Better Dead Than A Zed

Chapter 2

I clicked the lock button on my phone and the time shown noon. My other hand had not moved from my deceased mother's and it was stiff, the skin felt like rubber.

I needed to move. My stomach rubbled, growling for food and my mouth was dry as a desert. I fumbled with my phone, shoving it back into my pocket. I had tried getting a signal with no luck. I let go of her hand slowly, gently letting it slide out of my fingers.

"I love you mom..." I whispered as I covered her in a small blanket, trying my best to cover as much as I could. I closed the door slowly and dodged the blood on the floor, walking down the hall.

Numb, I began to enter the kitchen and I looked in the cabinets. I clicked on the TV and leaned on the counter with a bag of chips in my hand.

"-disease is spreading rapidly and we encourage everyone to stay inside. More news coming soon but for now, it is advised to either stay inside or move to the Portland Airport where planes are taking people to safer areas." Repeating over and over the location of the airport and directions.

I clicked it off and sat on the edge, swinging my legs. Being an only child, I had gotten mostly anything easily. Not saying I was spoiled, but I had no sibling competition. No sharing of toys, no sharing of clothes, no sibling rivalry. I swallowed hard.

Mom was always working so no one was ever home. Just me. Now it's only me.

Airport.

I needed to go to the airport. I finished the crumbs in the bottom of the bag and hurried to my room. Clothes and food. Mhm. I grabbed my duffel bag and started packing.

Shorts, shirts, socks, the whole nine yards. The bag was small enough to carry easily. I slid my pocket knife in my back pocket and my lighter in my front. I had changed into some jeans and a t-shirt. I opened my door and went to the bathroom to gather my hygienic supplies.

I tripped over the crumbled figure and I sighed. I kept going and grabbed my first aid kit under the sink and rummegded through the closet. I finished packing the duffel bag and continued through the house, grabbing what I could possibly use.

The bag began to weigh down on my shoulders and I finished zipping it up. The bag felt heavy on my shoulders, the straps dug into my skin and it rubbed raw. The sting made my eyes water but it also could have been the smell from the dead corpse laying in the middle of the floor.

I hadn't touched it, fear kept me a good distance away. I had pushed my shoes on and clicked my watch on when I heard a car alarm outside go off. The noise made me jump and my heart almost imploded inside my chest.

"Jesus!"

I made me way towards the front door and peeked through the hole. The street was empty and a small car with a deep green paint was blinking and honking. With a swift movement and no time to waste, I slipped outside the front door and crouched.

The sun was well over the middle of the sky and its heat hit my skin like a flame. I could feel the sweat drip down my lower back and the pavement was hot. I looked up as the car silenced and I crouch walked to the bushes lining my front yard.

Peeking between the leaves, I spotted a girl. I rubbed my eyes and continued to look, but yes a girl. Black hair tied back and about my height, she had a backpack on and was digging through the abandoned automobile like she was looking for something desperately.

Maybe she knew what was going on better than I did? Should I approach her? Ah, what the hell. Why not?

"Hey!" I yelled as I stood slowly and waved my arms. She froze and crouched against the metal body of the car, looking at me with a blank expression.

"Hey, do you know what's going on?" I said a little quieter and started stepping around the bushes to meet her.

I heard a click and then I saw the gun. This was my time to freeze. The sun reflected the steel plated hand gun brightly and it looked big and awkward in the hands of a teenage girl.

"Stop! I will shoot!" She yelled and kept it aimed at me. From about 8 feet away, I had no chance of running, especially with only a hedge in between us as cover. A shiver ran up my spine and I felt my heart beat hard and I could feel the blood pound in my ears.

The street was silent and I could feel it.

"What's your name?!" She demanded, stepping across the street slowly. Her converse shoes slid across the pavement and I debated trying to make a run for it again.

Nope. Even if she was a terrible shot, I would still have a chance of being shot somewhere.

"Deminicus. My name is Deminicus, please don't shoot." I raised my hands up in a peace offer as my voice shook. She nodded.

"Stryder. Are you bitten?" Stryder guestered to her mouth and showed teeth. Keeping the gun steady, keeping her eyes narrowed on me, she stepped around the bushes.

3 feet between us and I could feel the nervousness. I cocked my head and looked at her, "Bitten?" Her face turned dark and pointed to the corpse in the street.

"Infected, diseased, zombiefied, whatever you want to call it." Her voice bounced off my ears as I tried to understand.

Did she just say zombiefied, as in zombies? Like night-of-the-living-dead-I'll-eat-your-brains zombies?

"N-no..." I stuttered and reached for my shirt to show.

"Hey! Slowly." I nodded and began rolling up my shirt to show a bite-free chest, I rolled my neck to show no hickies from zombies and I rolled up my pant legs to show I had no other scratches or bites.

"Enough?" I sighed as I patted my shirt down into place and ruffled my hair.

"Fine. Are you alone?" Stryder's grip on the gun had loosened, I guess I was no longer a threat. I nodded. She shifted her feet.

"Same," and she pointed to the cars lining the street. "If we find some keys, we can get to the airport." Airport, yes. Safe place, Mhm. Sounds goooood to me.

"Well, can you put your gun outta my face? I feel a bit uncomfortable." I said slyly and raised an eyebrow. She gave me a look and slowly lowered the gun, fitting it into her waistband of her jeans.

"Make a bad move, and my gun is the last thing you'll have to worry about." I rolled my eyes and put my arms down.

"So...this your place?" Stryder leaned towards the old house I had once called home. I looked down and shoved my hands in my pockets, "...it was." She felt the gruff response and looked at the paint chipped shutters.

"I suppose that duffel bad," she guestered towards my back, "means you don't want to go back." I nodded at her and felt around in my back pocket. A jingle of keys and a shine of metal showed the Ford's keys in my palm. Her face lit up and I smiled.

"Look, you can come along, but if you try to murder me, I will flip that damn truck." I smirked and pointed to the wheels, "and that baby will not get back up without a crane.

" Stryder looked at the truck and nodded. "I think I can agree not to murder you yet, but no promises if you become infected." I shrugged, "I'll be fine. I'm a big boy and I've played enough videogames to know how to survive a zombie apocalypse."

"Are you using videogames as a training for your survival?" She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Get in the truck before I leave your ass," I narrowed my eyebrows and climbed into the driver's seat.

Oh lord. Driving. Shit. Probably should have paid attention to mom's driving...I swallowed. That's the past. This is now.

Just drive.