Infection (1)

Chapter Four

I was frozen, but luckily so were they. They stared at me but didn't move. That was a mutual reaction. I wasn't going to move. To hell with that, I was scared to even blink let alone drop from the tree and run. There was one that wasn't too far away from me, and I saw him lick his lips as the sight of my fresh, plump flesh caused him to drool all over his shirt. I heard him growl and take one step closer and I took a step back on instinct.

That was dumb.

I misplaced my footing and fell from the tree, landing on my back. The pain was excruciating, and it was hard to breathe. I rolled around to see if I broke anything. Nope... everything intact. I got up only to be pinned back down on the ground by the one guy that was looking at me like I was a freshly slaughtered pig at the meat market. This time I was on my side, only having the bottom of my hand against his forehead as defense. He started biting and gnashing at me, and at one point I felt his teeth brush against my skin. I positioned my leg over his and quickly pushed his head up and repositioned my hand so that my wrist was right under his neck. I jerked my body and flipped around so that it was me on top of him, and I sprung up and slammed my foot on his head, smashing it like a grape. I looked up and breathed. But there was the sound of a bunch of growling, roaring screams, and stomping behind me.

I didn't hesitate. I sprinted back the way I came, without even looking back. I felt like that if looked back and saw exactly how many of them were rushing at me, I would've become terrified and maybe lose my footing and trip and then there ya go. No more Walker Thead, no sir! So I kept running. I wish I could say I was super cool and ran the whole mile back to my hideout, but I had to stop and catch my breath. My side was cramping and I felt like was going to pass out. The screeching and roaring was closer. Closer... closer... I couldn't help. I turned to see exactly what monstrosity was behind me, and what I saw was screaming "Don't stop running!". I didn't stand there and count but just yards away from me was a herd of them, probably no less than thirty, rampaging right behind me. I whipped around and started running again, ignoring the painful cramps in my waist and the horrible sore feeling at my feet. I didn't want to die. I don't know why, but it felt like I was needed to help stop this.

I finally reached my safe place and threw myself down the entrance hole before they could see me. It was a fairly obvious hideout, but I was hoping that they wouldn't catch on to that. As soon as I got through I ran to far end of the space towards my futon, where I stood and stared. I heard the sound of over thirty footsteps slamming on the surface above me. I turned to face the wall to quiet the projection of my breathing. I was panting like a dog on a hot day. I felt tears run down my cheeks. I was scared. Terrified. If I was going to die during this... plague, it seemed like this would be the time. I stopped my train of thought because I heard something different; nothing. Just a few minutes ago I heard growling cannibals on top of me, and now nothing. I turned my head toward the opening and screamed. Staring at me through the opening hole one uses to get in here, was one of them that had poked its head in. They are a lot smarter than I thought. I shouldn't have taken them for granted. It roared, calling to the others. They shoved their hands in, digging the hole to make a bigger opening so they could all pour in here.

This was my end. This was the fall of Walker Thead.

Until the strangest thing happened; I heard gun shots from outside. The hands and arms withdrew and I heard roaring, followed by disturbing sounds. What do I mean by disturbing? I mean I heard the sound of skin being slashed and death screams. Complete horror on my face for a good twenty minutes, until it all stopped. Dead silence, not even the songs of birds or the melodies of crickets chirping. I was sobbing by this point. I took a step forward when a waterfall of blood started pouring into my hiding spot, followed by the head of the thing that was looking in here not long ago. I whined and fell to my knees, thinking I was either trapped up here by them, or trapped by a deranged lunatic. I went to my futon to lie down. I closed my eyes, and drifted into a deep sleep.