Chapter 38: Out of the walls

Today, they stood in a line, excitement buzzing through their group. In front of them was a table full of different kinds of weapons, gleaming under the lights.

Ms. Jane and the other mentors watched them proudly. "You've all worked very hard to reach this point," she said. "Today, you will each receive your own weapon. You must keep it with you at all times and take care of it. This shows we trust you."

Azriel and BJ stepped forward first, each picking up a katana. Azriel's face was serious and focused, while BJ's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Reed chose a small sniper gun. His eye was sharp, and his aim was true. He had become an expert marksman, able to hit targets from far away.

Zach picked up a pair of metal knuckles. He was a powerful close-combat fighter. The metal knuckles felt like part of his fists, making him a tough opponent.

Thame selected a small gun. Her reflexes were sharp, and she could draw and fire her weapon very fast. her accuracy had improved a lot over the years, making her a skilled shooter.

Roseanne, the youngest, chose a gun and a dagger. She moved with grace and balance, easily switching between her weapons. Her skills in both long-range and close-quarters combat were impressive, and her confidence had grown.

Mr. Jake nodded in approval. "You've all become incredible fighters," he said. "Your progress is amazing."

Ms. Jane added, "You've shown great determination and teamwork. Keep working hard and supporting each other."

The group continued their training, each session bringing them closer to mastering their skills. Their bond had grown stronger, and they had become a close team.

Night fell, bringing a calm quiet over the camp. The sky was dark blue with many shining stars. Azriel, BJ, Reed, Zach, Thame, and Roseanne lay on the roof of the livestock barn. Their new weapons were beside them as they talked about the day.

"I can't believe we finally have our own weapons," BJ said, her voice excited. "I feel like a real warrior now."

Zach nodded, smiling a little. flexed his fingers, the metal knuckles shining in the moonlight

"We've worked hard for this. It's a big responsibility. Close combat is my thing. I can't wait to see how these work in action."

Reed admired his sniper gun, turning it over in his hands. " This feels perfect for me."

Thame twirled his small gun with ease. "It's amazing how far we've come. we could barely hit a target earlier "

Roseanne, lying next to them with her gun and dagger, looked up at the stars.

" How come you're amazing in using gun Az? " Roseanne asked looking at Azriel that is sitting tossing his gun in the air and catch it.

" Wait! You use a gun 2 years ago too. Wow I forgot to ask you about that. You were really cool back then shooting zombies and all headshot! Bang! Bang! Bang! So cool " Reed said making Az shrug

" Hmp! He just practicing early! And maybe! Uncle King is teaching him secretly " BJ said taking out her katana and repeatedly wiping it.

" But still , Az is amazing " Roseanne said smiling at Azriel " I can't wait to be adult " She added

They were silent for a while, looking at the sky. Suddenly, three shooting stars flashed across the sky, leaving bright trails behind.

" There's a shooting star " Thame said

"Make a wish!" BJ said, her eyes wide with wonder.

They all closed their eyes for a moment, making their wishes. But then, the shooting stars began to move strangely, changing direction.

"That's not normal," Reed said, frowning.

Azriel squinted. "It's not a shooting star. It's a meteorite."

The ground shook a little as the meteorite hit the earth, causing a minor vibration.

Curious, the group sat up. BJ was the first to speak. "We should check it out."

Azriel shook his head. "Let the adults handle it. It could be dangerous."

"But it's so close," BJ insisted. "We can at least take a look from a distance. Come on! Trust our group! "

They looked unsure but interested.

Azriel sighed seeing how BJ determined look "Alright, but we stay together and stay safe. No taking risks."

" Let's plan first " Zach said and everyone nodded

Zach stood up first, his eyes wide . "Alright, everyone, we need a plan! We're going to check out that meteorite, but we need to be careful."

Azriel nodded. "I'll take the back. That way, I can keep an eye out for anything coming from behind."

"Good idea," Zach said. "BJ and I will go in front. We're good at spotting things. Roseanne, Thame, and Reed will stay in the middle."

