Bloodshed for survival-A zombie novel

Chapter 12: imminity to evil

Panting and tripping with Amber close the undead tail snapping and falling over each other, car alarms wail over the sounds of death that pursue right behind us. I don't know where to run but anywhere is safe apart from here, at that exact moment is when we have been spared from our imminent death. A sewer entrance. I sprint with a jolt of adrenaline to the cage. Swinging it open it creeks as the rusty hinges move for the first time in a long time. The undead just seconds behind us. Amber dives in screaming for me to follow in a panic, dashing on the other side swinging the barred door shut the meat eaters lunge and push up against each other, snarling with rotten mouths and glaring with their blood red eyes. They stick their hands through any gap they could find attempting to get the slightest bit of their satisfaction. Amber takes me by the hand and pulls me a long into the depths of the stinking maze. Our footsteps echo through the damp, dim tunnels, the sound of spading with ever step, the screams and snarling becomes nothing but a faint echo as we proceed further and further into the unknown.

Walking for around fifteen minutes we are met with nothing but dead ends or collapses. Ambers breathing is shaky as the nightmarish setting creeps up on her. Every corner you turn you Jane no idea what's waiting on the other side. Every once in a while a thud or footsteps echo through the darkest parts of the sewers. We need to find a way out of here "did you bring any source of light?" I whisper to Amber, she turns with desperate eyes, her arms wrapped around herself "n...no, did you?" I remove my back pack from my shoulders, unzipping it, rummaging though a road flare is the only light source I could find. I pull it out of my bag and Amber looks at the object in shock but in relief "where did you find that?" She says with a gentle voice "I found it whilst looting at the military checkpoint", "how does it work?" She replies. "I don't know....I've never used one before" observing the object I remove the white cap that sits on top, "I've popped one of these on a video games once...I think you-" I strike the inside of the cap onto the top of the flare and it ignites with a loud hiss, followed by smoke and a bright red light, I stumble back in shock slightly as well as Amber. Coughing at the smoke build up I look at Amber and give her a looks as if to say that this is the best light source we're going to get, she looks down then ahead into the darkness, looking ahead also I begin to walk with the flare in front of me, hissing violently, everything just seems so empty and the red light being made by the flare is the only thing that can let me see only a few feet in front of me, my gut urges me ahead. There must be an exit somewhere. Upon further walking I stop sharply at the sound of distant footsteps, splashing against the sewage "put it out!" Amber whispers. I throw the flare into the still pool of sewage that is below us. The hissing comes to a stop and there is nothing but dead silence. Until the footsteps are heard again this time louder and inhuman panting and groaning follow. It seems to be running...or stalking, I take Amber by the hand and begin frantically looking for a way out although I can barely see ahead of me. Turning corners and pacing up dark passageways the presence seems to be getting stronger and louder and more seem to be adding on as We proceed. The occasional insane laugh and screech is enough to make me scream.

After turning another corner the sight of daylight burns my eyes, it's in an outline of a circle. A man hole, "cmon" I whisper to Amber as she follows close, the presence seems to be right on top of us now so I make the decision to run...bad mistake, only taking a few running steps I knock over what seems to be a metal barrel, the crashing echoes though the pitch black tunnels. The sound of screeching and insane laughter now approaching fast from the darkness sends me into a pit of panic "run!" I shout to Amber, holding her close. The sounds of insanity approach fast from all directions, reaching the ladder I begin to climb Amber following shortly behind, "cmon, cmon" climbing seems like an impossible task from all the weight I'm carrying and my mind state slowing me down, looking back figures flail and lunge in our direction, their movements are beyond disturbing, I let out a light scream with Amber urging me and pushing me further up, her screaming in horror. Making it to the manhole I push the metal lid up with all my strength and pull Amber with me. Though upon climbing out and taking ambers hand as she follows she screams and kicks her legs as one of the beasts clenches onto her leg, the daylight on their faces shows their true expressions...their faces scratched and pieces of skin torn...their eyes...gone, nothing but empty, bloody sockets, and their faces...a fixed...insane smile upon them, I scream at the top of my lungs. Nothing has scared my more than one of those things, Amber kicks and pleads for me to pull her up, me pulling with all my strength is barely any use up to a small hoard of them attempting to pull her back down. One chows down on her ankle, screeching and laughing as he sinks his teeth into her flesh "no!" I scream as I pull her up with my final burst of courage takes over, she cries and screams as she is pulled onto the concrete, taking my rifle I repeatedly throw hits at the things with the butt of my gunn, they tumble a few steps down the ladder before I push the lid back onto its slot...not only till the same one that has just taken a chunk out of Amber gives me one final...expression...its face is soldered into my mind as I move the lid back onto its place, falling back and the screams seem to go silent.

