My father had gotten the job he wanted. I had been on the edge since day 1, living in fear of becoming another Maggie. I spend the days afraid of the undead catching up to me, afraid of Lukas emerging from his disappearance as one of them. That was the thought that killed me the most, Lukas, as a zombie, or dead, because I was stupid and blind. I was the reason he was dead, or undead.

The zombies were deceptive and bloodthirsty. Maplecreast has refilled itself since Lukas and I killed the zombies in an explosion at an abandon factory, but the virus itself is not dead. Lukas' body was never found. The body of an infected person was never found. A few days after the initial attack, I found myself with a feeling, a feeling he was alive, but I saw him get bit, Maggie biting into his ankle like he was made of candy. The image keeps replaying in my mind, a nightmare I can't seem to shake.

I don't know why the people even tried to cover the zombies dying. I figure it was to keep away the press. The only problem with that theory is that nobody cares about Maplecreast, in the people of Maplecreast aren't stupid enough to report it. They're scared zombies will come and kill them, and then claim that the mentally insane committed suicide, which meant that they were not to be believed.

I guess I wish that I would have listened. The events of that night were entirely my fault, my fault for not listening, my fault for becoming the enemy, my fault that Diana died; my fault Lukas is dead or undead. My father accepted the story I told him. He tried to tell me that it wasn't my fault; that they were all gone, but I don't fall for those stories. Now I wonder what happened to those now "ghost towns". Were there zombies there? Is Maplecreast alone? I want to tell somebody but I know I can't. So I simply walk into school every day and try to forget it; tell myself it was a nightmare. The only thing in my way is the memory of Lukas.

I drag my bag on the floor as I walk into class. It's the same school I went to last year, but I feel like the new girl again, staring into new faces of new kids, replacements of the dead zombies. I find a seat in the back and sit down. The girl on my left looks nervous. She turns to face me.

"I'm new here" she tells me, as if I didn't already know that. "Are you new, too?"

"No. I went here last year" I tell her, shaking my head.

"Do you know if this teacher is mean?" she asks.

"Not as mean as some of the kids last year" I reply absentmindedly.

"Is something on your mind?" she asks me, concern in her voice.

"More like someone" I say; no emotion in my voice. I turn away and she hands me a tissue.

"It'll be okay" she tells me, trying to sound strong.

"Only people who never knew him would say that" I snap, instantly feeling guilty. She hangs her head in shame. I notice for the first time that her hair is bright red.

"I'm sorry"

"No, I'm sorry" I reply. "I'm just upset. You were trying to help" I tell her. She gives me a half smile as the teacher starts the lesson. I zone him out and think about last year at Maplecreast. I am awoken from my daydream at the third bell. The girl looks at me.

"What lunch do you have?" she asks me.

"A"

"So do I" she squeals, grabbing my hand and dragging me out the door. "Let's sit together!"

I go through the lunch line, grabbing various foods that look okay without focusing on what they are. I end up with sour meatloaf, three chocolate brownies, a stale carrot, and a cup of maple syrup. I curse under my breath and follow the girl. She tells me her name is Malea. I freeze. Her name is Malea; with an M. I shake it off, figuring it is just a coincidence. She leads me to the table I shared with Lukas last year. I sit down after staring at it for a second.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Malea asks, taking my tray from me and setting it down for me, right where I always sat. She settled down in Lukas' spot, and something inside me snapped.

"Over here" I demanded, pointing to the seat on my opposite side. She nods, as if understanding that she is in someone's spot and moves. She seems alert for the rest of lunch, as if expecting someone else to come.

"I wish" I mutter.

"What's that?" she asks.

"Nothing" I respond, pushing my plate away after eating the brownies.

"You can't just eat that" Malea insists, dipping my carrot in syrup and shoving it into my mouth, it takes sticky and thick. I recognized that taste, but couldn't put my finger on it.

"I'm really fine" I say. "You can have it."

"Thanks" she says, devouring it with a terrifying speed.

"You eat fast" I comment.

"Sometimes I need to" she tells me. I find it slightly suspicious, but shake it off. I act too paranoid. Lukas is dead. Maggie is dead. The rest of the zombies are dead.

"You should come to my house tonight" she says, breaking the silence. "We can do our English homework together."

"English?" I ask, but then I remember. English is third hour, the class we share aside from lunch.

"I just don't get Shakespeare" Malea rants. I tune her out with my thoughts. An image of Maggie stopping him when we were so close; Maggie ruining my life in Maplecreast; Maggie taking my only friend from me when my father was so far away.

"Are you even listening to me?" Malea asks in a cold voice, in such a way that she sounds like Maggie.

"Yeah, you don't get Shakespeare" I say, remembering the first line of the rant.

"No I don't" Malea confirms. "So you'll come?" she asks, giving me a puppy dog look.

"Sure" I say, smiling. As if on cue, the lunch bell rings. Malea gives me her address, and we head our separate ways with plans to meet at her house after school.

The rest of the day is a blur to me. Math, Science, and Geography passed uneventfully, and I exit the school building as close to happy as I've been since Lukas died. I have a new friend and a new year; maybe even a new chance of happiness. This year, though, I won't make the same mistakes. I meet Malea at her house after talking to my Geography teacher about a homework assignment. She greets me with a smile and lets me in.
We go upstairs to her bedroom to work. That is when I notice; the pale completion; the threatening sounding requests. I look into her eyes. They are rusty looking, as if she is already dead. I look around to see no form of escape. She notices my wild eyes. At that exact moment, my father texts me, telling me dinner is ready.

"I have to go, Malea, my dinner is ready" I smile uncertainly at her. She catches it and smiles at me.

"We can't have you leaving early" she says smiling. "You can stay forever" she comes toward me and looks me in the eyes, her smile turning menacing. My cries of pain are trapped by closed windows and crow calls, and just like that, I fade to black.