Earth: Book One (Elemental Series) (5 page)

Chapter Eleven

Day Two: March 27
th
, 2020; 1:44 pm

Something had caught Forres’ eye.

She was walking down a street, her nose stopped bleeding but now there was dry blood under nose. Empty cars filled the road so Forres has to walk around them. She had wondered where the zombies were. That’s when something caught her eye.

A safe store.

It didn’t look big just small compare the other stores.  A sign really caught her eye. It read, “Now selling a Tanner safe!”

First hint: You case is locked up tightly Tanner.

The words became clear in her head again. She tried to push them away but she noticed something about the sentence. There was no pause after
tightly.

PS, I think it’s in the Tanner safe.
The voice stated in her head.

Forres rolled her brown eyes and tried to ignore the voice. She started walking, brushing the word in her head away.

You’ll regret not even going in and check.
Forres stopped. She had hated the voice in her head from the start. She hated it more because it was right. She would have a feeling of remorse if she doesn’t at least check. Forres let out a sigh and turns around to go to the store. She enters the fairly clean store. Safes were open; all but one.

Forres walked the closed safe, slowly. She didn’t notice the undead bald guy who just rose up from behind the counter. As she got closer, she could see writing on the top on the waist high, tan safe. “Tanner stain steel safe. Made in Tanner Inc.” It read. Forres ran her warm fingers over the cold word “Tanner.” She knelt down to see a four pin pad lock.

The bald zombie got closer.

“What’s the code?” Forres whispered to herself.

Beats me,
the voice shrugged in her head.

A groan came from behind.

Forres turned, and gasped.

The bald zombie snarled at her.

Forres Tanner.
She held up her clutched fists.
Verses.
Forres narrowed her eyes on the zombie.
Bald Zombie.
The zombie let out a growl.
Fight!
On cue, the bald zombie charged at her. Forres was not as ready as she thought she was. She got tackled by the bald dead guy.

Forres – on her back – tried to push the zombie off of her. The zombie suddenly stopped struggling and Forres had an idea of what he was about to do. A pool of dark blood came out of his gross mouth. Being a clean freak, Forres freaked out trying to get the bald zombie off of her. She kicked the zombie to the side and scrambled to her feet. 

She tried to spit the blood out of her mouth. The zombie behind her smirked and stood. Forres stared at him. “You want to play?” Forres asks, narrowing her eyes on the thing. She looked at his nametag and saw his name. “Let’s play!” The zombie charged at her. Instead of running to the zombie, Forres ran away from him. She ran behind the counter and he ran into the counter. She grabbed the back of him head and said, “Sorry,
Bert!”
Forres slammed his head off the counter a couple of times until his body went limp.

Breathing hard, Forres goes the safe and sat on it.
Sweet Mother of Pearl! By God, it’s your birthdate!!!
The voice in her head yelled.

“How do you know?”

I just do. Now open the safe.
The voice in her head sounded as if it was a little kid on Christmas day. Forres got down in front of the safe and sat next to the pad lock. She paused.
Put it in.
“I don’t remember… my birthday,” Forres sat back and stared at the case. “How could I ever forget my birthday?” Forres looked down.

Poor girl,
the voice pitied in her head.
Think harder.

Forres closed her eyes and tried to remember. She started to feel dizzy and light headed.

4-29-02

Those were the first numbers that came to her head.

Forres sighed and reached forward and put in the four numbers: 4292. The safe opened with a
pop,
surprising her. Forres suddenly felt as if she was going to cry. How could anyone in their right mind forget their birthday? Easily for Forres because she isn’t in her right mind: she talked to herself and she’s playing the sickest game ever. She’d be crazy not forget things. Forres pulled out the case out of the safe. She looked at the case, deciding if she should just die or take the medication.

“What’s that?” A guy’s voice came from the side of her. She wiped her brown eyes with her hand before looking over. A guy stood there with tiger eyes. She doesn’t answer, just stared. “Can I see?” Forres shook her head. He raised a brow then took the case from her lap. “Thanks, madam,” He started walking away.

It took Forres a second to realize she wants to live. “Hey that’s mine!” Forres yelled, scrabbling to her feet.

