The Mississippi Zombie Chronicals

Chapter 27: Closest Calls

I walked back inside the house to find everyone resting. Jessica and Michael were on watch, Michael had surprised me. He was still in rough shape and under orders to rest and heal but he still volunteered for sentry duty.

"Good to see you two helping, it means a lot to me and this group. You guys don't have weapons yet, do you?" I asked.

"No, we don't. Not even pistols."

"Well, we need to fix that. I'll be right back." I replied.

I walked to the pantry, where we kept our food and weapons. I grabbed a Sig P-250 and an MP-5 and carried them back into the kitchen where Jess and Michael were at.

"Here, take these. Only shoot if its super serious. Wake me if you can before you do, if not, you do what you have to to keep everyone safe. Remember, two of us have laid down our lives for you. Don't let their lives have been for nothing." I said, handing Jess the Sig and Michael the MP-5.

I walked to the bedroom, Maria was already in bed just laying there.

I got undressed and joined her in bed. I kissed her shoulder and then her neck. I knew it drove her crazy.

"Not tonight. I've had a lot on my mind today." She said.

"Okay, well would you like to talk about it?" I asked.

"Not yet."

I know this is hard for you, living like this. With all this pain and sorrow around us.

"You can talk to me in my mind?"
"Yep. But I prefer using my voice. I'm still trying to get a hang of this. It didn't really come with an instruction manual." I chuckled.

"Well, I still have stuff on my mind that I'm not ready to talk about, and don't you try to read my mind either." She replied.

"Cross my heart."

"Good, let's get some sleep."

"Alright. Good night." I said, kissing her and rolling over.

There I was again, that single light swinging over my head.

Tactical vest.

Extra mags.

Rifle.

Cigarette case in my vest pocket.

Pulling out the new case and grabbing a smoke, I lit a cigarette like usual, drawing the smoke into my lungs and exhaling the cool menthol.

"You know, you really shouldn't smoke those."

It was a familiar voice. One I knew couldn't be real.

Sarah.

"And what would you know, you're dead." I replied.

"Ah, yes. I am dead. I forget that sometimes, seeing as how my soul remains here." Said Sarah, emerging from the darkness.

"Well. I can only assume you're here for a reason, so tell me." I replied.

"I'm here with a warning, you and your group will suffer a loss in the near future." Said Sarah.

"Well, shit. I'd imagine so. Have you seen the world we live in now? We have gotten lucky so far, and now you're saying that our luck is finally running out? Screw that." I said, tears running down my face.

"I'm sorry..."

"I know you are.."

"You're gonna be okay, you know? You were made for this world and I wasn't. That's what it boiled down to." Said Sarah.

"I hope so."

"I know so."

Sarah vanished into the darkness. I finished my cigarette and stood up. I almost went to put it out on the floor again, when I saw an ashtray and a note.

If you're gonna smoke in here, please use this ashtray.

Ha.

I woke up the next morning in a cold sweat. Maria was beside me, still asleep. I kissed her forehead and got up to get dressed. Jessica runs in my room, bursting through the door.

"You need to come, quick!" She said.

I threw on my vest, grabbed both of my pistols and ran out the front door. The entire yard was crawling with zombies.

"Jess! Go wake everyone else! We have a fight on our hands." I yelled to her.

I was outside, picking off walkers with my dad's old pistol when the rest of the group emerges from the house.

Zig unsheathed his Katanas and started to go to town, slicing and killing without mercy.

Bob, Morgan, Drew, and Cody were in the back yard with their assault rifles, fending off the Undead.

Maria, Jess, Michael, and I were killing zombies in the front yard, defending the house. We got so into the fighting we didn't see Michael go down.

They grabbed him from behind, tore him to shreds. I turned around, seeing what was happening to him.

I shot and shot until I was out of ammo. Then I unsheathed my knife, slashing, stabbing, killing.

Everyone one else was done fighting, and coming back to me. There was a horror in their faces.
I had completely lost my shit. I tore the zombies to bits until there was nothing left to kill.

Michael laid on the ground, his intestines and skin laying around him. "Pl-lleasee, k-killl me-e" he said.

Jess was holding him in her arms, crying her eyes out.

"KILL ME!" Michael screamed.

I put a slug in his brain.