rewritten: January - August 2025

"Look. There's the school."

Maeve had just crawled out of the second-story church window. The sun had begun to descend to the horizon, with just a few hours until nightfall. The light illuminated their path nicely, allowing her to take in their destination: the school.

Like any typical high school, there was a parched football field with a dilapidated sign indicating the goal scores, rotting for two decades. If she squinted hard enough, she pretended she could make out the small figures of the infected wandering around.

"Ready?" Bill dropped into the graveyard.

"I guess we'll find out." Joel followed suit.

Maeve sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. It seemed their mission was far from over. Ugh...She inwardly groaned, feeling the fatigue hit her like a truck. She wondered when they would finally get a break longer than a few minutes.

"You okay?" Ellie nudged her shoulder.

Maeve tore her eyes away from the school, focusing on Ellie's concerned expression. She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. Shaking off the exhaustion, she offered her sister an assuring smile and gestured toward the graveyard area.

"I'm fine," she said, fibbing. "Let's just get this done."

Her body jolted as she hit the ground, the nerves in her calves firing off like a thousand electric shocks. It wasn't the most enjoyable sensation, but it faded quickly once she stood upright. Smoke wafted into her nostrils, making them flare and prompting her to cover her face with her hand.

"Ugh..." the smoke led her gaze to a burn pile of charred infected bodies.

"Oh, man..." Ellie paled at the sight.

"C'mon, you don't need to be lookin' at that," Joel urged, motioning for her to turn away.

"I've seen worse."

"Like what?" TJ asked as he jumped down from the awning's roof.

"Like... Like...worse stuff..." Ellie stuttered.

The blond snickered and walked past the sisters.

Maeve rolled her eyes. "What an ass."

"I mean, he does have a nice one," Ellie tilted her head to get a better view of TJ's behind.

"Really?" Maeve said, also tilting her head to look. "Sure, I guess he does. But Jordan's got a better ass."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Gross."

"You started it," Maeve shrugged.

"Hey! Are you two following?" Bill growled from the cemetery archway.

The sisters giggled to no one and hurried after the men. They entered a part of the graveyard, unkempt hedges and cement walls overgrown with vines and deep red Fuchsias, creating a maze of eerie greenery and mystery.

"Past this gate, it's all new territory to me."

So, Bill didn't know every nook and cranny of this town. Interesting. Maeve eyed him, and then Joel. She wondered what was going on in their heads. What was their game plan? She figured she wouldn't begin to fathom to know; a man's mind was this complicated enigma that gave her migraines.

"Hey—you guys hear that?"

Then she heard it. That irritatingly creepy clicking sound. A sigh nearly escaped her lips. Of course, there were Clickers in a graveyard. Maeve felt an urge to band her against one of the stone angels. Why were there clickers everywhere?

"Keep it down," Joel shushed the girl before guiding the group through the labyrinthine area. There were many infected, but certainly enough that if one of them stepped on a dry leaf or twig, it would spell disaster for them.

Crouching and breathing slowly was a bit challenging to do, but she supposed she was getting better at it. The clickers weren't stand-still; they were shuffling around as if they were pacing. Her heart raced painfully, her fear escalating to unprecedented levels. Sure, she'd taken down one of them earlier, but that was different, and she had felt confident then. Not to mention, there was only one infected then. There's at least more than four in the cemetery.

She almost had cardiac arrest, nearly plowing right into a sleeping clicker. Alright, forget fear. What she was experiencing was far beyond fear. It felt as if dread and panic had given birth to something far worse than either of them. It nearly consumed Maeve's thoughts even as she tried to stay composed, for Ellie. Her little sister was her top priority, and if she lost her, or vice versa, they'd both be like a baby deer without a mom.

She, as silently as she could without startling it awake, crawled away to a safe distance.

"Oh, crap... It's locked," TJ muttered bitterly as he quietly fiddled with the lock on the back entrance of the cemetery garden.

"Hold on a second," Bill waddled heavily toward the gate, his loud footsteps echoing, yet the clickers remained calm. "I've got a key for that gate."

The door swung open, and they entered a neighborhood alley, surrounded by wooden fences enclosing the yards.

"Shit, Runners!" Maeve's breath caught in her throat as she yet again spotted more infected. Two runners were motionless near some trash cans.

"Take it easy," TJ signaled her, urging her to relax.

"That's easier said than done," she silently replied to him.

Without another word of exchange, Joel and Bill approached the infected, quickly dispatching them. They laid the bodies down and moved towards the first yard. They agreed sneaking around was a smarter strategy than causing a ruckus. The yards were crawling with infected — though not all the yards had infected wandering around in them, but it didn't matter. One errant sneeze could have the HOA of the apocalypse on their asses.

