Episode 1: Ninth Floor

Zero Blood

Volume 3

Part One

"Some Things Are Meant to Be"

Episode 1

"Ninth Floor"

(This Part of the Story is From Mark's Point of View)

I watched the blood run from Jake's body. Hilda must have never been this close to death. She was the reason Jamie and Heather died, but she was never close to it. She just let stranglers in, which did the work for her. I wonder if she has ever killed anyone up close before. She tried to hide her panicked expression. She pointed the sniper rifle at me. We were outnumbered no matter what. Hilda still had about ten people with her. We had three. I looked around, Jess and Ned both had different expressions. Jess was shocked, not moving. Ned had tears streaming down his face, trying to hold it in. I heard screams in the distance, I knew what was happening. Hilda and her gang of snipers must not have figured this out yet.

"You idiots," I started, Hilda backed away from me but still pointing her gun at me, "You fools do not know what you have just done do you?"

"W-what?" Hilda stuttered.

"Don't you think if you fire a sniper rifle off in the middle of a strangler infested city, stranglers won't hear? You might as well just have shot a flare in the air."

I heard more screams, this time closer. Hilda looked around her surroundings, I saw a bead of sweat fall from her forehead.

"I highly suggest you run."

"What are we going to do with them Hilda?" a sniper asked.

"We run, leave them here to die." she said.

I heard screams again, this time they were only a couple buildings away. I could almost see them now. Hilda and the rest of the snipers started running, running down the street. Jess broke down, she ran over to Jake and hugged his dead body.

"No!" she cried over and over again, sobbing and all.

I saw a bunch of stranglers dart around from behind a building, they started running at us. There were about twenty or thirty of them.

"Run! Run!" I cried.

I grabbed Jess from behind and dragged her off of Jake. She snapped out of it and started running, Ned followed behind us. The thing about the stranglers is that they don't get tired. We do, they could keep running forever. The storm kept going on, and it got really windy which slowed us down. I saw a flash of lightning hit a building above us, followed by a boom of thunder. I looked behind me and saw that the stranglers were followed behind us. We had to find someplace to hold them off at. There were tons of buildings all around us, we were going to have to hold out in one. I picked a random one, and called everyone to it. It was a normal apartment building.

"In here!" I screamed.

I turned and ran off the street with everyone following, I opened the door praying it wasn't locked. I was lucky. I flung it open and Ned and Jess ran in. I ran inside of the building and slammed the door behind me. I felt tons of pounding up against it. This door was not going to hold, we need to barricade it. Jess and Ned took the hint, and they found things, like tables, chairs, and desks. We all frantically packed as much as we could find against it. Once we were done, we slowly backed up looking at the door. It kept pounding, the desks and tables were slowly shifting out of the way. We couldn't stay here. We needed to make our way up.

"Upstairs." I said.

(This Part of the Story is From Jeff's Point of View)

I looked out the window after moving the tinfoil out of my way. This was a good idea on Sabrina's part to put up tinfoil to keep the heat away, but winter was coming. In a few weeks it should start getting cold. I watched the storm, I hope Jake's group is okay. The storm is wicked, I wouldn't be surprised if they won't be able to make it back tonight. I called guard duty off today nobody can go to the roof in this storm. We just have to have hope for Jake's group, that they will survive this trip and back. Winston lit some candles and brought them around and rested some on the tables. Today was really gloomy, and we could barely see anything here. I sat at a table with Sabrina and Kayla. They were playing go fish. I sat beside Kayla.

"Do you have any two's?" Sabrina asked Kayla.

"No." she giggled.

I looked at her hand, I saw like five twos in her hand.

"Yeah you do. Cheater." I joked.

"Dad!" Kayla yelled.

Sabrina started laughing, Kayla slammed a two down on the table.

"Fine." she said, "Maybe I do have a two."

"So how do you think Jake's group is doing?" I asked Sabrina.

"I'm sure they're fine. It's just a little storm."

"Should we send a search party tomorrow if they don't show up?"

"It's up to you Jeff, I wouldn't panic. The storm might set them back a tiny bit, but you shouldn't worry. All of them are strong, except for Ned. He's pretty brittle looking, but other than that I think they'll be fine."

"I'm sure you're right, they might even be back tonight."

(This Part of the Story is From Jess's Point of View)

We were not going to make it back tonight. We were screwed. I don't know if we are going to make it back alive in general. We kept climbing the stairs, the stranglers were going to break through any minute. I almost feel like giving up and giving myself over to the stranglers. I can't believe what happened the Jake, it all happened so fast. He stepped in front of Mark and saved his life. That's a real hero. A real leader. He always wanted to help people, and he really did do it. Jeff's group came in scared, and angry at the world. After being at the mall for so long, their spirits lifted. I saw Jeff starting to get happier, and even including all the bad people they have faced in the funeral. That's all over now, some people you can't change. Jake died because he wanted to help people. The rule never changes, good guys finish last. I wanted to break down right here and now, and scream. Hilda got away, and I'll never forgive myself for letting that happen. I should have put a bullet in her head immediately. I might have been killed, but at least my brother would have died for something.

