by Kris Beus
Our street seemed to be one of the clearer streets. Once we pulled onto Main Street which was the quickest way out of town my heart began to sink. Cars, bodies, and trash littered the road making driving extremely difficult. Sidewalks seemed to be the clearest path so I pulled up on the curb. As I did the noise brought out all the dead. They came out of stores and from between the buildings. Drawn to roar of my mustang’s engine. Luckily I had a full tank of gas and enough horse power to push the majority of obstacles out of my path. The zombies walked straight for my car and without remorse I punched it through them. A very large man, who looked like my mechanic I rammed. Hoping the impact would be enough to knock him away. He flew up and landed pushing in my windshield. I slammed on the breaks throwing him further down the sidewalk. Other zombies were able to catch up and began punching the windows. Once again I hit the gas swerving to avoid the large lump I created.
Leaving the downtown area things calmed down quickly. The noise of the engine was good at giving us an idea of the number of zombies in any given area. We moved through town avoiding areas where the road had been blocked. The storefronts had all been destroyed and looted. Many were on fire with the dead standing around hypnotized by the flames paying no attention to us as we drove by. Luckily the road was not completely blocked by debris. It took around a half hour before Main Street turned into the highway and took us out into the beautiful Colorado countryside.
Chapter 3
As we drove on through the eerily quiet countryside Amanda was finally able to sleep. I couldn’t help staring over at her. A smile graced my lips as I thought about saving this girl’s life. Deep down I knew I could never forgive myself for the acts I committed yesterday, but it was not possible to change anything and if it was me who had turned I know I wouldn’t want to live life devouring the flesh of living men and women.
It was October and there was a chill in the air. Driving through a valley of quaking aspens the gold leafs fell slowly from the trees, allowing me to forget the death we left behind just for a moment. Amanda began snoring, softly at first then loud enough to numb out the sounds of wind we were passing through. At that moment I cursed the villain who stole my radio. In a catastrophe such as the one we were in, how could a person believe it was any benefit to steal a damn car radio?
Nothing to do now, but keep driving and hopefully find an area which would be suitable to take shelter. As the miles rolled on, cars were pulled to the side of the road deserted and gasless. Worry fell across my face as I looked down seeing my car was at a quarter tank. Doing the math in my head, I knew there was only around seventy miles left.
We passed a small pickup truck with the hood opened and a young man’s head inside. He heard us on the road and quickly peeked out and began waving us down. I was extremely hesitant since the man looked quite large. Even Amanda asked me not to stop, just keep going and let the man fend for himself. There was something inside me fighting for the right. Passing the man by, may be sentencing him to death which was something I couldn’t do. The death caused by my hands can only be rectified, if I choose to save those I can.
Slowly stopping the car, the red headed gentleman poked his head in the passenger window thanking us for pulling over. We got out and I asked if there was anything that I could do.
“I’m afraid not, the only way you can help me is by letting me come with you.” He said with a hopeful gleam in his eye.
“Well the back seat is quite small and full of supplies if you don’t mind squeezing in then I suppose you could come with us.”
I stuck my hand out, “The names Jake.”
“Caz,” he shook my hand then stuck his hand in the passenger side shaking Amanda’s hand as well. Amanda stepped out of the car pushing the seat forward allowing our new passenger access into the back seat. It took a minute for his large frame to squeeze in.
We began down the road once again the car feeling much fuller with three of us. He asked if we had heard any news about the disease, we told him the only thing we knew is how hopeless our situation is. He said that he heard about a place which was well gunned and protected. A large group of people had settled at a quarry. They had built walls of steel surrounding the area and shacks within. There are hundreds of people and all of them are clean.
“Where did you say this little town was?” I asked.
“Oh I would say fifty miles or so directly south of Denver. Though you must understand the town is only a rumor. There is no assurance I could make.”
Amanda sat up turning around looking at Caz. “It sounds wonderful, anything is better than this hell that surrounds us.”
“Yes it does, it is where I was headed before my truck broke down.” He replied.
I looked at both of them and pronounced, “Well it seems we have a plan.” Both of them gave the best smile they could muster under the circumstances and we headed on. Having the thought of a small city, or safe haven, in my head, certainly improved my mood. For the first time since the outbreak hit Jackson I had hope of a future. No longer was the simple thought of surviving locked in my head. I laid back watching the road flow below us realizing a safe and happy life may not be lost.
While driving we all talked about our old life. The fears, hope, and dreams. It was clear we all shared many similarities. The want off success and a happy life was the common theme. The loss of this was still being absorbed, not quite realized yet. Our voices shared a similar depressive aspect as we looked out the window into what our reality was now. Slowly pulling out of the grove we began coming up on a city. We had to pass through it since this was the only road north. The town had a sign as we pulled up.
