Undead | Psycho Series Book 1

Undead Chapter Two

NICOLETTE AOIBHE KAVANAGH

"After Remmuel slapped James, he immediately opened the door. A boy collapsed in the classroom covered in so much blood! There was large bite mark on his neck and … buzz … buzz …" Halfway through her storytelling, Kristina suddenly began to sound like a bee to my ears. I haven't tuned in to a single word she said.

Today is just so boring.

I'm not in the mood to gossip today. It must be the weather. I think she was talking about her weird nightmare from last night about … what was that again? It was about the … ahh, seriously why am I even deliberating about this in my head? I don't have a single clue what her dream is about. Never mind.

I continue to fiddle the ball pen in my hand. I can't think of another sentence to add to my essay in English Literature. I'm out of ideas for today. This must be the most boring day this year. I just feel lazy today.

Liza, Carlo and Jee Ho are reflecting the same mood.

The only person in the group who's all rainbows and stuff is Kristina. She's been talking about her dream the whole day. Even if she knew no one is listening, she won't stop talking about it. Believe me when I say she can arrange for a sermon about dreams and even make posters just so people would become intrigued and come.

I don't know what's wrong with her. Maybe it was such a bad nightmare? Either way, I could care less about her dilemma.

"It was really scary. It felt so real and vivid that I actually thought it was happening …" Kristina's voice began to blend in with the background. As much as I want to become a lazy ass, sadly, I can't. I have an essay to finish.

Sonnet XVIII

The Sonnet contains what it looks to be an admiration and comparison of a man's lady love and the beauty of summer.

I need five more paragraphs to complete this but I'm still stuck on one sentence. One down, twenty-four sentences to go. Yey. This is great. Note the sarcasm. I concentrate my gaze on the sun that's pouring from the glass window.

Harlem Shake Store is our favorite hang – out joint where we eat, sleep, talk and bully each other. It's been like this from the day we agreed to be friends.

"Kristie, as much as I want to find out what's up with you and unicorns, today's not the day. Today's a boring day. Maybe you can tell us your story tomorrow –" Liza began, but was immediately excised. "It's not about f*****g unicorns! Geez, why do you guys always assume I like unicorns and rainbows? I'm talking about a possible zombie apocalypse here! Aren't you guys even listening?" she threw a tantrum.

Liza, Carlo, Jee Ho and I shared glances. We all smirked. Not. Kristina sighs and rubs her eyes. "Never mind the question. I know the answer." We all shrugged our shoulders before continuing what we've been doing the entire afternoon.

Well, I wouldn't say we're doing anything productive right now.

Jee Ho is staring blankly at the glass window while eating his ice cream. Carlo is taking a nap with his head down on the table. Liza is listening to sad music from her iPod while staring at me which is creepy because she looks like she's into me.

Me? I have no idea what I'm doing right now … wait, I think I know. I'm observing all of them like a creeper. This is cool. I should do this more often in the future so I can freak all of them out.

Kristina turns her attention at me. "Kavanagh, why aren't you comforting me? I thought you were my best friend!" Now she's playing the best friend card. I shrugged. Today’s not a good day – it's a freakishly boring day. "Sorry, bruh, but today's not the day. Tell it to me when I'm in the zone."

She pouted at me. She stomped away from us, but she didn't look where she was going so she smacks face flat on the glass window and fell on the ground with a thump. "Ohh," Jee Ho and Carlo howled in laughter. I only stared at her.

Meh. I'm not feeling it today. Maybe tomorrow.

She groaned in pain and rubbed her reddening nose. "Ow, you think this is funny?" she glared at both boys dying of laughter.

They glanced at each other. The two smirked smugly. "Yes." Almost immediately, without missing a beat, Kristina stood up from her feet and began chasing Jee Ho and Carlo. Since Harlem Shake Store is a small place that's half the size of my room, they were both cornered before they could get away. Kristina cackled like a witch.

