Undead Rising

by Sharon Lee Johnson

  Zombies Among Us

  Undead Rising

  Episode One

  Sharon Lee Johnson

  Zombies Among Us Undead Rising Episode One Copyright February 2021 Sharon Lee Johnson

  All Rights Reserved.

  No other part of the book may be reproduced in any other form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

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

  Warning! Warning! Warning!

  Do not go to the hospital, medical clinic, pharmacy and do not go to the police!

  Don’t tell anyone!!!!!

  You will be taken away and never seen or heard from again.

  There is no cure. There is no hope.

  Deal with it!

  See you in the Hoard

  Friday Morning/Day One

  Thank God it is Friday. I have the weekend off and I don’t plan on sleeping at all this weekend. I just have to get through today. I have to work with snooty Sienna, and you know that she will be at the party this weekend, flaunting her huge engagement ring. I can’t believe that Theo is dumb enough to marry her. Her father must have made him a good deal.

  No I am not jealous. Theo and I are just friends, but he sold out. I am going to do my best to avoid him at the party. I am hoping to see Gavin there, but I am sure Sadie will do something stupid to get me side tracked. Well, I have to go to work. I am going to try and get someone to take my shift over. I should have gone to college, but no, I discovered alcohol instead and am not having as much fun as I thought I would. It is not like I am a prude nor have morals, I just want some guy to appreciate me and not just use me for sex, if that too much to ask? I had sex with Theo and what did he do? He dropped me like a hot potato and went where the money was. Sienna, the gorgeous blonde with the perfect figure.

  I am not even sure Gavin looks at me that way. He is too busy working on cars than to take me on a date. Oh well….Gotta go to work.

  I stood at my register and couldn’t stop looking at the clock. Sienna was on the register in front of me. She is the store manager of Harvest Marketplace. I am already tired of looking at her long blonde perfect straight hair. She likes to check some days. She thinks it helps to relate to the help better. Trust me, it doesn’t/

  Then after every customer, Sienna turns to me, flashing the engagement ring. “What are you wearing to the party? The same outfit you always wear to all the parties. I keep telling you that you should let me taking you shopping, I could make Gavin notice you the moment you walk into that party. I have the perfect outfit for you. Want to come over and see the dress?”

  I pointed. “You have a customer.”

  Sienna turned around. “Let me know. Bring your little friend, what is her name?”

  “Sadie. Yes, we will be there.”

  I couldn’t believe that I agreed to let Sienna of all people to help me. I knew I never had a chance with Theo; he was always out of my league. He went away to college and he and Sienna were inseperatable. Could that clock move any slower?

  I found a high schooler to take my last four hours. I stopped at the garage, where Gavin worked; as usual he was under a car, with only his work boots sticking out from under the car. I kicked the bottom of his boot.

  Gavin rolled out from under the car. “Hey sweetie. Why are you not at work?”

  “I gave my last hours to a high schooler. Want to go to lunch?” I knew the answer before Gavin answered.

  “I have to finish this car. If you are going to get something for yourself, could you bring me back something?” Gavin said.

  I took a hold of Gavin’s arm. “How did that happen?”

  Gavin looked down the deep cut on his arm. “Yea, I did that earlier. .”

  I reached out and touched the cut. “It needs to be cleaned out. It is going to get infected.”

  Gavin smiled and leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “You are always worried about me. I have to get back to work.”

  I smiled. “Sure. You going to the party tonight? I have the entire weekend off.”

  Gavin was already under the car, with only his boots showing. Gavin didn’t answer me, which is nothing unusual. I am used to being ignored by men. First by Theo and now by Gavin. Why do I even bother?

  So far my weekend is not going according to plan. I just want some alone time with Gavin when he is not working on a car or looking at someone else’s car. I turned and walked out of the garage.

  My phone rang and was thrilled that it was Sadie, Finally a friendly voice. “Sadie, calm down. I don’t understand what you are saying. Just come over. You are not making any sense.”

  I stopped at Lacey’s café for a salad, and no I did not get Gavin anything. Tonight is the last straw. If Gavin ignores me at this party. I am moving on. I am tired of being the nice girl and being used and walked on. I will be just fine without a man. I am twenty five years old. It is time to get my act together and I am no longer going to be used by someone who takes me for granted.

  Is it too much to ask for just one fun weekend that I will remember the rest of my life? I want to have some fun.

  I was eating my salad when Sadie walked in. Sadie was the fun one. We had been best friends since grade school.

  Sadie walked in. Her mascara was smeared all over her face. Her hair was a bit disheveling. Her shoulder length hair was pulled back in a pony tail, missing strands of hair.

  I watched her walk over to the table. I didn’t get up, but she was scary and I didn’t know what was going on. “Are you okay?”

  “Do I look okay? Do you know what happened to me today?” Sadie asked.

  “No.” I answered.

  “That is because you had your phone turned off. I have been calling you all day. I needed a ride. I needed my best friend and she was nowhere to be found. Because she is sitting eating a salad from Lacey’s and didn’t even bother to call me and see if I wanted to join her. So here I am. Look at me!”

