Young Writers Society

The last zombie falls to the dead ground with the sound of a gunshot. The July rain is unseasonably cold, and it stings my face. It's still summer, and already about 55 degrees. Even though we're in the middle of the woods, there's no covering of trees. They're already dying anyway.

Crazy, right?

That's what you get when you live in the zombie apocalypse.

"Dajen, why are we out here in the freezing rain?" I ask.

"Because, that's where the zombies are," the cocky, one-eyed 1st lieutenant of the Zombie Apocalypse Corps says as he walks up to me.

"Or were," I say. "However, that didn't answer my question."

"Then how about because I said so?" he says, a playful tone in his voice.

"Why don't you stop flirting with me because I have an idea?" I ask. His face falls.

"Oh no."

I begin walking to the Jeep, and turn around and call over my shoulder, "I need them gathered together!"

He calls the 6 other boys together by the black Jeep. You would think zombies would have noticed it, but they're stupid. Unless you find a smart one, in which case you'll be in trouble. Usually, people who were scholars tend to be the smarter zombies. But that's rare.

"Alright. We're near an old hospital. About a mile."

"Yeah? So what?" one of the younger officers asks, an edge in his voice. I glare at him.

"The medical supply back at headquarters is low. Put 2 and 2 together."

Dajen shakes his head no immediately. "Selene, that's stupid. It's not happening."

"But-"

"No. End of it. Anyways, you'd have to have 2 teams. One to go in the front, and one to go in the back. No one here can lead."

I'm not about to let a golden opportunity go to waste.

"I can," I say. Dajen laughs.

"Selene, you can't. You haven't even had any classes yet!"

"Experience is the best teacher. I don't need classes."

"Yes-"

"No! If I lead this team well, I get an exception to that rule!"

The others are watching us; tension filling the air.

"Fine. Selene leads another team. She'll have Mark, Nick, and the youngest, Nico," he says. "I'll take the other three."

He's put me with a rookie, in the hopes that I'll mess up. I'm not stupid!

"Move out!" I yell, and the boys walk slowly towards the Jeep. I take note that it's staring to let up on the rain. It is only a light drizzle now. We don't even need the trees (though it's not like we exactly had them in the first place).

I fire a shot into the air to signal the scene's clear. I also do it to annoy Dajen, since it's his job.

He grabs my arm as I begin to walk back. Dajen leans in close. So close, in fact, that I can feel his breath on my face and neck.

"If you mess this up, you're ruined," he threatens.

I walk back as quickly as possible. My cheeks are hot and become red with embarrassment. There was no avoiding that scene, I think as I climb into the Jeep. It slowly rolls away, now en route to the hospital.

I will not mess this up.