The Zombie Zovels (Book 1): Zombie Suburbia

by Lake, D. K

  “We need to get out of here!” Lane yelled.

  “Tell me about it. I'm already gone. As soon as I get my fire poker back.”

  The zombie reached for me, I leaned back, still very aware my arms were bare. I shoved my foot into it and the fire poker slid out as the zombie stumbled backward into the hallway, where Lane rammed a stiletto heel into its eye socket. Another zombie appeared, it bypassed Lane and ducked inside the archway, heading for me. I backed away holding the fire poker out in front, waiting to see if it was stupid enough to run into me. A high-pitched scream suddenly echoed in my ears. I whipped around just as a newbie launched itself into me, knocking the fire poker aside. The impact from the zombie caught me off guard and I could feel myself falling backward before I even realized what was happening.

  I crashed through the glass coffee table, with the newbie on top of me. I screamed as pieces of glass cut my skin, then the zombie screamed, hungry for me. I grabbed its shoulders pushing it back as it opened its mouth, snapping at me, trying desperately to take a chunk of my face. “Lane!” I screamed.

  This situation was getting way out of hand, I was about to be eaten alive if I didn't get this thing off me.

  I managed to roll it off me, sitting up to reach the fire poker. I grabbed it and stabbed the zombie through the chest as it sat up to reach me. I jiggled the fire poker around inside it and it soon fell back onto the floor. Out of nowhere zombie arms wrapped around me, and I felt the weight of a body fall onto my back. It smelled of rotten vegetables and garbage. I dived forward, the zombie did the same, grabbing my legs and clawing its way up my jeans. I kicked it in the face, but it tried to bite my other leg. I crawled forward trying to get back on my feet, but the zombie was quick to climb on top of my legs again, and I fell forward, my hands slid across the carpet, through pieces of broken glass. My elbows dug into the glass as I tried to pull myself away, but this zombie was larger and heavier than me. I felt its hands on my back, and pressure as it pushed me back down to the floor.

  I called out for Lane and within seconds the weight of the zombie lifted off me, I rolled over and saw Lane ass kicking the zombie into the fireplace.

  The outline of someone next to me had me scrambling to my feet, the other zombie I thought was dead-dead, sat up and turned its head, looking at me, like something from The Exorcist, even after I was sure I'd stabbed it through the heart. I realized I should have just gone for its brain like normal. The fire poker was still sticking out of its chest. I shoved my boot into its face and it fell backward. I stood over it stamping it in the head repeatedly until it stopped moving, I pulled the fire poker from its chest and Lane grabbed my arm and pulled me to the door. He was in such a rush I nearly tripped over my own foot. We made it out of the house without running into any more zombies. I followed Lane down the garden path, picking glass from my arms. Lane was my eyes and ears looking everywhere, I was too distracted de-glassing myself. My hands were in pain and covered in blood, my blood, it was so painful I could hardly grip the fire poker.

  The trash cans rattled behind us, we both spun around and Stacey came running down the driveway. I looked across the street at the house we had originally come out from, a zombie stood in the doorway, holding something up to its mouth, eating it... another zombie's arm. It saw us and discarded the arm. Stacey bumped into me from behind, clinging to the back of my T-shirt. “Quick, get inside.” Lane said, ignoring the single zombie, and looking down the street. I peered around Lane down the street, wondering what he had seen. A group of zombies were standing around on the street corner. Lane took off running for the next-door neighbor's house. He was quicker than us and was already at the front door rattling the doorknob. The door wasn't opening so he jumped over the small hedge that divided the properties and tried the next door. We followed him over the hedge, my jump was more of a trip and fall, but Stacey was beside me and we managed to steady each other. I looked back at the other zombie, it was a slow mover, it wasn't going to catch us anytime soon. It was the zombies approaching from the end of the street that concerned me more. I counted six. Two of them were fighting over something, probably another zombie limb. Lane and Stacey were already inside waiting for me. I ran through the front door into another dark hallway. Stacey turned the flashlight on, checking the other doorways and up the stairs. Lane slammed the door and grabbed Stacey's arm and dragged her down the hallway with him. He threw open another door. I thought he was about to shove her inside the cupboard under the stairs, instead, he pushed her into a garage and reached back for me. He guided me inside and quickly shut the door.

