"I don't know."
"What do you mean 'I don't know'?"
"I mean," She says stretching it out, "I. Don't. Know."
The group arrived at the destination Noah told them about though it took them longer than Noah had estimated. They sit inside a small motel in wait of Noah's arrival; not knowing exactly when he'd make it there.
"Well, how do you not know what kind of sword it is?" Continues Tanner.
"A weapon is a weapon to me," the girl explains narrowing her eyes, "I found it and taught myself how to swing it right. Sorry that I didn't stop to google it at some point."
Tanner is happy. He doesn't care that he's irritating her. Miyonah and Lucas went to sleep in one of the rooms when they arrived but he wanted to talk to someone. He doesn't like being left to his own mind in fear of what he'll think about. Plus, the girl was intriguing to him and he wanted to learn more about her.
"Self taught? I thought you must have had some sort of training the way you took that bider down."
"Bider." The girl whispers and a faint smile tilts the corners of her lips.
Tanner, liking the fact that he got her to smile, went on.
"It's what Noah, the guy we're waiting for, calls them. He said it's because it not only sounds like 'biter' but also because they bide their time waiting for something to kill."
"I like it." She says but doesn't further the conversation.
She gets up again and stands by the door, looking out, watching for danger or for the man they call Noah to appear. Tanner sits in an overstuffed chair facing her in the lobby. He wishes she'd sit back down in the chair opposite him and stay there but when he'd suggested it all she'd said was, "Not smart."
"Nothing's out there. You've checked twenty times in the last ten minutes."
She turns to him with the same serious expression, "Five times."
"Do you not understand sarcasm?" He asks but she doesn't react. He sighs. "Could you please just sit back down? You're making me antsy."
"You should be."
The stare down that ensues continues for what seems like forever to Tanner.
I don't mind, he thought as they battled each other's wills, staring into your eyes.
As they continue, Tanner thinks that looking into her eyes is like falling into eternity. Then he thinks about how stupid that sounds but doesn't withdraw the comparison because somehow, he believes it just fits. He knows he's being ridiculous obsessing over this girl who's name he does not know. Yes, she's beautiful and somehow looks like she invented the term, "Badass", but now seemed like the weirdest time to obsess over a girl.
Now was the perfect time for it. She was something to think about besides the world around him. A mystery to solve. Something to make sense of since he knew he could probably never make sense of the world he lived in now.
Eventually, that almost nonexistent smile creeps across her lips again and she finally sits back down.
"You aren't very smart, antsy boy."
"And you aren't very talkative."
"Talking gets you killed out there."
"But we're in here."
"What is it that you want?"
"To talk."
"Obviously. What about?"
"Anything. Tell me about you. What's your name?"
She ponders it. What harm could it do, telling him her name? It was just a name, afterall. The thing was, she didn't plan to stay after the Noah they spoke of appeared. Not a moment longer. She didn't want to lay down roots where she'd have to saw them off soon after.
No attachments. She had told herself again and again. No one to miss after they were gone because they'd all be gone out there, right? No one survives long. She didn't even expect herself to. She just wanted to make Lucas' last as long as possible. But maybe just this one thing. She thought now. Just to feel a little normal again.
"Zayna." She told him, "I'm Zayna."
The quiet seemed to envelope the entire room in its embrace. She could hear the ringing in her ears as she looked across to him. She felt as if a heaviness left her when she said it. Something so small, but she hadn't said her name in so long, she had begun to feel like she wasn't real at all. That Zayna was just a dream she once had.
"Zayna." He said quietly back to her, eyes sparkling, "That's a beautiful name. I'm Tanner, as you know, and it's very nice to meet you."
The normalcy of it sent a rumbling crack through the barricade in her mind and she let out an explosion of laughter. Her laugh was soft but full. Airy and genuine. It made Tanner's heart skip and breath catch. Everything else seemed to dim in comparison to her smile. All dimples and teeth, emerald eyes alight with it.
He figured he must say something. Anything to make it continue before it died away. He started to fumble over himself for something to say as she started to grasp hold of herself but a sound at the door made the darkness in her eyes come back in an instant.
