{"id":507,"date":"2015-08-13T03:49:55","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T03:49:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/?page_id=507"},"modified":"2015-08-13T03:49:55","modified_gmt":"2015-08-13T03:49:55","slug":"chapter-118","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/story\/chapter-118\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 118"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 118<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today is a speshle day. \u00a0Something relly bad happened 10 years ago. \u00a0It was befor I was born. \u00a0Evry buddy started geting sick and then they died and turned into zombies exept for my mom and dad and the other peple here. \u00a0They servived and that is why we are selubrating tonite. \u00a0It is speshle but sad and also a little happy.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wednesday, April 13, 2022<\/strong>
\nTen years after Infernal Friday<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTen\u2026 eleven…\u201d<\/p>\n

Her heart pounded hard against her ribcage as she raced around the side of the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwelve\u2026 thirteen\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She flattened herself against the brick wall, panting, and looked around frantically for a place to hide.<\/p>\n

\u201cFourteen\u2026 fifteen…\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the yard, a clump of colorful flowers caught her eye. \u00a0She hesitated, her heart still hammering in her chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cSixteen\u2026 seventeen…\u201d<\/p>\n

Almost out of time, she made a split second decision and took off through the tall grass, sprinting toward the overgrown garden.<\/p>\n

\u201cEighteen\u2026 nineteen\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

With a little gasp, she ducked under a pair of wooden planks and dove onto her stomach, flattening herself into the field of flowers, where she hoped she would disappear.<\/p>\n

\u201cTWENTY! \u00a0Ready or not, here I come!\u201d<\/p>\n

As Joshua\u2019s voice rang out, Evette held her breath. \u00a0She held herself perfectly still, not daring to move a muscle. \u00a0Yet she could feel her heart fluttering away. \u00a0She could hear the blood rushing in her ears and his feet rustling through the grass. \u00a0She hoped he couldn\u2019t hear her heartbeat or the rush of breath that escaped her screaming lungs. \u00a0She sucked in some fresh air and held it for a few seconds before letting it out slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. \u00a0She felt a shivery thrill of excitement mixed with fear as she lay waiting for him to find her.<\/p>\n

A shrill scream and the sound of running feet told her one of the other girls had been found. \u00a0She lifted her head a few inches to see Josh chasing his sister, Leslie, around the chapel. \u00a0Eve ducked down again, but not before she\u2019d been spotted.<\/p>\n

\u201cPsst!\u201d a voice behind her hissed, and she turned her head to see her own little sister, Kayleigh, crouching at the base of a tree just beyond the garden. \u00a0\u201cI see you, Evie!\u201d KJ sang out in a voice just above a whisper, a wicked grin on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cShush! \u00a0He\u2019ll hear you!\u201d Eve hissed back. \u00a0They both paused to listen for the sound of footsteps, but Josh seemed to be back on the other side of the building. \u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s gonna see you, too; that tree\u2019s not big enough to hide behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know! \u00a0I was gonna climb up into it, but I can\u2019t… reach!\u201d \u00a0Having risen to her full height – all three feet and four inches – KJ took a flying leap at the lowest branch, but her fingertips barely brushed it. \u00a0The six-year-old looked pleadingly at her sister. \u00a0\u201cGimme a boost, pleeeeease?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! \u00a0Then he\u2019ll see us both! \u00a0And besides, climbing trees can be dangerous. \u00a0Ask AJ.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Evie!\u201d \u00a0Kayleigh stamped her foot.<\/p>\n

Then, all of a sudden, Josh\u2019s voice rang out over the chapel roof. \u00a0\u201cCome out, come out, wherever you are!\u201d<\/p>\n

Both girls froze, staring at each other with wide eyes. \u00a0KJ started to shrink back behind the tree, then seemed to think better of it and trotted over to where Eve was instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d Eve hissed. \u00a0\u201cThis is my hiding spot! \u00a0Go find your own!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where!\u201d KJ whined.<\/p>\n

Realizing it would be best just to shut her sister up before she got them both caught, Eve replied, \u201cWell, get down then!\u201d and pushed Kayleigh\u2019s face into the flowers.<\/p>\n

They lay like that, side by side on their stomachs, for what seemed like forever, listening to the distant sounds of Josh chasing the other two girls – his roaring laughter, Leslie\u2019s giddy shrieks, and Asha\u2019s screams of \u201cStop it! \u00a0Stop scaring me!\u201d<\/p>\n

After awhile, KJ whispered, \u201cD\u2019ya think he gave up?\u201d<\/p>\n

Eve considered this. \u00a0Josh, give up on a game of hide and seek? \u00a0Never. \u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s probably just trying to trick us,\u201d she whispered back, \u201cwaiting for us to come out so he can catch us.\u201d<\/p>\n

KJ nodded, giving her sister a knowing grin that said, We\u2019ll never let a dumb boy fool us!<\/em> \u00a0But after a few more minutes had passed, she let out an impatient sigh. \u00a0\u201cThis is boring<\/em>,\u201d she complained, flipping over onto her back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d \u00a0Eve, too, turned over. \u00a0Folding her arms behind her head to prop it up, she could see the crude letters carved into the wooden cross above her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that one say?\u201d Kayleigh wondered, noticing her looking.<\/p>\n

