Necropolis

Day 1. 4:02 p.m. Elaina.

Three down... God only knew how many more to go. I looked down at the sword in my hand and shuddered. I wanted to wipe it off, but there was no place to do it in this wasteland of concrete, and I sure as hell wasn't going to wipe it off on my jeans. Remembering myself, I glanced behind me, then set off after the two slow-moving men.

I'd come skidding around the corner in time to see the zombies come upon them. The first one I'd thought was dead for sure (as soon as he was down he was surrounded) but the second man had laid into them with such bravery... I'd hesitated, then run in, antique sword from over the fireplace gleaming in the late afternoon sun. This was all so surreal... Hacking heads and skewering the bodies of the undead... Saints, how would all this end?

I caught up to the two men and slowed to a walk just as a blood-covered kid carrying a sword that looked a lot less battered than my own went running past, headed for the Costco.

Their pace was making me nervous. "Hey, let me help," I said. The man with the pale, blonde hair seemed too exhausted and weakened from his fight to do anything but nod, as though it was taking every ounce of his energy to stay on his feet.

I slipped beneath the arm of the much taller guy, keeping the sword in my semi-free hand, wrapping my arm around his waist to support him. "Come on, we're close," I said.

Then he stumbled slightly, and swore. And I swear I have never heard such a distinctive "fuck" in all my life. I shut my eyes for a little over a second as the blonde man and I labored to bring him along. This could not be happening. Not after all this time. Not here. Not now, while all this was happening. Not ever.

"Save your breath, Kevin," I said. "You can curse to your heart's content as soon as you're inside."

I felt his head turn, but I kept my head down. He might not recognize me. Okay, so if he remembered me he would. I didn't look very different than I had in high school. Just a little older, maybe a little thinner, but that was it. But oh, Mary, I recognized him. I hadn't even looked him in the face, but the weight of his arm over my shoulders and the labored sound of his breathing, sounding almost like he'd just come from football practice, were all too familiar.

Day 1. 4:19pm. Joanna.

Jo watched everyone else disappear into the store, leaving her to guard the door. She had difficulty swallowing her paranoia, knowing her reflexes were sluggish at this point.

Exhaustion and the growing migraine didn't help.

A mouse darted in front of her, and she jumped, only just preventing herself from firing.

"Jesus, Jo. Calm down. The building's safe and secure. Nothing's getting in. Nothing's gonna happen. Just chill the fuck out."

Fueled by this self-talk, she began pacing. How was she doing as a leader? Could she keep them working together? Could she keep them safe? Could she keep her position?

What would Kevin do? she thought bitterly. Her focus suddenly snapped to the far end of the store, where she heard raised voices.

Mev came darting toward her. "Adara was in the freezer. Get warm blankets and jackets." Then he was off again, searching for the electric heaters.

"Shit," Jo hissed, glancing at the door again. She'd look bad if she didn't go help, but they had plenty of other people helping her and they'd all be in trouble if someone got in...

She shook her head. When did it become so hard for me to care? Following Mev, she found those little pocket handwarmers and grabbed as many as she could. They reached Adara, and Jo's heart fell when she saw the pale face and blue lips.

"Get her warm, get her warm!" someone was screaming. The poor girl was already wrapped up in an assortment of blankets and snow jackets and had two electric heaters pointed full-blast at her.

Joanna activated one of the handwarmers, putting it under the back of the girl's neck. "Do we know the blankets aren't just keeping the cold in?" she asked, activating two more warmers.

"That's stupid. Blankets warm you up," Mev said, but there was uncertainty in his voice.

"I have socks that seem to keep my feet cold," Jo answered, unwrapping Adara as much as she could. She placed one warmer on Adara's chest, over her heart, then wrapped another few layers over her. "We need to bring warmth to her, make sure we're keeping the heat in."

The others stood around her while she spread the warmers around the girl's body.

"Shouldn't we rub her hands and feet, try to get the blood flowing?" Kat suggested.

Jo nodded. "Good idea." She looked at Adara's face, still so pale. Oh, the irony. We're surrounded by zombies, and we might lose someone to the cold.

A loud bang from the front startled all of them.

"What was that?"

"We can't leave her..."

"Do you think they got in?"

