Friends Against The World (Book 1): Bite Me

by Walters, Geneva

  "You guys are the best. I love you, be safe please." I looked to both of my parents in turn, and then my Uncle Jay who smiled at me.

  Everyone says their goodbyes and we climb into our separate cars, my Dad driving off in the north with a last backward glance. We begin driving south, Xavier is on my left and Liam is on my right in the backseat of Idris' car. I peer out the back window and watch my Dad's truck get further away, and I sigh. Xavier reaches an arm across my shoulders and pulls me into his side, pressing a kiss to my temple.

  "Everything will work out the way it should." He whispers into my ear, and I close my eyes, hoping with my whole being that what he says is true.

  Chapter 20

  About two hours later we pass the first sign indicating Niagara, having only dealt with a few infected. I nudge Liam awake, he passed out about an hour ago, and Violet slows down behind Lee's car as they pass the sign. The car falls into a hushed silence as we take in the destruction that can happen in 2 days. Cars are scattered across the road in various states of abandonment, many doors or trunks left open from scavengers. We find a park that is empty and park in the parking lot, all getting out of the cars and standing in a huddle in front of the cars.

  "It's surreal, something we left two days ago is this...ruined." Lee says, still taking a slow look around the abandoned park.

  "Whose house should we got too first?" Xavier posed to the group, who muttered to each other for a bit.

  "Idris' is closest, and Liam should be last as he is closer to the school, so what do you guys say?" Lee proposed. "Idris, Violet, myself, Quiyl, Avyanna, Anthony, Geneva, Xavier, James, then Liam?"

  "We should go as a group, moral and defensive support." Quiyl added, and Lee nodded his agreement.

  "Is everyone okay?" I asked, catching each friend's eye. "This is going to be rough but let us know well in advance if you do not feel up to the task, our priority is safety."

  "We got each other, we will be fine." Xavier acknowledged, and a few of our friends nodded.

  "Shall we do this?" Idris clapped his hands together, we split up and went to each car.

  "Want me to take a shift driving?" I offer to Idris, who nods with a faraway look in his eyes.

  I climb into the driver’s seat and Idris gets in the passenger, Vi and Xavier behind us and Liam in the middle. The mirrors flash in the sunlight as I adjust them then start up the car. I look across to Lee's car to see Avyanna in drivers seat taking a shift as well. The engine roars as I press the acceleration a bit to hard and I laugh, pressing the brakes down firmly. I look to Idris and smile apologetically, and he gives a half-hearted chuckle. The sign flashes by as I drive out of the parking lot and begin navigating to Idris', avoiding the cars abandoned on the roads. A few infected stumbles onto the road and we just drive right on past.

  About a half an hour goes by and we pull onto Idris' road, the road short and his house in view. Idris sits up in interest and puts his hand across his face, protecting it from the sun.

  "I don't have a good feeling about this..." Liam mumbles, leaning up in-between the two front seats. "The house almost looks too perfect."

  Idris nods, agreeing soundlessly. I pull the car to the side of the road in front of the house and look around the car to my friends.

  "Shall I be cliché and shout 'Let's do this!' like Shia LaBeouf ?" I attempt a half-hearted joke and Vi chuckles.

  "Yea, way to draw all the infected to our location. Make it real nice and quick." Vi sasses, and I roll my eyes.

  The rumbling of Lee's car cuts off behind us and my friends all climb out, some wielding their weapons. Idris motions for us to follow him and we begin to cross the yard, listening intently for any noises. The clunk of Idris' knife bumps against the door as he slowly opens the front door. The creaking of the door and the hushed breathing is the only noises as Idris walks in further, the rest of us fanning out and checking each room before moving downstairs.

  "Oh my god..." Liam says quietly as he descends the stairs, and I follow, his knife dropping to the stairs and making a metallic clang on each step.

  "What?" I ask him, and he just gestures soundlessly to the floor of the rec room.

  I walk down a few more steps and stop, shocked by what I see. There are four bodies sitting on the couch unnaturally still and a note laying on the coffee table.

  "Go back and stall Idris." I mumble to Liam, who nods and rushes back to the stairs.

