Jake's Undead Nightmare

by Ben McElyea

  “I doubt anyone knows if they have enough.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Stay here and hope everything blows over.”

  “I don’t think it’s going to blow over any time soon.”

  “I wish you could make it to me. There’s strength in numbers. It’s just Dan and I.”

  “We have ourselves and the kids.”

  “Have you talked to Sarah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What’s she doing?”

  “Freaking out.”

  “This is bad. If zombies come to the front door, will your kids be able to keep quiet?”

  “We told them monsters are outside and they’ll come get them if they make enough noise.”

  “Brutal, but effective.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I wonder if Sarah and Ricky stocked up on supplies.”

  “They didn’t. They’re too scared to get on the roads.”

  “How well supplied are they?”

  “They should be good for a while. She went to the grocery store a few days ago.”

  “Be safe, David.”

  “I will. There are a lot of people I need to talk to. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Okay. Bye.”

  Jake sat the phone down.

  “There’s a lot I have to say,” Jake said to his brother.

  “I’m listening.”

  “You’ve always been such a jerk. Why is that?”

  “I’m a jerk?”

  “Yeah, you are.”

  “How am I a jerk?”

  “You know you are.”

  “Can’t say I do know that.”

  “You’re a jerk. You’ve been a jerk for as long as I can remember.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yeah. Sometimes I wish you would be humbled.”

  “Sometimes, I wish you weren’t such a baby and would shut up.”

  “You’ve always been a jerk, Dan. I think you’ve been a jerk for so long that you don’t even realize you’re a jerk.”

  “You’re going to talk about this pettiness with what’s going on outside? Besides, you’re just jealous of me.”

  “I’m not jealous of you, Dan. I’m happy you’re doing well in life. I have no reason to be jealous.”

  “I always thought you wanted me to fail so you could feel better about yourself.”

  “No. You just really are a jerk.”

  “I don’t think I am.”

  “You are.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  “I know so.”

  “I don’t see it.”

  “I know you don’t.”

  “What have I done?”

  “Countless things.”

  “Like what?”

  “There are a few things I can think of.”

  “Like what?”

  “You’ve screwed me over on poker winnings, stole money from me when we were teenagers, sold my belongings, and always sat on me when we were kids. You’ve always made fun of me. There’s a lot more I can say. I could talk about the things you’ve done all day.”

  “Okay, I get it. Just shut up. I don’t care. Let’s just listen to the radio and hope something new pops up.”

  “I want to hear something good.”

  “I doubt we’re going to hear anything good.”

  “Yeah.”

  5

  Jake and Dan listened to the radio. They heard music until finally Jerry Waters came back on.

  “This is Jerry Waters. I’m still here. Sorry if the music isn’t to your liking. I’m just playing some of my favorites. Puts me in a better mood. I don’t know if this is true, but I heard the infection has reached nearly everywhere in the country. I don’t know why people aren’t dealing with the zombies. Shoot them! If we all take control of the situation, we can defeat them! Shoot them in their heads. Chop their heads off. They’re slow, I think. Just be cautious and swift. I’m having a hard time dealing with this. I don’t have any family. I have no one to talk to. I’m really hungry and want to eat these donuts, but I know I’ll need them later. I recommend that all of you listening to me should ration your food. Who knows when we’ll be able to get food again. There may be looting, thievery, lying, and killing. Everyone is going to be desperate. People might be desperate enough to do anything to get what they need. Don’t trust anyone. People may try to look like victims to trick you. If you didn’t know them before this epidemic happened, you shouldn’t trust them. The strong will survive, the weak will perish. You have to be strong. Be cautious and careful. People will be out to take your possessions. They might even try to kill you. I don’t know how long I’ll be making these broadcasts. If you can, stay in your homes. Only go outside if you absolutely have to. I could have gone somewhere, but I was too scared. I’m going to stay here for as long as I can before I have to leave for water or food. I’m putting this broadcast on a loop. I see some people outside the window. They’re not people.”

  Jake turned off the radio.

  “It’s here,” said Jake. “It’s happening here.”

  “Seems that way.”

  “I’m going to look outside.”

  “I think we should be quiet from now on.”

  “You’re right,” Jake said, lowering his voice. “I don’t know if those things can hear, but I’m going to assume they can.”

  “What should we do if someone who is still alive shows up at the door?”

  “We don’t let them in.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “What if zombies are after them?”

  “We don’t let anyone in.”

  “Not if they’re starving or anything?”

  “Not even then.”

  “That’s cruel.”

  “This is about survival, Dan.”

  “What if I wanted to let someone in?”

  “I wouldn’t let you.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “You’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever known, Jake. Hearing you say what you’re saying surprises me.”

  “I’ve seen enough zombie movies to get a good idea of what we should and shouldn’t do.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m glad you’re here, Dan.”

