Zombie Land

Chapter Five

I followed the group as the rushed inside, away from the swarm of zombies. I tried to stay near the back so I wasn't in the line of fire.  I was almost knocked over from everyone trying to push past me. I could see the hunger in their eyes, but I wasn't hungry. Usually when humans come to the city, I would have gone into a frenzy, but not now. The sound of gunfire was making my head swirl. An arrow flew past me and sank into the chest of a zombie just behind me. That was close. The four of the traveled up the escalator and continued killing more zombies.

I hear a few shouted words and then two of them ran back down the escalator towards the back of the building. It was the glowing girl. I wanted to follow, but I didn't want to risk getting shot. I started to point to where the others had gone and soon, there was a whole gang of us shuffling towards the back of the building. I saw them frantically running around looking for an escape. Once they were aware of our presence, the glowing girl stared firing arrows at us again. The other girl stated shooting her gun, but I could tell she was more focused in finding a way out. I heard some more words, then they sprinted towards the desk. The glowing girl started to knock the at the ceiling. I had no idea what see was doing until I saw the vent. Realising what they were doing, I started to head back out the building. They'd come out in one of the back ally's for sure.

I knew this city like no one else. I tried to walk quickly, but tripped over my and landed on the floor. It didn't hurt. I just got back up and continued walking. Once I got around the back of the building, I headed for the ally ways. I couldn't see them anywhere, but I could smell them. They couldn't have got too far ahead. I followed the scent for ages, hoping that I could catch up to them, but I had no such luck. Their scent was getting weaker, meaning that they were pulling away from me.

After a while, I started to give up. Their scent was almost nonexistent. I wandered aimlessly through the ally's. There was nothing but bits of rubbish on the ground. I tried to listen to see if I could hear anything. Nothing. Not every the wind was blowing. Then I could smell it. That scent again. It was the girls. I started following it and I gradually grew stronger. It was almost unbearable now as I tired the corner. There they were. The girls at a dead end. They were bickering between themselves. I just stood there, watching them. I'm sure if I was still alive, this would be considered to be creepy, but I can get away with it now I'm dead.

The glowing girl looked so beautiful. She held herself with confidence, even though I could tell that she was exhausted. The other girl was beautiful too, but not as much as the other one. I managed to pick up a few other their words. They were lost. Then it hit me. I knew this city like the back of my hand. I'll get them out. But how? They wouldn't trust a zombie. Especially one that just spent five minutes staring at them. I tried to think of what I could say or do, but my dead zombie brain didn't have many ideas. But I was too late. They had turned around to see a zombie blocking their way. They glowing girl stepped in front of her friend and aimed her bow and arrow at me. Without warning, words tumbled out of my mouth.

"Help you get out."

What? I just spoke. I've never spoken as a zombie. The girls looked at me in shock and horror and I think I would have too. I was expecting an arrow to land right between my eyes, but it never came. Instead, the girls just stared at me.

"What did you say?" The girl with brown hair asked me.

"Help...you...get...out," the words felt strange leaving my mouth. But at the same time, it filled me with warmth that after all these years, I had finally accomplished something that no other zombie had."Help you find safe way...out of...city," more blank expressions.

"You want to help us?" The girl with blond hair asked.

"Keep you safe...from other...dead things," I responded. The blond girl pulled on the brown hair girls sleeve and whispered. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but they seemed frantic and freaked out by what had just happened. After a few minutes, the brown haired girl looked at me and spoke.

"Fine, if you can show us how to get out of here safely, then I won't kill you. But mark my words, if you try anything funny, I'll put and arrow through your brain, if you even still have one of those." She gestured for me to lead the way. I turned and started walking down the alleyway. The two girls stayed a safe distance behind me. The brown haired girl had an arrow aimed at my head. I wasn't planning on doing anything to them, but she was right to be cautious. I lead them through a series of alleys and through the back of an old comic store. I wasn't even sure that I knew where I was going, but something was pushing me to carry on. After a while, I could hear their breathing getting heavier and their feet were dragging. I stopped and turned to face them. The brown haired girl aimed her arrow at me.

"Take break." I said to them. At that, the blonde haired girl flopped to the ground and panted heavily. The brown haired girl walked over to an old, rotten box that she sat on. She lowered her bow, but kept her eyes fixed on me. They both took water bottles out and drank them until there was no water left. When the silence became too much and too awkward, I finally spoke up. "Whats your...names?" I asked. They both looked at me cautiously, then looked at each other. They seemed to be having some sort of debate about whether or not to trust me. After a while, they seemed to have come to a decision. The brown haired girl looked and me and answered.

"My names Scarlet Lex and this is Grace Simmons." There was a bit of an awkward pause be before she asked,"Do you have a name, or do we just call you zombie guide?" I could see Grace snicker at that last comment. I don't know what she would call me. Zombie guide seemed a bit degrading, but what else would she call me. I don't remember my name. As I was sorting out what she would call me, I said something unexpected, yet it seemed right.

"My name...is...Aaron." I don't know why i said it, only that it felt right. The girls looked at me in surprise. A zombie that has a name would be something new to them. I don't think any zombie has a name. Except me.

"Well Aaron, I don't mean to be pushy, but it's getting dark and we would really like to be back at our plane before we are swarmed by a plague of zombies." Said Scarlet with a hint of desperation in her voice. Without a word, I stood and started leading them again. It took a good hour to finally make it back to their plane. The sun had almost set and I hear Scarlet let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you Aaron for leading us back to our plane, and I also offer you my sincere apologies." Before I could figure out what she meant, Grace took something out of her bag and plunged it into my neck. I didn't feel any pain, but the world started swimming around me.

Then everything went black.