We've been walking for what seems like ages. If we took the metro, we would've been in the city in less than an hour. But on foot, it's hours away. After taking a short break at a remote servo, we begin moving again, keeping a close watch of our surroundings at the same time.
"Wonder where all the other students are?" Bray asks, murdering the last of his servo sanger.
"Deceased," Jace answers rather unsympathetically. "Or crossing the border right about now, orrr in the city, who knows really? Guess we shall find out."
"Hope our families are safe crossing the border even though they left us..." Carmen murmurs.
"I don't think they had a choice," Bray points out to her. "Dean said they were forced-evacuating everyone. Speaking of which, why haven't they nuked this place yet?"
Meanwhile, Ella and I are chatting a few metres behind them.
"Had a weird dream," I tell her, gazing up at the sunny sky and shielding my eyes with my arm.
"Define 'weird'," she makes a good point. "Don't think anything could get weirder than the end of the world and lurkers."
"True. We were back at School," I focus on the asphalt, kicking a rock. "Jace was beginning to read in Bio class and-"
"And the sirens went off..." she recalls sadly.
"No, that's the thing," I face her. "It didn't. Jace finishes off and you were next in line to read."
"Ha, weird," she agrees. "It should've been like that, 'stead of this," she gazes around.
"And then I was supposed to get your number after Health class." Why the fuck did I just say that? "In the dream," I clarify, slightly blushing. "In my dream, I was supposed to get your number after Health class."
"Lol," Ella smiles awkwardly. "And did you?"
"Uh, yeah nah, that's when I woke up."
"Bummer," she pouts.
Offt, okay then.
Elody is her actual name. Walking together got us talking more and I found out some interesting stuff about her. Her favourite colour is emerald green. She loves red velvet cupcakes and sunsets – I mean, who doesn't? She hates bananas though, she says it's too slimy down the throat. Also, I learned that her brother passed away in a car accident not long ago. So she really did know what it felt like... I shouldn't've blown her off like that at Moonlight's Diner.
"Had none of this happened, what would you become?" I ask her, I just wanna know everything about her, you feel me? I don't know why.
"A baker, and eventually, open up my own Pâtisserie someday in Monte Carlo," she smiles proudly. "How about you?"
"Love that. Me? Probs try to make a living out of playing baseball globally. I love base-"
"Hey, buildings up ahead!" Bray stops at a cliff road. "We're close, woohoo!"
"We should probably keep it down," Carmen looks around cautiously.
She's right.
"Wait a minute," Jace squints, shielding the sun from his eyes. "The fuck?"
"What?" Amber peers over his shoulder, jumping a bit because he's a whole foot taller than her. "What is it?"
"Look," he puts an arm around her, pointing. "In front of the buildings, right...there."
Amber gasps and steps back
"Be right back," I tell Ella and join Jace to find out what they're looking at.
Fuck me dead. Lurkers. A lot of 'em.
"We're fucking trapped though!" Amber exclaims.
"Don't you think I know that?!" I snap.
"Guys!" Ella calls out. "Stop freaking out, we'll find a way."
Amber heaves and paces back and forth. Jace goes to comfort her. Okay, he's getting a lil too comfortable with my sister...
"We're all going to die," Carmen falls to the ground in defeat, hugging her knees and rocking back and forth. "We're all literally going to die."
"Carmen, relax," Ella kneels next to her. "We're not going to die."
"Mate," Bray leans into my ear, "is Jace and Amber-"
"Better not be," I tell Bray.
Jace is only gonna break her heart just like Carmen broke his. That's just how Gen Z love is. You either be the player or get played. And I know we have bigger problems at hand right now but I don't need an even bigger one when he starts making moves on my sister.
Great.
We head back to the servo seeing as that's the best shelter we've got right now.
"How're we gonna do this?" Jace pulls up a chair and sits on it backwards.
"Okay, so," I click the pen and begin drawing on a piece of paper that I found at the register. "In order to get to the higher ground, we need to be in one."
They nod for more info.
"We have to get to a building that isn't too close to the massive army of lurkers but close enough to the taller buildings."
You see, our city's buildings start small at both ends with the taller ones in the middle. We get to the tallest building and wait for the herd that's tailing us to meet up with this army. Then we retrace our steps back from where we came from and live happily ever after. I highly doubt they're gonna nuke the place 'cause they would've done it already.
"But how are we supposed to get to the higher grounds though?" Bray knits his eyebrows together. "Ain't doing parkour if that's what you're thinking."
"I'm thinking of using some kinda bridge."
"'Walk the plank', seriously?" Carmen expresses. "With a bunch of lurkers beneath us?"
"I know how it sounds, guys," I exhale. "But..."
"He's right," Jace backs me up, nodding. "I mean, either that or stay in one of the short buildings and hope to god that they don't pile up and, well, eat us."
"Okay, but just to let you guys know," Carmen adds, "I'm not that good with heights."
Jace rolls his eyes, "whatta surprise."
"Stop being such a jerk," Carmen snaps.
"Oh, I'm the jerk?" Jace points at himself, then at her. "When you're the one who goes behind my back and cheats with one of my mates – Jensen!"
"I didn't cheat! How many times do I have to tell you that? Besides, it's not like you weren't flirting with other girls, so shut up, Mr I'm-so-loyal!"
"For the love of god," Jace groans, "I was talking to them. Not flirting. How many goddamn times do I have to tell you that!?"
"You wouldn't have to tell me at all if you weren't FLIRTING!" Carmen's voice breaks.
"Uh..should we do something?" Bray whispers next to me.
"Okay, you wanna go down that route, Car? Let's go down that route then," Jace chuckles angrily. "The stuff Jensen told me about you, that equates to so much more than me chatting with other chicks!"
"Chatting UP," Carmen squeals, "chatting UP. And Jensen is a fucking liar!"
"I dunno," I whisper back to Bray, "should we? I mean, it doesn't concern us, right?"
"Righ-"
"Bunch of pussies, you two," Amber mutters behind us. "Let me handle it, losers," and pushes past us.
"You know what?" Jace scowls. "Fuck you, Carmen! You're such a.."
"'Such a' what?" Makeup runs down her cheeks. "Say it, you asshole! You love saying it, don't you? So say it!"
Jace opens his mouth to actually say it-
"That's enough, you guys!" Amber places a hand on Jace's chest. "That's enough, Jace."
Jace heaves, still adamant.
"Jace," Amber says his name again. "C'mon, let's get you outside for a second to cool down."
My forehead begins heating up again and a small buzz gets louder in my ears. I stumble just a lil but Bray helps me regain my balance and asks if I'm okay. I say, "yeah," and sit down for a sec.