Chasing The Dead

Chapter Eight

I wake up with a splitting headache, and a thirst that can not wait. I really had no Idea what I was doing last night, and now, i'm paying the price for it. I will soon know if all this was worth it. I try to open my eyes.

Nope. I close them again as a searing light burns itself onto me, and causes a wave of pain to go through my head. I carefully feel around for my backpack and hope against hope that there are some sun glasses in there. I grab the backpack, open up the zipper with my eyes still closed, and search around. I do not get any luck. I never bothered to pack them.

I can even imagine this memory of me packing all my things in my backpack in a hurry, and pausing for a moment to consider grabbing the sunglasses from my mothers room and stuffing them in there. I did not bother then, and I really wish I had bothered now.

"If you are looking for something, you might try doing it with your eyes open", I hear Jerome scream at me. At least, with this headache, thats is what it seems like. He is probably not even talking loudly though.

"Quiet, you'll attract the zombies!" I say, hoping that he will shut up.

He doesn't. "what zombies? I haven't said anything louder than a whisper and you are complaining of-"

I cut him off and say "I have a headache! now hush!"

Thankfully, he is quiet this time. I go back to my dillemma of finding sunglasses. Then I remember that in all the movies set in the desert that I had seen, if the main character wasn't wearing sunglasses, they had turbans or headdreases. Maybe those served the same purpose? I grab a sock and try to tie it around my head.

I manage to get it tied around my head, but the cloth is to thick to see through, and I am at a loss. I don't know what else I would use, because I really don't have very many clothes, much less kinds that I would be able to see through.

I start to go through my backpack again in hopes that something might have changed, but am interrupted by Jerome. He pokes me with something, and out of instinct I grab it. Glasses! I carefully put them on and open my eyes.

They work, thank goodness. "Thanks Jerome, I'll be right back."

I head out back into the forest. Originally, I was going to check up on my new friend, the dog, but I don't think I would be able to help him in this state. Besides, this kind of pain should not be had by anyone. I quickly walk deeper into the forest, not wanting to disturb anything, but also wanting to find something to help me with this thirst.

Finally, I find one. It is leaning against a tree, looking to all the world like a carcass, but I know better. I can see its hand, steadily twitching, waiting for some unsupecting prey to grab. He is wearing what used to be a forest ranger uniform. Maybe there is some sort of national park nearby. He is missing his lower jaw, but he still has his hat on, even if it slightly askew.

I also notice that he is still wearing his radio, and I can hear the fuzz noise it is still making. This is definately a good thing. I quickly head around the creature to behind it, I do not want it grabbing at me before I knock it out. I carefully sneak up behind it, carefull not make to much noise in case its ears are still intact, and arrive behind the tree it is leaning on.

I quickly grab its arms from behind around the tree and bite into its neck. I quickly drain it of any life it had, and it slumps over, temporarily lifeless. I deftly detach the still working radio from its belt and shoulder, and head back to the over pass. My headache is already starting to fade.

I arrive at the overpass and take off Jerome's sunglasses. I do not need them now, because my headache is gone, and I am feeling much more alert. I start to walk up to the dog, when I am interrupted by Jerome.