After Genocide: The Dead Live Again Page 5

  “Here it is, my old family house. Max, no matter what happens or what you see; try not to freak out okay,” I say and Max nods. Blade stood next to Max most of the time; the panting of the dog is making me impatient. It is a yellow house with some light blue trims, more like a desert due to the cactuses around the yard.

  “You like cactus?” Pam asks.

  “That was our mom’s idea,” I say. The gate is open, “somebody or something is here; so keep your eyes peeled,” I say.

  “Sure have a lot of vehicles here,” says Aaron. “BMW, and Suburban’s red and white.”

  Remind me to search for the keys of the vehicles, we might need an extra one just in case.

  “It’s like there is eyes all around watching our every move,” I speak.

  “Okay…you’re the man and kind of like the leader here so do try to suck in that gut and step forward,” Pam encouraged.

  “Leader? What the heck, who died and made me boss?” I ask.

  “Well you give a vibe of course for that sort of thing, second of all you rounded me up, and let’s not forget Six and your brother. Searching for others was technically my idea but you put it into exercise. You could’ve shot the SPOSA team but ultimately you decided to create more of a group. It was your idea on how to stop that ten foot super zombie. The food, plus I think you’re the only one who has used a knife in combat. That speaks out more than anything,” she replies.

  Ch.7: Lonely House

  We approach the house as a group. The color yellow is lightly faded, the Cactus tall yet sad looking. I remember now, flashbacks of me growing up with ducks here, and lots of dogs. Where are those dogs, or any dogs for that matter?

  “Okay, let me open the door,” says Aaron.

  “Nothing like I remember. There should be dogs at least but there isn’t any,” commented Mike.

  “Yeah, the times have changed, looks like it’s the lonely house in this neighborhood,” I reply.

  A quick twist and pull and Aaron opens the door, “its dark,” he says. Max clicked the flashlight and the ray of light shined, “good, now where is the light switch?” wondered Pam.

  “Here,” replies Kelly and she clicked the light switch up and on came the living room lights this giving Max his queue to turn his flashlight off.

  “I guess we could spread out,” I say.

  “No, I wouldn’t recommend it. Let’s go in partners,” says Kelly.

  “Pam, you and Joe; Six and Me, Aaron and Mike, And Max well with his pet Blade,” ordered Kelly.

  Blade sniffs around the house and picks up on a trail and went crazy following it, leading to the closed restroom door.

  “Hey something in the restroom is bothering Blade,” says Max.

  “Okay get back Max,” says Aaron with Mike following him, taking quick charge of the situation; or so he thought.

  Aaron tries to open the door by giving it a small push but nothing happened, “it’s locked from the inside; but who would lock themselves?” he asks. He take a few steps back then charged at it with his shoulder first and broke the door open.

  The room is pitch black, not even the light of the living room is enough to shine through it.

  It gives the impression there is nothing at stake, nothing inside the pitch black room so Aaron dismisses the situation with a false alarm wave. He takes about two steps inside the room with his weapon aiming forward in just in case of trouble.

  Out of nowhere, a zombie appeared from the side and bites Aaron in the arm, “Ah! Shit,” yelled Aaron, and Max‘s quick reaction is to shoot the zombie with his shotgun. A loud ring echoes around through the house, like condensed pressure. Aaron’s body fell on the floor; and Max stared down, Mike rushed over to Max’s side and noticed a pair of red eyes staring back.

  “We are not alone” says Mike.

  He raised his handgun and began shooting each zombie in the head until there were none left; he takes a deep breath as the rest of us approach then walk away to one of the bedrooms.

  Kelly goes into another room and Six followed her, while Mike and Blade stayed beside Max.

  “Come on buddy, there is nothing you could really do. You took away his suffering.” Mike comforted in a way, while Max stared at Aaron’s body and Blade put his paw on Max’s leg and whined.

