Rise

Chapter 1

Growling startles me awake, but I don't feel awake. I've been in this weird limbo state for... for .... God how many days has it been? I open my eyes and I'm not really sure where I am. It's a strange place, but somehow seems familiar. The growling continues and it sounds like its right outside the door. I shift and the firm mattress I'm lying on creeks. The growling ceases and is replaced by heavy footsteps. I try sitting up, but my head feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. The footsteps stop just outside the door and it's quiet again.

I get up out of the bed and walk over to a white dresser in the corner. A mirror sits on top and it's just the right height for me to see myself. I look like shit. My eyes are blood shot, and there's purple rings under them. I look hard at my green eyes and the face that stares back at me, but for the life of me I feel like I'm a stranger in my own body.

I pull open the top drawer and inside is revealing underwear and matching bras. I pull it out holding it at a distance unsure if its even mine. Feeling a bit weird I toss in back in the drawer and pull out a pair of underwear that doesn't look like just a piece of fabric. I find some ripped jeans with a black fitted tee. There are black docs by the door so I shove them on my feet too.

I'm feeling lost and when I check myself in the mirror again. I actually draw a blank on my name. I feel like I'm in one of those dreams where you're just lost and have no idea what is going on. Please wake up I plead looking up at the ceiling. The growling outside starts up again and it's making me a little uneasy. I wonder if we have a dog or something.

Not only am I unsure of what today is, I also have no clue what season we're in. I search the room and find a black leather jacket on the back of the computer chair. I grab the coat, but hesitate, it seems way too quiet outside. I tug on the blinds jumping as they flutter open with a bang. The growling outside intensifies. Out the window is a view of another building and nothing else. I sigh and shrug the jacket on my shoulders.

A picture on the floor catches my attention, it's a picture of me and some boy. He's young with blonde hair and black round glasses. I know the other person is me, but who is the boy? I pick it up and place it in my back pocket. I touch the knob listening for the growling before turning it. I put my ear up to the door, when I don't hear anything I proceed to open it.

I pull it open and step out into a hallway. I feel like I've stepped in something wet. I look down at a deep crimson puddle that trickles down towards the open space ahead of me. My heart rate picks up, I have to be dreaming.

I take a few steps into a small kitchen where a body lays draped over a table. I feel like I'm going to puke not only from the stench, but because of the condition of the body. It's torn to shreds like some wild animal tore it apart. Screams fill my head and I'm not sure if it's my own or the ones that I'm hearing outside. It's no longer quiet in my head and in this dream, everything has suddenly become too loud. I rush to the sink and dry heave as the grunting sound I was hearing earlier grows louder.

I wipe my face and turn to see someone standing by the hallway. Blood is dripping from their mouth and their clothes are torn. The face looks familiar it's definitely a girl, her long blonde hair is dripping with blood as well. She growls and strolls forward. Her left foot is dragging, but it's not stopping her. I know this has to be a dream there's no other explanation. I must have fallen asleep watching a zombie movie because this is not real life.

She struts forward and pushes me to the floor. I'm trying to hold her back, although since it's just a dream it's not like I can die or anything. On second thought it would be pretty kick ass if I got myself out of this. I struggle to fight her she seems strong. Her once human eyes stare deep into mine, they are blue and so familiar. She snaps at me like a hungry lioness and suddenly I feel scared.

Call it adrenaline or whatever but I push her off of me and land on top of her. She's still snapping her teeth. I look around for something to kill her with and notice the knives on the counter. I stand quickly and grab the knife then get knocked to the ground again by her insane unhuman like force. I've never had to kill anyone or anything before so I'm not sure how to go about it. On TV it looks so easy, but I'm struggling a lot.

I almost drop the knife as an explosion rattles the building. She tumbles off of me and I crouch to pick up the knife. I smell smoke and have a feeling if I don't get out of here soon it'll all be over, or maybe the dream will just end. Either way I should probably attempt to get out of here.

She leaps for me and the knife goes right through her stomach. Blood trickles down the knife and drips onto the floor. I pull it out as she drops and close my eyes while pushing it through her head. Just like in the movies she falls to the ground.

I open the hallway door and find people running, actual people not weird zombie like people. The sprinkler system turns on and soaks us all. I hear screams from a distance and growling as well. From what I could tell I'm not that far up so when I get to the stairs I'm relieved to just barely see the number "2" on the stairwell door. I hurry down almost slipping on the wet floor. I push out the door at the bottom and stumble out. A boy my age looks up blood and guts oozing from his mouth. He's chewing on someone and when he notices me stands up with ease and runs. I hold the knife out and he runs straight into it and falls.

It's way too smoky in here and I can feel the pressure in my lungs as I fight through. A small light appears from a doorway. I run and when I hit the door I stumble outside and into my worst nightmare.