When The Dead Rise

5

Rotting and horrible, the Night Walker was standing relatively still, as if it were resting. The rational part of my brain realized that it was day time, so therefore it was inactive, but the primal part of my brain was seizing up in terror.

I couldn't stop inhaling. My mouth was dry and I could feel nervous sweat beading on my skin. I took a shaky, silent step back to retreat behind a shelf.

I can't shoot it.

I don't have a knife.

What do I do?

I peered around the edge of the steel and willed the creature to move away so I could ditch it, but of course it stayed.

I held my breath, not able to take my eyes off it.

"Myra?" Jedediah calls from beyond.

The Night Walker stirs, and I mentally beg for him go keep his voice down.

"Myra! Wrap it up! We got another store to hit."

Please shut up.

It's blind eyes are opening.

"Let's go!"

Jedediah please.

It's awake.

It straightens it's back and screeches, whipping it's head around to find him and he swears, pulling out an arrow. I dash from where I was crouched and call for Kaja and Enoch's attention, jumping over discarded items and toppled shelves.

"It's a Night Walker!" I cry, grabbing the stupid brick Enoch gave me and hurl it at the hideous creature. It lands right between it's shoulder blades, and it spins on me, snarling and cocking its head in my direction. 

"Hey!" I yell, kicking things and making noise before I run like Hell. Night Walkers are quick and ruthless  even though they're blind. My heart is hammering and my arms and legs are pumping in tandem to lead it away. I don't know why I'm sacrificing myself for these strangers, but I am. They make such a great team, and the 3 of them can't be without each other. If anyone was expendable, it was me.

I hurdle out a broken window and hit the ground running. We couldn't use our guns unless we absolutely had to, so what was the point of putting them in an avoidable situation? Adam and I couldn't kill a Night Walker. It was Just too risky.

Adam...

I tripped and then crashed to the ground, the world spinning and then coming to a jerky halt when I landed on my back. Before I could even comprehend a thing, the Zombie was on me; teeth gnashing and howling in my face, it's jagged nails scrabbling to harm me. I hardly caught it in time to hold it less then a foot from biting me.

I didn't realize the last thing I'd see was the horrendous face of a Night Walker.

It was too strong. It was forcing it's way closer and its gooey spit was dripping onto my face.

This is it. 

"YOU NASTY SON OF A BITCH!!!!" A shrill voice cried, and the weight of death was off of me. I sat up quickly to see Kaja straddling the beast and jamming an obnoxious sized knife into it's neck. Black blood spurted from its neck and splattered her face like fetid war paint and she sawed the head off savagely. 

I couldn't believe my eyes. 

The beheaded body jerked and twitched while Kaja stood and whipped the gunk off her face. She came to stand above me and extended her hand. I gaped at her for a moment before taking it and allowing her to help me up. 

"You okay?" She asked, her breathing a little uneven. I stared at this slight girl with new found wonder. There was so much power in her petite body it was ridiculous. She killed a Night Walker all on her own. She cut it's head off. 

"I'm fine." I breathed, and smiled at her. 

"Good. Now I can do this!" She slugged me in the arm with expert precision. I yelped and jumped back. 

"What--"

"That's what you get for running off like that?! We're a team! We stick together! You stupid idiot!" she ranted, jabbing her finger in my chest with each word. I winced, but nodded, feeling happy tears spring to my eyes. 

We were a team. 

Kaja sighed loudly and turned to go back the way we came. I followed her quietly. We met Jedediah and Enoch half way. Jed looked relived and his whole body seemed to sag with it. Enoch strutted past and stormed right up to me, yanking my arm and pulling my shirt in different directions to check my flesh.

"What are you doing?!" I squealed, struggling away from him. 

"Checking you for a bite." He snapped, and once he seemed satisfied, he shoved me away. "You're good."

"I know, asshole." I mumbled, righting my clothing and smoothing my hair. 

"I was so worried, Myra. When Kaja took off after you, Enoch and I were stumped for a second. I'm sorry we were'nt there." Jedediah apologized solemnly. I smiled sheepishly at him and dug my boot into the dirt. 

"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I was just trying to lead it away from you guys." I explained, and Kaja let loose another exasperated sigh. 

"That's why I said we work together." 

Once we regrouped, Enoch started talking about how we might as well search for canned goods and medicines and means of transportation. They all seemed to agree, but I didn't see how we were going to do this. Cars haven't worked for years--and if there was a working car, it belonged to a patrol officer, or at least that's how it was and Adam and my parents were alive. We should just get out of here. 

I wanted to tell them this, but I didn't feel like it was my place to share an opinion. So I followed them while Enoch led the way. 

The city was eerily silent, save for the crunch of our foot steps on rubble. I felt anxious and paranoid while everyone else appeared to be cautious but relaxed. I repressed the urge to whine and ask them to turn back. 

This place was a death trap, and I felt even more uneasy that the Walkers were so quiet. 

Something wasn't right, but I couldn't figure out what.