  From behind, the kitchen door slowly creaked as a zombie peeked in, Mike looks backward slowly; “Max, quickly duck!” he yells. Mike aims and shot at the zombie, however, the blast did echo through the house again.

  “Everyone alright over there?” I ask.

  “Yeah, just a little trouble in paradise over here,” replies Max.

  Pam and I were in my old bedroom. “What exactly are we looking for?” she asks.

  “Well the keys to a vehicle, my first driving test was in the Red Suburban outside. It’s strong and sturdy, and we repaired it a few years ago,” I reply.

  “Oh okay,” she agreed and continued to just scan the room; then while everything is going smoothly the unthinkable happens.

  As Pam approached the bedroom window, a zombie jumps in and began a small fight with her; she is struggling with it. Wasting no time I rushed to her aid; she managed to push the zombie away and that’s when I punched it in the face, making it twist left then Pam kicked him in the right side of its face making the zombie turn the other way around.

  Due to our strikes the creature’s legs get twisted to a point in which it could not keep its proper balance and the zombie fell to the floor. Pam walks up to it; she put her foot on its chest and shot it in the head putting an end to the zombie.

  Six is exploring the living room and Kelly stayed in the other bedroom; he heard footsteps from what used to be my mom’s bedroom. Standing up silently he waited for the steps to draw closer and suddenly he had visual of a zombie rush towards him; so he rushed at the creature as well giving it a strong tackle and forcing both of them through the wall of sheetrock.

  The zombie landed on its back, but even then it tried to bite, luckily Six was a quick draw in his day so he swiftly grabs his automatic and filled the creature full of holes in its body the last of them piercing the head.

  Taking a deep breath, Six rests for a few seconds then began to get up; but as he did there is the sound of shattering glass in the other room, “shit!” yelled Kelly.

  “No,” muttered Six, as he gets up and rushed to the other room. The zombie is in a power struggle with Kelly until it dropped her to the floor, she however did not have the quick draw Six had. She tried reaching for her firearm but the zombie just threw it aside and tried to eat her; Six noticed the struggle and immediately aided her.

  Six grabs the zombie and pulls it off Kelly with one hand; making a hard fist, he gave the creature a strong punch in the face dismantling it. Stunned by such power, the zombie walks around dazed, and then Six shoots it with his AK.

  “You okay?” he asks while handing her his hand, Kelly grabs his hand and Six lifted her until she is on her feet, “thanks,” she says.

  But as always there is something to ruin a happy moment.

  “Guys come on lets go,” I say as I reached the front door; “Pam where are you?” I ask. Everybody but Pam regrouped with me. With so much adrenaline coursing through, my brain was concentrated on leaving instantly with the group by my side, but there is one problem I notice Pam missing. My heart begins to race with adrenaline again and hen out of nowhere she appears.

  “What happened to you?” I ask.

  “You’re planning a road trip without car keys?” she asks, I smiles.

  “Okay come on lets go,” I ordered.

  We all stepped outside and began walking towards the front gate, “come on, I’m sure zombies heard the gunshots,” I say.

  “Pick up the pace,” Six agreed. Kelly opened the gate and as we were exiting the yard, Max decided to look back and noticed the zombies rushing from the back yard.

  “Quickly, everyone into the red suburban,” ordered Pam; I unlocked the driver door as fast as I could and
then unlocked the other doors. I am so nervous that I had trouble putting the key into the ignition switch. The group along with Blade enter the suburban and close the doors. They can see the zombies getting closer, the fence would not hold much longer if they keep piling up.

  “Come on Joe, hurry,” says Mike.

  “Easy, easy I’m going,” I whispered and noticed the zombies getting closer and closer. Finally I get the key in, started the engine and moved the gear to reverse and sped out of the driveway, then a quick shift to drive and off we were into the street. I made no stops at the stop signs or anything just drove off into highway 88, and then took a right on the highway 107 going west towards Edinburg Texas.

