Chapter 9: John

My boots stuck against the floor, echoing throughout these silent yet familiar halls. I had been here before in my youth, back when I didn't know about the hardships of war. Looking through the occupied hallways and classrooms filled me with a sense of nostalgia. Except these halls no longer contained moody teenagers, but frightened individuals from all walks of life. 

I made my way towards a classroom with a plate of food in my hands enough for 2 people. My shift had just ended and some rest was definitely needed. I pushed open the classroom door and stepped inside. It was empty aside from one person, but knew it wouldn't be long before it was eventually crammed with refugees.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Just a simple greeting made the weight on my shoulders start dissipating. Her name was Clara. She was one of the newer additions to the camp. Our relationship wasn't anything special, we weren't going to be married or something like that. But it was more like, friends with benefits? Sort of a way to relieve our stress in these crazy tmes.

I took a seat next to her and we began eating in silence. Only when we were halfway through the extremely mediocre food did she ask a question.

"I've been sitting on this for a bit, and it might sound a little dumb, but why did the camp be set up here in a high-school of all places?"

"You probably saw it when you first came here. The walls surrounding the whole place make it a good location for a defensive position, and there's only two gates in or out of here. The school itself is pretty much in the center of the city, so it's quick for a lot of people to flock here. Also, this place was practically untouched by the virus."

I finished my last bite before continuing.

"Because of the walls it's easier for us to build on it. Put some barbed wire on top the walls along with ramps, set up some quick towers, and we're already good to go. Of course that's not everything though. And as you've seen, the school is massive and able to contain a shit ton of people."

She made a cute little face and said "Oh!". I chuckled a little at that.

"But I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact there's a lot of big wigs who sent their kids here to attend."

"But didn't you say you went to this school?"

"Yeah. There was three ways to get into here. You had excellent grades, were extremely athletic, or you had tons of cash. The rich kids were the majority. If you weren't with them, you were against them. Just remembering the things some of the 'cool kids' did simply because they knew they could get away with it... But enough of that, I need to blow of some steam."

I went forwards and kissed her deeply on the lips. She returned with an attack of her own using her tongue. While kissing we began to take our clothes off, one piece at a time. Only stopping when we needed to take off a shirt or something. 

Once she was in her birthday suit, I went from her lips down to her neck. I kissed her neck a few times making sure to leave a mark before heading downwards once more, kissing all the while. She held my head with her hands as I proceeded further down, eventually reaching her breasts.

They weren't the largest, but they were perfect for me. I held one in my left hand and began playing with it, as my mouth moved towards the right. I would kiss around her breast, always missing the nipple by just a little. I licked around the areola in a circle, before finally sucking on her nipple.

While I was busy with her breasts, one of her hands that were locked on my head moved towards my dick. Once she found her prize she began stroking it in long, slow strokes. We were in that state for a minute or two before I gently pushed her to the ground.

I detached from her breasts, and resumed my kissing. Down her ribs, onto her stomach, before stopping at her pubic region.

I skipped over her special spot and went even further down, all the way to her feet. I kissed her feet, and began slathering her calves with even more kisses while looking at her pretty green eyes.

Her breath starting to pick up and she began moaning as I got closer to my goal. After getting to her thighs I started slowing down. The closer I got, the slower I became. Until I arrived just outside of her pussy.

Still looking at her, I paused for a few seconds before digging into my meal with gusto. All it took was a few seconds before she started moaning my name.

"OH JOHN!"

Her juices overflowed into my mouth and I accepted it all, drinking my fill. Once she finished, I climbed on top of her and gave her a treat full of her own juices.

"Mmm, I taste great."

I chuckled a bit and grabbed my shaft, aligning it to enter her. Before I went inside I asked her a simple question.

"Slow and gentle, or hard and fast?"

"Gentle."

Gentle it was. I went in slowly, making sure to fully savor her. Once I bottomed out, I started thrusting. It was slow at first before beginning to pick up speed. In the end I stopped speeding up when I got about half as fast as I could go. 

I reached down and kissed her lips like a lover would, while my hands had preoccupied themselves with her meaty orbs down below. Once I tasted enough of her lips it was back down to her neck. Her legs were wrapped around my hips, egging me on as her heels dug in. My lips left their rightful place and arrived next to her ear.

"I'm gonna cum."

"Wait! I want you to do it with me!"

So I tried to hold it in for as long as I could. I had to slow down in order to prevent the inevitable. But just a few pumps later, I was primed and ready. She knew, because her legs tightened even more. She wanted a helping of my ooey gooey Nutt Butter. We both moaned at the same time as we came. I deposited my icing, while she squirted on me.

I fell on the side while deflating inside her. Was about to pull out when she stopped me.

"I want to sleep like this."

I had no complaints. My body needs rest and in just a few seconds, I was asleep.

There were 40 of us, walking down the village. Some of the villagers were looking at us with such hate on their faces., while some of them were grateful for our arrival. 