After carefully navigating the yards and evading the infected, they stumbled upon an empty garage. It was their escape route from the infected zone, Maeve hoped.

"You weren't kidding about this place, were you?" Joel murmured with a wary grin.

"If you guys give me and Maeve guns, we could help you take out some of these bastards!" Ellie whispered fiercely.

"Shut up," Bill snapped his attention to Ellie. "Just shut up."

"Don't talk to my sister that way, jerk," Maeve snapped back at him.

"Alright, that's enough," Joel intervened before things could escalate. He stood up quietly and reached for the door, attempting to open it. "This way—damn it. It's tied on the other side."

Maeve frowned. That was inconvenient.

"What if we go through here?" Ellie suggested, pointing at the boarded-up doggy door.

"The doggy door?"

"Just be very careful." Joel took hold of the board and pried it loose. It wasn't silent, but it wasn't loud enough to draw the infected's attention.

"Sure," Ellie assured him as she crouched down to the flap and crawled through.

"Maybe you should've given her a gun," Bill remarked.

"Alright, Bill."

Maeve waited beside TJ, nervously anticipating Ellie unlocking the door so they could escape the infected neighborhood. Her worry was short-lived as Ellie deftly opened the door.

"There are more of those clickers things inside the house," she whispered to them.

"They haven't spotted us yet. Just keep low."

On the patio, a sleeping clicker remained oblivious to the fact that it had fast food right in its yard. She nearly chuckled at the thought of them being 'fast' food. It wasn't as if they would notice anything as they slipped by. The group stealthily made their way through the back door, navigating the kitchen and the living room, where another clicker was dozing off.

They were almost out.

They moved past the laundry room, and Maeve was the last to pass by the room. When she did, her ever-so trusty peripheral vision allowed her to spot a small, a small jar of needles. She could use those. Somehow, someway. She also spotted a small baggy of white powder, which she assumed was powdered detergent.

"Mae!" Ellie whispered out. "Maeve!"

"I'll be right back!" Maeve crept into the room and approached the shelves. They were sewing needles, with some pins. It wasn't much, but it sure was a good find, she thought.

"You're damn stupid, you know that?" TJ snapped at her the moment she slipped outside.

"I acknowledge it, yes," she waved her findings in the air. "If you keep quiet, I might just make you a gift with this."

He sighed with exasperation and climbed onto the RV parked close to the house. Maeve frowned, holding the bag and jar against her side with her right arm as she followed him onto the RV. The vehicle had a wide board resting atop of it, acting as a short bridge to a treehouse in the next yard over.

"Who would've left this here? You have friends around?" Ellie commented, scanning the treehouse before leaping down into the backyard, which had an in-ground pool the shape of a kidney bean.

"No," Bill said. "Although I have an idea who might've come through here. The school is just on the other side of this house. Let's get inside."

Maeve sighed out as she finally reached solid ground. "That was intense."

"You can say that again," Ellie said, wearily.

"Alright, kids. I think we're in the clear," JOel said as he headed toward the house.

"For the moment," Bill muttered. "Damn those things. Nobody's bitten, right?"

"Nope. We're clean," Ellie replied, though she exchanged a knowing glance with Maeve.

They stepped into the house and started to look around. Joel went upstairs, Ellie followed. Maeve guessed she wanted to express her condolences about Tess in a proper way. It was evident in her eyes; even with a laugh or a smile, guilt lingered over her death. Being the older and slightly more mature one, Maeve wanted to comfort Ellie and reassure her it wasn't her fault, it wasn't even close. However, she knew Ellie, and Ellie, no matter how much reassurance she'd given, she wouldn't believe them. Nor would she want to listen.

Maeve surveyed her surroundings. Maybe she could find something for that explosive mixture now. All she needed was a canister of some sort.

"Do you know how to make shivs?" TJ suddenly came to her, holding a broken pair of scissors, and a small, mostly used roll of duct tape.

"Don't you have a knife?" Maeve raised an eyebrow.

"I do–shivs are useful for opening locked doors," TJ explained.

"Right," she nodded awkwardly. "Let me put this together first."

"Sure thing."

Maeve strolled into and through the kitchen with TJ trailing behind her. She rummaged through the cabinets and drawers in search of a canister or jar.

"What're you looking for?"

"A container," she answered, opening another cabinet door. "Ideally a metal one."

"Like this?" TJ lifted a can with a lid.

"Yes!" MEave rushed to the island and reached for the container in his hand but he pulled it away from her grasp. "No! Come on, dude!"

"Just answer something for me." He said seriously.

"What is it?" She was eager to get that can.

"How do you know how to make bombs?"

"Seriously?" Maeve looked at him, confused. "Haven't you already asked that?"

