You can't call them Zombies!

Standing in the middle of the yard, his legs riveted to the ground, his hand tight around Anna’s arm, Kyle contemplates the options before him as he stares down the barrel of the rifle. The old man’s eyes staring him down, growls rising up in the distance. The man doesn’t flinch, he seems to be battle worn, or really prepared for this nightmare.

“Kyle, come on, don’t be like that. He can help us.” Anna pleaded with him.

Prying his eyes from the man he looked at Anna. She grimaced as he lowered his head. He was so hard headed. “Fine.”

“Okay.” The man’s tone remained stiff, but he lowered the rifle. “Before I can let you in, strip down to your underwear. Can’t take the chance.”

Anna slipped out of her sweatshirt and t-shirt in an instant. The old man’s eyes widened at the sight of her chest bouncing from her breath. Kyle tried to stop her, but she had her jeans off a moment later. She stood in the brisk morning air in her bra and panties before an old man who stood leering at her.

She didn’t seem to mind, but Kyle’s cheeks blazed as the man nodded.

“Now you kid.”

Kyle didn’t move. He knew he wasn’t bitten, but didn’t want to start and more trouble so he undressed before the perverted old man. After making them turn in the grass, the man said, “Good, grab your clothes and get inside. My wife should have some food ready about now.”

Anna didn’t look at Kyle as they dressed. He fumed and stormed up the steps behind the man as they entered the house. Anna tried to speak, but a growl from somewhere nearby shut the words off before they left her lips.

The smoky smell of bacon made them both forget about their dire situation. They strolled through the living room without even noticing the décor. The bright lights of the kitchen blinded Kyle as he stopped before a woman dressed in a nice sun dress. She smiled at him like his mother used to and offered him a seat. Anna sat down before Kyle could adjust to the sight.

The old man set his rifle up against the fridge and kissed his wife adding a squeeze of her butt as he moved past her. She giggled like a school girl and turned her attention back to the stove.

Popping and sizzling of bacon filled the kitchen. Pancakes cooked on another carefully tended skillet and on the third one was a pan full of scrambled eggs. The woman moved with expertise that neither Kyle nor Anna has ever witnessed in their life.

Kyle looked at the man, who stared at them, a slight grin on the end of his lips. “So how did you two get out of the city?”

“Luckily. It was crazy and we barely made it out.” Anna blurted out.

“No talking about that in here.” The woman scolded the man.

He nodded.

The woman served up the breakfasts with expertise that only a waitress of many years experience would be able to manage. She handled all three of the places with one arm, poured the juice with the other and they had their food in front of them, just as they liked it.

Anna didn’t eat immediately, and looked to the old man for confirmation that it was okay.

Kyle dropped his fork and then noticed the tears in Anna’s eyes. She didn’t wipe them away as they ran down her cheek dropping into her eggs.

“Eat up.” The woman said and sat down with only a cup of coffee. She took a sip and stared at Kyle. Her eyes didn’t leave him as she took another sip, her eyes clouding with the steam. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing it smells great.” Despite not eating for however many hours, Kyle’s appetite faded at the sight of the woman. No one ate and the silence grew thicker.

“Help yourself.” The old man said a moment later and took a tentative bite of his bacon.

As if the floodgates opened, Anna started to eat and she devoured it like a vacuum. He had never seen her eat so fast.

Still the woman stared at Kyle, sipping her coffee.

Kyle picked up his fork and it jittered in the air as he took a bite of the eggs. They were good, about as good as his mom used to make. As the first bite slid down his throat, his appetite returned and he finished the rest of the food.

As soon as the breakfast was over, with the woman not saying another word throughout the meal, Kyle thanked her and turned to Anna. “You wanna get going?”

“No. I want to sleep here. I feel safe.”

“You two are welcome to stay for as long as you want. Or until this mess is over.” The woman said.

The man nodded and kissed his wife’s cheek. “I’m going to go out and check the traps.”

She patted his hand and smiled. “I’ll get the kids settled for bed. They look exhausted.”

With that the woman helped them up the stairs to a bedroom upstairs. He stopped at the sight. The room was decorated for a child. Blue wallpaper with Teddy Bears running throughout the pattern. The small twin bed was neat and matching Teddy Bear sat next to the pillow, waiting for a child that wouldn’t be returning. The woman stood next to him as he took in the room.

“We’ve been waiting for you to return Michael. I am so happy you came home.” The woman said as she left.

Kyle didn’t say a word, but looked back at Anna who the woman led to another room across the hall. Something was definitely wrong with the woman.

What should Kyle do?