The dark days

First contact

  The scream came from just outside the house, and I jumped down from the second floor, running towards the door, and as I busted it open I saw a horrific scene.

Pinned to the ground was a young girl, thrashing about under the grip of a zombie.

  "Somebody help!" she screamed, desperately trying to hold back the undead creature, it's mouth barely centimeters away from biting in to her neck.

  "Get off her you miscreant!" I shouted, running towards it. Just as it turned around to look at what had shouted at it, I jumped up and raised my dagger, bringing it down straight in to the forehead of the undead man.

  A disgusting squelch sound was heard, and I pressed down hard, twisting the dagger around, causing the zombie to let out a squeal that made my blood run cold; it was comparable to the girl's scream. But it was much more horrifying, and in shock I jumped back, letting go of the weapon.

  It writhed in pain and kept squealing loudly, blood pouring down it's face and dropping down to the ground, coloring it a sickly dark red. The zombie clutched itself and trembled, before falling on to it's knees, desperately clawing at the surgical instrument lodged within it's skull.

  Blood oozed down faster now and in greater quantity, creating a huge pool of blood around it. The zombie was still struggling, all the while shrieking and writhing in pain, trying it's hardest to get the death blade out of it, but it's efforts were futile.

  A few seconds later it stopped shrieking and slumped over, falling wholly in to a lake of it's own blood. The writhing stopped almost soon after, and the body went limp.

It was no more now.

  I panted, hands on my knees, with cold sweat dripping down my cheeks. T..that...that had been too close...and horrific. I was literally shaking, and I might have stayed frozen in place if I hadn't been interrupted by the sound of whimpering coming from the girl.

  She was visibly crying, and trembling, her head hidden behind her hands, hiccupping a little, and I could see the tears trickling down to the ground.

"H..hey, are you okay?" I asked softly, walking over to her slowly.

"N..no" she cried, curling up in to a ball.

  "Hey it's okay" I whispered, bending down and ruffling her hair gently, "Shh, the zombie is gone, you're safe now."

"I..it i..is?" she asked shakily, looking up at me, tears in her eyes.

  "Yes, it's not going to hurt you anymore" I smiled softly, gently wiping the tears from her eyes. "You're safe now. Here, come with me. I'll protect you" I said, standing up and offering her my hand.

"Y..you promise?" she whispered, sniffling a little.

I nodded, taking her hand gently and helping her up.

  "Let her go!" a female voice ordered from behind, pressing something in to the back of my head. I heard a click sound and froze.

  "Let...her...go" the same voice commanded again, this time pressing the thing harder in to the back of my head. "Do it or I'll make sure your head is full of lead"

I gulped and nodded, frightened by this sudden turn of events and let the little girl's hand go.

"Good, now on your knees!" she shouted, kicking me harshly in the back of my knee.

"Hey!" I gasped, falling down to my knees, "What's your problem!?"

  "Shut up you little shit, now tell me what you're doing here, and where did you come from. Which band of thieves do you belong to?"