Chapter 25

The corpses looked scarily familiar, like they were from this school. They were covered in blood and their clothes, or uniform, was threadbare, covered in grease. Their eyes were a deathly ice blue and their mouths were already wasting away. I was terrified.

I could let them in, and kill them with my small spear, but this office is tiny, and they'd be too quick for me. I'm too small and weak to face two alone. I shouldn't have come.

How did they even get here? Maybe they died here, in the English building. I shivered, thinking about it. And then I realised, what if they'd killed Lewis.

I could use the folders on the shelves to knock them down. Or I could use them to smash the small window behind me. I knew I would be able to squeeze through, just about. And I was only on the second floor, so I wasn't too high up.

What was I thinking? I could die, right?

No, I needed to jump. It's better to risk getting a few bruises and maybe a few broken bones, than being eaten alive by dead people.

Shielding my eyes, I smashed the heavy folder against the glass. It cracked instantly, but it didn't break. I looked back at the zombies, their faces pressed against the windows and their nails scraping down.

With such force, I threw the folder, the glass shattering and the folder flying out the window. I gulped and started climbing out, trying to avoid the spikes of glass. I looked at my palm, and saw it covered in blood. I had cut myself. I tried to prevent the tears. I could die right now. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It wasn't very high up, but I didn't have a choice.

"BELLA NO!"

I fell in slow motion. My hair was flying through the wind and I felt like a feather. It was peaceful falling through the air. I felt like nothing could stop me and I was free from it all.

And then I hit the ground. I hit it with such force, I couldn't actually feel anything. Maybe I fell on dirt, probably concrete, but it didn't matter. I landed on my back, but my left leg was bent, not stretched like my right. I prayed to god it wasn't broken. I lay there on the ground for a few minutes, actually wishing I hadn't survived. I just wanted everything to be back to normal.

"Bella!"

"Oh my god!"

"Help her!"

"Bella? Bella?" Lauren cried. She and Faye skidded down beside me, trying to help me up. They gently shook me, wanting me to open my eyes, "Bella?"

I tried to find the right words to say, "Am I dead?" I choked out, my eyes still closed. I didn't mean for it to come out comical.

Tom was next to me and he laughed. I felt one of Faye's tears drop on my cheek. "No, you're not dead thank god," she said, quietly. I opened my eyes and smiled at them all.

"I think I've broken my leg," I said, sitting up. That was the only part of my body in pain, except from my hand which I cut on the glass, and my back was a bit sore.

"Okay, we better get you inside. Can someone help me?" Tom asked, lifting me up.

"Ow," I mumbled.

Both Faye and Lewis rushed to my aid. I brushed Lewis's hand off my shoulder, as I didn't want his help. I was angry at him. Why the hell was he there? The whole reason I went searching for him was because he went missing. He was here all along? I jumped out a window, risking my life, all because I was trying to find him. I looked at him, disgusted. He looked shocked, upset.

Faye tried to support my back but she was still frail and weak. Tom and Bradley helped me as I limped back to the nurse's office. Lauren quickly held the door open for me, trying to be helpful. I smiled gratefully at her, trying not to look like I was in pain, though I was. How could I have been so stupid.

Josh helped Bradley and Tom lift me up the stairs. I forced myself to look back, and saw Lewis walking behind, feeling sorry for himself. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw the two zombies leaning out of the broken window. They were trying to climb out, to get us. Thank goodness I had got out in time.