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Chapter Three

Vanished

Melody's P.O.V

I wrenched the door of the plane open and ran outside, gulping in the fresh air. The stench of death clung to me along with large splatters of blood. I glanced back at the plane, the door to the bathroom was jumping on its hinges violently as the screams of the man penetrated my ears. The memory of Alan wrestling the crazed man into the small bathroom replayed in my mind. We thought we were safe when he was securely locked inside, but then Rose started attacking people. I shivered at the image of her attacking the child, but I pushed it away.

The pilot informed us that we were returning to Australia through the speaker, completely oblivious of what was happening. Even the barrage of knocks we placed on his door didn't convince him to step outside. Maybe he knew what was happening? And didn't want to help us in fear of his own life. Even now, with the plane landed the pilots were still yet exit the cockpit. And I wasn't going to wait around for them, that door could break at any moment, and several people desperately needed medical attention.

"Come on Melody move!" Alan nudged me in the back and reminded me that I was blocking his way. I skipped down the stairs and waited at the bottom cautiously. Something felt wrong, shouldn't people be here to properly secure the plane or something?

He stepped towards me with the bloody knife in his hand and held it out to me. "Hold this while I help the others." I took it from his hand and was suddenly hit with the memory of him plunging the small blade into Rose's body. I shut my eyes and held back the tears, at least I was off the plane. But I was back in Australia, a place I worked so hard to leave.

I watched silently as Alan helped an elderly woman down the steps, followed by a woman with a small child in her arms. She smiled at me with large lips but I couldn't return the gesture. I tried desperately to smile back at her but I only found my frown deepening. I was shocked at the small amount of people that were left, but then again several of them were killed by Rose and the crazed man.

The few of us that remained slowly walked over to the airport. We entered the small doors and walked up the isolated stairs.

"Where is everyone?" I whispered, afraid of the answer.

"Maybe we were the last flight to return? They might all be waiting for us in the terminal." A passenger replied, walking slowly and cautiously. I stopped at the top of the staircase and poked my head out slowly, observing the empty hallway. I walked over to a large map of the airport and traced the lines of the airport with my finger. If we turn left at the end of the hallway, we'll be at the terminal.

"Terminals just up ahead." I stated pointing down the hall. Small specks of red dotted the bottom of the white wall and disappear into the dark carpet, I shrugged it off. Someone probably just spilt a drink or something. We rounded the corner of the hallway and stopped dead in our tracks.

Pools of red plagued the white floor.

Tables and chairs had been thrown around the large, spacious room.

It looked almost like a battlefield, with one thing missing. People. I stepped away from the confining walls of the hallway and swept the room as best I could. And yet still no one could be seen. No one screamed or whispered. No one ran or walked. No one was alive nor dead. It was as if everyone had simply vanished into dead air.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice coming out as a small whisper.

No one answered.

"Screw this I'm going home!" A large man stomped past me with a small woman walking at his heels. They ran to the large doors and disappeared outside. I looked back at the four people who remained and swallowed the large lump in my throat. My breathing picked up in speed as a wave of nausea overwhelmed me. I stumbled forward and gripped onto the nearest wall for support.

"I think I see someone!" The elderly woman hissed, hiding her small frame behind Alan. She jabbed her shaking finger in the air before she completely disappeared behind Alan.

I stepped away from the wall and ignored the sick feeling that groaned in my stomach. I looked over to the bathrooms where the woman had pointed and gasped. A tall dark-skinned woman in a red dress walked out of the bathroom and wandered into the middle of the room. Her high ponytail waved in the air with every step she took. She looked completely unscathed.

"Hey!" Alan waved his arms in the air until her dark eyes settled on us.

"What are you doing!? She might be one of them!" The tall woman with the baby shrieked, looking at me for support.

"She might not be one of them," I responded, looking back at the tall woman. She stumbled towards us and tripped over several bags along the way.

"Say something!" I demanded, raising the small butter knife in the air. She stopped walking and widened her eyes when she looked at me. Even if she were one of them I wouldn't have the stomach to physical harm her, let alone kill. I don't understand how Alan seemed so unmoved by it.

