Port-Orford Municipal Primary School. The most boring and out of the way school in a boring and out of the way city in Lirio, Texas. Also the most dead. The dilapidated old building sits snug on top of a small hill, houses of equal disrepair stand just a few feet from the rusted metal fences, a cracked and neglected road splitting the houses from the school. As the sun sets low over the empty neighborhood, a crowd of people sprints down the road, their target? A small wind-up music box in the center of the road, in front of the school's entrance, a small group of men are tied to one another next to it. As if the very notion of a group of adults racing towards a creepy music box seemed strange, then their appearance must seem even weirder. They wear no shoes, bloody footprints of blood and torn flesh trail behind them and their clothing is in rags, however most striking of all is their skin. It's crumpled like thin paper and without moisture. They have no eyes.

All of this is the result of a deadly genetically engineered virus introduced into the American continent. All that remains of the United States of America is Alaska, which was saved by virtue of not being connected to the rest of the states. Everyday life has changed quite a bit, the average American can no longer walk to school with their friends, go outside to eat or shop, or even access the internet. No, life has become a constant struggle in which a second spent too long on the wrong decision means death. The citizens of New America aren't as trusting, aren't as sedentary, aren't as easy-going. No, they are merciless survivors who have done the unimaginable to keep one step ahead of the game called life, murder is the least of their worries. And in this relentless world lives a girl. She goes by... 

/ / / /

"Leave me alone, or I swear to whatever divine asshole lives upstairs I will feed you to the Blind." A girl, about thirteen years of age, stands on the top of a flight of steps, a P250 in her shaking hands. Below her is a duo of boys slightly older than her, trying their best to calm her down. It's not working very well. Mainly because of the very big, very dangerous axes, that they are holding.

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"Listen, we don't want trouble, we just want a place to hide and lay low while the horde outside moves on." The older of the two boys hisses, his cerulean colored eyes speak of volumes of distress and fear, and with good reason - the group of people outside crowd around what seems to be a group of corpses as a gentle melody plays over the fading screams of men.

"How can I trust you? You just sacrificed your friends to get up here. It's pretty much guaranteed that you'll do the same to me once you leave" The girl slowly inches back towards a large metal door. 'FIRE EXIT' is printed onto a green sign above the door. "I don't think I can trust you..."

"No! Please, just let us stay for one day and we'll be gone and you'll never see us again!" The blue-eyed boy pleads frantically whilst his friend looks back towards the slowly dispersing horde.

"Listen, Melvin, the horde is moving again. We can leave now." His friend wears a large black coat that covers everything from his head to his feet. "Just leave the girl and let's go!"

"Really?" But there's a strange tone of disappointment laced in with the fake relief. "I'm sorry about this, we'll leave now!" 

And they do, judging by the swift steps that echo off the stairwell walls. The girl breathes a sigh of relief and drops to her knees, the empty P250 falls from her hands as she takes a minute to catch her breath.

"That was too close..."

It's a prematurely made statement.

It takes just half a minute for the boys to race up the stairs and pounce onto the unsuspecting girl. Their movements are clumsy but silent and between the two of them, they have enough strength to easily subjugate the girl. She is pinned to the floor, the sharp edge of an axe held against her neck. The black-coat boy kneels over her.

"I guess the tables have turned?" The boy called Melvin grins at the girl. "Check her pockets for anything dangerous or anything useful!" He bashes in the handle of the fire exit door. "bring her upstairs after you're done, we have unfinished business to attend to with her."

"You got it, boss." A hand begins to unbutton her sweater. "But I'll see to that business."

The girl finally realizes what he means to do.

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815 Words.