Demigods

Chapter 32: True Earth

A zombie roar soars above them.

Woman: "(cackling) How long has it been since I got to torture you until you'd cry?"

Jake falls into a trash can.

Jake: "(horrified) St-Stay back!"

Earth: "Jake?! Who is this person?!"

Woman: "Why are you running? Didn't you accept it as a child?"

Jake is too horrified to speak as memories of his body being covered in cuts and bruises flashes through his mind.

Woman: "But I can't let you live, such a shame..."

The knife is moving closer and closer to Jake's throat.

???: "Hold on!"

A small ember singes the woman's hand, causing her to drop the knife.

Woman: "(in pain) What the hell?!"

Leo stands at the entrance to the alleyway, holding his blade forward.

Woman: "Damn! I can't deal with two bastards at once!"

She heads deeper into the alley as Leo hands Jake his phone.

Leo: "Are you okay?! The moment I heard you panicking on the phone I ran around the route to find you!"

Jake is still hyperventilating.

Earth: "Calm yourself!"

Jake slowly regulates his breathing.

Jake: "(calming down) Why her?"

Leo: "Who?!"

Jake: "(horrified) My... mom."

They look down at the body as Pyronicious appears.

Pyronicious: "She's the Shadow Killer?!"

Earth: "I had no-"

Leo: "Y-Your mom is a serial killer?!"

They all look down the alley as a couple zombies land in front of them.

Earth: "(sighs) I can just never get a sentence in."

Jake assumes a shaky stance, but Leo quickly decapitates and burns the heads as they fall.

Pyronicious: "We can handle her Jake! Just get home and make sure everyone is okay!"

Leo heads forward.

Jake: "I-I..."

Earth: "Jake?"

His eyes flash a light brown for a split second.

Jake: "... I-I can't let Leo deal with her solo!"

Jake stashes the ice cream in an old cooler and packs it with scraps of paper as insulation.

Earth: "I just saw you! You could barely speak!"

Jake: "(deep breath) That's why I'm doing it."

Jake cautiously follows Leo as his heart rate begins to slowly rise and his body begins to shake.

However...

The woman stands at the complete end of the alley, exhausted and backed into a corner.

Woman: "(breathing heavily) Fucking shit! I'm stuck here!"

A zombie on the verge of falling apart is perched atop a building overhead, staring at her.

Woman: "(breathing heavily) Oh look, it's more of those bastards that keep showing up."