Infection Z Beswick, L. (books for 8th graders txt) 📖

lucky I snapped out of it when Damon grabbed me, maybe I should have told them at that time what was happening, but lately I feel alone in all this, that no one else will understand what I’m going through.

Maybe I’m being selfish, Sam is scared and worried and I’m making it all about me, maybe I’m better off out there alone so I can’t get in anyone’s way anymore, Sam and Damon have each other it’s not like they need me, maybe I should have perished with my mum.

I decide on my plan to leave and wait for night to come, once the house has darkened I slowly and quietly peer around my door, the hallway is empty and quiet, I quietly walk down the hallway and the stairs, I take a breath of relief as I reach the door to the garden, “bit late for a stroll, don’t you think?” a voice causes me to jump, I turn to find the Colonel sat in the darkness, “but I also get the feeling with that big bag it’s going to be a long walk" I glance to my backpack knowing I’ve been busted, “I have to go" I mutter and turn back to the door, “it’s locked, and the gates are pin protected so you’ll struggle I think" the chair creaks as he stands, “I need to go" I repeat, “I heard what happened, but you can’t just run away from your problems".

I roll my eyes and sigh in annoyance “I’m not running away... well actually I am but it’s the safest option, I might go psycho again and hurt someone else and it’s not like I’ll be missed anyway" Colonel is quiet for some time “if you go, what will you do?, you’re not strong enough to survive on your own" I turn to face him again, “then I guess I’ll die", he seems a little taken aback by my comment, “so it’s a suicide mission" he responds his voice a little sad, realising it’s no use to try and escape I drop my bad to the floor and slide down beside it, “I just hate being useless and a nuisance" I grumble, “look kid I know it’s going to take a lot for you to ever see me as your father, but I’d like to help you, I can make you strong so if you are determined to leave you’ll at least have the skills and strength to survive, go back to bed training starts early" he says and disappears into the darkness again, “training?” I question but receive no response.

The next morning, I awake to loud banging at my door, I groggily answer the door to find Colonel stood wide awake and dressed in his usual army attire, “what time is it?” I yawn “5am it’s time for training" he answers and I groan from how early it is, “I said we’d be training so let’s go" he demands I sigh and excuse myself to get dressed, when I return Colonel is still stood in the same place awaiting impatiently, “took you long enough, hurry now" he leads the way down the stairs and to the library, “I thought we were training not reading" I sigh in annoyance, he doesn’t reply and pulls back one of the books, there is a click sound and the entire shelf parts to reveal a hidden room, “am I still asleep?” I ask unsure why I didn’t know about this secret room earlier, he chuckles “most of the people here have jobs such as cooking and cleaning therefore they have no need to train so I installed this secret area myself" he explains, I follow him into the dark room and the shelf closes behind us, after a moment the pitch black room is engulfed in light, weapons are hung on each wall, a punching bag and dummies are dotted around the room, with targets for shooting on another side of the room, the room is much larger than expected.

“Won’t we wake everyone up if we do training?” I ask, Colonel shakes his head “not at all it's sound proof so you can play music too" I nod in understanding still taking in that such a room exists in this house, “so first let’s start with your reflexes there’s no point using weapons until you know how to defend yourself" he explains and leads me to a clear area with only training mats, and out of nowhere he throws hits, punches and kicks my way, all of them hit me knocking me to the floor, “what was that?!” I exclaim in anger, “you have zero reflexes” he replies with a disappointed look on his face “you didn’t block any of my advances" he explains “I didn’t know you were going to attack me!” I yell “that’s where we need to improve you have to learn to defend yourself from unknown attacks, sometimes zombies can sneak attack and sometimes zombies aren’t always the problem" he explains calmly unfazed by my yelling, “what do you mean?” I ask, do I have to worry about things other than zombies attacking me now?

“Not all people will help you or be kind to you, some people have become angry and selfish in this world, some of them may attack you for supplies in their mind it’s kill or be killed, and it’s a mind-set you will need to take on yourself" he explains, I become quiet as I realise how dark the world has become, I was aware not everyone is nice before but after everything that’s happened it’s unbelievable to think humanity isn’t trying to work together and help each other out.

Colonel continues his lesson for a few more hours until 9am, then he allows me to return to my room since I’m bruised and exhausted and promises my lessons will continue tomorrow once again at the break of dawn, I arrive at my room just as