In The End (Fourteen)

In spite of the way you were mocking me
Acting like I was part of your property
Remembering all the times you fought with me
I’m surprised it got so (far)
Things aren’t the way they were before
You wouldn’t even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me
In the end

-In the End, Linkin Park

 

 

 

We could hear them talking about us. There were five of them. Three with guns, all aimed at one of our vitals. I know what you’re thinking. Minus the gun it’s a fair fight, right? Or at least bitterly evened? No.

 

They don’t know about Devon and Bella. It’s only Adam, Austin, Carlee and me. No guns.

 

We have great luck, don’t we?

 

Adam and Austin bolted up here after my distress call. I guess they heard the threat. When they arrived, everyone went ballistic. The group asked if there were others and I said it was just us. Devon should be smart enough not to call.

 

They frequently glanced over at us, to make sure we weren’t trying anything.

 

“Look at them! They are just children! How can we send them out?” One woman argued, her voice was slightly accented.

 

“They’re dangerous! What if they’re lying about being bit?” Another man asks. He’s holding hands with a different woman. They both look relatively young, and they could be familiar. “I’m not willing to risk Rena’s life.”

 

“Now, now, everybody just needs to calm down. Maybe we should just ask them-” The older man was cut off by Devon’s panicked voice.

 

“S**t, Emma. You guys have to get back here.” Our party froze. It wasn’t silent for more than a few seconds before Bella added, “We miss you! I’m bored, where are you guys?”

 

I held my breath, cringing on the inside. I felt Adam squeeze my hand. The one who hadn’t spoken thrust his gun into my face. “Who was that Miss We’re-alone?”

 

Adam made a move towards the guy, but Austin restrained him. Everyone’s eyes were wide…except for mine. This was not a new experience for me. “They’re just kids. You don’t need to worry about them.”

 

“Kids?” The accented woman stepped forward. “You have kids with you?”

 

I looked at Rena and her boyfriend, and I realized that she was pregnant. “My…my daughter and my cousin.”

 

I glanced at everyone out of the corner of my eye and felt relief try to wiggle its way in at their calm expressions. Now the others needed to believe that we weren’t lying.

 

“You have a daughter?” The one with the gun barely six inches from my face scoffed.

 

“Yes,” Adam, replied, squeezing my hand. I thanked God that Bella had blue eyes like Adam.

 

Rena stepped forward, shrugging off her partner’s warning hand. “We have to let them stay. I’m not going to have the death of a child on my hands.”

 

With that, she turned around and walked farther back into the locker room. I realized she’d walked into Mrs. Taf’s office. Her boyfriend looked after her and sighed, shaking my hand. Mr. Trigger-happy backed away, scowling. “I’m Scott, and that was my fiancée, Rena. If you’ll excuse me…”

 

He walked away after her, and the older man grinned at us. I smiled back at him, hoping the aggression didn’t show in my eyes. “I’m Marco. Since you seem to be our new roommates, mind introducing yourselves?”

 

I answered softly, “I’m Emma, that’s Adam, Austin, and Carlee. So are we allowed to leave?”

 

“Leave?” he asked, confused.

 

“To get Belle and Devon,” I explained.

 

“Sure, sure,” he laughed, “Just be careful. We sent two out this morning and they’re due back any moment.”

 

“Okay, Marco. Thanks…” Adam pulled on my arm, and we all hurried to leave before they could stop us. We figured if they’d been living here, the rest of this place must be clear.

 

I remember the year the teachers had us put our hand prints on the wall. Carlee, Adam, and I had made a triangle.

 

We ran, laughing, filled with memories of the past. Paper ball fights. Innuendos. Tripping people. Ridiculous assignments.

 

But all too soon we were reminded of where we were. As we turned the corner, I spotted my old locker. Carlee’s was two down from me, and Adam’s six on the other side. “I wonder if I can remember my combination.”

 

“I don’t even remember which locker was mine,” Adam snorted.

 

“I remember mine…it was 410A.” Carlee said, walking towards hers.

 

“Dick locker,” I grinned. Carlee laughed at Austin’s expression.  I shrugged as I explained it to him. “Someone drew a dick on my locker before we got here, so we’ve called it the dick locker ever since.”

 

It was only a short distance from our lockers to the office, where the nurse’s station branched off of. When we arrived, we informed Devon of our situation. I kneeled down by Bella. “Babygirl, you need to pretend that I’m your mom, instead of your sister, okay? It’s really important. And Adam’s your dad.”

 

“What about real mommy and daddy?” She asked, with wide eyes.

 

“They’re…they’re not here. Still on vacation, I guess.” I offered her a fake smile. She was still too young to see through it.

 

“Are we ready?” Devon asked, hiding the gun in his waistband. What a wonderful family I had, the thirteen year old knew how to fire and hide a gun.

 

“I guess.” We were never going to be ready. That’s the thing about the apocalypse. You can only hope you’re prepared and what you face won’t change what you were or who you are. Because in the end, nothing stays the same.

 

The six of us, plus Scruff, started toward the locker room, unsure of what the future held.

Author's Note

This chapter has a lot of stuff based off the truth. Like the Dick Locker and the hand print thing. Kaylee and I were kind of stuck, cause our friends did something by themselves, so we had to make something new. Reviews, please?

Reviews

[Rhea752]

LOVE!!!! the twist of people already there was really good. it's just the fact that they lie which is going to come back and bite them in the butt i'm sure!!! :)

[♪The Girl Next Do..]

Yay Yay Yay! I can't wait for more !