Hollow Graves (Lesbian Story)

Chapter Twenty-One

I spent most of the day strolling from block to block. There was no sign of human life. It was burdening to be the one to worry about every life so I did my best to minimize that. My brother was the only exception to not feeling like a burden. I would not send him off to anyone else.
Occasionally, I'd run into a walker here and there. Occasionally, I'd kill a walker here and there. There was no love lost between the walkers and I. Honestly, I would mind my own business if they weren't so busy trying to eat me. The moment those walkers saw me, they were like children leaping for an ice cream truck.
The more of them I killed, the more I felt a piece of myself leave. Thirst was the cause of my dry mouth. I walked several minutes slipping in and out of a daze. That hunger to kill and vivid imagery of flesh between my teeth cringed at my chest.
I was afraid of what I was becoming. No humanity was present inside me when I felt this way. This feeling tugged in my chest.
I walked into the neighborhood park, tired of standing around a bunch of hiding spots. To my left was a bench before the playground. A young woman's body lay, arms hung off the sides. I held my knife tight approaching cautiously.
"I don't suppose you're awake and a nice human person?"
By the sound of my words she lifted her head, the right side of her face gnawed off. Her right eye was ripped out, skin chewed away by greedy walkers with their greedy fingers and teeth.
Her young teenage face, no prettier than a gorillas. No offense to the Monkey Kingdom, but gorillas looked ugly and deformed to me. She had on a hello kitties coat; how original.
   Part of her upper lip was ripped off. I stared for a while, appalled at how bad she'd been attacked. The thought of knowing this young life was taken brutally. Did she scream for her parents?
I stepped backward, not ready to complete her exit to this world. She looked around my brothers age. I frowned at how I kept seeing as human. I knew that part of her was gone. It wasn't wrong to call her what she was. The Dead Walking.
She walked lazily as if she was unable to bend her knees. Her hands reached out. I grabbed her hand as if accepting her invitation for whatever she had planned for me. She wanted to rip me apart. I could see why. I knew how hungry she was because I felt it every hour. It was strong, like starvation even after a meal.
Sliding my knife into her skull, I watched as what was left of her vanished. The dead blank stare in this young walkers eyes stayed how I ended her, dropping to the ground.
Shaking my head, I turned to the playground. Standing several feet away, two kids in their preteens stared dumbfounded and frightened.
They were alive. My eyes widen.
The look they gave me held fear and a wavering stance.
"Don't run," I shout watching their bodies shift. "I won't hurt you. Harmless." That wasn't completely true but I wanted to make them feel comfortable not scare them. "My names Tris."
The two girls stood quietly. I could hear their heartbeats fall in the same fast rhythm. There skinny legs shook from adrenaline.
"Where is your parents?"
Both girls turned, glancing at each other, facing me again.
The girl with the darker hair spoke. "Our dad is hurt?"
I had to ask. "Was he bitten or--"
"No," the other girl said as if my question was threatening. "He broke his ankle."
"We had to find help," the girl with the darker hair clarified.
"I can help you. If you two want."
"Really?" They seemed incredulous.
"I don't want anything. Only to help," I assured them. "If you want it."
They nodded.
I followed the girls for several blocks, much further from my house. I hadn't yet gone this way and now was a good excuse to come.
There was a metro rail in front of our path. We were in more of a business environment. To our right was a plaza, multiple stores outlining the area, and other miscellaneous places to the right side of the street.
I'd noticed a few more walkers down this way. That wasn't surprising. Much more people for walkers to munch on.
We'd hid next to every cover we could find.
"My dads in there," the girl with
The darker head said. It was a laundromat.
I wouldn't say that was the safest place to be. To many open view of who was in there. Nothing but glass blocking the walkers from whoever was idioc enough to stay in. There were other options. Shit, at least with a beauty supply store there was more covering and options in grabbing supplies.
I nodded. "You two stay behind me."
They nodded obediently.
"There was about seven walkers Lallygagging around as if they had nothing better to do. I'm sure if someone offered themselves up like a meal in a grocery aisle they'd be more entertained.
No thanks, but I was off limits. Thinking to myself, I wondered what the hell I was doing. Before seeing these kids, I told myself I had no time for taking care of everyone I came across. It would be just one my life in my hands to possibly lose and watch ripped apart.
