Dead Days Zombie Apocalypse Series (Season 5)

by Ryan Casey

  Crushed down on Riley’s voice box.

  Sent dagger-like pains shooting through his body.

  He pulled harder.

  Harder, until the creature’s neck clung on by a few stringy pieces of muscle.

  Head dizzying …

  Pulled harder as those remaining tendons split away, until the top of its spine was the only thing keeping its head attached.

  Arms tingling …

  And then Riley let go with his right hand.

  Pulled his hand back.

  Battled through the dizziness.

  Forced a fist.

  And he punched the creature’s spine.

  Hard.

  He wasn’t sure what to think at first, as the colours completely filled his vision, as the creature held onto him tightly.

  But when he heard something crack, heard something thump against the carpet, he knew exactly what had happened.

  He pulled the creature’s hands away. Gasped for air, still dizzy, still struggling. He grabbed the cabinet, his head aching and bleeding from the impact, and pulled himself up.

  The creature’s body was completely still.

  Its head—the head that Riley had torn away—snapped its teeth in Riley’s direction as it lay there on the floor.

  Riley wiped his hands on his shirt. Then he rubbed some of the burning stomach acid and tepid blood from his face. “Fuck you,” he said.

  The creature looked on, bodiless, pitiful.

  It looked up at Riley like it was begging him to put it out of its misery.

  Riley walked through to Alan’s bedroom. Walked over to the painting of the blue ocean, of the boats.

  “Sorry, Al,” he said.

  Then he punched the painting.

  Split it open.

  Tore the paper apart.

  A part of him wondered whether this was all some kind of stupid game to keep a disabled old man occupied. That Alan wouldn’t actually have any weapons, and Riley had come so close to death all for nothing.

  But when he saw what was hiding behind the idyllic painting, Riley couldn’t help but smile.

  “Alan Mixter,” he said, reaching in and pulling the wall-mounted M16 from its stand. He grabbed the box of ammo from beside it. It was already loaded, but extra ammo certainly did no harm. “Aren’t you a wolf in sheep’s clothing?”

  He stepped out of the bedroom, M16 in hand.

  Walked out into the corridor, ready to fight, ready to do his part, ready to do whatever it took to take down Mr Fletch, to take down his Orion army, to take back the MLZ.

  Take back their home.

  He took a left and headed towards the staircase.

  And then he stopped.

  Stopped, like someone had hit the pause button on reality.

  There was an Orion standing at the opposite end of the corridor.

  Grinning at him with its razor-sharp, blood-soaked teeth.

  Then, running at him.

  CHAPTER SIX

  TAMARA

  Tamara held her breath as the Orion entered the alleyway.

  Her heart raced. She felt pain in her stomach, right up to her chest. Burning pain. Like heartburn but much more intense, much more crippling. She knew it was her baby. She knew it was something to do with her child even though it was way too prematurely developed to be kicking out at her.

  But maybe that was the thing. Maybe Mr Fletch’s scientists had done something to her kid. Experimented with it. Turned it into something.

  A monster.

  A monster, just like the one darkening the narrow entrance to the alleyway with its shadow.

  A monster, just like the one sneering at her, growling at James, as they crouched there on the concrete slabs, screams and gunshots echoing all around them.

  “We need to go,” James whispered.

  Tamara knew he was right. They had to go. Had to get out of here. Had to get away. The Orion, it was getting closer. It was closing in. Soon, it’d leap through the air. Land on them. Tear them apart, just like its kind had with so many before them.

  Tamara and James, they weren’t special.

  They weren’t exempt from death in any way just because they were the centre of their own universe.

  They were just meat. Meat to be feasted on, just like everyone else.

  “Quick,” James said, standing. Tamara could feel his hand shaking as he tried to pull her up. “We really need to—”

  “My belly,” Tamara said. “I … I can’t—”

  “You have to.”

  Tamara took a deep breath in. The Orion got further down the alleyway. Just a matter of metres away now. It scratched its long fingernails into the brick walls. Sliced the stone away with the tiniest of scratches.

  Just like it’d slice at their stomachs.

  Rip open their insides.

  Pull them apart as slowly as it wanted to.

  Tamara put her hands on the damp cobbles. Steadied her breathing. She had to do this. She had to get up. Or she was fucked. Both of them were fucked.

  “Tamara we really fuckin’ need to—”

  “Okay!” she said. “Okay.”

  She breathed in.

  Ignored the decaying smell drifting closer.

  Three.

  Two.

  One …

  She pushed her hands into the ground to lift herself.

  Got halfway.

  Then the shooting pain bolted through her body again.

  Made every muscle in her chest weak.

  The taste of vomit building in her mouth.

  She fell back onto the cobbles face first, cracked her nose.

  “I—I can’t,” she said. “I just can’t.”

  The Orion growled. Made that low clicking sound. A clicking sound that echoed against the tall walls of the alleyway beside them. A sound that would haunt Tamara’s dreams forever—if she ever got the chance to dream again.

  “Hold it,” James said, wiping his hands and leaning over. “Just—just keep still.”

  He put his hands on Tamara’s sides.

  “What’re you doing?”

