searching the scene for clues as to what might have happened.
I decided not to be too conspicuous and swiftly walked along the sidewalk. I did not even glance at the police when I passed the crime scene and hurried over to Richard’s house.
When I got to their house, I found myself running up to the front door and banging on it with my fist.
What was going on with me? Calm down. I took a moment to compose myself and then the front door opened. Richard’s dad smiled relieved when he saw my worried face.
“I knew you would come back.” James said, “Come in.”
He stepped aside and I entered the house. He shut the door and led me into the kitchen.
“Richard has already left for school.” James said.
“Tell me what you know.” I insisted.
James walked over to the kitchen table, pulled up a chair and sat down. He motioned for me to sit and I sat down across the table from him. He seemed calm while I was freaking out. Why was he so calm?
“I killed a man last night.” I said horrified.
James just stared at me with his calm expression.
“What you killed last night was not a man.” James said, “It was an undead.”
“An undead?” I asked confused.
“The walking dead.” James said, “Someone that came back from the dead – a zombie.”
“A zombie?” I asked half cynical.
The word zombie was a bit far-fetched. Believing in Santa was one thing, but zombies?
“Science fiction had no word to describe the walking dead,” James said, “So they invented the word zombie, but the undead is not a new thing. The Seekers of Life along with their slayers have been battling the undead since the death of Christ.”
What he was saying was all too much for me to take in. Zombies? Walking dead? Really? It all sounded like make believe monsters.
“A slayer is born into every generation.” James said, “And they are our only hope against the undead. When the slayer is born an undead invasion is imminent. I’ve been looking for you since the day you were born. I’ve travelled all over the country hoping to find you one day.”
I was actually starting to believe what he was telling me. All my life I felt like I was destined for more than just an ordinary life. But how did he know I was born when he started searching for me? How did he know where to find me?
“So I am a slayer?” I asked, “The chosen one?”
“Yes.” James said, “When a slayer is in the presence of the undead he has unfathomed powers; speed unlike any other, the strength of ten men and the inability to feel fear. Why do you think you could kill a man with one blow? I watched you. I had to make sure it was not a coincidence. You are the chosen one.”
I sat in silence for a moment. I was not sure how to react to such news. I always wanted to be special, but now I was not too sure anymore. Corpses coming back from the dead were a bit too much – sure I was a zombie fan, but I preferred my zombies to be in video games or movies not on my doorstep.
“So zombies are real?” I asked intrigued.
“Do you really think Hollywood came up with something like that?” James asked.
He probably had a valid point. I mean vampire stories were all based on Vlad the Impaler – AKA Vlad the Drinker of Blood, but he was never actually a vampire. He was just an insane Count.
“Does that mean vampires exist?” I asked.
“Don’t ask stupid questions.” James snapped, “Vampires do not exist. That is just something Hollywood want you to believe exist.”
“So what happens now?” I asked, “What do I do? What is expected of me?”
“You do what a slayer does best,” James said, “Make sure the dead stay dead. Now that you have killed your first undead, they will be able to sense you. The attacks will become more frequent. These creatures are not the mindless monsters movies want you to believe they are. There are subgenres of the undead. Class one is the highest; they can contemplate and strategize and will be much older than the others – they will come for you and try to stop you. Class two are ones that are turned into the undead by bite. They are mindless drones that kill out of the basic instinct to feed, but can be controlled by the Class one undead.”
Okay, I was pretty sure I don’t want to be special any more. Two types of undead creatures? What happened to the creatures Hollywood created? Why can’t I fight them?
“How do I kill them?” I finally asked.
“That’s the one part Hollywood got right.” James said, “Destroy the brain or remove the head.”
Destroy the brain or remove the head. What a horrid thought. I don’t think I could remove someone’s head – even if they were a flesh eating undead monster.
James glanced at his wrist watch.
“You’ll be late for school.” James said, “If you have any questions or need guidance, my door is always open.”
I stood up and pushed the chair back in. My head was overflowing with all the new information. I was not sure my brain could process it all.
“Oh and most important of all,” James said, “Don’t let any of Class One undead touch you.”
Why the hell would I let any of them touch me? I cringe at the idea of dead flesh touching my skin.
I nodded and left his house. The police were still busy on the crime scene further on up the road when I stepped out of James’s house.
I hurried to school. I had about ten minutes before the first class started. School was a few blocks away and I could still make it.
When I got to the school I was relieved to see kids still walking around on the school grounds. I had a few minutes to spare. I entered the main building and walked down the busy hallway towards the hallway of lockers. I had to get my books from my locker.
Just as luck would have it, Alex and his group of friends stood in front of my locker. I was not in the mood for him. Perhaps I should just leave the book and tell the teacher that I forgot it at home? It would be easier than confronting him.
I watched as a boy wearing a hoodie made the mistake I made the day before. He walked pass the group of jocks and brushed up against Alex – and Alex did not like it one bit.
