We Will Conquer

This is the truth, in all brutality

[tristan]

We were in the closet. The air was tense and we could feel it. We breathed in the stifling air that surrounded us like clouds of thick thoughts.

There were six of us. Four girls, two boys. We all were beautiful and I'll never doubt that.

"So, I watched another Judgement Day video." Hanna says. A chorus of groans echoed from Natheerah and Saalihah's mouths.

"I'm so going to tell Jamierodien." They chant, anger biting at their voices.

"He's the one who sent the video to me." Hanna replies, laughing at the mention of her boyfriend.

Alan observes from the back of the clustered room, studying. "I'm so going to hurt him." Natheerah says. "He's such a butthurt!" Saalihah says. They say this simultaneously, and laugh. They're so in sync sometimes it gets scary. But most of the time, it's cool.

I laugh at their antics. I laugh quietly because I don't want to be heard or noticed. They look at me, Jodie in mid-page turn. I awkwardly clear my throat. "So, Hanna, what was the video about?" I ask, looking at her.

Her pretty, dark brown eyes brighten as she starts speaking with passion. She tells us about how Judgement Day is upon us. As she speaks, the room is tense. We're scared. She mentions the fall of all sinners and the rise of all believers. Her words are eloquent and she gestures wildly with her hands.

I'm scared.

Alan pays close attention to his book, but he is intrigued. His wide, creamy brown eyes speaks of fear but his mouth of false confidence. Suddenly, we're all quiet and I feel uneasy.

It's hilarious how close I've gotten to Saalihah, Hanna and Natheerah. They've always been the coolest group I knew; and here they were, accepting me.

Sometimes I doubt myself, I'm not as funny, smart or beautiful as they are, but they like me...I think...I hope.

The conversation escalates and we're talking about this new drug: "Frenzy". Everyone in the room starts talking at once. Hanna raises her hands and we quiet down. "Can everyone speak one at a time, please?" She manages to make the request happen instantly.

She explains how the drug induces 'supernatural' effects on the person who uses it and how it makes the user 'crave human flesh.'

"So...the zombie apocalypse is becoming a reality?" Jodie asks, breathing out slowly.

"I'm prepared." Saalihah and I say simultaneously. We turn to each other and giggle. "My brother and I have actual knives, swords and guns under our beds." She says, the sun illuminating the golden eyes she had.

"I have a gun. I know how to shoot." I say, "My brother has a gun and a machete."

The room erupts with zombie apocalypse survival plans. I ask around the room if everyone had attics. They do. We converse about survival, food, water, ammunition and weapons.

Natheerah is quiet. This scares me.

These 'Frenzy' drugs allows the body to do superhuman things. There's probably no way to survive. But we have plans and faith.

The six of us, we know how to be brutal.

Natheerah is an ace manipulator and her beauty is entrancing, almost hypnotic.
Saalihah is a genius. Her ability to get out of situations is enticing.
Alan is the master of strength and he could charm a zombie to eat itself.
Hanna is a beautiful, bright light. She can lift your spirits and manipulate you with her happiness.
Jodie is an expert in all things zombie and weapons. Jodie is a code breaker, if you will. He can hack any system.

Me? I know things. I understand. I hurt. I plan perfectly and I'm a great observer, which allows me to be an amazing sniper.

Anyway; as we sit, we're all contemplating our lives. We were all just prepared in the most unprepared way.

Suddenly, we hear a bomb go off in the distance and the boys move closer to us instinctively, to protect us. We wince as we hear screaming and crying and the air is filled with smoke. We can breathe since it's not thick. I blank out. I hear talking but I'm in the zone. "Tristan!!" Jodie shouts. I snap out of my daze and look to him. They're all on the ground, crouching. "Get down." Natheerah whisper-yells at me and Alan tugs me down. We huddle together until the screaming outside eventually stops.

I hope that if -when- this zombie apocalypse happens, we'll stick together, because we need each other and we always will .