To Be A Killer

Chapter 81: Milkman of Human Kindness

"Sun's coming up at Abel," Sam says, "and with the dawn comes the mind controlled forces. Oh, good. Looks like they've got a mangonel today. They must've nicked it from that medieval village. That'll be fun... Hm. I think Lou's got something clever planned for them today-some sort of arrangement of hidden noisemakers along a single path, so it'll look like she's repelling the zombies, so they'll think she might be bolting with the ZRD."

"Smart," I reply.

"Well, everyday we buy you is a good day, right? And we've heard good news from Tony in London. You remember him, right? I think he had some weird crush on you."

"Only because I look like Chrysalis," I grumble, cringing at the old memory.

"Yeah... it's really weird, remembering you have like, two doppelgängers... at least two, and they're both dead..."

"Which can only mean I'm n-" I start.

"A-anyway, he's marshaling the resistance there to guarantee you a clear path to the Comansys building. I still can't stop thinking of that thing as the ice cream cones," He chuckles. "Jody's been really helpful too. Told us a few back routes in and out of the city she used with her dodgy contacts. So, as long as the professor can actually fix the thing-"

"Don't say it," I say quickly.

"Right. Right. Don't want to jinx ourselves. Maxine, Runner Five, follow that foot path ahead, through the park."

"This way, Professor," Maxine says as we starting bearing down the stone path that has now-dead weeds sprouting out of the cracks. It's overgrown, and the few pieces of playground equipment that are still standing are rusted and old. It's actually quite creepy, even as the sun slowly makes its way back into the sky.

"Is it safe?" Pro. Downes asks, frantically looking around. "The-the zombies..."

"It's fine. Sam said the route to the Comansys lab looks clear. We shouldn't have any trouble."

She nods. "The quicker we get there, the quicker I can repair the power pack, and I can go home and put my feet up."

"It's okay for some, huh?" She mumbles.

"Pardon?"

"I said, uh, the park's nice."

There's a rustle in the grass, and Pro. Downes tenses. I eye the trees wearily.

"What was that?" The dark haired woman murmurs fearfully.

"Minor update," Sam says. "Couple of zoms closing in on your position. Just a couple of shamblers. You could out-walk them, to be honest."

"I got it," I say, grabbing my axe as I see three zombies stumble through the trees, their dead eyes focusing on us. "Best not let their moans attract any more zombies."

I start to walk towards them, but I pause when I hear the professor gasp.

"Oh, God. I'd heard about it, but I'd never seen them. They're hideous."

"It's okay," Maxine says. "Just keep moving this way while Five deals with them. Come on."

She stays frozen in her place, even as I axe one in the head. There's a sick crunch as the blade cuts through skin and bone. It's been awhile since I've done this. I'd forgotten how their body jerks when the axe cuts through the rotting brain.

The corpse falls to the ground as the others still stumble towards me, hands outstretched and jaws hanging open.

"The flesh is falling off them in strips. They stink like the grave. Oh, God!"