The Decay

Chapter Twenty

      The group had been split up. Miyonah slowly steps nervously along the wall of a brick complex with Lucas hand in hand. She tries to stay calm for him but she visibly shakes and he can feel it vibrating through her. She's afraid because they've been split up and she doesn't know if everyone is okay. She's nervous because Lucas got stuck with her and if anything happens to him she'll have to face Zayna. Zayna who's only had the boy for years on their own fighting for their lives. Lucas who is her everything; who she would die for.

"Noah!" Miyonah had screamed seeing the horde before him.

"Dammit!" He looked around in search of somewhere to go but the sound of the horde in a hunger frenzy attracted more biders from every side.

"Everyone in a circle now! Lucas in the center. We're going to fight through this!"

     And they did. Bider after bider was taken down as they fought with everything they had. That was until one came charging forward unexpectedly and knocked Miyonah to the ground hard.

She screamed, "Help!"

     Zayna responded first whipping around from her position with the look of a warrior. Miyonah struggled with the bider on top of her as it gnashed and screeched and snarled trying to tear open her neck.

"HELP!"

     She glanced toward Zayna whose face was still like stone as her blade glinted through the air. She moved so fast all Miyonah could see was heads flying and bodies dropping. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as Zayna reached her and her blade slid through her attacker's head. The blade went right through the center and Miyonah's eyes crossed as they focused in on the sword centimeters from her face. Zayna withdrew the sword from the motionless bider, kicked him sideways off of Miyonah and flicked her blade clean before their eyes locked and she helped her up.

"I could kiss you." She said to Zayna whose eyes glinted in amusement before she spun and began fighting once again. Moments later, they heard the unsure call for help.

     Miyonah feels a tug on her hand and looks down to see Lucas' big blue eyes gazing up at her. He jerks his head forward to signal that they should keep moving. She hadn't realized she had stopped so she nods and begins to walk again.

Everyone's heads snapped towards Lucas who was backing away from a very rotted bider.

"Zayna, help!" he called and it was the first time any of them but Zayna had heard him really speak.

     Somehow the group had been broken up and Miyonah was the closest one to him so she bolted in his direction. Everyone else came after her but the biders were thicker where they were and they had to fight their way through. Lucas dropped to the ground and crawled under the closest car with the bider following right behind. Miyonah ran to the other side of the car dropping down under it and pulled him out. She took his hand and looked in every direction in sheer panic. They were beginning to be surrounded. She looked to Noah in horror.

"GO!" He said arm raised pointing to a spot behind her.

     She turned quickly and seen an opening between the buildings. With one last glance behind her she caught the furious look of pure rage in Zayna's eyes and then she picked Lucas up and ran.

     On the way down the hill Noah had told them to meet in the nearest empty store if they got split up and to leave some sort of sign that they were there so he could find them. Spotting an antique store with no sign of life or non-life inside, Miyonah visibly relaxes and makes her way across the nearly empty street. There are two biders and she takes the first down from behind with a knife to the base of its skull and leaves the second one by hurriedly running inside.

"We're going to be okay," She says kneeling in front of Lucas so he can read her lips, "They'll come find us."

     The place looks looted as she glances around but she finds a candy bar peeking out beneath a fallen shelf and splits it between her and Lucas. Then, they sit in wait.

. . . .

     Zayna swings. Tanner goes to stab a bider but its head is gone. Noah goes to shoot one but it's already down. She moves ahead of them both and moves faster than they can keep up with. Her arms swing and the blade sings through the air leaving bodies in its wake. First there were twenty. Then fifteen. Then two. Then none.

     Her chest heaves and sweat pours down her face and arms but she doesn't look exhausted to Tanner's and Noah's eyes. She glistens and simmers with anger. Anger at herself for not keeping Lucas by her side. Anger for not getting there first. Anger for letting her guard down and trusting these people. She had never lost Lucas before and now she didn't know where he was.

"Zayna," Noah calls approaching her, "we'll find them. They'll be okay."

     Tanner approaches afterwards and touches a hand to her shoulder but she jerks violently away spinning on them both. Both hands are on the sword raised above her shoulder at an angle. She had forgotten they were there.

"Woah," breathes Tanner stepping back with wide eyes.

     She lowers the sword and nods at them before turning and sprinting in the direction Lucas went with her weapon at the ready. Noah and Tanner glance at each other and quickly follow. They follow the trail of recently killed biders which ends at the street of an antique store. There's a bider a few feet away roaming absently and another on the ground dead.

     Zayna squints into the shop from across the street and her mood soars. She sheathes her sword and sprints across the street throwing the door open. Lucas' eyes go wide and then he smiles running into her arms. She picks him up and embraces him shaking with relief. She never knew how it would feel to lose him until then and she never wanted to feel it again.

"You're okay?" Tanner asks to Miyonah when they make it in the store.

"Yeah," She replies shakily, "Yeah, we're okay."

     Tanner smiles at her and pulls her into a hug that she appreciates more than anything in that moment. She'd been more worried and afraid than she'd ever tell them.

"Good. We're all here. We're all okay." Comments Noah assessing them, "You did really good, Miyonah. You're both safe."

By Miyonah's great surprise, Zayna walks over and embraces her as well.

"Thank you," She says and actually smiles at her, "I could kiss you."

     Miyonah begins to laugh and then they're all laughing even though only Miyonah and Zayna know why. Well, everyone but Lucas who couldn't hear what she said. He just smiles and is happy that everyone isn't so serious anymore.

"Is.... is someone out there?"

Everyone freezes.

"Please don't shoot. I- I'm coming out."

      As everyone stares into the dark back room with weapons drawn, out walks a young man who's both pretty and handsome with his hands raised above his head.

"Ple-please don't shoot," the young man repeats in a soft but clear voice, "I need your help."

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