Chapter 18 - I Would Do Anything For Them

The car stopped and the officers opened our doors as they ordered us to get out. 

Even as we were pulling up to the refugee camp I found it hard to believe that something like that existed. Where perfect skyscrapers, cozy houses and a packed roadway once was, now stood metal scraps and other materials to make a barricade, broken down houses and the smell of decaying corpses.

When we neared the gate it opened to reveal a few medium sized houses. There was a lot of space between them to accommodate the people as tents were put up where ever they could fit.

As if on cue, everyone stopped what they were doing to look in our direction. As they did, I immediately deciphered the look in their eyes and on their faces. Hate.

The commander was talking to the person who was in charge here, though after hearing the commotion he stopped, amusement filled his eyes as he looked at the scene.

A child threw a rock at me, hitting my head, "Give them back....give me back my parents!"

"May!" Both Demi and Lia immediately ran to me, inspecting my head.

The child was small and didn't have the strength to do any damage, so it was just a small cut.

"You brat! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Lia spat angrily, causing the child to cry.

"Don't yell at him! Why're you two defending that monster?!" A middle aged woman retorted.

"May isn't a monster. Whatever you saw online is false. Do you think the mastermind of a zombie outbreak would be caught so easily?" Demi reasoned, trying to keep his anger in check.

Someone threw another rock, but this time it missed. "She must be planning something terrible! Because of that monster I lost my husband!" The elderly woman angrily cried.

Demi and Lia didn't get a chance to defend me as others joined in. They threw an assortment of objects at me as they yelled curses and aired out their grievances.

Our so called escorts just stepped aside and allowed the onslaught to continue as they watched from the sidelines. My friends were shielding me so they in turn received the people's anger.

"Stop! Both of you just step aside and let me deal with this. Please! You're getting hurt again because of me!" I pleaded with them.

They ignored me and held me closer as I felt warm liquid steadily seep onto my skin.

I started panicking, this wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to get to D2 safely. At this rate the two of them will be too injured to do anything...or worse.

Stop it. Stop it please. Let them hurt me. 

The officers were snickering amongst themselves. They weren't going to help. The reason they brought us here was to teach us a lesson. Only I needed to be brought back alive, they could do whatever they wanted with my friends. This became clear.

It was an oversight in our plan. None of us expected them to do this. But those so called law enforcers didn't play by the rules or laws they strived to uphold. We pissed them off, and they wanted to get back at us.

My breathing had become heavy, I was having a full on panick attack. Even though they were being attacked my friends tried to calm me down.

Their words fell on deaf ears. This was my fault. My thoughts became jumbled and I was spiraling, lamenting my helplessness when a loud roar caught everyone's attention.

The reinforced gates were kicked down and the very first mutant we had encountered emerged. Behind it, other zombies followed and they steadily flooded into the camp.

People screamed and scattered, my friends quickly took cover with me and the officers were too slow to react. The angry voices turned into blood curdling screams, and the snickering officers used each other for cover as they tried to save themselves.

"How're you holding up Lia?" Demi asked as he carefully monitored the situation.

"Never been better," she said smugly.

"Good. May, you stay here. Lia and I will-"

I didn't give him time to finish his sentence as i darted out from the hiding spot. They both screamed at me to come back but I wasn't about to let them save me again. This time, I'd be the one to save them.

It was hard to maneuver threw the chaos without The End, but that didn't mean it was impossible. I ran, ducked, slid and used the corpses of both humans and zombies as shields.

The commander was busy fending off a few zombies, so when I snuck up on him and scanned my handcuffs on his belt, he didn't notice. But I needed the scanner to free the others. 

It was now or never May. I just hoped they don't see what I was about to do. Slowly, I stood up and kicked in the back of his knee. 

"What the-!" He exclained as he fell. 

The zombies took this opportunity and ripped into him. He screamed for help, and as he saw me, fear and anger filled his eyes. But it went as quickly as it came.

I picked up the gun that he dropped and shot the three zombies. The reason they didnt attack me after him was simple, thwy were attracted to noise. And in mayhem like this? They were attracted to the closest target, too many sounds from all around them was confusing. Whatever got their attention first is what they'd pin after.

I took off his belt and looked around. I had begun to worry about how I'd get back to the others, when I saw them heading towards me. 

It didn't take us long to meet up, I hurriedly got the cuffs off them and handed the gun to Demi. Silently, I prayed they didn't see what I did.

"Don't do that again," he said with a slight glare.

I gave him a sheepish laugh and we quickly made our way to the gates. It looks like they didn't see how I had the commander killed, good.

As we neared the gates something flew past us. The mutant zombie had hit a group of people in our direction. 

"Quick! Before it comes after us!" I shouted over the chaos.

"I'm running as fast as I-" 

Lia's words cut off and I stopped in my tracks. One of the refugees was holding her leg, screaming that she wouldn't let us get away and that she'd take us down with her.

My heart rate accelerated and I felt it beating in my ears. I was about to call Demi to help me, but he was busy clearing a path for us. 

Normally Lia could've shaked off the woman, but she was injured. I took a step forward and kicked a piece of cyber-metal, one of the many pieces of rubble that littered the ground.

I glaced at it and then to the woman who was holding Lia down. Then I glanced at the zombies who were approaching them. Slowly, I picked up the metal rod and ran towards the woman.

She was busy screaming at Lia so when she noticed I was standing above her, and what I was about to do she begged,  "Please don't...I want to li-"

I cut her off as I swung the rod, crushing her skull and killing her instantly. Lia looked shocked, but she quickly composed herself.

"She would've died anyway. Don't feel bad May, you saved my life," She comforted me as she grabbed my hand and ran.

I looked at my bloodied hands and then back to the woman. I didn't even notice we were out the gates until I heard Demi's voice. While I was distracted Lia had already explained what happened to him.

Before either of them could try to comfort me I spoke, "Let's go, we need to get to D2. Whatever their plan was seems to have gone horribly wrong."

They visibly relaxed after seeing I was okay and agreed. As Demi hijacked one of the officer's cars I couldn't help but wonder, they're both relieved that I'm not drowning in guilt. But would they see me differently if they knew that I saw no difference between those people and the zombies? The two of them had now encompassed my whole world and I would do anything to save them.

I let out a sigh. It's scary how quickly my morals have changed for the people I love. Before I would panick and hesitate when surrounded by zombies, or tremble when people ostracized me. But now, I no longer fear the zombies nor people. I was willing to do anything to ensure my friends and I were safe....by any means necessary.