Jo stood up. "Stay here," she ordered, her voice low. Holding the gun in front of her, she slowly made her way to the front, checking the cross-aisles.

Ten feet away. A softer bang rang from the door, followed by several softer knockings and low moans. Joanna stepped closer, her hands shaking slightly.

"Ow, fuck! Why won't they open the goddamn door?!" A familiar grunt accompanied the shout.

"Shit," Jo hissed again, her fingers fumbling with the door, trying to push it upwards. Her gun clattered on the ground, and she finally lifted the door up enough to pull people through.

"Kevin, my God, you're okay --" Jo began breathlessly.

"Outta my way," he slurred, pushing past, not looking at her. A man and a young woman supported Kevin, pulling him through, and a kid with a sword followed. Jo narrowed her eyes, searching for anyone else, then closed the door quickly.

"Lemme down here." Kev's companions slowly lowered him onto the hard floor, and he collapsed. The girl put her hand on his chest, and Jo stepped forward.

"Who are you?" she asked coldly. She cringed when she saw the state of Kevin's leg, and instead focused her gaze on the newcomers.

Katalyn

I spared a mere moment watching after Jo and then returned my attention to Adara. Taking her right arm in my hands, I began to rub vigorously, attempting to bring some colour and some life into those pale, frozen limbs. Dave arrived on the scene with an assortment of more jackets and such which he piled strategically around Adara. By this time, Keri was working on Adara's left arm and I'd moved onto trying to warm her legs.

"How's she doing?" Dave asked.

"Still out," Mev grunted.

"Why don't you go find a kettle?" I suggested.

"Yes, good idea," Keri agreed. "And Mev can get the tea and coffee."

"Hot chocolate too," I added. "Bring lots. I think we're all in need of a hot drink."

"Shouldn't someone go see if Jo's okay at the main entrance?" Mev asked.

"Good point. One of you get the kettle and stuff, the other go to the main entrance," Keri decided.

Day 1. 4:19pm. Kevin.

"Ow, ow, fucking ow." I hissed through clenched teeth as they laid me down.

...They? I looked up at the faces, willing my eyes to focus through the pain. The first face was Bernard's. He looked both concerned and relieved, simultaneously.

"Told you we'd make it," he said with a nervous smile. "We're gonna have to move you in a couple minutes, but for now just chill, pal."

"Whatever man...floor's actually pretty fuckin' comfortable," I mumbled.

The other face made me blink. Twice. The high cheek bones. The dark, expressive eyes. It couldn't be--It was. Her concerned expression threw me off at first, but then she smiled at me when her face came into focus. That smile. Elaina. It was her hand on my chest. Even with her hair uncharacteristically frazzled, and her cheeks flushed a deep red...it was her. She opened her full lipped mouth to say something to me, but was cut off by--

By Joanna? "Who are you?" Her voice was cold, edgy.

Elaina looked at me for a moment longer, then looked to Joanna, her smile fading quickly. She let her fingers linger on my chest a second before standing up to face Jo. "My name is Elaina Maria Estrella Velasquez," she said indignantly. "Who are you?" Girl always did have spunk.

I closed my eyes and let my head rest on the cold cement of our new fortress.

...Fuckin' leg.

Day 1. 4:21pm. Bernard.

The new girl and Bernard gently lowered Kevin to the floor amidst hisses of pain from him. Bernard stood and stretched, his back popping as vertebrae surfaces separated slightly. The woman who had helped him stayed at Kevin’s side though, staring almost angrily at the man in front of her.

“Is he gonna be ok?” she looked up at Bernard, challenging him to say ‘no’.

Such compassion, he mused, who is this Elaina?

“He hasn’t been bitten,” he shrugged off his pack and laid it next to Kev, “yet.”

"Oh thank God!"

Bernard's eyes flitted to the other woman nearby as her eyes narrowed and she glared at the woman crouched near Kevin.

"Joanna."

Bernard and the new girl both looked at the other woman.

"...Pardon?" the crouched woman, Elaina, asked.

"I'm Joanna. We need to move him--he can't stay close to the door like this."

"We can't, not like this. He's hurt, and--"

"You want him to be zombie chow? We're moving him!" Joanna said, an edge crawling into her voice.

Bernard gulped.

“Please girls,” Bernard begged, “he hasn’t exactly taken care of himself and you two aren’t helping! Give me and him a little room. I'll let you know when we can move him safely.”

