Elle McBriar

July 22nd, 4 months and 10 days after the first zombie report

My ears were ringing. My nose was filled with fire and my lungs were stained with the black smoke, coating my insides. I struggled to breath, hearing the sound of a baby cry.

At least I'm not deaf. I can barely hear. My vision is foggy, I see double of everything. Am I about to pass out? I feel a hand grab my shoulder and I spin around, seeing Alex shouting at me, Paxton and Gage aren't far behind.

The way his hands are shaking on my body, and the fear in his eyes tells me this is not normal. That we're not okay, "W-what was that? What's happening?" I scream, feeling my eardrums finally return to normal.

"We don't know but we're going to check it out." Alex said.

"Like hell you are! You could die, Alex. You are not leaving me here!" I cried, sheltering Riley's body. "Sorry Princess, we have to check it out. It could've been a nuclear explosion, or maybe you're right, there are other humans." Paxton yelled.

Gage exited the house carrying three big guns. The boys strapped them around their bodies, clipping them into place.

"We just had an Earthquake, a fire and a freaking explosion all in the span of a Goddamn minute. A whole 60 fucking seconds Alex, if you go in there, there could be another explosion, and swear to God, I cannot lose you, neither can Riley." I warned, glaring at his conflicted features.

"Stop brainwashing him, Al, let's go!" Paxton screamed, revving the engine.

"Alex stop don't-"

"We'll be back soon. I promise, we're not going anywhere."

Alex looked between me and Paxton, kissing Riley's forehead, "Alex I swear to God-"

"I'm sorry."

He jumped in the van and they drove off. Leaving me alone, standing outside with a giant fire roaring around the sky, while a rain storm threatens to flood. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

We survived a zombie apocalypse, we can survive a rain storm, fire, Earthquake and nuclear explosion. Simple. It's easy!

* * *

It's not easy.

I'm going insane. The boys haven't radioed to tell me if they're okay. I haven't heard a second explosion, which is promising. But there's been a few after shocks. Riley won't stop crying. I'm warming up formula for him, it'll be the first time I feed a baby with a bottle.

I'm holding the nib of the bottle to his lips, his little hands wrapping around the baby-made handles. He sucks on it quietly, his tears stopping. I'm holding him tight, sitting on the floor in the corner of my bedroom.

I can feel the tears in the backs of my eyes, threatening to fall. I try to blink them away. But the stinging feeling is still there.

I look down at Riley, his eyes drooping as he begins to fall asleep. Rocking him back and forth, the bottle is dropped between my legs, his tiny body dead still as his chest rises and falls, showing he's asleep.

I stay on the ground, I don't know how long for but I'm still on the ground when I hear the sound of footsteps outside. Maybe it's the boys?

I couldn't be more wrong.

Peering out my bedroom window, my eyes shake in fear. Standing outside our house, covered in mud and rain, is about a dozen zombies, more emerging from the bushes as I speak.

Holy fuck, what do I do? I close the curtains, keeping the room dark and quiet. I open the closet in my room, which is shoved full of weapons and my clothes. Putting Riley in his baby carrier, I place him in the closet.

"Okay, you can do this. You've done this before Elle, a zombie fight on your own, whilst also protecting a baby. Yeah, piece of cake." I give myself a pep-talk, covering Riley with sheets. Hopefully he stays asleep. All I need to do is keep the zombies outside, if they come inside, I'm completely screwed.

"Elle will be back soon Riley. I promise." I whisper. I close the closet door, feeling a pit of fear bubble in the bottom of my stomach, that I've never felt before. It's deeper, getting stronger, completely taking over me. I burst into Paxton's room, picking up a rifle and checking the magazines. Good thing Gage taught me how to use one of these. I swung it over my shoulder, hooking a grenade around my index finger.

"You can do this Elle, stop being a pussy and get out there. Fight for your home." I say.

I want to wake up and this be a dream. I want to go downstairs and see my Mom and Dad in the kitchen, drinking coffee and eating pancakes. I want to hug my little brother after he paints me a picture. I want it to be normal again.

