Today I Die, Tomorrow I live

Chapter Four >Meredith<

I ran into the house and soon as I pulled up in the driveway.

“Mum! Ariel! … Lara!” I yelled, there was no response.

I ran into all the rooms; they were all empty, no one was in the house but me. I ran into my room, everything was exactly the way I left it; the black bed covers were messy and half hanging off the bed, my letter opener was lying on the bed where I left it.

I sat on the bed and felt tears on my cheek. My Jesse doll was sitting on the bed, I picked her up and held her in my arms.

“Why did this happen?” I asked, kissing the top of her head. There was a smash from the kitchen, putting Jesse down I picked up the letter opener; the window had been smashed and a hunched figure was in the kitchen. Their skin was the colour of rotting meat and blood covered their clothes, it was pulling off cupboard doors and throwing canned food around the room. I stepped forward, a crack came from under my foot and I realized that I had just stepped on a piece of shattered mirror. I looked up quickly; the zombie had turned around and was looking at me. I froze, I wanted to move so badly right now but I couldn’t will myself to move a muscle.     

The zombie ran at me, I couldn’t think of what to do. My head hit the floor boards as the zombie jumped on me, knocking me on my back. As I looked up into the zombies white eyes I realized that this could be the last thing I would ever see, I closed my eyes.

A painful scream filled my ears and I could feel the zombie swinging their arms above my face but not touching me. I opened my eyes again, the zombie was clawing at his chest trying to get my letter opener out.

“Meredith!” Someone called my name, the voice was familiar but I hadn’t heard it for some time. The zombie was pulled off me and I saw Daniel as he killed it with his shotgun.

“Meredith, are you ok?” The voice spoke again and I felt someone taking my arm and pulling me into a sitting position. I could feel myself shacking and my breath coming up short, the world spun and I felt light headed as I fell back, my fall was stopped by someone grabbing my shoulders and turning me towards them.

“Meredith, are you alright?” This time I saw who the voice belonged to. I slowly turned my head towards the person who spoke; my eyes met ocean blue ones framed in a flush but pale face and dark mahogany hair.

“Harley?” I sounded on the verge on tears, half because my family could be dead and half because I was glad to see that Harley was alive. “Is it you?”

Harley smirked and nodded.

“Yes douse bag, it’s me.”

I didn’t really care that he called me that just now; he didn’t use the same tone that he normally used when he called me a ‘douse bag’ this one was softer.

I smiled.

Daniel came and kneeled down next to me opposite Harley, there were no other zombies but he kept his shotgun in his hand ready to shoot.

“What happened?” Daniel’s voice was urgent but he looked calm enough.

I shook my head numbly.

“There was no one in the house. I went to my room and my letter opener was lying on my bed like I left it before camp. I picked it up and came back into the kitchen, the zombie was there and leapt at me but it stabbed its self with the letter opener.” My voice was numb, I felt like I was in a trance or a dream and that none of this was real, but this was real and there was nothing I could do.

“Let’s get you out of here.” Harley stood, pulling me to my feet. My legs seemed weak and there was a moment when I thought I was going to fall. Harley put one arm around my shoulders to steady me, then walked me out of the kitchen.