"Third damn village. All of these all look the same, can't they spruce them up or somethin? I don't get how these people can stand the heat either. Specially them women in all those clothes."

This guy was always talkative, more annoying than anything else. As we were walking, I honed in on a man and a child standing behind a stall. Don't know what it was, maybe instinct or the lack of surrounding people, but he just rubbed me wrong. But it's not like I can shoot him for that, so just kept my eye on him.

I was in the back of the group, and he was looking right in the middle where our jeep was. It was definitely strange. Then, his hands reached down into the stall. I raised my gun and aimed it right for him. A few soldiers looked at me before setting their eyes on him and did the same. My adrenaline was pumping, things seemed to speed up.

As soon as his hands came up, I saw the RPG in his hands. I shot him immediately in the head, killing him. Can never enjoy killing, but when he threatens my brothers like that I have to take action. Then something bad happened. The kid. He began to cry and scream at his father in a language I couldn't understand. He shook his father's body, as if trying to wake him. 

I walked a little closer, as I needed to get that RPG away from him before he got any dark ideas. But when I approached, he looked at me with such hate in his eyes. It was as if venom were pouring from them. He started trying to pick up the RPG, fumbling with it. I aimed at him. Whispering to myself.

"Don't pick it up. Please kid. Don't. Don't. Don't. No no no no."

My hands were shaking. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest and my eyes started to water. Time slowed to a crawl. He started to lift it. It was now or never. If I let him fire that, who knows how many could die. I had to shoot.

That was the logical choice. But what's logical about killing a kid, especially one so young? He put it on his shoulder, and I fired. A couple bullets to the chest and he fell back over to the ground. Dead.

I kneeled over and hurled up my lunch. I just killed a kid! It didn't matter that he was dangerous and had a weapon. There's no way to excuse something like this. When I looked at him again he started rising up. His flesh started to melt, and his eyes turned into snakes. They left his head and came towards me, wrapping themselves around me holding me still.

He came before me, flesh peeling off. He whispered into my ear, something I couldn't hear. He suddenly back up a few feet and looked up. When I followed, I could see faces. Hollow eyes and mouths wide open. The faces of all the people I killed. They were all looking at me, judging me. I began to cry, breaking down into tears as the boy started laughing.

"You did it! You murdered them all in cold blood! What about these ones?! They were innocent, and you knew! But what did you do?! Followed orders like a good little dog, no matter how wrong they were!"

"Monster!"

"Animal!"

"Murderer!"

I jolted awake, startling my partner.

"What's wrong, bad dream?" I wiped the sweat from my forehead.

"Yeah... something like that."

I've had that dream before, with that boy. Each time it's something different. Always wondered if I could've done better.

Well, it was time to wake up anyway. We got dressed, and made some small talk on the way to breakfast. As we walked down the empty and silent hallway, we passed one of the female bathrooms. Inside moans and grunts could be heard. My female companion made a little remark with a grin.

"Sounds like someone is having fun in there."

But I wasn't too sure, listening with a frown on my face. I could swear, on God himself, I heard crying. My instincts didn't let me down with that man and kid, doubt they'd let me down now. I rushed inside and saw them. A man was thrusting into a girl. She was wearing the school uniform. As soon as I saw them I knew it. He was raping her!

I came up behind him and shoved my M4 Carbine into his throat, pulling him off her and choking him at the same time. Once pulled of, I threw him into a sink. He hit his head on it and was immediately knocked out. That's when Clara came in.

"What's happ-"

She quieted down when she saw the scene. I went up to the crying girl to help, when she pulled away and curled up into a ball. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked back.

"Let me handle this. It's okay sweetie, I'm here for you."

Guess it would be better for a woman to comfort her than a man, given what just happened. I got a better look at her. Her face was cut up and bruised. Her neck had marks around them, probably from him wrapping his hands around her throat and choking her. Blood was pouring from under her ripped skirt, a lot of blood. She must of been only 16. To have this happen to her...

I turned my head towards the worthless slug that was still unconscious and aimed at him with my Carbine. I don't like killing, never have. Even when it's people trying to kill me. But garbage like this doesn't deserve to live, not in my book.

*BANG*

I shot him in the head, ending his pitiful life.

"Jo-John?!"

Clara was shocked and horrified by what just happened, throwing up into the toilet after seeing his head. I could understand. The first time I saw a dead body I threw up. Couldn't eat for days.

"He was infected. He came at you and you defended yourself. When we heard what happened, we rushed in and I shot him. That's what you'll say. You'll have to undergo medical evaluation to make sure your not infected."

The kid nodded her head, her shocked face still stained with tears making me believe what I did was just and righteous. I went and got some help from nearby soldiers.

We were all taken away, tested, and questioned about the events. It was a smooth process. They're not dumb. They know what really happened, but they closed one eye to it and ignored it. Not the first time this has occurred.