“Oh she talks,” Tiger guy turned and said while leaving the store.

Forres mistakenly followed him out of the store.

Bang!

Forres jumped to the side, trying to dodge the bullet. The glass behind her shattered as she lied on the ground.

“WHOA! NO! STOP!” Tiger guy waved his arms. He dropped the case and goes to Forres. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah…,” Forres nodded. Her brown eyes were wide.

“You’re shot,” He stated.

Forres looked at her shoulder. “Oh… I am…,” She weakly laughed before her eyes roll back and she only saw darkness.

*****

Day Two: March 27
th
, 2020; 2:30 pm

Forres woke in pain.

She could only feel pain. She reached over and touched her right shoulder. She felt wet there so she looked at her hand. Blood… She sat up, trying not to groan. She was in a room. It was a fancy room as if it lived inside a mansion. She stared at the blue room then saw a black wooden door.

Forres stood. Her legs shook as she tried to walk to the door. When she finally got to door, she opened it a crack and saw a long table full of boys, talking and laughing. “HEY YO, SHUT UP!” Tiger boy yelled over them. It helped to get them quiet but it didn’t help with her major headache. “What should we do with the girl?”

“I called dibs!” A tough red head boy smirked. “She’s mines. No one touch!”

Tiger scowled at him. “Not even you touch her, either,” some of the boys laughed.

“Well someone got to clean her. I volunteer,” The red head stood taller. A bunch of the guys disagreed with that.

“Shut up!” Tiger firmly yelled. They all listened. He scanned the room. “Ben,” A guy, who was looking down, looked up. “You shot her, you clean her,” A riot basically broke out.

“Now you have to shoot girls to claim them?” The red head kid said.

A bunch of voice came then settled down when Ben talked, “I don’t like this idea,”
You and me both.
Forres thought

“See? I’ll do it!” The red head stood up and straighten his clothing. He licked his hand and ran it through his hair.

“Sit down, Peter!” Tiger demanded. “Ben’s doing it,” A bunch of groans came. Tiger threw a first aid kit to Ben.

Ben caught it and started to Forres’s room. He stopped. “How do I get off her shirt?”

“You have a pocket knife,” Tiger stated. “Use it.”

Ben started to the room again. A bunch of cat whistles came after him.

Crap!
Forres leaves the door like it is and swiftly speed walks to the bed and get on it, muffling a groan. The door opened as she settled in the bed.

Ben closed the door behind him and goes to Forres on the bed. He set the first aid kit down and pulled out his pocket knife.

Forres could hear the blade coming out, it almost made her jump. She felt him softly grab her shirt from the bottom and he started to cut the over shirt, leaving the tank top. He split the top shirt in half and then moved the one piece over her shoulder so he could see the through and through bullet wound. She could hear him open something and put it on her shoulder. Forres winced and grabbed his hand.

Ben jumped back and cursed.

“Sorry,” Forres muttered in a rough voice. Ben looked at her. “I’ll do it,” she insisted.

“Sorry,” He apologized and stepped back. Forres reached over and grabbed a tissue and blew her nose it, cleaning out the blood from that truck guy.

Ben wanted to ask if he did that but resists.

She started cleaning out her bullet wound by herself. She really didn’t know what she was doing. The bullet goes through her left shoulder and that’s what had hit the glass window behind her before.

It was silent. Forres didn’t like that. “So you shot me?” She winced, putting rubbing alcohol on her shoulder.

“Sorry,” he repeated.

Forres let her right hand drop to her lap. She noticed that the wrap on her right hand was gone. “Can you stop saying sorry?”

“Sorry…, crap, I mean… Okay,” Ben looked away. The corner of Forres’ mouth goes up. Ben saw that out of the corner of his eyes and smiled himself. Ben pulled out a small box and opened it. A couple of cigarette and a lighter sat in it. Ben silently offered Forres one but she refused. She doesn’t remember if she smoked or didn’t but she wasn’t going to take the chance of making a fool out of herself in front of Ben.

She watched him light the cigarettes then she got back to cleaning her shoulder.

“I’m Ben,” He said, puffing smoke out of his nose. He put the cigarette between his lips and held out his hand.

