Dead souls

Chapter two: Cold hearts

Orion put off the shower hose. He looked round the king sized bathroom but could find no towel, he sighed, nowadays people took whatever they could get. Mostly people took essential items and maybe a few luxuries, nobody bothered with jewelries or money anymore. It only takes up space and had no trade value. He stepped out of the shower naked and left wet footprints as he made his way to the bedroom.

The first thing he put on were his tattered boxers, his only pair, then he began to put on his shirt, as he did so he felt a sharp pang of pain on his palm. He remembered that he hadn't treated the injury on his palm and with the way the room had been cleared out he doubted that he would find anything to properly treat the injury.

Nevertheless he searched and found nothing. The injury was no longer bleeding and had already begun healing so he decided not to bother even covering it up. As he was putting his right leg in is jeans he heard sounds running feet. Alerted he picked up a dagger that he always had handy in his backpack and he hid behind a cupboard, he was now tense. He heard loud knocking and loud screams.

Once upon a time he would have helped but he had learnt the hard way that some men would do anything to survive, and that meant that if he opened the door the person might kill him for food even after he helps them. The knocks ended and only screams could be heard and the screams continued over and over again, ceaseless. Eventually it stopped, which is when he calmed down. He finished wearing everything except his boots. He always wore all his clothes before he slept so that in case of an emergency he would be able to get out quickly.

He laid down on the bed and waited for sleep to come, an hour later he was still waiting. Unable to sleep he stood up from the bed and looked out the window. Hundreds of zombies roamed the streets, they walked slowly and lazily unless they saw a rat or dog or any other living thing, then they would run faster than one would expect and eat it.

It had all started three years ago, people assumed it was a virus or an act from God. One night some people began to go crazy attacking everyone they saw. It's a mystery as to why it didn't affect everyone. Then the government had taken measures to try to stop it but they failed. Not because of the zombies but because the people panicked, soldiers panicked, everybody panicked. Some say the president is still alive and in a secret fortress, and that there are special soldiers assigned to slowly clear the country of zombies.

Personally Orion thought it was all bullshit, this was his reality and he knew it wouldn't change anytime soon. After about ten minutes of staring out the window he got bored and decided to lay back down. Eventually he slept off. In the morning he woke up on the floor.

Lazily he stood up. He didn't even bother with a shower, he didn't want to waste any daylight. He put on his boots and picked out a plum from his duffel bag. He had always loved plums mainly because you could eat it all. He removed the barricades on the door and was met with the sight of a dead body. It was a bloody mess, this must have been the guy knocking at the door the night before, a zombie must have gotten to him. Not feeling any remorse he finished his plum and proceeded down the stairs.

If his wife could see him now, she'd kill herself all over again. At that thought Orion froze on the steps fighting back tears. He always tired his best to suppress his emotions because in a world such as his there was no time for years. Having regained his composure he continued down the stairs.

Once off the stairs he walked down the hallway and into lobby. He was met by a surprising sight, there was a zombie, indoors, while the sun was out. He couldn't believe his rotten luck. The doors of the hotel were closed and so the zombie clawed at the door with a pitiable futility. Orion cursed under his breath. Unlike the numerous movies and series on zombies they were extremely difficult to kill.