Coming Home

Kyle entered the door to the safe room. Mike was still asleep on the floor with his hand to his stomache. The child on his back shivered. "Calm down little one,Alex and Elly will have some food."

 The kid shivered again. "Let me down." He commanded.

 Kyle set the scrap on the twin sized bed. "Alex?" Kyle checked under the coffee table. "Elly?" The boy asked wandering upstairs. The only thing in the attic was dust and left over candy wrappers.

 "What's this?" The kid's squeaky voice rang around the room.

 Kyle jumped down the ladder to see what the kid had. In his small fingers was a a slip of yellow paper with writing. "What's that?"

 "That's what I just asked you,"the kid spat in a sassy tone.

 Kyle snatched the note and read it. He couldn't believe his eyes. Alex and Elly left. "I knew it!" Kyle yelled waking Mike.

 The dark skinned boy sighed,"No,not yet,"then laid his head back down.

 Silence waned for a moment before the kid asked,"Whose the black kid?"

  Kyle frowned. "Don't say that. He's African American."

 "And he is?" The kid prompt.

 Kyle growled begining to regret bringing the little brat with him. "He's a friend, and if you're gonna stay you'll be nice."

 The kid grumbled something under his breath before pouting away.

 Kyle turned his attention back to the note and re-read it. 'You've got to go with them,' Kyle's brain warned. 'They'll die with just two people.' Kyle looked at Mike then the kid. "Alright you two,"he said flicking Mike's head,"we're leaving."

 Mike slowly sat up rubbing his head. "Wha'?"

 "We're leaving." Kyle repeated.

 "Wait,"Mike stood up and shook a leg,"whose the kid,and where's Elly and Alex?"

 Kyle pointed at the boy. "I found him in a shed,brought him back here,wondered where Elly and Alex were,and read this note,"Kyle shook the paper in Mike's face.

 "Lem'e see that." Mike snatched the paper and re it. "Holy s**t. Where do you think they went?"

 Kyle shrugged. "I remember they said they were going back to where we started."

 "So we're going six months north? Nice,"Mike said sarcastically.

 "Well,do you want them to die?"

 Mike looked outside at the rising sun. "Fine."

 Kyle nodded and turned to the kid who stood back turned to a wall. "Are you hurt?"

 The kid lifted up his jacket to reveal dried blood,bruises,cuts,and one black spot.

 Kyle winched. He turned around to grab a health pack that was scattered on the ground. "Come here." The kid obeyed. Kyle took off the kid's jacket and pulled out disinfectant wipes. He rubbed one around the largest cut and tied gauze over it.

  "Ow,"the kid growled,"you hurt me."

  "Sorry,"Kyle said and put neosporin on the black spot and gently taped a band-aid over it. "That's all I can get now,kid. Do you want pain killers?"

 "Kyle!"Mike laughed. "You know kid's can't take pills."

 "Well,want me to give him adrenaline for an energy boost?" Mike stayed quite. "Yeah,that's what I thought."

 "I don't want pills. They're yucky,"the kid made a discusted face.

 "Alrighty then,we're all set?"

 Mike nodded. "Hey,do we have any food?"

 Kyle shrugged. "Alex and Elly took the backpack."

 "I know Elly,she would have left food for us," Mike got to his knees and looked under the coffee table where the backpack used to be. "Yup,we've got some pineapples,candy bars,and water bottles."

 Kyle slapped his forehead,"Why didn't I see that?"

 Mike opened a candy bar and gave it to the kid. "Because you're stupid."

 "Guess so,"Kyle said taking the pineapples. "But we're gonna have to go easy on the food. We have a long journy ahead of us,"he looked behind him staring at the kid who had chocolate all over his face. "I'll let him sleep on my shoulders. Neither of us have slept except you."

 Mike shrugged. "Not my fault."

 "Alright little one,we're gonna let you sleep on my shoulders."

 The kid licked his fingers and stared at Kyle unsure. "How far are you going?"

 "WE are going north toward a city."

 Mike tapped Kyle's shoulder and whispered,"Do you think blood and killing people are healthy for kids?"

 "No,and these things aren't people,they're zombies,"Kyle picked the kid up by the shoulders and placed him around his neck. "C'mon,we've got to catch up." He glocked his gun as Mike opned the door.

