THE GHOST OF HIM - [ 1 ] 10K / Z NATION

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

Landon quickly pressed down on the breaks, the large tanker truck in front of her coming to a stop on the side of the road.

"Out of gas?" Landon shouted out the window at Roberta.

Sending her a nod back, she jumped out of the truck as the group made their way to a crowded highway.

Kneeling next to doc, Landon rummaged through an old red car.

The boy from before kneeled down next to another car, attempting to syphon gas.

"So, what's your name kid?" Doc questioned the boy.

"Ten thousand." He responded dryly.

Landon scrunched her face together.

"That's not a name, that's a number." Her tone was not purposefully rude, though it came out that way, as she stared at him.

"It's my name. Made it myself." Ten thousand shrugged.

"Well, does it mean anything?" Doc asked, as he shoved a few things into his bag.

"How many zombies im going to kill."

"That's a lot of zombies." Landon stood up grabbing the pack of cigarettes she found, dusting her knees in the process.

"Already on, one thousand and fifty five."

"Damn! So what happens when you get to ten thousand?" Doc stared at the boy.

"Change my name." Ten thousand stated in a matter of fact tone.

"To what? Twenty thousand?" Doc laughed at his own joke.

"Jeff." Ten thousand retorted, sending doc a blank stare.

Landon's head snapped in his direction, as she gave him a questionable look.

The boy walked off to the next car as Doc looked at her just as confused.

"I like the name Jeff...Oh shut up." Ten thousand rolled his eyes stabbing a z in the head.

"I think it's cool. Ten thousand I mean." Landon replied, shrugging.

"Yeah... what's yours?" Ten thousand turned making eye contact with Landon for the first time.

They both paused, staring at each other for a few seconds, before Landon averted her gaze to anywhere but his, letting out an awkward cough.

"Uh, Landon."  She responded, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, trying to ignore his burning stare.

Looking up, ten thousand was staring at the pack in her hand.

"What? You want one?" She held out a cigarette towards the taller boy.

He nodded slowly, grabbing it from her fingers as she handed him a lighter.

Landon watched silently as the boy inhaled the smoke, her eyes quickly peering behind him.

"Shit! No, come on!" She whined as she took off towards her truck.

Smoke bellowed from the front end of the truck as the tire looked awkwardly crooked and flat.

Doc and ten thousand followed closely behind.

"Doc grab the jack and the stand, um... 10k grab the spare from the bed." Landon ordered as she dug around in the front seat, pulling out the socket wrench from the glove compartment.

Loud motorcycle engines sounded as Landon's hand hovered over the gun that sat in its holster, as her neck snapped towards the noise.

Her eyes narrowed as her head followed two men on the bikes as they slowly rolled past the three.

As soon as the two men lost eye contact with the girl, they revved their engines, taking off down the road.

"Okay, let's do this quick." Landon stated, getting down on her knees, removing the lug nuts.

"10k, help me pull this thing off it won't turn." Landon grunted as she tugged on the wheel.

The two removed the flat, throwing it carelessly into the road.

"Oh, gross." Landon cringed as she covered her nose with her sleeve.

Inside of the wheel well, a Z was wedged inside, the smoke being from the zombies burning clothes and flesh.

"Gross! What are you waiting for kill it. Kill it!" Murphy shouted as he joined the three.

Landon rolled her eyes at his immature attitude, as she swung her hatchet into the zombies skull.

The two teenagers quickly pulled the zombie from the truck and put the new tire back on.

"Back to it." Landon motioned for the boys to get back in the truck.
—