Fright and Flight

It’s the last day of my sophomore year, and I’m not looking forward to two more years of high school. It’s nice that I’ve gotten this far, and not failed any classes, but there’s always the possibility. I’m stuck after school to clean out my locker so I can make sure nothing valuable is thrown away, like old art or any school supplies I could use later. I’m only halfway through the junk pile when my best friend since 3^rd grade runs up to me, breathless.

“Grab your s**t and let’s GO,” Carlie pants, doubling over to catch her breath. I know she was in the cafeteria for some meeting (she’s in a lot of extracurricular activities, and most clubs were meeting up to discuss what they should do over the summer and to say goodbyes, and other gushy gushy things people only say to seem like they care) and my locker is at the back of the second floor of the CTE building. Not that far of a walk, but running up the stairs must have winded her.

I notice she doesn’t have any of her things. It isn’t like her to leave her things somewhere or to throw them away, and I know she had her backpack this morning.

“What’s wrong? The hell happened?” I ask, picking up my backpack. It is light with only an art binder and my pencil case, and a bottle of water.

“You wanna see? Go to the cafeteria.”

                Why is she being so vague? This isn’t like her at all. Something serious has happened.

“Alright, but walk with me.” She nods and stands. I close my locker. It is unlikely the staff will check up here for a day or two, so I’m sure I can return later or sometime tomorrow to finish going through my stuff.

                I shrug my backpack on and start for the stairs. Carlie follows suit.

                Soon, we are down the stairs and walking down the path to the cafeteria. Carlie stops short and yanks me to a stop as well. I don’t need to be any closer to see the massacre unfurling through the bloodied windows.

It has always been my dream to be in the zombie apocalypse but that’s it; only a dream. I’m too slow and weak to survive on my own in the real situation. I’m not prepared in any way; the most I have is a backpack, a half full water bottle, and the clothes on my back. It isn’t zombie survival gear; I have on a thin t-shirt hoodie, jeans, and a large jacket wrapped around my waist, and I’m wearing boots. Girly boots that kill me to walk the halls in and would literally kill me in the wild.

                I turn to Carlie. I am speechless. Tears well up in my eyes and I rub my eyes with my sleeve.

Carlie takes my hand. “We need to go, now. We can go in my truck. I already saw a horde coming through the hall. Those are the people that didn’t get out. I don’t think anyone else is still in there, and we can’t do anything about it. We need to go, now.”

“I just. Please tell me this is a prank, that everyone is fine and y’all’s just pulling a cruel prank on me. I’m not ready for this, Carlie.”

“C’mon.”

She half-drags me to the truck. I hop in the cabin before I see Deelilah and a small group running from the school. Weird, I haven’t seen Deelilah run since I’ve known her. Then again, it’s the apocalypse and I’d run too if I had to. 

I shout at her, wave at her, trying to get her attention. The group veers towards the truck. Deelilah trips, but regains herself.

“We gotta wait on them, just hold off for a minute.” I am shouting more at the group, telling them to hurry. I can see who else is with her: Dominic, Brittany, Cassidy, and Cheyenne.

The group slows a little and hops in the back of the truck. They are red-faced and breathing hard. I have already sat down and slammed my door closed, and Carlie is backing out quickly. She makes the tires squeal as she tears out of the parking lot, and down the road. I guess this is a new life for me.