"Thanks." I said.
"No problem, just try watch your back next time, ok? Ok, lets move on." We advanced to a big building at the end of the base. We found supplies for our trip and set out for a helicopter. Apparently Bree had flown a helicopter a few times so we decided to trust her with this pert of the mission.
It took us a few minutes to fly to the Anathema Science Facilities with Bree driving, but when we got there, we were greeted with a roof full of zombies. They weren't expecting us, but when they saw us they attacked. Throwing whatever they could get their hands on, trying to get us out of the air. Some of them had guns and were shooting at us, but because of their decaying flesh they lost most of their aim and grip. We circled the roof a few time, Sara and I trying to shoot as many zombies as we could before landing. There were two zombies standing at the back of the group who weren't attacking, and instead went inside and down the stairs. We cleared the roof and followed the two female zombies.
We emerged in a long corridor with doors on each side of the wall. At the end of the hall was a set of big double doors with a sign on them that said "Mr. Wade". We walked towards it, keeping our guns and shield raised, waiting for some zombies to spring out from somewhere. we reached the door without any further attacks and opened the door. The room was large, it had a desk at the far end with a big, high-back leather chair behind it facing the massive window behind it. There were book cases on each wall to the left and right and a big red rug in the middle of the floor. All-in-all it was your typical big-shot executive's office, except that it's only occupants zombies. The two zombies that were on the roof were standing on the left of the chair, with the odd man that gave away the gum balls on the right. The chair slowly turned around to reveal not a man or a zombie, but a skeleton. The skeleton of Nathan Wade. "Hello children, Sara," the skeleton said, nodding at each of them in turn. "My name, as you well know, is Nathan Wade, this is my assistant, Jacob Takahashi, who I'm sure you've already met, and my two lovely friends, Molly Blake and Grace Edmonds. I hear you saw them earlier. Anyway, as I assume you've guessed by your presence here, I began this genetic modification or 'zombie outbreak' as so many before you have called it. So, you're obviously here for a reason, what might that be?" The skeleton spoke without moving it's jaw and was reluctant to stop.
"Well, since you were so polite, we're here to stop and hopefully reverse this so called 'genetic modification,'" Sara said.
"And what do you hope to gain by doing this heroic, yet impossible, task?"
"Freedom to walk wherever we wish without the threat of being eaten by one of your crazed zombies!"
"Peace Sara, I mean no harm."
"And how the hell do you know my name? What's that all about?"
"I know a lot about you Sara, don't be alarmed. I just like to know who my attackers are."
"That's all well and good, but why did you put everyone through all this!?"
"I simply wanted to make life easier for everyone. You see, both sets have the same dose of modification serum but it appears young Aaron here has perfect genes, just like Jacob here. They both got positive side effects, unlike the less fortunate test subjects such as myself. My body has degraded far beyond that of the average specimen such as Molly or Grace here, and as a result My body has become completely skeletal in appearance. It's because of this tha-"
"I've had enough of your talking!" Interrupted Bree, as she took a shot at Nathan's head. As soon as she pulled the trigger, Nathan's hand lifted and his head shot back. Molly dashed forward and grabbed Bree, pulling her towards the desk. Nathan's head lifted up revealing a half-missing skull. He laughed at the pointless attempt to end his life. He didn't drop his hand, instead opening it to show us his palm. At the same time, Molly disarmed Bree and lifted up her hand in the same way. We all knew what was coming next and we all knew there was nothing we could do to stop it. Nathan suddenly put his thumb down and, quick as lightning, molly bit Bree's thumb off, her screams filling the whole building. Then Nathan dropped another, and another, until Molly had eaten Bree's whole hand. Then he lifted his index finger and drew it across his bony neck. I screamed out in protest, begging him to spare her life, but it as too late. Molly and drawn Bree's knife and slit her throat, then she began feasting. I couldn't take it any more, I pulled out my gun and shot Molly several times until she dropped. I was expecting a fast response at the command of Nathan, but nothing happened. Everything went silent. Sara was staring at Nathan, Nathan at me, Grace at Molly and Jacob at the gun I held in my hand, still smoking. Nothing happened for a while, the air full of tension.
"Well that was fun, wasn't it?" Nathan said, breaking the silence. "Who would of thought that young Aaron would be the one to snap with Sara slowly losing his mind with old age."
