"You said she's missing, right. Why do you think she's dead?" I ask?

"She took Alexa's gun and left. She just left. We don't know how, but no one saw her." Serafina says.

"She can't be dead, we'll find her." I respond.

"No." Serafina murmurs.

"Sera?"

"Look outside."

I stand up and walk over to the window at the end of the hallway, lift up the curtain and tilt my head to see the side of the building. Zombies everywhere, probably dozens of them.

"What happened?" I ask.

Serafina walks behind me and sets her hands on the window sill to keep herself sturdy.

"She left, she was up here with you. Took Alexa's gun and went out, probably through the back. No one saw her leave, but Sophie and Zander we're on watch. They saw the zombies and started killing them off but too many came and they had to go inside. Six could've left while they were inside and maybe she tried killing the zombies? That would explain why she took the gun. Maybe she saw them first and wanted to take them out herself."

"Slow down, I get it. Thank you. Do you know where Sophie and Zander are?"

"Everyone went to the gym for a meeting or something. We should do either way."

I open the door to the gym that was being propped open by a shoe, making it slightly ajar.

"He's awake." Ria says.

I sit on top of a stack of blue mats in the corner of the gym.

Alexa sits next to me, "What do you know?" She asks calmly. This is probably the softest I've heard her talk, not fitting for the situation.

"Last night after I went inside I heard crying upstairs." I began. "Six was sitting on the floor in the hallway, crying loudly. She said she wanted her sister and not you. I told her it would be fine and comforted her, I fell asleep and don't remember anything after that."

Alexa rubs her knee, "I started sleeping really early. I left my gun on a table in the classroom."

Zander speaks, "I might've seen someone but it's not that important."

"What'd you see?" Eli asks.

"Someone in the woods, with an axe or bat maybe. They looked in a hurry and ran into the woods, not out of."

"Six wasn't kidnapped." Alexa says.

"I'm not saying she was." Zander replies.

"This is stupid. We should look for her." Ria announces.

"There's too many zombies, not just here but in the area, and attracting more won't do us any good." Eli says.

"Did anyone hear shots last night, or something that woke them up?" Alexa asks.

Everyone shakes their heads.

"This is worthless." Alexa jumps off the stack of mats and trails out of the gym.

"We'll find her. I'm sorry I couldn't be of help." Sophie says and walks away.

Soon enough everyone departs. I leave the gym and walk out to the front door, it's locked and barricaded with two desks. Zombies can't open doors but with how many are out there these doors could easily get pushed open unlocked.

I'm still wondering how I slept through that and why I slept for so long. I hear footsteps behind me but don't bother turning around. Serafina stands next to me and leans forward onto one of the desks.

She bends her head down, "We have to find her, fast."

"There's not much we can do." I say.

"We go out into the herd. We run through until we reach somewhere safe, then we search the area. We can run far away and try to get the zombies away from the school."

"That's blatant suicide. We can't just run through zombies and hope for the best."

I look out the clear, glass doors and stare past all the zombies. The apartment catches my eye.

"Well we need a plan, and quickly." Serafina says.

"I have an idea." I say.

"What is it?"

"Distract the zombies, get them to the back of the school. I'll run to the apartments and ask Julia to help me guide them far, far away. Then we can look for Six."

"Sounds just as complicated as my plan." She turns around and takes a few steps. "I'll ask the others, try to get them on board, but you should go with someone else."

"Then you come with me."

"I need to stay here and look for Six, if I don't I'll feel guilty. I can already tell that girl doesn't like me too."

"Suit yourself." I say and start down the hallway.

"Nitro. I would help you, I'm serious but right now Six is all I can think about and until I find her tiny corpse myself or get to bring her back here with Alexa, her family, I won't be able to do anything else, especially leaving this place."

"I understand. Where did everyone go?"

"I'll find them, wait for me in the gym."

I wait in the gym, sitting at a desk, using a pencil to draw on the chalky wall. Eventually Serafina walks in followed by everyone.

"I'll go with you." Zander affirms.

"You sure?" I ask.

"Very."

Ria crosses her arms, "To distract them we'll need to start one of the buses, at least one should still have the keys inside."

