Splinter

Introduction

He knew he shouldn't have stayed this late from his hideout. He ventured too far into the forest and got himself lost. As soon as shadows stopped being cast it was a death sentence to step out. That's when the monsters were most active...maybe monsters weren't the right word for them because before they were normal humans. People you would hold the door for, people you would see at the store living their own lives.

Now they all had one goal. To rip and eat the flesh of the non-infected.

His footsteps crunched down in the fallen leaves the deeper he ran into the woods. If it wasn't for the flashlight he was smart enough to bring out this time, hope would have been completely lost by now. He tripped and fell onto his hands and knees, his hands hitting something spongy before parts of it dispersed. He didn't have to pick up and shine his flashlight on it to see the thin neon orange lines that ran through the rest of it which was just a black spongy mass.

He had seen these throughout the town but didn't have time to inspect them but there was no time now either, so he picked himself up and continued running.

That's when he found his saving grace. A small structure that he noticed was a utility shed the closer he got to it. He can also see a portable generator to the side of it. Not believing what he saw was real, he opened the door and shined his flashlight inside, being cautious in case one of the infected were inside.

There was a lawnmower, various tools hung on the wall, and a workbench. On the workbench was a radio. He wasn't sure how strong of a signal he would get out of here but it was worth a try. His focus snapped at a loud screech coming from the direction he had come from.

He got to the generator and flipped the start switch on and within a few cranks, the motor started running and a light illuminated from the open door of the shed.

He ran into the shed and slammed the door behind him, locking it as well for extra measure. He switched his flashlight off and looked over at the tools. Many of which looked handy and might be able to replace his knife he kept on him. The blade was getting dull and he found it harder to deal with the infected.

First order of business was to be taken care of before picking out a tool. He turned the radio on and was met with static. The man smiled realizing this shed wasn't only a safe spot for the night but could serve as a temporary hideout. It was better than stalking around town, avoiding the dozens of infected that roamed the streets. This shed was too good in shape for it not to have been claimed by someone else but he can deal with that if he ever crossed paths with them.

Three loud bangs at the door caught his attention which rattling of the knob and some more knocking. The door seemed sturdy enough to hold off what was following him since he left town. He just hoped the others lost track of him as the door may not stand having multiple infected throwing their weight at it.

Turning back to the radio he flipped through the stations and kept each one on for a few seconds before flipping to the next. When he switched to station 102.3 a man's voice can be heard. He fumbled with the speaker and pressed the button. "Hello?! Where are you transmitting from?" he said frantically.

"-keep all windows and doors locked. If needed to step out, stay away from large crowds." The monotone voice just responded which was just a prerecording of the safety measures the government issued out back when everyone had hope this would all pass.

He sighed and went to flip the knob but a small blip of static happened and the man's voice changed to an eerie taunt. "Don't touch that dial now." Right after his voice returned to its monotone state, he continued listing the precautions.

He froze there, his hand slowly moving away from the radio and onto the bench. Another loud band and then crying can be heard outside the shed. It was that of a woman.

He rushed to the door to brace it and to also get a closer listen but he didn't dare talk.

"Please let me in." The man's heart started pounding. It was the same voice his late wife had. She died early along with their daughter, during the initial outbreak when they were stupid enough to go to a hospital after a minor car crash trying to escape the city.

"You're not real." the man replied, putting his back to the door. He noticed a few infected staring at him through the lone window by the radio. He didn't know when it stopped, but the radio lost its signal and returned to static.

"Why did you leave us. Melissa was so scared." A tear came to the man's eye and he lifted his weight off the door. He shuffled to the middle of the room and pointed his gun at the door. He vowed not to use it unless necessary but it dawned on him where he was. A lone survivor surrounded by monsters that shouldn't be of this world.

It had been months since he had seen a non-infected human.

"What's the point?" he proclaimed. The radio static faded away and the man returned, this time with an evocative chuckle.

He pulled the trigger three times at the door, hearing a metal clink and a thud at the other side of the door.

The door creaked as that metal clink was the sound of a bullet hitting the door lock, knocking it loose from the door. He turned and saw the infected that were at the window make their way around the shed.

"Always stay indoors and keep your doors locked." the man on the radio continued.

The door finally opened up as the first infected walked in, its flesh ripped up and exposed in multiple places. Each one told a tale of how they met their end. This one had a gash with a hole in its middle, right on his neck, and saliva and blood continuously ran out of it.

"Fuck." the man said, finally realizing what he had just done. Pressing the barrel to the side of his head he didn't hesitate to squeeze the trigger, the gun going off and his body toppling down onto the ground.

More infected shuffled inside and huddled around the man's body, picking up his limbs and biting into him.

"1, 0, 2, 3." the man on the radio said last before returning to static.