Too Late

The next morning we woke I stretched. Why couldn't I have reconized Alex? It was like my mind went blank. I loved that boy! I mean,like Ally warned,he wouldn't know me.

Whenever Kyle pulled me up by the arms I knew what he meant. "Get ready or stay here to die."

I nodded to him and pulled off Alex's hoodie. Whenever I gave it to him he gave me the 'Why did you have something of mine?' face. This was too weird. Well,for me atleast.

"Okay boys,mind givin' me a gun?" I asked one hand on my left hip.

Mike tossed me a grenade launcher.

"What the fudge?! I asked for a /gun/!"I growled.

Mike smiled at me. "You can be the person in the group who randomly blows things up." He glared at Alex,"She'll probley kill /many/ tanks /and/ hunters."

Alex's brown eyes fell to the ground ashamed.

It was kind of funny to see that they teased him. It would take my mind away from shooting zombies and feeling the kind of guilt that makes you want to get away from life. I walked over to my backpack wich was heavy since the boys filled it with many supplies. Looking inside it I noticed three extra health packs and some food. *Great,now we have to share.* I thought but still carried it anyway. Looking across the room at my ax I saw it was starting to crumble. "Keep a sharp eye for melee weapons." I advised sliding the ax away.

"Ready,"Kyle said followed by Mike and Alex. I opened the door,trying not to make much noise,and led the way down the ile. The green flooring creaked beneath us as we walked single file.

"Ahem,"Kyle faked a cough that broke the silence,"shouldn't /I/ lead the way?"

I paused to let him pass Mike forcing me behind Alex.

As we made our way into the next apartment that had a busted wall we split up to find weapons. I offered to go with Alex but instead I was paired with Mike who led the group.

"So,"He shot a zombie that had stalked us. It died with a hiss. "How come you didn't have anymore people with you? I mean, without us you would've died."

A common infected wailed at us and punched me before I kicked into a sink and Kyle killed it.

"Well?" Kyle prompt. Although his hair was covering most of his face I felt brown eyes burn into mine.

"Um...I had to leave them before I was killed,too." I froze thinking Kyle would know I had lied. Only he nodded and shot a few more common infected.

Alex and Mike came in panting. "It found u....us!"

"What?!" Kyle pushed me away. "I thought you killed it!" He hit Alex with his gun.

"Hey!You can't blaim him for not killing the tank! I mean,a hun'er was behin' him!" Mike shoved Kyle into the wall.

Kyle raised a large fist but I aimed my grenade launcher between them. "Stop it or I'll shoot!"

The two kids fighting over a piece of candy stepped back as soon as their moms came around the corner.

Kyle lowered his fist and sighed. "Lets go before that damn-"

A roaring noise cut him off. At the same moment a hidious beast appeared in the bathroom. Human skin tone but now jaw so its tounge lolled out like a dog's in the summer. It was definatly able to kill us all at its heighth.

At that moment I fired a grenade at it. It angerly pulled out the sink and threw it at us.

"Bad idea,Elly! Run!" Mike yelled and pushed me forward. Alex and Kyle were a few paces ahead until we paused at a window that was about a 12 feet drop. Able to kill a grown adult.

Alex went first but took a right before greeting the green flooring again. Mike was in mid-jump before the tank came from behind and hit my back;making Kyle and me fly. I rolled off his chest panting. Looking around the room made me notice the tank had ditched us and ran after Alex and Mike.

Kyle gasped once and rolled on his stomache. I knew he had been hit harder than me since I was thrown into him. Practically used as a cushion to break /my/ fall.

"K Kyle,"I panted,"are you okay?"

"The...t. T ...tank..."His voice was weak and I noticed blood form around him. Spuring quickly.

I carefully rolled him over. Pieces of glass covered his middle area. "Lay still..."I warned him feeling blood roll down my arm. Luckily I still had the backpack and I took out first aid and adrenaline. Quickly,but carefully,I pulled each lamp piece out of him. Each time I did he winched. As time passed I heard the tank fall in defeat and I yanked out a piece. Blood was everywhere by the time I was finished with Kyle. Thats when I began frantically wrapping and repairing Kyle's stomache.

