You can't call them Zombies!

The girl clung to Anna’s leg, her quaking fear seeped into Anna herself. She ran her hand through the girl’s hair, trying to calm herself down, more than to comfort the girl. “It’s going to be alright.” She had contemplated leaving the girl, but after what the girl did for Kyle, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Kneeling next to the girl, she grabbed her hands, “Sweetie, can you climb on my back like a piggy-back ride?”

In the girls tear filled eyes; Anna saw the creatures shambling toward her. Their growls drowned out her own fear. The girl nodded, wiped a tear away and with Anna’s help took up her spot on her back.

Hurrying to the corner, the girl’s grip tugged on Anna’s throat choking her, but she thought that it was better than the girl dropping off. She crouched at the corner of the roof; it was a good twelve feet drop and knew that she would bust something if she tried to make the jump so she started to dangle her legs over the edge.

They fell away, in the middle of the air, and a thought shot through Anna’s head. What if a creature was waiting for her? With this shocking fear, she lost her grip and fell off the roof. In midair, she twisted her body, not wanting to land on the girl, and landed hard on her side. The girl rolled away from Anna and in her dizzying disorientation, she struggled to her feet, and reached for the girl with her left arm. A mind clearing jolt of pain shot to her shoulder.

Her knees gave out on her, growls surrounded her and the girl didn’t appear to be moving. A grating sound of bone on something else filled her head and she cried out. Her shoulder had separated or broke, or something worse. Stomaching busting pain clenched down on her and she grabbed the ground with her right hand. The soft soil gave way to her fingers, sticking underneath her nails. The taste of bloody copper lined her tongue.“Shit.”

A buzzing sound began in the distance. She turned to it and found Kyle in the dune buggy. His eyes were filled with rage and a crazy glee played on his lips. “Suckers take that!”

He spun it around, dirt sprayed Anna, but she was so glad to see him. Creatures attacked the buggy, but he darted it through them like a master. Their bodies bounced off like bugs and remained on the ground as their limbs twisted in disgusting angles.

Fighting through the pain, Anna limped over to the girl and tried to lift her. She remained unconscious, so she started to drag her away from the house as creatures started to notice her. The girl’s dead weight tweaked her shoulder, sending a flare of blinding pain through her, but she gritted her teeth and continued to drag the girl. “Kyle!”

Her voice didn’t carry at all and she struggled with trying to get it louder. “Kyle!” She shouted, her throat burned, but it got Kyle’s attention. He did another 180, flinging creatures left and right and tore toward her. The buggy zipped up to her and he hopped out.

Creatures had started to shuffle their way again, but with Kyle’s help they got the girl into the passenger seat and Anna squeezed in next to her. Her shoulder flared up again, but she dealt with it since Kyle threw the buggy into gear. It zoomed off, leaving her uncle’s house behind them in a hurry.

“So Anna what do you want to do?” Kyle asked.

She didn’t know what to do, but she had to decide something before blacking out.

What should Anna do?

You can't call them Zombies!

Feeling the anxiety grow with the other officers, he knew that this journey had taken a toll on them. They jumped at every little sound from the abandoned buildings. One officer opened fire on a shadow that moved weird, which got him chewed out by Officer Reynolds.

Something about wasting ammo or something, and the officer was left with only a baton for the remainder of the journey. It wouldn’t do him any good when they got to where they were going.

Cresting over the top of a hill, Reynolds seemed to get more fleet of foot as he led the way, but stopped and in the light from below, the blood drained from his face in an instant. Kyle even saw a quiver in his square chin.

The bright light came from the high school football stadium, but you couldn’t tell what it was, because the creatures had attacked and done so in such a fashion that the gates were bent over, pieces of decaying flesh stuck to links as they used their bodies to crush the fence.

Inside the field, many tents, which probably held injured and other officers alike were splattered with blood, limbs, and the occasional creature feasting on a poor soul. Kyle’s stomach churned as the stench reached all of them. Reynolds gripped his gun and turned to his men.

“We’re going down there to search for survivors.”