The dark look did not disappear from her face, but the pair stalked off to finish their confrontation elsewhere.

“It’s cold in here…” Bernard muttered.

“Duh Bernie, there’s shit-loads of room in here.” Kevin mumbled and his eyes slowly opened again.

Bernard rolled his eyes and tried to ignore all the background noises. He could hear peoples’ worried voices from another aisle, but he concentrated on the task at hand. Bernard knelt and fumbled through his pack. There had to be something he could do for him.

Think man, think!

Katalyn

"I'll go to the entrance," Mev decided, hurrying away before Dave could protest.

"Well?" Keri asked sternly. He grimaced and then set off in the opposite direction.

"Think she's going to be alright?" I asked, gazing down at Adara and carefully moving some of the heaters closer and wrapping the jackets and blankets tighter just for the sake of doing something.

"I think so," Keri replied. I nodded and we sat in silence for a few moments, both lost in our own thoughts. Raised voices could be heard from the main entrance and without my jacket, a small shiver ran down my back. I hugged my legs to my chest and relaxed my head against my shoulder, suddenly realising just how tired I was. Fortunately, Mev returned not long after that.

"Kevin's here and there's some doctor guy and a girl with him. He don't look too good." I didn't know how to respond to that but the arrival of Dave meant I didn't have to. He placed two kettles down and then pulled various sachets and small containers of tea, coffee and hot chocolate from his pockets. Mev set about boiling the kettle while Keri located some mugs and I found three thermos flasks.

"Kettle's boiled," Dave informed me upon my return. I nodded and filled each flask with a different drink.

"See if you can wake Adara and get her to drink something. I'm going to take these to the others," I decided.

Adara




I still couldn't move, but I'd gained consciousness again...I think. I still couldn't remember what happened. Or had anything happened? I was trapped in my mind, I knew that much, and I could really say that it was a scary place. All the while my mind wandered off into dark and morbid regions. What if I was dead?

I pushed the thought from my mind forcefully. I wouldn't think about that. I was alive, I just had to wake up. I had to find my way out. Then I wasn't cold anymore, I didn't feel the pain anymore. The dark of my mind was lit with a white light and I knew I was dead, I could see heaven and everything felt so wonderful. I was finally out!

I was jolted back into the pain with a rough shove. That was followed with another shove and another and then I coughed. It felt awkward to do something so human again and it hurt my throat to breath as I wheezed. I wanted to be put back in that warm place! Who was bringing me back here?!

Dave had one thing on his side at least. He looked to Keri, Kat then over to Adara. It was a nice night, but a storm was brewing outside, not a literal storm with thunder and lightning no this disaster would be more fatal. How many of us would live, he thought. His one advantage was his speed, but the coming struggles what use would running do. From Kat garbled accounts they were fenced in.

It was odd, but Dave kept expecting cameras or something to appear and say, "Welcome to Zombie town, use you're wits to escape and get the prize..." Etc, etc. He shook his head, no this wasn't a game show sadly, people had been devoured in front of them. That wasn't right. He cursed himself again, "What the fuck was right?!" he screamed out loud." The girls turned to him, he sighed.

His last idea killed one of them, and Kev was back. He should probably not mention any other crazy stunts. Anyway they were safe for now plenty of food and clothing. Doors were barred and zombies couldn't fly. It made sense right?

Though lately what did make sense, he slowly turned to Keri and stared. If one thing didn't make sense he'd go with what made sense now. He walked over and embraced her. Least she'd know he'd forgiven her.

She was startled but did same. Before stopping it was simple but she understood. He leant against a shelf sighing again, they still seemed unsure whether to drop it, "I'm sorry, I just lost it... I thought I was speaking in my head." He realized now how lame that sounded.

Keri 4:30

Keri watched Adara carefully. She still felt the warmth of Dave's arms around her, he wasn't upset anymore. Not that he had needed any reason to be in the first place. BUt whatever worked for her. She looked back towards the freezer door. Someone had tried to kill Adara, and that someone was still there. They had to be, there was no way they could've gotten out. Her mind flashed back to when she was a little kid, she tried to block the memories and they flowed through her brain but with no prevail.

