Beyond the Sleep

By Keearna Westcott

Samantha Bailey is a sixteen year old girl who starts her day off like any regular teen, but soon judgment day will be arriving and something will happen to the people around her. People will start to crave the strange dish of flesh and blood, they will get less intellectual and the crave will drive them insane. Samantha is a survivor and a fighter, her parents built her strong, but did they keep something from her about this unknown strength that just might push Sam past her breaking point, will she do something that she will regret?

BEYOND THE SLEEP isn't your regular zombie apocalypse survival novel, it has a twist and a plot like no other. Beyond the Sleep is a new amazing novel from a young upcoming Aussie writer and is one of those books you cant put down, all I can say is, happy reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Jul 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514497760

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Keearna Westcott.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 07/21/2016

Xlibris

1-800-455-039

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CONTENTS

Special Thanks

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Epilogue

Special Thanks

I would like to thank my English teacher Mr King; for encouraging me to do my best and assisting me in the editing process that helped to complete this novel.

I would also like to thank my parents for their support and my friends for their wonderful encouragement.

Thank you Xlibris for everything you guys have done.

CHAPTER 1

Friday, December 21st, 2012

It’s summer here in Australia, the sun shines through my window and the brightness burns my eyes.

I rolled over and looked at the alarm clock next to my bed; it read 7:47 in the morning. I hope I’m not late for school, again.

I walked into the bathroom and brushed my short brown hair with a comb.

Nature called so I went to the toilet and washed my face and hands in the basin, cleaning the gunk out of my eyes in the process.

I applied my makeup, going by my daily routine. I decided to go with a hot pink lipstick for today, I think the bright colours displayed on my face will add some colour to the dreary and dead environment of wilting plants outside.

I applied clear lip gloss on top of my pink lips then went back into my room. Placing my lip gloss down on my desk I started to put my school clothes on.

I started with my navy blue polo shirt and then moved on to my navy blue school skirt, I grabbed some random odd socks and pulled them on my feet.

Where are they? I spoke aloud to myself as I tried to look within my messy room for my black converse sneakers.

I looked at my phone; it read 8:30am.

Shit I spoke aloud, school started 5 minutes ago.

I looked under my bed and about a minute or so later I found one of my shoes. I then looked down in the bottom of my walk in wardrobe.

Ah ha I almost shouted as I pulled my other shoe out from under my pile of worn out sneakers.

I pulled my shoes on my feet and laced them up. I grabbed my bracelets and rolled them down my left hand to sit on my wrist.

Grabbing my necklace as I passed my shelf I speed walked to the lounge room to ask my mother for some bus and lunch money.

I did my necklace up letting it hang on my neck, the cross hung at the middle of my chest.

I had just reached the entry to the lounge room when I heard the news report.

Coming up next were going to learn about the history of the Myan calendar which is on this upcoming Sunday, people are starting to call it judgment day. We’ll hear more about that right after the break, I’m Brody McNeil and this, is 7 News

What a load of bullshit I found myself speaking aloud, frightening my mother. She slightly jumped and pulled the blanket she was snuggled in down so she could point the remote at the television, turning it off she turned to me with a tear down her cheek.

Mum? I questioned wondering what was wrong, I waited for her answer.

My mother sniffled; she pulled a tissue up to her nose and blew in it.

I’m just worried Sammy my mother started to cry.

I hugged her and tried to calm her.

Mum you can’t seriously believe in this crap? I questioned her beliefs.

I don’t I just feel so tired and I think I’m coming down with something my mother assured me.

I placed my right hand palm down on her forehead.

Mum your burning up there was a long silent pause maybe I should stay home and take care of you I tried to talk my mum into letting me stay home and nurse her back to good health.

No, no, no, Samantha Bailey, you will go to school and you will stop worrying about me my mum tried to sound strict, but only managed to sound tired, worn out and sick.

No mum I really think I should stay with you I tried again.

NO my mum shouted.

Ok I’m sorry I added quickly.

There is fifty dollars in my wallet you can use that, but don’t forget to give me the change, now go my mum tried to send me away.

But mum. What if you get worse? I tried again, like they say third times the charm.

Sam, I’m fine, I won’t get worse my mum sounded annoyed.

What If you do? I questioned, almost pushing my luck.

