Other Side

by Rose, Isabella C.

  “Please God, let her not know how to open the door,” I begged under my breath.

  Her ragged dress gaped at the bottom, revealing her calf. I bit back bile, looking at the teeth marks that made her calf. A huge chunk of her leg was gone, exposing bone and muscle. That goo was seeping down her leg in a slow trickle. Her hand moved to the handle, then I had to cover my ears as one of the zombies let out an ear-piercing howl. The fat lady's head swiveled at an unnatural twist, and I saw her mouth curl into a madman smile. She shot off at a run toward the sound.

  “What the hell was that sound?” Jaime said straightening himself, moving Tiffany's hands from his waist.

  “I hope to God to never find out because the zombie at the door gave me the chills when she heard it. We need to leave now!” I tell them, picking up flashlights and stuffing them in the bag with the jackets. I noticed another camo bag and moved toward the guns. “Grab what you can, we leave in five minutes. I don't like the others alone with the way the zombies are acting.”

  Jaime met me at the gun case. We both loaded up on a few handguns and all the ammo in the case, which wasn't very much since they were renovating the place.

  “Others?” Tiffany spit out. “How many others?”

  I just gave her an I don't care look over my shoulder. Jaime could handle his ex or whatever she was.

  “Yes, we have a few people waiting at the diner on the end of the strip mall. Tiffany can you grab anything we might need at the cabin? Matches and stuff,” Jaime asked her.

  Nice, yeah, send her off to be distracted. When she moved a few feet away sulking, but putting stuff in a bag, Jaime turned to me.

  “Violet, we can’t tell the others about the way the zombies are acting. It’ll just scare them more. We need them to be ready to defend them and us if we end up in a bad situation again. I know it sounds crazy not to tell them the zombies are smarter than we thought, but I fear they will think they can reach them if we meet someone we might know.”

  This went against my gut feeling, but he might be right. If Hale got trigger-happy or Julia got scared, she might do something stupid and not shoot at the zombies attacking us.

  “Okay.”

  “About Tiffany, we broke up a while ago. I didn't know what to do when she kissed me. It meant nothing, really. She has a good heart, but I want someone deeper.” His eyes bore into my head.

  I didn't look because I would just act all stupid teenage girl, and say, Me? I just shook my head, moving away. He didn't push the subject, thankfully. Supplies gathered, we met at the back door.

  “Back to the diner,” I said.

  They both just look at me and nodded. Watch out for that noise, I tell Jaime with my hard stare. He nodded with determination. We swung the door open, guns blazing.

  Chapter Nine

  The hall was dimly-lit, and we stood inside the sports store for a minute to see if whatever the noise we heard before came lurking down the hall at us. Nothing but dead silence awaited us in the hallway. I moved in first, pointing my gun left and right for any threat. Only the same black hallway we left met me. I motioned for them to follow, Tiffany in the middle with a small 45 in her grasp. She looked as if she was comfortable holding a gun. Not surprising since her dad owned the sports store. Behind Tiffany, Jaime shut the door silently. He had a stealth to him I would have never thought of before this crazy day. We had been at the same school for most of our lives, and I had seen him play in some football games I was forced to attend with my family. He was fast on the field and most colleges would have loved to have him go to their school. I had never thought he would know who I was.

  Moving down the hall, the diner door in sight, the rustle came back. Safe from anything from my end of the hall since all that was there was the diner door and wall, I swung around to see what was coming for us.

  None of us moved. If a zombie was down there, they wouldn’t get past us. Another clanking of bottles, a large rat ran down the hallway. Boom!

  I jumped at the rat, seconds before it exploded into pieces.

  “Yeah, take that, you damn rodent!” Tiffany hooted into the air shoving her gun toward the now dead rat.

  Dumbfounded, I just stared at her mouth gaping open. I thought I would be the one to get myself killed, but I stood corrected. Tiffany was the one who would eventually lay claim to our deaths.

  “What were you thinking? Never mind, you weren't. How many zombies do you think just heard that gunshot? If they didn't know we were here before, they sure do now. Damn it, Tiffany.” Jaime stalked off toward the diner, leaving me and Tiffany in the hall.

  “Don't look at me like that. It could have been a zombie. And who does he think he is talking to me like I'm a child?” Tiffany followed Jaime into the diner.

  Falling against the wall, I rubbed my head with my hand, trying to relieve the headache that was threatening to break through. Just breathe, Vio, once we are safe you can have some alone time to think.

  A few minutes later I pulled open the diner door, my eyes searching for Brandi. She was the only one I had left in this world, even if we had never been that close. Maybe that could change now. Funny how the world ending made me want to hold on to family when I couldn't wait to get away from them. I saw Jaime first, as if I subconsciously sought him out. He was sprawled on the floor looking out the window that was now stacked with tables, chairs, a sack of flour, and anything else to cover the glass storefront. Roaming over his body, I lingered on the nice round imprint of his butt in the tight cargo pants. I could make myself stop wanting him, but I could still appreciate the last good-looking body for miles. I had a crush on him since we were kids in the same schools. Tiffany was in a booth, knees pulled up to her chest, a scowl on her face. She looked just like Jessica. Ouch, that thought hurt. Across the room was Hale telling Connor a story with Julia passed out on his shoulder. He looked the happiest I had seen him in years. Being needed felt good, we both knew the loneliness our lives used to have. Hale looked up at me, smiling. Crazy thing was I smiled back. His head tilted to the kitchen. Brandi must have been back there.