  I didn’t move. I still had no idea what Sadie was talking about.

  Sadie sat down taking my salad. She pulled the scarf that was around her neck off. “I have a red mark on my neck. Do you know what that means?”

  I sat staring at my salad that Sadie was now eating. “I still don’t know what you are talking about.”

  Sadie pulled out of an article from a magazine. “I have the infection. I am going to turn into a Zombie. What is the point of living, if I am just going to be a Zombie? I should have just done what you did; least you have a social life and a boyfriend. I am going to be a Virgin Zombie. This is so not fair.”

  “When did you get the red mark? I asked.

  “I woke up with it. As the day passed, the rash is brighter red and is getting bigger. This is the first sign that I am going to turn. So while you are partying all weekend, I will be turning into a Zombie and could possible eat you.”

  I did my best not to laugh. “A red mark is the first sign of the infection?”

  “Have you not been listening? It is all over social media. What have you been doing?”

  I went to the frig and pulled out two cans of soda, placing one in front of Sadie. I flipped the metal tab and took a drink. “You coming to the party? Sienna said that she would help us get ready, make up, hair and even an outfit.”

  Sadie walked around the table. “We hate Sienna. Sienna stole your boyfriend. Why are you listening to her now?”

  “I want to have some fun tonight. Look at us. We have no sense of
style. I want Gavin to notice me as a woman and not just a friend who brings him lunch.”

  Sadie wrapped the scarf around her neck. “Might as well go. Might be the last night I am a human being.”

  “I am sure Sienna can cover up the rash with some makeup.” I said.

  “You make fun of me now, but you just wait. What if others are infected at the party? We need to have a plan.” Sadie said.

  “I know that I am going to regret asking, but do tell what is going to happen once the rash appears?”

  Sadie scooted the chair closer to me. “It starts with a rash, tomorrow or so, red marks might appear on the chest area. I will start looking pale, black lips and start walking with a limp; it will be harder to walk.”

  I did my best not to laugh as Sadie explained, knowing that she was serious. “How long is the process? In movies Zombies can turn within minutes after they die. Don’t you have to die first to become a Zombie?”

  Sadie jumped out of the chair. “You are not listening! This is not a movie. I am telling you, this is happening all over the world. There is an infection of some type. It starts with a bug bite, spider bite or from an open wound, a scratch to let the infection in.”

  “I am sorry Sadie, but look at you? You might not be a Zombie, but if I didn’t know you, I would say you were drunk or on something. How did you hear about this?”

  “I told you. The article in the magazine. Wait. There is a video.”

  I waited for Sadie to dig her phone out of her purse. She stood next to her as we watched the video.

  There was a young couple. “We are here to warn you. There is an infection that is out there. It is air borne or can travel through bugs spiders. We are not sure yet how we got infected, but infected we are. The government is not talking about it, but we are walking proof. We don’t have much time. First we had a bright red mark on our body. We didn’t think anything about it, just thought it was a bug bite or something. The next morning we had red marks on our chest.”

  The man pulled off his tee shirt, exposing red marks, that look like pimples on his chest. The woman help out her arm, where the rash started and now her entire arm was now a bit swollen and bright red.

  The woman lowered her arm. “We went to the emergency room. They looked at the rash and the red marks on his chest and before we knew it, there were five doctors in the room, examining us. Nurses came in with hap hazard gear on and put us in isolation. We had no say. We could not leave. They took samples of our blood, took x rays and we spent three days in quarantine.”

  The man looked straight into the camera. “The only way we got out of that hospital, is we ripped off her hazard gear and bit her. We are now wanted. We are recording this, because we want to warn to the world. Isolate yourself. There is no cure. If you are caught, you will be an experiment for the government. We are on day five. So far we are okay, but I don’t think we are getting better. We have to go. Good Luck.”

  Sadie turned the video off. “Now do you believe me?”

  I didn’t know what to think. Did I believe Sadie? Absolute not. Sadie is my best friend, so I am not going to label her crazy, not just yet.

  “So what do you want me to do?” I asked.

  Sadie dropped her phone into her purse. “I don’t know. I am scared. What if I am infected?”

  “What if you are not infected? What if you just scratched yourself? What if it is gone tomorrow?”

  Sadie sat down. “I know that it sounds crazy, but it is all over the internet.”

  I finished the salad. “So were videos with people dumping ice cold water over their head. That lasted a week or so and then there was another video of someone doing something stupid. It doesn’t mean that it is going to happen to you. It doesn’t proof that there is an air borne virus. They had a rash. They probably made it up. You really need to shut your phone off once in awhile.”

  Sadie wiped her eyes, smearing mascara over her face. “I know you are right. How did I get this rash on my neck? It looks I had someone sucking on my neck. Which I didn’t. Everyone will see it at the party tonight. They will think that I did something I vowed not to do, until I was married.””

  “We will cover it up with makeup. You think Sienna looks that good without makeup? It takes a lot of time and work to make Sienna look that good, when she goes outside.”

