Undead Souls - Broken World

A Day In The Woods

Kate strut passed her tent. In the forest covered by the trees was a cluster of tents, most large enough to fit at least four adults, however that didn't stop the eight teenagers form having their own. The tents were positioned in a semi circle against a large mud-covered white movers truck. On the other side of the truck, between the wheels, was boarded with planks of wood that were nailed into the truck and large rocks along the base.

Passing a blue tent she opened the next tent which was in the centre of the semi circle. Jordan lay fully naked on his front, half out of his forest green sleeping bag that was unzipped. Kate quickly averted her eyes from her brother's toned muscles. "Close the curtains." Jordan mumbled, still clouded with sleep, into his pillow.

"Oh, my, God. Did you pee yourself?" She asked still looking away. In a rush of panic, Jordan kicked off his sleeping bag and checked himself. Kate stifled a laugh as she walked out. "Good morning, we've got a lot to do." She headed to the tree closest to the centre. In the area they'd fenced off with wire, there were only three trees. The one in the centre had a ladder leaning against the trunk and tied with some rope. On the branches that the top of the ladder reaches were some planks nailed in and a large flat plank nailed across the top of them.

Sat on the planks was a small, slightly overweight ginger teenager, about the same age as Kate. "Mornin'." He said as she stood below.

"Heading out Keith," she said blocking the sun from her eyes. "I'll be back soon and hopefully with some fresh meat you can cook up later." He nodded in reply, though it was hard to see. Kate turned and picked up her slim, black and grey backpack from her tent. Checking to make sure she had her long knife strapped to her waist, she set off in a steady jog through the forest.

Dressed in a thin forest camouflaged jacket, black t-shirt and tight blue jeans. She kept her pace, heating up her body, while she crunched through the golden brown leaves of autumn. After several minutes she arrived at a stream. Clear water flowed quickly over the rocks going on a slight descent. Filling up a few bottles full of water; she began walking along the edge, making sure she moved through the trees.

She checked several of their traps they'd set up and then reset them. She'd managed to collect two squirrels and a hare. Placing them in the plastic bag inside her backpack. Coming to search the last trap she spotted a figure moving just in front of it.

Disappointed, she almost walked past but watching it's behaviour could be vital to kill them and it might not have found the animal caught. Sneaking behind a tree, as close as she dared, she slowly unsheathed her knife. The thing stood over the hare, which she could now see.

Examining it she noticed a lack of blood that covered it. Maybe it was bitten on the leg? She thought. She checked over it's back; a boy, maybe my age. He, it had short hair, longer than most boys usually would. Despite the darkness of the black hair she could clearly see dried mud in the hair. He wore fully dark clothes; black fleece, black jeans, black finger-less gloves and black walking boots.

He crouched down and looked at the hare. She moved to a closer tree. "... Hear your God, prepare this meal, I command you." He outstretched his hand to the hare. "Damn slugger." He complained, sitting in front of the hare. Kate took a deep breath, stepped out from behind the tree and checked him over for weapons. A long, metal pole and a thick kitchen knife.

"What's a slugger?" She asked, surprised that it came out so calm.

"Ah well you know I don't actually know ya see the person who..." Slowly, he turned around, standing up. His eyes widened behind his blue plastic framed glasses. Kate pointed her knife at him. He looked at it then back up to her face. He smiled slightly.  "Ha. Ha. Ha. Foolish human, do you believe your weapons of steel can harm me? I am Seth, God of chaos, ruler of destruction, bringer of doom. I brought this chaos upon you and now I shall show you destruction unlike any other. And I will allow you to witness your doom. Prepare yourself, foolish human." He said in a deeper voice. He brought his pole up and held it in one hand in front of him.

"Did you just say..." She started laughing, "no way... you think you're a... that is the funniest thing anyone has said in..."

"W-what?" He gasped. "How dare you, human, you..." He tried in his deeper voice but it just made Kate laugh more. Before long he'd started laughing to. After several minutes they finally calmed down.

"Thank you," she said wiping a tear from her eyes. "Seth, did you say that was your name? Or God?" She smirked.

"No, just Seth. But what would your name be?" Of course, he's still a stranger. Is he dangerous, what about a group... "Hey it's um, rude to stare."

"Sorry, I'm Kate, yes nice to meet you." He smiled, which slowly disappeared as the silence continued. "So, who's um, with you. I mean a group obviously." He stared off at the dirt.

"Just me."

"How?" He pointed with his pole to a bag against a tree to her left.

"Cans of food, six left." He looked away then back. "You don't have like any water you can spare, do you?" He asked sheepishly.

"Yeah." She took the bag off and pulled out a bottle of water and handed it him.

"Thanks." He said before gulping down half the bottle in a few seconds. "What about you? You got a group?" Why haven't I seen him before? He should be in my year.

"I've, um..." Kate momentarily stopped, having an internal debate. "A few others." Seth smiled at her.

"That's good, playing safe. At least your not a bunch of idiots, or at least you ain't." Her face flushed with heat. What! No! That was a complement, not very good but- "Sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect. That's how you choose to play this game, go for it."

"Um... Yeah?"

"Then again playing solo is quite dangerous." He continued, oblivious to her confusion. "No one to have your back, although no one to get in your way." He stopped, realizing he was talking out loud and asked her, "could I, ya know like, check out your camp?"

"You're alone, right?" She asked.

"Yep, last group was... Some guy." She tilted her head ever so slightly. Looking away he added, "I killed him."

"Oh."

"Every time I'm with others they die. My parents were killed right at the beginning, then this guy, Charlie, taught me about sluggers. I call them zomb's sluggers as they're not actually dead, or at least not the body. Band- A girl tricked by her mother killed him. She died... Taking a bullet for me, some kind of apology or something. And this other guy, fucking dick. Last person I saw alive since you, about three days ago. Taught me to shoot but said I was too weak to survive cause I tried to save a family. He was walking away while damn sluggers attacked!" He raised his voice slightly. "So you know what I did, yep, shoot him in the legs." He pulled out a handgun from behind his waist, pointing to the trees to his right. "Led the sluggers away, from the family and to him. Huh, guess he did help them." A large smile was spread across his face.

"I think you need to-" She stopped when he charged in the direction he was aiming in. A boy screamed out in pain.

"Get the hell off." Seth had Keith pinned beneath him. "Kate get him!" Seth hit him in the stomach before turning to face Kate. They were a similar height but she still felt like he was looking down on her. He extended his left arm.

"Hello Kate, I'm Seth." She shook his hand, glancing over to Keith who clutched his belly, groaning.