Rise Before The Fall

I run into the shed and slam the door shut; I hear the whimpers of children in the corner. I know that no amount of reassurance I could give would help, but then again this is my fault, I should have known better than to have gone out this late. It was 7 p.m. when we left and I had forgotten to watch the time. Now were stuck in this shed, oh yeah and did I mention that were surrounded by flesh eating, undead, zombies? My partner Daniel runs up to me panting.
“Any other smart ideas now Luke?” He says sarcastically.
“I’m thinking,” I reply, “how bout we take the secret exit?”
“What?” he laughs, “Why not the front door?” We share a laugh before we start searching for the secret exit. The door slowly creaks open, I quickly do a 180 to see that one of the kids with us slowly opened the door.
“Mommy?” He cries as grey, lifeless hands slowly reach for him. I take off towards the kid, but it’s too late the Creature grabs the boy and with an agonizing scream I watch the boy’s blood splatter on the floor.
“I FOUND IT!” Daniel yells, “Everybody in here, NOW!” and like magic the two kids sprint to the exit and jump down into the sewer system. I dash towards the exit and jump into the sewers as Daniel quickly seals the entrance. As we fall into the cold damp sewer system I can hear the protesting moans of the undead.
“So do you remember which way to go?” I ask.
“I thought you knew?” he says scratching his head.
“You’re kidding right?” I say ready to put a dent in his skull.
“Yeah I’m joking.” He laughs, “We have to head forward and follow the path.”
“Anything to worry about up that way.” I ask.
“Other that water?” he asks, “nothing that we can’t handle.”
“Good news, FOR ONCE.” I say I little to happily, and with that we tread through the cold sewer water. My long hair flops in front of my face, I leave it their knowing even if I tried it would just flop back down. After a few more minutes of walking in total silence Daniel stops and turns around.
“Okay people we are there.” He says as the two remaining children cheer, “But I never said we would be spared.”
“Oh crap.” I mumble.
“Not only are we out past curfew.” He says loudly, “We also managed not to get everyone back alive.”
“We’re screwed!” I moan, “Again.”
“Only one way to check,” Daniel sighs, he slowly climbs up the ladder and knock three times on the manhole cover, knocking three times in a row in a universal sign you’re not an undead. The cover slowly opens, and a hand grabs Daniel by the shirt.
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?” A voice screams.
“You know, playing poker.” Daniel replies sarcastically as I slowly emerge after the two surviving kids. We were back in our same old town, with the same boring people, whom flip out over a rustling leaf.
“DON’T YOU USE THAT TONE WITH ME YOUNG MAN,” the voice that I now see is Daniel’s mother.
“Have fun Dan!” I say taking off toward my house. Now picture this, a fourteen year old boy covered in dirt and blood running though a village, ‘cause that is what’s happening. After a minute or two I arrive at my house. It was literally as far out in the village you could safely go, the entire village was surrounded by a fence, and the fence had barbed wire surrounding it. I creak open the door the find my older brother Todd passed out on the floor surrounded by liquor bottles. He was the only one in my family that’s alive, the rest of them all died in the “Last Night.” The “Last Night” was when the zombies first came alive, or back alive. I was like five so I didn’t make a huge point out of remembering the details. I walk up to my room to find a man sitting on my bed.
“Hello mister Luke,” the man starts “as you know in one day you will turn fifth teen,”
“And I have to find a Job or you stop supplying food,” I say sarcastically, “You literally tell everyone this,”
“Actually for you it is different.” The man sneers, “You are infamous for managing to kill off villagers on you little expeditions.”
“They agree to the dangers!” I protest.
“Regardless, if you don’t do something productive you will be forced out of this town.” He laughs, “And the only job that’s open is a scavenger, and you have to leave for that too!”
“At least I won’t see your ugly face.” I sneer, “Now get out of my house or I throw you out”
“Bye, Bye!” the man laughs as he runs out of the house.
“Idiot,” I sigh under my breathe, what I haven’t told anyone is that I already had planned to become a scavenger, Even though that meant leaving Dan behind. What scavengers do is travel across the wastelands looking for things people might find useful, so basically a merchant with no home.
“Luke!” a voice yells and I could tell it was Dan’s.
“What Dan?” I yell back.
“What’s this I hear about you leaving the village?” He asks.
“I really don’t get a choice,” I sigh.
“Why Not?” He asks as he walks into my room.
“The only job that’ll take me I scavenger, and if I don’t take it I get kicked out anyways!” I reply.
“Then I’ll join with you!” he says.
“If they’ll take you” I laugh as I grab some clothing and put it in my black backpack. After I was done packing we start towards the building in the center of town. After a minute of walking we arrive in front of the building.
“You really think they’d kick you out?” Dan asks as we slowly walk into the building.
“Yup,” I reply, “they hate me remember.”
“how may I help you today Luke,” The woman at the desk sneers.
“I want two Scavenger kits.” I reply blankly.
“You and Daniel leaving town finally?” the woman says with relief in her voice.
“First thing tomorrow,” I reply.
“So you got a party to plan!” Dan says happily as the bags are handed out to us.
“I’ll cover the bill,” the woman says gleefully, “If you leave and don’t tell anyone.”
“Fine with me.” I reply, “and I would leave today, but I turn fifth teen tomorrow.” And with that I walk out of the building with a cold air blows past my hair.
“See you tomorrow at the gate at…” Dan starts.
“As soon as the sun rises.” I say as I slowly start to walk away, “Zombies less active at day, so we need to gain as much ground as possible.”
“Understood,” Dan says running of in the direction of his house. I walk in a direction of my house. I have a little sleep policy, so I’ll end up probably up staying up and packing all night, ‘cause I’m weird like that. I walk into my house and head into my room and start to sort the scavenger’s kit and all I find is a combat knife and the paper bag it came in.
“Of course I get the dud.” I sigh, “one out of hundreds and I get the dud.” After hours of waiting it finally becomes dawn and I slowly start to walk out of my house to find Dan waiting outside my house.
“sorry man.” Dan mumbles, “as it appears I’m too young to leave as a scavenger.”
“Crap, I forgot I was older than you,” I say as if I forgot, but I didn’t. I knew from the beginning I was in this alone.
“Look man I am so sorry that…” Dan starts.
“Dude,” I say with my hand on his shoulder. “I’m 15 and you’re 14, not much you can do to fix that,” I ran past him with a grim look on my face, and when I got to the gate I knocked three times on the gate and it slowly opened and I walked out though the slightly opened gate. The gate slams behind me and I was for the second time in my life left alone to die.