Sleepers Awake | Closed

Sam

I shook my head at the wisdom of the nine year old little girl. What was the secret? I sure as hell had no idea, and I found myself respecting her childlike wonder. I always wondered what her story was. We had discovered her just sitting on some train tracks looking both shell-shocked but calm at the same time.

"Okay everyone. I'm glad we've made this decision. We can rest here for one more night but we're going to have to continue on in the morning." I looked around as the sky turned darker and the stars shone through the clouds.

"What are you thinking about?" Mason asked me, half in jest as he noticed me zoning out.

"It's incredible how dark everything is at night. Remember when we used to have street lights, and signs, and everything? The darkness is just...so complete now. I kind of like it." I glanced out at the others in my group who were bedding down for the night.

"Ali, Ritika, you have the first night watch." I called out. There were always two people on night watch, for obvious reasons, but I hoped these two would get along.

"Quite the poet, eh Sam?" Mason laughed at me. I brushed it off.

"Watch Claire tonight. I think she's restless and we have to make sure she doesn't get in trouble. Please?" I glanced over at Claire who was dipping her feet in the water.

"No problem man." He smiled and glanced back over at her.

I left Mason and went to check in with the others. I had started a sort of system and somehow managed to chat with everyone at least once each hour. It made me feel much more secure.

"Jeremy." I acknowledged him shortly. I had known him from before and I still harbored negative feelings, though I've tried to keep them from showing. I didn't want him to leave, I'm sure he could have made it on his own. He was probably the toughest guy in the group and I couldn't afford to lose him. He just looked up with with an expression I couldn't read.

I left him quickly and moved onto Ali. She was sitting by herself and looking up at the stars just as I had been doing a few minutes before. I joined her.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked her, remembering my thoughts as I gazed up at them.

Ali

Once she heard they were taking the rest of the night to rest, Ali sat down and barely recognized her own name as she was assigned to first watch with Rikita. Ali sighed and crossed her arms around her knees, looking up at the stars. The tale in her head shifted to something more revalent and fitting.

Sam sat beside her, startling her for a moment.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, looking up.

Ali took a minute to gather an answer, not wanting to say anything stupid.

"Before." She replied, looking back at the stars. "Stories."

Her cheeks burned red at the sound of her own voice, wavering and childlike, and she hoped that wouldn't be the one thing these people remembered her by.

Claire

I felt someone pull me out of the water, it was Lorana. She led me to a stump and instructed me to put my socks back on. "It's nighttime, especially for you." I stuck out my tongue. I hated being told to sleep. "Oh, silly. I mean it, get ready to sleep."
"But I hate sleeping." I retorted, crossing my arms across my bear. I saw her eyes darken for just a moment, and I wondered if she was also thinking about her parents. Had they fallen asleep like mine? I voiced the question, but in return she just smiled.
"You getting ready to sleep, Claire?" Mason asked, coming up next to me. I saw Lorana flash him a big smile, and she fixed a loose curl in her hair. I laughed, though neither of the big kids knew I was laughing at them.
"No. But I guess I'll close my eyes for a little bit, because the dark is scary." I saw Mason raise an eyebrow.
"Isn't it dark with your eyes closed?"
"No." I rolled my eyes. They weren't very smart sometimes. It's not dark if you purposefully make it dark. Duh. "Who's Ali?" I asked, and Mason pointed. I saw her, sitting looking at the stars. "If she's staying awake I want to lay down by her. So she keeps me safe while my eyes are closed." Mason nodded, and I ran off to curl up by Ali's feet. Before she could say anything I was using her foot for a pillow while cradling my bear and letting my eyes slip shut.

Staring at the group, I couldn't understand why I had joined them. Obviously, I didn't belong with them and neither did they belong with me. How much ever crappy their histories were, they couldn't beat mine.

I was sitting alone, wedged between two tall trees as the noise from the day evaporated in the dark night. I hated forests, full of thorns and slimy soil. As if these weren't enough, there were constant chirping of crickets which sounded like blasts in my head.

I zipped my jacket up to my neck and pulled over my hood. I retrieved a pack of cigarettes from my torn jeans and as I was about to light one with the help of the lighter I had stowed away in my bag pack, somebody tapped my shoulders.

