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2031 Words
They stood and watched the shrubbery as the growls grew closer. Within a few heartbeats zombies leaped from the bush and headed their way. They stepped back and aimed their rifles.
“Leave now,” ordered the soldier.
As soon as Amber turned, she pulled up short, “I can’t. I’m cut-off.”
“Stay close to me then,” stated the soldier.
Amber looked at Joseph as the group set in the SUV and gave them a sad grin. Immediately Amber’s hand raised and waved at them. Joseph nodded his head in recognition.
“We stay in the car,” declared Joseph.
“We should help mom, Joe,” related Davis.
“No. She signaled, stay,” informed Joseph.
“Doesn’t mean we can’t help,” said Davis.
Joseph looked at his younger brother and replied, “You’re right.”
Joseph positioned himself behind the steering wheel.
“They’re out in the daytime,” remarked Amber.
“Yes. They’re multiplying quickly and coming out in the day more often,” reported the soldier.
“This is fast, too fast,” responded Amber.
“True. Watch out, men,” said the soldier.
“Like in the movies and books, aim for the head,” stated Amber after they rose from the ground.
After Amber finished talking, she pulled a machete from a holster under her pants leg. Amber slashed at a zombie near her then stabbed its head. Instantly Amber gripped the soldier’s side-arm and shot a zombie trying to bit him.
“Thanks,” conveyed the soldier.
“You’re welcome,” responded Amber.
Joseph ran over some of the zombies that have the group separated. While Amber has her back against the soldier, she smiled and tapped the SUV hood.
“That’s my boys. We should get back together before we lose more people,” commented Amber.
“I’m glad they did that. I’ll lose fewer men,” expressed the soldier.
“Yes. We killed this day,” remarked Amber.
“If you venture forth, you will have to kill again,” disclosed the soldier.
“That is true. It doesn’t make me happy, but it has to be done,” whispered Amber.
“Remember, you do this to save the people you care about,” reassured the soldier.
“They’re all males,” verbalized Amber.
As Amber pointed toward the bloody bodies, the soldier gripped her forearm and asked, “When did this happen?”
“When we first were separated from your men,” answered Amber.
“It’s already been at least thirty minutes since then,” reflected the soldier.
“Yes. I haven’t turned yet,” conveyed Amber.
“I’ve heard rumors there are people immune,” reported the soldier.
“Are you afraid of me?” asked Amber.
“No. You’re not changing. I should talk to my men,” stated the soldier.
“Alright. I’ll examine the bodies,” said Amber.
While the men talked by the barricade, Amber examined the corpses.
“Have you examined the zombies closely?” questioned Amber.
“No. We haven’t seen many,” responded the soldier.
“Haven’t had the time for an examination,” related Amber.
“No. Busy guarding against and killing the few zombies we come across,” disclosed the soldier.
The soldier walked over toward Amber as she moved either heads or bodies.
“They all have the blue haze over their eyes. They all have a circle and cross-hairs around their iris. All but one has veins flowing from the iris and the cross-hairs. Different effects,” verbalized Amber.
“You haven’t changed,” stated the soldier.
“How long do we wait?” questioned Amber.
“I think thirty minutes,” responded the soldier.
“If I don’t change by then, I’m immune, or it takes longer for me to transform,” replied Amber.
“Yes,” said the soldier.
“Do you want a drink while we wait?” asked Amber.
When they answered yes, Amber handed everyone a drink then remarked, “Sit and be merry.”
As the men shook their heads, Davis and Ray laughed, then Amber stated, “Sorry. It’s a joke.”
The leader tapped next to him and said, “Sit while I doctor your arm.”
While the leader doctored Amber’s arm, she watched because his touch was gentle.
After the soldier stood, a hand was presented for Amber, and she took it, then they walked, “We’re letting you go onto Newark. You and people like you will be a ray of light in this dark horror movie come to life.”
“I don’t feel that,” said Amber.
“Give it time to sink into your brain,” remarked the soldier then they paused in front of the SUV.
“Thank you for all the help. Here’s my phone number and address if you need a place to go,” conveyed Amber.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” stated the soldier.
When Amber looked at the road, the barricade was removed from her path by his men.
“Text your sister and let her know we’re coming,” ordered Amber.
“Alex wrote she’s trapped in the bathroom at Aidan’s house,” related Joseph.
“Text her we’ll be there in thirty, give or take,” commanded Amber.
“Alex wrote, hurry before she becomes meat for the beasts,” said Joseph.
“Will do,” commented Amber.
When the group was within the eye-site of Aidan’s house, they abruptly stopped moving. Amber scanned the horizon for signs or sounds of any zombies.
“How do we defend against the zombies?” asked Davis.
“I put the bags under the seats,” answered Amber.
