Chapter 2: The Horse
The fire had completely burnt out during the night. It was so cold that I woke up shiver and sniffling (apparently this KOA kampground wasn't fond of electricity bills.) I could hear father's loud snoring, and I knew he was sleeping soundly.
"I'll go get the firewood for Mom," I thought, feeling it as ample repentance for last night, and I slipped out of bed and into my shoes. I grabbed my I-Pod figuring I mine as well entertain myself if I was going to do a chore voluntarily. I slid down the stair rail and landed with a thump. I had barely opened the front door when I saw her.
"Mom...," I questioned.
"Ugh," she grunted.
Her yellow-red eyes pierced into my soul, and the abnormal silence only made it worse! Wait Mom didn't have yellow-red eyes, as a matter of fact, nobody does. That's when I noticed the blood dripping down her chin, and trickling down to the ground. I started to back away, but then she lunged. I barely had time to duck as she flew over my head and landed with a thump on a familiar figure. Of course, that's why it was so quiet, dad had gotten up. As I watched her tear a chunk out of his throat, I ran to the fireplace, lunged for the shotgun bag, and hightailed outside to the driveway and to the car.
"Crap, it's locked, where are the stupid keys," I said in an effort to drive away from the chaos," Oh wait, Dad has them, and I really should stop talking to myself." I decided to let dad keep the keys, so I started to run out the garage door.
As I was running I felt the winter chill start to set in. Anyways it wasn't exactly what I would call a place to be outside in pajamas. I figured that I would freeze to death if I didn't find clothes and/or shelter, soon.
I started to regret not taking my chances with dad until I caught a glimpse of the Horse, it was 5 1/2 feet tall, and its mane, tail, and all four hooves seemed to be generating fire of the bluest color you've ever seen. But unfortunately, as I made my way over a bear charged it! I couldn't believe my bad luck. Now this bear freaked me out, it had a huge chunk out of its side, and its ribs were clearly visible through the gap. Apparently I must have underestimated the horse though. It reared up, gave a kick, and the Bear rolled over in an effort to extinguish the flame that it's back recently acquired.
I resolved to go to the nearest town to see what was going on. As I figured, the only way to do that, was to get a form of transportation, and what better opportunity than this
I hesitantly approached it and reached out with my hand. He started to approach me, so I tentatively placed my hand on his nose. Startled, he reared. "Whoa boy, calm now," I reassured him as I backed away. 'Bloop' the idea popped up over my head like a light bulb! "Here boy," I beckoned, taking out the apple I was going to eat as a treat for collecting the wood. He settled down and took the apple right out of my hand and started chewing, when he was done he nuzzled me, and I made as to grab his neck, BIG MISTAKE!!! Remember how I told you that his mane was flaming? I wasn't kidding! That thing was hot enough to roast a pheasant on site! But as I jerked my hand back the weirdest thing happened! A little whistle strapped onto a leather strap was hanging on my wrist, so I took it off and put it on my neck, like hey, what else was I supposed to do. While I had been busy nursing my hand the horse had run off. "Crap! ," I swore. So I did the only thing left, I blew the whistle. I know it sounds like, 'who's controlling this guy, but hey, I'm random. I heard the galloping before the horse even came into sight. "Nice," I breathed.
***
This is so not happening, I thought to myself, maybe I can wake up. I slapped my knee with the butt of my shotgun. "Oww," wait, you don't feel pain in dreams. Maybe this one was special, ha, yeah right. Still this couldn't be happening. Maybe that thing was just a Bigfoot or something, maybe it just randomly looked like my mom. Who was I kidding? I plugged in my I-Pod at brain damage level to escape the world
***
As I was riding along the road (I used to take lessons), I saw another creature peeling the flesh from his dead horse, it sent chills down my back. So I did, the natural thing, I shot and borrowed its supplies (It's not stealing if it's not a human). First I took the saddle, then his revolver and ammo, then his rifle and holster. I took apart the rifle and stowed it in the saddle, shoved his pistol in my back pocket, and his back leather holster fit my shotgun perfectly.
Estes Park- 5 miles', said the sign. "Finally," I breathed, "almost there". As I approached the town I saw a man to the side of the road pointing his rifle at me.
"A-a-are you one of t-them?, " he asked.
"It depends, who are them?"
"The monsters stooped," this guy was starting to aggrivate me.
"Do I look like one of them," I retorted.
"Well there's a small chance...," he trailed off as he started to lower his gun. But then a thought came to him, "W-w-well you m-might be," he stammered.
"Look," I reasoned, realizing I've only heard them moan, "can they talk?".
"Anythangs paresible mista," he rambled. Man this guy needs to go to a speech class, or just graduate high school.
"Well excuse me Socrates, can they do this?," I took out my shotgun and downed a bird. Yeah, I know, I'm that good. Wait; looking back I think it was an eagle, and they're endagered, crap.
"Well I reckon not, but still...". I pointed my gun at his head.
"No need to geet hasty there mista," he lowered his gun, "how 'bout I make an eexeption for ye, ya know, since we have a deep, uhh... understanding".
"All right then, it'd be real generous of you if you could you point me to the town?," I asked.
"Straight on this road, then take a left, it'll be on your right side," He instructed.
"Alright then, you take care now," I said as I trotted down the road. Wow, I thought, if there's a 'guard' system set up already it must be bad
***
"Oh great," I murmured as I finished tying my horse to the handicap sign at Wal-Mart, "How am I gonna afford food?".
"I think I can help you there," said a boy around my age walking up from behind me, "Ya see, I'm in need of some transportation, and someone to watch my back can't do any harm, plus that's better than any car I've seen, and... are those pajamas?"
"Yes," I said, irritated "So let me get this straight, you buy supplies, I provide transportation, and we stick together?"
"I think that's as good a deal as someone can get right now".
"Agreed, so first were gonna need some food and fresh water".
So we set out to buy some groceries, then as we came back we noticed the horse was gone, "Damn it," Floyd swore, "How are we gonna get away now".
"Well actually... ," I started. I pulled out my whistle and gave out a sharp high-pitched blow. Needless to say, the horse came trotting back. So we loaded the food and water skins in the saddle, and set off at a steady cantor.
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The Undead Chronicals: Book 1 The Zombie Uprising
ActionWhen Jack Middleton decids to do a favor for his mom, the last thing he expects is to find her with blood running down her face. It doesn't improve the situation when she attacks his dad and proceeds to take various chunks out of his body. Can Jack...
