You can't call them Zombies!

The fear seized him, tight around the chest, squeezing the air out of his chest. The thought of surrendering to the hordes appealed to him, but a small spark in the pit of his stomach kept fighting, yelling at him to get to his feet, and escape. The cold cement stung his skin as he hoisted Anna after him. She groaned, tugged against the handcuffs, but stopped at the sight of the creatures closing in on them.

His eyes watered at the putrid scent of decayed flesh. Muscles screamed at him to stop pushing his limits, but he continued, the creatures approaching, growling, dead-eyed and with a single purpose. To eat him and Anna.

Off of the cement and into the softer hillside, he yelled, “Anna go.”

Shoving her in the small of her back, she stumbled for a moment before regaining her balance. She turned to him, anger and hurt behind her tears. “I’m sorry for earlier.”

Kyle didn’t care, nor would he ever. The situation was different then. “Go. I’m right behind you.”

Backing up toward the hill, the creatures seemed to slow because of the change in his demeanor. He was angry and the steady gun in his hand showed that he wouldn’t go without a fight. It only lasted a moment before they charged, their collective growl vibrating in his ears.

He unloaded his clip, taking out the two creatures at the front of the pack. Their dead bodies slid in the dirt for a moment and then did what he hoped. The other creatures weren’t smart enough to step over them and tumbled down. Causing a back up as they struggled to get back up with more falling on top of them.

A lightness filled Kyle face and he smiled for the first time in a while. The sight of the once human beings tangled twenty feet in front of him like a pile of worms; he couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping his lips. “Take that.”

The gun now empty, he dropped it in the dirt and turned to run after Anna. He didn’t have to go far as she stood a few feet from where he shoved her. “I couldn’t.”

“Fine, then let’s go.” Kyle grabbed her hand and she intertwined her fingers around his. Together they jogged down the slight incline. For a moment, it brought back better memories of a time before all of this. One where he and Anna would go to the movies or dinner, or just hang out with friends. Now they feared that most of their friends were trying to eat them.

“Where are we going?” Anna asked when they were a good two hundred yards away from the creatures.

“I don’t know.” Kyle said. He had no plan, nor any destination. Just something away from the mess they were just in.

An occasional growl from the houses nearby kept them on their toes as they walked, but nothing approached them.

The sun had raised in the east enough to really show the carnage of the night and Kyle wished it would remain dark forever. Bugs were crawling over the remains of the creature’s meals along the street. Limbs were strewn about the street; some creatures were decaying on the side of the road where someone got lucky with a bullet.

The morning breeze kept the smell in their face as they searched for something to eat. Somewhere to rest and maybe some place to sleep. Both of them were exhausted and the slower pace proved it. Their adrenaline had left their bodies twitchy and high strung, nothing a good night’s sleep wouldn’t help with.

The next house, that looked relatively safe, one without any blood on the porch, they sat down on the steps. Anna leaned against him and a moment later was out. Her breathing steadied and he looked out over the street. Not a creature could be seen, but their destruction had been well documented.

His eyes lowered and he felt himself dozing off, but shook it off the moment his chin hit his chest. Shaking his head he looked around for a moment, but sleep took hold again.

A cough behind him, jolted Kyle out of his sleep and he faced the person who made the noise. A man, early forties, stood before them. His salt and pepper hair blowing in the breeze. His blue eyes were lively, the rifle in his hand even livelier.

“You two bitten?” The man asked aiming the gun at Kyle.

“No sir.” Anna spoke up first. “We’re just looking for a place to rest.”

The man looked over them for a moment, contemplating shooting them or something else. “You wanna come inside. I got food and a bed you two can use.”

Anna almost bolted inside, but Kyle kept her by his side with a tight grip of her hand.

What should Kyle do?