The adrenaline rushed through me. My lungs heaved and heart slowly stopped pounded in my chest and ears. It seemed so loud the people next door could hear it, but they were dead. I looked back at the floor, and saw my mother, well, the thing that was my mother, decapitated.
I looked at him, with so many questions in my eyes, but spoke only one thing….
“How did you kill her? I mean, she was dead! But, but, she wasn’t! She came back to life but it wasn’t her!”
“She became the undead dear. If you or I didn’t kill her, she would have killed us. It’s simple really…. Haven’t you seen a zombie flick or read a horror story before? Destroy the brain… destroy the zombie!” He explained with a glee in his eye.
“So what do we do now?” I asked him, expecting the worst.
“We get the fuck outta here. This isn’t a safe place, I haven’t seen a living person on this whole block and nightfall approaches in a few hours. “
“Okay, where will we go?”
“I have a place nearby that’s a solid brick house, it has a bunker we can stay in until tomorrow. Grab some food, and any weapons you can find. I don’t care if it is a decorative sword, it has a use. Once we get to my place, we can investigate how bad the situation has become and well….”
“Well what? That’s it? I mean… there has to be something we can do… isn’t there?” I could hear the fear in my words as I spoke them.
He grabbed me and pulled me close to him, peering into my eyes. “All we can do is save ourselves. I want you to promise me one thing… one thing only… that you will do as I say, when I say, and if one of those things bite me…. Kill me. Then sever my head. Trust me when I say that I would do the same to you.”
“I understand”, I say backing away a little. “I know that they aren’t who they were before they…” I gulped, “turned into one of those things.”
“Nightfall is approaching, if we don’t head off to my cellar now, than we won’t be able to leave tonight. We can travel if needed at night, but I don’t recommend it.” He started walking to the door. “It will all be clear to you soon, there are many things that you will learn, and hopefully, not the hard way. Grab your shit, I and I mean, something to arm yourself, and lets hit the road.”
“Should grab some clothes or…”
He cut me off.” Look, you don’t need a fucking wardrobe to fight zombies. The more time you sit here and think about your precious personal items, the less time he have to get the fuck outta here.”
What a dick. Fuck he just killed my mom and now he wants to chew me out for wanting to grab a change of clothes? Maybe he has a point but damn!
“Fine, look, I am not trying to piss you off. Let’s just go. If you look above my fireplace, you will find a hatchet, that’s the only thing I have that I can think of besides steak knives. Its on the way out, so it won’t delay us in getting to your place.”
“The hatchet will do, but I am surprised you don’t have any guns? Fuck it, nevermind, we need to go. Stay right behind me. I have a crowbar and a 35mm in my glove box. Always look around you, they could be anywhere. They may not move fast, but they move towards life. You forget to check your surroundings for a few seconds and those fuckers are three inches from ripping life right out of you. “ He said as we headed towards the door.
“Do you think these things will be outside? You said the block was quiet.”
“Quiet isn’t a good thing.” He turned the door handle and pushed me behind him.” Check every direction.” He stuck his head out the door, and then stepped out, grabbing my arm with him. “ Book it , we need to get in my truck now before we see anything.”
He unlocked the truck as we ran towards the driveway. I could see the sun in the horizon; the sky was a brilliant orange and purple. He hopped in and cranked the engine, as I slid in the passenger seat. “Pull out that 35 in the glove box. Do you know to fire a gun?”
“It’s been awhile, you got any ammo in here?” I asked reaching for the gun. He nodded, and smiled as I sized up the gun. He started backing out of the driveway. There was a box of ammo tucked underneath the papers. “You know, you could get in trouble for having a loaded concealed gun right?”
“Not like that matters now does it? I would be surprised if we actually ran into a pig that was even alive.” He had a funny smirk on his face, and squeezed my thigh. I wanted to just lay on him, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the road, and the houses down the street.
It was silent, not even dogs barking, no cars on the road, almost as if time had completely stood still. Never had I seen the neighborhood in such a mannerism.
“It is about a 10 minute drive if we are lucky. Keep your eyes peeled… you see anything, anything at all, just tell me. Oh and another thing….”
“Yeah baby?”
“ Don’t forget that I love you.”
I turned away and smiled, and looked at the street ahead.
Its about time he said it.....