Maddison Population 5,600 Elevation 3,544. The next sign showed Denver 157 miles giving our trip roughly a 100 mile goal. The town was like ours it seemed quite deserted, besides the endless roaming of the town folk who were not lucky enough to escape. The main street was filled with destruction. Stores rummaged through, cars rammed into one another, and death everywhere that impacted us the most. Bodies lined the streets with pools of blood filling under them. The dead still walking seemed to enjoy eating the ones who were truly dead. The gage on my gas monitor was below the E. Without finding gas we would be walking and through this area it would most likely be our death.
My engine was roaring which grabbed the attention of all those that walked the streets. As their eyes fell on my car a group began chasing us. From the look of these undead the disease seemed to do a very good job preserving them. Though they no longer needed many of their body functions besides the brain the disease seemed to provide them with the sustenance necessary to stop death and decay. I thought of the progress in evolution this could stand for. Getting rid of all unnecessary processes for life. These beings no longer possessed emotions, the need for warmth, and even air. Nothing besides intake of food stood between these and life. These thoughts fascinated me. Human evolution no longer meant making us more complex, but rather the opposite. To bring us back into natures fold. Even if this was true I would prefer my faculties of thought remaining intact. As this thought left my mind another worry popped up as my car sputtered and sputtered finally coming to a stop.
Luckily there were only a few undead walking around. All were headed in our direction. We quickly stepped out of the car, I grabbing my bag in the back seat. As I grabbed my bad I ripped my lucky board from the side. Blood still stood on the nail tips from the gentleman in my home. I could hear the steps coming closer. I turned seeing the young woman with a fierce grin on her face. The shredded clothes she was wearing had blood stains from top to bottom. Her roar was that of a ravage beast and she was as fast if not faster than a normal human sprinting. She stepped in swinging distance I pulled the board above my head and swung watching as the nails pierced the top of her skull and sink deep into the brain. The eyes reminded me off my mothers, the white film covering him. The death of an undead seems to take the form of that which is living. Slowly the movements which seem natural to them fade. The woman fell to h
er knees, as I ripped the board out of her head she fell to the pavement with a thud. Other undead seeing the death of one of their own became angered. No longer were we food, but now we moved up to a threat.
Running from the car the three of us took cover within an old school café. By itself it would not have offered much safety, but the owners took their time boarding up all the windows. The door had been broken down allowing for quick and easy entry. I ran in following my two new friends and turning as I passed the first booth. We had a very large man chasing us. His steps seemed to shake the ground. High enough to scrape his head on the top of the door way I grabbed my 2X4 and swung it like a bat hitting him in the face. The shock was enough to stun him for a couple seconds. I pulled the bat out and the nails ripped chunks of flesh away. With his one remaining eye he glared at me then tackled me with full force.
I was struggling as he was on top of me, I could smell the rotten breath and feel his immense power. He was far too strong I was about to die. He kept attempting to bite me and with each attempt pushing a little bit closer. My strength was waning, I could feel his teeth scrape the skin on my face. I was able to grab his shoulders and I pushed with everything I had giving me a couple more seconds. I heard a loud thud and the vibrant rage filled face was turned into a shock. Blood began dripping from the back of his head down his face landing on my own. After a couple moments I saw Caz’s face appear from behind this massive beast. He was holding a sledgehammer which was now covered in the blood of this undead. A smirk crossed his face as he helped push the beast off me.
“God that was close,” I muttered out of breath.
“I suppose you owe me your life now huh?” Once again smiling.
“Whatever I had him.” A look of amused doubt crossed my face.
“We need to get that door secure somehow.”
Looking around we found some leftover plywood used to board the windows. There were still some footsteps on the outside of the Café. Amanda came in from out of the back, seeing the newly placed body lying in the doorway she asked “Did I miss anything?” Without a beat Caz muttered “Just me saving Jake.” As we walked the plywood outside I told Jake to watch my back and smash anything as we worked on rebuilding a door. It took a few hours to finish, but we felt it secure enough to finally rest. We had boarded both the outside and inside of the doorway. The windows within the Café were already well done. After such a long day all we wanted was a bit of rest and some food. I walked back to the kitchen and do my disappointment the food had been picked through leaving some rotting meat, raw vegetables which were starting to go bad, and a couple cans of tomato sauce.
Each of us picked through what looked the most appetizing and attempted to eat. The food did not taste fantastic, but we all felt better once we had eaten. The night was coming upon us and we sat out in the dining room thinking of what we should do next. The consensus reached, was to steal a car and keep heading north. The dead seemed to be much more active during the night. Every hour or so there would be a thud on the plywood blocking a window. They seemed to know we were in here and be looking for anyway in. I closed my eyes intently listening at the number of dead outside. It was hard to tell, but there were at least four hanging around.
As I looked around Caz had found a cushioned booth which actually looked much more comfortable than my tablecloth bed on the red and white tile floor. Amanda had made her bed on the counter, and was using rolled up towels as a pillow. Even with the dead hanging around I felt safe enough to sleep. As my eyes closed the world around me was transferred to an earlier time. I dreamt of the times playing videos games with friends. One night stuck out to me. Five of my closest friends were at my house and we were playing Days of Daggers. It was a game we got from an independent developer. The game itself was quite terrible, the draw came from doing what most would never have the chance to do. All night we stayed awake playing, laughing, and talking. I was fifteen at the time and even to this day I do not have a time that I have enjoyed more.