I turned around to find Sam gawking up at me. As much as I didn't want to confess to myself, I wasn't still over the past.

"Dude, you're still into all this?" he asked as he settled himself next to me.

I would not have bothered replying, but I still did. "Why, dude, am I like ninety or something that I should quit?" But somewhere I felt ashamed and dropped the pack ad lighter.

As expected, he felt insulted and didn't answer me. I felt victorious and stretched my legs.

Tonight it was Ali and Ritika's chance of guarding us and when Sam had announced this, I was almost on verge of crying from laughing. I mean, how could those two girls protect us? I would have vouched tonight to guard but I wasn't in mood.

"Anyways, you okay with us following the river?" Sam necromanced the dead conversation. Why the hell did he even bother trying speaking to me. It wasn't like I ever replied with anything but a sour face and comment.

"Yeah, whatever," I shrugged. I picked up my cigarettes and lit them up.

"Alright, gonna call it a night." Sam announced and after brushing off the dirt from his jeans, he descended back towards the group. None of them had slept yet. Claire stood next to Ritika and Ali while Mason and Lorana sat together and munched the last of the sandwiches.

I didn't know how long would it take us to get to the Cure Centre and believe it or not, there couldn't be anyone as anxious as me to get there. The longer I stayed with the group, the more alienated I felt. I had not banged drums or strummed my guitars from so long and it was eating me alive from inside. After my stint at juvenile detention, if there was something which brought calmness inside me, it was just music.

But I couldn't really complain since no one had really forced me to join them. I had made a choice and if I were to do something good for the world, I had to be patient and hang on with the group.

As I sat all alone, just my miserable circuit of thoughts for company, I felt crappiest in my life.

Sam:
After I had figured out the night shifts for everyone, I finally considered going to sleep. It seemed calm, and almost peaceful by the river, the lull of the water drowning out any other sound except the crickets which were at full blast.

That was why, when I reawoke in the middle of the night and heard nothing but the water I freaked out. Whenever there's a Sleeper nearby, every other creature will become deadly silent. I had to get everyone to get up and we had to get out, or hide.

I looked around me, Ritika and Ali were still assigned to night watch but I couldn't see them anywhere. They were supposed to be keeping a small fire but I couldn't see anything but what the light from the moon and stars allowed me to see.

I looked around to the nearest person. I saw Lorena and thought twice about waking her up, then realised she'd probably be one of best people to warn first. She always kept her head in times like this.

I shook her softly, trying to be as quiet as was physically possible. When she awoke and held my hand over her mouth and nodded twice. That was a silent signal meaning that there were sleepers somewhere that we either had to get rid of, or escape.

"How many?" She whispered, getting up quickly.

"Don't know." I replied turned to quietly wake others. "Look!" I pointed through the trees at a figure cloaked in ghostly white fabric, a nightdress. It was a lone sleeper just standing in the clearing.

"Nobody move." I mouthed to the people who were awake. As long as the Sleeper didn't hear us, and there weren't any more with it, we could make it out unscathed.

Lorana

Sam shook me awake. I opened my eyes and was about to talk when he covered my mouth with his hand and nods. I realize what this is and I stand, "How many?" I ask yawning.

He shrugs, "Don't know." He turns around to ser a mysteriously dressed cloak figure and I freeze.

"Dont. Move." He says, still staring at it.

I slowly reach down into my boot and pull out a knife, I hook it onto my belt. The sleeper sees us and I curse under my breath. He moves to our ground, swiftly like he didn't have any feet. I swallow when it approaches me, my hand on my knife. I look over at Sam, as scared as hell,

I knew we should've taken the roads...

I made a quick move and when he reaches for me I ducked anf landed behind it. I stabbed it and it fell to the ground.

I put my knife back and looked at Sam, "Are there other ones around?"

Spoiler

I realize I'm late. And last as always. Sorry. ^^' I also apologize for the length.

Ritika

Sam assigned the first watch to Ritika and Ali. As he was talking, Claire came over to them and lay at Ali's feet. Ritika liked the little girl. she was a bundle of joy in the darkness that surrounded them. She was witty and intelligent, and often noticed things the others didn't. And, she had no qualms about speaking her mind out loud. After all, she was only nine.

