SPACESHIP ZOMBIE CRUISE

FILE ENTRY 34.0

Bella Starr

I sink into a state of oblivion as Cygnus Lo's knife penetrates Halo's lower back. My eyes clamp shut and I see nothing but red for a few terrifying seconds. When I look again, Lo's silver blade rips from Halo's back, coated in blood the color of red wine.

I tremble all over.

My vision darkens around the edges.

As Halo collapses, rage burns through every part of my body, setting off an explosive chain reaction.

I scream in disbelief—my voice raking over my throat—as I draw back with both hands gripping the hilt of the katana. I garner leverage and power like a bow string stretching to its limit and releasing with all of its strength.

In the midst of my wind up, Adrianna flees to the other side of the anteroom. It's for her own good.

In defense, Lo thrusts his knife up, but his reaction time is delayed. Apparently, he doesn't think I have it in me to strike back, but I do.

The katana slices through the air, skimming over the top of the knife and continues on its course uninterrupted. I feel resistance but not much. When my swing screeches to a stop, blood streams from a thin wound that runs around Lo's neck and soaks the collar of his shirt. Before I can breathe again, his head bobbles on his shoulders and then rolls forward and thumps on the floor, his eyes wide with shock. A full second later, his lifeless body pitches forward, hits the wall and then crashes to the floor.

Adrianna screams.

Draco stares speechless, face awash in horror.

I fall to my knees next to Halo and stroke his dark hair. I lean over him, my lips close to his ear. "Halo," I cry. "Speak to me..."

"He got me good," Halo replies, voice trailing off.

I squeeze his shoulders, unsure how to help. "How bad does it hurt?"

It seems like a stupid question, but I have to figure out some way to assess how dire his situation is. Halo closes his eyes and slips off the edge of unconsciousness—a place where I can't reach him or pull him back to safety. In that moment, the realization of how bad his injury is, comes crashing down on me, sweeping me away.

I shudder all over. "Stay with me, Halo...Halo...say something to me..."

When he fails to open his eyes or speak, I push to my feet and turn on Draco. "If he dies, so do you."

"I didn't know Cygnus was going to do that."

I jab the sword at the air, inches from Draco's chin.

"Don't lie to me," I say. "I saw you make eye contact with him. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"In the bridge...now." I wave the sword at Draco, and then turn back suddenly. "Adrianna, come here. Halo needs your help."

The girl's bottom lip quivers as she stares sidelong at me, her eyes darting to Halo, and then to Lo's headless body.

"Halo needs your help. All you need to do is press on his back."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can, Adrianna." I keep a careful eye on Draco while edging closer to the girl. "That man tried to kill Halo. Halo is my friend. You saw it. I had to do what I did so that man wouldn't hurt you or me or anyone else again. I couldn't risk it."

Draco says, "Don't listen to her."

"Shut your face." I cut her off and point the katana at her. "You...you don't talk...not unless I say you can." I turn back to Adrianna. "Come to me, you can do this. Trust me, Halo is a good person and he needs your help." I offer a comforting smile. The frightened look on the girl's face fades and she stands, inching toward me. "That's it...You can do it."

Adrianna hesitates and then rushes over to Halo. "What do I do?"

"See his back?"

"Yes, he's bleeding. Is he dead?"

"No. He's breathing, but he's hurt really bad. He needs your help while I go to the bridge and try to call for help."

I watch Draco as I move closer to Halo and kneel beside him. I wad his shirt up in my hand, shift the material toward the wound and press down. "Hold this here," I say to Adrianna.

The girl nods in agreement.

I take her quivering hand and position her little palm on the wound. "If you keep pressure on it, it'll slow the bleeding. Do you understand?"

Adrianna replies, "I think so."

"You can do it." I rise and wave the sword at Draco. "You...to the bridge."

As I direct Draco through the doorway, I take one last look at Halo. He's breathing—short and raspy—but who knows for how long? With a blink, I move on and leave him behind, taking to the short hallway. As we walk, I keep a wary eye on Draco and her wrench as it hangs at her side. Everything goes according to plan until we enter the bridge of the ship. It's a wide room with chairs, computer consoles, and a series of rectangle window ports...providing a view of space rocks drifting by outside as the Celestial Sea cruises at reduced speed.

The asteroids captivate me. It's all I notice until I see the captain, his first mate, and two other crew members. And when they turn around and look at me, all I can see then, is their white, glazed over eyes.