He wouldn’t get to finish as gun fire erupted behind them. The growls came in a large fast wave. Screams followed and Kyle rushed back to Anna. Her eyes were wide with terror as she shrunk against the back of the SWAT truck. Officers came running toward the commotion, but the creatures came out of the buildings like this was planned. Dozens poured upon the officers who tried to kill them, but for every officer there were ten of the creatures.

Kyle shot the chain connecting Anna to the SWAT truck and pulled her away from the oncoming swarm.

Reynolds saw him retreating, but couldn’t do anything as the swarm converged on him. He disappeared beneath the mass of decayed bodies, bones and tissue snapping just as he fired off his gun. The creatures kept coming and Kyle led Anna by the wrists. She stumbled over the curb and they both fell.

She pulled off her gag, tears streaking her face. “I can’t do it anymore.”

“Don’t be stupid. Come on.” Kyle grabbed the chain between the cuffs and dragged her onward. He saw a building in the corner where no creatures seemed to be coming from and his mind centered on that. The abandoned cars along the curb slowed the creatures down as they had to maneuver around and over them to get to the last remaining treats, Kyle and Anna.

With the early morning cold wind rising up, Kyle had to fight against the pain of his knuckles locking around the chain of the cuffs and pulling Anna behind him.

“Come on, we aren’t going to become their breakfast.” Kyle tugged and she fell again. He wanted to yell at her, but stopped as the creatures continued to rush. They were surrounding them like a well organized group. Stench filled breath and dead eyes fell upon Kyle and Anna.

Remembering that he had a gun, he started shooting at the nearest creatures. They went down momentarily as the bullets knocked them backward, but it didn’t kill them. It seemed to add to their desire.

All he could see were the creatures, as they came closer, growling and staring at them.

You can't call them Zombies!

It seemed like forever, the time dragged on, the darkness surrounding them from all sides. The creatures steady growl grew louder the further they moved into the city. Soon the houses that they had been walking by grew into small businesses.

Kyle’s legs grew heavy, his shoes scuffed along the pavement and sweat ran down his throbbing temples. The police officers were efficient, they took out every undead they ran across, mostly in groups of three or four, but one neared ten. The swat trunk moved at a quicker pace, and Anna tumbled to the ground a few moments later. It didn’t stop and drug her behind for a moment.

His chest filled with anger and he hurried to her side, letting her use his arms to get up with. She almost stumbled again and he caught her in the crook of his elbows. The officers saw this and moved toward them.

“Stay separated, or else.”

Kyle glared at the officer, unable to speak, but tried to make his intentions felt. The officer didn’t care and shoved them apart.

Pulling against the shackles proved useless and he almost stumbled as the chain yanked him with the truck. The officer smiled, and shook his head. Just as he did, a group of zombies, sprung out of a van they were passing. The officer vanished into a mist of blood, which coated Kyle and Anna torsos.

Her muffled screams shook the chains as she ran into Kyle. He tried to embrace her, but he didn’t have time. The creatures had started to swarm from the nearby buildings. The SWAT truck stopped, and the gunfight started. Creatures fell in droves, but they continued to pour out of the building. The group which came out of the van disintegrated in a flurry of bullets the moment the officer’s screams died down.

Kyle helped Anna up onto the back lip of the truck and out of the way. As he pulled himself up off of bloody cement, creatures came from another side. They took out a patrol car in a flood of growls. Blood painted the car red as the dwindling officers turned their attention to the new threat.

After about four dozen creatures were dispatched, the shooting stopped and Kyle pinned Anna to the wall of the van.

The commanding officer came around the side and looked at them. He smiled, the five o’clock shadow reflected in the flash lights on him. “What do you think you are doing?

Kyle tried to answer, but the gag chocked his words back and he coughed.

This made the officer smile broader; his teeth were coated in black stuff, a bit of the tobacco dribbled down his chin. He spit a large chunk of it to the ground. The sound stirred Kyle’s stomach for a moment.

“The kid wants to talk. Take his gag off.”

