Decimation

Chapter 5:

The closer we got to Keana's home, the more my heart would race and my mind would wander. Luckily, Camila sensed my emotions and decided to stay a few steps behind me. I took the lack of walkers as a good sign and tried my best to stay positive as I made my way into the path of Keana's home.

Eyeing up the house which appeared to be empty, I looked over at Camila for some support. Receiving a firm nod and thumbs up from the petite Cuban, I took a deep breath and pushed open the door of the home.

I was first hit with an overwhelming smell of rotting food and at least ten bluebottle flies whacking me in the face as they fled. The home seemed to be lacking sunlight, probably from when the outbreak first started and we were all told to close our blinds so no attention was drawn.

"Keana?" I swallowed the lump in my throat before shouting my friend.

"Be careful, Laur." Camila warned cautiously after I yelled, placing her hand on my arm.

"No, she's in here." I shot back, making my way up the stairs and calling the girl's name again. She'd been living in a six bedroom house, so Camila and I had a lot of surface area to work with.

"I'll check in here." My companion gestured to one of the bedrooms, walking wearily into it. "Keana!" I heard her call.

I was in the European's bedroom, going through her draws for any sign of where she could be if it wasn't here. I stumbled upon a photo of the two of us from when we were seniors. In the photo, we were sat in the food court of our school and our friend Vero took the picture because she thought we 'looked cute'. It seemed like such a vague memory now.

Commotion coming from the next room caught my attention and I slipped the photo into my bag before calling Camila's name. After getting no reply, I kicked the door of the room she was in and caught her in a wrestle with my zombified friend.

I fell to my knees at the sight of a walking dead Keana, trying her hardest to bite any part of Camila's body she could get to.

Keana's usually porcelain skin was decaying as her body gradually crumbled away. Her brown eyes were now an icy, grey blue and her silky hair was greasy and straw-like.

I knew I'd never get used to the sight of her skin crumbling and falling from her face, leaving behind holes and gaps which revealed her teeth – now fungus filled teeth and capable of tearing into any skin or bone.

"Please pass me your bag." Camila's voice quivered and I realised she hadn't taken a weapon with her once again. I looked up at her, blank eyed. "Please!" She begged as she put one of her hands around Keana's neck, gaining some sense of dominance.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I tossed the Cuban the unzipped bag and left the room, sinking against the now closed door. I winced when I heard a grunt leave Camila's mouth and then Keana's; then a body dropped to the ground with a thud.

Sitting in silence for a moment, I forced my cries to subside. I wanted to make sense of this but I was thinking and not thinking at the same time.

I moved to the side when I felt the door being gently pulled open and then felt the presence of Camila moving past me.  After taking a few deep breaths, I lifted myself from the floor and made my way outside to see Camila already halfway down the street.

-

Camila's POV:

I started off being ahead of Lauren, but within time she'd overtaken over me and the roles had switched. I felt more comfortable considering I had a weapon with me this time – the weapon that I'd just used to kill Lauren's best friend. I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face and blurring my vision.