The Dead Walk the Earth

Nova charged after her but paused at the door.
"You guys will be ok yeah..?" she glanced at their blank faces before storming on after Alyssa.

They stopped at the door and scanned the yard. The coast was clear. They ran towards the gate where they saw a scared look boy of about 16 calling out to them. Nova fished the keys out of her pocket then paused. Should she trust him or not..?

---

Mark looked at the girls the other side of the bars and hoped they'd let him in.
"Please please please let me in!" he begged. He searched for mercy in their eyes. "I go to this school! You must... You have to... Mr. Freeman got fired after his affair with Mrs. Ellis!" he cried in the hope that they would take that as proof.

The taller girl with the red hair quickly unlocked the gate and stepped back in surprise as he hurtled at her and hugged her. It felt good to feel somebody alive. There was still hope yet.

Ariana had watched one girl, Alyssa, and studied her behavour. She had a pretty good idea of how Alyssa worked right now so she took her chance. Ariana wasn't out to kill anyone she just wanted to have a good time until the gates were closed again but no one would trust her.

She took her chance while Nova had her back turned and flew into Alyssa's body. Alyssa screamed and Nova and Mark turned around.

"Zombie i saw a zombie!" Ariana tried to explain why Alyssa had screamed.

"Zombie?!" cried Nova in panic. "Where?!" She slammed the gate shut and locked it in panic. She was tired and just wanted to rest. Why was she in this mess?!

---

Mark found himself being pushed away as quickly as he had thrown his arms around her. He felt safer but now looked around for the zombie. The cut on his arm was stabbing with pain.

Aaron looked around taking note of his dim lit surroundings, he could still hear his heartbeat in his ears although he was getting a constant adrenaline rush from this adventire he had to keep reminding himself that this was no action game and that game over had an entire sinister new meaning. He shuddered and grabbed the wrist of the girl Myra who he had talked to earlier and began to pull her towards the cabinets. 'c'mon lets look for some knives or something'

Myra felt herself beign dragged away from the group slightly to her relief as the increase of their pulse rate was beginning to play on her mind.
'So...what school do you go to then Myra' Aaron asked as he blindly yanked open several draws and cupboards.
'Westgate' she replied without thinking then quickly corrected herself 'that is at least before I moved, i'm new here' she stumbled with a slight blush.
Aaron didnt seem to notice 'got them' he whispered as he removed a long shiny blade from a draw and turned it in his hand so that it caught the light.

'Alyssa' screamed again, Ariana wasn't sure whether this was in character or not she just hoped it was.

They'll find you out The real Alyssa said inside Ariana's head,Your getting weaker...

"The zombie it fled, went into the bushes, we're safe for now just make sure the gates are locked," 'Alyssa' said and sighed.

"Zombies can flee?" asked Nova looking confused. A look of worry swept across her face. They could move quickly?!

---

Mark felt ignored as he stood there.
"So... Who are you two?" he asked before anybody else could speak. The girl with the red hair muttered something about her name being Nova. She didn't seem to be concentrating on conversation.
"Um... Well. I'm Mark. That's an unusal name you have there."

"Ar... Alyssa!" She smiled as best she could and cursed herself for messing it up,"We should head back to the others quickly before they worry," And she rushed off before they could question her.

BANG
A pot on the other side of the room crashed to the floor and Aaron jumped sending the knife spinning down and slicing a fine line across his hand which soon turned scarlet.
'Sorry' called a voice from across the room not realising what had happened. Aaron began to curse as he held it infront of him. 'nah it's nothing' he laughed knowing full well it deffinatly was something.

Myra's eyes stayed fixated on his arm unable to move as he mumbled something about tying a bandage or a task of similar nature. She broke her eyes away for a second and before she realised what she was doing she had his hand pressed to her lips. Slowly her civilised mask began to slip but she quickly gained control and pushed his hand away.
'stopped bleeding now' she chirped in attempt to shrug off her embaressing actions now unable to look at his face.
'That was....unexpected' Aaron answered as he began to walk back to the others deliberatly keeping a large gap between them as if she carried some infectious disease.
'So guys whats the plan?' he interupted

Nova followed quickly, swinging the golf club in her hand. She was tired, hungry and she'd had enough.

---

Mark paused and dithered outside the gate for a few moments. Nova turned back.
"You coming or are you planning on staying out there so zombies can eat you?" He scurried after them quickly.

'Alyssa' was the first to the door, she wanted to get away from her mistake and she hoped she hadn't given herself away. She pulled the door and stepped into the classroom with a deep breath and hoped she could get away with it.

Why the hell are you doing this, do you find this fun, just let me go! She screamed into Ariana's mind.

Nova entered the classroom and smiled at all the familiar faces.
"Ok guys. This is Mark." she said as he shuffled into the room clutching at the shopping bag.

---

Mark felt several pairs of eyes boring into him. His arm was so sore and painful and he was so hungry.
"Anybody got a tissue?" he asked showing the old one drenched in blood and the deep cut on his arm. "I ran into a werewolf."

Myra cupped her hands to her mouth for a moment. How could she have been so foolish, he may not be the brightest bulb in the box and certainly not smart enough to piece things together but if he mentioned this curious incident to the others they would know for sure.

she stared ahead at the girl called Alyssa guiding a lost looking boy inside the classroom. Myra glanced down at his hand as she caught the scent of blood and made a strong effort to avoid him but there was something over powering the smell that was so familiar...the smell of death, among the lively bodies it was impossible to pick out its exact location but it became quite clear from a threatening glance given to her by the girl named Alyssa as she headed for the door without speaking a word to the others.

