Neighbor Kids

And there he was, glaring, through olive eyes and chalk white skin. I want you to know that I won't be holding back tonight. She stole my heart. I'll be taking his with a lawn dart now. But look at the bright side, it's not like she had one there to start.

“Guys wake up.” I whisper to Jake, it’s just before dawn and we should get things ready for everyone else. He grumbles something then opens his eyes grinning at me.

“You got it boss.” All the kids took to calling me boss, I guess that’s what I get for always barking orders but it keeps us all alive. We tip toe down stairs and Jake goes right to the front window and moves a small piece of the blanket we have draped over the boards.

After I got Jake, who was the first kid that I recruited, we boarded up my house leaving only one door that we can get in and put of. We also put thick blankets over the windows so that if we lit a candle or turned on a light no zombies would see the light and come busting down our door.

“There’s not that many out there.” He concludes after a few minuets, I walk up to him and he moves out of the way for me, I glance out side and there’s about three on our yard. Maybe nine on the whole block, but one sticks out more then the rest. Johnny.

He was my boyfriend at one time, then he cheated on my with my best- scratch that, ex best friend. I remember that day almost two weeks ago, though it feels like years ago. His mom let me in and I walking in on them, they were fornicating and it make me hurl.

Literally, I ran to there bathroom and threw up. When he got dressed and came out he told me he was sorry and that she was just a slut to him. It earned him a slap and she stormed out of his house, I told him to bite me then left. I guess if I let him he would now.

I sighed putting the blanket back and making sure it was tight, I turn to Jake and he smiles at me. I don’t see how that kid could be so happy, he was one of the kids that parents abandoned him to give themselves a better chance at escaping. To bad it didn’t work out for them, last time the news was on we heard that the highway was jammed and the zombies got to it. Long story short, no one could have survived the carnage.

I would move us out of the neighborhood but we have to many smaller kids and this isn’t such a bad spot. Were not even in the big city, were on the outskirts an there’s maybe a population of three hundred people in the area, most of witch fled when everything went down.

“Yeah, not many. You want to clean or cook today?” I ask a small grin on my face, knowing he’d rather clean all the blood, brains, and guts off the weapons then cook for everyone.

“Uhh clean.” I laugh at that, quietly but still. He heads over to the little screened in porch, it’s boarded up a bit more then the rest of the house for the fact that it had nothing but screen to begin with.

He starts to clean every ones choice weapon and I head over to the kitchen turning on the dimmed light after I check to make sure the blanket is secure over the window.

I turn on the stove and grab some stuff out of the fridge, we need to use all the things that have to be refrigerated first because when the power goes there won’t be anymore bacon and eggs that will be useable.

-

I’m almost done with the food, Jake is sitting at the table and were just talking about nothing as we wait. Becky comes down the stairs with the twins following.

“I swear there kids smelt the food.” Becky chuckles grabbing two plates and heading back up stairs with the kids. Each twin does the same then they return and take every plate up but two.

After I put the last egg on my plate I ask Jake to take up a gallon of milk to the kids, he grabs the stack of plastic cups and after pouring two glasses out for us he takes the rest upstairs just to return in a second and sit across from me at the table.

I can see the faint morning light illuminating the dark green blanket. I set the plates down on the table and Jake digs in making me smile. He has to be the most valuable to me, he helps so much by taking care of the kids and weapons. I’ve made it clear to everyone that if anything ever happens to me he’s in charge.

We ate in silence, then after we were done I got ready. It was just some sports gear, a helmet, chest guard, bracers, but it was all we had and it’s come in handy a bit.

After I’m almost suited up Sal comes down puts his plate in the sink and starts to get ready as well, Becky and the twins follow soon after and in about twenty minuets were all suited up and armed ready for another day of hell.

Jake opens the door and we all file out Sal killing the closes zombie with a few blows to the head with his bat.

“Twins, any special requests?” I ask turning to them Sal and Becky taking out the few left standing, I happened to glance around but didn’t see Johnny.

“Yeah, Bell wants her stuffed panda from her room.” Fan says pulling a small list from her pocket.

“Also, Mia wants a photo of her parents and Jobe would like a few of his comic books.” Franny finishes her sisters sentence while looking over the list.

“We haven’t been to any of there houses yet for food so we should be able to make it all count nicely.” Fan says shoving the paper in her pocket and waiting for my signal to go.