(Memories)

She was not, but maybe eight. Small for her age she had to fend for herself, though it never really worked out for her. She was at a house that had four other foster boys and then the families' older son. She was careful, always very very careful. She slowly moved down the the basment of the house, There was a big freezer down there that the parents used for ice cream oand other things that they had to keep cold. She had been told she could get an ice cream bar so she quietly walked down there, her feet barely making a sound on the steps. when she got to the basment she opened the freezer and grabbed an ice cream sandwhich.

"Give that to me." SOmeone hissed from behind her. She spun around and saw the foster people's son. He was a good foot or two taller then her. She shook her head no. She held the sandwhich close to her so that he coulkdn't grab it out of her hands. "Uh, YES," He grabbed her arm and yanked the ice cream from her. SHe was about to scream when she shoved her back and pushed her onto one of the freezer shelves closing it back up. She had screamed for forever before one of the other boys had come to get his treat and found her shaking, tears frozen to her cheeks and pale. He had helped her warm up. If they told the parents what had happened they would get beat for lying. He had protected her until she was taken out of that home. She could remember his face. She had seen him at another home, where he ended up being killed. That was only a few days before she had meet Dave. She was upset, and needed a friend bad.

"Keri, is she going to be ok?" Someone asked,

"Huh? Oh yea, she just needs to warm up and keep her that way. Whose here?" She asked,

"Kevin and some other guy and a girl." Mev replied, she nodded and rubbed Adara's arms. She stood up needing to walk around.

"If anythign changes come find me. Or holler, I'll be here in a flash, I need to think." She walked down one of the isle. Someone was trying to kill Adara, maybe others too. She had to find out who.

Day 1. 4:23 p.m. Elaina

Yielding to Bernard's request, Joanna and I walked away from where Kevin lay, with Bernard tending to him. I could still hear him cursing a blue streak. It was oddly comforting. As long as he was cursing like a sailor, he was fine.

"Sorry, I don't believe I caught your last name," I said, shaking hands with the girl. "Joanna...?"

"McKylie," she filled in. "How did you say you knew Kevin?"

"He was friends with my brother," I said shortly. "We had a couple of classes together in high school."

"I see," she said.

Was she dating Kevin now or something? I wouldn't be surprised. She was a couple of inches taller than me, limbs long and lithe, with eyes that suggested she'd seen thing most people our age should never have to. She'd look good with Kevin, both of them decidedly American. Better than I had, anyway, with my Spanish features and haughty countenance.

We'd only been away a few minutes, filled with long, awkward silences, and I found myself looking to see how Kevin was doing. I couldn't really see. Bernard was in the way.

"I'm going to see if he needs any help," I said. "Nice meeting you, Joanna. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon." My eyes gleamed at the irony and lameness of the joke. If it helped to lighten the mood, though, it would be worth it. We were obviously going to be stuck together for a while as long as we were regrouping and figuring things out.

I tucked an errant strand of hair behind my ear. It was pointless, really. I was going to have to take it down and re-braid it, but I was feeling too anxious to sit still and worry about my hair at the moment.

All right, so I admit it. I was pathetic.

I was just as drawn to him now as I had been as at seventeen, mooning after him as he and my brother and their other football friends settled down into our living room on the weekends. My mother hated it when I went in there, said that it wasn't right for me to enjoy football as much as the boys, but my father always just laughed and told her to let me have my fun. I was a Velasquez, he said, full of passion and competitiveness. I might as well let it out at home rather than in public.

I squatted down beside him, looking on as Bernard worked. I was uncertain; we hadn't exactly parted on the best of terms.

"Hey," I said softly. "How are you holding up?"

"Fucking hurts like shit," he muttered, not looking at me.

I bit the inside of my lip and settled down beside him Indian style. "Yes, well, there is that." I plucked at the hem of my jeans.

Another sharp intake of breath and a string of curses, and I looked up to find that he had turned his head and was looking at me. I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything. Just looked at him, a mixture of curiosity, apprehension, and hopefulness.

Day 1. 4:27pm. Joanna.

Jo forced a polite smile at Elaina's stupid comment, not really caring if it looked more mocking than sincere.

