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all get out there sooner or later, right?”

  She huddled near the back with me, but I knew that the moment the heavy latch was raised and the door opened, she would lunge forward with the crazy mob. Just like in my dream, she would be torn apart within minutes along with the rest of them.

  I had to do something.

  “We can't do this!” I shouted, but no one heard me over their own clamoring and the jubilant countdown going on. Only two minutes left until the doors opened.

  I beat my fists against the metal wall of one of the bunkers and screamed at the top of my lungs. “We are all going to die!”

  That shut them up and suddenly all eyes turned toward me. Mr. Perkins looked down on me from his spot at the top of the stairs, fists clenched at his side.

  “Don't listen to her, the little girl has gone mad,” he said as he rubbed at his temples and closed his eyes. “Someone take control of her before she does something stupid.”

  An armed guard made his way toward me, but Dr. Russell stopped him. She shook her head and said something to him that I couldn't make out. His eyes shifted between me and her, before he shrugged his shoulders and went back to the front with Mr. Perkins. Dr. Russell came over to me.

  “I'm told I must keep you under control so you do not frighten the others.” She placed a firm hand on my shoulder to keep me in place.

  “But you believe me, don't you?” Tears threatened to fall from my eyes.

  “Mallory, they have a window to see above ground. They've been able to look out and see that there's no one waiting for us up there. The man I just spoke to? He was on guard there himself just an hour ago and swore on his life that nothing was waiting outside the door.” She spoke between pursed lips, as if she were forcing the words out.

  I noticed that there were still eyes upon me. A few more people slinked unobtrusively toward the back, listening to our conversation closely.

  “But that's the thing! They're not right outside the door, but they can smell us from far away and are smarter than--”

  “Mallory, there's no such thing as monsters. I'm sorry, you're wrong this time.” The doctor put her free hand over my mouth, though I noticed she was holding her breath. Then she whispered, “We need to get out of here before the food runs out.”

  “Keep my daughter safe, back there,” My father yelled out to Dr. Russell and she nodded back.

  “I'll keep her away from the crowd so she won't get trampled, don't worry.”

  My dad took one last look at me, knowing that the crowd of people was the least of our concerns. Knowing what he had to do, he couldn't leave his post at the front. My father being second-in-command was both a blessing and a curse. He was in charge of people's well-being and in that moment I wanted him back there with me. I needed him to take care of me.

  Seconds remained on the countdown clock, 10...9...8...

  The crowd counted down as our self-appointed leader started unlocking the first group of locks...

  5...4...3...

  I closed my eyes, not wanting to see what was waiting on the other side of the door.

  2...1...

  I heard the heavy door squeal as it opened, the rusty hinges shrieking for a few seconds before it finally opened up. Several people surged forward, shoving others out of their way.

  There was a strong urge to rush forward with the rest of them, but Dr. Russell held me back. The sunlight lit up the walkway and I felt a cool breeze filter in through the door. The fresh air, the first fresh air I'd known in years washed over me and for a brief moment, I was home.

  My dream was shattered by the sound of gunshots going off. I quickly came to attention, remembering the danger we were all in. But this time, it was only the guards letting out a few warning shots to get the crowd under control. Everyone was ordered to line up and exit in groups.

  Quiet grumbling and heavy footsteps filled the room. Group by group, people made their way out. The only sound coming from those who’d made it above ground already was laughter. Dr. Russell looked down at me with a raised eyebrow. Even the skeptics in the back of the room started walking slowly toward the exit.

  At last, the doctor removed her hand from my mouth and released her grip on my shoulder. “Mallory, I know you were really hoping that Zora would still be alive, but not all of your dreams come true you know. It's something we have to work on soon, okay?”

  I just shook my head as the tears started to fall. “Just wait.”

  Dr. Russell sighed before turning toward the exit and joining the others. The laughter and excited screaming continued for a few more minutes, but I knew better than to feel relief. Gripping the cave wall, I made my way toward the door. I hoped that maybe there was still a chance to save them. I even hoped perhaps my dreams had lied to me, though deep down I knew that never happened.

  My heart thumped harder in my chest as I came closer to the sunlight. I knew to cover my ears because I remembered the terrified and agonized screaming would be starting any moment.

  And it did.

  Caught up in the moment where my dream became reality, I stumbled to the doorway and looked at the scene outside. Though I’d seen it all before, it still took a moment to comprehend that the carnage before my eyes was real this time.

  All around me, my old neighbors, our old friends, were being torn apart by the people we’d left behind. Though they were no longer people. Muscles bulging and bodies distorted into something that only vaguely resembled something human, I was only able to recognize them by their faces. And just barely, at that. Taller and stronger than any person I'd ever met, they could move quickly.

  I saw Mr. Perkins shoot one of the creatures directly in the eye, yellow and green goo came spilling from its face. The face of what used to be my music teacher. The monstrous thing surged forward with a deafening sound escaping it's mouth and in one quick movement, it ripped Mr. Perkins' head right off his neck. His body crumpled to the ground, blood soaking the grass and the monster tossed his head aside before diving its head into the abdomen of our former leader. The head of Mr. Perkins rolled down the hill toward me, his lifeless eyes seeming to stare directly into mine.

  I felt a scream, and vomit, rising in my throat. I knew I only had a second before they saw me in the doorway, but I needed to find my father. I quickly scanned the area and saw nothing but death.

  Bodies littered the ground outside, the dirt and grass soaked in blood. Marla's body lay on the ground in front of me, her torso split apart and her legs completely ripped from her body. Her ribs, covered in gore, protruded from what was left of her upper body. All I could think about in that moment was her chocolate chip cookies. It felt like my heart and lungs had collapsed. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't feel anything. It couldn't be real this time.

  But it was.

  My eyes frantically scanned the area searching for my dad, but I saw no sign of him, living or dead. I wanted to scream out for him, but I couldn't find my voice. My throat had closed up and barely a whisper escaped my mouth. I could hear shrieking and gunshots in the distance, but the only sight before me was one of death and destruction.

  Suddenly, I noticed her. Our eyes met for a brief moment and she tilted her head, her ragged lips curving upward in a grotesque smile. I almost hadn't recognized my friend. Her nose, gone. The rest of her face stretched and distorted to the point that it looked like I was staring into a funhouse mirror. Her eyes, though much larger and now uneven on her face were familiar. Her eyes I knew.

  My former best friend's hulking body rushed toward me, saliva spilling from her lips. And she wasn't alone, others were not far behind.

  I had no other choice.

  Pulling the heavy door closed, I latched it behind me as quickly as I could. Once all the locks were in place, I fell against it. The door rattled on its hinges just like that first day down there. This time it wasn't from an explosion, it was from the monsters trying to kill me. I covered my ears, wishing they'd just go away. It was in that mome
nt that I realized, I was the only one who hadn't stepped outside.

  I didn’t know much about what had happened all those years ago or what my dad had been working on when the plant exploded and forced us all underground...

  But now, as I sat by myself in our empty shelter, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

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