The mourning came and the dream world faded. Everything that was once enjoyable was turned into this around me. Pain and suffering seemed to be the new common life characteristic everyone shared. The thought of the death of our world brought a deep sadness and my tears began to swell. Before I completely broke down I awoke Amanda then Caz. They both awoke and when looking around I witnessed the sadness I myself experienced when waking.
Chapter 4
Once we got past the sadness of our situation we began pulling the pieces of the plywood off the windows so we could see out. The numbers had grown since last night and their interest in our location was apparent. They may not have the intelligence of a normal human, but they were not completely ignorant to their surroundings. The more movement and noise we made inside the café, the more commotion there was outside. Their sense of hearing seemed to be unaffected by the transformation.
We noticed that the majority of the dead were in the front out towards the street. We thought it would be safest if we quietly left the back entrance. The back door was a large metal door with a dead bolt and boards nailed in for security. The boards were ripped off easily enough, it was time to exit. We were all very skeptical about leaving the security which we found, but knew this simple Café could not hold the hordes off for long. Slowly going first I exited the building. At the end of the alley I saw a young man around the age of 15. He was staring at the building in front of him seeming to be lost. Luckily he had not heard us exiting the Café and I signaled for the other two to watch in the direction. We moved slowly down the alleyway away from the undead. My board was at the ready and Caz had his sledgehammer. The last to exit was Amanda and as she did I noticed she had found a large cleaver. Looking at the other two I thought it would be very useful if we obtained some firearms.
Not remembering any specific gun shops on the way through town I whispered to the other two telling them to keep their eyes open for a gun store or pawn shop. As we slowly made our way down the alley avoiding anything that may be loud, the sun fell behind clouds giving us a break from the heat. The darkness made it more difficult to see danger, but made us more difficult to see as well.
As we moved along the footsteps seemed to be all around us. Making each of us terrified at the smallest sound. We knew if one heard us and began coming our way the majority would follow. Step by step we came closer to the end of the alley. As we reached the end undetected there was a pawn shop across the street. A few dead stood walking aimlessly close by. I motioned my companions to stay close. We turned from the alley onto the sidewalk keeping close to the buildings. Moving slowly down the street directly towards the two dead men.
We came closer to the pawn shop and began crossing the street. Half way across I heard someone trip behind me. Looking back Amanda was lying face down with the cleaver a couple feet in front of her. Caz had already turned around and was helping her up. She reached down grabbing her cleaver. When she looked up all that came out was “Oh Shit”. Caz and I turned to see the two men running. They were fifty feet down the road. We ran towards the pawn shop and attempted to open the door, but it was locked and reinforced. The dead had caught up to us. I laid into one with my board, but missed his head and sunk the nails deeply into his shoulder. Unaffected he pushed me back against the Pawn shop doors. Caz had connected with his hammer and began beating the lifeless body into a pulp.
I saw a bright flash of sun off the cleaver. It came down fiercely sinking deep into the back of the zombie’s neck. The head flew forward cracking its skull into mine. She had decapitated him and blood began pumping out of his neck. I quickly pushed the infectious body away and took a breath of relief.
We began analyzing the door figuring out the best way to get in. Caz told me to stand back and swung the hammer into the door. The door shook at the blow, but it was not enough. Amanda was keeping watch looking up and down the road. Caz swung the hammer a couple more times each pushing the door in just a little further. The wood around the dark stained framed beg
an giving way. The noise brought forth all the dead who waited outside the café. They came slowly at first, but as soon as they saw us the horde began rushing. Twenty of them a block away came barreling down the street.
The fear increased our adrenaline and I turned my board sideways using it has a ram to help Caz break in the door. Amanda was terrified begging us to hurry and screaming “They are coming!”. The door continued giving still slowly. Finally after the sledge hit the frame just right the door broke free falling into the pawn shop allowing us entrance. We noticed a freezer had been pushed up against the door which was giving it reinforcement.
Jumping over the door and freezer we pushed the door back into place and the freezer back up to reinforce. The broken door left little protection. I ran to the gun section and immediately busted the glass securing the pistols. I grabbed a .357 revolver and began loading it with bullets found behind the case. Dumping the rest of the shells in my pocket I ran up to the front. They had pulled the door back into the street and Caz and Amanda were swinging madly attempting to push the horde back. I came up on the side and fired a shot through an old man’s head. The other two were stunned turning and looking at me. I signaled them to the gun case where I found my gun.
They turned quickly and ran to the back. I was left alone attempting to push back all these monsters. Thinking to myself “five more shots better make them count” I slowed my breathing and took aim. The second shot went through the face of a young woman who looked as though she would have been quite beautiful if she had not been dead. An oaf of a man came next. He came in with enough force to single handedly push the freezer into me. As he did my aim was jumbled and the bullet shot past his head into the next one standing behind mine.