Nova rummaged in her bag and grabbed her first aid kit. Mark looked at her gratefully as she cleaned and bandaged the wound. As she helped him she spoke.

"Ok. I don't know about you guys but I'm hungry and tired. We can make something to eat here seeing as they have quite a few things in the fridge in the corner but I doubt it would be easy to sleep in here. Where do you guys think is the most comfortable place in the school?"

"Staffroom," Ariana took Alyssa's actual thought from the back of her head,"It must be good in there the teachers hardly ever want to leave."

They'll find you out, you'll have to leave my body soon.

"No i won't," Ariana muttered instead of thought.

The people in the room looked at her blankly. Ariana had become incredibly bad at posessing people as she hadn't done it for years.

"...No i won't want to leave," She covered up her mistake again.

'Oi where you going? it's not safe alone and you know it' Aaron called as he marched over to Myra and pulled her back to the group.
'What the? get your hands off me!' Myra snapped as she unsuccesfully tried to pull away.
'Don't make me get the handcuffs out' Aaron teased as he held tightly to both her wrists and winked. She growled and tried to hit him in the face but realised that showing her strength now would be a bad move. She would have to be extra careful and act the innocent helpless girl that she hadnt been for many years now.
'Calm now?' Aaron asked as he felt her stop struggling, she smiled reassuringly and as he let go of her hands sharply raised her knee between his legs and flounced away to the other side of the group who were tyring not to laugh as Aaron stumbled around in pain.

Nova sniggered as she watched Aaron.
"So guys... Anybody got any input on what we're eating? I hate bossing all you guys around you know. Somebody needs to say something."

---

Mark dumped his shopping bag on the counter and edged towards the back of the group. He didn't like talking to other people at the best of times. She watchec Nova as her eyes traced everybody in the group and stopped at him.
"What's in the bag?"
"Uh... Groceries."

'Groceries?' Aaron asked as if he had never heard the term before, he had long since been accustomed to heading to the local off-liscence for junk food and booze.
'Guys do we really have time to prepare a meal? i'm not so sure bout using the gas to light the ovens considering our current position' Myra asked cautiously knowing full well the horrific accidents that could occur if a ghost or something of a similar nature appeared.

"We're starving. How the hell do we cope if we don't eat? I don't know about you but I haven't eaten in hours and all these running around really makes you hungry." Nova said sharply. All she wanted at thatmoment was a nice hot meal with her parents and her warm bed.

---

Mark thought for a minute.
"Well there's crisps too..? We can eat those, sleep and have something else in the morning."

'hmm your right, we need to eat to regain our strength' Myra added wondering how she could possibly get around eating, food smelt so good to her yet remained tasteless and inedible. The only substance that could satisfy her hunger was out of bounds.

Alyssa took note of the fact that Nova didn't like taking charge, from the back seat of her mind she could still see and hear everything she just couldn't react.

I'm Sorry Alyssa heard Ariana's voice inside her head.

Yeah... right... Alyssa replied.

No really i am, i only took a chance in this world to have fun because the land of the dead is so... depressing and i missed it here. I used to live here and come to this school when i was alive so i wouldn't do anything to ruin the people and this place...

"Nova!" Alyssa got through Ariana's hold on her, she still didn't quite believe her,"Help me-" She was cut short as Ariana regained her control.

"Why what's wrong?" Nova asked looking confused.

---

Mark broke the awkward confused silence.
"Um... Maybe we can make sandwichs? I have bread and butter and ham. We can eat then head over to the staff room to sleep."

"Nothing at a-" Without warning 'Alyssa' collapsed on the floor. Ariana was unable to hold on to her control much longer.

Just give up or you'll kill us both! Alyssa pleaded.

I'm already dead! Ariana answered back but let go anyway.

Alyssa gasped for air dramatically and sat up and watched as Ariana appeared right next to her.

Myra's quick reflexes enabled her to catch Alyssa before her head hit the hard floor and lower her gently as she glared up at Ariana in disgust.
Aaron stared wide eyed as if he couldn't quite believe what had just happened. How can you fight a ghost? knives, bullets, heavy or sharp objects all just fly straight through it.

Alyssa blinked and stared up at the person who had caught her,"Thanks," She said, then stood up and turned towards Ariana.

"Why?" She asked the weak ghost who kept fading.

"I told you why in your head..." Ariana said quietly,"I miss this place and when the gates opened i took my chance to escape, look i can help you just give me a chance.

Alyssa remembered Nova not wanting to take charge and decided to take charge herself,"Right i still don't completely trust her but if she's telling the truth then we need her to live... We need to keep an eye on her at all times, i'll volunteer to stay with her through the day but we need night duty as well for when we sleep which means we need to take shifts, but we don't need to discuss it now." Alyssa grabbed the hammer she had claimed it felt good to have it in her hands again,"We need to head to the staffroom as safely and as quickly as possible."

"But what about food..?" asked Nova who felt like she could eat a hippo. "Food before sleep surely?" There was a sigh from Mark.
"Can't we just eat some bread or something? I'm so tired."
"What do you guys think?"