"Oh would you just shut up!" I couldn't take much more of this. Nathan was getting on my nerves and he knew it. Sara was thinking the same thing, but he was better at hiding it then me. We looked at each other and nodded, this had to end now. We began walking slowly towards Nathan. Just as we were pulling out our guns there was a knock at the door.
"Dad? I heard a gunshot. Is everything ok?" My stomach dropped as Jane walked in holding a box.
"Everything's ok sweetie, just bring me that be on your way." She walked towards her father and all was still again. We shared a glance as she passed us. He eyes looked sad and empty, he face had a permanent frown on it and she walked with reluctance. I had known her for years and had never seen her this sad looking before. She passed us and Sara lifted his gun slowly. Nathan's hands clenched into fists and my heart dropped, even the expressionless Grace and Jacob looked shocked. No one had expected this turn of events. Jane looked up at her father and sensed something was wrong, she turned and saw the shotgun pointed at her and she dropped the box, spilling the contents. Hundreds of gum balls fell out and spilled on the floor, followed by bottles of a thick black liquid. The focus didn't stray from the gun. "Don't you dare pull that trigger." Nathan said.
"What happens if I do? Do you surrender? Or do you kill me? Because if it's the second one, then at least I would have taken away something you love in this world and obviously you don't want that."
"Put, the gun, down."
"Make me." He pulled the trigger, and as he did I pushed the gun to the side, making it hit Grace instead. She fell to the ground without her head, landing on top of Molly and Bree. The room was silent again. "Why did you do that?" Sara asked.
"I can't let you kill her, she means too much to me."
"She's a zombie, you have to get over it."
"I can't."
"Then let me help you." He lifted his gun again, but this time I raised mine as well, only I raised mine at Sara. "You'd kill the man who stayed with you through all this? The man who gave you that gun, that sword and that shield? The man who-"
"That man's gone now!" I was losing it. I couldn't hold in all this anger any more, I had to let it out, but Sara was right, I couldn't kill him and I couldn't let him kill Jane. I turned my gun on Nathan and fired until I ran out of bullets. We all looked at Nathan just in time to see his body drop. His skull was destroyed and his soul was gone. Nathan was no more. Jacob dropped and tried to fix his bosses skull.
"No!" He cried, speaking for the first time. "No, no, no, no, no! I need his life force to survive! We all do!" At that he dropped dead, right on top of his master, the one he had so heavily depended on. Sara and I looked at Jane and saw that it was true. Her skin was rapidly sliding down her face, tears flowing from her eyes at the loss of her beloved father. She launched herself at me, clawing at my face. She only left scratches along my face because her nails were slowly melting away. I screamed out in shock rather then pain. My scream was answered by a shot from Sara's gun as Jane's lifeless body fell on me. I pushed her off me and lay her on the ground. I could feel tears flowing down my cheeks as I sat there, watching the girl that was once my friend fade away to nothing.
"Come with me Aaron, we can go on without her."
"Just go." I wanted to be left alone. There wasn't anything left any more, it was all unravelling around me.
"Aaron, we can-"
"Go!" I saw him leave out of the corner of my eye, and I never saw him again. I just sat there, motionless, watching Jane's body melt away to nothing. I knew what I had to do now. I ripped off a strip of my shirt and placed it over Jane's eye sockets. "I'll get him back for this, I promised." I bent over and kissed the strip of fabric. Then I got up and left to go get back the life I had lost.
I followed Sara as he walked home, no more zombies left to disturb us. He walked along the beach as I followed him, anger taking me as I called out to him. He turned and pointed his shotgun at me, as I pointed my revolver at him. "I came to get revenge," I said.
"I can see that."
"So drop your gun."
"No, this has to end for both of us, we've seen too much."
"I'm still young, I can live a long life."
"No. Not this time." He pulled the trigger and I felt the impact push me back. I used the last of my strength to aim at the old man's head and pulled the trigger. I fell to the ground and looked straight at the sun. I felt my life draining from me, and in those last few moments of my life, I felt completely at peace. I remembered the times I had with Jane, the thrill I got from jumping so high, all the good things in my life. I would miss everything about this life, but I was done with it. It got revenge for the girl who meant a lot to me, and I was on my way to be with her now. I took in my last breath of fresh sea air, and felt all earthly restraints being lifted. I felt myself drift away from the world I loved so much, thoughts of Jane still in my mind through my last breath, and I was free.
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