One Year Later-
There was no exit, no surviving the death trap I was secluded to. Moans filled the air surrounding the roof I was trapped on; I was lost in a sea of monsters with no escape. Pulling my chocolate locks into a tight bun I prepared myself for the only was this could end.
I fight or I die.
"You can do this Kate, just focus" My father whispered from my right side "Block everything out and focus on your breathing".
My sight was focused on the red target meters ahead of me, my grip tightened around the thick handle of the hatchet. The weapon was heavy against the weight of my small arms as I took a deep inhale, pulling the tool behind my head and level with my ears. I exhaled while hauling the Axe forward as hard as my weak body would let me, in a swift motion it hauled through the aur with brute force, but I kept my eyes glued shut.
"Open your eyes" His voice grinned under the silence. When I did I locked in the axe, impaled directly in the middle of the target.
"I did it" I was enclosed with glee as I launched myself into dad's arms.
"Just focus" Whispering to myself as I thought over every skill my father had taught me, his voice reassuring me in my head.
My breaths were harsh as I tried to cling to every piece of courage to fight. I didn't make it this far to die on a roof, I wouldn't let that be my end. Under the low growls the beat of music echoed through the scene, it wasn't far, but the corpses were changing their direction.
But I didn't question luck. This was my chance.
My legs attached to the ladder in an instant, slowly lowering myself until my boots hit the concrete. I jumped the last few feet landing on the rubber soles, the path was almost clear excluding the few stragglers still waiting to make me their lunch,
My hands twisted to my waist, unsheathing two small knifes tucked into my combat belt. I inhaled holding the two above my head and exhaled letting them fly through the air until I hit my target. The silver sliced through two skulls with a disturbing crunch, my leg twisted into the abdomen of another monster creeping to my side until it was thrown back onto the road.
I ran after retrieving my knifes, running until my thighs were burning and my feet blistering in the immense heat. I didn't stop until my boots hit the clearing of a forest, leaning against the truck of a tree while air entered my lungs again. Running was a necessity in this world, it was all I seemed to do, nowhere was safe anymore.
But I couldn't help thinking who helped me, there was no way that was a coincidence "Hey, you okay there miss?" The voice was deep but something about it was familiar, a voice I hadn't heard in a while, but I couldn't put my finger on it "I'm not going to hurt you, I drew the biters away with the music".
Turning slowly I kept my grip around my knife, the other on a pistol tucked into my waistband. The world now wasn't safe, and the people were worse; Desperation causes a change in people, you would do almost anything to stay alive.
The moment my eyes met the familiar hazel irises I froze, my hands shaking while I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.
"Katie?" My uncle was stood in front of me, his face similar to mine figuring out if I was real or an illusion. He looked almost the same as the last time I saw him apart from the wider, muscly frame. The short dark hair now greying from the roots and the same eyes as my father.
"Uncle Matt?" I was sobbing silently, my feet sinking into the damp soil as I stayed frozen.
His huge arms opened wide as I ran like a bull with a red flag "I got you" he whispered as his hands cradled my head as I bawled into his chest, gripping his camo vest "Why the hell are you alone Kate" his voice trembled as if he knew the answer but didn't want to accept it and all it took was a small shake of my head for his tears to join.
Matt and my pops had a close relationship even though we lived miles apart; They both enlisted the moment they were old enough. He made it to every birthday without fail, every special occasion.
"Mum and dad, they.." My voice was cracking as I relieved the moment id been shutting out "They got caught trying to protect me" All he did was hold me as I gripped his shirt tighter, afraid if I let go he'd disappear, and I would be left alone again.
His cries were silent "Kyle?" The walls were broken more as I thought to my baby brother, but I couldn't muster the words to tell him, but he knew.
"I got you now bug" For the first time in months I felt a spark of hope, a feeling of security as I breathed in his presence "You're going to be okay".
"Why are you here, I thought you were in Afghanistan?".
"I got home the moment the broadcast went out; I was in a camp the army set up, but it got overrun. I came looking for you guys, but I got caught up. I was out looking for supplies when I saw someone trapped up on the roof" Matt pulled me to his side as we walked through the forestry.
"Crazy how the world works Spartacus" Smiling for the first time in months as I looked up to him.
As we walked my uncle explained he was with a small group; one was his colleague from the army and the others, people he encountered on the road. They were hold up in a school close by, bidding their time until they headed east. Most places were overrun or gone but I trusted Matt, anything would be better than spending each day on my own running.
The school was a dirty white two-story building, most windows were smashed in, wooden planks covering the majority of the leftover panes. The metal fences were still intact which was surprising, a few corpses were scattered along the perimeter, their bony arms protruding through the gaps.