Eve took a second to sound out the single word. \u00a0\u201cSpunky<\/em>. \u00a0That was Josh\u2019s daddy\u2019s dog,\u201d she added matter-of-factly, remembering Nick telling her and the other kids about his canine companion one time.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d \u00a0Kayleigh looked curious. \u00a0\u201cDid dogs turn into zombies too?\u201d<\/p>\n

Eve frowned. \u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026 I think Spunky just got eaten,\u201d she said sadly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut hey, I bet you know what the next one says,\u201d Eve added quickly, hoping to distract her sister from the dead dog.<\/p>\n

Kayleigh\u2019s eyes moved to the next cross and lit up as she recognized the arrangement of letters. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s my name!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup. \u00a0Only it\u2019s not for you; it\u2019s for the other Kayleigh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe got eaten, too, didn\u2019t she?\u201d KJ said solemnly.<\/p>\n

Eve nodded. \u00a0She had walked through the memorial garden many times with her parents, asking about the people who were commemorated on the crosses there. \u00a0She always listened intently to their answers, and she remembered their stories. \u00a0She knew that on the other side of Spunky\u2019s cross was one for Howie\u2019s little boy, who had died before he came to the base, and that behind them, in the last row, were the twin crosses that belonged to her daddy\u2019s other daughters, her half-sisters. \u00a0Sometimes she wondered what it would have been like to have big sisters, instead of always being the oldest one, the one who took all the blame.<\/p>\n

\u201cOlly olly oxen free!\u201d Leslie\u2019s voice rang out at last, signaling that it was safe to come out of hiding. \u00a0She or Asha must have gotten caught.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d Eve said, standing up. \u00a0She brushed herself off before reaching down to grab KJ\u2019s hand and haul her up, too. \u00a0Giving her sister a sidelong glance, she said slyly, \u201cBet I can beat you back to base.\u201d \u00a0Then she took off running between the rows of crosses.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, no fair, you had a head start!\u201d Kayleigh whined as she chased after her.<\/p>\n

\u201cGIRLS!\u201d \u00a0The sound of their cousin Kevin\u2019s barking voice made them both jump. \u00a0They stopped in their tracks, exchanging guilty glances before they both turned to face him. \u00a0Kevin was standing by the tree where Kayleigh had been hiding, his arms crossed, glaring at them. \u00a0\u201cHaven\u2019t I heard your mother telling you not to play here? \u00a0This is a place of respect, not a playground. \u00a0You know better,\u201d he added, his eyes narrowing at Eve, the oldest.<\/p>\n

She hung her head. \u00a0\u201cI know. \u00a0I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d Kayleigh echoed in a tiny voice, her chin quivering as she tried not to try.<\/p>\n

\u201cAww, Kev, cut \u2018em some slack,\u201d said Gabby, coming up alongside Kevin. \u00a0\u201cWhy can\u2019t they play here? \u00a0I bet our people would\u2019ve wanted it that way.\u201d \u00a0She gave a wide sweeping gesture across the garden. \u00a0\u201cI know my mom would have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin raised his eyebrows at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeriously,\u201d Gabby added, smiling at the girls. \u00a0\u201cI know she was always trying to stop me from doing stupid stuff, but I think she\u2019d be happy to know that this is finally a safe place\u2026 a place where kids can run around and play without worrying about being\u2026 bitten.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin shrugged. \u00a0\u201cYou have a point. \u00a0But still\u2026\u201d \u00a0He eyed Eve and KJ. \u00a0\u201cYou\u2019d better ask your parents before running around in here. \u00a0I know you\u2019re too young to understand,\u201d he added, his voice softening, \u201cbut it holds a lot of sad memories for us old people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d exclaimed Gabby, playfully smacking his arm. \u00a0\u201cAre you calling me <\/em>old? \u00a0I\u2019m not old, am I, guys?\u201d<\/p>\n

Eve and KJ exchanged glances again. \u00a0\u201cWell\u2026\u201d said Eve, a sly smile sliding across her lips. \u00a0\u201cYou are <\/em>turning twenty-three tomorrow\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s practically ancient,\u201d Kevin agreed, winking at Gabby. \u00a0\u201cWell, all right. \u00a0I\u2019m headed over to the club. \u00a0Apparently one of our solar panels stopped working. \u00a0I wanna make sure we have plenty of power for our feast tonight. \u00a0Hope you girls like gator!\u201d \u00a0He grinned at the Littrell girls, who wrinkled their noses.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?! \u00a0Eww!\u201d<\/p>\n

Gabby laughed. \u00a0\u201cCareful climbing on that roof, old man. \u00a0If I\u2019m <\/em>ancient, then you\u2019re, like\u2026 Jurassic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d<\/em> best be careful, girlie, or you\u2019re gonna get yourself roped into helping,\u201d Kevin retorted as the two of them walked away, leaving Eve and Kayleigh to go find the other kids so they could start another game of hide and seek.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

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Chapter 118 Today is a speshle day. \u00a0Something relly bad happened 10 years ago. \u00a0It was befor I was born. \u00a0Evry buddy started geting sick and then they died and turned into zombies exept for my mom and dad and … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":8,"menu_order":118,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"onecolumn-page.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/507"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=507"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":508,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/507\/revisions\/508"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}