~•~ Chapter 79 ~•~
Claire's POV
Times like this I wish I wasn't that determined and stubborn to follow my thoughts, because now, I was going to an actual death road, with lots of pressure on my shoulders and a shaky heart.
But despite the status and the few chances of us surviving, we all knew what we wanted. We wanted to fight and we were all ready to face the difficult circumstances and the consequences.
I picked up my gun and glanced for the last time at Harry. He was obviously scared, but he knew there was nothing else he could do anymore. Everything was on me now. All he could do was sit and wait.
"Alright guys, let's go." I said, earning a few nods before walking out of the room. "I'll be back." I said, seeing hope rise inside his green irises.
"I know." he murmured, nodding lightlty.
"Love you." I said, smiling softly.
"Love you." he tried to smile, but it must have hurt him in the process because it came out as a grimace.
I walked out of the room, feeling my stomach tighten. Liam stayed on the roof to keep an eye on Harry, while the rest of us walked towards the door. "Check if you can send any signal to the army groups. We need help to get out of here. If they don't come, we might as well jump off the roof and die." I said, causing Louis to chuckle.
"Roger." Liam nodded, his tired eyes seeming worried.
"Have me informed about anything. Louis, Thomas, keep an eye on Niall's and Zayn's backs. Protect each other at all cost." I said, feeling my heart tug.
"Be careful." Louis said, patting my shoulder twice as he walked past me.
"I will." I nodded.
Just as I stepped inside the elevator, my heart picked up its pace. I was literally walking into a death trap. But I was going to give my everything. I wasn't scared of those fuckers. I was actually very fucking sick of their existence. I hated every inch and every limb of them. I just wanted to slaughter them all. I had reached the point of madness when it came to these sickening, useless bastards.
I tightened my grip on my knife and took a deep breath as I watched the number of the floors change. You can do this. You can end this. The bravery deep within grew so strong, I could feel my body stiffen and prepare itself for the battle unreluctantly. I didn't know how many of them were out there, but they were definitely too hungry, since they stayed and took over the building for the whole night.
Once the beep was heard, my stomach tightened like a rock. The elevator doors opened, sending all the blood all the way up to my head as my heart raced with anxiety. They were around 20 and they all turned to look at me once they heard the sound of the elevator. The first one wasted no time to lunge at me, with thirsty eyes for blood and missing teeth in his rotted mouth. I ducked and dodged his filthy hands before stabbing his throat, a wet thunk hitting my ears as his cold blood covered the blade. Blood burst out once I pulled my knife out, and he struggled as he started choking in his own blood. A quick punch in the head sent him on the floor, fighting poorly for his already lost life.
The second and the third one attacked me simultaneously, making me duck twice as I dodged their grips. I did a backflip and kicked the one on my right, sending him back against the desk as I lunged at the other one. I stabbed his chest, hearing the loud crack as my blade broke his ribcage and kicked his stomach, causing the zombie to scream in pain and agony. One swift punch in the jaw and a stab in the cheek had him in the floor unconscious in seconds. A hand grabbed my arm, sending tiny jolts of panic through me.
I swiftly elbowed the zombie behind me hard in the jaw, making him loosen his grip on me before I swung around and stabbed his forehead, the blood bursting out and covering half of my chest. I ignored the intent smell of metalic blood and kicked the zombie's chest, throwing him away. The next two came at me and I pressed the button to turn my knife into a katana before running towards them.
Swipe to the left, swipe to the right, duck, dodge, kick, punch, stab. Blood burst everywhere with every move I made. I spilled blood and torn flesh like it was nothing. I seriously didn't feel the tiniest hint of regret for my actions. I had crossed the line, but hell, I fucking liked it. I used to think that zombies are just helpless people that had lost their humanity and turned into animals, but seriously after everything we've been through, I couldn't give a fuck less.
Just when I killed the last one, a loud noise of a glass door breaking was heard, making me turn my head and see many zombies screaming as they tried to fit through the small gap they had created. Panting, I thought of what I could do. I knew I could win time and kill them all, but it was too dangerous if I stayed in here any longer, since the loud noise will bring more and more zombies, and I might regret staying up here.
I ran towards them and pushed a desk in front of the glass doors, hoping this will keep them back for a bit longer. I also stabbed a few in the heads, mouths and throats, spreading blood everywhere. Their screams were too loud and too disturbing, but I payed no attention. I was going to protect the boys no matter what.
Suddenly another loud noise was heard, making me jump. I swung around, only to have my jaw touching the ground when I saw that the zombies had circled me and had broken another glass door, only that from that one they could all fit through.
"Shit..fuck.." I hissed, tightening my grip on my katana. I ignored the dull ache on my muscles with every move I made and the coughing that followed every time I jumped or climbed over a desk or did a backflip. I fought like I was possessed. I fought for the sake of my life and the boys' lives.