I ran up behind the first two walkers, their back turned to me. Swiftly, I slid my knife into the lower back of their head, where the spine connected. Being an EMT I knew where to take these fuckers out successfully. Twenty points each for me.
They dropped as I ran up to another Doug the same thing. We were about fifty feet from the laundromat when I noticed a stench in the air.
"Please," I begged God or whoever. Fresh blood. My entire body trembled. I tightened my grip on the knife. I couldn't lose focus. The smell was addictive and I hated it. I hated feeling this way.
There were growls coming from a distance. The sound carried from inside the laundromat. This wasn't a good sign.
Before I could say anything to the girls they rushed pass me to the laundromat calling out to their father.
Total dread rose in their small voices. I rushed after them, knowing attention was being drawn to us.
Fuck me, for trying to help. These girls were going to get themselves killed.
"Hey. Girls."
They were already at the laundromat frozen a few feet pass the doorway.
From the corner of my eye as I approached, a leg twitched, sticking out from the edge of the counter.
"Daddy."
Both girls began to cry.
Gurgling growls came loud from around the counter. I shoved them back. I noticed more walkers heading our way.
Shutting the glass door I locked it, turning back to the walkers in our proximal location. Three walkers stood as if we'd barged in on them eating dinner. We had. The sad thing was, these fucking walkers dinner was the girls father.
"Stay back," I shouted at the girls.
I pulled my belt, looping it around my other hand with the missing pinky. By the way these walkers stood, I could see they would be one of the biggest walkers I've faced.
"Stand on top of the counter," I ordered the kids.
I crouched defensive. Go small and come up big. That would be my tactic. I thought of the time a patient came at me on a bad case of meth. He was over six feet and a heavy three-fifty.
I took a quick peek at their father. His neck was completely chewed out; trachea in full view. Most of his intestines were ripped out. Blood spilled out from his mouth. He probably also chucked on his own blood.
His fingers were bent stiff from the fight he gave them. They'd clearly won.
The walker that faced me first was clearly the second son to Shaq. Just as tall and thick boned with a bit of extra belly. Only thing that showed any indication of him being attacked was the bite on his forehead.
I leaped back when the walker tried to reach for me. I sliced down at his wrist, tearing a bit of his flesh. That seemed to only tickle this Big guy.
The other two walkers seemed to fight their way around him.
I grabbed another walker yanking what was left of her into the bigger walkers direction.
I stabbed the walker in the back of the head dropping hard. The last smaller walker took his time moving around the counter toward the kids standing atop.
There was more walkers banging on the glass to be let in.
Not a chance.
Thinking of a new tactic because he was too big for me to reach his head with wrestling him down, I climbed the washing machines leaping down as I stabbed the big guy on top of his head.
The walker blinked a few times before collapsing.
I hopped on the other end of the washing machines toward the walker heading for the girls. Quickly I yanked the walker by the back of his shirt, taking him out.
The girls chose that moment to leap off the counter, heading for their father. I grabbed both girls around their waist.
"Hey, no," I told them. "He is...he's gone," I said softly as they slapped at me to let them go.
"Stop," I snarled. It wasn't my intent to frighten them, only gain their attention. "Your dad is gone."
I couldn't let them see. Have that full image of their father gone from this world. It was no sight to see. And to see him change would be more devastating. To know he would roam around, mindless.
   I looked both girls in the eyes. "Stay right here."
   I walked back around to the other end of the counter next to the washing machines.
   There father was dead. I stared down at him, zoned into the hole in his neck. Shaking my head, I shifted my eyes up to his. "Sorry. I promise to find them a safe place."
   I wasted no time in sliding my knife into his skull.
   Moving back to the girls, I grabbed their hands moving to the farthest end from the walkers pulling at the door. It was well over twenty of them.
Hungry basterds.
   I picked up a chair throwing it through the window. "Let's go."
   I pushed my body into gear practically dragging them off with me.

~

   Madison rushed out the door. "Tris."
Running up the porch, I held the hands of the girls, guiding them through first.
Tears stained at the corners of the girls eyes.
Madison looked from the girls to me perplexed.
Automatically, Madison knew what to do. Clapping her hands, Madison called Brennon downstairs. "You girls hungry?"
They said nothing for a moment until Brennon walked down.
Her mouth fell slightly open. "Hey," she said awkwardly.
"Brennon. Can you boil some water without burning the house down?"