“Okay, since the twins will be on the north side Sal, Becky you guys should take the south side. I’ll go with you guys first since we know the north houses have no kids in them. Everyone be safe.” I say then wave my hand at the twins and they run off up the street taking out a zombie or two in there way. After I see them enter the first house I start down the street with Sal and Becky on me heals.

-

It was a long day, we didn’t find anyone new but the twins got allot of food and every request from the house. We were on our way back to the house and I ushered everyone inside the sun just slipping out of sight as we get inside.

Everyone starts to take there gear off an Jake walks up to me a bit pale, I nod at him to let me know what’s up.

“A zombie tried to get inside today, I killed him but the kitchen window is wide open. I blocked off the stairs and kept the kids up there all day with Max while I kept watch down here.” He scratches the back of his head and looks down like it was his fault.

“And, I kind of forgot to tell Sal and Becky to bring in the boards from the shed.” Ah that’s why he’s acting like it’s his fault. Even if it is I’m not going to rag on him about it. I just sigh an turn towards the door grabbing a flashlight.

“Wait, Jessica what do you think your doing?” Wow Jessica, none of them call me that, ever.

“I’m going to get the boards, we can’t just leave them like that. I’ll put them through the window so we can save time. No worries I’ll be fine.” I smile at him and he gives me a look, I never knew a twelve year old could worry so much.

I chuckle and flip on my flashlight, it was pitch black. I had Becky break all the street lights so we would attract less zombies during the night. I’m not stupid I know this could very well end my life but if I don’t we’ll lose everyone.

I step out scanning the area, I figured that I wouldn’t see anything because we pretty much whipped out what zombie were on our street today.

I make it to the shed and crack it open it groans loudly and I bite my lip hard flashing my light around the yard again, I swear I seen a figure but when I turn back it’s gone.

I hurry and grab three boards and hurry to the window, but like an idiot I drop my flashlight on the ground and after the crack I freeze for a second I make a mad dash for the front door.

Just as Jake opens the door I feel a warmth against my back and a sharp pain in my neck. Jake gasps and I see the twins pulling him in, tears are streaming from all there eyes and I can’t do a thing but stand there in shock.

I faintly hear there screams and it snaps me out of it, I grab a lawn dart from my belt and stick it in the zombies head, when I turn to see if it’s dead I notice that it’s Johnny and he wasn‘t dead just had a dart in his eye.

I guess that he took my words literally, I guess I never imagined that my words would come back to haunt me. I fall to my knees red spots covering my vision, I hear Jake calling my name and I turn to his and smile.

He thrashes in the arms that are holding and I just can’t help but smile, I love that little guy. I’ve never met someone like him, he always brought a smile to my face. He was the little brother that I never had, however cliché that is.

I feel my body hit the ground as I fall on my back, smiling at the door my whole vision turns red then I black out.

-

I groan as I feel this energy to get up and move but it feels weird, I feel weird.

I open my eyes and look around, everything looks brighter but it’s weird. Where I swear I seen Jake just a minuet ago there’s a group of these black things I think there animals.

They can’t be there! What about the kids? I get up and charge the at them, they all laugh at me and I growl. I don’t even think as I rush them, I don’t have a weapon so I find myself biting them. After they all disappear I run up stairs and there everywhere! All laughing at me, what did they do to the kids?

I feel a roar build up in my throat and even if it made me feel like an animal I went with it and killed every last one of those things.

I left then, with no one left but me I left and wandered around the neighborhood. But it wasn’t the same, Johnny was there and he wasn’t a zombie anymore he was hurt, his eye was gone but he was him again. So was everyone else.

I heard my name being called, I turned to see Jake coming towards me and we held each other tight.

“Boss you, you killed us what happened?” He says looking up at me and I noticed the horrible marks all over him. Did I do that? No, I couldn’t have.

“Jess you turned into one of them, you killed us.” He repeated. I don’t understand. Then I turn around and see the rest of the kids coming out of the house. They are all scared and look like they went through a wood chipper.

They all look at me in fear and I don’t understand I just don’t get it!

“Jessica. You killed us.” Jake says again and he pulls away from me fear in his eyes. I don’t get it.

I remember those animals those monsters, they weren’t my kids. Were they?