48 Hours

Chapter Eighteen

Dedicated to Andrew Wickens for motivating and helping me to complete this story! =)

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I knew it was time to go. 

I imagined my death to be a big moment where I was surrounded by my loved ones, maybe my children or grandchildren.  I didn’t want to leave the world this early.  I now understand why there are so many quotes saying ‘Live life, you only have one shot!’ I hardly had lived mine, I wanted to travel, I wanted to get married and I wanted to finish high school.  I stared at the match when moments just flew in my mind like numerous Polaroids.  It was then that I cheered myself up, well only a little bit, I realised I had my one experience where every teenage girl dreams of.  I had my first kiss.

My hand that held the match was filled with confidence along with my mind and body.  I smiled at my predator that was also my teenage love.  I stroked the match along the side of the box which usually ignites from the heat of friction but nothing happened. 

I started to panic again as I thought that this could not be a worse time where my heroic act could just painfully utterly fail.   I panted then took a deep breath in and stroked the match again and I then laughed at my panic as the stick started to spark.  The spark then turned into a flame of hot, orange fire.   The monster had finally reached me and wasn’t going to waste any more time and neither was I.  The monster pulled to the ground but I forced my arm to reach the pipe as the flame on the stick held on the tip of my fingertips.  Then there was nothing…

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Alex’s POV

The exhaustion was taking its toll over my body.  The adrenaline rush from what I had with Max was definitely gone.  My feet started to automatically slow as I panted, trying to catch a breath.  I could see everyone pass me in an instant as the distance between us grew.  The first to realise was Rochelle, who screamed in mid-air,

“What the hell are you doing?!”

The scream took me by surprise and I’m sure the others as well as it echoed into the night.  The others then came to a stop and turned to see that I had stopped running.  Well except for Max of course, that self-absorbed idiot just kept running ahead.  My panting began to slow down, but then it caught my attention that my sudden stop in movement was giving advantage to the flesh-eaters that came into view, moving straight towards us.

“I’m going to be the distraction, now hurry and run!” I blurted out thoughtlessly.  Every eye widened at me, especially Ro’s.  She started to shake her head constantly and yelled at me with no hesitation. 

“N-o no, no! You’re coming with us!” I realised that what my mouth had said was actually a good idea, especially one I didn't think of prior to saying it. No one else had said anything as they just held frowns upon their faces.  I knew what they were all thinking; they didn’t have to hide it.  I already had gone over the aftermath of my decision as soon as I said it and it was perfectly clear.

“Look, I will catch up to you, I won’t die like this.” I calmly said looking straight into Ro's eyes, but I was kidding myself for her to believe the words.

“Promise me!" The painful words came out from her lips as my mind was screaming back to her, saying that I was terrified and that I didn't want to do this that I just wanted to run with them. But I tried my hardest to keep it in, as it doesn't seem like it's going to turn out like that.

“I will be fine Ro.” Obviously trying to avoid the pain of myself lying to Rochelle, but it didn't work... of course. She continued to stand her ground and resisted Jeremy and Selena's pull to run. The frequent patted footsteps onto the gravel of the road came to my ears. There was no time for this; I didn’t want everyone’s death to be caused by my foolishness. I quickly turned to see how much time we had and we certainly didn’t have much.

“I promise!”  I screamed out of fear, but as soon as I said the words, Ro let herself go with the others in a flash.  I watched as their silhouettes faded into the distance. I sighed and tried to force my body to fill my bloodstream with more adrenaline, but it was no use. Nothing, except numbness took hold of my body. I turned to face the countless number of zombies that drooled and growled at me.  I was about to become their next victim.