Her glare followed the girl as she walked back to Kevin and sat down. So much for giving him space, she thought bitterly, then looked away. Her migraine pounded, bringing unwanted self-doubt to her mind. Why do you even care, Jo? He obviously dismisses you. She's prettier, nicer, younger. They have a history, maybe more. You're nothing to him but a cold, heartless bitch. You've failed in his eyes, and you don't deserve him. Get over yourself.

Shaking her head only brought the migraine on further, and she pressed her palms to her eyes.

Get over him.

"God, shut up," she whimpered quietly. "Just... fuckin' need sleep..."

She started walking to the back of the warehouse, wondering if she could collapse in a corner without anyone noticing it. Probably not.

As she turned a corner, she almost tripped over a body sitting against one of the shelves. "Jesus," she hissed. Rubbing her eyes into focus, she swore again.

"Hey... you okay?" she managed to ask. She had stumbled across the woman who had lost the little boy -- a son? Someone she babysat? She didn't know.

The woman stared ahead, eyes unfocused and unblinking. "He's gone..." she whispered, her voice breaking.

See? There are more important things to worry about than your obsession, Jo's inner diatribe continued.

Joanna sat down. "Hon... Let's join the others, okay? We can get you some food and blankets..."

"He's with his parents now..."

Taking a deep breath to try to calm the nausea that came with the migraine, Jo closed her eyes. "We did everything we could, honey. We just have to concentrate on what our next move is."

The woman didn't respond but continued staring glass-eyed across the aisle. Jo rubbed her back lightly, then stood up, unsure of what else she could do. "Well," she began uncertainly, "we're in the back corner if you'd like to join us. I'll have someone check on you a little later, okay?"

"It should have been me..."

Jo's vision swam, and she put a hand on the shelf to steady herself. "It... You couldn't have..." Even her own voice boomed with the heart-beat pounding. "Come to us if you need us," she repeated again, quickly, before following the shelf with her hand, guiding herself toward the back.

Day 1. 4:26pm. Bernard.

“You’ve sprained your Medial Collateral Ligament.”

“… Fuck.”

Bernard tried not to make eye contact with Kevin. He was correct. Fuck was exactly the right word for it.

“We need to move him somewhere more permanent,” he addressed Elaina now, “but where?”

“How about a bed?”

“Yeah,” he laughed, “’cos they’ll have one here…”

Bernard’s voice trailed off as understanding hit him. Of course! He was in a Costco! Feeling embarrassed he turned and slipped his remaining bits and pieces into his pack and threw it over his shoulders.

“They have everything here, what was your name again?”

“Bernard.” He proffered a hand for her to shake but realised this wasn’t really the time and withdrew it. His face turned an even deeper shade of red.

“Well, Bernard,” she spoke softly, ignoring his flushed face, “you want a hand moving him?”

“Yes please.”

Together, they carefully lifted him from the floor and supported him as he limped towards a more comfortable place to rest. Now Kevin had been diagnosed, Bernard did not let him put any weight on the swollen knee and so he was forced to hop, suspended between Elaina and Bernard. They were passing through a food aisle when Bernard stopped.

“Frozen food!” Bernard’s eyes were bright with enthusiasm and he pointed at the freezers to their right.

“You can’t fix my knee with food, ass.”

Even Kevin’s snide comment didn’t dent the pride in Bernard’s voice. He unhooked himself from around Kevin’s shoulders and flung open one of the freezers. Elaina and Kevin looked on bemused as he pulled two large bags of frozen peas out and slammed shut the door.

“Bernie, you really can’t be that hungry.”

“Nope. They’re for you, Kevin!”

The confused look told Bernard that he still hadn’t worked it out. He grinned and shook the bags.

“Ice packs. To reduce the swelling.”

“No shit, so maybe you can fix my fucking leg with them.”

Bernard nodded before going back to supporting Kevin again. Elaina had been surprisingly strong in holding him up whilst Bernard grabbed the peas. He took his share of Kevin’s weight back and together they carried on.

Day 1. 4:28 pm. Katalyn.

I put the three thermos flasks in my bag and then headed towards the main entrance but I paused when I heard voices growing closer.

"Ice packs. To reduce the swelling."

"No shit, so maybe you can fix my fucking leg with them." That one sounded like Kevin. I headed right, past some more freezers and saw the group of three. A man and a woman were supporting Kevin, half carrying him along the aisles. At first I quickened my pace with the intention of catching up but then I hung back. It wasn't really my place and... well, he'd killed Louis. The thought was irrational but it was there all the same. Then Kevin let out a long list of swearing and cries of pain as the other two tried to lower him onto the first bed.