  “What’s it look like I’m doin’? Someone’s gonna have to lift you. And I’d rather me than that thing. You ready?”

  Tamara let James rest her stomach on his shoulder. She winced as the shooting pain returned, knocking her sick, sending her dizzy.

  “Sorry,” James said, pressure building as his shoulder dug further into Tamara’s ribcage.

  “It’s … it’s okay,” Tamara said. She didn’t mention the sick in her mouth. The sick that she’d spew all over James if he made one wrong move.

  “I’m gettin’ you outta here. We’re both gettin’ outta here. We’re—”

  “Then you’d better get a bloody move on,” Tamara said.

  James snorted. “Right. Right.”

  He lifted Tamara up completely, body shaking with every tensed muscle, and then he moved as quickly as he could down the alleyway.

  Tamara wanted to close her eyes as she rested on James’ shoulder, as she bounced around with every step.

  But no one could close their eyes when they were staring an Orion in the face.

  An Orion, getting closer.

  Watching her.

  Its sharp teeth so white that it looked like it was smiling.

  “Quick,” Tamara said.

  “I’m goin’ as bloody quick as I can.”

  “Sorry. Sorry.” She tried to keep her cool as James hurtled down the alleyway, his pace quickening with every footstep. And all the time, the Orion kept on following, kept on chasing. It was about eight metres away. Not going as quick as it could, as quick as Tamara had seen them move.

  But maybe it didn’t have to.

  Maybe that was the point.

  Toying with its prey.

  Enjoying some fun before the kill.

  “Shit!”

  Tamara felt James slip to the right. Had to stick her nails into his shoulder to keep gripping on.

  “You okay?”<
br />
  James puffed and panted. His movement was slower now. Riding on his shoulder was like playing one of Josh’s old video games, Josh telling his mum which way to turn and who to shoot to keep her on track.

  But she had no real control. Not really.

  Which made her more like Josh. Out of control. Guiding his mother.

  Nothing more than a spectator.

  “Keep going,” Tamara shouted, as James continued to move slowly. The Orion had made up half its distance after James’ slip. Just four metres away now. Four metres and getting closer. Walking. Just walking, but getting closer.

  Grinning.

  Toying with them.

  Glowing eyes filled with delight.

  Tamara stared into its eyes. “Please,” she muttered. “Please. We don’t mean any harm.”

  She waited for a shift in its eyes.

  Waited for it to view her with sympathy for just a moment.

  Waited for the human inside it to crack out of its monstrous shell.

  “Shit,” James said.

  He stopped.

  Completely stopped.

  Tamara turned. Looked around.

  She didn’t have to ask James what was wrong.

  There was a wall just on their left. A wall with a ladder running up it. Up to the top of the building.

  Nothing but solid brick on the walls beside it.

  A dead end.

  A complete dead end.

  “What—what do we—?”

  “Can you climb?” James barked.

  Tamara tried to stretch out her arms but the pain was still there. The burning. The aching. The splitting. “I—I don’t think I—”

  “Fuck,” James said, backing up to the wall, laying Tamara down beside him.

  The Orion just a couple of metres away.

  Blocking their view.

  Blocking their exit.

  Blocking all hope.

  “You—you should go,” Tamara said.

  “Fuck that,” James shouted. He grabbed her hand. His eyes were filled with tears. His cheeks were red. “I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

  “You shouldn’t just give up. Not just—just for me. Go. Please.”

  He looked like he was going to say something in return.

  Then he leaned in.

  Kissed her right on her lips.

  Didn’t matter that he tasted of sweat. Didn’t matter that the copper tang of blood was strong or that a peppermint wouldn’t go amiss to deal with his breath.

  The kiss eased Tamara’s pain.

  Eased her fears.

  Made everything okay, just for a moment.

  He pulled away. Stroked the back of Tamara’s head. Tears rolled down his cheeks. The shadow of the clicking Orion loomed over them. “I’m sorry,” he said.

  Tamara kissed him back.

  Enjoyed the moment once more.

  Pulled away and wrapped her arms around James.

  “You don’t have to apologise for anything. Not a thing.”

  They held one another as the Orion crouched down beside them.

  As its clicking growls filled their ears.

  As its hot drool dripped onto Tamara’s neck.

  Its sharp claws scratched at her skin.

  Its heavy hands lifted her. Pressed her up to the wall.

  Ripped away her shirt.

  Opened its mouth and pressed its sharp teeth against her belly.

  She didn’t close her eyes.

  She just looked into James’ eyes.

  Looked into James’ eyes and smiled.

  Die strong. That’s what she’d always believed. Don’t go out with a whimper. Don’t spend your last moment in misery. Because it’s your last moment. What a waste, to spend the last milliseconds of existence wallowing in fear, in self-pity.

  Go out positive, stay positive forever.

  She felt the Orion’s long, snakelike tongue wriggle against her belly.

  Felt its teeth pushing down harder, her skin splitting.

  And then she fell to the ground.

  She wasn’t sure what happened. Only that she was dizzy. She’d banged her head. Her stomach seared with pain, but not from the inside—from the bitemarks, from the Orion’s saliva.

