Army of True Salvation

The two girls were inside Shannara's room and the both of them sat on the bed, laughing heartily, as they shared a conversation. Despite being in a zombie apocalypse, they felt happy to have had this experience, like teenagers having their slumber party.

"I told you that wearing some of my clothes would look good on you! It's yours now," Shannara said and Sheloah giggled then thanked her. Both of their uniforms were dirty so after they took a bath, they changed their clothes, disposing their school uniforms. Both of the girls wore t-shirts and denim shorts, paired with rubber shoes.

"I seldom make friends actually. How ironic it is that during the zombie apocalypse, I have made one. We clicked instantly. What if your recklessness hadn't brought you here? I would still be alone," Shannara said and Sheloah smiled at her. Good things do happen unexpectedly.

"It just occurred to me… but how did you escape? Why are you alone? What happened, really?" Sheloah asked a series of question but Shannara still answered all of them patiently, being too detailed.

"I was actually at school and our teacher was in the faculty room. My father called me, telling me that I should go with him on his trip to Manila since he would be having his job there. He was too overprotective of me that's why wherever he went, I should always be there." When Sheloah heard this, she rolled her eyes at her. She couldn't understand why her father was being too overprotective.

"When I entered the car, my dad told me to wait for him because he had to get something. I looked around the car and then I saw a gun by the passenger's seat. This triggered my fear because when I was young, he had threatened me with a gun," Shannara continued and Sheloah's body froze.

'How could a father point a gun at his daughter?'

Sheloah realized that this experience was probably Shannara's experience during the first day of the apocalypse. People indeed have their own experiences in a different place, at the same time, during the start of the apocalypse.

"When I looked at why the people were running, I got curious as to why they were running away from people. But what really got my attention was why do they chase others? That's when I realized that those people chasing other people as if they were being targeted for life, aren't ordinary humans. They're zombies!"

Shanna's fists were clenched at this moment.

"So because of my fear, I went back inside the car, locking myself up, hoping that it would end. But there was one zombie who saw me before I entered the car so it kept banging its head on the car's window. This made me panic even more!"

Sheloah was hugging a pillow as Shannara narrated her story.

"I did not want to die so I got the courage to face my fear. I got the gun, my hands trembling and all, and when the window shattered, I tried my best to shoot the zombie down. It worked, though. I killed it." Shannara then held her lucky charm as she smiled sweetly.

"Maybe the lucky charm that my childhood friend gave me, saved me from harm. This one gave me the determination. When I was still living in Baguio, he gave me this when we graduated in elementary. He said it was his good bye gift and he told me to remember him. He told me that I should never give up," Shannara said as she looked at her lucky charm, sweetly.

"So you're also from Baguio before you stayed here in Pangasinan," Sheloah commented and Shannara nodded at her.

"My childhood friend's also my first love, y'know? Until now. Unrequited love, I suppose," Shannara added and Sheloah laughed at her.

"As they say, right? First love never dies," Sheloah commented and Shannara laughed.

Shannara also asked for her story so Sheloah narrated hers, and how they arrived in Pangasinan. After Sheloah told her story, Shannara told her that it was fate that brought them together. She also commented that even in the big world, it seemed small because they also came from the same city and they had a lot of things in common.

Sheloah looked at Shannara with concern. "Well since you're alone, would you like to join our group?"

Shannara's eyes widened when she heard this. Of course, she said yes! She felt really alone and hopeless when she was all alone. She thought that she had little chances of survival and with the days that she had survived alone, Shannara knew that it was purely because of luck. Now that Sheloah's with her because she saved her, she's happy to know that she was invited to go with their group.

"Is it okay, though?"

Sheloah laughed at her as if she said something stupid. "Of course! What kind of question is that?"

Shannara smiled at her. "Thank you."

Sheloah was talking about Army of True Salvation when suddenly, she was interrupted by Shannara.

"Wait… how about you? Do you have someone you like?"

Sheloah coughed when she heard the question. This is a typical girl's topic! It had been long since someone asked her that since most of the people she knows, knew about her liking Veon.

"Yes." She answered her question anyway. "I fell in love with my best friend," she added and Shannara giggled like a typical teenage girl.

"What's with the guy, then?" Sheloah smiled sweetly as she described the guy she fell in love with.

"He's tall, kind, sporty, a music lover… and we have the same hobbies like watching anime and playing games." She just said little details about him and Shannara nodded as she commented.

"So you're a gamer-otaku type of person. Maybe that's one thing that we don't have in common," she said and Sheloah laughed slightly. "Do you still have more reasons why you fell for him?" Shannara asked another question and Sheloah held her chin as she answered.

"Hmm… all I could say is that we're so close with each other! I confessed to him just recently and even though he rejected me, he's still kind towards me. Other boys would've forgotten about the friendship so I'm lucky that he didn't disregard ours," Sheloah said and Shannara nodded enthusiastically.

"But isn't it frustrating, though!? He rejected you but he's still sweet and caring," Shannara said as she squinted her eyes and Sheloah sighed in agreement.

"You're right. It's annoying at times. He worries too much like he's my boyfriend but he's not even my boyfriend." Shannara laughed out loud when she heard what Sheloah said.

Their moment was ruined when they heard a loud bang towards the main door of Shannara's house. Both of them suddenly stood up. Sheloah got her katana and Shannara picked up her guns. Shannara had given Sheloah some bullets and had reloaded her gun.

The two of them nodded at each other as the two of them walked slowly towards the house's main door.