Revenge of the Dead

Chapter 35: The Keys

The US fire into the government relentlessly and they fall into crumpled heaps, blood spilling into rivers that snake across the floor. Scarlet handprints dragged down the walls as the zombie's attack, the violent slaughter carrying on. The army thins out until only the Prime Minister and two men remain, Nadia holds up a hand and all gunfire ceases. The two men drop their weapons and walk over to Nadia with their hands in the air and I glare at them as they walk past me.

Cowards.

"Madeline?" I hear her shout across the room and I nod my head intently, "come here a second," she adds and I stumble towards her lightheadedly. As I reach her side I look up at her expectantly and she gives me a sympathetic smile, her eyes filled with kindness.

"Madeline, I want you to pull the trigger," she says blankly and I bite my lip uncertainly, staring between Nadia and the Prime Minister's pale face.

"Nadia, no, he killed your parents, you should do it. To help towards justifying your parent's death, even in the slightest," I say and squeeze her hand gently. Nadia smiles at me and pulls me into a fragile hug, avoiding my arm cautiously. 

"I want you to, it will still help me, but he took more from you," she says and hands me a clean gun full of bullets. I take it slowly and run my fingers over the cool metal, studying it obsessively for a while.

I smile to show my agreement and she nods along in clear happiness, I walk towards the Prime Minister and stop a few feet away from him. I stare at him with cold eyes and I see him shiver in my scrutinising gaze.

"You killed millions of innocent people: men, women and children. You showed no mercy, just a stone-cold heart. You killed Nadia's parents, you killed my Dad," I state quietly and I see him gulp nervously at my accusation.

"Madel-" he starts by I cut him off immediately, tears spilling over my eyes.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" I scream and he flinches back at my volume, cowering into the zombies that hold him. They growl and push him up again, their shrieks ripping through their throats.

"WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGIVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, YOU'RE A MURDERER! ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE YOU KILLED AND THOSE PRESENT HERE NOW, I CHARGE YOU WITH THE PENALTY OF DEATH," I shout and see a lonely tear roll down his cheek.

I walk forward to raise the gun and rest it against his head, he whimpers and I push his head up higher. 

"LOOK AT ME!" I scream and his bloodshot eyes meet my rage-filled ones, I shake my head at him and smile in the face of justice. I take a deep breath of composure and sigh, my breathing ragged and shaky.

"You made my son's life a misery and then murdered him, you're just a weak and heartless child," he spits and I just shake my head, tapping the trigger with taunting rhythm. Maybe I was weak, maybe I was just a child. But this apocalypse has taught me how to love without safety and live in moments before death.

And for that, I am grateful.

"I'm sorry Prime Minister, but I have to let you go," I say calmly and pull the trigger back without any hesitation.

Blood splatters onto the granite wall behind him and his lifeless body falls forward to crash to the floor, blood pouring out the weeping creator in his skull. I watch the blood run for a second before snapping my head around, I chuck the gun to the floor and smile gravely at Nadia.

People buzz back to life around me and the US soldiers start to inject chemicals into the zombie's bloodstreams, I limp over to the back and look around me. I spot Maria's firey red hair through the crowd and run over to her instantly, pulling her and Ashia into a tight embrace whilst tears stream down my cheeks. I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn to face Josh with Jaz in her arms, I pull them both into our tight hug and watch as smiles break out across the small group's faces. After a while, we all pull back and Josh clears his throat loudly, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Where do we go now?" he asks and I smile in genuine happiness.

All our threats are gone, leaving us to live freely in this beautiful new world. Ashia with the chance to have a normal childhood with her parents, although I doubt we'll ever truly recover from the losses we've faced. I reach down into my backpack that lies by my feet and pull out my tatty keyring.

"Home," I say and see the others smile at me in disbelief.

"Wait, how do you even have your keys, Madeline? I mean been we've been dragged through a zombie apocalypse and back for crying out loud!" Maria laughs and I grin as a memory overtakes me.

Finally, I stuff in a small tent and a blanket for the cold nights before I zip the bag up, I quickly grab a coat before I head towards the door, not forgetting the keys! I know it seems silly but if this ever ends then I still need a house, right?

I look back up to the others and smile, one full of genuine relief and happiness.

 "Let's just say I've been holding onto hope for a long time," I say, but they just shake their heads at me in disbelief. I fake hurt and cover my heart with my hand. "Hey! If I hadn't planned ahead and had faith in the world, we'd be homeless!" I state and Josh shakes his head in disagreement.

"We'd be in a posh apartment actually," he mimics and then adds playfully, "but a house is fine."

The room fills with more and more humans and I look around in awe at how quickly the cure works, it's almost instant. Shrieks and cheers rise around the room and soon, I'm laughing. This time my laugh is real, not full of anger or spite but happiness, a beautiful relief that it's finally over. And it truly is.

Everyone runs to the doors cheering and a crowd of people run in between us, I hold Ashia in my arms tightly but get carried away from Josh, Maria and Jaz.

I look around panicked and meet Joshes eyes for only a second before he gets carried out the door and into the awaiting aeroplane. The engine beats loudly and I stumble forward in shock, an empty feeling sinking my heart. I forgive him for everything, we all make mistakes and his were nothing compared to what I've done.

I love him, I'm in love with him.

And I've just lost him.