We're Still Alive(Book1)BEING REWRITTEN

Thirty-Eight

Ohio

   "Jared wake up!" Casey screamed into his ear. He jerked his head away from her, hoping his hearing wasn't permanently damaged, then looked around.
   "What's wrong?" He asked, blinking the tiredness from his eyes.
   "Nothing, everyone else is awake and Tom would freak out if he saw you were still asleep." She replied.
   "Why? Just because he's used to getting up early doesn't mean we have to be too." Jared muttered, moving into a more comfortable position on his 'bed.' "I was on watch last night, don't I get to sleep in?"
   "We were too, and you don't see us complaining. C'mon, get up." He groaned as she grabbed his arm and tried to pull him to his feet. "I'll go get Tom." She threatened when he didn't move.
   "You know, I hate you so much sometimes." He growled as he slowly climbed to his feet.
   "Sure you do." She smiled and walked out of the little store with Jared in tow. He noticed other people wandering around the mall.
   "So what's the plan?" He asked as they walked to the dining hall and took a couple cans of food off of a shelf that was now stacked with their rations.
   Casey shrugged. "I have no idea. Tom, Joe, and Lynn were talking about sending some people out to get some more supplies; mostly food and water, maybe more weapons. Even though I think we could supply the whole state with all the guns that we've got."
   "Well it's not just guns. Louis has his machete, and Laina's got that crossbow. I think a girl from that other group had a crowbar, too." Jared pointed out as he tipped the can, trying to get the last of the food out. "I would worry about food and water before weapons, though, too."
   "Yeah. They were also talking about putting signs up." Casey added.
   "Signs?"
   "Yeah, to let people know we're here. I'm sure we're not the only ones to travel this far for disappointment."
   Jared laughed quietly. "It hasn't been that bad. I mean, we found this place, we found other people, we've got a little system thing going...
   "And we're not dead." She added. "That's a good thing." Jared just nodded quietly and sat back in his chair, closing his eyes. He was expecting her to yell at him again for trying to go back to sleep, but what he got instead was something that no one had expected. He opened his eyes just in time to see it jump off of the top floor and land on all fours. It stood up straight and looked at them. It didn't do anything else, just stood there and watched their faces change from surprise to fear. The mall was quiet; Jared could almost see the tension. Everyone was waiting for someone to make the first move. He felt Casey looking at him but didn't take his eyes off of the zombie. Where did it come from? It could have got in from the roof door, but wouldn't they have heard shooting if it did? What if there were others that killed everyone on the roof? He tried to remember who had replaced them the night before. Jay, Ella, and Miles. He didn't get much more time to think about it. The zombie screeched, its loud inhuman voice echoing through the empty mall. Jared winced at the painful noise, but didn't move his eyes away as the zombie jumped at a girl from the other group. The name 'Cassidy' went through his mind just before Mica yelled it. Cassidy's scream was cut short when it threw her to the ground. Jared heard the gunshots and saw the muzzle flashes and the blood flying. It was only after the commotion had stopped that he was able to collect himself and ran towards the smaller and less-maimed body laying on the floor. The zombie was barely recognizable, just a big heap of blood, bone, and flesh.
   Mica beat him to Cassidy and was joined by the rest of his group, except for Avery and Ben. Jay had come down from the roof with Ella and Miles. Jared moved closer to see around the circle of friends surrounding Cassidy. Mica had pulled her into his lap and was smoothing back her hair, whispering softly to her in between sobs. Jared didn't see any bites on her, but there was a large amount of blood flowing from the back of her head, covering the hair around it and collecting in a growing pool on the floor. There was another pool of blood from where she'd actually hit her head on the ground.
   Jared backed up and motioned for the rest to do the same, giving Mica and the others some space.
   "She's dead." He said quietly as he pushed past Tom. He didn't acknowledge the zombie remains on the floor and tried to walk back to their store but was stopped short by Casey, who pulled him into a hug.
It felt awkward but he didn't push her away. Not when she was only trying to help him. Not until Jack started yelling.