Two officers, their riot gear coated in blood and entrails, pulled Kyle off the truck and undid his gag. He grimaced, flexed his jaw and chomped twice. A loud satisfying pop rocked his mouth. He winced. “We’re not one of them. I want to help you guys.”

The officers standing behind him snickered, but stopped the moment the commanding officer turned his intense gaze on them.

“You wanna join us?” He scratched his chin. It sounded like sandpaper against his fingers.

“Yes.” Kyle didn’t care for the sir thing, but he kept his gaze on the commanding officer the best he could. “Looks like you lost some here.”

“Don’t these things scare you?” He asked.

“Yeah, who wouldn’t be?”

The commanding officer didn’t smile, his gaze roving over Kyle.

Kyle tried to hide the shiver that ran up his spine, but the commanding officer noticed. He turned to the officer’s behind Kyle. “Sure you seem to be up to the challenge. Unlock him.”

“And her too.” Kyle backed toward Anna.

“No. She’s a girl. We have other plans for her.” The officers laughed.

Anna shrunk a few inches against the truck.

“She’s my girlfriend. She can handle herself.”

“If you do well on the way to camp, we’ll see. Maybe you can get first dibs.” An evil gaze passed over the officer’s face.

Kyle couldn’t meet his hungry gaze and looked down at the officer’s badge. “Officer Reynolds”

He would learn to hate that name within the next few hours.

As the shackles dropped from his wrists, Kyle looked up at the horizon. The sun had crept up to the tops of the buildings. He had been awake for over twenty four hours now and so far, it had seemed like a year. Creature blood plastered his arms and neck.

An officer handed him a pistol. “Don’t shoot your foot off.”

Kyle held the heavy gun in one hand and turned toward Anna. Her face had gone pale. He knew what was running through her head, and promised himself that he wouldn’t let them do anything to her.

“Round up. We’re moving out.” Officer Reynolds ordered over the bull horn.

Kyle checked the safety of his gun and followed the SWAT truck, keeping close to Anna as it pulled them along. “I’ll get us out of here.”

She didn’t nod or anything, but her rasping breath squeezed around the gag, her eyes lowered and blood dripped off her chin.

How should Kyle rescue Anna?

You can't call them Zombies!

Slowly his wits came back and Kyle picked himself up off the grass. His ears still rung from the silence that followed the bullets. A few straggling creatures were felled by a short burst here and there.

“Move forward slowly. Keep an eye out and shoot first then we’ll figure out what it was.” Someone yelled in the distance over a bullhorn.

Willing his feet forward, Kyle ducked behind the fence. Lights streamed across the street, body parts littered the street. A moment later, a SWAT van drove up the street, its large tires rolling over the bodies with ease. Blood, and tissue melted out from inside the bodies as the vehicle squished the corpses. On either side of the truck were three well armed police offices, dressed in riot gear and armed to the teeth with small automatic guns.

Fear welled up in Kyle’s stomach, but he fought it back. This was his rescue; he needed to see if they would help him. About to stand up, he stopped the moment he saw Anna being led behind the truck, her hands were bound and a gag tied around her head. She looked down at her shuffling feet, her cheeks wet with tears and a fresh bruise along her cheek.

Rage overtook the fear and he clutched a rock. The thought of her being tied up and beaten by these officers blinded him, but he was able to regain his composure when the nearest officer shot into a wiggling creature. Blood sprayed the street in a small burst like a firecracker exploding a pumpkin. Knowing better than to rush out there blindly, he remained ducked down behind the fence. They passed slowly, light flashing over the area in a wide arc. As the truck passed, Kyle saw another two police cars with two officers each inside following.

Anna was as good as being surrounded by a million of those creatures. A sudden urge to sneeze filled Kyle’s chest, and he couldn’t help himself and let it out.

Immediately, bullets fired off in his direction. Knowing this was coming, he dove out of the bushes away from where he was. Dirt and pieces of the fence shot up into the sky as bullets shredded the area.

