The Giantess of Serendipity

Sh!t just got real

        I get a call from Abby late one evening. She says the last non-local news report on TV says that a large herd is coming. Now that station is off the air. It’s all over the local news. Her church had a meeting over it. Apparently several self-proclaimed 'Rednecks' have set up perimeter sweeps to sight and warn the news of when and where the zombies are. The Rednecks also show off their trophies of the infected which make me glad I don’t have TV. The Rednecks haven’t seen this large herd but have noticed they tend to group up and prefer slight declines or level areas when not stimulated. There’s a river going through the center of downtown. Taking that in consideration and the hills on one side they predict the herd would come through the northwest side of town. Great for me my place is east close to the river and hills. It’s also a strange irony that millions was spent to turn that area in the northwest flat and open ready for shoppers to find ample parking at miles of upscale strip malls. Her church wants to confront the sinners (man eating zombies) and convert them to the light (embrace their own death and die or heal with the power of faith). I told her not to go. She says she has too, everyone has to go as a whole church even the people in wheelchairs, even the babies. In preparation the sewing circle is making white robes as is anyone able to sew in the congregation. They are going to start at the church have a service then go to the place that they predict the infected will be. Then they will sing hymns and read passages from the bible and well apparently miracles happen. I told her it was bat shit crazy and for real not to go. She says I don’t understand and that they are just trying to help the infected.

It was the first real fight we’ve had since three years ago when we fought over what color was Aiden’s favorite. I said it was blue like his eyes she said yellow because he wore a yellow hoodie a lot. Ends up his favorite color was red. For about two weeks though, until we worked up the courage to ask him, it was the biggest deal ever. It’s weird saying it now but then it was a totally serious thing to epically fight about. She wouldn’t talk to me for days.

This whole thing with her in danger felt like I could feel the zombies coming closer throbing through me. It was constantly on my mind. I tried to reason with her a couple time which just made her dig in her feet more. Finally the day came the zombie were sighted the church was called I went to her. I told her if she had to go I would too. She said I shouldn’t go. She made me promise not to go. I promised I wouldn’t go with her if she took the walky-talky. I was still going to go just not with her.

I didn’t go to the church I went to where they were going to meet up where the zombies were supposed to be. No zombies yet. I found a spot to see and not be seen on a low-ish billboard (I’ve noticed people tend not to look up when they’re walking). I heard an almost hum. I turned toward the noise and saw movement. Closer and closer the slow mass of bodies came. The low hum became a louder, a discordant hushed roar.  The fluttering white cloth blinding in the sun. The sound was becoming more of a distinct song one I didn’t know.

I felt a prickle on the back of my neck the hair stood up on my arms and just like the church group a vast mass was moving toward us. Unlike the church group this group seethed and writhed with no order. It looked like small groups were breaking apart and other groups joining in. I could tell the instant the infected could hear the church group singing. It was like a predator catching scent of prey, which I guess is exactly what was happening. The infected started to march with an almost military precision. Mind you still unsteady shambles but now with purpose. I don’t think the church group knew yet. They had gotten almost directly under the billboard I was at, the hymn was stronger now they had stopped walking. They turned toward the hoard they hadn’t spotted yet holding hands, they’re faces glowing with certainty, they’re white robes billowing gracefully, their voices strong united. I was torn between warning them to run and seeing if maybe they knew something I didn’t. There had to be like five hundred white robbed people mostly men in the front. Abby wasn’t joking there were children running between the rows of people, mother’s carrying babies, babies in strollers, old people with walkers, wheelchairs. None of them had any form of weapons. Just bibles, bottles of water, diaper bags. No protection either, some didn’t look like they had any more on than just the robe. The robes up close were an interesting mishmash of styles. The men in front looked like they had the robes priests would wear on Easter Sunday. Some were wearing choir robes others what seemed like repurposed curtains and table cloths.  I could tell when the white robes saw the infected coming. One man came in front with a bullhorn giving a rousing sermon about faith or something. I looked around outside their group and noticed others in a more defensive stance like myself, but too few. I scanned the crowd several more times but didn’t see Abby.

  My walky-talky made a noise. “Hey are you there?” I hear in the scratchy way walkys make everyone sound. I grab for the walky quickly with shacking hands. “Hey, yeah. I’m at the billboard for Lovelace jewelry do you see it?”  “I’m glad you’re here even though you promised you wouldn’t come. I’m coming your way see me?” Ahh, there she is. She has a nice but handmade robe on. She came closer to where I am but the other ladies near her grabbed her hands and have her face forward to sing. I turn to look and feel guilty at having her move toward the front. The zombies are closing in. They break into a heartfelt ‘Amazing Grace’. I hoped it would work, I really truly did. I see some of the spectators raise their weapons and take aim. The (I’m assuming) guy in charge that had just finished his sermon and started the ‘Amazing Grace’ turned to them “Please my brothers and sisters let them have a chance to be saved. Their souls will be released to heaven when God chooses.” He was the first to die. It was horrific. It was gore-y. It was almost cartoonish. Arteries really do spray blood. The singing faltered a little then came back. I saw Abby come towards me. I dropped down the rope so she could reach the stairs. The robe was in the way and she faltered. The white robes were reaching for her again. She pushed and shoved her way to me throwing off the robe to climb easier. She made it to me faster than I’ve ever seen her move. We hugged then she was calling to the others to climb quickly. Some made the move then were pulled back like Abby. A couple people made it a woman with her baby, two teenagers I didn’t recognize, and a guy. The other observers also helped a few white robes out.