"Alright, everyone ready?" Serafina asks.

Everyone except Zander and Alexa leave the gym and head to the back of the school. Alexa walks over to me.

"Although I don't think this is the best idea, thank you. I'm so grateful that you're helping me." Alexa leaves in the direction of the other.

Zander and I go to the front of the school and start moving the desks quietly. He picks up his crossbow and leans against the door. Once the zombies start moving to the back of the school where the sound of honking can be heard I hover my fingers over the lock.

"That should be enough." Zander says.

I unlock the door and open it. There's still a fair amount of zombies close by. We take them out silently and run to the apartments. When we reach the entrance Zander stops panting and asks, "You used to this?"

"Fuck off, I came here three times max."

We open the door and go upstairs, but someone lays on the floor, not alive or in one piece. Julia stands by the window facing us, "I know, I know." She says with her face in her palm.

"Is that Audrey?" I ask.

"I don't know." She groans.

Julia starts pacing back and forth.

"Julia…" Zander says. He puts his hand on her shoulder.

"I saw her last night." Julia says.

"What do you mean?" Zander asks, taking his hand off her shoulder.

"She came here with a boy in a little, old, grey car. They drove around for a while, wandering. When they left zombies started coming in."

"Why is she missing a foot?" I demand.

"So, I went outside and found her sitting in the car alone. She grabbed me by the hair and asked about a girl named Cassie, her breath smelled of alcohol. She told me about the school, a girl with blue hair named Alexa. A girl with short, ombre hair, Sophie I assume, and you Nitro. I told her I didn't know shit and asked her about the zombies, that's when she took hold of my neck and tried choking me. I stabbed her and dragged her out of the car and took her all the way here."

"You didn't need to rip her apart." Zander says.

"That is not ripping someone apart, I can show you what that looks like once her boyfriend gains the balls to show up."

I ask, "Can you help us find someone?"

"Cassie?" She asks.

"Yes. We have to bring the zombies far enough away to search for her."

"Why not?" She picks up a small, brown backpack and comes downstairs with us.

"If you don't have a plan I might." Julia says as we walk towards the forest.

Zander speaks, "Let's hear it."

"I noticed that girl had something on her, in this bag." She lays the bag down on the damp dirt and pulls out a bottle with a cloth in it.

"Is that a Molotov?" Zander asks.

"Indeed." She grins. "There's more where that came from."

"You want to start a forest fire?" I ask.

"Hey, if it works." She responds.

"What about the gas station, can't we throw them at that?" Zander asks.

"Sounds like a solid plan." Julia picks up the bag, we follow her to the gas station. From a distance Julia reaches into the bag and pulls out a bottle, before lighting in on fire she screeches.

It only takes four of the Molotov cocktails to set the gas station on fire and bring in zombies. Julia throws the remaining bottles on the concrete then we run away.

The school is completely cleared of zombies, we go around behind the school.

"Thanks Julia." Ria says.

"Can I help you search for her?" Julia asks.

"I think you've helped enough." Zander says.

Ally interrupts, "No, we need help and it's not like she's asking to stay or anything."

"Fine, I don't care." Zander says then walks away.

Eli motions for me from inside the bus. I get inside and ask, "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to say that you did good. With that plan and all."

"Thanks, Eli." I look down at the dashboard. "Driving this seems a little complicated."

"You'll figure it out, we still have time."

"I feel like that time is running out. With Six missing and the zombies and shit – we have to leave."

"We'll be just fine." He takes the key out of the bus and hands it to me. "Keep that for later."

"We aren't fine." I say.

He puts his hand on my shoulder the same way Zander did to Julia, his fingers grip onto me tighter as he speaks, "This is bad, really bad I know. No matter what happens we'll make it out of here and head to New York safely."

"Yeah, I hope you're right."

"I'm always right, don't worry." He smiles and pats my shoulder before leaving. I follow him out and put the key in my pocket.

Serafina ties up her hair, "Nitro something's wrong."

"What?"

"It's Alexa, we haven't seen her since the zombies cleared out. She left without saying."