  My feet move in a robotic state over to where I see the note and I pick it up with shaky hands. I skim the letter before deciding it is too personal to read and my eyes catch the dead eyes of his sister, Juliette, her body half slumped over on the couch. The note drops to the floor with a flutter as my eyes take in her pale skin and slashed throat, the red painting the front of her shirt. The rest of his family is in the same sort of state, his parents, Lisa and Dave, leaning into each other in one last embrace and his brother, Theo, is slouched over on the couch beside his sister. The similar horrific scene paints a horrific last few moments for one of my closest friends’ family.

  "Holy shit..." Anthony's deep voice echoes from behind me, his rough hand catching my shoulder in a firm grip.

  I slide down to my knees, and emotions cascade in rapid succession through my mind. Xavier walks into my sight to inspect the bodies.

  "The blood looks to be spilled quite recently, they were murdered less than 6 hours ago." Xavier mumbled, then walks back to hug me, sinking to my level.

  "Liam can't keep Idris for too much longer." Anthony mentioned, his hand leaving my shoulder as he moves and gently closes each of their eyes, standing back as Idris and Liam rush down the stairs.

  Idris stops in his tracks halfway down the stairs, stumbling into Liam who steadies him, his face darkening with an anger I rarely see. Idris pushes Liam aside and stalks down the stairs, his eyes alight with a dangerous fire and tears streaming down each cheek. Liam follows, and grabs Idris' arm who turns his dangerous glare on him. Liam's eyebrows furrowed together as he levelled his eyes with his long-time friend.

  "Do not take this out on anyone here. No one here is responsible for this." Liam's voice catches in his throat, as he looks to each of the bodies.

  "Who the hell could then. Tell me that!" Idris shouts, and Liam glares. "What kind of person could slit the throat of a 6-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl and their parents?"

  "How about we don't shout and attract any infected here and gather provisions. I am sorry Idris, I wish we could give you the proper time to grieve but we need to move if we are going to get to every house then the school before nightfall."

  Idris sucks down a deep breath and attempts to compose himself. "Can I at least give them a proper burial?"

  "Why would we deny you that? We will help and are here to help each other through." Liam clutches his arm in a comforting gesture.

  Idris waits until Liam releases his arm before collapsing on his knees beside his baby brother, and Violet finally comes from upstairs. She gets most of the way down the stairs before stopping and staring, her eyes widening in shock. Her feet move slowly over to Idris where she collapses, and he catches her, both crying.

  Chapter 21

  I step away, following Xavier who walked into another room who then shut the door gently with his foot. His comforting arms wrap me into them and I lay my head on his shoulder, my face wet with the tears of sympathy and grief.

  "Shhh baby girl, just breathe." He murmurs.

  I lean back and look to him, my eyes blurry. "The thoughts that must be crossing his mind, the emotions, the rage, the confusion..."

  He gently combs his fingers through my hair and my head tilted back on instinct, the comforting gesture distracting me from crying. "Let me see your pretty blue eyes without the tears, and let's focus on the situation. Today is going to be rough, we are going to have situations like this and watch some of the best people we know go through one of the toughest thing’s life can throw at us. All we can do is show the respect of grieving, the stren
gth of being able to move on, and the shoulder used to help someone stand."

  I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak without stumbling over words. He holds me for a few more moments and then I step back, taking a deep breath and steeling myself for the emotional turmoil of the other room.

  Suddenly I feel soft fur brush against my leg and look down in surprise, and a black cat with emerald eyes looks up at me, and meows in a high-pitched voice. I reach down and pick them up, the cat instantly purring. I recognize it as Idris's oldest cat, Midnight, and cradle her. Xavier comes over and pets her gently, smiling.

  "At least they didn't find you, sweetheart. Now let's go comfort Idris." I whisper to her purrs, and she trills at his name.

  Xavier pulls the door back open and we see Idris and Violet moving to each body and arranging them in a more natural position. Liam stands back with Anthony, and James, Avyanna, Lee and Quiyl have now joined us, James standing guard by stairs. Midnight sits up in my arms and meows, and Idris turns, his anger replaced with a happy expression, his eyes remaining troubled. Midnight practically leaps out of my arms into Idris's, who snuggles her closely. Violet comes over and scratches her head and Midnight purrs louder.