She stroked the little girl's curls as she fell asleep. The night was warm, and the sound of the river was comforting. She looked around, and watched as everyone fell asleep one by one. She noticed Jeremy lying a little aside from the rest of the group, but sleeping peacefully nonetheless.

The night was quiet, except for the soft rustle of owl wings and insistent chirp of crickets. "I'll go get firewood, shall I? Sam asked us to keep up a small fire, right?" Ali said. Ritika nodded, and asked if she should come.
Ali smiled, and Ritika picked up Claire (still holding tight to her bear). At Ali's questioning gaze, she whispered,"I don't want to leave her alone... She's the most defenseless among us." Ali nodded in agreement.

They made their way to the forest at the edge of the river, a little distance away from their camp, picking their way through the trees carefully. The trees had appeared around a mile or so back, and thickened out into a forest. It wasn't until they were a few minutes in that she noticed the silence. Hearing a sudden crack, she spun around, heart beating wildly. A 20-something guy stood with a briefcase. A Sleeper. He began to advance, moving slowly. Ritika handed Claire to Ali, and pulled out the Beretta. The little girl stirred, but did not wake.

The Sleeper took another step forward, as Ritika took aim. One more step, and three shots left the gun. The silencer deadened the noise of the shots, as the Sleeper fell dead. "We need to get back to camp." Ali said from behind her, her voice shaking, but surprisingly calm. Ritika nodded. "Let's go."

They reached the edge of the forest and watched as Lorana cut down the first sleeper. A few of the others - Sam, Dania and Jeremy - were awake as well. Mason was stirring, but none of them knew that the actual danger was across the river. She could see them, a small crowd, beginning to cross. They had their backs to the river. Facing them.
"Where were y- " Sam's question was cut short when Ritika fired another shot, which passed close to his face. He ducked, and turned, seeing the oncoming sleepers.

"Stay in the woods with Claire!" Ritika yelled to Ali. She ran out and fished for her hunting rifle, running back to the woods, and climbing a tree on he periphery of the forest. She took aim and shot down a couple of the ones closest to her friends.
The other were awake by now, and Sam was guiding them.

Claire

I woke up because somebody was carrying me, and I saw Ali's face bobbing up and down while she ran. She looked scared. I held my teddy bear closer, and put my face in her arm.
"Are they coming, Ali?" I asked.
"Yes, but we'll be alright."
"I'm scared."
"Don't be, we'll be fine."
"You have pretty hair." I was scared, and I pulled closer to Ali, but I knew she would keep me safe. She said it would be fine. And big kids are always right, I think. She started climbing a tree and put me on one of the big branches. I saw her shoot something, and the gun was scary.
"You won't shoot me, right?" I asked.
"No, of course not!" Ali rustled my hair before turning back and shooting some more, and I bit my lip to keep from crying and closed my eyes real tight and held my bear against my for protection.

A melange of voices stirred me from my sleep. I woke up, still fatigued from the rough day earlier and I stood up. I looked far at the spot where everyone had been sleeping and I saw no one.

Panicking, I retrieved my Glock from the bag pack and throwing it off at the side, I ran towards the empty spot. While running I covered my head with hood. Gravels and pebbles hit my shoe as I scampered, but I didn't care.

When I reached there though I saw the group standing a few feet ahead. Catching my breath, I ran towards them. From a distance I could see two dead bodies lying, their whole body drained in damp blood.

Sam and Lorana turned as they saw me running, and passed me fueled looks.

"What's the matter? Did the sleepers come here?" I asked. I had shoved the gun in my jacket safely. Lorana and Sam looked at each other and I started feeling angry. C'mon, what was the matter with them.

"Yeah, they did, Jeremy. While you were busy sleeping." Loranna spat at me as she crossed her hands in front, and raked me like was a disgusting creature.

Ali stood at the back, clutching Claire's hand in a protective way. Dania and Mason were standing together, looking at me with indifferent expressions. Every set of eyes were fixed on me, making me feel that I was being paraded naked.

"I didn't hear anything before. I swear I came as soon as I heard voices," I clarified.

"That's the problem, Jeremy. You're never with us to know when there's danger. We can't afford fighting without you," Sam explained. How the hell he managed to keep this calm. Even though I didn't really believe I had done anything wrong, but the way everyone stared at me made me think otherwise. But still Sam's voice was calm, even if his eyes weren't.