  “Call Mom or Dad.”

  Jake tried to call his parents, but couldn’t.

  “Bad news.”

  “What?”

  “The call won’t go through.”

  Dan couldn’t contact their parents, either.

  “I can’t call them, either.”

  The two brothers tried to call their other contacts, but to no avail.

  “It’s beginning, Dan.”

  “This is insane.”

  “Yeah, it is.”

  “This is a lot to take in.”

  “I know.”

  “I don’t want to go through with this.”

  “We have to.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  “We both have to be strong.”

  “I hope Mom and Dad are okay.”

  “I’m sure they’re fine.”

  “I wonder if there are any zombies around the house.”

  “There might be. We live in a crowded neighborhood near the city.”

  “Where will we go when we run out of water or food?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know?”

  “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. I guess we’d stay on the move and hope for the best.”

  “That doesn’t sound like a reliable course of action.”

  “It isn’t.”

  “I just want some hope.”

  “We’re fine for now. We just can’t be stupid.”

  “Is this the end of the world?”

  “I don’t know. It might be.”

  “This is too much.”

  “Keep a positive state of mind.”

  “It’s kind of hard to when you know zombies are walking th
e earth.”

  There was a knock on the front door. Jake and Dan froze for a moment before reaching for their pistols. They both put a bullet in the chamber. Jake signaled to Dan to stop. He took a peek outside the window through one of the cracks.

  6

  Jake very slowly crept back to Dan and whispered in his ear.

  “It’s the neighbor.”

  Dan looked at Jake and pointed at the door. Jake shook his head. Jake and Dan stood there for a moment before hearing another knock at the door. Jake shook his head again. He looked out the window again. Cedric looked stressed and scared. Cedric looked to his right and ran towards his house.

  “He’s leaving.”

  “I wonder what he wanted.”

  “Something we have. He wanted help of some sort.”

  “Why not help him? I feel bad we didn’t help him.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m human.”

  “We can’t help anyone but ourselves, Dan.”

  “This is inhumane.”

  “Shut up.”

  “What?”

  “Not another sound. They’re coming.”

  Dan crept up to the window and had a look. Zombies were slowly walking up the street. Immense fear struck through their beings. Dan pulled himself away from the window and sat on the mattress. Jake continued watching the zombies shift up the street. To say the least, the zombies were grotesque. They had pale skin. Their clothing was ripped and bloody. Chunks of flesh were missing from faces, arms, and mouths. Some were missing eyes and noses. As they grew closer, Jake slowly stepped back. He looked at Dan and pressed a finger to his lips. Dan didn’t pay attention to him. He held his knees and stared at the door.

  Jake waved at Dan until he looked up at him. Jake walked to the staircase and signaled for Dan to follow him. Dan shook his head. Jake nodded his. Dan got up and followed Jake down the stairs. They then headed down the second set of stairs leading to the basement.

  “We can talk here. Just don’t be too loud.”

  “Are you sure those things can’t hear us?”

  “I’m pretty sure.”

  “They’re scarier than I thought they’d be.”

  “What did you expect?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “They must have seen Cedric. They were heading towards his house.”

  “Can they break down doors?”

  “Maybe. I don’t know.”

  “That doesn’t make me feel better.”

  “It wasn’t supposed to make you feel better.”

  “How many of them did you see?”

  “Around twenty or so.”

  “Did you recognize any of them?”

  “I wasn’t trying to recognize them.”

  “Will there be more of them?”

  “I’m pretty sure you know the answer to that question.”

  “How are we supposed to get anywhere when we run out of water or food?”

  “We’ll go around them, I guess.”

  “We’ll die if we try that, Jake.”

  “I think we’d have a decent chance as long as there aren’t a lot of them.”

  “We need to bring the radio down here and keep all the lights off. We can keep the light on down here. No one will see it. Let’s take another peek outside.”

  “I’m not looking out there again.”

  “Please look out there.”

  “Why do you care if I look out there or not?”

  “It’ll make me feel better.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t want to be the only one who sees how scary they are.”

  “I know how scary they are.”

  “Come with me upstairs.”

  “I’m too scared to go back up there.”

  “If you’re too scared to go back upstairs, you’re useless.”

  “Fine. I’ll go.”

  Dan followed Jake upstairs and brought the radio to the basement. Nothing but static and two radio stations were on the air. One radio station was Jerry Waters’s looped broadcast. The other was a woman crying.

  “No help is coming, Dan.”

  “I’m sure everybody in the military is doing what they can.”

  “The military won’t succeed.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “I just do.”

  “Stop being so negative. Tell me something good.”

  “We’re doing a lot better than most people are. We have everything we need. Those things can’t get in.”

  “I wish our phones worked.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  “I don’t want to do this anymore. It’s too scary.”