“Hey!” Alex called out as the boy walked away, “Faggot! Apologize.”
The boy came to a halt, standing with his back towards Alex. This could become interesting. It seemed that the boy was ignoring Alex and this infuriated Alex even more.
“Hey!” one of the other Jocks called out, “Alex is talking to you.”
The jock walked over to the boy with the hoody and grabbed him by the arm. He spun the boy around. The boy lifted his head and looked at the jock. The boy’s face was as white as snow and his eyes as dark as night. The jock was horrified when he saw this and let go of the boy’s arm. Without warning the boy pounced onto the jock and pushed him to the floor. The undead boy took a big bite from the jock’s neck as he screamed in pain.
Everyone in the hallway disbursed screaming, except for me and Alex. Alex stood watching – frozen in fear. I felt no fear. It was as if something came over me. I knew exactly what I had to do in that split second of chaos.
I smashed the glass of the fire axe encasing behind me and grabbed the axe. With all the confidence in the world I walked through the sea of running and screaming kids. As I walked over to the undead boy eating the jock, I twirled the axe once or twice – for dramatic effect of course.
I walked pass Alex – he was still frozen in fear, so I winked at him just to show him that he was the useless one. I felt great in that moment. I showed Alex that he was not as cool as he thought.
I do not know where my axe fighting skills came from, because I sure as hell am not a violent person.
When I was in striking distance of the undead boy still devouring the jock, I swung the axe from down low – hitting him in the face. The impact sent the undead boy flying through the air and he came crashing down into a couple of lockers.
When the undead boy did not get up, I walk
ed over to make sure he would not get up again. I stared down at the corpse at my feet – he had a large gash across his face. He was not getting up again.
I heard a girl scream behind me so I turned around. The jock was back on his feet and charging towards me like an undead buffalo. Man, he was big… and covered in blood. He growled like the man from the night before as he rushed towards me, but my instincts as a slayer kicked in.
I jump-rolled out of the way and he slammed into the lockers. He tumbled to the ground, but got up again. It was only then that I got a good look at him. His eyes were dark and empty of all human emotion. He was definitely infected.
The jock screeched an unworldly scream and charged towards me. I twirled the axe again – for dramatic effect of course and as he came at me I slammed the axe into his neck. The blade sliced through his neck like it was a warm knife slicing through butter. The jock’s head toppled to the ground, followed by his lifeless, decapitated body.
When I was sure danger was averted, I lowered my axe and turned around. A large group of pupils had gathered at the end of the hallway. They all stood frozen in fear as they watched the entire ordeal. Alex stood a few feet in front of the group. He still did not move or speak – he wet his pants though.
I decided to hang onto the axe for a while and walked pass Alex – shoving my shoulder up against him as I walked by. He did nothing. He just stood there like a little baby. The crowd reacted differently from what I imagined. I expected cheering and chanting, but they all stood in silence. They all looked like they were afraid of me.
The crowd cleared a path when I approached. I heard some of the girls whispering as I walked by. I was not sure what they were whispering about, but I certainly got the attention of the entire school that day.
I have to admit; it felt good to be noticed for once even if it was for killing two students.
5
The police showed up in no time to cordon off the scene and question witnesses. Though I did not hear the testimonies of the other pupils, I am pretty sure most of them went like it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Zac is a real hero. He saved us from zombies!
I was question by the police as well. The interrogation was done in the principal’s office – in the absence of the principal.
Detective Black sat behind the principal’s desk writing down stuff in a file. The chair I sat in was enormous and made me feel small. I did not feel the confidence I felt while killing the undead. I felt uneasy. It was the first time in my life that the police questioned me about anything.
Detective Black finally looked up.
“You’re Zac Williams?” He asked in a monotonous voice.
I nodded and said “Yes.”
“What can you tell me about what happened?” He asked.
Where to begin? Should I tell him about the whole slayer of the undead thing? He’d probably not believe me anyway, so it would be best to keep it a secret.
“I don’t really know.” I said and shrugged my shoulders, “One moment everything was fine and the next this boy came out of nowhere and attacked that other guy.”
“You’re of course referring to Peter Small.” Detective Black said, “Did he attack Curtis Swift?”
I nodded, a bit unsure. I did not know them at all.
“I guess.” I said.
“You guess?” Detective Black asked.
“I mean I don’t know their names.” I said, “The little dude attacked the big dude.”
Detective Black seemed perplexed and shifted in his seat.
“And how did that happen?” Detective asked, “Curtis Swift is three times bigger than Peter Small.”
How should I know? Perhaps the undead have super human strength?
I shook my head and said, “I don’t know, but that is what happened.”
Detective Black nodded and wrote something down.
“The witnesses say you then grabbed an axe” Detective Black said, “And fought off the attacker.”
“Yes.” I said.
“And this is the part that
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