  Making sure no one followed me into the kitchen, I trudged in to see Brandi. The moment I saw her glimmering brown hair up in a ponytail, the tension in my chest eased. She was rummaging through a storage shelf. When I came in, she twisted around quickly.

  “Vio!” she said rushing to wrap me in her arms.

  At first, I stood awkwardly, before putting my arms around her too.

  “So, no zombies got my baby sis, huh? How about the stud muffin? I saw that girl he brought back, blah. No mind, no one is better than my Vio.” She released me to pinch my chin.

  “Everything okay here?” Embarrassed, I ran my hand through my hair.

  “Just a baby hiccup with the kid, but Hale seems to have that under control. Got what we could up at the windows, don't know if it will keep them out. What did you find besides the newcomer?” She turned back to searching.

  Checking the door, I get close to Brandi. “Something weird happened when we were at the sports shop getting supplies.”

  Her face searched mine. “What? That shriek?”

  When I'm nervous I bite my lip. I told Jaime I wouldn't say anything about the zombies learning, but this was Brandi. She was smart, and I trusted her. I hated going against my word.

  “Before that, you know the one that hit the door when we first got here?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, she and a bunch of other zombies were milling about by the work trucks and she started smelling the air, like she could smell us because the next thing we knew, she was at the door to the sports shop, and it seemed like she was trying to figure out how to open the door. But then that sound came, and she turned and ran toward it. The look she had though when the sound came was sheer psycho.” I rubbed my arms because the thought gave me a chill. “I don't think we should scare the others with this information. It could just be my imagination.”

  Brandi stopped searching and looked at me, deep in tho
ught. “What about your hunky boy? Does he think they are getting smarter too?”

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  “We really know little about the zombies, but I don't think we should rule out their intelligence. Relying on what we see in movies isn't practical. For now, we keep everyone in the dark until they need the knowledge.” Brandi went back to the cabinets.

  I knew she wasn’t ignoring me or taking this seriously. She had always been an internal thinker, analyzing and weighing all the options. Leaning against the counter, I looked around the room and at the doorway I saw Jaime, arms crossed, shoulder against the doorjamb and obviously not happy with me.

  Chapter Ten

  “Shit, shit, shit!” I berated myself under my breath.

  Jaime walked out a moment ago with disappointment on his face. Had he been there the whole time I had told Brandi about the zombies when I told him I would keep it between us? I had to explain to him I had to tell Brandi. I jogged out of the pantry behind him, hoping to catch him before he was in front of everyone else. I found him standing at the end of the hallway, looking out into the diner. Always watching and protecting. I had to admire that about him, if nothing else. I had a crush on him most of my life, but I never really knew him as a person. In the craziness that was going on, I was learning who he really was, and I liked that person. Which made this even harder.

  “Jaime.”

  He glanced over his shoulder at me. No expression.

  “I don't know what you heard back there. Brandi is, uh, far from my best friend, but she is my blood. She is smart and I know she needed to know about the zombies,” I said shifting back and forth on my feet, I tried to think of what else to say. He was silent so long I thought he wouldn't answer. “I didn't think.”

  His whole body turned to face me, arms at his side now, one hand made into a fist. My body tensed for the hit. It didn't come.

  “You’re right. You didn't think, Violet. You could have asked me and we could have made that decision together!”

  “I'm sorry,” I said honestly.

  “Save it, my parents have said sorry so many times I lost count. I just came back to give you this.” He brought his fisted hand up with my iPod in his hand.

  “Oh,” I said with a flinch as his hand came up.

  I reached for my iPod, and he grabbed my hand with his other empty hand. He held my hand for a few seconds. It felt like an eternity for me. He had to feel the sparks that erupted between us when we touched. He placed the iPod in my hand and let go, and walked into the diner taking a seat in the corner by the window propping his head against the wall looking outside. What just happened? Was he mad at me? Or regretting that he was stuck with me? Why did he grab my hand if I upset him? Boys! No wonder all the girls at school went into a frizzy when they were around. School. I hated to admit it, but I missed school. The normalcy of it all. Knowing where my life was going. Now, all I could count on was a bloodthirsty maniac zombie gunning for my brains.

  My little, very ordinary pink iPod felt so insignificant at this moment. There was no use in trying to talk to Jaime again, he was in his spot for the night. Brandi was safe and so were the rest of the people I seemed to feel responsible for. Nothing left for me to do. I found a spot by Hale, Connor, and Julia. Connor asleep in Hale’s arms since last I saw him. Julia had curled up next to them; someone had put a jacket over her sleeping form. Hale had his head back against the wall. I sat close to Julia with enough space between us I could get up fast if I needed to. I stuffed my iPod in my pocket lying down, picking at the tile peeling. My brain felt out of control. Jaime plagued most of my thoughts. The zombies, the other half. I closed my eyes, hoping I could stop thinking for a few minutes.