"Just answer the question."

"I told you — my boyfriend taught me," Maeve reiterated her earlier statement.

"And Molotovs?"

"Again, Jordan."

"Your guy must be quite the tinkerer and gearhead to know so much about explosives." TJ passed the can to her.

"He was exceptional at chemistry," she accepted the container

Whatever TJ was trying to uncover, he refrained from asking further questions. She sensed his gaze on her as she skillfully poured the jar of needles and explosive powder into the can. She added a few more ingredients, they were highly flammable – she'd found them with the needles. If she had razors and nails, this could be lethal. Well, less lethal, but still enough lethal to cause significant damage. But unfortunately, for now, it was just needles.

"That's not how Bill makes his nail bombs," TJ remarked.

Maeve let out a sigh. "Okay, so, when I shake this canister and toss it, the chemicals inside will heat up, when that happens, the heat will cause the chemicals to react and ignite the powder."

"I don't get it."

"Then let me say it slowly: shake, toss, and then kaboom." She carefully tucked the bomb into her bag.

TJ gave her a look. "Are you sure that's safe in there?"

"Not in the slightest," Maeve grunted. "But considering all the infected we've come across, and will come across, it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Am I having a stroke or something? What happened to the scaredy-cat who was practically trembling in fear earlier?"

"Excuse me!" Maeve shot him a glare. "I'm not brave, and I'm definitely not here because I want to be. I'm here because I want to keep my baby sister safe. Even if I'm terrified to the point of trembling, I will protect Ellie. I'll do whatever it takes to keep my sister safe."

"No speech needed, okay?" TJ backed off.

"I honestly thought we were going to have a decent conversation for once." Maeve rolled her eyes and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Hand over your stupid shiv."

TJ barely had time to respond before she snatched the scissors and tape from his grip. He observed as she expertly fashioned the shiv, as if it were second nature to her. Once finished, she shoved it back into his hands.

"Hey, Joel?" Bill called from the garage of the house.

At that moment, Joel and Ellie returned. Ellie appeared uncomfortable, yet somewhat relieved.

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me with this?"

"Say your piece?" Maeve moved closer to her sister.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. It's off my chest now." Ellie anxiously rubbed her sleeves.

Maeve glanced between her sister and Joel. Having known Joel for such a short time, but just enough to know how he was. He'd probably blown off Ellie's condolences. He was quite the broody man with trust issues.

"Okay, well, don't give yourself grief about what happened to Tess," Maeve said softly. "It wasn't your fault."

"Thanks," Ellie managed a smile, but she clearly wasn't convinced.

They fell into a silence as they entered the garage. At first, they were waiting, and then they looked about the room.

"Oh, hey, check this out." Ellie was already moving towards the back wall, which had prongs for weapons. One of the prongs had a bow. "This is cool."

"I'll take that." A long arm reached between the girls' heads and snatched the bow right out Ellie's grasp.

"Hey!" They exclaimed in protest.

"You don't get weapons that shoot." TJ said, shouldering the bow, and taking what arrows there were.

"You're being unfair! What if you're busy and we need something?" Meave stomped her foot and clenched her fists.

"I'm sure you can whip out your bombs and fire bottles."

"Don't be an ass, man!" Ellie snapped back.

"Oh, you'll be just fine." He rolled his eyes and went to assist Bill and Joel with the garage door.

The sisters simmered with anger, steam practically billowing from their ears as they fumed.

"Do you think Joel would be pissed if I stabbed TJ right now?" Maeve's hand twitched toward her pocket, where her switchblade rested.

"Do you think he'd be pissed if both stabbed him?" Ellie shot a fierce look at the blond.

"I dunno. Maybe we should try and see what happens." The older girl focused her gaze on the boy.

"Hurry up, ladies!" Joel called them as they ducked beneath the garage door.

"Ugh!" Ellie groaned. "I hate this! We're sitting ducks!"

"You're not the only one," Maeve replied with a sigh. "Let's go before they drag us out."

The sisters exited the garage, trailing behind the guys as they took cover upon spotting the infected.

They were everywhere. Maeve couldn't see an end to them. There might've been twenty. Hell, there could've been thirty, or even forty. She wasn't eager to find the exact number of infected.

"What did I tell you," Bill gestured towards the school, specifically pointing at a truck that had crashed into the building. "There's the truck, sticking out of school."

"Are you gonna give the bow back?" Maeve asked, her eyes fixated on TJ with anticipation.

"No," he replied blandly.

"Why not?" Maeve's face flushed with anger.

"Because I don't trust you with it."

"You've got some issues, dude. I'm not going to shoot you with it."

"I doubt that," TJ chuckled dismissively. "You're not getting this bow."