  I cautiously walked around the small car that was parked in the garage, checking for zombies as Stacey shone the flashlight through the windows of the car and along the back wall. It was all clear. Lane was already maneuvering a chest freezer in front of the door. Stacey and I rushed over to the garage door. We both found a tin of paint to stand on to see out of the small windows, looking for Jasper.

  “Should I shine the flashlight through the window?” Stacey asked.

  “Not unless you want them to know we're in here.” I replied.

  “What about Jasper?”

  “Jasper shouldn't have run off.” I snapped.

  “He was scared.”

  “And so was I, but I didn't run off and leave you all behind.”

  Lane shushed us and we turned our attention back outside. I couldn't see the other zombies yet and the one that had been following us was gone. I saw movement from the side of the house opposite. “Look, there, by the house.” I said.

  Jasper limped across the grass, still holding the ax, and ducked down behind a trash can. “What's he doing?” Stacey asked.

  “Hiding.” Lane answered.

  The group of zombies started to come into view, one by one, walking down the middle of the street. It was the creepiest thing I'd ever seen. The two in front stood up straighter than the rest, and appeared to be sniffing the air... could they really smell us? Or blood? Was that even possible? It was too late now for Jasper to run back to the house without getting seen. We all watched anxiously as the group moved past. Every time one of them looked our way we all ducked down, but it was dark in here, I didn't think they could see us. Well, I hoped they couldn't see us. Jasper hadn't moved and was still hiding behind the trash can. A thud from inside the house made us all jump, and we all looked at the doorway. Lane had done a good job barricading it with extra crates and he had also placed a large toolbox on top of the freezer. No zombies would be coming through that way anytime soon.

  Stacey gasped. I quickly looked back outside, another zombie was making its way along the side of the house, behind Jasper.

  Stacey held up the flashlight and shone it through the window, moving it from side to side to try and get Jasper's attention. He spotted the light and carefully looked around, and noticed the approaching zombie behind him. He stayed down low and limped into the street. A frightening scream filled the air and Jasper started limping faster. I could see panic and fear all over his face.

  “Open the door!” Stacey screeched.

  I moved out of the way and Lane rattled the garage door, but it didn't budge. I moved along and hopped back up onto the paint tin. Jasper had just made it onto the driveway when one of the newbies from earlier came running toward him. Jasper pulled something out from under his jacket, I didn't know what it was... until I heard the gunshot.

  He hit the newbie right in-between the eyes and it fell to the sidewalk like a rag doll. Another zombie appeared on the other side and he shot again, then the group descended and all I heard was gunfire as Jasper tried to defend off the group.

  “It's locked.” Lane cursed, then ran back to the freezer. “What's happening?” Lane called. I didn't answer or look away and watched Jasper as he hopped up the driveway, still shooting. Another zombie appeared from under the hedge, its legs were in pieces so it dragged itself toward Jasper, trying to catch up to him. Jasper got distracted shooting another newbie and the crawler grab
bed Jasper's ankle and tried to bite him. Jasper looked down and took his eyes off the group... and the group attacked. It was like a feeding frenzy, all biting, and taking chunks off each other to get to Jasper.

  Stacey screamed and I looked over my shoulder at Lane, he was just sliding the freezer aside, he looked back at me and I shook my head. He stopped moving the freezer and bolted back to us and looked through the window.

  After a few moments, Lane lifted me off the tin of paint and set me on the floor.

  I didn't have to see outside to know what was going on... I could tell by the screams coming from Stacey's mouth. Jasper was gone.

  Lane picked Stacey up, she put up more of a fight, trying to reach for the door to see outside. I darted back to the other door and pushed the freezer back, which was extremely heavy, it took quite a few pushes, then I quickly stacked everything back on top, and anything extra I could find. Stacey's screams continued. Lane restrained her arms and held her against him, he covered her mouth and the screams came out muffled. It was too late now, they knew we were inside the garage. I leaned against the wall and found Lane's pained eyes looking at me. I knew what he was thinking.... that could have been us.

