After Death (Completed)

匚卄卂卩ㄒ乇尺 ４ (Too Easy)

Chapter 4: Too Easy

Ethan Warren

May 24th, 2022

5 days after outbreak

Minnesota, Armstrong High School

Season 1

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I left the office slowly, shutting the door behind me and using a milk crate to block it. I was going to let the body rot; I didn't know what else to do with him. I wasn't ready for the others to know. As I walked away, the weight of my secret felt heavier with each step. The guilt gnawed at me, but I couldn't bear the thought of their judgment or fear. I needed more time to figure out how to handle this on my own.

"There you are; where the hell have you been?" Khai asked. She looked angry, but I was still in shock. It was hard for me to comprehend. "You look terrible; are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Here, let me help you with that," I said as I took one of the bags of food off her shoulder. She looked very confused. Maybe it was the blood; maybe it was the look on my face; maybe it was the fact that I left with Calvin and didn't come back with him. I knew she could put the pieces together; she probably already had. I could see the worry in her eyes as she glanced at me, searching for answers. I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to explain everything that had happened, but I still couldn't bring myself to say anything. She never said anything, though, and I thank her for that.

She took the bag of knives and the other two food bags. We were ready to leave. This plan had to work.

"Attention everyone. We have everything we need, but we need to discuss a few things first," Khai shouted. Everyone turned their attention to focus on her. "These weapons are your life; do not kill one of your own if you're not prepared to die yourself. We do not agree with each other; that is obvious, but we will not get anywhere if we do not work together. Ethan and I will hand them out; they're only for the dead, not the living." Khai's words hung in the air, emphasizing the gravity of their situation. The group exchanged nervous glances. 

"Where's Calvin?" I heard Rudolph whisper to Aiden, who shrugged and stared at the spot of blood on my shirt. Khai opened the bag, and we gave everyone a single knife with none left over. We were grateful we had enough.

"I'll carry the bags," Connor offered. "I don't feel comfortable killing them yet, even if I have to." I didn't argue with Connor's decision; it was easier this way anyway. I knew bringing the food would slow us down, but if we were really serious about getting out of here, we had to think about what would come after too.

We gathered around the metal doors, and I could tell I wasn't the only one thinking about what happened the last time they opened. Khai's hand shook as she took hold of the knob. The fear overwhelmed me, and I could hear my heart in my chest. Slowly, the knob turned, and as the door opened, we could hear the dead, quietly far from us but still too close. The scent of decay wafted through the air, making my stomach churn.

When we first got into the hall, there were no dead in sight, but I knew they were here. The eerie silence in the hall only heightened our unease. We cautiously made our way forward, scanning every corner for any signs of movement. The clean white floors were covered in blood, but there were no bodies in sight. Leah grabbed hold of Amy's hand quickly as her breathing increased. She took her sister's knife from her, as her hands had become too restless to keep hold of it.

It felt too easy; we were almost to the doors that lead to the outside, and we hadn't had to kill a single one, but it didn't help any of us from being scared out of our minds. The silence was deafening, amplifying our fear with each step we took. We couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, as if the absence of bodies only meant that something much worse awaited us outside those doors.