Zombie at 17

When I was 10, my sister was killed

in front of me. My life was never the same after that.

And now, 9 years later,

my life has taken another turn.

It's become a living nightmare.

Amber! Amber, January 25th.

Died in a hit and run.

Driver's name was... Ron Wilson.

We were walking home from... from where?

Mrs. Cole's house, the neighbor's.

We were hit by a car driven by Ron Wilson.

We had just left Mrs. Cole's house after dropping...

- Tia! Tia! - She was 17. She died.

- What are you doing out here? - I...

- I wasn't feeling well. - It's like 10 below.

- Aren't you freezing? - Yeah. I... I... just...

I just thought that the cold air would help.

- Are you gonna throw up? - I thought I was. I'm okay now.

You're not pregnant, are you?

I know you said you and Connor aren't having sex yet,

- but if you are, you can tell me. - No.

I just feel like you've been acting different lately.

We're not. I'm not pregnant. I think it was something I ate.

Well... Mr. Meyer saw you outside the window

and asked me to come check on you. Do you...

- feel like you can go to class? - Yeah.

Every day, it gets harder and harder to be normal,

to act normal. I can hear things,

smell things, taste things a hundred times stronger

than I ever could. At the same time,

I can feel my brain dying.

My memories are slipping away one by one.

The older ones are the hardest ones to hang on to.

This means, pretty soon,

all my memories of my sister Amber will be gone

and I can't let that happen.

I started keeping a journal to record

everything that was going on,

but with my sharpened sense of hearing,

it was becoming more difficult

to concentrate.

Emory!

- Can't you read? - I can read better

than you can spell!

- Why did you do that? - I'm trying to concentrate

- on homework. - You can't even hear it!

I'm gonna tell Mom you're bullying me. Now, get out!

Oh! Hey, sweetie!

I brought you chicken home for dinner.

How are you?

You still look a little tired.

Don't worry, Mom. I'm just going

to the library to study. It's hard to concentrate here.

Is Emory bothering you again?

He just doesn't understand how important this year is

- for you getting into college. - No. He wasn't bugging me.

I just... I'm distracted.

The roads are slick. I'd rather you stay home.

Mom, I'll be careful. We talked about this last week.

I know. I know. It's just...

It's just sometimes still hard seeing you walk out the door.

I sometimes still see her leave.

I'll be fine.

Get home early.

I will. I love you.

I love you too. Oh! You forgot your coat again.

- Hey! - Hey.

- Bye. - Bye!

It's been tough trying to hide my condition from my mom.

I know that she's worried about me.

She's obsessed that something is going to happen to me

like it did with my sister,

but I don't have the heart to tell her it already has.

Is it that hard to get some new books?

I spend half of my time trying to be a normal teenager.

Spend time with my boyfriend Connor,

study... I still play basketball.

The other half, I spend researching.

Trying to find a cure for my... condition.

- Hey, babe! - Hey!

- Why are you whispering? - I'm in the...

- the library studying. - So...

you still want to come around tomorrow night, right?

Seems like you haven't been feeling too good lately.

Yeah, of course.

I already told you I wanted to make your favorite meal.

Would your feelings be hurt if I suggested something else?

- Like what? - Well...

Jason can get us into Draxen Club with him and Sammy.

You have to be 21.

Not if the bouncer owes you a favor.

What do you think? You said you wish we could go there. We could double date.

Um... Yeah, sure.

It's... it's your day so it's your choice.

Of course, I'll be there. I want to spend your birthday with you.

Great. Awesome. I'll see you tomorrow at school.

This is gonna be awesome, by the way!

- Yeah. - I love you, babe.

Because everything Jason does is awesome.

- Happy birthday, babe! - Best.

Birthday. Ever.

Look who's at the bar! It's Riley.

Riley?

You met him at the mini mart that one day.

- You don't remember? - No.

OK, let's go say hi.

Riles, Hey!

Connor, man! How are you doing?

- What's up? - I'm good, man.

- Tina, right? - Close. Tia.

Right. Nice to see you again.

Let me buy you guys a drink. Huh?

- A couple of beers is good. - Alright.

How did you guys get in here? A couple of fake IDs?

- No. My buddy Jason got us in. - Jason?

Jason Ellzey. He's here with his girlfriend Sammy.

- Do you know him? - Yeah, yeah.

I know him. Just those two beers.

- You can cash me out. - Are you leaving?

Yeah. I actually have work early in the morning.

- My girlfriend does too, so... - Hey!

Check to who Connor's talking to.

Interesting that he can afford a night out,

but he can't seem to pay you the 3 grand he owes you.

Let's say hi!

Riley.

Hey. What's up?

Hey, sorry! The bathroom line was super long.

Hey, babe. Um, Connor, Tia, this is my girlfriend Jasmine.

- And this is Jason and his girlfriend Sammy. - Hello.

- Hey... Another round! On me. - Don't worry about it. We were actually

- just on our way out. - Come on! It's early!

- Girl time. Let's go dance. - OK.

Well, these beers are going right through me.

- I'm gonna go to the bathroom. - It's over there, man.

Look, I'm gonna be real. I'm offended.

I was there for you when you came to me and needed help.

And then, I see you out here clubbing it up

with your girl. It's almost like you don't feel

responsibility to pay me back in a timely manner.

Jason, that is a hundred percent not true.

Things been really tough lately.

Look, it's Connor's birthday, OK? I'm here with my girl.

Can we just talk about this another time?

Let's go have a cigarette.

You're still driving that blue Mustang?

- Yeah. - Great.

Sign it to me, we'll call it even.

What?

Where are the pink slips? At your house?

Dude, I'm not signing my car over to you.

That's crazy! I told you I'd get you your money.

Crazy?

No... I didn't...

I didn't mean crazy. I just...

That car is worth like 8 grand. I owe you 3.

Perfect. You can sell it to me for 5.

Look, I gotta go, OK?

- Itaking this seriously! - What the hell? Get off me!

You don't take advantage of people who help you!

Get up, brother. Come on, Riley!

Riley?

Riley?

Shit!

Hey, uh... Where's Riley?

I don't know. We were just over by the bar

and then he took off to take a call.

So, how long have you two been together?

- Just a few months. - How about another round?

You know what? I think I'm gonna go see

where Riley snuck off to.

Hey, Sammy... Let's go dance.

What's going on? You're acting weird.

- Something is wrong with Riley. - What?

We were outside having a smoke, talking about the money

and then he copped an attitude, and so I punched him.

I knocked him to the ground and then I kicked him and then he just...

started coughing up blood and... I don't know what to do.

Okay, where is he?

He's out back in the alley.

Okay, this isn't my fault, alright?

I didn't mean to do it!

He's alive, right?

He's dead.

Come on.

Emory! Emory! Emory! Oh, God!

Look at me! Oh, my God!

You brat!

Woah! What did you do to your eyes?

What did you do to your eyes?

What is going on down here?

He scared the crap out of me! He was just laying here in the dark with this fake blood.

- Emory! - It's just rubber.

Dylan brought it to class yesterday.

Emory, what in the world are you doing? It's not funny!

- Go to bed. - Jeez, none of you can take a joke.

Why don't you ask Tia about her eyes?

I have no idea what he's talking about.

- Hey! - Hey!

What's up? Is something... wrong?