Perfect Timing: Short Story

Perfect Timing:

A/N: Hey Wattpad readers! To any of my fans reading that probably think I'm dead since I haven't published anything in, what, 3 months? I'm not dead, in fact I have been busy with some new projects.

So this one was originally a school assessment piece of a short story we had to write, but I've edited it a bit and changed some stuff so it was better than the original. It was a bit crap originally because it had to fit within a 450 word limit, so you can imagine what that would've ben like. So if the story is a little lame, I'm sorry, I just thought I would put it out there anyway.

I was thinking of maybe making this into a full novel if you like it enough, but have the title changed into something different, and have this part as the prologue.. So yea, tell me what you think!

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Thick clumps of mud splashed up on Alex's dark jeans as he fled through the ruins of Central Park. His heart pounding at the bitter fear creeping up through his body.

The muffled groans from the rotting zombie forced Alex to focus on his current and more important task; staying alive. Losing this zombie was the hardest task he had been set in his life. Even the three torturous years of the military hadn't been that hard.

It was sunset and the chilly autumn breeze continually cut through him like a knife through butter. He let out an annoyed growl as he risked himself to look back to see how close the corpse had gotten. How did they find them? They'd been so careful.

The corpse roared from behind, raising it's speed as persistent as a mosquito, lurking to sink into human flesh.

They weren't even supposed to like the city areas.

Alex snapped his head forward as he patted his back pocket, seeing if he still had his grenade safely stashed in it. Alex sighed in relief when he touched the jagged material of the explosive.

He could feel he couldn't hold up much longer, but he knew he had to wait. Waiting for something he still couldn't master the skill of finding. He had to find the perfect timing...

...

"But Dad," Alex would say at a young age, during his training with his father. "How do you know when the perfect timing is?"

"You'll feel it in here," his father would say, placing a large hand over Alex's chest. "And just know."

...

The thought of his father was a stab to the heart, every time leaving him with a scar of dread and guilt.

Happy memories then drifted through his mind. His mom dancing happily in the kitchen, attempting to make a normal dinner. His father taking him hunting in the depths of the Carolinian forest. Amber smiling up to Alex, giving him that 'I'm your little sister and you love me,' look.

Alex clenched his teeth, biting back tears. They're all dead now. All because of you, he thought to himself. He could feel his heart throb in the grief over his family.

"Screw it!" Alex hissed. He ran faster at the thought of his family as if running fast enough could take him back in time and reply the zombie attack that killed his family. Adrenaline pumped through his blood like a tap left running.

He puffed out air desperately as he gained distance between him and the zombie within the speed of light. Alex yanked the grenade out and bit harshly down on the pin. Twisting up in the air, he thrust it, moving directly towards the zombie.

Time slowed from when the grenade left his hand to when his feet hit the ground, as a ran faster than he had ever before, avoiding being blown to bits.

An atomic boom sounded from behind him, the force of the explosion pushing Alex into the dirt. Holding his breath, Alex began praying that he would survive the explosion.

...

"And what happens if I don't?" Alex had to ask, dreading his fathers response.

Alex's fathers soft features would turn serious. "You will die."

...

His fathers words echoed loudly in Alex's head like a swam of bees humming. Seconds turned into minutes as the air finally cooled and the burnt grass started to sizzle, cackling in Alex's ears. Wincing in pain, Alex managed to twist his body to take in his surroundings.

Tipped over vehicles littered the city streets, tiny sparks jolting away from the the burnt metal. Along side the vehicles, dead bodies rotted in decay and fresh burns. Finally Alex's eyes locked on the only part remaining of the corpse that was chasing him. The head.

Alex let his head collapse back down into the dirt, half laughing and half sobbing in relief. Gulping down his uneasiness and after checking if he was still fully intact, he finally pushed himself off the ground.

Sweat pooled off him as Alex crouched over, arms resting on his thighs and let go of the sickness resting in the pit of his stomach, trying hard not to face plant in it.

He furrowed his eyebrows as he replayed what had just happened. He left his camp only to round up some food supplies and ran into an army of zombies. The camp had been so sure that there was none remaining in the area, what had gone wrong? So he had managed to trap the rest in a building collapse, but out of the pack only one happened to escape and go after him. What if there were more? He had to warn the camp.

The question was how he had survived? It was a miracle he survived the building collapsing, let alone a raging zombie on his rear for half an hour. He knew the answer immediately.

His family. The memories, the adrenaline, all came from them. They gave him the timing to stay alive.

He managed a soft smile thinking of the people he loved had saved him from near death again. Running his fingers through his slick raven hair, he started off again trudging towards the camp, hoping there still is one when he gets back. As he passed through Central Park, he realized that for when he needed them the most through this crazed, dead world, his family would always be there to look out for him. To motivate him to not drop everything and give up, but most importantly...

To keep Perfect Timing.

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A/N: What did you all think? I would really love to know if you liked it, so I can start planning the full novel, I've already got some ideas about it and all I need is the tick of approval from you guys.

No pressure.

So please, vote, comment on this post, inbox me on Alewi91 (Wattpad username) fan me, and I will be so grateful!!

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Thank you!!

-Alicia-