The Invasion

35 | Grudges

After persuading Jace to hit the road with us, he agrees. Reluctantly at that.

Zarius stays at the back while I lead the way down to the building. The heavy silence between us speaks volumes. It feels like we are stumbling through a sandstorm blindly, and moving forward is the only thing we can do.

We barely exchanged words. I keep checking up on Jace, afraid that he might do something crazy again if I let him out of my sight for more than a second. Losing his family has clearly put him down in the dumps. Although he's still alive and following us, it's like he has disconnected himself from life.

When Maddie sees us coming, she shoots us an understanding look and pulls Jace into a quick hug. "Glad to see you again, Mr Torres."

Jace grimaces at the sound of that. "Please, Miss Campbell. Just call me Jace. School has already finished a long time ago. Detentions too."

She lifts a brow, amused, before nodding once. Jace had always received a detention note from her because he had a habit of forgetting to do homework. "If that's the case, you can call me Maddison too."

From behind her, Mia emerges while carrying an old toy sword that she has gotten from my house. When she saw us carrying weapons, she insisted on not being empty-handed.

She gives Jace a tiny wave. "Hi."

He blinks in surprise. "Hello there, little warrior."

She giggles, and he smiles a little. After squeezing ourselves into the car, we pull out of the mall's entrance and make our way back to school.

In the cafeteria, there are several fresh faces. Just like us, some students have gone home and brought back more survivors whom they have encountered along the way. A quick count tells me we have gone up to at least thirty survivors, which is more than I've expected. All of them look worn out, but still clinging to every chance of survival.

People have gathered even more makeshift weapons they could find, such as hockey gears from the gym or knives that are attached to the janitors' old mop handles. They have even gotten some solar gear and those huge studio light stands from the photography room, placing and aiming them towards the exit, acting as a weapon to cause temporary blindness and pain to those monsters if they ever burst through those doors.

Our group settles by the pillar. Maddie leaves to have a word with the other teachers, whereas Mia distracts Jace by asking for his attention—something which I'm grateful to her for. I'm pulling out the energy bars from my bag when I hear a couple of familiar voices coming from my left, where another group lingers. I can hear them speak hopeful words of how the military is going to rescue us tomorrow.

Well, let's pray that they will be right.

Curious, I glance in their direction, but the sight startles me. A pair of tall, dark-skinned men who are carrying guns.

It's Max and his brother...Matteo?

It's that jerk who unlocked the door in the Black Rose Bar and let Mia run out into the storm?

My fists are shaking as waves of anger overwhelm me. "Jace?" I call out. "Look after Mia."

From my peripheral vision, Jace gives me a look of disbelief. "Seriously? You're giving me the nanny job now?"

I almost snorted. "I think it suits you."

"Oh god." He facepalms himself. "You must be going blind."

I shake my head. Now is not the time for me to bicker with him.

My feet are moving on their own. Seething with rage, I stomp over to where those two men are standing and throw out a punch at Matteo's face. It lands on his left cheek, and I sincerely hope it leaves a nasty bruise behind.