Still breathing | Original story

Chapter Eight: Help

Word count: 2846

I fell asleep to the outside noise, hoping I would die asleep. That would be a lot less painful. My dreams were filled with monsters; the dead worker had woken up in them and brought a few friends along. He crawled towards me, shelf still firmly stuck in his skull. Ella took his bite for me. I watched her die and it had been my fault for the second time.

It was dark, I opened my eyes to see the door open, fog filled the room. A horde was making their way through and at the front was Logan. His body mangled and teeth ready to sink into my flesh. I backed into my corner, hoping they wouldn't see me. My attempt to hide failed fast as the infected sniffed the air and locked onto my scent. They were shuffling towards me at a shocking speed. I reached around for a weapon when something landed on top of me.

I thrashed around and knocked what appeared to be a magazine off me. My breathing was inconsistent as I surveyed the room to find it empty. It had just been a dream. I sighed in relief and my muscles relaxed. The shop was dark and I wondered if it was early morning or late night but I had no way of knowing for sure. My lips felt dry and I quickly licked them.
I pulled my bag closer to me and rummaged through until I found a bottle of water. I downed half the bottle before popping the lid back on in a satisfied manner. I grabbed a packet of crisps as my stomach began to rumble. I felt tired, my eyes drooping, but I kept eating. Shoving in food like it was my job, desperate for the energy boost. I titled my head back and shook the crumbs into my open mouth. I flung the packet aside and got to my feet. Wiping my hands on my trousers I began to stumble forwards. My head became clouded at the sudden movement but I managed to regain balance and made it to the door.
I moved the confectionery items off the shelf and reached through the gap to move the sign from the door. I looked out into the darkness to see tons of infected surrounding the area. I saw some staring up at the street lights, as if fascinated, and others were shuffling along the pavement. A few looked my way but luckily didn't spot me. There was no chance of escape. I double checked the door was locked and began to quietly put everything back into place. I let out a sigh and dropped to the floor. I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged them as despair filled me. I knew I would die there. A few tears escaped but I managed to stay quiet. I fell asleep shortly after.

I awoke to sunlight. One day down, I thought as I got up off the floor and scoured the shop floor for some breakfast. Whilst looking at the minimal choice left in the shop, I saw a door in front of me. I remembered that people usually live above their shops. I cursed at myself for being so oblivious earlier. I tried the handle but, to no surprise, it was locked. I began to look for a key and tried behind the counter first.
I grimaced at the body but sucked in a deep breath and went behind the counter. I searched for the key but there was nothing key like around.
I went to the man next, he was where I had left him but by now the blood from his head had begun to bubble over. Nausea flooded me as I knelt down next to the man and searched him. There was nothing in his shirt pocket and I was suddenly very aware of this creature being undead. I was expecting it to wake up at every touch but dismissed the thought in order to keep searching. I tried his front pocket and cringed as my hand came into direct contact with a snotty tissue
"Ew," I whispered as I tossed it aside, it was not only filled with mucus but I could clearly see blood. I searched the pocket again and was rewarded with a key. It wasn't big enough for the back door but it could possibly fit into the one that led upstairs. I begged for it to be the right one.

I walked over to the door once again and fit it into the lock. It wouldn't budge at first but soon the stiff lock began to move and the door opened for me. I saw a fuse box on the wall opposite the opening, the staircase itself was bathed in darkness. The stairs creaked at every step but soon enough I was greeted by yet another door and it opened to reveal a spacious living room.
The room itself had a strong smell of burnt meat and I spotted an open window. I wondered if that was what the infected were still there for. I walked across the floor to the living area and my feet were greeted by the fluffiest carpet in the world. Even through my shoes, I could feel the fibres of the rug. I looked around the living room and saw a few family pictures. The man I killed downstairs had been a father, but no mother was in the picture. Just one daughter. I thought of the body behind the counter once again.
There was a breakfast bar that partially separated the living room and the kitchen. I made my way into the open plan kitchen and found it was very modern. The fridge stainless steel and the wooden cabinets were topped with marble. I slid my hands across it and the cool stone was satisfying against my sore hands. I walked out and checked the other rooms. There was a double bed in one, unmade and clothes were strewn everywhere. To the left of the hallway was a door leading to a smaller room with a neat single bed. The walls were vibrant pink, almost blindingly. The final door led to a bathroom, it was clean and well kept.
I realised the flat would be a good place to have food in that day and possibly get some good sleep.
I found a bowl in the kitchen and placed it on the side, wincing at the noise. I looked out the large window to see the mass of the situation. There were more infected in the alleyways and roads leading away from the shop. I quickly closed the window to block any noise going in or out and partially closed the blinds so I felt more concealed. I poured some cereal into the bowl and sat down on the sofa to eat it. Crossing my legs and balancing the bowl on one knee, a hand firmly on one side so it didn't spill. I savoured the taste of the breakfast to make it last that little bit longer.
Once I was done I managed to get myself off of the sofa and into the kitchen to wash the bowl. It wasn't my place and, even though the residents were dead, I wanted to keep it clean. It was the least I could do after I killed the owner... well something else killed it first but that's beyond the point.
I then decided to check the flat out properly, see if there was anything useful lying around. I went into the man's bedroom first and managed to find a multi-tool device: it had utensils on it that included a mini knife and a stainless steel screwdriver. I felt dirty taking it but I had to remind myself that he wouldn't be needing it anymore.