Chapter 15 Never Give Up

"LET US IN!!!" Timothy kept on screaming. He grabbed a stone on the ground and threw it on the electrified fence. The mesh wire buzzed violently as the stone made contact with it, the streaks of electricity materialized and made the hairs on my nape stand. I wonder how it would feel if my body got thrown to it. I felt sorry for Li who was still unconsciously lying on the ground while Mona was kneeling by his side, examining his breathing.
"I guess there's nothing we can do now," Jayson muttered under his breath. His face showed defeat and despair. "I'm glad I met each of you."
My eyes remained wide open, terrified at meeting my end. With trembling hands, I lost the grip on the rifle and it fell on the ground, my whole body was paralyzed with fear. I watched how the Creepers charged towards us with their mouths gaped open, their filmy white eyes glaring as they ran hungrily to their meal. I guess this is my end. Jayson was right. There was nothing else we could do. At least I knew we did everything we could, right? We needed another miracle if fate wants us to be alive.
My head was throbbing badly and I felt my ears were ringing as the Creepers got closer and closer to us.
My eyes went blurry as every pulse on my body screamed that I shouldn't just stand there, doing nothing. My mind was calling me to keep on fighting. To not give up until my last breath but my body was too weary to move, too burnt out from our endless running and fighting with these endless numbers of undead.
No. I don't want to fight anymore. I can't even move my arm to pick up the gun.
I shut my eyes and filled my lungs with air and it felt like everything was in slow motion. Is this what it seems when you welcome death with open arms?
This is just a dream, Harriet.
When you open your eyes, you're still in Coleshire together with your mom, dad, and Carl.
At least in that paradise, we could be together.
"AAANNNYYYYOONNEEE!!!"
While waiting for the first one to lunge on top of me or the first Creeper who would sink its teeth on any part of my body, a loud wheezing sound of a gun made us all squat with fear and alarm.
Someone had thrown a device that electrified the Creepers huddling closer in front of us. All of them flailed and squirmed, their hairs scorched together with their skin as the pungent smell of sizzling rotten flesh filled the area. All of us covered our noses as we all huddled together around Li to protect him and each other. Jason and Timothy were in front of me, both of their arms protectively covered me away from the danger. We all screamed in fear as we struggled not to make contact with the electric fence behind us.
It wasn't done by that disastrous electricity bomb yet. Seconds after it, bullets showered the whole area, and the Creepers that were, fortunately, didn't barbecue by the bomb, fell one by one. All their skulls shattered and bodies were shot to ribbons by our unknown saviors.
"W-what happened?"
It was Li's voice.
We all saw him open his eyes and crease his nose. He must have sniffed the revolting air that surrounded us. He tried to lift his head but he scowled in pain. All of us were delighted to see that he was alive and Mona embraced him as tears started falling down her dirt-smeared face.
"ALL OF YOU! STAND UP AND PLACE YOUR HAND AT THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD!"
I was alarmed by the deep voice of someone who suddenly appeared from one of the nearby alleys. When I turned my head to look around us, more soldiers appeared wearing black tracksuits and armors. Their faces were covered completely with a gas mask. All of them were holding highly advanced weapons, warily aiming at the piled corpses of Creepers and searching for any of them that still survived the electrocution Bomb and their bullets. Once they confirmed that the area was already clear, they stepped and walked ahead with their weapons pointed at us, checking if we got infected.
Jayson and Mona tried to help Li to get up to his feet and one of the soldiers got startled about Li's suspicious behavior. We all crouched when the soldier frantically held his gun in shaking hands, ready to shoot them.
"H-Hey! Don't shoot! He"s not bitten! He was electrocuted by the fence!" I cried at them and raised my hand, trying to give them a repose explanation.
"I SAID YOUR HANDS AT THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD!" Their commander furiously yelled back at me and pointed the gun on my forehead. I glared at him and just did as he told me. These men were clearly dogs of the local military of this place, securing the entrance of the subway station from any threats, whether from the Scarlet Tundra or the Creepers.
And in this case, we jeopardized the safety of their people underneath it when we led the Creepers to this fence.
"We're seeking refuge in this place." Timothy anxiously spoke to them and the commander of that squad, upon looking closely at him, had suddenly removed his gas mask and gazed at Timothy's face with astonishment in his eyes.
"Are you Timothy? The son of the CEO of the Flitzenberg Corporation?"
"Yes. How did you know me?" Timothy asked, a little scared of the man. Its face has a deep scar on its right cheek, its eyes have gloomy circles around it as if the horror of the Creepers didn't put him to sleep in many days. Its face abruptly went soft and pleasant when it spoke to Timothy and confirmed his identity.
It made me groan at the guy's sudden transition of treatment to Timothy. People nowadays are still hypocrites when it comes to affirming the social status of a person in front of them. Although Timothy's family influence had saved us, I still hate the fact that these sorts of officials only regard the social prestige of an individual before they decide if they'll take them into safety. I wonder. What if Timothy's not with us? Will they just shoot us like dogs here because we're not sons and daughters of a CEO? That's ridiculous and aggravating.
This is why I hate relying upon powerful, selfish people. My mother died working in a company that didn't even give a f*ck for her health and safety. She got sick being exposed daily to chemicals that I had no idea what kind they were. Only my father knows and he denies telling me about it. Since then I resent people who use their money as a license to take advantage of every situation they are in. And then I remembered the first time I met Timothy at the airport.
"Your father had been searching for you since the terrible incident in the airport. I can't believe you got out there safely." The commander looked at our faces one by one, and couldn't believe the fact that all of us survived on our own. His eyes flickered with awe, and then he smirked as if thinking about it was funny.
I couldn't hide the annoyance in my face and Jayson had to give me a silent, pleading gaze not to provoke the guy. I had to lower my face and turn my back on them so the guy won't see my unpleasant response towards him.
"C'mon. Let's get you all inside." He nodded at Timothy who was still confused. He squinted his eyes from the brightness of the sun and looked up at the roof of the tunnel. "STANFORD! TAKE THE E-FENCE DOWN!"
The Commander's voice boomed in the area. We all saw on top of it a soldier who saluted him, and then the buzzing sound on the fence went away. All of us glanced at each other's faces, knowing that we were finally safe. Although I hate the fact that it was because of Timothy's standing in this society and not because we're human beings worth saving.
Mona ran towards me and gave me a tight hug. Her smile was so hopeful as Li patted her on her shoulder. Jayson also looked at me sheepishly and exhaled in relief. He looked as exhausted as I was but glad that we won't have to deal with any Creepers anymore.
We're safe. We're finally safe!
I can't wait to see Carl and dad!
Jayson went closer to me and embraced me. I saw Timothy glance at us and I smiled at him but it seemed he wasn't happy because he didn't smile back. I could not understand what made him so suddenly upset like that.
Timothy kept on staring straight into my eyes, and I had to look away because Jayson shook my shoulders gently as the smile on his lips went wider, victorious that we survived all of those struggles we went through. I smiled back at him but refused to glance back at Timothy because I got uncomfortable and confused with the way he stared at us.