The Art of Death Vol I

Chapter 32

The Beasts came storming out left, right, and center. All 8 of them ran towards us as I geared my machete and handgun ready. One of them came up right in front of me, trying to bite me. With a swift slice of my machete I sliced its head clean off. The thick blood flooding out of his neck. Then, one grabbed me from behind. I looked at Naomi, and she hit one repeatedly over the head with the spiked baseball bat. I elbowed the thing across its face, and hacked right into its face. It got stuck in the side of its head and I had to pull yank it forcefully out. Pieces of brain and bone covered the knife as I pulled it back out, and kicked it right in the face after. Deep, red blood covered the knife. Naomi killed three of them already. I killed two. One slammed against her and fell on top of her, growling and hissing in her face as it chomped its mouth closer and closer to her face. The damn thing was having fun with her.

She struggled against its death grip. I went to save her, but then one grabbed me from behind again and hissed in my ear. Again, without much struggle, I elbowed it and kicked it in the face. Its head popped right off, and blood gushed everywhere, like soda bottle. She then screamed as the thing was literally an inch from her face. Then, the other one came up in front of me. I couldn't take it out with the machete. I had to shoot it. I bolstered my gun, put the creatures head in my sights, and fired. A piece of its head flew off and it fell to the ground as brains and blood spilled onto the ground and spray-painted the walls. I took the baseball bat she had, and whacked it across the face. Its jaw came unhinged and the rank flesh drooped off its chin. The thing was stunned for a second then got up and ran unusually fast, even for a Beast, at me. I took the bat, and hit it again. This time the nails stuck in its head. I ripped out the bat and took some of its head with it. The thing ignored it and still walked towards me. This time I hit it, but with added affect I repeatedly beat its head in. Its head turned into brain soup. The thing didn't try to get back up this time.

There was just one more left now. As I turned to look at Naomi I gasped as I saw her struggling to keep the snapping beast at bay. Her hands were the only things keeping the thing from feasting on her soft face. I ran as fast as I could and hit the thing with the bat with a satisfying thud as the hit landed and sent the fucker crashing into the wall. Before it had a chance to get up, I ran up and kicked its head off. Blood squirted out following the head and the force looked strong enough to push the body backwards.

I helped Naomi up. She dusted herself off once she was on her feet.

"Are you okay?!" I asked, while shaking. I was nervous it was too late, and the thing bit her.

"It scratched me. It was so close," She informed me. I looked at her face, and the Beast scratched her under her eyelid. Blood rushed out a little, and we decided to hurry up and get in the safe spot before more Beasts showed up attracted to the sound of the gun and blood.

We grabbed the horse, and we went inside. Inside this place, was a giant, open bar. The entire place used to be a bar it looked like... For drinking of course. But as I looked around, there wasn't much alcohol left. The people that owned this place years ago must've got drunk when the apocalypse happened... And probably got killed, or even worse, turned into a Beast... Luckily, the entire room was clear. The Bar didn't have an outside window, which was good, but weird at the same time. I grabbed one of those first aid kits we stole from Jeffrey's place, and helped patch Naomi up.

"You sure you're okay?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you," She responded. I was worried she got bit, and didn't want to own up to it. I did worry about if she did get bit... I would've had to kill her. I couldn't let her turn into one of those things. I did love her, and I still cared for her despite what happened between us. If I had to kill her, if she was infected, I couldn't live with myself. I couldn't live with the fact that I let her get infected... Or let alone kill her. I would literally have no choice. The virus infects people so fast. There isn't any waiting games... And that's what I was scared of. I didn't care if I got bit... But since I felt that I needed to protect her, I had no choice but not to let that happen...

We unloaded the gear from the horse, and looked around for somewhat comfortable places to sleep. There wasn't any. There was another door behind the bar, but it was locked and I wasn't about to take the door down. Maybe there was a key somewhere, but I wouldn't know. I didn't care much either. I would sleep were ever I could.

"Oliver?" Naomi spoke up.

"What is it?" I responded, hoping it was nothing bad.

"I'm hungry." Well, we had food, but no place to actually cook it. We did have the canned food we found, which was still good. I wasn't sure how to open it, however. Obviously I didn't live back in that day where they had their ways of opening it. I grabbed a can of food for each of us and set it on the bar. I looked behind the bar for anything to open it. I found a bottle opener, which would crack it open easily. I took it, and lightly jammed it in the metal plate covering the can. Luckily, it opened with ease. I opened her can without any problems either. We both sat down next to each other and started devouring the food, just like Beasts would devour us if we gave them the chance.

"Hey, Oliver?" Naomi spoke up again between bites.

"What?"

"Where are we going after that space thing tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Explore a little, then leave, find supplies, the usual bullshit."

"Do you know where we are going?"

"Not a fucking clue," I sighed. Truth is, I really didn't.

"We could find a map." No shit we could. I was mad at her, but I still loved her. What the fuck was wrong with me.

"We could." She was right. We could find a map that hopefully displays were we are compared to where Canada is. I wasn't sure how far it was. None of us knew Geography that well while growing up in this world. Some had maps, sure, but a lot of us couldn't name where exactly Canada was. I was hoping we would find one in that space center tomorrow, or not. Didn't matter. This town was big enough that I was sure we there was a spare map somewhere. I spoke up again, "We might be able to find one tomorrow, at the space center. I am sure some people panicked and didn't pack one the beasts didn't decide to rip apart. Only way to know is to explore." She shook her head in agreement. We sat there in silence as we finished our meal.