Kyle groaned and closed his eyes. "Don't die,Kyle. Please." I begged. I clipped the first aid closed and threw it back in the pack. Blood was stained on my new green shirt and I was with an unconsious boy. I picked him up by the shoulders and laid him on my back like a piggy back ride. One unconsious boy,no weapon(just the grenade launcher I had to leave behind),and a backpack inbetween my strong jaws.

I peeked down from the window and placed one leg on the green flooring while leaning forward so I wouldn't drop anything...or someone. As I leaned further the rumble and screeches told me a horde was near. "Really?"I whispered. It was like a my life was a freakin' fairy tale where the princess or whatever had to escape the beast.

Kyle slid off my back and landed close to the edge of the building. I pulled myself closer and pulled my other leg with me. Why hadn't the others come back? Beneath me I heard the first zombies squeal in anger. I had to get to a safehouse before it was too late. Kyle was lifted over my back,backpack in my mouth,and adrenaline now starting to fire me up. Seconds passed and I was flying down the stairs;forgetting that a injured boy was being carried on my back. One infected came; followed by its companions. With one blow to their necks all fell over. It was like 'happy medicine' that fed you cokes and candies until you ran out of the sugar suply. Except I knew there was a safe house and my friends were somewhere. I ran into the woods until I was almost rolling down the hill. I fell face first into the brown,muddy water and by then my 'candy supply' had run out.My knees burned from sliding on them and my fists ached. Every mucle in me said lay here and die but not until I found what I lost. I found Kyle easily,he lay close to the water in a weird position. I had no idea in hell where I was.

'Down a hill idiot'. My brain answered.

"Heck to the no! I am /not/ climbing that hill until morning!" I spat making Kyle twitch. I sighed deeply. The sun was now begging to sink and I had to climb back up. I took Kyle's arms and began,lazily,dragging him up. I didn't know why in earth I did this but I called out into the woods. The only answer I got was Kyle moving as if he was being stabbed. His eyes shot open and he struggled to look at me but taken aback by pain.

"It's alright,Kyle, it's me,Elly." I tried to sound fine but my cacky voice showed worry and uncertainty.

He winched and stood up with the support from my arms. "Where in the hell are we?"He grunted trying to sound okay.

"In the woods somwhere."I answered bluntly.

"Others?"Kyle looked into the distance. I don't know what he was staring at.

*Probley a bat,*my brain answered again.

I shrugged.

"S**t! Where's the bag?"Kyle acutally sounded normal for a moment the winched.

"I'm searching for it,"carefully I led Kyle up the hill and paused. We were near a safe house. Or,atleast, that's what Kyle told me. He sat on an old trash can that smelt like a rotting body and searched the location we were in from there. We were close to the apartments,I could tell,and now it looked like we were in some place near a graveyard.

"Nope."Kyle said wich made no sence.

I looked at him. "'Nope' what?"

"'Nope', Alex and Mike haven't been here!" Kyle looked about ready to shoot me. But he had to find a gun to do that.

The moment I looked away from him in discust a low growl sounded a few distances away. Instinctivly I growled back then cut off with a cough. I couldn't do that anymore.

Kyle jumped down from his smelly seat then fell to his kness. His stomache was wounded. Mostly from the glass but whenever I went all haywire on adrenaline must've messed him up some more.

The hunter screeched then yelled as it pounced. Not on me or Kyle but a charger who had set its target at me. The charger made a weird spatting noise and waddled away with a few cuts. Thats when the hunter jumped down to me. It made a purr noise in its chest and jumped away before Kyle could nock it down and jab his large elbow into its neck.

"I'm never going to speak of that in my life."Kyle said settling down on the trash can again.

I wanted to respond but something made me keep still and watch it jump away. It was the same hunter that saved me before. But why hadn't it killed me? More importantly,why did it help me in the first place?