A strong pain on my back hit me like a truck, making me hiss as I was about to hide behind a desk. I kneeled down and gritted my teeth, trying to ignore the pain as fast as possible as the zombies ran towards me. Blood, which was not mine, streamed down my skin and soaked my clothes, making me feel disgusted of my own self.
I tried to stand up but the pain on my back hit me hard again, making me groan. I could hear the footsteps coming closer and the rush in their hungry screams as they were about to reach me. I clenched my jaw and held back the tears as I grabbed the chair for support to pull myself on my feet.
A hand grabbed my hair, making alarms ring in my mind. Fury immidiately grew within, making me pick up the chair and swing around, slamming it against the zombie's hrad, causing him to fall hard down on the floor, dropping two more zombies with him.
Ι immidiately ran towards the elevator, feeling my lower back ache terribly. I stepped inside and pressed the button repeatedly, panic flooding through me as I watched at the zombies come at me. The elevator doors thankfully closed right before they managed to step inside, sending a massive wave of relief through me. I leaned against the wall and panted, my back hurting horribly.
I could feel my body slowly giving up on me and I knew we were running out of time. Once the doors opened, I had two guns aiming at my head and two pair of startled eyes staring at me. "Claire - what the-,"
"Are you okay?!" Thomas said, eyes wide, cutting Niall off.
"They broke in.." I panted, wiping my forehead.
"Shit." Niall hissed, stabbing the zombie he was holding down in the eye. The zombie's head fell back and blood poured all over the floor.
"We gotta help Zayn and Louis before they circle them." I gushed, feeling guilty for leaving my floor, but really, I had no other option. "We better all move to the second third floor."
"Let's go, we are all clear from here anyway." Thomas said, throwing his hand around the room.
I nodded, approving at their great work. The whole room had traces of blood everywhere and the floor was covered over dead bodies. Needless to say, the smell was disgusting.
I pressed the button on my bracelet and heard the beep before speaking, "Liam, we are moving to Louis' and Zayn's floor. Watch out for the second floor for any intruders." I informed as Niall and Thomas both stepped inside the elevator.
"Roger." Liam's voice came through.
The elevator doors closed and I felt the anxiety creep up inside again. I looked over at Thomas to find him staring at me in worry. "They'll be okay. We'll take them up with us and we'll be okay." He assured, trying to sound as certain as possible.
I nodded. "I know." I said. There was no way I was going to let the boys liie that and I prefered to put myself first to get hurt than them. I was willing to sacrifice myself for those guys.
Once we stepped outside, loud shotguns hit my ears and screams caused goosebumps to errupt on my skin. We all pulled out our own weapons as we joined the massacre. I grabbed a zombie's arm right before he attacked Zayn and turned it around his back before putting pressure on it upwards, breaking the zombie's arm and making him scream loudly. I stabbed the back of his throat, hearing the crack as my katana broke his bone.
"Fuck off!" I heard Niall snap as he shot a zombie right in the ear, sending him dead on the floor, this time for good.
Thomas kicked a zombie towards me and I swiftly did a turn and kicked the zombie's chest, sending him back at Thomas. Thomas quickly wrapped his arms around the zombie's head and sliced his throat before letting him drop to the floor.
"Guys! We gotta move to the third floor!" I yelled over the loud shotguns and screams.
"Change of plans Claire?" Louis said sarcastically as he stabbed the zombie in the stomach with his knife made of glass.
"Got no other choice." I said, pushing a zombie out the window with a force. I stared at him as he flew in the air with terrified eyes, hands and legs kicking to different directions as he fell. I almost felt bad for doing that. Almost.
"Let's go!" I shouted when I saw more of them breaking in and coming from down stairs.
"Go, go, go!" Zayn rushed, running towards the elevator.
We all sped up behind him, my heart racing with fear as adrenaline ran high in my system. Just as Niall stepped inside and Zayn pushed the button, a zombie managed to sneak inside. He lunged at Zayn, causing us all to panick. Following my insticts, I fell on the zombie and pushed him out, taking myself out of the elevator aswell, causing the boys to gasp in shock.
"Claire no!" Zayn yelled, reaching out to pull me inside.
I struggled with the zombie's hands as I tried to avoid any kind of possibility of him to scratch me. I kneed him in the guts before kicking him hard in the head. "Claire come on!" Niall yelled, panicked.
"Hold the door open!" Louis snapped.
"No! Go! I'll find you on the third floor!" I yelled, moving my katana to my right as I cut off a zombie's head, sending vibrations of disgust through me and shivers down my spine.
"No!" Thomas sudddenly ran out of the elevator and shot three zombies in the head, causing me to jump in shock.
"Go!" I yelled at the others that were staring at us, stunned and worried. "We'll find you!" I said as I grabbed a pen from the desk and stabbed it in the zombie's throat, the damage not that bad as I expected. I swiftly punched his chest before stabbing his filthy mouth with my katana.