Gaining my consciousness back I realise what has just happened. "Amber!" She holds her ankle in pain, shaking her head and screaming to god why her. "Amber...please, please your going to be fine okay!". "No!" She screams back with tear flooded eyes "it's over!", her face drains of all hope and she looks me in the eyes "I'm going to turn into one of those...things...no...no! Please!" She falls into me crying madly, tears flood my eyes as the reality is hurting more than it ever could. "Amber...no, this can't be happening..."

Half an hour later

Kicking in an apartment door Amber leans beside me, pale and with bloodshot eyes from all the crying. I slam the door shut behind me and sit Amber on the sofa that is right in front of us, she throws up onto the carpet as she, snivels before bursting into tears again, I wipe my eyes from my own tears and I hold her cheeks, her eyes meeting mine "Amber...I'm sorry...its my fault" she sniffs before holding my hands "it's okay...this isn't your fault, fate choses whoever and nobody can control it"..."I can't let you go!" I say "I'm not giving up!" I take my bag from my shoulders and take out cloth and some alcohol "the virus may not work since it wasn't that deep of a bite...right..." Trying to reassure myself I pour the alcohol on the wound, Amber clenches her teeth in pain as I rub the cloth on the wound. My sight blurry from the tears...what am I going to do...is it all over, I don't want to be alone...I'm not ready. My thoughts race through me but determination takes over and I begin to wrap a fresh cloth around the wound, "your...your going to be okay...okay?" She shakes her head with a sorrowful expression..."you can't...here" she hands me her revolver, opening the chamber...revealing one bullet "don't let me turn...please" I break down at this point crying as I look at the floor, my tears falling to the grey carpet, "no...we will wait, I'm not giving up on you Amber". She shows a weak smile and let's out a small but vacant giggle, holding my hands tighter, "I've never told you how much I..how much..."Her eyes slowly close as mine widen "no...Amber...Amber please no please not now, no...no!" Her hands loosen as the fall to her sides. Standing I place my hands onto my head, screaming "no! Why! It's my fault! Why do I have to be so stupid!" I fall onto my knees and glare at the floor wide streaming eyes "why?...why?".

Sitting on a chair opposite Amber my eyes still blood red from all the crying, the stains on my cheeks along with the dirt and blood, holding the revolver loosely on my dirty, teary palms, it's been an hour since she got bit, I don't know if I can do it...I don't want to it, what am I going to do once I'm alone. I've cried so much I'm not sure if I can cry anymore, my state of emotional decay suddenly is alerted by Ambers movement, my eyes snap up to her, she shifts and groans in what seems to be pain... I stand slowly, holding the revolver as I begin to choke back on tears, she moves some more groaning and breathing heavily. I look at her with painful eyes, as more tears fall from my eyes, slowly raising the revolver with trembling arms, pulling the hammer back...waiting. Her eyes twitch, slowly opening. I fall apart my hand barely holding onto the weapon. She opens her eyes...still full of colour she says gently..."R...Ryan" I choke in disbelief dropping the revolver and falling to my knees once again. She opens her eyes fully. "Ryan...are you okay?" She sits up slightly but she is knocked back from me lunging at her, hugging her tight "Amber...your alive! Amber I thought you turned" I let out all the emotions at this very moment and Amber replies with her gentle voice that I though I'd never hear again "what happened?", I pull back looking her in her eyes "you were bit...I thought you turned into one of them"..."no..." She replies "I feel fine, I must have passed out from shock and weakness, "oh Amber I'm so glad" I hug her once more and she hugs me back. Could it be...she's immune to the evil that she has plagued this would. She's alive so that's all that matters to me.