The Immune

1. The end I've been preparing for

I sat completely still, ears straining in the silence. I waited, heart thundering, to see if they would find me.
I watched, in agonising silence, the steady beam of light coming from the crack in the door. I was hidden away in the small cabinet beneath the sink. There had been nowhere to go, I was completely trapped. My panicked breathing was too loud for the silence, they would find me like they found the others. The claustrophobic space was my only haven, and I could do nothing but wait.

I had watched my father die. His blood still dripped from my hands where I had tried to stop the flow of blood. I had heard my brother's screams and could only suspect the worst. I had tried to get out, but the house was surrounded and they were moving fast.
This is the end. The end that I had been preparing for since I was nine. The end that I swore I wouldn't hide away from. But I was here, cowering.
They were in the next room. They were moving fast, searching. One was moving closer, the sound of broken glass crunching underfoot. It had reached the kitchen.
There was movement, a shadow, as it blotted out to light to my haven.
It was here, it was going to find me.
In intense agony I waited, listening, hand over mouth. I stared intently at the slice of light, waiting. There was something sharp digging into my back ,but I dare not move, I dare not break the silence.
God, if you're up there, a little help please.
The shadow began opening cabinets, searching through them. What could it possibly need? How would it know I'm in here. Yet they must.
Panic overwhelmed me, boiling up, ready to explode. I was completely defenceless, without a weapon or even the chance of help.
I can do this. When it opens the cabinet I can just tackle it, I can just push it over and jog out the back. Maybe.

Might work.

Fuck this.

I couldn't bear another second.
With the speed of sheer urgency and despair I jolted from my hiding spot, flinging myself onto the kitchen floor. I landed awkwardly, jarring my wrist on the cold linoleum. Without looking back I sprung for the back door, leaving it behind me.
I could see the darkness of the Night, her embrace could hide me, keep me free.
It was too late to stop when another shadow appeared behind the door, too late to turn around. There was one out there.
On my next step I pushed off the ground , crashing through the door and into the figure.
The sheer force sent us both stumbling to the floor. I rolled off of him and jumped to my feet, the forest wasn't far, I could smell it, I could feel the darkness and safety.
A strong hand gripped my ankle and yanked me down, twisting sharply. I used my free leg to stomp on the figure, but it's grip only strengthened, its painful grip pulling me close.
I tried desperately to scream, it's tight grip pulling me in. I struggled and tried to pull free. The blood was pounding in my ears, my only concern was my survival. I had to get away, escape. 

 
I heard a guns safety click off , followed by the cold press of steel against the side of my head. I stopped struggling. I was so dead.
The soldier from the kitchen had joined his struggling comrade on the back veranda. The soldier holding me was able to pull his grip tighter.
Silence followed for several long seconds. His armour made him look foreign and terrifying. No part of him looked human. He was just another faceless soldier. His alien appearance was in direct contrast to the western homestead's kitchen.

The heavy silence that had descended was interrupted by the distant moan of a zombie. 

Gunshots not too far away rung out, their echo ringing out in the silence, a call to all the undead roaming the valley. Both radios on the soldiers crackled to life -
"At least 25 zombies from the east, retreat imminent, 3 minutes till support fall back"
So many zombies, a herd had stumbled upon us. 
"Report in on objectives" the warbled voice transmitted.
A boom filled the air, shattering the mild night. Hot air filled with the scent of burning wood wafted in from the right. A dim orange glow lit up the area, highlighting shimmering dark shadows in the trees.
The barn.
The soldier holding me heaved me to my feet, and began to drag me back through the house. The last glimpse I had of the back yard included a growing thick smoke, jittering shadows and stumbling figures emerging from the woods.

"Ashlyn acquired returning to 2" spoke the soldier from the kitchen . His voice sounded younger than the ageless uniform. 
"Nathan acquired returning to 1" a distant voice  radioed in.
"Brennan in 3 on route to base" another voice called. My brothers, the sixteen year old twins -  they were alive, but with where they were heading, I'm not sure for how long. I didn't know whether to be happy they were alive, or whether to starting grieving already.
Our small group had been joined by three more soldiers as we made our way outside the front of the house and down the path. I was dragged along as they pulled me towards a truck. Dark, agitated shadows twitched in the woods. 

A cloud of dust could be seen further up the road, a brother departing for the unknown. Two trucks remained, one for me, and one for my baby sister. 
A scream so terrifying filled the air, a scream from a little girl. Gunshots filled the night air. The radios blared the sound of the siege. Turning back, I watched as the window on the top story lit up with bright flashes of gunfire.
A heavy silence descended. The scream had stopped. The gunfire stopped. The window remained dark, the stumbling figures hidden in shadow.
"Oh , God" I felt my legs sag beneath me "Lily!"
I struggled desperately flinging my leg into the knee on the man who held me.
Unprepared for my sudden weight and backlash, the soldier didn't see it coming. I dropped from his arms as he began to fall, I sprinted for the house.

Lily. Only 10 years old. She was born into a world of madness, and she would die in it. I had to know though , she could still be alive. The group of soldiers had turned, I could hear a running set of footprints approaching. I had one chance.
The door on the veranda opened before I could get to it. A man emerged. A man I knew well.
My father.
The bullet in his chest didn't slow him down.

His milky eyes were on me. Full of hunger. Blood dripped from his clothes. His walk sure and unhurried.
I stopped abruptly. Bent over, a feeling of absolute despair and horror fatigued me. The soldier behind me stopped too, he gripped my arm and pulled me back along side him.
He removed a gun from his belt and aimed at the creature that used to be my father.
"May I do it" I asked. The soldier visibly stiffened. I raised my eyes to the soldier mask, staring intently at where the eyes would be behind the foreign shield. I could feel him looking at me.
He answered by passing me the gun, his action slow with caution. This was goodbye. This was a promise , a promise kept , a right of passage in these dark days, an unfortunate loving gesture, and a final goodbye.
I recognized the gun, that minutes ago was pointed at me.

I stared at my father, the man who raised me and protected me. It's milky eyes, cold and unfocused didn't recognise me.
The creature recognized the object in my hand, it roared in anger. It wasn't my father anymore.
It lept.
I fired.
I shot once, the power bolting up my arm, the sound echoing, attracting.
I gave the soldier back his gun without looking at him, and turned for the truck.
I was beaten and defeated, too emotionally worn down to attempt escape.
We were running for the truck. Agitated shapes emerged from the forest running, their hands reaching. The smoke from earlier was the barn on fire. It had set fire to the nearby trees. This area would become a beacon to thousands.
My eyes filled and hot tears welled down my cheeks. I climbed into the back of the truck, glimpsing my once quiet home, now over run with zombies. The doors of the truck slammed shut, locking me in my prison.
It was now time to find out which was the lesser of two evils.

hey guys

my first story - and so what do you think? I am looking for all types of feedback, ;)

hope you enjoyed it