Reed, who had been standing quietly, now pulled out a map from his pocket. "I always carry this with me," he said proudly, unfolding it. "You never know when you might need it."

Thame's eyes widened in surprise. "You carry that map everywhere?"

Reed nodded, a serious expression on his face. "I always carry this with me," he said proudly, unfolding it.

"You never know when you might need it Look, this is where we are." He pointed to a spot on the map.

"And this is where I think the meteorite landed." He traced a line, calculating the distance and impact.

The group huddled around the map, amazed at Reed's preparedness and knowledge.

"Wow, Reed," Roseanne said, her eyes wide. "You're really smart."

Reed blushed a little but smiled. "Thanks. I just like to be ready."

" Okay, everyone, listen again " Reed began fixing his glasses holding the map steady. "We're here, at the barn." He pointed to a small dot. "When the meteorite landed, I heard a faint sound and felt the ground shake. Based on the sound and vibration, I figured it wasn't too far away."

He continued, "I saw it land near an old building earlier. If this is the building," Reed pointed to a spot on the map,

"then the meteorite might have landed here." He traced a path from the building to another spot on the map, about a mile away from where they stood.

"How did you figure that out?" Thame asked, curious.

"Well," Reed explained, "I saw where it hit the ground and noticed the building near it. Since the building is here," he pointed again to the map, "I guessed the meteorite landed close to it. Plus, the ground shook a little, which means it wasn't too far away."

The group nodded, impressed with Reed's calculations.

Zach looked at the map and then at the group. "Alright, we'll stick together and follow Reed's lead. No wandering off. BJ and I will look out for anything up front. Az, you watch our backs. Roseanne, Thame, and Reed, stay in the middle and keep your eyes open."

BJ grinned, her katana gleaming in the moonlight. "Let's do this! I can't wait to see what's out there."

Azriel adjusted his gun and katana, ready for anything.

Roseanne said "Let's move out."

" Everyone, over here," Azriel whispered urgently. "There's a hole. We can use it to get out."

Zach looked skeptical but trusted Azriel's instincts. "Alright, let's go."

One by one, they slipped through the hole, Azriel leading the way. It was narrow and dark, but they managed to move through it without making much noise. As they emerged on the other side, they found themselves outside the walls.

" This is so exciting! We're finally out! " BJ said looking around

"How did you know there was a hole here?" Thame asked, her voice full of curiosity.

Azriel gave a small smile. "It's a long story," he said, brushing off the dirt from his clothes.

They began moving cautiously, trying to avoid attracting any attention. The night was still, and the air was filled with tension. Azriel paused and took out a small device from his pocket, attaching it to the muzzle of their guns.

"What's that?" BJ asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"It's a silencer," Azriel explained. "It'll make sure our guns don't make much noise when we shoot. That way, we won't attract any zombies."

The group was amazed. "That's so cool," Roseanne said, her eyes shining with admiration.

They continued walking in a tight formation, BJ and Zach in front, Roseanne, Thame, and Reed in the middle, and Azriel bringing up the rear. The darkness of the night seemed to press in on them, but they moved forward with determination.

Reed, who had been studying the map intently, spoke up. "If we move slowly, it'll take us a few hours to get there but the fact that the zombies around here are laggards, it should only take us about an hour."

"An hour?" Zach asked, looking relieved. "That's not too bad."

Reed nodded. "Yeah, as long as we keep our pace steady and stay quiet, we should be able to make it without any trouble."

Few minutes later... The group moved quietly through the empty streets, the broken buildings towering over them. The moonlight made long shadows, and the distant sounds of zombies kept them on edge. Each step was careful, their eyes always looking for danger.

BJ and Zach led the way, their weapons ready. Roseanne, Thame, and Reed stayed close together in the middle, with Azriel at the back, his gun with the silencer ready.

They walked past a broken store, the windows shattered and the inside dark. As they carefully moved over the rubble, Thame suddenly stepped on something soft. She looked down and saw, to her horror, a zombie with only half a body, still alive and snarling. Its eyes fixed on her, and its bony hand reached out, almost touching her ankle. then. Thame froze.

" Aah-- "