Immortal or Undead?

Immortal or Undead?

@Franz Palma

There was not a sole reminiscence of yesterday, not a memory, not even something before I passed out, or why I passed out. The very last thing, I remember was the instant I opened my eyes, which was not many minutes ago. My legs are feeble and my eyesight was ever so blurry. But I know I was in the city, on the streets, just outside a building. I stood up but had a hard time planting strength in my legs so I won't stumble. I tried to cough but realized my mouth was in no mood to cooperate, I couldn't even utter a word. I had nothing to say anyway.

But I wasn't by myself. I saw others, already on their feet and trying to figure out their next move. It was a relief that I was not left without company. But above all the uncanny situation I am in, I surveyed the panorama only to see absolute pandemonium. Cars burning, fences brought down, and streets sprayed with blood. What was happening? I counted the number of my companions; there were four of us: a blonde girl, a guy in a tracksuit, a balding old man, and me, the redhead. I stammered and half-dragged my body towards them. But the situation didn't even permit me to do anything as something unexpected caught all of our attention.

I haven't even grasped the whole situation yet when five of them appeared from a corner. Their speed was insane. That instant I knew that they were faster than us, stronger even. Moreover, I knew then that they were full of rage. They were out to kill us. They were all covered in blood, quickly rushing their way towards us. I was scared, but I saw that none of my companions were trying to run. They didn't even flinch at the sight of our threat. The guy in the tracksuit charged in and successfully took out one of them single-handedly. He didn't switch targets. He continued the assault as if to make sure it wasn't alive anymore. It was brutal but he needed to do it. That's when one of them took the opportunity of him being busy and lounged itself towards him. I recognize his attacker. He was one of my neighbors. I wanted to call him out to warn him, but I didn't know his name. I was too late anyway, because they already got him. The guy in the tracksuit was shaking, writhing was more accurate. Then he stopped moving. He was out. One of them took one of us, he was dead. But I wasn't scared.

I didn't know if I should have followed, we were outnumbered. Now it was three of us against four of them. Instead of seeking refuge, the balding man and the blonde charged in, expecting to take them all out. They managed to injure one of them, but not enough to stop him. Aerosol mists of blood continued to spray across the street as the blonde girl collides with one of them, it was too late. They got the blonde. Now it's only me and the balding man, who I realized was already missing one of his legs, limping away. They soon caught up to him and swarmed all over the old guy's body. And then there was only me.

In my mind, I thought of running away. But my feet wouldn't listen. I screamed in my head since my mouth was too dry to function, and nothing I say now would really matter. I didn't know what came over me. It was as if my instincts finally caught up and told me what to do. There's nowhere else to go anyway. I charged in, hoping to take down at least one of them.

I was reckless. "One more! She's an easy target! Shoot her!" Their leader screamed. I can hear his other companions screaming too. "It's only the redhead now!" But I continued to run towards their direction, without any reason of my own. In a few more seconds, they blew my head off, right in the middle of my eyes. I dropped dead on the concrete, my head making a loud thump, my blood splashing on the sidewalk. And before everything else went black, it all came back to me, why I couldn't speak, why I had no reason for my actions.

That's when I remembered. I got bit last night.