  Along the road behind us to the east is the sun to signal the dawn of the next day.

  “It’s so sad how a simple night evolves into a foggy morning full of apocalypse when the majority of humanity; your friends, family are the dead that live again,” I say.

  There is a billboard near Zamora Taqueria it is white as snow and barely visible but there is graffiti spelling The Dead Live Again.

  “I sure hope there are more people alive in this world,” says Six.

  “I’m sure your sister and Carlos are well. They are tough and smart,” comforted Max.

  “Yeah they are smart, they can handle themselves pretty good,” I say.

  “Okay people looks like we have to fill up the tank, this thing is a gas drinker so we must take every precaution to move quickly. I’ll pump gas at the store that used to be called Pit Stop; hopefully there is some left.” I drive the suburban with ease and spot the store with my eyes.

  I Park the vehicle next to the gas pumps, and turn the engine off.

  “Okay I’m going to go pay the cashier,” I joked and get off the suburban, closing the door behind me while slightly laughing. I draw my crossbow this time and knock an arrow in place. Max, Mike and Six along with Blade all get off to cover me in case anything happened; however they also stayed next to the gas pump.

  From behind Pam and Kelly followed me into the store.

  “Why are you girls coming?” I ask.

  “Because you might need help, and we want snacks, and we are armed also not just you,” replies Kelly, and Pam giggled on the side. I just shook my head and sighed.

  Meanwhile Max asks a question to both Six and Mike.

  “So how is it working for a top government thing?”

  “Well it’s tough, at least the training is,” both brothers reply at the same time and then they look at each other.

  A few minutes after waiting, the city is quiet again, only a little bit of the wind blowing, the fog still thick but there was some light this time. Max heard the sound of a yell, “Did you guys hear that?” he asks and he just takes off running. Blade followed him and both enter a weird alley that led to a weird neighborhood.

  “What? Hey Max wait!” Six yelled and he followed Max.

  “Shit,” Mike stammered whether deciding to follow his brother or to inform me and the girls of the situation. Mike did what he always does; he followed his instincts; so therefore he followed behind his brother into the alley.

  Inside the store, the girls were looking around and just grabbing snacks: corn nuts, chips, drinks; Pam grabs an ice cream cone and is eating inside.

  “Yummy,” she says.

  “Now to be able to pump gas I need to check the cash register and let the gas flow through,” I say.

  “Good, but now we should at least secure this place a little,” says Kelly.

  “Right on sister,” Pam agreed; “I’m going to check the restroom, Joe you stay here and stay look out okay,” ordered Kelly and I complied then sat on the counter like king of the store.

  Pam waited next to me while still eating her ice cream; “how can you eat at a time like this?” I ask.

  “I don’t know, I’m hungry,” she replies.

  Kelly enters the restroom she can see almost nothing except a flickering light, one door to give privacy, and one sink. Can’t be much in here she thought and continued walking to the toilet door then using her automatic machine gun tapped it. The door opened slowly but to Kelly’s surprise there is no zombie waiting to attack her or anything; she sighs.

  “Whew, close one,” she says to herself, then she slowly walk towards the restroom door to exit.

  Meanwhile, on the counter; Pam and I are having a simple conversation. “Why were you walking?” I ask.

  “I mentioned I was in a small convenient store; hiding from those zombies at least till supplies lasted. Pretty soon I knew I would have to face the world the way it is, so I began to step out of the darkness and into the sunlight. I just began walking, I did not care for what happened to me because everything I knew is dead, but then that same day I walk out, is the same day that I met you,” Pam replies.

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” I say.

  “What about your best friend Six?” Pam asks.

  “Oh, while growing up he and I were like brothers, you know so close. Upon graduating from high school we took our separate ways,” I reply.

  Returning from the restroom, Kelly says “Okay you two stop being the love doves on me,” and Pam smiles.

  “Just talking about what we know of the past,” I reply.

