When All is Lost

Chapter 52

My laughter didn't stop the zombie from coming. As it got closer, I stared at the hole in its face. Bone and crusty, bloody sinew were in the hollow left by the missing nose. It looked like part of the skin on its upper cheek had been ripped clean off as well.

When its arms stretched out for me, I felt the first of my tears warm my face even as my giggles continued to slip past my lips. Its boney hand got a grip on my sleeve and I was immediately surprised by its strength. I tried to tug myself free, but it wouldn't let go.

I glanced up into its milky-eyed gaze and the last of my laughter died in my throat. Void of all emotion, it opened its mouth wide and leaned towards my face.

My heart jolted and I grabbed its cold hand, trying to pry it off my arm. I scratched and tugged, but it was of no use. The thing held me in a literal death grip and it was doing its best to pull me close.

Before its other arm could take hold, I let my weight drop, making myself fall to the ground. It refused to release me and my arm was nearly wrenched out of its socket as it hit the ground at an odd angle beside me. My saving grace was that I was able to recover faster.

Scrambling up onto my knees, I ignored the searing pain in my side and pulled at my arm with all my might. I heard the fabric rip and I twisted out of its reach before it could grab me again. Its arms swung wildly for my face and I suddenly got the impression of a beetle on its back, but I was underestimating the thing before me.

It got itself onto its belly and began to crawl through the snow after me. I hurried to get out of its reach, scurrying backwards as it made another move for my arm.

I tried to get to my feet, but I was hampered by the snow and the thing's persistence. More tears fell as I met its eyes to see that they were still completely fixated on me. The thing had a single purpose – until it didn't.

As though drawn away from me by a magnet, its head dipped towards the snow and began to lick and chew in a frenzy. Taking the chance, I got myself up and towered over it on wobbly legs.

I swayed precariously as a rush of dizziness hit me like a freight train. Blinking to clear my eyes, I looked down at the thing in the snow and gagged, immediately clutching my side.

Its pursuit of me had only stopped because it was gorging itself on the blood trail I'd left in the snow.

Kill it.

Swallowing the bile in my throat, I glared at the thing.

Kill it.

The thing didn't raise its head. It just kept on eating and eating, licking up every drop of my blood it could find.

Kill it.

I moved closer and raised my booted foot off of the ground.

This is what all of the death was for, right?

The thing turned its head as if it was about to look up when I stomped. I heard the crack and gazed down to see its jaw had shifted out of place. Stomping again, I felt my heel slip and heard crunching as I took out some of its teeth.

I moved to stomp again when it caught me by my pant leg. Toppling backwards, I hit the snow hard, losing all the air in my lungs. My side felt as though it was torn in two, making my vision go white.

Through my agony, I still tried to struggle back as the thing started to crawl up my legs. I heard the moment it chomped down. It bit into my booted calf, but its broken teeth slid across the fabric, doing little more than scratching at it.

Not giving it another chance, I used my free leg to kick it in the shoulder. It lost its grip and I kicked again as hard as I could right where its nose should have been. Its head snapped back and I wiggled away from it.