Forres shook his hand. His hand was warm and soft compared to Forres’s rough and cold right hand. She wondered how anyone could get their hands
that
soft. It made Forres blush. She didn’t feel the pain in her right hand but she knew it was there. “F-Forres.”

“Nice to meet you, F-Forres,” Ben mocked. Warmth left her hand as he took his hand away.

Forres stared for a second, wanting to say something but couldn’t. Ben raised his brows in a questioning way. “Oh sorry, um, could you…?” She started but her voice trails off. She raised a roll of wrap and pointed to her shoulder. “I’m a…a lefty,” Forres stated. She wouldn’t have guessed that if she hadn’t thrown the knives at the zombies back at the hospital.

“Oh, uh, sure,” Ben blew out smoke and then threw his half-done cigarette on the ground, stepping on it. Forres turned so he could reach her shoulder. He grabbed the wrap and sits on the edge of the bed, now behind Forres. He, softly and slowly, started putting the wrap on. It like air, like he wasn’t even touching her. He was, though. Forres felt warm inside, like a boiling pot was in her stomach and the steam was going throughout her veins and blood. She swallowed hard and he slowly got on his knees and lifts her arm up a bit to get the wrap around there. She felt his hot breath on her neck but all she was worrying about was if she shaved or not.

She began to get nervous but that was drowned out by the smell of cigarettes and vanilla mixed together; Vanilla overpowering the cigarette smell. She smiled at the scent and looks down, playing with her hand. Once Ben was done, he put some tape on the wrap to make it stay. But he stayed behind her. He stared at her back, her neck, her chest – how it rose up and down with her necklaces on it –, and her wound that he made. He breathed in then moves from behind her.

“There you go,” He whispered. They sat in silence for a second. Ben looking at the floor; Forres looking at Ben. He stood, rubbing his hands on his jeans. “I think I’m done here. I should go…,” Ben doesn’t look at her. He just heads for the door.

“Will I see you later?” Forres blurted out as he opens the door. A bunch of boys pretended not to listen or watch them. Some whistled and acted casually. Ben looked half way back then gave a small nod, closing the door after.

Forres stared at the door.  She felt the pain now even though she tried to not think about it. She half ached as if a car hit her twice. Then she fell back on the bed, groaning in pain.

Chapter Twelve

Day Two: March 27
th
, 2020; 2:33 pm

Max walked down the deserted street with the knife he stole.

He was cleaned up. He had found food, water and clothing. By found, he really killed some people for it. He twirled the knife in his hands. His head was pounding from head butting that girl. He didn’t know if she was going to help him or hurt him but he didn’t take any risks. He didn’t want to end up in another truck.

Max was confused. He wondered where everyone was. He also went through an anxiety attack of this actually being a prank. After almost having a heart attack, he came to the conclusion that this was real and no one in sight. Of course it was after he had killed the group of men to get food.

He knew he should be regretting head butting the girl but he didn’t. It looked as if it hurt her but he didn’t care. He felt a bit of guilt but it went away when he thought of her being bad. She was trying to steal the car he was in. She probably was a thieve trying to get away from a robbery and Max thought he should be getting a medal for helping capture her. But no cops lined up to thank him or people thanking him. He didn’t even see a cop in sight.

Well technically, he was in the trunk of the car – not remembering how he got there – and she saved him from starvation. And he stole her knife. But he couldn’t understand why she was carrying one in the first place.

Max saw a pharmacy and jogs to it. He opened the doors and goes in. He was instantly hit with a foul smell but he smelt worst. The pharmacy was a mess: carts everywhere, half the shelves where empty, the other half was on the floor, and blood.

Blood everywhere.

Max walked over the puddles as if he could get hurt if he touched them. The knife was at his side. Max checked every aisle for life, or anything moving. Oh what he wouldn’t give to see a human. When he got to the last aisle, he stops. A person was on top of another person, looked as if they were kissing.

“Excuse me?” Max frowned as the person stops but doesn’t look at him. “I’m sorry to interrupt but can you explain to me what the heck is going on?” The girl – that was on top – looked at Max. His heart frozen in mid beat. The girl had taken a chuck out of the poor guy’s face. He was bleeding, everywhere. Max finally got the courage to move. He turned but two more of those things were there, coming for their dinner.