He pulled his hands over his head and chomped down on his tongue to stop the scream that boiled up in his chest. With his eyes shut, voices shouted and people were approaching. He scurried away from the sound, but stopped as someone shot near him. Dirt shot into his face and he dropped down. Spread his hands. “I’m not one of them.”

“Tie him up and bring him by the girl.” The same voice behind the loud speaker ordered.

His arms were twisted behind him, and he was lifted off the ground. Shackles locked around his wrists and a gag was placed into his mouth. Lights and sweat flooded his senses. He squinted and they shoved him forward. A moment later, he was tied up next to Anna and the truck started to move on.

You can't call them Zombies!

The boy stirred, his hair shifting in the light. He had to be no older than thirteen, yet he had been a fighter the entire time.

The creatures were closing the gap, their feet scuffing along the cement in a steady rhythm, the low guttural growl escaping from their mouths. They were hungry and right now, Kyle, Anna, and the boy are just a couple of sardines trapped, ready to be eaten. Unless they did something.

“Grab him; I’ll take care of our escape route.” Kyle ripped open the door, not letting her say anything to stop him.

The chill of the night hit his sweaty brow and he ignored it. He needed to get them out of here and time wasn’t on their side. Tightening his grip on the handle, he stepped toward the first creature within reach. He let go a swing, it cut through the air with a low whistle and ended with a huge crack. The creature stumbled for a moment, taking another step before the bits of brain fell to the cement with a squishy thump. Its eyes locked on Kyle for a moment before it collapsed.

Kyle didn’t take notice as the adrenaline fueled him. On a hunt and destroy mission, which could end his life. He didn’t care. Behind him, Anna was dragging the boy along the ground, his shoes scraping against the concrete.

Then it began, the creatures took notice, must have been the sliver of light they passed through, but three of them rushed, growling like dogs, bloody foam dripping over their purple lips, red stained teeth snapping at him as Kyle swung.

Bone, teeth, brains, and blood, lots and lots of blood flew from the creatures as they attacked. None of them fell immediately, always a step away from getting a bite in on Kyle. He didn’t care; the only thing running through his cooking brain was saving the people behind him. As long as something undead stepped before him, he continued to swing.

After ten hits, his biceps burned and his hands throbbed. More of the creatures had appeared from the houses around the corner and they were hungry still.

“Kyle!” Anna’s voice stopped his tear for a moment. He glanced back through his blurring vision and saw that some creatures had rushed from behind. They dove onto the boy, and blood shot up into the night sky. He never fully awoke to scream as when he did, they had already torn open his throat. A terrified eye turned to Anna for help and shock must have taken over as she pulled him along for another two steps until one of his arms came off.

She fell onto her butt, her teeth clicking in her head and she tried to scream. Kyle picked her up, more creatures rushing from all angles. He held the bat in one hand and then his ears rung from the scream.

Anna’s scream reached over the symphony of growls bearing down on them.

“I need you to stand up. I can’t fight and carry you.”

“The boy. They ate him like he was a steak.”

He was. Kyle thought but didn’t say it as he took up swinging again. Another creatures jaw shattered from the blow, it stumbled and clawed at the air where Kyle had stood. He grabbed Anna’s hand and tugged her along. They only had a sliver of an opening and he was bent on making it.

The creatures had multiplied five times since he had first begun his onslaught and they were rushing without fear toward them.

Anna snapped out of her shock, and took the lead. Her track and field background took hold and she bolted ahead. Fighting the exhaustion, Kyle limped after her. Not wanting to look back, he tried to keep sight of Anna. Her blonde ponytail whisking back and forth as she ran.

Sweat ran down his face in steady streams, his lungs burned and his heart pounded like King Kong trying to get out of his chest. The growls behind him gained on him with steadiness.

He croaked out a low pitiful, “Anna!”

She didn’t turn around, or even stop. He loved her, and here she was leaving him behind. He didn’t understand it.

Out of the corner of his eye, two creatures darted toward him from a house; they had the angle and were closing on him faster than his body would move. He was a goner. Fear of death had left him, and he stopped, ready to accept his fate, but not ready to go out without a fight. He hitched up the bat, splattered with gore and took a swing with all he could, the first creature dropped with a sickening thud, and the second one collided into Kyle, knocking the air out of him.