As for the bastard's body? Taken to a place away from public eyes. To get into the camp, you needed to go through a long line, get tested for the infection, and if you were good to go you could enter. If you weren't, you would be taken away from the others. We couldn't let people see what happened or else there would be panic and chaos. They're taken to what we called, The Incinerator. 

The name was a little ominous but it was really just a random place that was chosen. Once taken there, the people were shot in the head and burned. It might seem cruel but it was the for the best. That's what we say anyway. Maybe we're just deluding ourselves into thinking we do more good than bad with the killings and burnings.

After a long day of standing around and dealing with morons, I headed back to the classroom where Clara was. 

"How's the girl?"

"Not good. She's seems... like she's not all there. Just stares into space sometimes with these emotionless eyes. Otherwise she doesn't eaten and cries almost all the time. She finally fell asleep, only to wake up screaming."

"That's awful. Poor girl. Is there any way to help?"

"I don't know. This kind of thing takes time to heal. Even then there's still scars, although they aren't seen. She asked me to spend the night with her. Do you mind...?"

"Not at all! Go ahead, I'll be fine here."

She kissed me on the cheek and went to leave the classroom, but bumped into someone.

"Sorry about that Ms. Clara."

"It's fine Carter."

"Carter? What the problem?

"I know your shift is over, but we've all been called to the wall. Apparently a lot of infected are coming."

"Ugh, the hits just keep coming don't they? Let me get dressed and then we'll go."

"Be careful John."

"I will be."

Dressed and prepped, we exited the building and came out from behind the wall to the barbed wire fencing. There were dozens of us behind the fence, and the same amount on top of the walls behind us. This would be my first time in fighting these things, sure hope it goes well.

The citizens outside the fence were rushed inside. We knew that if we didn't let them in they would try and force there way in. From afar we could see them, running at us in the hundreds like a swarm of locusts. Their bleeding eyes, mouths wide open like some demon. What a terrifying scene. 

"Remember ladies! Aim for the head! Open fire!"

There was a slight hesitation from nearly everyone involved. The reason for that was because of the people at the front of the horde. They were healthy people, that weren't going to make it. Shouting at us not to shoot because they were people and not monsters. But when one soldier started firing, we all fired with him. The healthy ones fell first, littered with bullet holes.

"Forgive me..."

Carter was always a kind soul. It must hurt him to have to do this.

They charged forwards without a care for their own lives. These were always the scariest ones for me to deal with. Not the biggest or strongest, but the one with nothing to lose. They sure were hard to hit though. They kept moving so erratically, making it hard to headshot them from such a distance. Still, they started to drop like flies once they got closer.

Only a minute later did they hit the fence. It looked like it was going to topple over due to their momentum, but it held strong. Seemed to be going well, until they started climbing the fucking fence.

"Shoot the climbers NOW!"

Even though I made a priority to shoot them it made little difference. When the first one came over and fell dead to our side, we started backing up. More and more got over the fence, charging towards us. They leaped at us, tackling nearby soldiers to the ground and ripping their flesh out of them. We backed up further and further until...

"RETREAT BEHIND THE GATE!"

Soldiers started running while the ones on the wall covered their retreat. Just as I wanted to turn around and leave with the rest of them, an infected was suddenly in front of me! When did he get there! He threw his body at me, tackling us both to the ground. I tried holding his throat back with my Carbine, but he was inching closer to my face snapping all the while! 

The closer he got, the more scared I got. I didn't want to die, not like this! But this wasn't some superhero movie, where the hero gains some powerup and defeats the bad guy. Ugh, his saliva started pouring into my mouth! Just when I thought all hope was gone, a savior came and pulled the infected off. It was... Carter!

"Come on John, we gotta go now!"

He extended a hand, and I grabbed it. We rushed for the gate, with those monsters chasing after us. Barely making it inside the gate shut and reinforcements from other parts of the camp arrived, beginning to kill the rest of the infected. I sat down powerless on the grass. I've come close to death before, but nothing like that.

"You okay?"

"Not really."

Carter sat down next to me and handed some water over. He had his own share of close calls tonight, but seemed much less shaken. Wasn't ashamed to admit that he was stronger than me, able to do things I couldn't. I respected him for that. We sat there in silence, as the soldiers around us finished off the infected.

Soon enough the rest were finished off, and now was clean up duty. All the bodies had to be moved and burned off to the side. The citizens that were rushed inside and the soldiers that had close encounters all went through testing, including me.

Seems like God was on my side, for I was fine. But not the others. A lot of soldiers were infected and had to be put down. Even had a situation where one of them turned and attacked a nurse, resulting in both of them getting shot.

After the whole fiasco I returned to the classroom the next afternoon hoping to find Clara, but found nobody. It was alright. She must be with that poor girl. As for me I needed sleep, laying down and passing out quick.