Chapter Twenty-One

Mark's POV

James and I were on the gates this time around keeping watch with the other guards. If what Jace said was true there might be a war in here between us and the Walkers. Tyler and Ciara were in some part of the camp keeping watch and the rest were spread out. The night air was chilly making goose bumps appear on my arms, but there was something out there that was giving me a very bad feeling. After years of being around Kayla and Tyler I learned to trust my feelings mostly the bad feelings like the one I was having.

"Jay, I'm having a really bad feeling about this," I said looking out the gates into the night that hid the undead with its darkness making them unseen until it was too late.

James looked at me "About?" he asked me before looking out again.

I shrugged "I don't know, but it's not good, man," I told him pacing watching out the gates.

James sigh "Dude, just chill. We can't be distracted," he said.

I looked at him glaring "I'm not being—" the shadow loomed over him and I pointed the shotgun and yelled "JAMES GET DOWN," but it was too late. The shadow hit him in the back of his neck and he dropped like a sack of potatoes. I pulled the trigger, but I only managed to get hit on the shoulder. The person looked at me before running off into the night and I stared at the person for a minute before running to James.

"James," I whispered yelled shaking him gently.

He groaned opening his eyes slowly and sat up wincing "The hell happened?" he asked me rubbing his neck.

"I think it was the man that shot Jace. You stay here and call the others. I'll follow the blood trail," I said before running off. I faintly heard James yelling at me telling me to get back here, but I didn't listen. I was faster than him, so he wouldn't be able to catch up.

I wanted this bastard caught before he hurt anyone else. He already shot Jace and probably murdered Lance. I followed the trail of the blood to the building where Tyler and Kayla first trained. My blood froze when I noticed the doors were wide opened.

"What the hell!" I said getting near it, but making sure I was a few feet away it. I could hear the moans in there. "Got to close those doors," I whispered.

I took a deep breath and ran to the doors hoping that I could close them before any of those things got the chance to get out. I reached the first door and closed it, but before I had the chance to close the other one I heard a shot fired and pain on my back. I stumbled backwards from shock and turned around to see the person I shot standing there with a pistol raised at me.

The man was around five-foot-seven, shaggy brown hair, he looked in his mid-fifties, muscular, tan skin, and angular jaw with sharp cheek bones. He fired twice getting me on my stomach and on my lung. I stumbled on the door that I had closed and slid down holding on to my stomach. I coughed out blood, but I never took my eyes off him.

"They…will…find you," I gasped my body already going numb, but I didn't care. I already knew I was going to die. I always thought I died of old age, but we don't always get what we want.

He just laughed psychotically.

I smiled at him blood running down my chin "I…hope…you burn…in…hell," I whispered my eye sight blurring. He turned and run off. I faintly heard the moans of the Walker's and I weakly looked to my right and noticed a Walker stumble out and then more came out. I wish I could have done something to prevent it, but with my anger to the man it blinded me. I felt my eyes closed and I could feel myself leaving this world.

"Mom, dad…I'm…joining…you."

Jace's POV

The room was silent except for Kayla's light breathing. She still looked fragile and I'm not talking about the blood lost either. Her skin was still pale, but not as pale as before thanks to the blood given to her. Her clothes were changed to clean shirt and jeans. Dean had hooked her up to the IV again, while the others talked about strategies. If you ask me I would use Kayla or myself as bait, but I'm sure if I told them that they would have given me a big fat no. These people are either stupid or way too protective.

My thought went to what my dad said about being attacked and Kayla being taken away from us. I remember waking up in the cabin my family and I used to go to every summer before the undead ruined everyone's lives forever. I went out and saw my dad sitting on the porch on one of the folding chairs my mom always brought from home. I sat next to him feeling like a million bucks. No zombies no worries. We stayed like that for a long time not saying anything and just watched nature letting the breeze mess with my hair and listened to the small birds sing or watch squirrels jump from tree-to-tree. It was peaceful.

Dad looked at me for the first time since I sat next to him. He still looked the same, but with less wrinkles. He looked like he did before the apocalypse. That's when he told me about the attack and the kidnapping before I woke up taking my first painful breath. I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad about not being with my dad, but I'm actually happy his doing well.

"Jace," Jasper whispered my name turning to look at me snapping me out of my thoughts

I raised my brow "What is it?"

He walked to me and pinched my cheeks "Next time you see a guy by the fence think before you confront them…I was scared," he said the last part softly letting go of my cheek and I rubbed my cheeks trying to relieve some of the sting.

I sigh "I'm sorry, Jazz. I wasn't thinking straight, but I couldn't let him cut the fence, you know that," I said crossing my arms over my chest. Jasper opened his mouth to say something, but a female scream echoed and we rushed to the window. I saw the woman being surrounded by Walkers no way out.

"Oh shit," Jasper mumble. Anytime I would have looked at him like he was a stranger for cussing, but right now 'Oh shit' was correct. We were being attacked by Walkers just like my dad said.

