Chapter 4 Revised Nora Blackwell: Rise of the Dead Walker

We stood there, uncomfortable, looking around, feeling out of place. There were a few other people, but they were focused on what they were doing —eating, reading, and so on.

“Hiya, I’m Paula Quintero, and I’m the mom on the human hall, and yes, I’m human. I help everyone get settled in, but first, everyone, please get some food, then I will come get you.” She smiled broadly, her brown eyes warm and welcoming, her black hair braided down her back. She wore a plain grey shirt over jeans, while her bronze skin seemed flawless, even after working in a dangerous place and dealing with young adults on top of that.

I followed Matthew to the buffet in the middle of the area and was low-key shocked to find regular food like pizza, burgers, fries, and chicken, and anything you could think of. I don't know why, but I was thinking more of prison food. I grabbed some pizza, then headed to the nearest table.

Matthew sat beside me on the right, and Elian on the left, while Bethany sat beside Matthew across from, asking poor Matthew question after question like where he was from and whether burgers were his favorite, just because he was eating one. He just gave her one-word answers, hoping she would get the hint. She didn’t.

I glanced at Elain, who was quietly staring at her salad.

“You alright?” I asked. Elain went rigid for a minute before looking at me, and her brown eyes were filled with so much sadness. Matthew and Bethany looked up at us, but she went back to talking his ear off. Poor Matthew looked so thrilled.

“I’m not really hungry,” she replied, glancing back down at her salad with a sigh.

“I’m not really hungry either, but I know I need to eat. I will not die here.” I replied with a fake smile, the anger in my voice shocking even me. Elian nodded and paused as if she was going to say something but shook her head and started eating.

“Are you ok?” Matthew asked, looking at me, putting his hand on mine, and I couldn’t help but stare into his green eyes, which reminded me of the trees at the park I enjoyed. I couldn't help but feel as if I seen his green eyes before, but where?

“Are any of us?” I countered with a fake smile.

“Fair. I’m Matthew,” he said, and I wanted to be like Oh, I know because our maid lady said our first and last name every time she talked to us. She should have given everyone our social security number while she was at it.

“I’m Elain.” She spoke up, still nibbling on her salad, and again I wanted to snap Yeah, I know but I nodded.

“Well, I’m Bethany Jackson of the Jackson Family.” Bethany bragged, as we all should know. We all stared at her, not saying anything, and I guess the others didn’t know either.

“Anyway, what’s your name?” Matthew asked, batting his beautiful green eyes. Oh dear heaven, he was going to be a problem.

“Nora.” I smiled weakly.

“That name is beautiful,” he replied in a sweet voice, making my heart melt a little.

“It’s alright.” Bethany snapped.

“Everyone, come here,” Paula called out to the room. Matthew took all of our plates. I thanked him, then headed over to Paula with Elain while Bethany followed after Matthew.

“Here's how this goes: you pick a room, and it is your room alone. The moment you do, your name is imprinted upon the door, and that is your room until you change or leave that room,” Paula explained, like it was basic math, when everyone was around. After dealing with young adults, I could only imagine the stories.

“Are the boys and girls going to be separated?” Another girl asked.

“No. As of this moment, you are considered adults, and we will not be responsible for whatever happens.” Paula said, which made some happy and others horrified. Mathew bumped my arm either by accident or on purpose, but the idea of him and me made my face burn red.

“Keep in mind, if you do something to someone without their consent, you will regret it.” Paula threatened, which made some start to think about what could happen.

Paula smiled and told us all to pick our rooms, saying she would come get us around 7:30 pm.

Everyone rushed, but I honestly went to the nearest door that didn’t have any name on it and picked it.

My room reminded me of those simulation games I used to play. It was big enough for a bed, a dresser, and a desk, with a door to the left. It was a small shower with a toilet sink. If a random fireplace and crates appeared, I was running.

I locked my door, putting my ear to it, and heard some clicking. Which, for some odd reason, made me feel safe, until I noticed there was no window. I unlocked my door, then opened it, glancing around the hall, and realized it didn’t have any windows either. They had huge lights on the ceiling but no skylights.

I shut the door and decided to take a warm shower. The shower didn't look like much, but the water pressure was amazing, and the water got and stayed warm. As the water flowed over my skin, the walls I built around my emotions all day washed and away, and I started to bawl.

How could Ethan believe those messages so easily? I never gave him any reason to doubt me, and the same thing goes for my parents. Mom had access to my phone and computer. She would check my bags, jeans, and whatever I had frequently. I remember one time she found white sand in my jacket pocket and freaked out. She took me to the police station, where I had a serious talk with them. They apologize when they figure it out, but Mom told them not to bother.

The one who hurt me the most was Charlotte. She has been my friend since we were five, and she knows everything about me and what my parents had put me through. I always helped her, no matter what; I was always there. The night her stepdad locked her out for snapping at him, I snuck her into our house so my parents won't ask questions.

I don't know how long I stayed in there crying my heart out, but when I got out, my eyes hurt. I found fluffy towels in the bottom drawer of the dresser, and the school uniforms and other stuff I needed in the other drawers.

Since we were still meeting later today, I put on the school uniform—a blue plaid skirt, black leggings, and a blue blouse.

After I got dressed, I looked at my old clothes on the floor and decided to throw them away, like my family and friends had thrown me away.

I checked the clock on my desk and saw it was 5:03 pm, so I turned off the lights, then lay down and sank into the softness of the bed, into uncomfortable dreams of being kidnapped and chased by my friends. I was jolted awake with a yelp as someone banged on my door. It must be time. I got up, grabbed the black loafers under the dresser, and exited into the hall.

Elain was standing by my door, dressed in the uniform, too, looking around. A good many did too.

“You ladies are looking good,” Matthew smiled, walking up to us in a button-up shirt, black dress pants, and church shoes.

“Looking good yourself.” I smiled, to which he winked and thanked me, making me go bright red.

We went to the crowd gathering at the end of the hall, where Paula was stopping everyone from passing a certain point.

The maids from earlier were standing twenty-five feet from where Paula stopped us.

Looking at them all lined up made me feel uneasy. They all looked copied and pasted, the same person over and over.

We waited for what felt like forever until an iron gate, looking like what should be on the front of the castle, fell, causing everyone to jump back. I jumped back into Matthew’s arms while Elain stumbled backwards onto the floor.