  "Hey darling, so glad your safe." Idris mumbled, and Midnight trilled at his voice.

  The rest of us gather provisions from within the household and bring it out to the cars, placing Midnight in Idris's since it wasn't too hot, her lazing comfortably in her kennel. Half of us return downstairs to retrieve the bodies to give them a proper burial. Liam and James pick up his Dad, Anthony and Lee take his mom, Idris picks up his baby brother and Xavier and Anthony pick up his sister. They come outside where us girls have located four shovels and begun digging holes under a large willow tree. We dig for about an hour, getting a few feet down, before the boys took over. I walk over to Idris's sister and begin to arrange her hair a bit nicer, and Quiyl comes over with a bucket and a sponge she found in the kitchen. I grimace as I move Juliette's neck to clean the wound up a bit, the exposed part of her esophagus opening and closing.

  Quiyl walks off as I clean her up a bit, and she comes back with some wildflowers she gathered from the field beside his house. I arrange Juliette's hands to lay on her chest with a few flowers laying in between them. Violet is cleaning his brother and we arrange each family member to make their bodies look more peaceful. We gather some cardboard and move each body onto an individual piece and arrange some smaller pieces to hold the head in place while moving. The boys climb out of the holes, helping each other up once Idris announces that it is good enough.

  When they climb back out us girls go and inspect the holes, the four side by side under this willow. I notice the boys have hacked through part of the willow tree roots. Two of us jump into each hole while some stay up top, Xavier and I taking one, and the other pairs in the others, Anthony and Avyanna, Lee and Quiyl, and then in the last is Liam and James.

  "Good bye Theo, I dearly wish I could change the past and bring you back and keep you safe. You never deserved this, I love you." Idris and Violet lower Theo's body to us, and Idris presses a kiss to his forehead.

  We lay him on the bottom of the hole and I lower my head in a brief sign of respect, Xavier following suit, before hoisting ourselves out of the hole. We move to stand by the next, and Idris and Violet both say a few words before giving Juliette's body to Anthony and Avyanna. Idris and Violet move onto his mom, and then finally his dad. All of us stand in a semi circle at foot of the holes. Idris stands in-between the holes and gazes down at each family member. We trade glances then one by one go up and hug him, and he holds each person robotically.

  "Thank you for being there to support me in every endeavor and dealing with my impulsive behavior, I love you now and for the rest of my life and beyond." He covers his face with his hands, Vi coming up and hugging him, letting him cry.

  "Thank you for raising my friend to be who he is, I will miss you spiking my drinks." Liam laughed, addressing Idris's parents.

  "Thank you for trusting me to not hurt Idris and giving me your blessing." Violet addressed, hold Idris's hand.

  The rest of us said a few words then four people grabbed the shovels, Xavier, Idris, Liam and Lee, and began to fill in the holes.

  After about an hour we have finished, four mounds of fresh dirt are heaped under the willow. Xavier grabs a rock and brings it over to Idris, who lays it in the middle of the four mounds. Violet walks over to him and we all walk over to the cars, leaving him and Vi for a moment alone.

  "What if we go to our houses and find that?" Quiyl whispers, and Lee pulls her in for a hug.

  "Then we give them the respect of burials and be glad they have gone onto a better place." He answers, and Quiyl does not look convinced.

  Violet and Idris walk over to where the cars are, hand in hand. Liam grabs the keys away from Idris who doesn't protest. We climb into the respective cars and leave for Violet's.

  Chapter 22

  The trees cycle past as we drive up Idris' street and then a familiar house comes into view in the distance.

  "I hope Danian is okay." Liam mumbles, and the rest of us trade looks.

  "Been a long time since I have heard that name." Idris commented, and looks to Liam. "Should we check? I mean I know some of us might not be on the best of terms with him after the whole Timothy thing."

  "Timothy thing? I thought he just stopped talking to us." Xavier questions us, and I sigh.