  I checked my watch, I had to use my T-shirt to clean away the blood so I could see the time clearly. I stayed where I was and Lane eventually let go of Stacey after she had calmed down, she knelt on the floor sobbing. It took the zombies all of five minutes to come knocking on the garage door. I wasn't worried about them getting inside, not unless they learned how to cut through metal. Thumping on the inside door started and I slid down the wall to the floor.

  “I hope the sparklers were worth it.” Lane yelled.

  More tears streamed down Stacey's face, leaving black trails of mascara down her cheeks. Lane started shouting at her. It didn't matter, the zombies already knew where we were. I covered my ears as loud thuds vibrated against the metal garage door, followed by more banging on the inside door. I closed my eyes and tried to block it out. Lane's violent rants continued, all aimed at Stacey, every time I thought he was mellowing down a bit he'd start yelling at her again. I stayed out of it. I just wanted the ground to swallow me up. I didn't intervene, even when Stacey's eyes kept landing on me. She was part to blame, she wanted to come here, now she had to deal with the consequences, and Jasper should have known better than to go outside after dark. After I had gone over and over it in my head I finally came to the conclusion I was part to blame as well. I should have kept an eye on her and not let Lane drag me upstairs. Thuds, bangs, and screams carried on into the night. I hated my life!

  Chapter 23

  I woke up to silence... not one single sound, apart from that of my own breathing. I slowly sat up and used the wall to climb to my feet as my legs didn't want to work properly this morning. I felt tired and sore all over from sleeping on the hard floor. I spotted Stacey asleep on the backseat inside the car, and Lane was sat on top of the freezer, leaning back against the wall with his eyes closed. I didn't think he was asleep, though, the garage smelled of smoke and he had a cigarette in one hand and the other resting on top of the bat that was across his lap. I opened the car, careful not to wake Stacey. Her eyes looked puffy and her face was still blotchy.

  Inside the glove-box I found a small pack of tissues and used them to clean my arms, spitting on the tissue and trying the best I could to get the dry blood off, but I just managed to make it look worse by smearing it further up my arms.

  I walked over to Lane attempting to clean my hands. I lifted myself up next to him, he opened his eyes and tilted his head toward me. I grimly smiled. I didn't know what to say. Jasper and Lane had become close friends, I felt bad for him, and I felt upset over Jasper, he was my friend as well. His eyes landed on my arms.

  “The glass table,” I said. “I think there's still pieces of glass stuck in my arms, I won't know until I have a shower and wash all this off. I look like something from Chainsaw Massacre.” I realized it was bad timing, my jokes were so inappropriate sometimes. Lane didn't respond and tapped his cigarette over the side of the freezer.

  “It's all quiet,” I said.

  “The noise stopped about two hours ago. You were already asleep.”

  “I think I was in shock. Last night was...”

  “Not something I want to talk about.” Lane cut me off.

  “Do you think they got bored and left?”

  Lane shrugged.

  “At least it's light outside now. We should just get our bags and get out of here, my gun should be on the ground outside near...”

  Lane shook his head

  “You can go, I have to stay.”

  “What? Stay for what?”

  “To bury Jasper.”

  “What's left of him.” I blurted. “Sorry, I don't mean it to come out that way.”

  I hopped down and started walking to the garage door.

  “Don't,” Lane said.

  “I'm going to see it sooner or later,” I said.

  I took a deep breath and stepped up onto the paint tin.

  It was bad. Jasper was lying flat on his back with his arms and legs splayed out. His jeans were soaked through with blood, his T-shirt had been torn off, his arms were shredded, and there appeared to be a hole in his stomach with something hanging out. I couldn't see his face. After seeing what the zombies had done to his arms and gut, I didn't think I wanted to see his face. I looked away, afraid if I looked at him any longer the sight of his mangled flesh would make me sick. My eyes drifted to the ground, most of his blood had trickled down the driveway and into the street. I located my gun not too far away from his feet. It was the only reason why I really wanted to look outside. It's not like I wanted to see Jasper's half eaten body, I wasn't that morbid. Stacey stirred inside the car and I quickly jumped down, I didn't want her to catch me gawking outside at Jasper.

