Chapter 18: Next Blood

September 5, 2053

5:08 AM

Dear Diary,

We traveled the entire day yesterday. I'm exhausted, but I can't sleep. We'll resume traveling again at six. Everyone else is asleep, so this is the only time I'll be able to write for a while. Axel is back to normal, but the other day I saw him sitting alone...he had this weird blank stare, like as if he was seeing something none of us do. Lexa is trying her best to cheer him up, but I don't think he'll ever be the same again...

Killing zombies is one thing, but an actual human... I can't even imagine how he's feeling right now. Poor Axel...

The atmosphere has been really tense and dark lately... Something big is going on. Braun and Leon are keeping something from the rest of us, I know it. Ever since we learned one of our comrades was a Zombie spy, they've been cautious around all of us. Even Leon is keeping his distance from me.

The only light I can see in a situation like this is Haine. He's finally back to his normal, quiet and cynical self. It's reassuring. He seems to be the only one here that's not completely high-strung. 

I don't know what's going to happen, but it's going to change everything. I know it will. The fact that Braun and Leon are keeping it secret from all of us is utterly nerve-wracking. I'm terrified, but I have to keep a brave face. Even so, I find my hands shaking sometimes and it's not because of the sudden drop of temperature. I've been really on edge lately.

Leon told me we're heading north, but I've seen where the sun is rising and setting. We're heading east.

Why is he lying to us?

.....On another note, Braun told me something...interesting...the other day. He asked if I was dating Haine and after I told him I wasn't, he suddenly got really happy and told me I should hook up with Leon! All of a sudden he started listing off a bunch of reasons why we should be together! I know I'm one of those few people Leon can get along with...but I didn't think he thought of me like that! Needless to say I was so surprised I just sat there blushing like an idiot while Braun played matchmaker. Leon is sweet, but I'm really not ready for another relationship. 

~~

Just as I place my diary back into my traveling bag, my stomach growls.

"...You're awake already?" I turn my head towards Leon, who's leaning back against a tree. He rubs the sleep out of his crimson eyes and gives me a lazy grin.

"Was my stomach that loud?" I blush, embarrassed. He snickers.

"Why don't we find some breakfast?" He stands up and offers me a hand.

~~

"Try these." Leon says, passing me a handful of red berries. I place one in my mouth and bite into it. Immediately, the skin breaks and sweet juice spreads all over my tongue.

"Mm!" I exclaim, putting another berry into my mouth. "They're so sweet!" He grins and I smile back. Suddenly he grabs me and pulls me aside into some nearby bushes.

"W-whoa!" I cry as he pins me to the ground.

"Stay quiet." He whispers, practically sitting on me! I blush madly and my heart begins to race. Wh-what's going on?! Doing something in a time like this?! My mind flashes back to Braun telling me about how Leon and I should start dating and I suddenly become lightheaded. Leon puts a finger to his lips reminding me to stay silent then points a finger into the direction of where we were a moment ago. I turn my head and catch the sight of a corpse clawing its way out of the shadows. I nearly breath a sigh of relief. So that's it. He was only hiding me to keep me safe from a zombie.

Wait.

A zombie!! I sit up and Leon tumbles off of me. If there's one, there are always more somewhere around. These things rarely travel alone. For now I just concentrate on the monster in front of me. If it gets to camp, that would be bad news. I grab the hilt of Shenbad's sword tightly, getting ready to strike.

"Stay here." Leon says before jumping out from behind the bushes.

"W-wait!" I call. He doesn't even have a weapon! Leon moves in a blur, and before the zombie even realizes we're present, Leon grabs its head and sharply snaps it to the right. It falls and hits the ground with a quiet thud, but it's still not dead. Just as it's about to stand, Leon brings a heavy foot up and crushes its skull right under his boot! My mouth drops open and I stay staring for who knows how long. He looks over at me and grins.

"H...how did you..." I stutter dumbly. "No...weapon...you..."

"Why don't we get back to camp?" He says, suddenly picking me up to rest on his shoulder. "This place is starting to stink."

~~

"What happened?!" I exclaim, racing towards Haine. Zombies and Zombie soldiers litter the camp grounds, all I see is red. Haine's clothes are splattered in blood, his eyes wild and distant. I reach out to place a hand on his shoulder but he slaps my hand away and shoots me a look at sends shivers down my spine. He turns and walks away, but I see the extreme show of agony on his face before he's completely turned around.

"...Explain." Leon turns to Braun with a calm but dark expression.

"An ambush." Braun says, attempting to wipe away the blood on his hands. "Those Zombies gathered a bunch of monsters and let 'em all loose in our camp. It's a miracle we're stil kickin'. White Hair suddenly went nuts and killed them all..."

"You mean Haine?" I ask, and spot the twins. Their faces are shadowed and they're crouching over a corpse... My breath stops for a moment and suddenly time has stopped. My breathing becomes ragged and my body becomes weak, like a leaf shaking in the wind. "Braun..." I begin slowly, my feet shakily carrying me towards Axel and Lexa.

"Miss?" Leon asks, worried by my sudden change in behavior.

"Why did Haine 'suddenly go nuts'....?" I whisper, hoping with all my being that what I'm thinking is wrong. "Why did he snap?...Why are Axel and Lexa crying?... Why did Haine look like his will was broken? Why, Braun...?" As I make my way to where the twins are, my legs fail me and I fall to my hands and knees. As I bring my hands up, all I see is blood.

"Why is everything red...?!" I gasp, fighting for breath. I feel constricted like as if there isn't enough air. As I look at the corpse Axel and Lexa sit beside weeping, my heart feels like it's crushed inside my body. "Why...? Why...? Why...?! Why?!? Why does this zombie look so much like Lucy?!?!? Why does this rotting pile have my friend's face?!?!?!?!!" An agonizing shriek suddenly pierces the air and I realize that animalistic noise is coming from my own mouth. Tears stream down my face like acid and mix with the puddle of blood beneath me. The tears never seem to stop and I sit there crying for an eternity.

"...More will come." Leon says, throwing his heavy coat over my shoulders. "...Let's move."

m(_ _)m Thanks for reading. ♥