• We could hear them approach quickly; their piercing screams were not shy to announce their menacing presence. Panicked, I darted inside the school gym, unaware of what would soon follow me. I ran instinctively to the furthest part of the gym, the boys’ showers and without delay, forced open the janitor’s closet and tucked myself neatly inside. But I wasn’t the only one there.
    I felt something touch my neck and as I was about to scream, a large hand covered my mouth. I tried to struggle, but the person’ grip only got stronger.
    “Relax,” a male’s voice whispered harshly. “I’m not going to hurt you. So, be calm.” With his command, I let my hands drop to my side. My heart beat furiously from within me. Everything was happening so fast. We were being attacked; no, not just attacked, we were being savagely murdered by flesh-eating monsters. And now, here I was in the hands of some unknown stranger.
    Hesitantly, though, he let me go.
    “I need you to keep very quiet, you got me?” He instructed, pulling me close. Supplies of cleaning materials sat behind us making space very limited. It took all in my power from toppling onto him.
    “Obviously, you’re human. That’s good. I’m human, too. Right now, our only objective is to remain alive and for this to happen, you must follow my every word.” I felt his hand on the small of my back.
    “Okay…” I squeaked, unable to say anything else. I could hear the roar of the motorcycles from outside and the screams of those who hadn’t been lucky enough to escape. It would be only a matter of time before they would make their way back here. I shook violently with the thought.
    “As you are aware,” he said calmly, “They can smell us, so it’s obvious they will eventually find us. When that happens, you are to stay very close to me.” He pulled me in tighter, showing me the gun that was wedged between us.
    “Who are you?” I whispered.
    “My name’s Conner.”
    All of a sudden, there was a large crash from outside the storeroom, tempting me to let out an Earth-shattering scream. And then I felt his lips crash down onto mine. He was firm and I had no time to react. I felt his hands move up my back, forcing my lips to press even more tightly against him. Tears stung my eyes.
    Finally, he loosened up.
    “Sorry…” he apologized. “I didn’t want you to scream.”
    I stood there, aloof.
    “Amelia.”
    The air inside the closet was stale, but I was sure it was much worse out there where the smell of decomposing bodies traveled through out the facility.
    “Well, Amelia…I wish we had more time to introduce ourselves, but it seems our little guests have found us.” With that, Conner thrust me onto the mops behind us. Instantly, the door was unhinged and a blinding light filled the tiny room. I wanted to puke in that moment as a dozen or so Zombies greeted us, their rotting odor overpowering my senses. I looked up at Conner, only to see the gun already in his hands.
    “F*** off,” was all he said and without further delay, the sound of gun shots pierced my ears. I must have closed my eyes and covered my head for all of a sudden, I felt his hands yank me up to standing position and then proceed to pull me up over the bodies of the monsters.
    “Come on!” he yelled, pulling me harder. But as I was about to be free of our tiny compartment, something grabbed a hold of my foot. I screamed furiously and unable to keep his grip on me any longer, Conner dropped me and I fell to the floor. I began to thrash violently as one of the Zombies began to pull me closer and in a desperate attempt to be set free, I aimed my free foot at the Zombie’s head where I proceeded to kick it with all my might. But the Zombie would not let go. Conner, though, was right behind me and with one bullet, the Zombie fell limp to the ground.
    “What are you doing? Don’t just sit there like a fool.“ Conner held his hand out to me. I took it.
    “I was just attacked!” I spat back, dusting off my legs. My foot still tingled from the horrible sensation of rotting hands.
    “Eh, you shoot them in the head, nothing happens. Piece of cake.”
    “For you, maybe; you have a weapon. I have nothing.”
    Conner stared at my mischievously.
    “Then maybe we ‘ought to find you one.”