Then I will go to Pattie’s next door and ask for help. You go to school for an education, time away won’t do you any good! my mum ended the conversation.

Please, just text me if you need anything I pleaded.

I will, now go you’re really late, have a good day mum said.

I walked back into my bedroom to grab my school bag, thinking about my mum. I tried to ignore the worry I had for her as I walked back out of my room and grabbed the fifty from my mum’s wallet.

I walked into the lounge room to say good bye, See you after school mum I love you.

Bye sweetie, I love you too, be safe my mother replied looking as if she’d doze off.

I turned to walk away, but looked back at her worryingly, she had already dozed off.

‘I hope she’s alright’ I thought to myself.

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I swiped my bus card and got on the bus, my phone now reads 9:25am. I’m really late, if only I could stop worrying about my mother.

It was now only the late arrivals that were present on the bus. I ride the 587 every day to school. Since there were only about 5 or 6 other students on the bus, I decided to sit in the back, listening to my music and giving no one my attention.

When I arrived to school it was already the end of first period. I walked into the front office to collect a late note from the receptionist. She didn’t once look at me when she typed up and printed a note for my teacher, it was a daily thing for her. I was always late.

My next class consisted of paint and pastels. I’m not really the painting type, I just like to draw.

It is now 12:35pm, lunch time. I grabbed my bag off of the floor from under my desk and started walking towards the cafeteria.

When I arrived at the cafeteria there was only a short line, so I jumped in while I had the chance.

I met up with my friends at our usual spot on the oval, we sat at a metal picnic bench were everyone laughed and talked, some over others.

The friends I sat with were, Jorjia, Scarlet, Tyler, Tyson, Dylan, Jace, Annabelle and Amber, and this was only some of my friends.

I would totally defend all these people if someone were to start on them.

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It’s afternoon and I’m walking home with Annabelle and Amber because they live around the same area as I do.

About 10 minutes away from my house I received a text from my mother.

‘Hey honey, I’ve gone to the hospital because something happened and don’t worry I should be fine once they get the results back from the tests. I will have to stay the night so you will be home by yourself dear, you are 18 sweetie your old enough to take care of yourself. Invite a few friends over if you like to keep you company. I left some emergency money on top of the fridge in the biscuit jar and the hospital number is written on an envelope at the computer desk.

I immediately grew worried, but tried not to think about it.

When I got home I went straight to the fridge, being a teenager and all you just get hungrier than others.

What the hell? I muttered once I saw the contents within the fridge, yes the fridge was full of veggies and such, but nothing I felt like eating.

I turned to face the home phone, I then opened up my message box on my mobile phone and reread the message mum had sent me.

‘Yep I read it right, money should be on top of the fridge’ I thought to myself mischievously.

I replaced my mobile to my skirt strap. I grabbed a chair and placed it in front of the fridge. I stood on it one foot before the other; I opened the biscuit jar and pulled out the emergency money.

Holey shit! I whispered to myself as I pulled out a huge wad of cash.

I speed walked to the home phone and decided to get myself two pizzas and two bottles of coke.

I put the extra pizza and the full and still half full coke bottles into the fridge for another night.

After dinner I showered and readied myself for bed. Before turning my bedside lamp off, I checked my phone one last time.

No messages or missed calls, so I placed my phone back on the table, rolled over and tried to get some shut eye.

CHAPTER 2

Saturday 22nd December 2012

When I opened my eyes I knew I had slept in, I looked at my clock, 12:30pm I sat up in my bed and stretched my arms out over my head.

I checked my phone, all I had was Facebook notifications and a few texts from friends who were wondering what I was doing this weekend, nothing from mum.

Once I had showered and decided on what I was wearing for the day I paced the clear space within my room trying to figure out what it was that I wanted to do today.

After a few minutes of thinking, I looked at my dressing table near my bedroom door, there noticeably hidden inside a pair of socks was the money I had stashed before I went to bed.

An idea had sprung within my mind, but before I could act, my phone buzzed on my bedside table. I paced towards it and picked it up, with a swipe on the lock screen, I now had access to the message that I could now see was from an unknown number. Curiously I read the message, thinking that it must be a prank from someone at school.

‘Hey Samantha Bailey this is one of the nurses from the Peel Health Campus, my name is Trisha and I’ve sent you this