“Oh. A crossbow. So much fun,” remarked Davis.
“Um. No. I don’t feel like getting a bolt out of someone's butt,” declared Amber.
Amber took the crossbow, then continued, “It’s for me.”
“You trust them with a machete?” questioned Joseph.
“That’s a good question,” responded Amber as she looked at Davis and Ray.
“You two are hurting my feelings,” expressed Davis with a pout.
“I’m right there with you,” conveyed Ray.
“Yeah, right. It would probably be your butt Davis stabbed,” revealed Amber.
“He would yelp from the thousand years of pain,” disclosed Joseph with a smile, then laughed.
Davis gaped his mouth open, gave a sad look at them all then when he was finished giving them a big silly grin.
“I got to agree with you. Ray’s fun to poke because of the girlie squeal,” stated Davis.
“It’s true,” said Ray.
“Be careful with sticking it in someone’s backside and don’t fall with it,” requested Amber, then winked and smiled.
“I still think I want to give Ray a thousand years of pain for fun,” commented Davis.
“No, Davis. No pain in the butt,” stated Amber.
“Don’t slam the doors. Keep your eyes open for zombies,” ordered Joseph.
When they were outside the door, they heard the growls of the zombies. While Amber gazed through the glass in the door, she saw no zombies. Immediately Amber’s finger was positioned against her lips as she turned toward the men, and an shhh came out.
“Open the door slowly,” whispered Amber.
“Foyer is clear,” stated Joseph.
“You three go right. Joseph and I will go left,” commanded Amber.
When Amber and Joseph entered the kitchen, there was no blood within their gaze. As they continued into the nook, there was a trail of blood leading into the dining room.
“That doesn’t look good,” remarked Joseph.
“No. It doesn’t,” responded Amber.
“Almost all of it is red, not black,” stated Joseph.
“They put up a fight,” said Amber.
“It appears that way,” commented Joseph.
Amber looked toward the dining room then continued, “We need to have stealth and quietness.”
“True,” whispered Joseph.
Once they were done in the nook, they followed the red trail into the dining room. The room looked like a canvas that was painted with red splattered paint all over it and some black.
“I don’t think this much blood is from one person,” stated Amber.
“I wonder how many this came from,” questioned Joseph.
“Tread lightly,” expressed Amber.
When Amber took a deep breath, all she smelled was the copper scent of the liquid around them. Amber gagged from the stench in the air and coughed. Amber covered her mouth and nose with her hand after she finished.
“I will. There isn’t much left of the body. It’s as if a hyena pack got hold of it,” related Joseph.
“Bones. Some skin and I have no idea what else,” remarked Amber.
Meanwhile, Davis, Derrick, and Ray searched the other rooms then waited for the others.
“There was a small amount of blood in the bathroom sink,” reported Davis when his mother and Joseph showed up.
“The dining room was covered in blood. We’ll go upstairs,” conveyed Amber.
The pace was slow, steady, and silent as they went up the stairs than Amber stopped on the plateau. While Amber had her back against the wall on the step, she watched for shadows. When the coast was clear, Amber continued with the young men that followed as they walked up the stairs, the growls and snarls grew louder.
“You three check out that bedroom, and we’ll get Clare’s room,” ordered Amber.
“Okay,” responded Davis.
“Be careful,” warned Amber.
“Aren’t I always,” retorted Davis.
“Come on,” ordered Joseph.
Before Amber opened Clare’s door up, she looked back at Joseph and swallowed deep.
“I hope she’s alright,” whispered Amber.
“Me too,” muttered Joseph.
When Amber got inside the room, she stopped beside the door as they watched Clare on the opposite side. Clare’s back was toward them while the two of them slide toward her.
“Clare,” said Amber.
Clare snarled without moving as the pair crept closer toward the young pre-teen girl. As Clare snarled, Amber closed her eyes while she fought the tears that welled just below the surface. Amber bit her lip, fighting the shake that came.
“Oh, Clare,” uttered Amber.
As Clare slowly rose from the floor, Amber and Joseph watched hypnotized. Instantly Clare moved fast across the bed for them. Amber’s crossbow aimed at Clare and a bolt whished through the air then stopped with a thud. Immediately Clare fell on the bed motionless, and Amber fell on her knees then her fingers touched the girl’s leg.
“I’m sorry,” whispered Amber.
“Mom. We should go,” stated Joseph.
“Aidan will be upset,” murmured Amber.
“We need to save Alex,” commanded Joseph.
Amber rose from the floor, then said, “Let’s get your sister.”
As Amber spoke, she wiped away the tears. Amber stood and walked for the door. After they checked the other rooms, they waited for the others.
The growls grew louder and louder even though they stood still in the hallway that led toward the master bedroom.
- Writer