  "Timothy was a friend who started spreading rumors about all of us, to everyone in our grade. He was just a mean and spiteful person, Liam insulted him once and he blew it out of proportion. Dainan took his side when the rest of us confronted Timothy, but for a long time I wonder if Timothy blackmailed him into it. Timothy moved away in grade 11, his Dad got a new job." I explained, and Xavier nodded. "Should we stop and check if anyone is alive?"

  "It's time to let sleeping dogs lie, I vote we stop." Idris replies, and Liam signals just as we get near the driveway, and Lee follows us in.

  Danian's truck is parked in the driveway and as we exit we hear shouts from the backyard, all of us immediately draw our weapons. Liam silently gestures for us to split up, one half go around the far side of the house and the rest straight through. Lee, Quiyl, Avyanna, Anthony and James start walking towards the far side, and the rest start towards the backyard gate.

  Liam and Idris lean against the gate on either side and Violet slowly pushes it open, the gate unlatched and creaks open. My eyes immediately see 2 bodies laying on the ground, blood seeping into the grass around them. Danian has his hands up and two armored people are pointing guns at him, and he is shaking his head.

  He looks the same as I remember, short brown hair and blue eyes, his tall frame is slowly backing away. Dainan suddenly notices us and we motion for him to pretend we are not here. Liam nods to Anthony who is coming around the side to creep up behind one of them. The two of them sneak up behind the guys and quicker than the eye can see they have blades pressed to their necks. The rest of us walk out, and I walk over to Dainan who is leaning against his fence and breathing hard.

  "It's okay Dainan, we got you." I mumble, and he collapses into my arms, me barely catching him. "Just breathe, lets go for some deep breaths."

  A shout rings out and I turn slightly to see what is going on. Anthony is on the ground cursing, clutching his leg where the raider appears to have kicked him, and the one raider is standing with his hands up, his own gun now in Lee's hands and aimed at him.

  "If you make one more move asshole, you will become intimately acquainted with your own gun." Lee threatens, and the guy sighs. "Now, are you raiders or just straight up murdering assholes?"

  The man that Liam has his knife held to growls and faces Lee. "We do what we have to survive."

  The guy Lee has his gun pointed at has long brown hair tied in a braid and a red bandana holding his hair back, the other guy has a shaved head with a red bandana as well. Both are dress head to toe in a mix of motorcycle gear a
nd body armor, the light glinting off the silver in the jackets. They are wearing leather jackets and chest armor, and then leather chaps with big motorcycle boots.

  "I don't like that answer very much, now, did you kill a family down the road, two parents and two kids?" Liam says, the knife pressing harder into the raiders throat.

  "I have already answered that, we do what we have too."

  Idris's glare at the two men hardens, and he raises his gun and points it at the one Lee is threatening, his voice has a deadly tone ringing out. "That was my family, you heartless bastards."

  "I swear man, we didn't know. They were fighting back, we had to!" The guy with the guns in his face stammers, and Idris clicks the safety off.

  "Idris, are you sure you want to do this?" Violet's soothing voice says from where she is standing. "You are making a decision here that will haunt you for a very long time."

  "Violet, they killed my family, two parents who did their best and my siblings I should have been there to protect! I have to do this; only then will they be at peace for being wrongly murdered!" Idris steels his stance and pulls the trigger, the raiders last expression is widened eyes and an open mouth, a flower of blood exploding from his throat as he crumples.

  The shot thunders and echoes, and the other raider has his mouth clamped shut. We all trade glances and look to Idris, who's face is shining with tears. His aim switches to the other raider who Liam is standing behind.

  "Liam. Move." Idris growls, and Liam steps back and moves to where I am standing, Dainan is shocked into silence.

  "Please man, we had no idea." The raiders last words are rushed, and then cut off as he is killed in the same way, the shots echoing then fading to silence, natures sounds resume around us as we stare at Idris.

  Violet walks over to where Idris is standing, his hands still held out bracing the gun and a faraway look in his eyes. Her hands reach out and remove the gun from his hands, dropping it on the ground after checking that the safety was back on. She wraps her arms around him and he seems to break out of the shock, then he breaks down crying, falling into a kneeling position and dragging Violet down with him. She cradles his head into her shoulder and rubs his back, motioning with us to take care of the bodies and Dainan.