  I opened the door for her and she shuffled over to the edge and hung her feet down. She looked terrible. I was surprised she had fallen asleep at all, she was in such a state last night, she must have sobbed herself to sleep. She looked at my bloody hands and arms, her face was a mixture of concern and guilt.

  “I fell through a glass coffee table.” I said.

  “No thanks to you.” Lane muttered.

  She glanced at him, but only for a second, she probably didn't want to upset him in any way that would lead to another argument.

  “Have they gone now?” she asked.

  I nodded.

  “Where did they go?”

  “I don't know.”

  I looked back at Lane, wondering if he had seen where they had disappeared to.

  “Some of them took off down the street, others wandered through open doors.” he said. “Where were they going?” Stacey asked.

  She wasn't helping the situation, Lane would kick off again if she kept asking stupid questions. “How should I know? I didn't get a chance to ask them, they were too busy eating my friend.” I held up my hand. “Okay, enough. No more shouting. I don't want them coming back.” “What do we do now?” Stacey asked.

  “Well, in a minute when we're ready to leave we are going to go out through that door, down the driveway where I can pick up my gun and get the ax, then we're going to get back to the other house, get our stuff, and get out of here as fast as we can.”

  “Not until I've buried Jasper.”

  “Lane, please, I just wanna go.” I pleaded with him.

  “No, I already told you I'm staying. You can go back with Stacey and I'll meet you back there later.” “No, there's no way I'm leaving you behind.”

  “But what about the zombies?” Stacey butted in.

  Like we need reminding.

  “We've been to this town, what, like, ten times, possibly more,” I said.

  Lane nodded in agreement. “We've rarely seen a zombie here during the day. Now I know I'm not a zombie expert, but maybe they're sleeping, they do sleep, maybe here the majority like to come out after dark?”

  “So we're staying
?” Stacey looked horrified.

  “We're not leaving until Jasper's in the ground. If you don't want to stay then you can walk back on your own or with Alex if she goes.”

  Stacey looked at me with desperation. I shook my head. “I'm staying with Lane until he's ready to leave.”

  Not that I wanted to. If I had my way we'd leave now and never come back, but for once Lane was making the decisions and I didn't think anything I said would change his mind. Lane walked past us and peeked out a window.

  “Is now good for you, ladies?” Lane asked, tapping the bloodstained bat against his leg. I nodded and picked up the fire poker, and Stacey picked up a hammer that Lane had found in the toolbox.

  I helped Lane move the crates and push the freezer along, trying to be as quiet as possible. “Ready?” Lane asked, his hand on the doorknob.

  “Wait,” I said, turning to Stacey. “Look at me, when we get outside, don't look down the driveway, look anywhere else. Do you understand?”

  She nodded and swallowed, she looked like she was about to throw up.

  “And don't fucking scream.” Lane added before twisting the doorknob.

  I followed Lane into a bright sunny hallway. The floor was now covered in random items that hadn't been there last night because we would have tripped over it all on the way in. Shoes, books, little pieces of potpourri everywhere, broken glass, and picture frames had been knocked off the table, it was zombie destruction at its best.

  We hurried out the front door and along the footpath, I looked over my shoulder to check Stacey was doing as she was told. She was, she had her eyes fixed on a bird up in a tree. She was so distracted trying to keep her eyes off the driveway she nearly fell over a garden gnome. I grabbed her T-shirt and guided her.

  “Don't look.” I whispered.

  I couldn't hold her hand as my hands were painful and bloody. I led her down the driveway, keeping one eye on the other houses in the street for any movement, and checking back on Stacey every few seconds. I gave Jasper's body a wide berth. Lane stood close by surveying the damage. I didn't dare look. I leaned down and picked up my gun, still holding onto Stacey's T-shirt. My gun had splashes of blood all over it. I put the safety on and tucked it into my belt, not wanting to touch it too much, I had cuts open to infection on my hands.