BEYOND THE DEAD ZONE | COMPLETE

Twenty-Seven |

I haven't updated in a hot minute and for that I'm deeply sorry. I was struggling a bit lately but I have righted myself and as an apology here's an extra long update. I'll do better moving forward. I'm sorry to anyone I disappointed, I know what it's like to wait around for an update and it's so not cool. I don't this doesn't deter anyone from this book, it's getting good--that I promise. 

Enjoy! :) 

Twenty-Seven |

True to her word, Cora led us out of the compound which was going insane. It seemed no one noticed as we ran by—the chaos was terrible. Buildings were on fire, zombies were moving around us and there was blood every where. I stopped outside, causing Idris to run into my back. I stumbled forward, my eyes moving around us.

Cerci had grabbed my arm, "You can't save any of them. We need to go."

But she had been wrong. I wasn't stopped by some righteous passion—I had been stopped by my own horror. There were people around us dying; soldiers had been ripped apart and actively being eaten by zombies. Whatever Persephone had done—she'd ruined this compound. I stumbled forward being pulled by Cerci as Cora led us without looking back. Her actions surprised me as well, I mean, this was her home and the people who raised her.

Why didn't she care?

"Cora—"

"There's no time for speak," she panted, stopping us suddenly, "We're here."

I looked around at the thicket of trees around us and on our right the wall of the dome. I didn't see any evidence of getting us inside—there was no door nor tunnel. I rubbed my face tiredly; my brain ached.

"Where is here?" I asked.

She moved towards the tunnel before pointing to an oddly placed bush. We all squinted and she let out a small noise before taking three steps back. Confusion filled me as she suddenly ran forward before jumping into the bush. A startled noise left my lips as her entire body disappeared into the bush—the sound of her giggling drifted up from somewhere.

"Goodness!" Cerci gasped, "Cora?!"

"It's an underground tunnel!" we heard her yell up from the abyss.

A tunnel? I moved over to the bush and squatted to peer under it—sure enough a very sketchily made tunnel had been dug. It was deep and dark. I couldn't tell how deep it was nor how far it went but I figured if Cora was trying to fuck us over she wouldn't have gone first. A sigh left my lips as I turned to Cerci and Idris. Behind them the sounds of zombies were slowly getting closer. We didn't have weapons so we needed to go if we didn't want to go.

"Alright," I grumbled, "who wants to go first?"

"I-I can," Idris whispered.

My head shook, "No. If something is down there both you and Cora are...no."

"You mean I'm weak," he said quietly.

Guilt filled me, "I don't mean it like that—"

"It's ok. I get it."

I hated how hurt his voice said. My mouth opened but then shut and I rubbed where my heart was. If it kept him alive, I had to just swallow the hurt I'd done to him. He was weak physically but that was ok because he was Idris. I just didn't want him getting hurt.

"I'll go," Cerci said with a confidant nod.

My head tilted, "Maybe I should go first?"

"No," she replied sharply, her eyes shinning with determination, "We don't know that there's anything there. We do know there are zombies up here. Besides, I'm an immune baby too—I have my own gifts and secrets."