Decimation

Chapter 11:

Pleased with my little discovery, I spun the wheel of the car and started heading towards the path which would lead us to the cottage.

The four of us where on high alert for the next twenty minutes, searching for any sign of owners but none of us found anything. Once we pulled up in front of the cottage, we all climbed out the vehicle with our weapons on our back or on belts.

The other three women scanned the grounds again whilst I eyed up the home in front of us, confused as to why it didn't seem desolate. There were no cobwebs or rusted doors, just boarded up windows with slightly broken glass and scratches like they had been clawed at from the outside.

"So, are we doing this?" Camila asked after coming to stand beside me. Her rifle had moved place from the strap on her back and was now being held tightly by her petite hands. Turning around, I saw the twins were not far behind and also had a grip on their rifles - which made me pull mine out too.

"I guess we are." I confirmed and gave all three of them a firm nod. The four of us stood close to one another, showing that we had the others back. I was the one opening the door and we'd all crouched slightly to be a little hidden from whatever may be living in the walls of the house.

Instead of splitting up, we decided to stay together at first. We all entered the living room of the home in pairs, and the room didn't seem to be in really good condition. Sure, the sofa was dirty and there were two flies flying around but that was it. No blood stains, no cobwebs, not very much dust.

"I don't think this is safe." Lisa whispered and I agreed.

"Let's just look a little further; I don't want to give up yet." Camila stated and started tiptoeing ahead into the kitchen which was attached to the front room. Lisa and Jess looked over at me in confusion but I shrugged because I didn't know what Camila was thinking either, this place was clearly in the possession of squatters.

We followed Camila's lead but I just kept catching shadows of her with how fast she was walking. What was she thinking? I was just about to grab her when I saw another shadow, a second shadow.

I opened my mouth to shout the younger woman and stop her turning the corner, because we definitely weren't alone, but I was too late. Instead of Camila turning the corner, she was pulled around it. I heard the start of her scream but it was suddenly muffled and I flung myself after her.

"Camila!" I called out for her.

"Don't." A masculine voice filled my ears and there he stood with the brunette in his arms and a gun pressed to her temple. Lisa and Jess joined me on either side and stood just as frozen as I was. I couldn't necessarily pull my weapon out because I didn't know how many companions he had lingering.

"Look, we'll leave. We were just looking for a place to stay but this is clearly occupied." I tried to appease. "Just let her go and we'll be out of your hair."

"What if I want you three to leave and her to stay?" The male asked and I could hear his smirk as he tilted his head towards Camila's, resting it there. The fear in Camila's eyes was evident as she took a deep breath and looked to me for some sort of help. "It's been awhile, you know."

If there was anything I hated more than men in general, it was men who thought they had the audacity to speak sexually about a woman who clearly didn't want them. I clenched my jaw tight just thinking about how many times we had encountered men like this in the past six months.

"Okay listen, dick, let her go." Lisa spoke up and took a brave step forward. "I could fire this gun quicker than you could fire yours; so just leave her alone."

I was gulping now and closed my eyes momentarily because I wasn't sure that was the right thing to say to the man pressing a gun against your new pal's head.

The blonde male sucked in air through his teeth. "I don't think I can do that."

He was testing us now as he moved his mouth to Camila's ear and smirked. I didn't have any more patience left and was about to lunge forward just as Lisa did.

A loud gunshot filled the room and Jess and I instinctively covered our ears, squeezing our eyes shut. Once the ringing had died down, we opened our eyes to see Lisa's lifeless body on the ground along with clumps of her brain.

The next thing I heard was Jess' loud scream as she fell to the floor. I looked to my right to see a second man with a shotgun in his hand that had smoke coming from it. He appeared to be shocked too, like he'd never fired such a powerful gun before and wasn't aware of its capability.

Camila's captor stared at the body on the ground and his arms fell limp, releasing Camila who then ran towards me. I grabbed hold of her as she fell into my arms and we stared at the sight beneath us. Jess clinging onto her twin who was barely recognizable now and who was gone forever just because she had taken a step forward – seconds before I did.

I'd never felt such a heavy atmosphere like it. It felt as though time was moving slower than usual and like nowhere else in the world existed except for this very room. I had no idea how we would come back from this.

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A/N:... hi guys. I guess not everyone can survive in a zombie apolcalypse novel. #riplisa

gimme feedback!! what did you guys think of this chapter?? I know it's slightly shorter than usual but I feel like Lisa's death needed a small chapter of its own; I'll make up for it next week.

- fay.