Life After Zombie

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔽𝕠𝕦𝕣

Clouds of dirt kicked up around us as we continued walking down the road towards our destination. The buildings on the south side looked as if they were going to tumble down on top of us at any minute. Some were lopsided with large holes, welcoming in anything and anyone with open arms. Not a single chatter or whisper was heard amongst the people that we saw walking by, simply going about their day. Nothing here looked happy. All of our sunshine had been taken, plucked from deep inside us like vultures picking at a dead carcass.

There was one word to describe what we all had, what we all were facing. Memories. They were like the plague that washed over us, sinking us deep beneath the darkest of lakes, and keeping us there with an evocation of those zombie times.

I'd never been any farther past the City Hall before. You could say I liked staying within the parameters that were well known to me. Unknown areas don't really sit well in my stomach. It brings back thoughts of the dead hiding behind every corner, lurking, waiting for you to be in reach so they could grab you with their brittle and fleshless hands.

I knew enough of this place to know that the giant fortress of brick walls barricading the community wouldn't let anyone or anything in or out without the consent of the Luckies since the entrance is on their side and not ours. What I didn't know, as an ex-zombie member, was if I was immune or not to another bite from the infected.

But it gave me somewhat comfort in the mission I was going to do, knowing that the Stiffs that left were successful at remaining undetected in the North, because that was the only way out—unless they found another way.

As soon as we approached the great stone wall we came across a one-story shack of a house. The smell of stale must entered my nostrils like a freight train, making me almost gag.

"What the hell!" I said, as I covered the bottom of my face with my sleeve.

"I know, it takes some getting used to," Eve smirked and continued walking towards the gaping hole on the side of the house, not bothering to use the door. "Don't worry; it won't smell like that below. It's just to ward off anyone who wants to park it here."

I didn't bother asking as I continued covering my mouth and nose but even then the smell poured through making my eyes water. I could have sworn I smelt shit too.

"Follow my steps exactly. It's booby trapped," She said, stopping in her tracks and eyeing the floor.

My eyes followed her steps, maneuvering in a certain pattern and heading toward a closed door at the end. I soon followed and did the same as she. I didn't understand why anyone would place booby traps in a place like this. You were already risking your life, let alone your sense of smell, just by being in this place. But if these traps made Eve take it seriously then I sure as hell am.

My feet sounded like they weighed a ton as I made the molded wooden floors creek beneath. I looked around hoping no arrows or big boulders would magically appear and take my life. If that happened, I'd be screwed because I was no Indian Jones.

Reaching the door next to a content Eve she opened it; I noticed the stairs heading down. Without a beat she walked down to what appeared to be a basement. I could hear the sound of her boots ricocheting off the walls, getting deeper and deeper as she walked. Trying to psyche myself up to go further into the unknown, I took a minute to shut my negative thoughts out that were forcing its way in. It was like a broken record in my head, Don't do it, Don't do it. It's not safe. Just forget all this and go back.

"Everything okay up there?" Not realizing I was closing my eyes, Eve's voice startled me and snapped me out of the trance. I adjusted my eyes to the stairs in front of me. Walking down to the room, small beams of light pierced through the splintered walls and illuminated our surroundings. Broken glass and withered material lay on the cold floor forever still. The room was no bigger than the length of two of me.