Max dodged their claws and jumped behind the pharmacy’s medicine counter. As those things got closer, Max threw stuff at them but little pill bottles did nothing.
What should I do?
Max thought, still throwing things, while looking around.

I should know? I thought you said the voice were all gone?
A creepy voice mocked in Max’s head. It sounded like the monster that would hid under kids’ bed then eat them later on.

“Shut up and HELP!” Max yelled.

Gun shots went off, making Max duck and block his head with his hands. When the guns had stopped, Max’s ears rung a bit. He stood and saw a dirty blonde head boy walking to him. “Name?” The dirty blonde guy asked, rubbing his stubby chin.

“Max,” He answered. He had tried to say it strong but it came out shaky.

“Are you bit?”

Max put on a confused look. “What? No.”

“Okay, I’m Felix and welcome to our group,” Felix said. Max looked at the band of a few boys behind him then at Felix.

“Who said I want to join your group of pansy lost boys?” Max frowned.

Felix raised a brow. “Then leave. This is our turf,” Felix started walking away. Max jumped over the counter then stepped over the dead bodies.

“Why?” Max whined. “This stores big enough for all of us.”

Felix stopped and turned to Max. “Who’s got the guns?”

Max opens his mouth then closes it.

“Thought so. Welcome to our
pansy
group of
lost
boys,” Felix mocked then left that aisle leaving Max bewildered.

Chapter Thirteen

Day Two: March 27
th
, 2020; 2:50 pm

Forres paced the room, quietly.

She bit her bottom lip and rubbed her chin, thoughtfully.
We need a plan.
Forres explained to the voice in her head. Forres covered her mouth as a cough came up her throat.

You need the case too.
The voice replied.

Forres stopped the pacing and rolled her eyes.

Don’t roll your eyes at me, sweet cheeks.
The voice hissed.

Forres couldn’t help but to roll her eyes again. “I need a plan!”

“A plan for what?” A male’s voice came. Forres jumped and puts her hand over her chest, over her necklace. It was the guy with green Tiger eyes. He raised a brow. The door was closed behind him but Forres hadn’t heard him come in. The case was in his hand.

“Um…,” Forres managed to get out of her throat. Her eyes landed on the case.

He followed her eyes to the case. “What’s in it?”

Forres’s eyes went back up to his face. “What’s in what?” He raised his brow, searching her face. He then chuckled and relaxed.

“Why don’t you open it?”

“How?” Forres played dumb. She figured if she acted dumb, she could get the case. But there was one flaw to her plan; Tiger guy was lean yet broad and much stronger than Forres. Also he was no idiot. He didn’t even believe her one bit.

His eyes trailed to her chest that felt warm with his eyes. She self-consciously touched her bare neck, covering the necklaces that were around her neck.  “With that necklace,” He looked back up. Forres was silent for what felt like a minute and she stared out in space. “I’m Zander,” The guy introduced himself and stuck out his open left hand.

Forres looked at him then took his hand. His hand wasn’t as warm or as soft as Ben’s were. “Forres,” She felt fear in her chest. She suddenly regrets telling him her real name.

“Tanner?” Zander guessed. Forres gave Zander a shocking look. “I was going to ask if in this case was the cure for the infection but now I know its medicine from… from my dad.”

Forres opened her mouth, not knowing what to say, she then closed her mouth.

Zander nodded and goes over and put the case on the bed. He sat next to the case. “My dad talked about you a lot…,” He looked down, playing with his hands then he looked up at Forres. “So, you’re playing the sick game too?”

“What?” Forres scowled at Zander. “Too? Are you playing it?”

I wouldn’t trust him,
the voice stated.
Someone this hot could be lying to you. Why don’t you get Ben back here and let him talk.
Forres pushed the voice to the back of her head to hear Zander.

“Yeah. My dad called me the day before the apocalypse and told me to look for Forres Tanner. He wouldn’t explain why. He just told me. I’m thinking you could help us by getting us out of here and to safety… Could you?”