Smiling shyly, Brennon nodded. "I'm not terrible in the kitchen, mom."
"How about you two girls help her out. You can call me Madison. My daughter, Brennon."
The girl with the darker hair hesitated, responding. "I'm Kylie. My sister, Katheryn."
"You'll be safe in the kitchen," I said. I placed my backpack on the couch. I pulled out a few boxes of protein bars and other useful items I found.
"Where did you find these girls?" Madison whispered, walking over to me.
Continuing to go through my new inventory, I answered. "I was at the park several blocks from here. Ran into them." I pulled out my knife from the holster placing on the table that rested behind the couch. My hands were stained from blood.
Madison stood quiet for a moment.
I took this opportunity to explain. That's what she wanted anyway; an explanation. Hell, I didn't plan on my day ending like this. It was a little after six. The sun was dropping.
I explained to Madison what happened and by the time I was finished she sat on the couch.
"On our way back, they told me they were headed to their uncle and Santa Ana." I shrugged. "Apparently, he's ex military and before it got really bad he got told them to come. He could be still there."
I needed to get cleaned up. I was annoyed and emotional though I did good to hide it.
I walked upstairs, showering and by the time I was in my room, I felt defeated. A day later and no sign of Donald. I feared they'd never come back this way.
There had to be a way to find them on my own. I sat on the edge of my bed, cracking my knuckles repeatedly. So much was on my mind.
"What's on your mind?" Madison stood in the doorway.
I glanced up, sighing. "A thousand things into one."
Madison grunted. "That makes sense, somehow." She sat down beside me. "What's that one thing...that you're striving for?"
That answer was simple. "Making sure the people I care about survive this world ."
"And not you?"
I looked up at Madison's remark. I frowned, looking down at my hands. What about me? I was damaged and she had no idea how bad. "All that matters is my brother." I looked up at her, "and you, I guess. You're daughter included."
Madison snorted. "And are those girls an additional package you care about?"
"Their kids," I said. "I would never want to see children harmed."
I thought of the young child I killed the night prior and frowned, disgusted with myself. I had to do it. That's what I continuously reminded myself.
"I can't take care of them. But..if I can...I will try to get them to their uncle."
Madison smiled. "You're a lot cooler than you was as a kid."
I rolled my eyes. "I was always cool. You were just to strung up on our age difference and that one chick." I snapped my fingers trying to remember that girls name. "The one you went crazy for."
"Hey, I've never gone crazy for a girl," Madison said defensively, a smile held in the corner of her lips.
"Her name was..." I closed my eyes picturing the gothic girl Madison was all over, as if remembering how she looked would help. It did. "Haaana," I said in a teasing purr.
Madison rolled her eyes. "Her name was just Hana. Not Haaana."
Blush rose in Madison's cheek as I teased her further. "Oh Haaana...I miss you so much. Come and save me from Tris. Gosh, you were so amazing in bed, Haaana."
Playfully, Madison slapped me on the arm. "I never slept with her."
I scrutinized Madison, doubtful.
Rolling her eyes, Madison said. "I so happen to remember all the girls you begged me to let come to the house when your parents were gone. And when they caught you making out with a girl...that was the last time I babysat you. I lost serious cash flow." Madison snorted, impersonating the girls I'd dated in the past. "Gosh, Tris. Please stick your finger inside me. Just
Once..." Madison mocked.
We both laughed for a while, growing quiet after a few minutes.
Sighing, I let Madison speak first. "Then I moved on with my life and every once in a while I'd see you with girl after girl. God...they were all in love with you."
I waved her opinion off. "I'm charming. Sometimes that can be a flaw. They forget my charm can be turned off if they say dumb shit or I get upset and all of the sudden I'm an evil bitch. They are seduced by my charm...until their not."
"Yeah...well...they forgot you were
Human too."
"You were smart enough to stay away," I teased.
"You were still a kid to me," Madison said, defensively.
"Even at eighteen, before I left to College?"
Madison rolled her eyes standing up. "Even then." She looked around my room. "Don't hide up here to long. We need to come up with a plan for tomorrow."
"What do you mean?"
Madison looked me in the eyes. "We need to find your brother and I will not let you face this alone."
She walked out leaving me. I smiled glad I thought to come back to the house I grew up in. I was glad Madison was here. And finally I felt hope again.