  Mike stepped out first scoping the area out then pointed for them to go. By now the kid had already settled into a cozy postion around Kyle's neck.

  "If they're going north then we need to go that way,"Kyle thought aloud. "Alright,Mike,let's set."

   Mike took the lead again paused a few arm lengths ahead. "Kyle,what about this thing?" The boy stepped out of the way so Kyle could examine the dark hole.

  "Hmm...if Alex and Elly made it then so can we."

  "Fair enough,"Mike shrugged holding onto the tree beside them and carefully edged his foot along the outline of the cliff.

  "Watch out,"Kyle warned pointing to a chunk out rock that was missing,"someone must've fell."

  "That helps,"Mike retorted.

  As Mike's right foot got closer to the other side of the cliff he had to let go off the tree and prop himself up with his shins. "F**k,this hurts,"Mike complained as left shin hit a lose rock. The thick stone collapsed from its holder and fell into darkness. "Oh crap,"Mike breathed whenever the thump of a end never came from the rock.

  "Guess it's true. Dark holes don't end."

 Mike abruptly shot him a glare as he ninja rolled over the other side of the cliff. The boy lay there panting then tauntingly grinned. "Your turn."

  "Alrighty whitey."

  Mike glared at Kyle.

  "Oh,Mike,I didn't mean it like..."

 "Yeah,whatever. It's cool. But what about the kid?" Mike was now doubled over.

  "Dude,are you alright?"

  "Yeah,I'm fine. Just...just tired thats all."

  Kyle waited for a few seconds before unwrapping the kid's tiny fingers from his neck. "Alright. Can you reach him?" Kyle watched the kid squirm uneasily in his tight grip. "Calm down,"he whispered,"we're just trying to help."

   Mike got to his knees. "S**t. It feels like someone shot my shins forty times each."

   "Lem'me go!" The kid spat. "Momma smoker would've never handled me like that!"

   Kyle,and even the wailing Mike, froze. "What?" They both asked at the same time.

  The kid freed from Kyle's hands and plopped down. "Momma smoker. You killed Steven in the shed. Momma smoker was just going out to find food. Why don't you understand that?"

  "Woah,woah,woah. Back it up. You think YOU'RE a smoker?" Mike asked begining to crack up.

  "I know I am!"The kid screamed. "And if it weren't for you two your friends wouldn't have left! They're going back to what they truely are!"

  Mike was now doubled over laughing,but Kyle kept his blank,amazed stare on the kid. He bent down and whispred,"How do you know that?"

  "Momma smoker always says whenever you run away means that you want to be what you truely are."

  Kyle sighed and brushed his fingers through his hair. What kind of deluted world was he in? Who could he trust? His commen sense or a four year old who suposedly lived with smokers? "Do you understand what zombies say?"

  "Yes,"the boy said bluntly. "All zombies except the weak ones. I don't even know if they can talk."

  'The commans.' Kyle brained answered.

  Kyle stood up. He couldn't take the chance. Take orders from a four year old. Stupid idea. But...why did his gut tell him to go with the kid? "Hey,do you understand if a human is or was a zombie?"

   "Yes,of course. Momma taught Steven first after she found me alone. She coughed alot but then I started realizing the owrds the zombies' said. Momma was so proud. She always had this addiction of protecting me,though."

  Kyle lost attention to the world and focoused on his mind. Was this it? Were zombies like wild animals? Only killing for protection,food supply,and game? If it were than Kyle knew what Alex and Elly were hiding. They had to go back to what they truely were. Hunters.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good chapter. I like the thoughts and the good conversation. I like the new plan. Needing to be hunters again. No weakness in the excellent chapter.
Coyote

[Suze]

I like this and plan to read more! Great flow of conversation.

[Who Cares]

I like it :D I like how you make Kyle talk to hte pinapples as if they could talk back :D Nice job :D

[kingblaq]

WRITE ON! I love your writing style. I'd post a review when I finish readin' the previous chapters..

[Jeffery-Maximilian-Kolb..]

Very nice write! Well done

[jennifer little]

wonderful chapter

[BS Johnson]

Interesting. Imaginative. I like it. :)