  James grabbed her. Said something. Something she didn’t understand, something that didn’t make sense.

  He held her.

  The Orion stood over her.

  Stood over them both.

  It looked into Tamara’s eyes. Grunted. Tilted its head either side like it was trying to understand her, trying to get a read on her.

  It moved in closer again.

  Its hot, putrid breath covering Tamara’s face.

  It sniffed her.

  Sniffed at her stomach.

  And then it looked right into her eyes and Tamara saw something like understanding.

  “Please go. Please.”

  Before she had a chance to feel afraid again, the Orion stood.

  Turned around.

  Sprinted away.

  Out of the alleyway.

  Out onto the street.

  Out to hunt down another innocent citizen of the MLZ.

  “What the—what the fuck just happened?” James said, as he held Tamara tightly. “What the fuck just happened?”

  Tamara took in a deep breath.

  Looked down at the ring of teethmarks around her belly.

  At the grey, jelly-like saliva dribbling down her skin.

  “I think I know what happened,” she said. “And … and I think I know what I need to do.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  RILEY

  Riley didn’t have a chance to think about fleeing the Orion hurtling down the apartment corridor.

  He just turned and ran.

  He held onto the M16. Knew he could try firing it at the Orion. But it was flying at him so fast. So fast he couldn’t think. So fast he couldn’t figure out what the fuck to do. Couldn’t process a thing.

  He looked over his shoulder. Saw the Orion sprinting towards him in a blur. Saw its teeth glowing in the fluorescent lights. Saw its glowing yellow eyes peering at him, through him, into him.

  He tried firing at the Orion but it just dodged his bullets. Growled, seemed to get even more focused on him, even angrier.

  He didn’t want to take his eyes off it to check whether the stairs were close.

  He didn’t want to take his eyes off it for anything.

  But he had to.

  He just had to.

  He spun around. Lift up ahead at the end of the corridor. Staircase to the left. A few feet away. He had to get to it. Get down it. Get out of here.

  The Orion screamed louder.

  So close that Riley could feel specks of its saliva splash against his face.

  He turned back as he ran on. Fired more bullets in its direction.

  More bullets hit the wall, flew past it.

  More anger built up in the Orion’s eyes.

  Riley got to the stairs and he jumped down the first four. Lost his balance, but went with it anyway.

  Jumped down another three.

  Then another four.

  The Orion hurtling down the corridor.

  Reaching the top of the stairs.

  Powering, falling down them.

  He turned around on the stairs and fired up at the Orion. The bullets nicked its legs, hit its feet.

  But still it ran.

  Still it powered on.

  Riley just kept on running—falling—down the stairs. Falling towards the bottom floor. Falling towards an exit. But it just stretched on forever. He felt his life drawing out in front of him. His death so close and yet so far away.

  He didn’t want to die, but if he had to, he wanted it to be quick. Painless.

  And the look in the Orion’s eyes told Riley it wasn’t interested in death of the painless variety.

  Riley stumbled down the final steps. The cracked tiles of the apartment entrance in front of him. He ran over them. Ran towards the frosted glass
of the front door, through the barren, dusty entrance area.

  He turned back around. Saw the Orion just about moving around the staircase. Far enough away. Far enough away for him to flee. For him to get out of here.

  He slammed into the door.

  Felt the fresh, smoky outdoor air fill his lungs.

  Looked left. Looked right. Anywhere that was safe, that’s all he needed. A temporary safe haven. A shelter. A …

  Then he saw it.

  Saw it walking down the street right ahead of him.

  Walking towards him.

  Another Orion. Taller than the one in the apartment block. Longer, sharper teeth than the one in the apartment block.

  The one just behind him.

  Footsteps cracking the tiles.

  Getting closer.

  Riley moved right and then he saw something else.

  Creatures.

  Six creatures all staggering towards him.

  Tried to move left.

  A wall.

  A dead end.

  He looked over his shoulder back inside the apartment block. Looked into the glowing eyes of the Orion.

  Then he looked at the Orion ahead of him.

  At the creatures beside him.

  He swallowed.

  Felt fear fill his body.

  He couldn’t give up. Not now.

  He had no choice but to fight.

  He lifted his gun.

  Pointed it at the Orion on the road in front of him.

  And he fired.

  But the Orion just dodged the bullets.

  The creatures on the right got closer.

  And before he could turn around and check on the Orion in the apartment block, Riley felt something slam into his back and knock him onto the concrete.

  He didn’t have to look to see what it was.

  He knew exactly what it was already.

  Death itself.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHLOË

  Chloë ran through the alleyways of the MLZ and felt like she was home again.

  It was different. Different, as she sprinted over the slippery cobbles. As she turned around the narrow corners between the buildings, climbed over walls. It was different because of the cries and the shouts of the dying people. The explosions constantly rattling against the wall. The safety that this place used to have, gone.

  But running down these alleyways all alone, Chloë really did feel home again. Running like she used to do when Annabelle picked on her. All alone, away from anything, everything. Sometimes she’d spend all evening out here, just running, climbing over walls, spying on people. Because when she was alone, nobody could hurt her. When she was alone, she couldn’t hurt anybody.