"There, how's that?" The man asked, placing two large bags of frozen peas around Kevin's leg, one either side.

"Fucking brilliant," Kevin sighed.

"Uh..." I hesitated but that slight sound was enough to have their full attention.

"Oh it's you," Kevin turned away once more and I wasn't sure what to make of his greeting.

"I brought some drinks..." I said apologetically, taking the flasks out of the bag and placing them on the floor.

"Drinks? Well I'm afraid I left the picnic basket at home," The girl joked, brushing a lock of inky black hair away from her face.

Day 1.4.19 pm. Tazin

Tazin was amused at human psychology. Of course, despite himself, Tazin was usually amused about something, so the question was generally what was amusing him, not whether he was amused, anyway. At this moment, it was human psychology that got the honor.

The big guy was in pain, and his friend, smart and informed, had helped get him inside. Tazin had shadowed after them, sword free, watching for any zombies. Somehow, he had managed to insert himself into their company nearly unnoticed, and as everyone rushed to help the big guy, Kevin he thought his name was, Tazin had drifted in, handing this person, some girl, what she needed to help Kevin, and obeyed any commands people had offered him. But, somehow, he wasn't noticed at all, even by the people asking him for help. It was as if they couldn't register another person, not quite, but they also couldn't completely ignore his presence. Maybe they just had too much to deal with, with zombies and hurt friends, so his unexplained appearance was just not outstanding enough for anybody to notice amidst the more unusual events. He was fine with that, really. They would notice him eventually, but they were all older and probably didn't have much patience for or interest in high school kids anyway.

He noticed that someone else, a girl, had a sword, too. It was of a different make than his katana, but it looked as though it had seen some use, probably against the unbelievable outbreak of that day. He was always interested in a fellow swordplayer. Maybe they could trade tips. But, that would have to wait, of course.

Tazin found himself a seat on the outskirts of the group, and waited, He didn't want to upset anyone just now with his presence, or get attacked as a zombie or something. Probably best to let them discover him on their own. So, with his everpresent smirk, he watched the group do ther thing.

Day 1. 4:45 pm. Kevin.

I didn't really have a problem with Kat, but my mind was far removed from the present company, fixating instead on my knee.

Fixing my knee with peas. Musta gotten them from the same guy Jack got his beans from. I mused, reclining back on the display bed they'd carried me to. A sprained MCL was bad. Back in high school, we lost our star Wide Receiver to a torn MCL. Guy was gonna be on a full ride scholarship to Stanford, and BAM! Just like that, it was gone. It dawned on me that he was probably dead. I blinked. From the looks of my knee, something was dislocated, too. Probably the patella, and probably from caving in one too many zombie skulls. Smooth move, Jackass, I thought.

Bernard confirmed my fears. "Looks like a dislocated Patella too, Kevin." Sonofabitch.

"We gotta take care of that before we can ever start treating that MCL. I'm not going to lie to you, Kevin, it's going to hurt like a bitch."

"Can't be any worse than dating," I grunted, and Elaina scowled. What is she DOING here? We were going to have a talk, later.

Bernard chuckled, but the smile soon became a frown. "You ready?"

I gritted my teeth, then nodded my approval. "Might wanna back away for a minute, Princess," I hissed at Elaina. Instead of leaving, she actually moved forward, taking my hand in both of her own.

Bernard took my knee gingerly in his hands, prodding expertly at it with his fingertips, then--SONOFABITCH--the pain was damn near unbearable as he slid my kneecap back into place, where it audibly popped. I screamed louder and longer than I'd ever before, clutching the sheets of the bed in one hand, Elaina's hands in the other.

"Okay, I was wrong--I'll take eight of the craziest bitches in the world over another one of those," I gasped, my breaths ragged.

Bernard reached into his pack and pulled out a roll of athletic tape, then wrapped my knee quickly and efficiently to keep the patella in place. He looked to Elaina and Kat as he was wrapping.

"Does this place have knee braces?"

Elaina nodded quickly. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good. Grab the biggest, baddest one you can find."

She nodded again and scampered off with a final glance back at me, Kat close at her heels.