  Someone jostled me awake.

  “Girl, wake up,” Hale said.

  Mornings were never my favorite. I stretched my body, feeling the aches all over from sleeping on the floor. The floor! I shot up, remembering where I was.

  “What is it?” I asked, grabbing Hale.

  “It’s daylight, haven't seen any of them buggers in about an hour. Time to move out,” he said matter-of-factly.

  I picked up my pack and joined the others at the front of the diner. No one seemed to talk about how we would get out of here.

  “So, uh, do we have a plan?” I asked.

  All eyes turn on me. I hated attention—it had caused me too much trouble. I gulp. I looked at them, wanting to shy away until I looked at Jaime. He gives me the confidence to stand my ground.

  “I volunteered to go check the trucks,” Jaime said flatly.

  My brain screamed, No! Our wordless conversation went about like this.

  No. Not you.

  Yes, me and that’s the end of it.

  He apparently was not ready to forgive me yet.

  At the door he paused with his back to us, and then he was gone across the parking lot. A piece of me ran out that door with him. We all hovered by the windows. I pressed my face against the cool glass, searching the parking lot as much as I could see for any movement. He was at the first truck. The door was locked. He went around to the passenger side, and we couldn’t see him any longer. A glint to the left of the truck caught my eye. Inhale, exhale—he will be okay it was nothing. My eyes stayed trained on the left of the truck. Jaime ran to the other truck and opened the door.

  “Yes!”

  “Woohoo!”

  “Good lad.”

  Cheers rang out next to me. I glanced at them all happy. Jaime was still out there alone. Back to the scene outside, I hear a truck start up. The trees around us moved. Wait was that zombies!?

  “Jaime!”

  Chapter Eleven

  I didn't even think when I ran for my gun, and was out the door before the rest were behind me. He risked his life for us, I wouldn't let him be taken by the mob of zombies running from the surrounding forest. My mind raced to figure out the best escape plan. Jaime must have seen the zombies too, because he was speeding the truck toward us. A zombie running up to the truck in a yellow jacket and jeans jumped for the truck. I shot him in the head sending him flying back against another two zombies. The two that got knocked down turned on the dead one, feasting. Oh God, they are eating each other. A nasty taste coated my mouth from the bile at seeing the insanity of flesh being ripped away. I chanced a look over my shoulder at the rest of my group. Hale was bringing up the back at a slow run; his gun skills were spot-on. Brandi had Tiffany’s hand, both running toward the truck. Julia and Connor in the same spot as last night, Connor huddled to his mother’s chest, his face buried in her neck.

  “Vio! Look out!” Brandi yelled.

  The fat lady had been hiding by a port-a-potty, and had almost sliced my arm if not for Brandi’s warning. I slid to the side, falling to my hands and knees. The fat lady’s mouth curled into that crazy clown smile, and she charged at me. Instinct took over, I turned on my back; my gun went off hitting her in the face. Her body fell on top of me, that goo seeping out of the gunshot hole. I shoved at her body; I couldn't breathe. She could have killed me or turned me into one of them. Brandi and Tiffany reached me, shoving the fat lady off me.

  “Are you alright, Vio?” Brandi said panicked.

  “Yeeeesss, I… I—” I couldn't catch my breath.

  The reality of our situation was taking over, making me a freaking idiot.

  A screech of the truck slammed to a stop next to us, doors flying open.

  “Get in!” Jaime yelled.

  Brandi helped me up, Tiffany had already hopped in the truck scooting next to Jaime. Hale was helping Julia and Connor in the extended cab seats. I pushed Brandi in, and pulled the door closed behind me.

  “Floor it, Jaime!” I said, some of my fear subsiding being in the truck's safety.

  Jaime revved the engine, and the truck sped out of the strip mall toward the road. Only one problem… a line of zombies blocked our way. Jaime slammed on the breaks as we had a stare off with the zombies. They weren't moving, which creeped me the hell out.
A minute ago, they were hot on our tails running toward us, now they were standing in one big line of dead, drooling white-eyed, flesh-eating zombies.

  “What are they doing?” Jaime asked to no one in particular.

  I looked over at him, his eyes on the zombies. My survival said to ram them and keep on going. The intelligent part of my brain said something was amiss with this scenario. Like they were waiting for us to charge at them, and it seemed too much like a trap for my liking.

  “I don't like this. It could be a trap or our only way out,” I said.

  Jaime turned to me, and I saw he had the same thought. Damn, if I didn't want to kiss the shit out of him before I died.

  “Goooo!” came a voice from the bed of the truck with a slam on the cab roof.

  I shook at the noise. My heart couldn't take all this action. We all turned to the back window to see who was in the back.

  Chapter Twelve

  I was not the only one quick to twist around to find who was in the truck's bed. Roth… How did he survive the night? Had he been hiding in the truck this whole time? And who the hell does he think he is ordering us around when he is the one that ran off leaving us to fend for ourselves?

  “Don't you dare listen to him, Jaime!” I said with all the authority these people had given me. “We need to find another way out of here because whatever those zombies are doing will not be safe for us.”