The Dead Are Among Us

Chapter Three

My journey needed a destination, I had no clue where I should go. Maybe I could head out to the police station or hospital? All these things were popping into my mind but I finally came to a conclusion where I could stop at, a grocery store. I grabbed my bag and headed out. You have no idea how frightened I was knowing that these maniacs were out here. While I was walking I was thinking how they are very different from a normal person. Their eyes change to a pale color while the pupil is solid black, they are stronger than normal, their skin change to a very pale color also. Matt tried to bite me but why though? Is a bite highly contagious? Is that how they turn? Things were making sense now a bite is what they want, they feast upon humans. Even though I only encountered with one, things were still foggy it wasn't making too sense. While walking I saw one of those "things" eat something. I paused in the middle of the road staring at it while fear was kicking in my system. Those things must of heard me walking because it turned around and saw me. The disgusting thing had blood all over its mouth and hands, I looked down to what it was eating. I saw a that it was an older man, it was eating another human that was alive before.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no" I said quietly while starting to jog away.

That didn't work it, the maniac was chasing after me. I started to run for my life still having my bag in my hand. Shit.. Why did I have to stop? Now I'm here running for my life not wanting to end up like that guy. I looked back while continuing running, the thing was still running after me. They weren't too fast but could still catch up to me if they wanted to. Their was a huge sign read "GIANT EAGLE" right ahead of me but still in a distance. I found where I wanted to go but now someone else is coming with. Once I arrived at the parking lot, I saw some of the windows and doors boarded up. I ran around the side and luckily their was one door that wasn't boarded. Now this is my chance to get in and escape, well that's what I think. Once I reached the doors I tried my hardest to open them but they wouldn't budge.

"Shit! Come on!" I screamed, shaking the door.

The thing was not to far and I need to hurry up. I looked everywhere, and their was a large pipe right on the floor. Quickly grabbing it, I launched the pipe into the window making it shatter to a million pieces. At least I got in finally. I scurried inside running as fast I could trying to find a hiding spot. The thing came inside also and saw me running. I try to look back to see where it was but then I tripped over what looked like a box of cereal. At this point I thought I was done for it, the thing came running after me while I was still on the floor but out of nowhere I heard a loud bang and before you knew it the thing collapsed to the ground. I'm not dead reluctantly, I saw the male figure that was infront of me with a pistol in his hand. He came at me and grabbed me by the collar.

"What are you doing here?!" He asked

"That thing was chasing me and I needed to get in!" pointing at the dead corpse

"You listen here, you now just put us both in danger okay? Now that they heard the gun shot they are gonna come here in packs!" He shouted

"Well I'm sorry I didn't want to die! Damn!"

After that he dragged me into the staff room of the building, locking the door. He punched me out cold making me black out. After an hour I woke up seeing that I was handcuffed to a chair.

"Hey! What the hell man?!" I hollered.

He pulled out his gun pointing it directly at me. My mind was in a frenzy was he gonna kill me on the spot? He couldn't because that gun shot would attract others. He stared at me cautiously before saying anything.

"Why are you here?" he asked

"I didn't want to die alright? So I came here.."

"Did you plan on coming here?"

"Yeah but I didn't plan on getting chased"

He grabbed my bag and opened it up to see what I had brought with me. He removed everything out of the bag with my clothes and ending up finding my box. I stared at him cautiously hoping that he wouldn't open it but he did anyways. Once it was opened he saw the gun and the three clips.

"This yours?"

"Yeah, it's mine.. Just please don't take it" I pleaded

"Whats your name?"

"John" I answered

"How old are you, John?"

"I'm 16"

He gave me one last look and then untied me free. He put all my stuff back in the bag and handed it over to me.

"I'm Mike, I'm 17" He said

When he was done greeting himself he went back out to patch up the doors and broken window. I went out to search for food and their were stacks in the aisle's. My mouth was watering, while I grabbed chips, candy, desserts, anything that I could find. I stuffed my face with all the food, finding Mike staring at me.

"What.. I'm hungry" saying with a stuffed mouth.

"Yeaa anyways I came here to tell you, you can stay here for the night then leave in the morning"

"Leave in the morning?"

"Yea, is that a problem or something?"

"Didn't think I was going to leave so early.." i replied

"Well you gotta go in the morning"

While the sun was leaving the moon came in so soon, before you knew it, it was 9PM. Mike and I stayed in the staff room, him sleeping on one couch while I slept on the other. We had only one lamp so that's the best we could use for light. Mike was alright, he seemed like he was the lone star. Appearance wise he wasn't muscular or anything just fit, he had brown hair and eyes. He always had his gun at all times no matter what, he won't ever go anywhere with out it. The room was silent while Mike read his book but something was on my mind.

"Hey Mike.. Can I ask you something"

"Shoot for it" he answered

"What are they, like why do they eat other people?"

"You really don't know huh?"

"No, not really.."

Mike sat up and stared right at me, I could tell he was serious by the expression on his face.

"They're the living dead. Scientists were experimenting on some animal and apparently it escaped from the lab. It bit a human and then onwards quickly spreading around. They eat humans and animals anything living really. They can't see but they have a strong sense of hearing and smell.. You have two, you have the walkers easy to kill and then you have the runners.. they're harder to kill"

"How do you that someone is bitten?" I asked

"Well first it stars off with paleness and discoloration in the eyes, then excessive sweating. After that they start coughing up blood. Then they start to shake as if they are having a seizure. Once that's over they're whole body shuts down and they are announced dead but after 3 minutes they come back to life not human though.. dead really"

"How do you know this?.."

"I've seen it happen.. My mom she uh.. she was bitten and I stayed by her side"

"Oh, I'm sorry.."

"Nah, It's cool, I'm good but uh hey i'm gonna go to sleep so goodnight" He told me, backing away his tears.

I removed the picture of me and my family from my pocket. I stared at it for a moment seeing how everyone was happy that day. The thing is I used to say that I hated my parents but really when they're gone I can't help to wish they would be right by my side. I turned off the lamp light and put the picture back into my pocket.

"Mom.. Dad.. I love you"