"Put the damn knife down! You aint' gonna be cuttin' anything with that thing!" She scolded, wiping her dress as if someone had just spilt a drink on her. She strolled over to us and pouted her lips. "So this is the rescue team huh?" She snorted at her comment and looked around.

"What happened here?" Alan asked, keeping a weary eye on her. She looked at him with a shocked expression and gaped at the five us.

"What you don't know? Oh hell this is gonna be a shock to you then!" She pointed at us and clapped her hands enthusiastically. As if she were excited that she knew something we didn't. "So all these people just randomly come inside and. Well. I guess you could say they kinda started killing everyone in the airport!" She raised her voice to a high pitch at the end while she gestured to the entire airport.

I looked at the woman in utter confusion. She seemed so... unnerved by the whole situation. I swallowed slowly and shook my head disbelief. "This can't be happening. This cannot be happening!" I whispered repeatedly, trying to calm myself down. I placed my hand to my forehead and sighed in desperation. Perspiration dotted by brow and slowly fell down my face.

"What do you mean, they "kinda" started killing everyone?" Alan asked stepping towards the woman. I sent him a hateful glare to which he replied with confused eyes. That was a question I desperately didn't want to hear. I already knew the answer to some degree, I just didn't want to confirm it.

"Well they stopped moving. And then they got back up and started attacking everyone. I already took care of one in the bathrooms. I had to stick his head between the door and -"

"Stop! Now! Forever stop that story!" I demanded, bending down and gasping for air. She looked at me strangely but soon turned her attention back to Alan. This had to be a dream. It had to be. Soon I will wake up, back on the plane and i will be very happy. Even a plane ride would be better than this right now.

I silently begged to wake up, but of course it didn't happen. This was all far too real for it to be a dream. And unfortunately, I knew that.

"Where have you guys been?" She asked skeptically. Eyeing up each of us.

"We just got off a plane!" The elderly woman stepped away from Alan and smiled at the dark woman warmly.

"My god you're old." She stated. She looked at me and held out her hand. "Me name's Robyn, you?" I took her hand and gave it a light shake. I stood up straight and flipped my hair over my shoulders.

"I'm Melody," I replied "and this is Alan." I continued, pointing to the silent man beside me. He stared off into the distance, clearly fascinated by something.

"I'm Esther, and this is my granddaughter Daisy." The old woman spoke, gesturing to herself and the woman with the baby.

"What's the baby's name?" Robyn asked, smiling down at the little bundle.

"Ronnie," Daisy hugged her child to her chest and cooed soft words at her lovingly.

I looked at each of them carefully. They all seemed frightened and tired, except for Alan. He seemed strangely calm about everything. Throughout everything that has happened he's managed to somehow keep a level-headedness. I looked at him more closely, observing every detail of his face. He was neither smiling nor frowning, sad or happy. He was a puzzle wrapped in an enigma.

"What is this? Some sort of disease?" I asked curiously. Maybe Robyn saw something on TV before she hid in the restroom?

"No idea," She replied, observing her long red nails carefully.

"Oh my god! Look!" Daisy pointed towards one of the doors near the entrance before she tightened her hold on the small child. I followed her gaze jumped in fright. My breath caught in my throat as my heart began to race uncontrollably.

Several people stood still on the other side of the room. Chunks of their flesh were missing and rivers of blood poured down each of them. I clamped my hand over my mouth to prevent my self from vomiting. The smell of death and rotten flesh filled my nostrils and compelled a splutter of coughs to leave my parched throat. Robyn backed away from the group of them and slowly moved behind all of us. I looked up at Alan but the frown that grew on his face didn't help to reassure me.

"Run!" He entwined his hand in mine and furiously tugged me along with him. I ran alongside him and looked back. Robyn was close behind us along with Esther and Daisy. The people on the other side of the room started to shamble towards us. Loud groans and hungered moans from our hunters filled the air and sent a strong shiver down my spine. We reached the exit just in time. I charged my shoulder into the nearest man and sent him falling back into the others. The group of crazed people fell into a jumbled mess and left us with enough time to easily escape.

We walked outside and gasped at the horrific scene.

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