Simply A Zombie Apocalypse 1

Their scent flows with the breeze, faint but there. I shiver and look at my feet and see the red drag marks along the road. I bite my tongue, stoping myself from crying out as I hear a quiet moan. I run the rest of the way home.

 

Chap 1

I yawn and stretch, it’s about 8 am. I think about last night, I went up to my mum to tell her, what I know to be true! She says, “Shut up Cory, I am over this stuff! I don’t want to hear it, your nearly 14 for Christ sake!” If only she believed me! I know they are coming, just yesterday I saw signs. I saw red streaks on the road, I heard moans and I noticed a gross smell on the breeze. My mum has a cold. So OF COURSE SHE DOESN’T BELIEVE ME!

I had better tell you who I am. Well, I am Cory Taylor. I live in Adelaide Australia. I go to Morphett Vale Primary. I am 14 in a week, but I have a feeling. That everyone I know will be dead by then.

Of course I have been stockpiling. I have gathered plenty of canned food and I managed to steal my neighbour’s small hand-gun. I also have 4 sharp kitchen knives. I have it all in a back-pack (16 cans, the knives and fire-arm). The rest in a small suitcase. Luckily I’m a sporty kid so, I can run fast and I have pretty good hand-eye coordination. Which should come in handy. I’m contemplating taking a book, I mean. You can’t exactly take an iPod, who knows how long we’ll have electricity for?

I stand up and get dressed. I rub my eyes and trudge downstairs. Oh yuck what is that…? I smell something, “Oh, no please no.” I whisper. “Morning” my mum chokes out, barely capable of speech. I breathe in quickly, gross… She turns to face me; the action sends a breeze my way. My mouth quivers. It smells like rotting meat, that sweet sour smell. I see her face; the skin is yellow, in some places black. Her left eye is bloodshot and the skin around it is peeling slowly off. Half of her hair is gone, so is some skin. Revealing white bone, and in some parts… Fleshy, grey, brain.

I recoil, “Uhh, I have some homework, and stuff. So I’ll go up now.” I say as I step back. She shakes her head and I see an evil glint in her eyes. She hauls herself over the couch and snarls at me, a deep guttural sound. She starts to come toward me, I turn and bolt up stairs into my room, and she sprints after me. I lock the door and take a couple of deep breaths. A scream comes from the other side; I see a finger forcing itself through the key-hole. Skin scraping off, I hit it and it falls off. Eww.

She starts to bang and claw the doors. I pull out a knife and slip on my back-pack. I shove a few extra cans into it. I take a deep breath and realise, my mother is a zombie. Tears drip silently down my cheeks as I realise, there is no other way out. I will have to kill her. I grasp the knife tightly in my sweaty hand, “I’m so sorry mum, I love you” I say, a snarls is my reply. I open the door and see her. Drooling, fingers raw from attempting to destroy my door, and her face. Even worse than before, she smiles lopsidedly and lunges forward. I react; I hold my knife up and drive it into her exposed brain. She slumps; I twist the knife and slide it out. My body is racked by sobs; I drag her to her room and lay her on the bed. “Goodbye mum.”

I grab the car keys and drive off. We had driving lessons last week at school. It’s a bit difficult, because well. I’m 13, but I’m tall for my age so that helps. I drive to a gas station, I drive off without paying. I mean, what’s the point? The world is only ending.

 

Chap 2

I’m now at my friend’s place, Nick, the only person who believed me and didn’t think I was totally bonkers. We’re talking about where we could head when his door creaks open. It’s his 8 year old sister, Jaz. Our mouths drop as she staggers in. Dragging her broken leg behind her. She grins, her eyes roll and she giggles manically. She limps toward us, her arms outstretched. I pull out my knife, that same knife… And stab it through her eye. She moans quietly and falls to the ground. Nick is staring at me, “Cory… We really gotta get out of here!” the fear evident in his voice. I nod, “I know.” I slide out my knife and wipe it on one of his shirts. “Bring a blanket and a pillow. Bring canned food if you have it and no electronics.”