But my life will never be normal.

The rain sounds like bullets on the roof, causing goose bumps to rise on my skin. It's harder, windier and icier than ever before. I step foot onto the deck, glancing around at the walking dead. They're everywhere, there's too many of them.

I take a deep breath, pulling the lock, I reel my arm back, throwing it into the distance. I hear a loud boom and dirt flies up. Lots of groaning is heard as I make my way onto the grass. Fog has settled, making it 10x harder for me to see.

Curse the boys for getting a house with a big backyard.

I don't know when, or how, or why. But I began drilling into everything. I closed my eyes. I just held my finger on the trigger and fired, not even caring anymore.

"Go back to hell you freaks!" I screamed. They were getting closer and closer. I heard glass break and whipped around, no fucking way they're getting in the house.

I aimed the trigger at the zombies shooting once and then twice, it dropping dead on the porch. I kept firing, walking backwards until my foot hit the porch step.

Who knows how long I was firing for. It felt like hours. And I was still alone, fighting a war I know I'm not going to win.

When I thought it was over, when I was no longer worried about the rustling of leaves and the emerging of zombies, I was hit from behind. I fell forward, the rifle skidding across the porch, "No, FUCK!" I tried to get up, but I was being held by my ankles. I turned around, zombies were storming the place.

So much for a silent world.

My shoelace was caught on a rusty nail, I tried to get free. I couldn't quite reach the gun. "You're not going to die today Elle."

But it was no use. I felt like giving up. I am completely and utterly soaked. My clothes are wet with rain, my hair is sticking to my face and I can feel all energy erasing from me. I felt tired, my body is weak, aching. I can't win this, I tried.

When I pulled my leg again, surprisingly I was free. Is this God's way of telling me to get the fuck up and fight.

"NOT TODAY FUCKERS." I screamed, grabbing the rifle and shooting it. I heard the satisfying sound of bodies dropping dead as I backed up, as far away as I could. But I bumped into a chest, I felt the hot breath and the stench of flesh on my neck, "Fuck." I turned around, shooting it in the chest.

But the closeness of the zombie and the force of the rifle caused me to go flying back. I slipped on the wet porch, the gun flying from my hand and onto the grass. I tried to run for it, but I was cornered. Zombie upon zombie was at every angle of me. Behind, in front, beside. I'm done for.

But I spotted a way out, between the legs of he zombies. I began to crawl, being stepped on a few times. I managed to get free and kill a few of the suckers, but I was still being chased.

"Why me God? Why me?" I screamed to the sky, hard, cold rain hitting my face. I could barely see, but I was still shooting.

Suddenly, a blood curdling scream left my lips. I don't know what happened, but a pain, so deep and fierce lodged itself into my leg. I looked down, falling to my knees, to see a slice as big as my hand. Blood was gushing, running down my leg as mud, dirt and grass mixed in with it.

The tears on my face mixed with the rain drowned out my screams. Is this was war feels like? Not defeating the enemy while you're sick and wounded? Protecting you're own.

Well screw that. I stood up, despite the ever growing pain in my leg I carried on.

Do it for Alex, Paxton and Gage, so they have a home to come back too. Do it for Riley, so he can grow up in a world without zombies, not having to know the pain and heartbreak of killing someone, shooting your own in the middle of the hid, right between the eyes.

I shot the last of them, black blood dying the grass and the porch as the rain washed away on the concrete. Just when I thought it was over, I heard the rumbling of a van and I looked up, seeing Alex and Gage. Where's Paxton?

"Elle? Elle we need you?" Alex screamed my name.

"I'm here, I'm here? What's wrong?" I called out, over the rain, Limping towards the van, Gage opened the door. I almost broke down at the site in front of me.

Paxton was lying on the van floor, covered in his own blood, unconscious.

Just when I thought the worst was over.

It's just getting started.

* * *

hii

don't hate meeeee

also, who do you like elle with? alex or paxton? or gage? hehehe

happy reading :)