“I don’t know…,” Forres whispered, looking away

“A lot of people are dying and we know nothing on the infection. You are our
last hope,”
Zander took her hands.

She stared at him for a little. “I don’t remember anything. What’s with the dome, those things? What year it is? What’s the date? What-?”

“The dome was created in the 1900’s because of the Spanish flu… I think,” Zander interrupted her and then continued, “it acts like a barrier, I guess it was to keep those things out… or us in. The creators thought it take too long so they separated us in different domes. We are in New York. Pennsylvania – not far from us – is a half dome which doesn’t work and no one is in it because they had no time or something like the workers were killed or something. We were told those things came from outside the domes. The year is 2020 and the date is March 27. Anything else?”

“Why are you helping me? Why should I trust you?” Forres questioned.

Zander gave a shrug. “You don’t have to trust me. I don’t have to trust you. I just want to survive and I think you want to too.”

He was right. Forres didn’t want to die. She could’ve killed herself and let Zander take the case but too many people were dying. And if she was really the last hope, and if she didn’t do anything, their blood would be on her hands. She couldn’t live a second with knowing that. Forres took a deep breath before whispering, “What do you know about me?”

“I know you have an incurable disease. I never met you before but my father talked about you a lot,” Zander explained.

Forres nodded and decided to help this group of boys. Forres reached back and took off her odd star necklace. She knelt by the case in the bed. She put the piece of the Earth triangle in and twisted. The case
popped.
Forres opened the case and the screen was there like the other one. Words appeared on the screen:
Inject yourself
it read over and over. Forres rolled up her right arm sleeve and grabbed the needle. Her left arm shook as she tried to put the needle in her arm. Pain shot up her arm each inch she moved.

“Here,” Zander slowly took the needle from her hands. Once he found a vein in her arm, he entered the needle into it. When the substance was in her arm, she saw Dr. Greene popped up on the screen.

He smiled at them. “Hello, Zander, Forres,” He gave a small nod before asking, “How’s it going?”

“Fine,” Forres muttered. Zander got up from the bed and goes to the wall and leaned on it, still in view of the case.

“Good, next hint:”

The screen was filled with words: “Although I’m originally from France, I am now an ideal New Yorker, even though I am over hundred years old, I’ve only had work done on my face, once. Who am I?”

Doctor Greene’s face popped back on it. “Good luck and ‘may the odds be in your favor.’”

The screen went black. Forres’ face wrinkled in disgust. “Did he just quote something?”

“I think I know what it is,” Zander rubbed his chin.

“Same,” Forres agreed but on something else then Zander agreed on. “It’s on the tip of my tongue and I know it.”

“Same…Wait are you talking about the quote?” Zander scowled at her as she put on her necklace. She nodded.

“I know what it is,” Forres muttered to herself trying to remember.

Zander sighed before telling her, “
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins,” He sounded annoyed with her. “Forres, you need to focus if we are going to make it out alive.”

“Maybe I don’t need your help!” Forres snapped.

He held his hand up in defense. “Fine. I’ll take my group of skilled boys and my knowledge. You take yourself, who isn’t skilled and has a forgotten mind.”

Before Forres could fire back, gun shot rang in the air. Zander was the first to act by running to the door. He swung it open while Forres had just stood. She knew, instantly, she would need Zander and his skills.

A zombie was by the door and turned when the door had opened. The zombie let out a growl and Zander kicked him in the stomach while grunting with effort. Zander led the way into the warzone of zombies and guys. Zander drew his gun and Forres noticed it looked like Austin’s gun. She would know. The thing was basically pointed at her the whole time she was with his group. Zander shot and Forres also noticed that his bullets hit the zombies in their head. She could see a bit of war side in his past.

“Forres!” She heard a familiar voice and she smiled a bit but then a bullet wisped past her ear. She covered her head as she heard a person drop behind her. “Are you okay?” Ben softly grabbed her arm from her head. “Did I hurt you?” She looked at Ben and felt warm inside, once again.

She couldn’t help but to smile. “I’m fine.”

“Alright let’s get out of here,” Ben said, looking at Zander next to Forres but his hand never moved from her arm. Forres smiled running side by side with Ben.