Wall rebuilt as she leapt to her feet, she slid the sword off of her back while assuming a fighting stance. They came face to face with Noah looking ragged but aware and completely curious as to who the fierce girl with the sword was guarding Tanner.
. . . .
Noah raises his eyebrows at Tanner over Zayna's shoulder. She still hasn't stood down and he feels like a child hiding behind her. Just as he's about to say something she speaks while still looking at Noah.
"Is this him?"
"Zayna, you can put your sword down."
"Is. This. Him?" She asks louder, tension in her voice.
Didn't that answer it?
"Yes. Yes, this is Noah."
She lowers her sword and straightens up again. Her raised voice waking him from his sleep, Lucas comes running out of the room and takes hold of her hand. Miyonah walks sleepily out next and smiles when she sees Noah who looks relieved to see them all and gives a slight smile back before addressing Zayna.
"So, we've covered who I am. Might I ask who you are?"
"I am Zayna," she says for the second time that day, "And we are leaving."
She skirts around Noah, hand in hand with Lucas who still has bedhead, and leaves the building. Tanner, at first confused and then feeling irritation build up, storms after her.
"The hell?" Asks Noah.
"Don't ask me," replies Miyonah not the least bit surprised, "They have a really strange chemistry," she ponders that and adds, "Actually, that girl is just strange all around."
Tanner sees that the girl is already several yards away and yells after her. She turns around with surprise stitched into her body language and swivels her head in all directions in case anything heard his yelling. She then narrows her eyes and waits for him to catch up. She tenses when Tanner stops nearly right in front of her. So close she can see herself in his eyes. She quickly re-composes herself.
"Not smart," she scolds, "Do you know you could have just attracted the attention of-"
"You can't just leave."
She blinks at him and briefly looks over his shoulder to see Noah and Miyonah running up to them. Noah doesn't look happy.
"You come out of nowhere and save our lives. Then, you disappear just as fast and turn up again ordering us around to help us get here safely. You make camp with us for a night and wait with us here to make sure Noah would show up. You do all of this while barely saying more than a few words when provoked and never explaining where you came from in the first place. Never telling us why you helped. And now you're leaving? Bullsh-"
"Tanner!" Snaps Noah in a lowered but demanding voice. "What the hell do you think you're doing running out here like that? Yelling! Are you trying to get killed?"
A brief sense of deja Vu spreads over the both of them.
"She's trying to leave us." Is all he says to Noah's scolding.
Noah looks to Zayna who watches Tanner who stares at her. Lucas watches intently, squeezing Zayna's hand protectively. Noah sighs and rubs his temples. He's still confused on who the girl is at all. He almost says something when a bider steps into the road, facing the other direction. He freezes. Another one follows after the first. And then another one until there are at least seven of them standing in the middle of the road, sniffing the air.
It's no surprise when they travel in groups. Usually attracted to the same pray, wherever it may be. Zayna and Lucas, being the only two with their backs to the biders, turn around to see what everyone is staring at. Quietly, her hand flies to her sword, ready to pull it if need be.
"In." Noah hisses, motioning back towards the motel.
Miyonah slowly retreats back, expecting everyone is following her. Zayna hesitates, glancing sideways towards the woods. Tanner doesn't flinch. He waits, wondering what she'll do. Finally, she looks to the boy who despite the situation, looks undisturbed. He lets go of her hand and signs something only she can read.
They aren't bad people, remember?
And she nods. They all quietly rush back to the motel and make it safely inside. Noah rubs his temples again, wondering what's going on with these kids. In the middle of the zombie apocalypse acting like it's just another normal day.
"We all need to have a serious talk," he says to everyone, "Now."
****Finally Posted! Please Tell Me What You Think. Question: What do you guys think of this POV? Do you like it better just being in 3rd person? I was thinking I might keep it that way and make all of the chapters like that for my final draft. I'd just go back and change chapters 1-11 to make them all like this after I finished the book. Give me your thoughts! :) Until next time, Keep Reading!****