TBWL#6: Is this my end?
1219 Words
Death is nothing. Don't count. I stand with death, because I know that pain will die with my soul. Nothing was hurt; Nothing is lost. One short moment - and everything will be as it was before. How we will laugh at the disappointment of separation when we meet again! Death never comes at the right time, despite what mortals believe. Death always comes like a thief.
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Calixto's Point of View.
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“Ssssshh…”
One after another, the explosion is playing like a domino. It came from the other direction, and I think that side is the mine area. Probably, those stupid zombies stepped on it. Then, we are at an advantage if we can determine which route is safe for us.
“We should go in this direction. I am sure that the opposite direction is for mines and since it kept on exploding, I, therefore, conclude the zombies are coming from that direction,” I suggested while pointing in the direction where the explosion started.
“Alright, I think there is an existing shortcut after passing into a hill called Magayon. Just below that hill, a small camp is installed,” says Romer. He placed his hand on his waist while having a deep breath. “If only I had not lost my pals, they have the map of the entire city including this forest.”
“Do you have another weapon that we could borrow until we reach the military camp?” He has a bag pack, so I thought he had a spare weapon for us.
Funny how I desperately ask for a weapon when in fact I am a coward. I can’t even lift my finger or foot when I encounter a real walker. I should do something to overcome my phobia because I don’t want to burden them. I am already indebted a lot to Lorelei, I am pretty sure she would never risk her life saving me again.
“I have kitchen knives here; you may use this but it would be risky since the only way to kill those walkers is hitting the middle of their head. We should find a long-range weapon as soon as possible,” says Romer while giving us a pair of knives. “The walkers are not much of a threat since they are mostly insensitive zombies, but let’s be wary at all cost. I heard that there is a new strain of day walkers,” he added while carrying back his bag and started our journey again.
Strain? Then those day walkers can mutate? What will happen if they mutate?
“What do you mean? How dangerous are these mutated day walkers?” I asked in return.
“The normal day walkers could not recognize the smell between living and the dead ones. So, normally we can avoid combating them by tainting ourselves with their blood. However, mutated day walkers can tell if you are human or not, luckily they are slower than us.”
Then… It means we can still survive if we run and hide. I sighed as a sign of relief, the only edge we have over the mutated day walkers is that we are faster than them. I can’t help but feel anxious since it’s going to be dark soon. What if we got trapped in the pool of zombies?
We stopped for a while when a day-walker walked aimlessly and stumbled on a rock. The zombie fell on the cliff, like a stone rolling on the hill. That is how unintelligent they are, but even the stupidest thing could lead to death. I guess, we have to get our guards high. We only need to fight the day-walker if the situation requires it.
We slowly stepped down to the hill until we arrived at a small abandoned barangay. “So, where’s the military camp?” I asked. I thought the camp was installed here but why only houses are built here?
“I’m sure, it is somewhere near here. I have not heard of a small barangay here… maybe, it’s somewhere near here.”
We split up and entered the houses. There is a reeking presence of a wind that blows the smell of stinky fishes close to my nose. I expected to smell such a thing since we are dealing with corpses. Have you all wondered what a dead body smells like? It can be difficult if you have never been around a dead body before. However, some people compare the putrid stench of a decomposing body to that of rotting fruit.
When someone dies, the body immediately begins the decomposition process. The body will begin to smell due to various gases created by microorganisms during the stages of decomposition.
It is something more than the nasty smell of spoiled waste, the smell is really awful, similar to Dimethyl disulfide and trisulfide, a garlic-like odor. I almost vomited when I saw the lying body of a woman. Her head was broken, and few traces of blood are rarely visible. There’s nothing left on her skull but dried blood.
“The zombie must have eaten her brain.”
I took the gun in her hand before heading to the kitchen. I searched for knives and any sharp objects before proceeding to the next house. The same smell welcomed me. Sooner or later, I may be used to those pungent smells.
"What did you get?" says Lorelei while searching in the cupboard.
"Knives, how about you?" I replied while browsing the drawers.
"Some medkits. There is a stock which is not yet over its expiry."
"Do you think we can find food? I'm quite starving," I asked before going to the basement of this small house. "f**k!" I screamed and Lorelei came running to me.
"What happened?"
I locked the door in the basement and decided to leave. I was shocked when I stepped on a hand. It was too dark to see what was hiding below. The thought of a nightwalker crossed my mind. I don't know what would happen if I took another step on that stair.
"Did a zombie bite you?" Lorelei asked me while pointing the knife at my neck.
"N-No. You might slit my neck, so kindly put that knife down."
"Are you sure? I swear if you show signs of turning into a zombie, I will kill you."
"I would never put your life in danger. If I become a zombie, please kill me."
She glared at me before hiding the pocket knife back on her knee straps. We went back to the main door of the house to leave and meet the other boys. My eyes caught a corpse... rather a zombie, but there is something unusual about that thing. I can't remove my eyes on that thing... Why does that zombie seem unskinned?
"What are you waiting for? We are going to leave this place."
"Nothing," I replied, then followed Lorelei. We met Romer and the other guy with us. I am about to speak. Then everyone shouted at me... "It's coming from the roof!"
"s**t! Don't tell me...." I know what they are talking about. What the hell should I do? My feet do not want to move, as if someone had me pasted in the ground.
- Writer