We’re gone within the hour. We’re heading to outback Australia. Away from the city. Never forget a single or even a couple of zombies don’t look like much. But you better watch your butt when they are in groups, and where do lots of people live? Cities. So, as we’re driving along I see something on the road. A big black mound. I pull to a stop, “Hey Nick, what’s that?” He looks at it, “I dunno. Wait.” He freezes, “Cory, just drive around it ok. It’s zombies.” I suck in a breath and make a circle around. The stench, oh god. I hold my breath.  Then I hear it, moaning, groaning. Even worse, the pitiful screams of the living, desperately trying to fight of the undead. I see Nick, he’s shaking. “Cory, how can we survive out here?” He says, and honestly. I have no answer.

 

Chap 3

I pull the safety on the gun, aim and shoot. I feel a sense of pride, straight in the head. But then feel sadness. It’s been about 5 days since Nick and I found this little house. We made an agreement. If one of us becomes a zombie, a bullet straight through the brain. I had to shoot Nick today…

A few days ago we went to raid a shop for food. We were attacked by some zombies, Nick got a scratch. I had hoped he would pull through but to no avail. I carry his quickly decaying body to ‘the pile.’ It’s were we put the dead undead. I say thanks for his life, friendship and bravery.

I hear a now familiar sound, the groan of a zombie. I turn around quickly and hold up my gun. “Oh, crud…” I say, there isn’t one zombie, not even two. There are 8. They smile in their foul way and start lumbering towards me. I sprint around them and into the house. I lock the door and go to my room; I grab my weapons, and ammo. I hear them trying to break down the door. I run down to the first place I can think of, the basement. I load the gun and wait, wait for them to eventually find me.

 

Chap 4

I have no idea how long I have been pacing this small room. But I stop now as I hear, and smell, it. The gurgling, groaning of zombies. I always knew they would find me out here. It was inevitable, luck runs out eventually. I take some deep breaths as they reach the door and smashing it. I walk to the back corner of the basement and I slip through a small passageway that Nick and I discovered a few days ago. I crouch down at the end and sit there, terrified.

 

My breathing quickens as I finally hear the dreaded footsteps. I hear moans, I shudder. I can tell, now there are more than 10 zombies. Looking, sniffing, searching for their next meal. Which happens to be me. I hold my breath, trying not to breathe in their rancid. I just know I won’t survive. More footsteps, how is that fair?

A tear rolls down my cheek as I remember my family and friends. I wonder, are my cousins alive? Are my school mate’s zombies? Is anyone I know alive? Then I remember, today is my 14^th birthday. Worst birthday ever, I have to shoot my best friend and then I get eaten alive. Fantastic.

Well, I better get ready, I stand and wait, wait for them to reach me. Me my knives and my gun, ready to take a few down before the take me. Goodbye.

Author's Note

Can you please leave some feedback. I will take constructive critisism, thank you.

Reviews

[I Am Svetlana]

I like the way you put this piece together! You developed the characters and action well, as well as a good plot and different stress situations to put them under. Survival of the fittest nowadays and sometimes, shooting your best friend would have to possibly be an option, especially when it comes to something like this. I love your idea and description in this and also, your imagery. I am glad to be the first to actually review this piece instead of just reading it and passing on with my life. I really enjoyed it and it'll make a great book someday as long as you keep at it! Great job!

[Brianna]

Thanks for the feedback. I did not expect good reviews haha

[I Am Svetlana]

Why didn't you expect good reviews?

[Brianna]

There is a second one on it's way.

[magenta24uk]

I really like it. a few tiny mistakes like "I say, a snarls is my reply." You need no s on the snarls " a snarl is my reply" But a great short story. You could build it into a book with more about their survivial outback. What they ate, how they lived, the loss of electricity and the traps they set up to warn them of Zombies approaching. Love it. Really wanted the main character to be saved by someone at the end! But I see why you leave it there. :) Have a look at my competition it could be right up your alley.