Mountains [Vikklan]

Chapter 5- Zombies [Vikk]

*Slight gore warning*

I'm jolted from my sleep by a scream. Immediately I'm up, hands scrabbling around for a sword that isn't there. Landon, who was sleeping beside me, sits up quickly too, and reaches for a small knife that he has in his belt. Nade is nowhere to be seen. Landon scrambles to his feet, eyes wide in fear, and hands me his knife.

"I have a sword in the other cave." He says.

I nod, and step out into the daylight. Landon run past me along the small ridge, and ducks into the other cave.

I look around the clearing, heart beating wildly.

What was that? Who was that?

There is a muffled shout from the direction of the forest. Ali.

I take off running, and reach the trees. Immediately the atmosphere darkens above me, the skylight blocked with eerie green leaves. The dappled sunlight that falls is more ominous than beautiful. I head in the direction I heard the shout from, and glance behind me at where the camp is. I can vaguely see Jay and Landon there, starting to run into the trees.

I hold the knife out in front of me, ready to swing if anything attacks me.

And then I see him.

Nade's crouched on the floor, sword discarded in front of him. His head is down, but he's shaking violently. His left arm is held up to his right shoulder, and I can already see blood seeping through the white cloth under his hand.

"Nade!" I shout, running over.

He looks up, brow furrowed in pain.

"I-I'm fine..." He breathes. He doesn't sound fine. "Get Ali. They- ah- they got him. They d-dragged him away. Help -ah- him."

I nod, and drop the knife in front of him as he points deeper into the forest.

"Jay and Landon are coming. Can I take your sword?"

He mumbles a quiet "yes." and I quickly run forward to pick up the blade.

"It's gonna be okay, Nade. I'm going to get Ali."

I groans in pain. I glance back at him, and then dash off in the direction he pointed me in.

He's gonna be fine...

There are signs of a struggle here. The lush green grass is disrupted, uprooted and muddy. Lines streak off, deeper into the forest, brown earth mixing with deep red lines.

Oh, no.

My instincts are taking over now. To be given the chance to save someone's life, without having to kill another person... It's relieving, to say the least.

I'm gonna save Ali. I've battled zombies before. I know how to kill them, I know what their movements are like. I can do this.

My eyes catch a glimpse of movement between the dark trees, A flash of white atop greys and browns.

I run forward, and my heart drops into my stomach as I see the scene before me.

A zombie stands over him, blood dripping from it's chin. A second is walking closer, eyes cast towards Ali's body. He has a large gash on his side, and blood is pooling below his neck. But he's alive. I can see the laboured rise and fall of his chest from here.

I slip behind a tree, sword held out in front of me. I take a breath in.

And then I charge.

The zombies look up immediately, leaving Ali's body. And that's when I see their eyes.