No Time To Bleed

Nothing stays the same forever.

I was told that by my dad when he threatened to kick me out the house.

“Nothing stays the same forever! You have to learn to grow up and stop making excuses!”

Then, he punched me so hard the stars flew out of my vision and blood was all I could taste in my mouth.

Don't get me wrong. My dad had always been a non violent person. He'd always been understanding and kind to me and my mom. Then things just had to change. So much had happened at once and in the blink of an eye, I had ended up living with Uncle Trevor and Aunt Meg and going to a boarding school.

“Jasmine, are you okay?” Ryant murmured.

The breeze had took a cold chill on the rooftop. Jessica still stood a few feet away. Jesse was closely beside me.

“I'm fine. She's dead. We need to move.” I took the chance of glaring to Jessica. “I need the gun.”

“It's out of bullets.”

I exhaled. The moans and groans of the living dead below grew.

“We're dead.” Jesse proclaimed.

“Shut up.” Jessica hissed. “We are not dying this way. Why do you think I shot that freak?”

“Shut up before I throw you off the roof! Do you really wanna try that after what you just did?!” I shouted.

She flinched back, throwing the gun to the ground. “Then, tell me what we do. Give us your great plan, leader.”

“The sarcasm can be dropped, Jessica.” Jesse snapped.

She cut her eyes at him.

Everyone's patience was running dry and finally Jesse turned to me gently. “Do you have a plan?”

I glared back at him, sure that my eyes were blood shot.

“I have a plan.” Ryant stepped forward.

Jessica crossed her arms and shifted her weight to the alternate foot.

“What is it?” I asked.

“My brother, Max, goes to the elementary school down the street. I need to save him.”

His eyes filled with earnest sincerity.

“What makes you think he's still alive?” Jesse asked.

Ryant shook his head. “It's not a question of whether or not he's still alive. It's about at least going to try and get him. He's my brother.”

“Then, let's get this done with.” Jessica cut in, already walking towards the stairs.

We made it down the stairs and charted the barren hallways. We decided to cut through the gym and climb to the top of the bleachers. At the top of them were actually a murky brown stained window. Ryant balled up his shirt in a fist and slammed it through the glass, knocking away the loose pieces after. A foul stench cut through the air and Jesse began to dry heave.

We took turns crawling through and I went last. We stood a small square of the roof o a brick room near the school dumpster. A car within jumping reach.

Jesse, Ryant, Jessica, and I peeled our eyes in all directions.

“We don't have any weapons.” I whispered.

It was too quiet out here.

There had been that foul stench, right?

“Why's the parking lot empty?” Jessica asked.

No one knew, but inside: none of it felt right. Time to get moving.