Beautiful Lands

Second Chapter( Might thicken it a bit))

The Silent Lands. ((Chapter two))

My dreams haunt me as they always do.

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Waking up covered in my own sweat, my knuckles white from my hand grasping onto the bat. What was i dreaming about? Perhaps it’s best if i don’t remember. Tilting my head back and stretching my neck, I rub the back of it as a yawn escapes my mouth. Looking around at the shutters to make sure everything was in place, i lift myself up and stretch my legs. Grabbing my cigarettes from the side i spark one up and inhale. Looking at the packet, I can’t help but smirk. ‘Smoking Kills.’ The idea that the thing i should be most worried about is the fact that my smoking habit was going to kill me makes me laugh. Putting the packet down, I decide to go get something to eat, hunting through the boxes I find a tin of ravioli and dig in. “Pure fine dining here… Nothing but the best cuisine…” I chuckle to myself. Finishing the can i stick it in the bin, and head to the kitchen/washroom. Getting a water bottle I pour it out into a bowl and wash my face with it, the tepid water doesn’t wake me up, just makes me feel clammy. Wiping my face down on a tea towel, I head towards the backdoor to check the fences.

As I head out the door, the sun hits me in the face like a sledge hammer. The light burns my eyes and I have to squint to see for a while. Heading round the back, I walk slowly and check all around to make sure that there’s no infected wandering around. One on it’s own not so bad, but one brings another, then another , then another. Then I become trapped in here with no way out but through them, that’s one thing i’d like to avoid. Nothing around. Good. Checking the padlock on the gate and making sure there’s nothing close to the surrounding fences, I head back inside.

It takes a couple of seconds to my eyes to adjust as I walk into the store, the darkness makes me walk into something and i hear it fall against the floor. “F**k sake..” I mutter to myself. Bending down to pick it up, i inspect the item. It’s an padlock with a few keys, I found them in the back of the store when i first checked the place. Sticking it in my pocket to put it somewhere safer, I look around.Deciding to check on my ‘guest’ I walk down towards the room, and knock on the door frame. “Hello? You up yet?..”  peeking my head round the corner, I look to see if she’s awake. Strangely in the center of the room, there was a rumpled pile of sleeping bags, but no person. “where the?...” I question myself as I wonder where she’s gone then head to the roof to see if i can see her from there.

As i reach the roof i look down the roads, but to no avail. The streets lay as desolate as ever, some dead scattered around at a distance, but there’s no living thing there. As I look around at the empty streets, the eerie silence that has made itself at home, makes me hum to break the quiet web of this unburdened land. Shaking my head i head back into the shop, looking at my watch it reads 09:28. ‘Time to get going I guess’ I think to myself as I sigh. Grabbing my supplies, i open the shutter doors and head outside, closing them behind me.  

As i head down the street, the sound of a lone crow curls through the air. I look up at the crow and it's staring at me. Staring right back in it, I feel this sense of dread rising from inside of me. It caw’s once more before flying off somewhere, as I try to ignore what just happened i carry on with my walk. Deciding to finally try out the shopping center, I head towards town.

The sun sits in the sky like a vengeful god, but the winds bitter cold blades slice through the sun’s heat. As i turn down the road, I see the start of the town or what's left of it.Most of it’s been claimed by the earth, with trees sprouting up in the middle of houses, some covered in ivy, some just by the grass itself. Which has now overgrown to at least 4”ft  It’s amazing what the virus did, even though the human populi was savaged by it, it seems that the flora bonded with it on a cellular level, making it grow strong quicker, and more beautiful than ever before. Flowers such as bluebells now glow a fluorescent blue, that reflects of the grass which has become like a dim mirror making the streets flush with luminosity.  Rose petals have become as hard as bark so when the wind rushes through them, they create an alluring tone. Walking through this forest of brilliance, You can hear natures symphony as it sings for its victory

Reaching the entrance of the shopping center, I try the doors. Locked, of course they are. Come to think of it, I wonder if there’s anyone holding out in there. I mean that girl had to come from somewhere. Peering through the glass, I try to look inside. ‘It seems empty enough.’ I think to myself.

Heading round the back, I find a service door and try that. Locked. “God d****t…” I turn around to look around for somewhere to get onto the roof. In the process I end up knocking a basket full of empty glass bottles. As they hit the floor they instantly smash, the noise rings through the area like an echo. “F**k.” I say out loud, as i hurriedly try to find a way up. In the distance I can hear the faint noise of the dead as they shamble and groan,heading towards the noise.

Turning the corner, I run around the shopping center, looking for any point i can get higher up.  “F**k, f**k,f**k, f**k.” I repeat as i’m running around desperately searching every area to get up. I pass doors, trying each one, but each is locked. “S**t!”

As i turn the corner i’m pounced on by an infected, the smell almost makes me puke,  the guy has his nose missing, and half his face is hanging off. clawing at me, trying to get a hold of me, he snaps his teeth open and shut, frantically trying to bite my flesh. All over his body, lay scars and tears. his clothes dirty and torn. Holding him back with one arm, i fluster around trying to get my bat, grabbing onto the handle I yank it out from my bag and strike it in the side of the head with the handle, as it stumbles backwards i swing back then smack it in the head with all my strength, it’s body goes limp and hits the floor. “F**k…” I pant as the adrenaline kicked in. Looking around I see three more sprinting towards me. I run as fast as i can in the opposite direction.

“Hey! In here!!” Shouts a voice, turning my head i look towards the doors on my right, Turning on the spot I dart towards the doors and rush in, the slam of the doors behind me makes me stop and turn around.

As i turn I'm greeted with a barrel in my face, then a click as a bullet loads into the chamber.

“Give me one good reason why i shouldn't blow your head off…” Say a male's voice.