"I'll check the parking lot, come with me?"

"Yeah, of course." She says.

In the parking lot there's seven cars, some of which are beaten up pretty badly. Serafina inspects the cars.

"Sera, I don't think she's here."

Serafina doesn't respond, she stays silent for a while.

"Nitro."

"What?" I walk over to her.

She's turned facing me, away from a blue car, with her hand on her mouth, "Don't look, please." She says shakily.

I ignore her and look down behind the car. It's Cassie... Six. She's holding a pistol. She looks up at me with dead, white eyes and groans. She reaches for my foot and I don't stop her. She's too small and weak, even to bite me.

"Should we take her out?" Serafina says, she starts shaking.

I crouch down and brush her hair back with my fingers. She keeps reaching for me, trying to bite me.

"Your knife?" I ask Serafina.

She hands it to me.

"I'm sorry Cassie. You did good, trying to protect us all like that. You're such a good person, you deserved so much. I really wish you stayed there with me last night. Either way, thank you."

I raise the knife and stab her little head. After she stops moving I stand up.

"Should we take her back to the school, bury her?" Serafina asks.

"I don't want to just take her dead body there for everyone to see without warning."

"They'll need to find out no matter what. Pick her up."

I pick her up and retrieve to the school not too far away.

Sophie's the first one to see me, she runs inside. Ria walks up to me, "You wanna bury her?" She asks.

"Yeah."

"There's some loose dirt out by the front, I'll ask Logan and Eli for help. You too should go inside."

"Thanks Ria."

Inside Sophie is sitting on the stairs. I sit down next to her, "I really wish it was different. I had no idea she went out last night."

"Oh shut up." Sophie mutters.

"What?"

"Nitro the day we got here you left them on the side of the road, you didn't fucking care whether they lived or died. I have no idea what was going on in your head, but in the moment you seemed fine. And you didn't care, you didn't give two fucking shits because your girlfriend who you are so loyal to said to keep on driving. So please, don't act like you care now just because you knew who Six was, if you left her that day, I bet you wouldn't have shed a tear."

"Listen, I left who I saw and what I saw was a person and a child surrounded by zombies that could've killed the three of us and everyone at this school, considering the fact that the zombies went here right after we drove away. I protected the people I cared about at the moment."

"Bullshit. You're sad because a little girl died not because you actually cared about her."

"You don't know anything… really." I step down and leave, I go sit on my mattress and pick up the book Eli showed me. He left it here while I was asleep. I open it and start reading.

Someone knocks on the door, Serafina. She enters slowly then sits down next to me, “What are you reading?”

“Some book Eli gave me.” I say.

“He gave you something?” She asks.

“I guess.” I close the book. “What’s up?”

“You okay? I mean, what Sophie said back there was kinda intense.”

“I’m fine. She’s the type to get mad a lot.”

“What she said about you listening to me and leaving them behind. I knew you wanted to help them, I did too but like you said I was protecting who I cared about in the moment, I didn't want you to play hero and get your ass torn apart by zombies.”

“How long will she be like this?” I ask.

“Maybe if we find Alexa she’ll chill the fuck out. Six is gone though, all of us are going to blame each other and ourselves as a coping mechanism or whatever.”

“I know who’s fault it really is.”

“Hm?” Serafina tilts her head.

“Audrey, she came here with her boyfriend and attracted zombies.”

“For real?”

“You can find her dead body in the apartments if you like.”

“I’ve seen enough dead people today.” She wraps her arms around her knees and brings them up to her chest.

“You alright?” I ask.

“That’s a hard thing to be right now, but I’m trying. Also, Nitro I’m really glad you're here. Please don't end up like Six or leave like Alexa.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Serafina hugs me, “Please.”

She’s been through a lot, yet she’s still so much braver than I am.

Someone runs down the hallway and into the classroom.

I stand up, “Julia, What is it?”

“The car! I saw that red car leave.”

“Start the truck,” I say.

“It is, come on.” Julia waves her arms in her direction.

Serafina and I get in the front of the truck with Ria. Ally and Julia are in the back. I start driving and slow down when I see the car.

“Don’t let her see you,” Serafina says.

