Hallowed Creatures

1

Jaclyn was going to scream. The dead were coming and they were coming fast. She raked the blood from her fingers as she ran down the wood path. The noise the creatures were making behind her was unholy. A voice whispered from the darkness.
"Hey you!"
She looked up at the trees. A woman's face was hidden among the leaves.
"Climb!" The woman urged.
Jaclyn found herself climbing the tree as fast as she could, even as she scratched her hands on the wood, she advanced. Once she was on top, the girl looked down. Creatures of blood and bone walked slowly past the trees. There could have been hundreds. Jaclyn didn't dare utter a word. The moment she did, the hallowed would turn to the noise and she wouldn't have a chance, so she pressed herself down into the bark and stifled a scream.
Someone tapped her shoulder. Jaclyn spun around to face the woman. She had a pale face and long black hair, the woman could have been Jaclyn's mother based on the uncanny resemblance. She tried not to tear up. The pale faced woman put a finger to her lips and pointed down.
A lone hallow had stopped at the base of the tree. It looked to have once been a woman; it looked pale, dark colored, and altogether disgusting, but with once pretty blonde hair. The hallow must have heard something because it lifted its head to examine the surroundings. Jaclyn put a hand over her mouth and stifled another scream as the hallow looked straight into her eyes.
It began to growl. Beside her the woman was reaching for a beehive and pulling out a knife. "Don't move." She whispered.
In seconds, the woman had sawed the branch the beehive was on. She looked down at the hallow. "Here you go bitch." The beehive and branch tumbled to the ground below, landing directly on the hallow's head, crushing it in the process.
It was over. Silence filled the forest, that and the rumbling of Jaclyn's stomach.
"Are you hungry?" The woman was reaching into her pocket again. She pulled out a piece of stale bread. "It's not much but I have more back at our base. Jaclyn hadn't noticed her voice was so soft and melodic. She took the bread without a second thought. "Thank you." She murmured.
The woman put the knife back in her pocket and sat up. "Those walkers will be long gone by now. They may walk slow but as a group they are fast. It's best we get down before another herd comes through."
Jaclyn nodded. "Thank you for saving me. What's your name?"
The woman looked as though she was perturbed by the question. "I haven't been asked that question in a long time. It's Giovanna, but I go by Gianni."
Jaclyn again nodded then realized she should probably introduce herself. Gianni was already making her way down the tree. Jaclyn followed quickly, making sure she hasn't forgotten her shoulder bag.
"I'm Jaclyn." Gianni only offered a small smile to this. "Well Jaclyn, I must say you look even more hungry. You should come to my base. We have everything you'll need." In the light of day, Gianni looked just like Jaclyn's mother and it really did bring tears to her eyes.
Gianni stared. "Did I say something?" She looked confused and Jaclyn was embarrassed. "No, no. Just remind me of someone." She stuttered, which made her feel cowardly.
Her new friend or acquaintance offered another small smile and started walking in the opposite direction of the, what she called, "walkers".
To Jaclyn they had always been hallows, even Merlot had never called them walkers. The name made sense though and she wondered what hallow even meant. It was Axel who called them that in the first place. Thinking of them made her remember why she was out here in the first place. Jaclyn needed to get back to them.
"Actually, I have somewhere to be. My own base. Thank you for the food though." She said it quickly as Gianni turned around. "Are you sure you don't want to take something extra for the road? We have weapons."
This stopped Jaclyn dead in her tracks. Weapons. She needed that. The amount of people they had lost in so short a time and the way no one was protected. Surely Merlot wouldn't be furious if she brought back weapons.
Jaclyn found herself agreeing and following the woman deep into the forest and further away from her original safety.