"This way" Matt ushered me to a small gate on the right side of the building, the bolt was pried but he wrapped a thick chain around the lock.
I was pulled through the abandoned building until we settled on a small campfire burning in the midst of the playground, a few figures crouched around the heat in the darkness. The crowd turned noticing us walk over "Guys this is my niece Katie" His large hands ruffled through my tangled ponytail.
The first people in my sight were a couple, from what I was predicting. The man's arm was wrapped around her shoulder as her beach blonde locks pooled down his side. His dark hair was buzzed leaving only a shadow of what remained, his sharp features were almost scary, but he looked like he could handle himself. I guessed he was the Army friend my uncle mentioned, a silver dog tag glistened under the reflection of the fire. The woman was a shadow to his tough aura, her skin was pale, her shaky arms gripping deep into his skin, I could already tell she wouldn't last long without his protection.
"That's Ramon and Beth" He pointed to them, only getting a small wave back.
Friendly bunch
"There's Crystal" He gestured to the small woman crouched in front of the fire, her hands held in front as she soaked in the heat. Her porcelain skin was prominent, matching her short ash blonde hair. The girl looked roughly the same age as me, except her height towering me slightly, she nodded a sweet hey before turning back to the heat.
"And then Carter".
The man sat with his eyes shielded down, hunched over blocking his surroundings. He didn't want to be here, none of us did. Barely raising his head I caught a glimpse of his features; Dark coffee eyes, hazel glistening under the moonlight as his eyes caught mine before looking away. A slight stubble around his prominent jawline, dark shadows cast under his eyes and cheekbones. Everything about him was dark from his hair to his clothing.
"What's up with Lucifer" I elbowed him getting a throaty chuckle.
"He barely talks, think he lost people. Found him surrounded by the dead, he was barely even fighting to stay alive" Matt kept a hushed tone as he spoke about the boy.
Everyone had lost something; you couldn't survive this world without it. "I get that" he nodded lowering his head "Anywhere I can clean up?". My denim jeans were now dark red, covering in fermented guts, slices carved into the material.
"Yeah toilets are at the entrance, ill keep watch" Matt pointed to the block behind us.
I didn't recognise the reflection staring back at me, my blue eyes were duller in a way, shadowed by the purple circles tracing my eyes. My light freckles were replaced by blood splatter, reminding me of the death that clouded my mind. My dark curls were matted in a ponytail, accentuating the sharp curves in my face that weren't there before. This wasn't me, not the girl I remembered.
Using a rag I wiped the gore from every inch of my body, most took a rough hand as the blood had dried and I changed into spare clothes. By the time I was clean the small group were heading to an old classroom, building makeshift beds from curtains in the corner of the room.
"You should get some rest bug" My uncle gestured to an empty corner in the room, but sleep was the last thing on my mind.
"I'm not really tired, I might go get some air" He nodded unsure but before he could argue I turned my heels and headed for the stairs, I was aiming for the roof, but I took at least three wrong turns before I finally found it.
I wasn't the only one with the idea. The dark-haired man from earlier was sat on the ledge, a riffle in one hand while his other waved a cigarette through the air. He was frozen apart from the occasional lug from the stick in between his fingers.
"Got a spare?" I questioned; the only answer was him holding another between his fingers.
That was my cue to join him, I sat next to him leaving enough space that he didn't feel uncomfortable, hanging my legs over the height as he lit my cigarette between his plush lips and passed it to me. The nicotine burnt my throat as I took a deep inhale, watching as the smoke disappeared into the night. It was almost relaxing.
Carter's face illuminated under the harsh night, the deep circles under his eye even more prominent now, a small scar on his cheek that I didn't notice earlier. A tattoo was hidden behind his ear, barely visible under his dark locks. "An arrow?" I wasn't the quiet type and Carter turned his head; confusion written across his face until I pointed to the ink settled in his skin.
"What about it?" His voice was rough, as if his voice had been slowly wasting away from silence. The man was attractive, there was no denying that, but he was broken, I could tell. The way he couldn't hold a stare longer than a few seconds, how his body was constantly on edge and the way he barely said more than a few words.
Lifting the sleeve of my shirt I revealed a small arrow etched into my forearm "Symbolises a new direction right?" He replied with a curt nod turning back away from me "You don't talk much do you Lucifer" Carter looked confused by the same "You look like you want to kill someone all the time" I laughed.
"You don't know me".
"I'm good at reading people" He tried to act stern as I spoke, but I saw the faintest smirk tug at his lips as he flicked his cigarette into the distance.
We sat in a comfortable silence staring into the abys of darkness; Truthfully I didn't know how to communicate with Carter, he survived but he wasn't living. I guess we all were with the constant fear of our safety, no place was truly safe anymore and if it was it wouldn't last.
Just like this place.
Edited