The Beginning in the End

Mishap

"Mom can you help me?" I shouted from my room. The sigh that left my lips had traces of irritation I couldn't get my clothes to all fit in here like my mom could. "What's up honey?" Mom poked her head in with a soft smile. "I'm not ready for our trip I can't get everything to fit." I pouted almost crying. She ruffled my hair then kissed the top of my forehead. "My sweet boy." she smiled as she began to help me. "Go make sure your cousin is ready ok?" she murmered to me. She hummed her favorite song 'sound of pulling heaven down' by blue october. I always appreciated my mom so when she asked of something I did it without any trouble. I smiled then proceeded to go downstairs to check on my brat of a cousin.

*Zeke's pov*

"GUYS RUN." I shouted the horror making itself known in my voice. Everything was fine the glass just shattered and I can see the shufflers coming. Brendan and I were almost to the back door thinking everyone made it until we heard Jake. "Brendan, Zeke Help please!!" terror grasped me but I couldn't go back it was too late. The screams from the came immediately after that along with the sounds of flesh being ripped apart. This was the part I hated about these things. It's always a gamble but no one can count on the glass just breaking, the street was empty when we got here.

"Come on zeke!" Brendan pulled me along with him as we closed the back door. Panic set in as I searched around me to find something to hold the door closed, but sadly there wasn't anything. "Bren we need to jump that fence. If we don't make it just know I love you like a brother." I panted as we rushed to the opposite fence we came from. Luck just wasn't on our side the door burst open with shufflers hot on our tail. We were almost over the fence when I felt a tug on my ankle. "Sh*t, rub Brendan they got me." I almost yelled at him but couldn't I didn't want anymore shufflers here. I tried to free my leg but Brendan pulled me harder.

"Damn I lost my shoe." I pouted and glared at Brendan. "Well don't just stand there let's go!" he said as he once again pulled me along with him. Thankfully the sun wasn't setting so we were able to see where we were going. Unfortunately we wouldn't be able to return to the others that route was blocked by shufflers.

"Well head south Z that hotel will take us in We'll come back to the others soon." Brendan murmered quietly, he didn't want to leave. I can't blame him the guy found a girlfriend in the camp they had grown attached to each other quickly. She was a nice gal but we never hung around each other if it wasn't necessary. "Well then we'll have to run there if we're lucky we'll get there before sunset." I whispered barely audible to him.

The guilt I felt for my friends was like a blanket. It seemed to just be wrapped around me and it made my heart hurt. It wasn't the first time I've seen someone go to shufflers. The party the day we got back was bad. There was blood everywhere, the screams still haunt me. It was also safe to assume mom didn't make it, I just hoped it was fast and painless. Brendan had it the worst, he had to shoot his own dad as he watched him eat from his moms torso. He didn't even find any trace of steph he won't admit it but it absolutely broke him.

"I couldn't save them." I whispered the guilt slapping me. The tears threatened to come out. "Dude shut the f*ck up." he said harshly "You couldn't do anything to help them they got caught." He turned me to face him. "Z, I know you would've saved them if you could've man but please. It's not your fault." His eyes understanding what I was feeling. Guilt seemed to swallow him too. "Bren what if we could have? What if it was me the got them killed?" My shoulders slumped and I sighed. "But you're right bren, I couldn't." I spoke softly as I looked down.

He pulled me into a hug "I get it man just keep your head up." The silence fell between us as we continued to walk. It wasn't awkward between us we've been through this before. We tried to save Katie together, she was the one that changed it for us. She was Brendan's first love they were about to make it known at the party at that night. Life had other plans for us though.

"Hey guys!" Katie shouted excitedly. Once she looked at Brendan the love in her eyes was evident. I knew Brendan was head over heels for her but now I can see this wasn't a one sided thing. I hate to admit it but I was kind of jealous of them. "Hey guys I'll meet up with you guys in a bit ok?" I shouted over the music but I had to get away. Their love was so suffocating to me. I was outside for about 30 minutes talking to Abraham when the screams started. I made my way inside the house in a rush. I spotted Brendan he looked white as a ghost. "Dude what happened?!" I shouted blood coming from Katie's neck. "I don't know we-we were dancing and... and he bit her." Tears pouring out like a faucet. Just then she stopped breathing. "We have to go." I pulled Brendan as we made our way out back.

I was lost in thought that I didn't happen to notice my surroundings. We had gotten to the camp in less than an hour and half of that was running here. The unexpected happened as soon as they opened the gate. "Ash is that really you?" I said in shock my mouth wide open...