“STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER, YOU’VE ALREADY DIED ONCE. GET THE HINT!”

You might be confused, let me explain.

It was a rather boring day at Meadowlands high. Normally Philip Loon, the English teacher’s son, makes something explode in science class. Or Molly Billsborough goes around selling free homework answers. But today, the silence was deafening. It was 7 minutes into class and I was staring at my best friends passing notes. Right when I was about to ask about it, the teacher started attendance.

“Zero Swoplen?” The teacher asked, Zero was my best friend. He came from Australia roughly 2 years ago, he has round glasses, brown short hair, and green eyes. He wears the same blue sweatshirt every Tuesday. Zero was outgoing and loud, but also incredibly smart and was studying chemistry.

“Here!” Zero replied, making a cheesy face. He then grinned at me, rather pleased looking.

“Amira Cowl?” The teacher continued. Amira was a good friend of mine, she was fawning over Zero ever since he came to Meadowlands high school. Last year, he asked her out to homecoming and they’ve been a happy couple ever since. Amira had long blonde hair and hazel eyes, she was very pretty and people often called her Rapunzel.

“Hi miss!” Amira spoke, her speech was sing-songily.

“Benji Haruki?” Miss. Paula asked. Hello, I am Benji. I came to Meadowlands about four years ago, as a Japanese transfer student. I like writing and hope to be an author someday. I also have my baby sister who I love dearly, named Oakley. I’m on the shy side and Zero normally speaks for me.

“Here…” I mumbled awkwardly.

“Vivian Weathers?” The teacher asked. I froze, Vivian was the most popular and pretty girl in school. And also an amazing friend to me. We met in the writing club a few months back, and I’ve been falling hard for her ever since. She has shoulder-length red hair and beautiful brown eyes that remind me of amber when they shine. She’s incredibly smart and often helps me with math homework.

“Present!” Vivian cheerfully spoke. Her pretty voice echoed in my ears.

The teacher said a few more students before landing on Philip Loon. But he wasn’t there. As we were all explaining we hadn’t seen or heard from Philip, alarms went off. Pounding and loud, the school systems went off. “This is not a drill, teachers code 426.” Miss. Paula immediately shut the doors, locked the windows and put desks against the doors. The class began freaking out and speculating. I ran over to my friends as we hid under desks, not knowing what to do. I then realized Oakley was in the preschool room. All the teachers were suddenly called in for a meeting via the speakers. I moved the table from the door and ran out, panicked. The adrenaline must have made me move without thinking. I bolted to the preschool classroom, and busted in.

To my utter confusion, Phillip was looming erriely over the babies. I called out to him.

“Phillip? Is that you?” I asked.

He turned around, It was definitely Phillip, or at least the shell of him. He was almost ghostly white, and his eyes were far back in his sockets, bloodshot. His glasses were not there, but instead. Science goggles which were slightly shattered. Phillip groaned something that was definitely not English. I ran around him quickly and grabbed Oakley before leaving speedily. I jolted back to the classroom as that thing which I thought was Phillip slowly followed. I shut the door and my class was gone. I explored the room and inspected my friend’s desk, looking for a clue or sign. I found nothing except the sound of rain. Which was slowly but surely pounding harder and harder on the school roof. I decided to check Zero’s desk one last time and set Oakley down on Vivian’s desk.

As I was searching I heard Oakley giggle, a piece of paper in her hand.

I asked for it gently and read: 

“Benji, I hope you find this. I don’t know why you left but Miss. Paula told us what was happening. Philip wanted to prove he could be a famous scientist, so he tried making a person. But something went wrong and he spilled it on himself. He became a shell of the man his parents knew, and he got very sick. He ended up…eating… his parents. And we think the zombie apocalypse has started.

Stay safe. Me, Amira, and Zero are going to stay together. Stay safe and I hope we meet again.”

~Vivian

I shoved the paper in my coat pocket and broke the window of our classroom, as Philip was trying to get in through the door. I ran through the streets, the pouring rain covering the sound of my fleeting footsteps. I sprinted faster and faster, the falling water blocking my view. If you listened closely you could hear the faraway blood-curdling screams of people, or more accurately, the undead. I stared down at Oakley, in my arms and shushed her lovingly. My green and orange tennis shoes were soaked as was my long black hair. I was tired, I needed a break and I had to find my friends.

I found a large bush and sat down, slowing my breaths. My eyes shot open when I heard a familiar voice echoing nearby. I pulled out my pocket knife and ran towards the cries for help. I saw a small light and slowed myself, trying to quiet the sound of my running.

As I was steadying for a fight, I saw a familiar wisp of wavy red hair. I immediately bolted towards them, leaving Oakley in the bush. The petite girl with shoulder length red hair was holding a revolver, petrified, and in front of her, was a zombie corpse who was shot in the head.

“Benji?” The small voice spoke, shakily. I ran and hugged her, Vivian was still safe. The hug lasted for a few long, quiet seconds. Though I wish it could have lasted forever. I glanced down, Amira was below us, dead. Vivian’s eyes filled with tears.

“I’m sorry! It was the only way she became a zombie…” I grabbed her hand, and stared into her eyes, I nodded reassuringly and realized we probably were going to have to toughen up in this sad world. We walked away from our best friend, our hands tightened. I then heard more, higher pitched crying, and then everything became surreal. I realized the grave error I had made.

I had left Oakley, my baby sister, alone.

I frantically grabbed Vivian’s revolver and reloaded it. My heart has never pounded so fast, my feet were moving quicker than I could comprehend.

Vivian was still in hand, quickly questioning where we were going.

I stared in horror at the treacherous sight in front of me. Oakley was about to be attacked by a zombie. And not just any zombie, it was Zero. As the tall figure loomed over her, my feet moved themselves towards the monster.

And this is where our story begins.

“STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER, YOU’VE ALREADY DIED ONCE. GET THE HINT.” 
I screamed firmly and raised my gun. The gun fired and banged. Next thing I knew, the zombie was dead. As was my sister. Oakley had been mauled and gutted. I fell on my knees and silently cried. Vivian hugged me as the sun set.

“Do you guys have any clue how I could end it?” Benji spoke, looking at his friends.

“I don’t know bro, everything you wrote right there is better than anything I’ve ever written! You’re seriously talented. Zero grinned happily, patting Benji on the shoulder as he smiled.

“It really is great! You will totally become an author, love. However, you could end it by us trying to make a time machine in Philip’s lab or something and reversing everything!” Vivian shouted proudly.

Amira smiled and nodded in agreement with Vivian.

“Thank you guys! Thankfully the zombie apocalypse will never actually happen.” Benji said sarcastically.

“I think I will do the time machine Id-“

“THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” The principal shouted over the speakers, as the alarm bells went off.

– Lizzie Miles