Chapter 4 - Sorry for the trouble

Sid heard noisy footsteps from behind the wall. He leaned closer to the wall and peeked on the hole, to his surprise, there were nobody left inside.

He looked around and found out that even their things were gone. What had happened? He wondered in thought.

He leaned back and accidentally hit his head at the wall. Due to the impact, his hair got in front of his face, covering his eyes. Just as he was about to get rid of the hindrance, a familiar voice came from his left and startled him. 

"Oy!" Aby shouted in a mufled voice. She rushed towards Sid and  grabbed his arm in a hurry.   As she did so, she felt the coldness of his skin. A zombie? No that's not possible. How come the zombie didn't attack her? Must be an illness. She thought.

    Sid had trouble to let Aby's hand release his, he could only look at Aby pitifully to make her let go. But to her concern, Aby did not loosen the grip. Sid could only shift his face down and frown. 

  Aby looked around at where Sid was in. It was a shallow space, more of a little space between two houses. The gap was only four meters, why was the boy in here? She asked herself. 

  She then shifted her gaze at the books piled on the ground. She picked up one and read the title. 

         "Zombie Apocalypse" 

It was one of the common books read by many, mostly children who had no idea what had happened 5 years ago and how the apocalypse started. 

  She then placed the book down and smelt the aroma again. Because of her high senses, she turned around and saw an empty head of a zombie. She frowned and then moved her gaze to Sid.      She then asked, "Was it you?" 

Sid glanced up and cocked her head in confusion. He then asked, "What did I do?" 

Aby raised her other hand and pressed the space between her brows, she then looked at Sid again and spoke, "You ate something that brings great danger if exposed. I don't know how a child like you got your hands on a zombie head, but you must follow us or you're life would be in danger." 

 Sid looked at her in deep concentration, what did she meant? His life is in danger because of his first meal? Why haven't he read a statement about this. 

"How could that be? The books I've read didn't tell me anything about the words you've spoken. Can I ensure you won't kidnap me?" Sid questioned Aby. 

Aby raised an eyebrow, she then answered, "I'm someone you can trust. I'm a teacher." 

Sid couldn't find fault in her words. He then slightly tugged her sleeves and told her, "If what you said is true, then I'll follow." 

Aby smiled and pulled Sid forward, but the boy stayed put in his original place. 

"Wait a moment!" Sid spoke out and ducked down. He then took his bag and slide it in his arms. He then covered his face with the hoodie of his clothes. 

"Done." Sid glanced briefly at Aby before walking on his own accord. But Aby told him that there was little time left and that she would just carry him. 

"Is it troubling?" Sid cocked his head as he leaned closer to Aby's neck. "Safety of kids are must." Aby replied in a solemn tone. 

"I see." Sid nodded as he placed a hand near his cheeks. He found teacher Aby also naive, she didn't tell he was a zombie? Just as Sid was thinking about it, a thought appeared in his mind. He looked around and then asked, "Teacher Aby, how did you get in here?" 

    Aby did not stop running but she glanced briefly at the child in her back. Indeed, how did she get here? Well, she saw the boy from above. She arrived here from jumping from the window. 

  "You don't need to know that." She paused for a second before asking, "How did you know my name?"

  Sid giggled a bit before replying, "I love to listen to your teaching." 

   Aby was in daze before saying, "Oh." and then she retracted her gaze. Her face turned serious when the two finally got out from the place.

GROWL!

 A thin yet tall zombie was located in front of them. Not only was the zombie formidable, there were countless more zombies surrounding them. 

  Not too far from them were another group. A familiar little boy waved his hand up high and called out for Aby, "Teacher! Teacher!" his voice was full of worry. 

  Aby bit her lower lip and jumped to the right. It was also by chance that a zombie attacked her and but missed. After a couple of jumps, she arrived at the group. Aby then took out the stick she had used from teaching earlier and pointed it at the sky. "Barrier!" and something shiny sparkled around the group which turned into a semi-transparent shield. The zombies couldn't get in and could only keep scratching.

A woman then went  closer to Aby and spoke, "Thank god Aby you're here." The woman then glanced at Sid and asked, "This?" 

  Sid jumped off from Aby's back and then dusted off his clothes. He was currently wearing sunglasses that had hidden his black eyes. Sid then hidden his hands behind his back and answered, "I'm Sid. Sorry for the trouble." 

The woman glanced at Sid briefly and snorted out silently. She felt that her sister was too carefree, picking up another kid? Che, who is in charge of caring them, isn't she the one? 

  She then turned her head to face her sister and spoke, "Aby, why did you brought another kid again? You know that I can't take care of another one. The first batch are exempted but this one..." 

 Aby looked at the sad frown her sister had shown and couldn't help but felt bitter. Aby then replied, "Jess, Kids' safety first." 

  Upon hearing Aby's reply, Jess' face turned ashen and she couldn't help but snort angrily. She then glanced at the man in the group and tugged his sleeves. "Brother Nikolai..." She pouted and raised her eyes that were glittering with tears. 

Nikolai felt pity for the woman and patted her hair slightly, he then glanced at his wife and spoke, "What Jess spoke was true. I know that you liked kids especially when ours died. But Jess can't handle the burden anymore." 

  Aby glanced at her husband and her face turned sad, she then rubbed her tummy. Indeed, what he told was true. If only their child didn't die... but she couldn't return to the past, her baby was now long gone. 

Grief.... she turned it into motivation to teach other  children and care for them. It was like seeing her child before her, grow and become independent.