  “Okay. I am sorry. Why is Lydia the one having the party? Isn’t she still on parole?” Sadie asked.

  I smiled. “She is on parole, but her parents said she could have the party as long as everyone behaves themselves. They hired private security to avoid things getting out of hand, so the police won’t have to be called.”

  “Guess they have to spend their money on something. You know, I went out for my morning jog this morning and I just wore a tank top and shorts. Something could have bit me.”

  “See, there you go. You are fine. I am fine and we are going to have Sienna work her magic on both of us. Though I know she is up to something. She is not doing this out of the kindness or her heart. We are going to owe her.”

  “I’m good with that. It is not like we have anything she wants.” Sadie said.

  I will never get tired of going to rich people’s houses. I know I will never own such a grand place. It is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t live in such a big house. To many rooms, staircase. It there was a killer in the house, it would be hard to find them. Falling down the stairs, cleaning all the bathrooms. I like the simpler things in life, but I like to see how the other half live.

  The large brick home was impressive, with pillars on the long white porch with white wooden rocking chairs lined up. I wonder if the people live here really sit on the porch and rock in the rocking chairs while having a drink after dinner or if it was just for show.”

  I climbed the steps up to the porch. There was a maid at the door, before I had time to knock. Dressed in a maid outfit, she held the door open for us. I walked into the entry way.

  Sienna was standing on the top of the stairs. “Come on up.”

  I looked at Sadie. “Ready?”

  Sadie nodded.

  I walked up the grand staircase. I was afraid to touch anything. I didn’t want to smudge anything, as everything was so clean and shining.”

  Sienna was gracious and nice. She was up to something. Her long blonde hair fell past her shoulders. She was wearing a tank top and shorts. She looks good in anything. Me? I don’t consider myself fat, but I am a bit frumpy. Not like I have anyone to impress.

  “I have a few options for both of you. Sadie, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

  “Likewise.” Sadie said.

  Sienna’s room was bigger than my entire apartment. She had a bed, a chair, a love seat, a makeup desk, a regular desk. I watched her walk over to her closet and opened the door. I had to see what her closet looked like.

  I was speechless. “Your closet is larger than my bedroom.”

  Sienna laughed. “Isn’t it grand?”

  I could only nod. I walked into the closet, looking at all the shoes, purses, and even had a jewelry case in the middle of the room. I looked for Sadie, who didn’t come in with me.

  I walked out of the walk in closet and saw the clothes on the bed. I looked at Sienna and Sadie. “I can’t wear any of these. I want Gavin to notice me, not to attack me. I would look a whore.”

  Sadie walked over, messed with my hair. “You will look like the woman you are, both of you. We all are in our mid twenties. The two of you need to start dressing like you are a woman, not hanging out at some bar.”

  “My clothes are comfortable.” I said in my defense.

  “You are wearing faded jeans, and an over sized tee-shirt. You are hiding your figure and your best features. If you want Gavin to notice you, you have to give him something to look at.”

  I laughed. “This was a mistake. I thank you for your offer, but no way am I going to wear that.”

  I started walking out of the room when I heard Sadie say, “I don’t want to die
a virgin.”

  I turned around. “You are not going to die a virgin.”

  “If the two of you wear what you are wearing right now, neither one of you are going to get any action. You will blend in and no one will approach you. I don’t want to be mean, but this is your night. The two of you need to step up and grab what you want.” Sienna said.

  I heard myself saying. “I do have the entire weekend off.”

  Sadie walked over and picked up a red dress and held it in front of me. “Gavin’s favorite color.”

  I laughed. “How do you know that?”

  Sienna walked over, “It will be his favorite color once he sees you in that dress.”

  I looked in the mirror and held up the dress to me. I never dreamed of exposing that much of my body to anyone, let alone, to everyone that I went to high school with and the people I work with. “I will look like a fool. I can’t even walk in heels.”

  Sienna sat on the edge of the bed. “How do you think I got Theo’s attention?”

  I turned and looked at Sienna. Wasn’t sure if I wanted to listen to her or smack her.

  “The night that Theo and I got together I wore a skimpy dress, lots of makeup and my hair big and he hasn’t strayed from me since. It takes a lot of work to keep a man.”

  I laughed. “Could explain why Gavin takes me for granted.

  Sadie picked up another dress. “I am going to put my trust in Sienna. Tonight I will not be a wall flower. Tonight I want to be the talk of the party.”

  “Let’s get busy. Who is first?” Sienna asked.

  I let Sadie go first. This was all a bit overwhelming and Sienna hasn’t asked for anything in return and that has me worried.

  While Sienna was showing Sadie outfits, I turned around seeing someone in a cape and mask and wasn’t wearing anything else, climbing though the window. I starting laughing as he climbed into the bedroom and struck a pose, exposing himself for all of us could see.

  I started laughing. “Theo?”

  Theo covered himself with his cap. “What the Hell Sienna? You said you were not doing anything this afternoon?”