BRAINS: with a side-order of Flesh.

Chapter 6 - Backtracking. [Updated]

Sorry this took so long! I had exams and stuff!

-----

“What to do…what to do…” Back in the infirmary - again, I took the empty bed to sit on. “So, um, just before this whole zombie-apocalypse-people are-dying-everywhere thing hits me, what the hell are we supposed to do?” Mercy, who took the bed opposite me, replied, “Dunno. It hasn’t really hit me yet, either.”

Loved how she said yet.

Hope was perched on the nurse’s desk reading some mystery novel – the whereabouts of where she got it from still unknown – completely oblivious to the world around her, and Faith eyeing her like a vulture and its prey.

She was wary, I'll give her that much.

Ms Faeshar and Mr Tranchen were out in the hallway arguing about something, and Delevan was sprawled out in the middle of the floor with his arms covering his face.

“Mercy,” I queried. Figuring the other two would be less open to idle chit-chat.

She looked up at me with an expectant gaze.

“What happened?”

She gave me a nod as if she expected this question - which she probably did. I would've.

“We’re–” she said, jerking her thumb in the direction of Faith and Hope, “part of the Astronomy club. It’s not unusual for us to stay at the school overnight – or even over the weekend for that matter, to conduct star sightings and projects.”

“Ah.” I said, not sure how to respond. Not that I had time to. Ms Faeshar burst into the room with the most terrifying expression on her face. Some people you do not want to aggravate.

“And just how do you propose we do that!?” She yelled furiously, striding to the end of the room. “The first time got us nowhere, and it's getting worse out there!” She stopped and spun around to face a just as angry faced Mr Tranchen.

“Do you see any other choice?” I flinched at the way he said that – as if she was just a child, unable to comprehend our situation.

“We don't have time to be arguing like this, Darcy. It's not happening, end of discussion!” she spat.

They both suddenly went quiet as they noticed five pairs of eyes all staring in their direction.

Delevan broke the silence with laughter. “Darcy Tranchen? What a stupid name.” Mr Tranchen’s face turned the colour of a beetroot and reminded me of a kettle on the stove – just about to blow. Surprisingly though, he said nothing, but if looks could kill, Delevan would be killed thousands of times over.

Saying nothing, he turned on his heel, storming out of the room.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, suddenly – even if in Delevan’s case, it was nothing to begin with – and approached Ms Faeshar.

"Don’t worry about him, Miss!” Hope egged. “He’ll be back; We're all just stressed right now.”

I wasn't so sure about that. I mean,sure I went a bit crazy back in the cafeteria, but since calming down I've felt . . . rather normal. That's not to say that I wasn't bothered by all this. But I'd only seen two so-called 'zombies,' and only one of which attacked me. There hadn't been any speak of the outside world, other than the speak of their first attempted escape.

I felt like some lucid dream that, at any moment would just end.

“She’s right,” Faith agreed. “But regardless, we need to do something; we’re just wasting time sitting here.”