  “We can’t give up.”

  “I want this to be over.”

  “Let’s stop talking and go back upstairs.”

  Jake led Dan back upstairs. Dan sat on the mattress and stared at the floor while Jake looked out the window. There were two zombies standing next to the trailer. Curious, he didn’t look away. He slowed his breathing and stared at the monsters. One used to be a woman. Half of its hair had been pulled out. The eyes were what scared Jake the most. They gave a blank stare. The look of feral rage was apparent. It looked at nothing. Jake focused his attention on the other standing corpse. Once a man, it was a one eyed and one armed beast. It swayed to and fro. It occasionally tried to walk, but it wasn’t intelligent enough to get around what was in front of it.

  A gunshot sounded. The two zombies slowly turned their heads and began hobbling off in the direction of where the sound originated from. Jake didn’t look away until he saw a mass of over thirty undead walk down the street and past the window. Jake looked at Dan and frowned. Dan put his hands over his face and shook his head. Jake sat next to Dan and breathed shallow breaths. As Jake and his brother sat there, they heard the faint sound of zombies sliding and scraping across the truck and trailer.

  Jake wondered if he or Dan would be able to endure this. He really needed his brother to be strong. He felt he could be strong if his brother was. He didn’t know if it was the end of the world or not. He still found it hard to believe it was. He didn’t want to accept what was going on yet. He looked at Dan. Dan was shaking.

  “It’s going to be alright,” Jake whispered.

  7

  Jake stood at the window for hours until it grew dark. He sat next to Dan in the dark. Neither of them made a sound. Later that night, Dan tapped Jake on the shoulder. Jake tapped Dan back. Jake felt the mattress move. Dan was standing up. Jake got up and followed Dan down into the basement. Jake turned on the light.

  “What is it?” Jake whispered.

  “I don’t like not being able to see.”

  “I don’t either, but we’re going to have to get used to it.”

  “I can’t get used to this.”

  “You’re going to have to.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You have to keep your head. Don’t lose your head. I need you to help me.”

  “How can I help?”

  “We protect each other.”

  “How are you so calm about this?”

  “I’m not calm.”

  “You act like you are.”

  “I’m just as scared as you are. I’m just being quick, quiet, and smart.”

  “So, we’re going to live like rats in a sewer tunnel?”

  “We’re going to live.”

  “For how long, though?”

  “For as long as we can.”

  “I really don’t see how you’re handling this so well.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You’re handling it better than I am.”

  “I noticed. Man up, bro.”

  “You’re insulting me during a time like this?”

  “Snap out of your fear. Or at least some of it.”

  “There are dead people everywhere. Eating and killing people. Multiplying.”

  “The world is under attack. They can’t be reasoned with. If the zombies in real life are anything like the ones on TV, I
know some stuff about them.”

  “Like what?”

  “They feel no pain and damage to the head kills them.”

  “I don’t know what I should do.”

  “Do what I do.”

  “Well, okay. That’ll keep my mind occupied.”

  “Do you know how to play chess?”

  “No.”

  “I’ll teach you how to play.”

  “No thanks. I’m a little too worried about the zombie apocalypse at the moment.”

  “You need to keep doing something. I don’t want you to focus too much on what’s going on. It really could drive you crazy.”

  “I’m not going to lose my mind, Jake.”

  “Let’s keep it that way. Don’t let your fear control you.”

  “Well, look who’s the expert. So, we just stay inside the house and wait?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Should we be upstairs right now?”

  “We can spend time down here every now and then. I don’t see anything wrong with it. We can’t stay in the dark all the time.”

  “No one and nothing will break in while we’re down here?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “How well do you have this place barricaded?”

  “It’s fine. I made sure I did what I could in the allotted amount of time I had to prepare. No one or nothing can break in without making a lot of noise.”

  “Good.”

  “I’m glad there are a lot of books and old board games down here. We’ll have something to do to pass the time.”

  “I’m not up for talking, reading, or playing board games.”

  “I don’t expect you to be right now.”

  “I wonder how many of them are just outside the house.”

  “Probably at least some.”

  “Just standing there and waiting for prey.”

  “Yep.”

  “It’s going to be hard to sleep.”

  “We’ll take turns sleeping and taking watch. At least one of us will be awake at all times.”

  “I’m going to sleep down here.”

  “There’s a sleeping bag in the spare bedroom.”

  “A sleeping bag will make my back hurt, but it’ll do.”

  8

  Dan sat in the basement while his brother slept. Jake woke up around noon. Jake came down the stairs and yawned.

  “You’re crazy,” Dan said to Jake.

  “What?”

  “You can sleep during a time like this.”

  “I need to have the energy to be able to make rational decisions and run if I have to.”

  “I’m tired but can’t sleep. I’m too scared.”