We kept climbing stairs, this apartment was pretty tall, After getting to the fifth floor, I heard a sound on the bottom floor. It sounded like crashing, then I heard screams. The stranglers were in, we needed to keep moving. What are we going to do when we get to the top though? Is it going to be a dead end? Are we going to die? I really don't know now. I don't care anyways. They can come get me, I won't put up much of a fight. Maybe it's all meant to be.

"Keep running!" Mark yelled, trying to encourage us.

I heard running up the stairs from below us, the stranglers were following us. We then reached the ninth floor after running some more. There were no more stairs.

"Shit, there must be a way to the roof!" Mark cried.

"Here!" Ned yelled.

He opened a latch and a ladder came crashing down with a loud thud. All we had to do was climb this and we might be safe. I'm not sure if stranglers can climb ladders or not. Mark went first, but it took him a little while since he had one arm, the ladder to the roof wasn't that long of a climb though. Once he got up, Ned insisted I go first. I kind of wanted to stay down here, but I listened. No time to argue. I climbed up the ladder, I heard screams insanely close to us. Once I got up closer to the roof, Mark lifted me up to boost me up faster. It was now Ned's turn, he put his foot on one part of the ladder, it slipped and got caught in between two handles. He tugged his leg, but it wouldn't come out.

"Come on Ned!" Mark cried.

He tugged and tugged, but he was stuck, I heard the stranglers right under us, I think they were on the eight floor now.

Ned gave his leg one last pull, and his leg came loose. He fell backwards and hit his head on the ground. He got up, but looked dizzy. I saw a strangler run onto this floor, followed by a ton more. They saw him and stopped, they started slowly walking towards him. I was never sure why the stranglers did that, hopefully we can find out at the lab, for Jake's sake. Ned slowly backed up to the ladder, the stranglers walked closer to him. Their eyes were full of rage, and they gritted their teeth. Some of them clenched their fists. Ned grabbed the ladder and a strangler screamed. They caught on. Ned freaked out and scurried up the ladder, a strangler grabbed his leg. He fought back screaming. This can't be Jamie all over again, we need to help him. Mark pulled out his pistol and shot the one holding his leg. I grabbed Ned's hand and lifted him up before another strangler could grab him. I kicked the ladder down and slammed the top door shut. We were stuck on the roof now, and I don't think these stranglers are going to leave. I looked around, we were in the middle of Toronto, on an empty roof, alone. Nobody was going to help us.

We sat on the roof the rest of the day, just waiting everything out. We could still hear the stranglers downstairs, groaning and banging on stuff. It started to get darker, and we just accepted the fact that we were going to have to be up here all night. Until we find something. All of the other buildings were higher than this one, so we couldn't roof jump. We would figure something out in the morning, this place was safer than most out here. Nothing could get us, the only thing that could kill us here is starvation, or the snipers. Let's hope they don't find us again. We sat in a circle, it was getting cooler but it was still warm enough to sleep outside.

"I wonder what Jeff's group is thinking back at the mall." Ned asked.

"I hope they don't worry too much, we were supposed to be back with answers by now." Mark replied.

"It's not always that easy I guess."

"Are you okay Jess?" Mark asked me.

"What? Fine." I said.

"Are you sure? You can let it out, I know you're hurting. I've never lost anyone close to me, but I know what you're feeling. In my years of being a therapist, I understand people's feelings."

"I'm fine, just leave it alone."

"Alright, but if you need to talk to anyone, I'm right here."

I was broken on the inside, but I wasn't about to admit that. I wanted to scream and cry and slaughter every single strangler down there, but I need to keep myself controlled. If I lose control, I will lose my life. It's certain.

Ned fell asleep that night, Mark and I stayed up. The storm was settling down, but it was still going. I just couldn't sleep, and Mark insisted on staying up to keep watch. I know that was just an excuse, he wanted to try and help me. He just needs to stay out of my business. He doesn't know when to quit.

"You should get some rest." I said.

"You can't watch alone, what if you fall asleep?" Mark asked.

"I'll be fine, I promise. Just get some rest."

"Listen to me Jess. I know you're hurting, and keeping it in just shows how strong of a person you are, but it's not good for you. You need to learn when to let it out. It is completely normal to cry, to scream, to even want to stop living. The closest person in the world to you just died. Let it out."

My lip quivered, I felt a tear fall from my left eye. I then closed my eyes, more tears started streaming from them. Mark moved in closer, and hugged me.

"It's going to all change," he said, "I promise."