"Well," Liza began, catching my interest. "That was a relief. Eleven more hours before Kristie the Clairvoyant starts talking about the undead. Let's just prepare for the worst, aye?"

After I showered, I changed into my favorite pajamas and went upstairs. I peek inside the master room to find my mother passed out on the bed. I leave her be and opened the door to my room. I found my Finnish Spitz dog, Mathew, sprawled on the wooden floor with his tongue out and his body propelled near the foot of the bed. I laugh at the sight. I crawled on my bed and made myself comfortable.

I slowly fell asleep.

The lights are out.

I look around to discover I'm inside a familiar room. I lose my balance and fall on my back, hitting my rear on something hard. "Okay, ow," I moaned, caressing my hip. The darkness began to fade and sketches of objects began to show up.

Realization dawned on me. I know this place and this is not my room. This is my classroom. Wait, if this is my classroom, what am I doing here alone? Why is it so dark?

The classroom is empty. I began to grope for the light switch. I don't remember where the switch is. My body stiffens when I hear moaning outside. Since it's deathly quiet in here, I can literally hear every sound.

Let it be the dripping droplets from the pipe or the chirping bird downstairs, it can be heard from here. What bothers me is that undeniably disturbing moaning in the distance.

I peek outside the glass panel window. Every classroom in the fourth floor has glass windows, so it's easy to see anything from inside and out. I don't seem to find anything out of place.

The moaning and the gurgling persists. I mentally cringe. It reminds me of the sound someone makes when they're drowning. They're using the voice from the back of their throat. I give up trying to find the light switch and head for the wooden door that has a large rectangular glass instead. I wonder where everybody went.

Is it Recess time? Or, Lunch? No one's here.

I follow the moans and gurgles only to find myself climbing down the stairs. The moans and gurgles intensify. I can locate where it's coming from now.

It's coming from the ground floor. I lean on the banister of the stairs to see a glimpse of arms reaching out for something from the ground floor. Are the stairs locked? I don't remember the stairs having a gate. I check the second floor for teachers.

None. No one is here.

This is getting weird. Normally during recess or lunch, a few teachers stay behind the faculty room to finish up on a few errands. Now, not a soul could be found. I reach the stairs to the ground floor only to shriek in surprise.

There's a hand clasped around my ankle, pulling me. "Get your filthy hands off me!" I screamed, squirming from the tight grip. I finally break free from the hold.

I sigh in relief.

A scream reached my ears.

I realized it came from me. The tension in my throat hurt and I try to stop, but I couldn't. There's an object in front of me.

A disembodied hand. I poke it with my foot. The fingers flex. I scream again. That's when I heard it. A wave of deathly moans. I stiffen in place.

The sounds are coming from … beside me.

Slowly, I move my head to the side. What my eyes see have defied my expectations. Faces of individuals I know stared back at me hungrily, hands reaching to pull me with them and jaws clenched with saliva.

It's a horrid sight.

The only object keeping me away from them is the wooden barricade blocking the entrance. I don't know who put it there but I'm thankful to the person. For the first time in my life, I felt true fear bite my tongue. A virus that's latched itself on my skin.

Among the undead crowd, I spot two familiar faces staggering along the others. I felt intense fear at that moment. No, it can't be. It simply can't be. My eyes are trained on them, too shocked at the revelation.

Only when I found my voice again, did I call out their names, still hoping it's not them. God, I hope it's not them. Please. "… Kristie? … Liza?" They both look up at the same time, but their eyes told me something. Something different. They moaned like the rest of them. They're just like them.

Undead.

"Nicole, wake up!"

I let out a Sparta war cry, but it's cut short when a hand slapped me across the right cheek. I open my eyes and gasp, thirsty and heart beating a hard drum solo. Mama is hovering in front of me, her eyes wide with concern and worry. "Wha -? Mam, what happened?" I place a hand on my chest, feeling the accelerating beat of my heart.

"You had a nightmare. A very bad nightmare."

"What was it about?”

"You were screaming Kristina and Liza's name so hard. Tell me, was your nightmare about the undead?"