I follow the same turns the car takes over and over until I lose track.

“Fuck, what was that place called? The town.” I say.

“What?” Ria asks.

“Alexa said they were going somewhere.”

“Just read the signs!” Ria shouts.

After minutes of reading those little green signs and driving around Ria speaks, “I knew she would be dead, I looked for a spot to bury her ahead of time.”

“She just wanted to protect us,” I say.

“Yeah, exactly. I had a little sister like her, and an older brother… and a younger brother. My older brother tried so hard to raise us himself, he’d fight with our parents over how he was better at taking care of us. I still have no clue where he is, all I know is there’s a chance he ended up like Zander’s sister. One huge fucking chance.”

“Nitro!” Serafina yells.

“Jesus. What is it?”

“Stop the truck.”

I stop the truck, she hands me a small notebook with a butterfly on the cover.

“What is this?”

“I found it in Alexa’s classroom before I went to bed and this morning she was looking for it really frantically. Look inside.”

I open the notebook and a map falls out, there’s an area circled in glittery, green pen.

“Serafina, why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Ria asks.

“I didn’t look through it.”

Julia opens the small window, “Why did you stop?”

“We have a lead,” Ria says, lifting up the map to show Julia and Ally.

“What if it’s dangerous?” Ally hesitates.

“You’re armed,” I say and start driving.

We make it to a little camp area that looks empty.

“This is it,” Serafina says.

We get out of the truck and search the tents, no one, nothing. I walk over to a bench and pick up a note that looks like it was ripped out of a yellow notepad.

It reads:

I knew you would find me. I’m safe with John now, if you need somewhere to stay for whatever reason, like the zombies today - in South Vermont, by Grantham not too far from here, there’s a town, well more like a little community. Red Easton is the name of the town, it’s by an old diner that’s been closed off since the ’90s. It’s hidden out by the storage area and you’ll need a password to get in “ARGOMARVA '' tell them I, Alexa Wesley recommend that you go there. There’s money in the makeup bag in the blue tent, take it. One thing I never want you to do, even though it may be hard in a world like this is to risk your youth, I made that mistake and now you’re being forced to grow up too fast, not only grow up but in a violent, scary way. In the future which I pray you will live to see, when you look back you won’t have the happiest memories, at least not at this rate. But there’s time. Use it. And please, don't come searching for me.

It’s signed with a smiley face, looks like she tried to write ‘thank you’ too but her pen ran out of ink.

“What the fuck did you find, you’ve been standing there so long I thought you passed away,” Julia says as she walks up to me.

"Have a look for yourself," I say, handing her the note. As she reads it Serafina and Ria join her. I check the blue tent, sure enough, there's a makeup bag with around three hundred dollars in it.

"How much money?" Serafina asks.

"Three-hundred."

"Yeah, she's dead," Julia says.

"Or it's a trap." Ria implies.

"Set by Alexa?" I ask.

"No, John."

"That note didn't sound like a twenty or thirty-something-year-old man," I say.

Ally who was sitting down at the bench sits up, "I don't feel safe here, we should get back."

By the time we get back to the school it's already twelve am. We walk inside to the noise of talking from the gym then trail into the gym; it feels like I've walked into this place a million times.

“What’d you find?” Logan impatiently asks.

“Alexa left,” I say. I walk to Logan and the others, hand him the note. Ria shows everyone the money.

“Wow, that’s a lot.” Zander comments.

Serafina crosses her arms, “Maybe we should leave. Now.”

“We haven’t even packed yet,” Sophie exclaims.

Ally shrugs at Sophie, “Tomorrow?”

“We’ll leave tomorrow,” Eli says, he stands up and slips the note in his pocket.

Sophie comes up to me, “We’re going to New York because of you?”

“Sophie I’m sorry, either way, it’s not safe to stay in one spot.”

“You’re fine, I don’t care what you do or where you do it but I dragged us here. It was my decision to come back to the school, why don’t I get a say in anything?”

“That isn’t fair. I don’t want to sound rude asking this but do you even suggest things? I’m sure everyone would take your thoughts and plans into account if you spoke up.”

