wounds in their chests and the weapons have all been taken from them. Blood has pooled around their bodies, mixed in with the puddles of rain water. I look away from the dead toward the campsite across the yard. The tents are all sealed and no one is outside to keep an eye on things. For a crowd of people Trevor claims to want justice for what I’ve done, it sure doesn’t seem like anyone cared to show their faces to prove it.
“This way!” Neil shouts, pointing toward the tree and the street beyond it. “There are a few others waiting for us outside of town.”
I nod, holding onto Jason while we move as fast as we can to keep up with them. He limps against me, but still runs and fights through the pain in his leg. We make it to the street and I hear the first gunshot coming from behind us. I turn my eyes and glance over my shoulder.
Armed men and women are pouring out of the school and chasing after us, shooting wildly in the air. The commotion coming from their guns causes the people in the tents to come outside to see what the hell is going on. I spot one man who has a shotgun of his own and takes out two of the bastards chasing us before ending up with a bullet in his own head. At least he died fighting for something that is right.
Neil leads us to another street a block away from the school and we make a sharp left. By now, people have started coming out of their houses and they stand on their porches to watch the show. A few of women duck back inside when the blasts catch their ears but the men stay put and get their weapons ready.
I look over my shoulder once more to count just how many are chasing us. I spot seven women who move swiftly down the street, darting between the parked cars and debris. Ten men sprint alongside them, grunting as their legs pump furiously after us. There are too many of them and much too few of us.
We turn onto another street and run behind an old grocery store. The others are leaning against the building, loading their guns and catching their breath. I let go of Jason and help him stand up by one of the others. He winces from the pain in his leg and applies pressure to the bleeding wound. The crashing footsteps of Trevor’s army are rapidly approaching.
This is not how I pictured things would transpire in this town. I pictured myself killing Trevor as soon as I had gained his trust fully. Killing that man yesterday was part of my plan, but I never expected the people to hate me for it and turn against the cure. I never expected Trevor to treat me as a prisoner again or Jason to keep me from ending Trevor’s life.
No, this is not what I was planning at all and everything is falling apart.
“What are we going to do? We didn’t anticipate them to start chasing us.” A bald man questions as he looks all around him.
Neil runs his hands through his hair and says, “They were all supposed to be sleeping.”
I listen to them trying to come up with a solution to their problem at hand. The father of the little girl is busy fidgeting with the safety on an automatic rifle he took from one of the dead guards. I snatch the gun from his shaking hands and turn the safety off. I then check to make sure it’s loaded, then back away from them. There is only one way this thing will end with these people making it out alive and I am going to see that it happens. This is not the way my plan was supposed to go, but now that I am almost out of here, I might as well improvise until all of us are safe.
While listening to the protests coming from Neil and the father, I turn away from them and walk to the middle of the street just in time to see our enemy rounding the corner. I raise the rifle and hold my finger on the trigger, firing wildly at the line of men and women advancing toward me. Five of them go down as blood sprays from their bodies, mixing with the rain on the street. The others are quick to stop moving and dart behind the abandoned vehicles to shield themselves from my rampage.
The gunshots cease and the air goes silent for the moment. I keep my weapon raised and stare at the faces of those still brave enough to face me. My wet hair sticks to my face and my clothes are already soaked just like theirs. It affects them much more than it does me. They wipe the water from their eyes and shake the excess from their fingertips.
A skinny black man steps forward with his arms and gun raised in surrender. From here I can see his teeth chattering from the morning cold. He is not wearing a jacket and his arms are completely bare.
“Listen here girl,” he shouts and takes another step closer, “we don’t want to hurt you. We just need you to put the weapon down and come back with us.”
The others around him are standing their ground with guns aimed for my head. It might not be me they want to hurt or kill, but the few hiding by the grocery store will be dead the second I give up and go back to the school. Trevor won’t be so kind to me anymore or anyone who chooses to rise up against him. I am not about to deal with that.
“C’mon, Bridget,” the man shouts and takes one more step closer, “just come back with me. I’ll make sure no one gets hurts and the others you’re with can go free. They can leave this place and go wherever they please. You’re the only one that has to stay here.”
I keep the rifle raised and say, “I’m sorry, I don’t have to do anything.”
I squeeze my finger around the trigger and three bullets enter that man’s body. He crashes to the concrete and the rest of the enemy begins firing at me. I return the favor and let the bullets soar through the air, killing two more in seconds. I feel a pinch in my leg as one of them hits me and I quickly shoot that woman in the head. Another pinch hits my shoulder and I stammer back a couple paces, losing my aim.
I quickly get back in my place, but it is not my weapon that kills another one. Jason is poking his head and arms from around the grocery store, firing a small handgun at the few who are left standing. I smile and take aim once more, ending the lives of those who are left hiding by the vehicles.
The last man crashes to the ground and his gun flies from his grip. The bullets have stopped flying and the only sound I hear now is the pitter patter of raindrops falling from th
e sky. Neil and his three men quickly run to the dead and grab whatever weapons they can carry. I take a breath and lower the rifle, then turn to walk back to Jason. He leans against the building and lets the gun fall to his side. I am still very upset with him, but knowing he has my back slightly eases that anger.
Movement catches my attention and I look past Jason at the metal dumpster at the far end of the store. A straggler from the enemy we just took out quickly pops out from behind the dumpster and aims his small handgun at Jason and pulls the trigger. I raise my rifle and shoot it at the exact second which he fires his. The man’s head flies backwards and he crashes to his back on the wet grass.
I sigh and lower the gun one more time, then keep moving. I turn my eyes to Jason and see the gun fall from his fingers and lands on the grass at his feet. A pained look crosses his face and he slides against the building until he sits on the grass. I let the rifle fall from my grip and sprint to his side. He holds a spot on his stomach and blood slowly seeps between his fingertips.
“No.” I say, looking at the wound.
He takes a deep breath and says, “It’s okay, I’m fine.”
I move his hand away from the gash and more blood pours from a wound I could easily lose a roll of quarters in. I look back to his eyes and forget that he stopped me from killing Trevor and focus only on the need to keep him alive.
“Neil!” I shout. “We need you!”
Footsteps quickly rush from the street until the scientist stops and kneels right beside me. He stares at Jason, then glances to the gunshot wound. Jason moves his hand away and Neil lifts up the corner of his shirt to see it more clearly.
“Can you fix him?” I ask.
Neil studies the gash for a long moment then says, “It looks like the bullet just grazed him. I can fix it up, but not here. We need to get him out of the rain and to a place that’s safe. Can you walk, boy?” he asks Jason.
“I think so.” He replies.