"So, what should I do? Bring fevicol so we could stick together?" I shouted.

"No," Sam started calmly. "But having you inside the group rather than outside is more the way."

"Don't forget what happened the last time, Jeremy. We almost lost Claire," Dania began which was quite a surprise. I didnt raise my eyes to meet hers, and when no body intervened further, I surrendered.

"Alright, guys. I'll try to stick more with the group," I replied. I couldn't believe it was me who was doing this. Surrendering.

But it sure did feel nice.

Spoiler

As for what had happened the last time, I'll post it on DT.

Lorana


Right when I finished killing that sleeper, Jeremy walked up to us and started talking about how he came when he heard voices, I wanted to stay calm in situations like this. We cant be running around like crazy people. Like most people here seemed to do.

I looked over at Sam, with a raised eyebrow, "I knew we should've taken the roads." I sighed.

"You need to stop doing that, Lorana." He smiles.

I shrug, "What do you mean?"

"You need to stop doing that thing where you say 'I told you so' and then It makes all of us feel like idiots." He chuckles.

"I'm just stating a point. No need to get all cranky." I laughed and turned around to see another sleeper behind me.

I sliced his throat and he fell to the ground. I turned around to face Sam again. "So are we just gonna stand here and fight, or move to a different place?" I ask, sharpening my blade.

Dania Amber
I snuck up behind a sleeper and neatly snapped it's neck. It fell to reveal a young girl of about 19. I saw someone turn to me. "No time for introductions." I said shortly. I lunged neatly for another sleeper and again snapped his neck. I turned and studied the two people in front of me. "I'm Dania Amber." I said. "I'm Sam." The boy offered. I studied him calmly. He had dark brown hair and dark blue eyes not quite going together but not quite clashing. "I'm Lorana." The girl said. I smiled at her. "Nice blade work." I complimented. She smiled slightly flattered. "How many others are there?" I asked. "Why?" Sam replied. I pointed in reply to the group of sleepers slinking towards a camp.

Sam:

“Shit.” I muttered under my breath. I had suspected that our extended stay would draw attention. “There are a number more back at the fork of the river. They’re ready to fight.” The sky was still ominously dark, though a hint of sun slinked slowly into the sky, as if it were waiting for someone. I was more concerned with how many people were in Dania’s group. I avoided conflict, especially that incited by other humans.

As if she could sense what I was thinking, Lorana punched my arm to bring me back to the issue at hand. “Sorry.” I blinked to wake myself up. I pulled a small flashlight from my pocket and shone it towards the campsite where I knew others were waiting. I blinked it on and off in the Morse code pattern for SOS. I heard Jeremy come up behind and others back me from the sides. I saw Claire dragging her teddy bear behind as she ran towards us. We had been lucky to have gathered together our supplies the night before, we just had to hold out against this swarm and we’d be free to leave.

“Claire honey, get in that tree and don’t come down until you see the safety signal.” Ritika kindly told her, stroking her hair and trying to calm her down.

“Okay everyone. You remember how to do this. Go for their head, any other shot will be useless. And don’t write their eulogy, it doesn’t matter who they were in their past life, right now they’re sleepers and they aren’t the same. Do not let them get near you.” I did the standard briefing to the people around me who were impatiently drawing their weapons. “Everything is going to be alright.”

“Shut up Sam, we know, it’s going to be fine.” Lorana butted me with her knife and rolled her eyes.

I shrugged her off and loaded my first arrow into my crossbow and aimed for a man, dressed in nothing but boxers and bearing a huge gash across his side revealing his internal organs. I let it fly and saw it pierce his eyeball and watched him, with a sort of morbid fascination, as he sank to the ground.
Then, as if that had been a sort of cue, the rest surged towards us. I felt one brush up against me before I stabbed in the eye with another arrow. Its skin was still warm to the touch. As it crumpled onto itself I looked at its face, wondering what that warmth was supposed to mean.

“Watch out Sam.” Jeremy shot a Sleeper who ran towards me from behind through the skull.

“You said it yourself. Don’t write their eulogy.” Mason told me from where he stood by my side, already aiming at the head of one rising out of the water.