“I stopped doing that a long time ago. No one listened, when I made jokes or tried to get people’s attention.”

“Hey, it’s the end of the world. Say whatever the fuck you want.”

She smiles, “I wish that was the case. This will end, I know it, and when it does I don’t want to feel embarrassed over something I said and got dirty looks for.” She turns away, then back at me “Also I’m sorry for lashing out like that before.”

After she leaves I exit the gym and go into my classroom, where Eli and Serafina are on the floor packing into backpacks.

“You found those in the lockers?” I ask.

“The ones that were already open, we’ll have to bust open the rest,” Serafina says.

"Not like we have much to pack," I say.

Eli starts, "Ammo, weapons, clothes, maybe some notebooks or random things, flashlights, containers."

"Alright I get it, wake me up tomorrow."

"You'll have to get up early," Eli says.

"Why?"

"The bus?"

"Shouldn't there be like a manual or something?"

"I'll check but a manual won't help you."

"We need a smaller vehicle once we get to New York, or anywhere," Serafina adds.

"You think that Red Easton place is safe?" I question.

Eli stands up carrying a black backpack, "We can check it out but it'll take a few days to get there."

Come with me."

"Where?" I ask, even as I follow him into the hallway.

"I need to pack a bunch of clothes."

He takes me up the stairs and to the Janitor's Closet where I received Logan's jacket when we got here.

"Grab those." He points to the clothes hanging on a vacuum.

We return to the classroom where Eli tells me, "You can sleep now. Zander and I are gonna get the rest ready."

"You sure?"

"Just go to sleep." He throws the military jacket I haven't worn in far more than a week at me.

I'm woken up by Eli at four in the morning. Serafina's still asleep next to me, curled up with her face only a few inches away from the leg of a desk.

"Let's go." He says and offers his hand to me, it's cold – very cold.

"Why's your hand so cold?" I ask on our way outside.

"I was searching for food."

There's snow on the ground, it looks at least two inches.

"All night, when's the last time you slept?" I ask.

"Doesn't matter." I follow him onto the bus. "You can start it." He says.

I take the key out of my back pocket and stick it in the slot with 'Start, Off, ACC, Run.' Written on it.

"What's ACC?"

"No idea." He replies.

The buttons say what they're for. It's easy and similar to driving a truck. Just when you push the brake don't push it too hard and watch out for the tail when you turn."

"I think I got it," I say.

"Wanna take it for a test drive?"

"I don't know if I should."

"Just down the street and back."

"You seem eager, why don't you drive it?"

"The pond." He says.

"What?

"Just stop by there."

"Whatever," I say and start driving.

Eli sits down in the seat behind me, "It froze over yesterday."

"You have any idea what month it is?"

"Should be October.

"Shit…"

"Hm?"

"Serafina might've turned fourteen without even knowing it."

"You wanna celebrate her birthday?"

"If she wants, but over time we'll lose track of the months the same way we did with the days. Birthdays won't matter."

I stop on the street next to the pond and open the doors. Eli immediately jumps out.

"It's really fucking cold." I chuckle.

"Come here." He waves his hand. Standing on the iced-over pond.

"This doesn't feel like a good idea," I say contradicting my left foot stepping onto the ice.

"Ever been ice fishing?"

"Eli it's way too early for this."

"Yeah sorry." He steps off the ice and bends down. I walk up to him, "You okay, you aren't hurt are you?"

He throws a snowball; more like a clump of snow at me cutting me off.

I fight back and we start hurling snowballs back and forth until five when Logan appears.

"What are you doing?" Eli asks.

"Looking for you dumbass.

"Is something wrong?"

"No everything's just dandy. We need to work out where we're headed, the routes we're taking. Meanwhile, you two are acting like kindergarteners in the south."

"We'll go back," Eli says. "Is everyone up?"

"Zander's upset, doesn't wanna leave his brother even though we haven't a clue where the kid is. Ally's handling it."

We get onto the bus and start driving back to the school.

"Why didn't he speak up earlier?" Eli asks.

"Zander's- he's a lil' fucked up in the head right now. Ally will help, she always does."