"Go!" Louis suddenly snapped from behind me, shocking me even more. "We got this." he said before doing some kombat moves I've never seen him do as he killed four zombies on his own.
The elevator doors finally closed and thankfully Niall and Zayn, who were both injured from earlier, were safely transported to the top floors. Louis and I both managed to kill around seven from the left side while Thomas blocked one of the glass doors with a desk and a few chairs on top, although he knew the zombies could easily destroy them, he wanted to gain some time.
"Stairs! Now!" I shouted, ignoring the ache in my throat and the pain on my lower back.
We all sped up towards the staies, our feet literally on fire as we tried to run faster than the bastards. Louis would keep shooting behind us as he was the last one. We reached the first floor and my heart was already about to explode. Every step got my body stiffening even more and the warm sweat soaked the back of my neck and forehead.
"Close the door! Close the door!" Louis shouted in hurry, panting as he ran behind me.
Just as I ran through the doors, I swung around and came to an abrupt halt to press the red button on the wall. "Come on! Come on!" I begged, as the boys came through.
The doors closed right before the zombies could reach us, but one of them slammed herself so hard against the glass that her hand broke through and almost grabbed my face. I jerked backwards and gasped before cutting her arm off with my katana, causing loud and horrible screams to come out of her mouth.
"Hurry!" Thomas called as we all sprinted towards the end of the hallway, where the stairs were.
I could hear the glass door breaking, causing anxiety and worry to flood through me. When the footsteps followed us, my body tingled with fear. We rushed up to the last floor, where we saw the door that takes us out to the roof. "Move!" Louis yelled, the hope evident in his voice.
Zayn and Niall were shooting at the zombies behind us, their eyes filled with agony and worry as they saw the large wave of zombies that chased after us. One quick glance from my shoulder told me we had gained space and we could all actually make it. "Come on we got this!" I urged, speeding even faster.
Thomas suddenly came to a halt, leaving us all go forward as he raised his gun and started shooting at the zombies. We all halted a few meters away, shocked. "Thomas what are you doing?!" I yelled, angry.
"Go! I got this!" he yelled back, shooting at the zombies. "I'll catch you up!"
"No!" I shouted, ready to go and grab him.
"Claire come on! We'll back him up!" Zayn called, trying to assure me.
I didn't even have the time to say something before Louis grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the gate, ducking our heads to avoid any bullet. We reached the gate where Zayn and Thomas were and my heart came up to my throat. The zombies were literally srorming towards Thomas, who was constantly shooting like a maniac, shouting and grunting as if he finally took out everything he was feeling.
"Thomas!" I screamed, knowing if he stayed there any longer, they would actually lunge at him.
He suddenly threw his empty gun at them, dropping a few of them on the ground before sprinting towards us. Zayn pressed the button to make the gate close and my heart skipped beats with fear. Come on! Thomas eye's widened when he saw how far he was and how fast the gates were closing. "Come on bro!" Liam suddenly appeared beside us, worry plastered across his face.
Zayn, Niall and Louis were literally on fire as they kept firing to help Thomas, who was literally running for his life. Just when the gate was about to close for good, Thomas slipped down on the ground and managed to pass through the gap, causing me to fall down beside him and hug him as relief coursed me.
"Thank God!" I exclaimed, sighing heavily as I hugged his panting body to me.
"Fuck bro! What the hell?!" Niall yelled, throwing his arms in the air.
Thomas pulled his head back to look at him, "I wanted to do this."
"You almost got yourself killed you-,"
"Shh!" Zayn cut him off, staring up at the sky wih furrowed brows. "Do you hear that?" he said, confused.
"Hear what?" Niall said, frustrated.
We all stopped talking and heared the distant sound. My jaw touched the ground and I looked up at the sky to see if I'm dreaming or if it's real. Strong heat errupted in my chest when I saw the helicopter coming from far away, standing out from the clouds.
"Oh my God.." I whispered, tears forming in my eyes.
"Yes! Yes!" Zayn exclaimed, throwing his fist in the air.
Large grins of relief and happiness formed on our faces and for the first time ever, I actually felt glad for being alive. I looked up at the sky with teary eyes and a broken heart. This was actually it.
"We made it!" Louis laughed, blue bloodshot eyes shining.
"Thank God!" Thomas sighed, laying back down on the ground, panting.
I stood up and ran back inside to where Harry was. He was laying down on the couch, his green eyes bloodshot. Once he saw me, surprise and relief immidiately appeared across his features. "Claire.." he muttered, happy.
"We made it!" I exclaimed, jumping on the couch and hugging him tightly and carefully. "We're gonna live, baby." I cried tears of happiness.
"Together." he whispered, weakly wrapping his arm around me.
"Together." I smiled.
_____________________________
A/N: The epilogue will be up soon! Hope you enjoyed this one! Thank you all so much for everyhing! Love youu ❤❤❤