Maurice [ONC 2022]

1.

The day the cure was announced to the world, the survivors of the apocalypse rejoiced. Where there were zombie free zones, there were celebrations. Not a single drop of the carefully rationed liquor remained in the tap by the time dawn arose. Those that could afford to spare a few supplies for explosives were more than eager to give them to the cause. For the first time in six years, the light at the end of the tunnel no longer appeared as a blurring blob that waved in and out of vision, but one that warmed the survivors with its beaming rays.

He didn't celebrate with them. He had been sleeping that day and sleep was far more important than socialization. Like right now, where thousands of people outside the little gift shop gathered to start their day while he dozed on.

Or rather, he was asleep until someone flung the door open, startling him from his slumber. Naturally, he screamed, or what he could manage with his broken vocal chords as beady eyes drilled into his soul so sharp it gave a knife a run for its money. What sane person would dare walk into his room while he was in dreamland? Not just that, but this woman had the audacity to place a foot through the doorway, hand drawing an actual knife from her pocket.

He felt bad for her. Who told her the pocket knife was a good weapon? A shame she had to find out from him it was useless as he launched himself from the bed towards her. Fingers grasped her shoulders to shove her to the ground and drop atop her. His teeth sank into her neck to quiet her screams of "Get off me, you jawless creature!" as she attempted to kill him with her flimsy pocket knife. Meanwhile all he felt saw disappointing me too. Another tasteless human. Just the usual sweaty aftertaste of a human in dire need of a shower.

A few more seconds finally stilled her body, the knife rolling from her relaxed fingers. Satisfied with his work, he rose to his feet, head lolling to the side as he watched her sit up. Their eyes met once more, but this time they shared the same glazed stare, the only difference being her eyes were still blue while his green had faded into nothing.

With fatigued effort, she crawled past him and slimed her way onto the bed, face planting into the pillow. If it weren't for her inhuman body, she might have suffocated as she happily dozed off, leaving him deprived of a bed once again.

Fine. She could have the room even though he was there first. Maurice grumbled as he left the back of the gift shop, pausing when he reached the sales counter to look out across the main lobby of the building. In the golden rising sun's rays, the sanctuary glimmered playfully, the light splaying through the open windows and across the tiled floor. The clear skies excited those inside the sanctuary, encouraging them to start their day earlier than usual. The gates leading to the underground terminals where the survivors hid opened wide to let everyone into the sunlight.

It was almost odd, seeing a place so alive. Maurice couldn't remember the last time he had been human. He had been among one of the first to become infected with the Brainz disease and spent the past six years bumbling about with a rotting body. How he was still together in a functioning pile of bones and skin remained questionable, but what was there to complain about? Contrary to popular media belief, the Brainz virus zombies weren't the ravenous type that ran around and ate people. They were hungry, sure, but hungry for a good night's sleep. Ferocious competition for a bed they could hibernate in mixed with popular media often created the illusion the Brainz victims were violent. Some zombies were lucky and never had to worry about any competition, allowing them to sleep as they longed. Others were less fortunate, for people kept walking in on them with eyes hungry for a kill.

Which Maurice thought was pretty backwards thinking. To him, the Brainz virus seemed more enticing than dangerous. Who the hell wanted to be alive and maintain all the humanly needs when you could nap all day? No obligations, no jobs, no taxes to pay. Life was pretty sweet as a victims of the Brainz virus save for the decaying body. He never had to wonder if he was being unproductive with his dead life because it was naturally unproductive.