Revenge of the Dead

Chapter 29: The Revelation

Breathe.

My chest rises rapidly and my heart hammers against my chest- breathe. Just breathe.

Everyone that has ever been part of my life is here, or represented in some form, most dead and shown by the zombie's presence. This is the ultimate battle of good versus evil, and one thought nags me more than anything.

We are the good, they are the evil.

The zombies shift uncomfortably, the smell of our pulsing flesh almost overpowering them but the leader remains still. Occasionally he will bark orders, silencing their growls, but they grow impatient. Their pure white, diluted eyes scanning hungrily over the humans poised around them.

The roof is made of clear glass and the sunlight flickers in, projecting shadows as clouds carefully float over the baby blue sky. It raises up in jagged points and for a second I still, almost completely engrossed by its architectural beauty. An eerie sense of calm and normality in contrast for the raging fires that burn through us inside, quite the opposite really.

My eyes flicker back up to Daniel and he smiles at me tauntingly.

"I'm so sorry Daniel, but that was three years ago and you need to move on. I've made mistakes in my past, everyone has, but you're making one now. Whatever you want, I won't do it!" I shout across the clearing and I see him nod to my words almost happily.

"Maddy, Maddy, Maddy. I'm afraid I knew that's what you were going to say and my reply is that you have no choice in the matter!" he says and then laughs insanely, his voice high and cracked.

"No choice? I think I do Daniel, you can't force me to come with you, I'd rather die," I state and I see his face contort in anger.

"YOU WILL DIE SOMETIME MADELINE, YOU ARE COMING WITH ME NO MATTER WHAT AND IF I HAVE TO KILL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ALONG THE WAY THEN SO BE IT!" he roars and I flinch angrily at his threats.

"Leave my family out of this," I spit, rage boiling inside of me. His face softens to a sadistic smile of fake hurt and he opens his arms towards the group huddled closely around me, a gentler tone tinting his voice.

"Madeline, they might not want to be left out of this," he says and then frowns dramatically, "oh wait, you didn't tell them, did you? Only your pathetic Mum knew and she's dead now, I had to kill her because of you!" he spits. Tears well up in my eyes and fall swiftly down my flushed cheeks.

 "They didn't need to know anything about this and YOU killed my Mother, not me," I waver and I bite my lip in dread as I wait for his response.

"Yes, I let off the bomb but I only killed her because of what you did. Though I can't believe you didn't tell your dear boyfriend, excuse me, ex-boyfriend," he states with a sneering expression.

A frown shapes my features and I see Daniel chuckle lightly. 

"Yes, well done! I have been watching you, Madeline, ever since the start. Didn't you ever wonder why all bad luck came your way? Or how much death was forced into your hands alone?" he asks and I shake my head in an attempt to clear the confusion.

All those times, the times I thought I had made wrong decisions and led us into death traps, it was him. Not the zombies, though they did contribute to making my life a living nightmare, it was him. All him.

He was the one that killed Toby and Amelia because he drew us to the areas he knew was in close proximity to a hoard of zombies, it was him. One thought flashes through my mind, almost as if I didn't want to think it and it disappears again instantly. But it was still there, I still thought it. I let out an angry laugh which is full of pure hatred, my blood boiling.

"You weren't alone, though, we're you?" I spit in disgust and a smirk flickers to his face. He claps his hands together and it bounces back off the walls, taunting me in a staggered applause.

"Well done Madeline, I am impressed! Though I thought you would have figured it out sooner and I did hope more of you would die, but your right. To inflict all this bad luck onto you I needed the power and the technology," he explains and I shake my head frantically.

"Who had the power and the technology Madeline? Who enabled me to do all this? Who?" he mocks and tears of anger run down my cheeks.

"The Government," I whisper but my voice clearly carries out across the room, I hear the Prime Minister chuckle but my eyes stay focused on Sam warily.

"Yes, the Prime Minister funded my quest to inflict my personal torture onto you," he laughs and then turns to face the government, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "See we had a common interest, both of us needed you for our personal gain, it was much more convenient to work together," Daniel explains.

"Isn't that right Dad?" he asks and my jaw drops in complete and utter shock, the unseen revelation. The Prime Minister laughs loudly and his voice booms through the air, loud and clear.

"That is indeed true my son," he says and they both look up towards me, a strange similarity greeting me. Their eyes, both the same piercing shade of green. How didn't I notice? How was I so blinded by everything else?

I sway dizzily and I feel Josh cough behind me, his voice fractured slightly.

"Madeline? Please explain to me what's going on," he pleads and my face contorts in a burning anxiety. Before I can say anything Daniel's voice strikes through the air once again.

"Ahhh yes Miss Taylor, do explain!" he coos and I open my mouth slightly. I take a small breath and start, an apology falling from my lips feebly. 

"Josh I'm so-" I start but I'm cut off by a harsh snap from Daniel's shaking frame.

 "Oh shut up Madeline, I wasn't talking to you!" he spits.

I frown in confusion and then slowly I gape in absolute horror, 

"Oh my God," I whisper and fall to my knees faintly. I hear footsteps echo across the floor and watch the figure walk past me and over to Daniel's side loyally.

"No, he was talking to me."