The Dead Walk Among Us

Chapter 30: Ghost Town

We walk down the road. I hope I made the right decision. I keep my gun in my hands while we walk. The wolf stops. He looks deep into the trees. The man whistles and the wolf sprints to catch up with him.

"Whats your name?" The man ask.

"Jade, you?" I ask.

"Kyle," he says.

"Where did you get the wolf?" I ask.

"I found her in the woods when she was a baby. Zombies attacked her parents. When she was four a zombie bit her. She acted normal for about a week. After that she would growl at me. She didn't want me near. She never attacked me though," he says. "I was scavenging without her and a zombie snuck up on me. You probably know how that turned out. It's been six years since then. She is the only one in the world who has cared for me,"

Did I ask for your whole life story?

"No, you didn't. I'm just trying to have a conversation with you. You asked a question and I answered," he says.

"I...I didn't say anything,"

Did he just hear my thoughts? No, that's impossible. He turns around and gets right in my face.

"You were thinking it though. Yes, I do hear your thoughts and it is possible," he says.

"You need to back up, right now!" I yell.

The wolf barks at me. He notices that I'm threatening Kyle. Kyle continues walking.

"I know you're partially infected," he says.

"Isn't talking what got you in trouble two seconds ago?" I say.

Now I'm mad. What the heck is this guy's problem?

"I'll stop now," he says.

"Why? So you can listen to my thoughts more easily? I am so close to knocking your teeth out. We're going to sit down and your going to explain every thing about this," I say.

He walks over to a bench. He takes a seat. His wolf sits by his feet.

"How can you hear what I'm thinking? Tell me!" I say.

"I...can't really explain it. When I'm near any infected person, I can hear what they think. It's like I'm connected to all of the zombies. Sometimes I can even send them messages using only my thoughts,"

"Do you know how crazy this is? How insane? Wait, it's the virus...it's making you crazy,"

"That doesn't explain how I could read your mind,"

No, it doesn't. Maybe I'm going crazy.

"You're not going crazy," he says.

"Get out of my head!" I yell at the top of my lungs.

"I can't turn it off. It's just something I do and it's always there. I don't like it either. Everyday I hear hundreds of thoughts and it won't stop. It never stops. I can barely think myself most days," he says.

"We can't do this. We can't travel together. This is annoying both of us. I don't think I can hold myself back if you don't shut up for once!" I say with so much rage it scares me.

I haven't been this mad in a really long time.

"Look, you need me. I won't say anything unless you tell me it's okay."

"Let's try this again," I say.

We continue walking. We enter the town. There is a gas station, grocery store, school, and some houses. Kyle raises his hand. I nod.