I looked at Skylar "We have to get out of here; they might be inside the building and we're in a classroom made into a hospital room. We'll be trapped if we have to face them off in here," I told him looking out at the feasting of the undead. Poor woman, I thought.

"Get on Jace," he said taking the IV out of her arm.

I frowned "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? We're gonna roll the hell out of here before we get stuck in here," he grumbled "Now get on."

I sigh "Don't get us killed," I mumbled lying next to her. This was the craziest most idiotic thing we have ever done much less while we were being attacked. Jasper moved the stretcher to the closed door and I got off opening the door letting Jasper go first before getting back down before a thought popped in my head.

"Why the heck do I have to be in this thing? I'm not disabled," I growled getting off again "I'm not weak either I can run just fine."

Jasper rolled his eyes "Then keep up," he said taking off leaving me behind.

"Hey! Wait don't leave me behind…You did that on purpose," I yelled running after him. I could hear his laugh and I couldn't help laughing with him as we ran through halls trying to get out.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Kayla said in a sleepy voice "Holy shit! Watch out," she screeched as Jasper took a sharp turn the stretcher tilting Kayla falling on her side and Jasper hitting an open door falling on his back groaning.

I couldn't help laughing my ass off. "What the hell, Jace!" Sky hissed getting up rubbing her side, but her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Jasper got up "Just having fun during a zombie attack that's all," he said in a normal tone shrugging. He wanted to see rattled up that much I knew.

We saw her tense "Zombie attack? And you're just telling me that? Why didn't you wake me up? Fuck, where did I leave my guns and knives?" she said talking fast looking slightly panicky. And it worked, I thought seeing Jasper lip twitch.

Jasper and I looked at each other than back at her "They're in your room," we said simultaneously.

Kayla stopped and face palmed "Oh that's right. How could I be so stupid?" she groaned snapping out of it. She looked at us "We have to go there grab weapons and get this people out of here safely," she said.

"Let's make a run for it," I suggested.

Kayla had this thoughtful expression for a moment before looking at us "There's, I think, two shot guns in the bus. I want the two of you to go get those and prepare how many buses you can. I'll go find the others round up all the people we can and get the hell out while killing how many Walkers we can, of course," she said a smile playing in her lips.

I opened to mouth to tell her about what my dad told me, but changed my mind. "Yeah, we can do that," I said instead knowing for a fact that if she does get abducted Tyler or Dead would be able to track her down…I hope. I could feel Jasper's gaze on me almost if he was telling me 'I know what you're planning'.

Kayla nodded "Be careful you two," she said kissing our head and going off.

I whacked Jasper behind his head "What were you thinking worrying her like that?" I asked him glaring in his direction.

He just shrugged "I wanted to see how she'd react, plus we have to lighten the mood or we're just go insane and be very boring. Probably be one of those strict people…Ok so it didn't go as planned…don't judge me," he huffed a slight blush covering his cheeks.

I raised a brow "It's a miracle. You can blush. Let's go before more people die," I said and took off running towards the bus with Jasper hot on my heels.

Kayla's POV

The moment I stepped outside I instantly knew that I wouldn't be able to make it to my room. Walkers were everywhere and people were running around scream, but some were fighting back. It reminded me of the first time the attack happened only this time there were people fighting back.

I saw a seven year old child being pushed over by man around his forty "Out of the way," he yelled pushing the kid down before running away. There were three Walkers closing in on the crying child, but I moved faster snapping their necks.

I looked at the kid and picked him up "Don't cry," I whispered rubbing his back speed walking.

"Sky," I heard Dean's voice before he grabbed my shoulder turning me around to face him. He had a shotgun on his other hand and few drops of blood on his face.

I passed him the kid "Start leading people to the busses. Jace and Jasper are preparing them," I told him before I went off. I yelled over the screams telling people to go to the busses, while I fought off Walkers that tried to bite me and trying to save how many people I can.

Kayla, where are you? Tyler's voice echoed in my mind scaring the crap out of me almost making me trip on an iron bar.

Jesus, don't scare me like that, I told him picking up the iron bar. It's better than not having a weapon.

Where are you? He asked me again.

I rolled my eyes, trying to save people. Jace and Jasper are getting the busses ready. Do me a favor. Go to my room and get my weapons all I have is an iron bar, I said swinging the iron bar hitting a Walker on the head blocking out Tyler. I heard the sickening crack and it never got up. I went around the school towards the building where Tyler and I snuck in to train and stopped dead on my tracks.

There was one door were opened Walker's coming out, but what made me stop was Mark. He was leaning back on one of the doors he managed to close, but he had his head down not moving. I couldn't even see his chest moving.

I could feel tears gathering around my eyes "No," I whispered about to rush to him but stopped. I couldn't be reckless and get myself bit or I wouldn't be able to get this people to safety. I need to close that door or we'll have more Walkers on our hands. I tighten my grip on the bar taking deep breaths and ran towards the building swinging with how much force I could. I didn't even stop or flinched as I heard their skulls cracking open. All I had in my mind was that door and Mark. When I finally reached the door, I jabbed back those that were trying to get through the doors.