"Fine," Maeve hissed. "Screw you then."

Navigating past the infected wasn't a walk in the park, but somehow they managed. The runners roaming the lot were taken out one by one, thanks to Joel and Bill. And yes, Maeve and Ellie were left behind like two defenseless damsels.

"Well, that was easier than I expected," Bill said as he dusted off his hands. "They must be hiding out somewhere else."

"Let's not push our luck," TJ said as he cracked his knuckles. "How do we get in there?"

The group scoured the area around the cars and finally realized there was a bus right next to the protective fence. A ladder rested on top of the bus. Conveniently too.

"Someone left a ladder on the bus," Ellie pointed out. "Here, get me up there and I'll drop it to you."

"Be quick," Joel told her before boosting her up to the roof of the bus.

"Don't get killed up there." Bill said in a taunting tone.

"Thanks, Bill," she replied with a hint of sarcasm before sliding the ladder down for them.

One by one, they climbed the ladder to the bus roof. They quickly made their way to the other side of the fence, just feet from the school, when the chilling cries of the infected reached their ears.

"Shit. Did you hear that?" TJ scanned the bus, and sure enough, infected was approaching. Where they came from was a mystery.

"They're coming! Hurry up, kids!" Bill ordered, directing them towards the school's doors. "We need to get in fast, grab the battery, and get the hell outta here."

"Oh, hell!!" Maeve gasped, seeing the infected piled up on the outside of the fence. "They're piling over the fence! It's not going to hold!"

Bill pushed against the side door, only to find it stuck. "The door's locked!"

Joel rushed to find an alternative entrance. He rounded the corner and shouted for them. "Go, go, go, you three! Go!" He instructed the younger ones to crawl through the window first.

Maeve got to her feet just as Joel was held back by a clicker. The infected person lunged onto his back and went to bite him.

BLAM!

The clicker's head burst apart. Fungal plates, fragments of skull, brain, and blood splattered everywhere. Maeve couldn't shield herself quick enough; it all happened so quickly. Bill reached for Joel and pulled him inside with a powerful pull.

TJ slammed the window shut and even locked it.

"That won't hold for long." Ellie recoiled as the infected pounded on the glass.

"Bill, hurry up!" Joel yelled, then positioned a metal shelf in front the door, which had been locked, but against the infected's strength, it won't be for long. The infected attacked it from the outside, throwing their bodies against the door relentlessly.

Maeve drew her knife, keeping the blade pointed outward. She glanced at TJ, who had readied his shotgun. He was putting her and her sister in danger. Him and Joel. Sure, she had bombs and fire bottles, but without what she needed, all she had was her knife. Nothing more.

"It's empty."

"What?"

Everyone turned their attention to the truck. The hood was raised, but the battery was gone. There was an empty space where it should've been.

"It's damn empty!"

"Guys!" Ellie shouted, the metal shelf clanging against the door.

"Bill, what now?" Joel grappled for ideas.

"Uh..."

"Bill, where to?!" Joel snapped.

"Anywhere but here." Bill stepped back from the truck and moved towards the door leading into the school.

"Let's go!" Joel and Ellie dashed after Bill.

The five rushed into the high school hallways, fleeing from the infected. But it wouldn't be long before they'd have them on their tails. Even with doors giving them time to scadaddle, they still had to worry about the infected on the inside.

"Let's, um... We'll sneak out the back." Bill cleared his throat.

"You four, stick to me. I'll get us out of here." Joel took charge.

"Be my guest."

After encountering a few infected in the science wing, the group found their way into another corridor lined with lockers. And an exit.

"Help me with this." Joel motioned for TJ to assist him when he couldn't open the double doors on his own.

They pushed and pushed against the door, but it was blocked by something. Bill joined in the effort. With the three of them working together, they managed to open the door just wide enough for each of them to slip through one at a time. This seemed like a recurring gag.

"C'mon!" Joel squeezed through, followed by TJ.

"Cheese! More are coming!" The girls hurried through the door and into the gym. "Barricade the door!"

Once Bill was inside, the guys shove the heavy gym equipment against the door to keep the infected from entering.

"That ain't gonna hold for long," Bill said, wiping his mouth nervously.

Suddenly, the gym shook. A loud, grating growl reverberated through the floors and walls, like a thousand dogs growling in unison.

"That doesn't sound good..." Maeve swallowed hard.

The doors to the equipment room burst open, the noise echoing off the high ceiling and walls. Then, a massive, grotesque thing emerged. Its body was completely adorned in fungal plates and boils. Its head was split like a clicker's, but it was something more than a clicker.

"Ho-oly fuck..." The girls paled at the sight of the enormous infected as it let out a deafening roar.

"What the hell is that!?"

"It's a goddamn bloater!"