  “Did Six finish pumping the gas outside? I mean we can’t stay here forever,” she speaks.

  “True but to be honest let’s pack up some more snacks, you never know when and where some will be very useful,” I reply.

  “Okay but hurry so we can leave,” Kelly ordered.

  “You got it,” I reply while grabbing a bag and just dumping random things in it.

  “Is the restroom clear, because I kind of have to use it,” Pam stated.

  “Make it quick girl,” replies Kelly. Pam leaves her snacks on the counter then rushed towards the restroom.

  “I really enjoyed you talking to her.”

  “You were listening?” I ask.

  “Hey when there is no noise except words you listen on your own,” she replies. Pam and I go way back, just like you and Six except that now our friendships have gone a little downhill, but after this breakthrough our friendships have grown stronger in a way,” Kelly says.

  “Pam holds a high respect for you.” Pam is in visual and I change my mood from serious to a bit happier, “ready?” I ask her.

  “Yeah, all set,” Pam reply.

  As I began walking towards the door I noticed nobody beside the red suburban.

  “Whoa something is not right.”

  “I agree they should be outside,” agreed Kelly.

  We walk outside the store and reach the vehicle and we began to examine it closely; “not a soul to be near,” says Pam. “Not even the gas nozzle is inserted.

  I opened the gas tank lid, and inserted the nozzle and put it on hold and gas began to pour.

  Pam opened the door and threw all the snacks in there.

  “So where do we begin looking?” I ask.

  “Good question,” replies Kelly.

  Pam closed the suburban door and checked her handgun and cocked it.

  “Okay let’s go explore a little,” she suggests.

  “Let’s walk a little forward together, stick to one another in group formation,” I say.

  Upon walking we noticed paw prints, “Blade” I say; “It looks like the prints lead to that small curve of an alley,” says Pam.

  “Then to the alley we will go,” I reply.

  There is a small neighborhood behind the store; but what could have attracted them over there? The nozzle clicked and I put it back on the pump. I draw my crossbow out and knock an arrow. I look towards the alley in the distance, not good at all.

  “Prepare for anything,” Kelly orders.

  “Agreed,” Pam and I reply.

  Ch.8: Rehab of Death

  A jog then the speed grew. Dust flew behind our steps as we paced quickly to reach the back alley. The children’s rehab center is peaceful for the moment then there is a su
dden sound of despair. A scream, it sounds like a small child in danger. We stopped then take a glance. Vehicles park at the lot along with them: A white long van; a green truck, a black P.T. Cruiser and a teal Chevy Suburban.

  “Did you hear that?” asks Kelly.

  “Yes the sudden scream,” Pam agreed. “But our mission,” I complained.

  “Max, Six and Michael are big boys they can handle themselves. Besides they are armed and trained,” Kelly responded. Betrayal went through my gut; but Kelly did have a good point.

  “Okay. Let’s do this,” I agreed with her but with mild discomfort. Kelly led the way marching forward like the S.P.O.S.A soldier trained professional she is.

  A hand on my spine as Pam walks beside me.

  “Hey I know you mean well to your brother and best friend but she does have a point,” Pam implied.

  “I know,” I agreed.

  The back door, a mild crack gave it away for Kelly’s perfect eye sight.

  “Look guys, trouble,” she says. A quick reaction is what struck Pam and me. We both aim our weapons in a quick and adequate panic while a shiver ran down our spines.

  Creaking like an old haunted house gate. Lack of oil is what it had. One hand on her weapon and another on the door, “everybody ready,” Kelly asks. A glance between Pam and me as our eyes connected for a split second then we both nodded to the question in reply. A quick tug opened the door wide and I held it with my shoulder to allow room for Kelly to enter.

  “Okay you guys, eyes peeled for anything,” she ordered.

  The lights barely lighting the room; more darkness than light, equivalent to that of a creepy basement; another shiver ran down my spine and Pam let out a small tremble on her hands while she held her magnum in aiming position.