When I managed to get the door closed, I grabbed the chains that were, thankfully, on the ground. Unfortunately, the lock was nowhere to be seen, so I used the iron bar to keep the doors from opening. The Walkers were already banging on the door, but I ignored them. I went over to Mark's body squatting down and cupped his face on my hands raising his face.

Mark's skin was cold and his skin was a deathly pale color. His eyes were closed and there was a trail of blood leading from the corner of his mouth down his chin. I felt my tears rolling down my cheeks "Mark," I whispered his name knowing he wouldn't respond. He was dead; murdered. I lifted up his dark green shirt, which was now stained with his blood, and found two bullet wounds on his stomach and one by his lungs.

I grabbed him and wrapped my arms around him hugging him. I cried silently on his shoulder. Mark was always silent, but he spoke when he wanted to. He was smart and a god guy. Hell, he wanted to come to this academy when he finished high school.

"Finally, I have you alone," someone said from my left and I turned to look only to get hit by something and darkness over took me.

Lanny's POV

Her body fell limp on the ground with the other body falling on her. I kicked the boys' body off her and picked her up. She was light and smelled like hospital, but I didn't care about that. Thanks to her killing the zombies that were around, I could move without worrying about getting attacked.

"If you think you're gonna get away with kidnapping, think again dirt bag," two boys came from the shadows both aiming guns at me.

I glared "You can't have her. She's mine. No one can have her, but me," I hissed.

One of the guys patted the other "Caleb…is that…Mark?" he said pointing at the boy I had shoot for getting in my way.

The one named Caleb looked and his body tensed looking back at me "It's him, Sam. He skilled Kayla's dad, shoot Jace, and now killed Mark," he said not taking his eyes off me.

Sam looked at him hatred written all over his demeanor "You worthless piece of shit," he said aiming his gun only to have Caleb push his arm the other way just as the gun went off.

"You idiot, he has Sky," he growled watching me.

"THE HELL HE DOES," the Goddess suddenly said snapping her eyes open and punching hard on my face making me drop her.

Sam's POV

Is it wrong of me to be thinking about how hot Sky looked beating the shit out of that lunatic? Probably, but come on. It's Sky. She's always hot. I looked again at where Mark rested lying on his side with a wound on his back. I didn't know him that well, but that boy was good with technology and a good fighter. Hell, James is still alive because of him.

"You mother fucker. You murdered my dad, Mark, and you shot Jace," she yelled punching him with every word.

Caleb crossed his arms "Better than suicide," he said.

I nodded. It wasn't long before she pulled away from the man, who lay motionless on the ground. Kayla swirled around wide eyed opening her mouth to say something, but it was too late. A Walker tackled Caleb to the ground biting him hard on his shoulder making him scream in pain. I grabbed the Walker by the back of his shirt and pulled him back smashing his face in.

Kayla rushed to his side "Oh no not you too," she whispered.

I looked at Caleb "You dumbass. Who the hell am I gonna compete against for her heart? You're such an annoyance," I grumbled looking around for anymore Walkers.

Caleb got up wincing "Never thought you actually care about me, Sam," he said chuckling.

I huffed crossing my arms "Like hell I do," I said trying to keep a straight face, but a small sad smile spread on my face.

Kayla caressed his cheek "Caleb," she said tears rolling down her cheeks. I wanted to pull her to me showed her that she could cry on me, but I didn't she needed to stay with him for his last moments.

Caleb kissed her for only a few seconds "I love you, Sky," he whispered to her. He looked at me "Sam could you…," he trailed off.

Kayla shook her head "No, Caleb please, no. I don't want to lose another person," she said.

I sighs "Kay, his already dying. It won't be long before he turns. You know that," I whispered in her ear.

"Sam's right. I don't have a lot of time and I want Sam to do it. I don't want my death to affect you," he said sincerely. She was silent looking down and I pulled her to me putting her face in my chest.

He groaned "Sam."

I looked at him "Yeah."

"Take care of her for me or haunt you and make your life hell if you don't take good care of her," he said in a strong voice smirking.

I aimed my gun at him holding her close "See you on the other side in a few years, friend," I said putting him and felt her flinch in my arms. I kissed her "Let get going," I said taking her hand and she nodded.

"Let's go and start our own town in memory of everyone we lost," she said walking ahead of me pulling me with her. It wasn't long before we were back on the road going to whatever laid before us, but I knew that wherever Kayla went I would go. Last thing I want is Caleb spirit haunting me. I mean seriously imagining getting laid and bam Caleb pops up. It would be such a turn-off and very weird.

The future is unclear for all of us, but so long as we stick together there's nothing we can't do. Yeah, we can't find a cure, but it doesn't mean we'll stop fighting. We just have to find a place to settle down and start anew. Life is just starting for us and civilization.