Beautiful Endings

Chapter 1: The Plague

The sky was an orangey red, mixed with dark blue. The sun was barely visible behind the mountains, and there were no clouds in sight. It was beautiful. No smoke, no blood, nothing, just a nice peacefulness. I wanted to stay there forever and drift away with the wind, but it wouldn't last, and I had things to do, so I got up and walked away from my little bit of happiness. Looking back on it now, I should have stayed there until the inevitable finally found me. "Mom, where's my knife?" I yelled as I walked into our trailer.

"How do you expect me to know?" she called back.

"I don't know. You're my mom. You should just know, isn't that in the job description?"

"First things first, you're not funny and you're almost eighteen, Phoenix. Learn how to keep organized!" I laughed a bit.

"I'll worry about that when I AM eighteen."

"Phoenix!"

"I'm late. I have to go."

"We will finish this talk later," Mom informed me as I ran out the door. I know my mom was more worried about me surviving in this world when she was gone than me not knowing where my stuff was. I was all she had left, her only child. My dad had died five years ago, a little after the zombie apocalypse had begun. Once he passed, my mom never wanted me to leave her side, but I would have to eventually. Finally I reached the safe house, where a bunch of teenagers are taught survival skills, so I put the thoughts about my family aside and nonchalantly 'snuck' into class. The lesson had already hit the thirty minute mark, sneaking in was more like me dramatically throwing open the door open yelling I'm here. Granted I did not do that these buildings were just old and the door creaks, which meant everyone's eyes were on me, and I slumped over to my seat. Cue one of our best fighters, who happened to teach us lessons in his free time, trying to make me look like a straight up fool. For being a young guy, he sure acted like a grumpy old one. I couldn't see why all the girl drooled over him, he wasn't ugly yes, but he wasn't anything special and his personality was that of an eighty year old.

"It's nice of you to drop in, Phoenix. Can you tell me exactly how to catch a zombie off-guard?"

"I knew you'd be glad to see me, and you can't. If you have blood, they can sense you no matter what."

"If only you were here to find out that you can slow your heart rate and become nearly invisible to them. Okay class, let's get back on track," then Atkinson sighed as he started writing things on the chalkboard. I couldn't help it I rolled my eyes, sure like that would actually work. Plus to be completely fair, I was correct too. Nearly invisible not invisible. Yet he had always hated me. Even though I was one of his best students, right behind Damien Quillan, a snarky, rude, conceited jerk, who for some reason was super attractive. He had misty grey eyes that had a certain sparkle to them and longish messy mahogany hair that he always runs his hands through when he's nervous. And his body- don't even get me started on that- he could have been chiseled from granite, but my main point is that he's a jerk.

"Why are you so late? Were you too afraid to leave your trailer, and your mommy had to make you go?" Damien snickered.

"Wow, for once, you are absolutely correct. While you're at it, tell me how I'm afraid of my own shadow. Oh yeah, and we can't forget, I tell everyone if we have another week of winter or not."

"Well don't get your knickers in a twist. I was just joking around." God was he an eighty year old too? I snicker twisting my hair a little bit as I locked eyes with him a sultry tone taking to my voice.

"Jokes on you I'm not wearing any panties." With that Damien turned a bright red, but unfortunately everyone around me happened to hear that as well. Including Atkinson. Clearing his throat, he was not too happy. My eyes went a little wide as he began to speak.