They tumbled over a fence into a small yard. The putrid smell of rotten meat flooded Kyle’s nose and he flailed over backwards. The momentum separated him from the creature, but it didn’t feel the breaking of its arm as it got up in an instant and attacked.

Throwing the bat up between them, Kyle screamed as it grabbed at him. Its teeth snapping at any bare flesh. He didn’t know how he survived the attack as he just kept shifting the bat in the way of the creature’s lunges. He remembered feeling the knot of the chain link digging into his back as he fended it off.

Tiring as it was, Kyle kept it up for as long as he could. The growing swarm behind him filled his ears as he blocked and tried to kick the creature off of him. His body was giving in he couldn’t get any strength behind the blows he was delivering. The creature didn’t tire; it seemed to grow stronger as time went on. Maybe the threat of new creatures coming to takes its food added intensity to its attacks, but Kyle kept it at bay as best he could. Sweat and tears streamed down his face.

“Anna!” He let out with a gasp. He shut his eyes and delivered one last shove with the bat. The creature stumbled, surprising to Kyle, but he used it to scramble away. He didn’t hear it, or feel it, but the creature’s head exploded in a fine mist of brains and blood. It fell immediately to the grass.

Turning toward the groans behind him, he saw creatures falling left and right. Piling up into the street they continued to charge after whatever was mowing them down. Bullets rang out, creatures fell, and Kyle couldn’t move. His arms itched and twitched from the grass, and scratches.

What should Kyle do?

Figure out what is killing the creatures?

Hide and wait for whoever it is to come this way?

Make a run for it.

You can't call them Zombies!

“You leave that boy up there and I’ll never forgive you.” Anna said. Her eyes flared with the anger building up inside her.

Looking at the wide open space toward his house in the opposite direction, he sighed. He couldn’t leave her alone to try it, but his body still ached from the battles so far. In her mind he knew that the choice was simple, yet he shuffled on his feet. Fine.

He grabbed her hand and led her toward a set of high bushes. Checking behind them before he pulled her behind it, he motioned for her to stay. “I won’t be able to do anything unless I know you’re safe.”

She nodded, upset, but didn’t argue.

He scanned the front yard for any sort of weapon, but only found a garden hose. He followed it to faucet and unscrewed it. Rolling it up, he left enough slack to act like a short whip. He spun it in his hand for a moment and started toward the kid.

He must have noticed Kyle as his blows to the creatures became more frequent. From across the street he could see the boy tiring and smiled, knowing that if he left the boy back, he would have been a goner eventually. Swinging the hose in one hand he marched across the street. The first creature didn’t even flinch as Kyle clipped it in the back of the skull, but it did turn its attention to Kyle.

Before Kyle could swing again, the creature lunged. Teeth snapping and hands grabbing.

Slipping on a piece of the hose that had fallen slack behind him, Kyle tumbled against the cement. Pain and flickers of lights bounced through his head. A cold, vicious weight fell on top of him, and on pure instinct, he used his end of the hose and stuffed a section of the rubber into the creature’s mouth.

It bought him enough time and rolled out from underneath the creature, its hand tearing at Kyle’s jeans, but the rubber kept him distracted for a moment.

A throb ebbed from the back of his skull and Kyle didn’t see the creature behind him until he bumped into it. The creature took hold of him, and his brain froze, it was over. He winced as the cold hands gripped him tightly. Expecting excruciating pain he waited, numb to the sounds around him.

Just as fast as he was grabbed, the creature’s grip fell. He didn’t have time to see what happened as the rubber munching creature had eaten through the hose and had returned toward Kyle with renewed hunger. Tunnel vision took over as Kyle’s nerves filled with terror. He didn’t see the brick until the top half of the creature’s skull vanished under the blow. It took two more steps before falling to the ground, decayed brain matter oozed from the wound.

“Get out of there.” A boy’s voice called to him.

Kyle turned toward the sound, his vision blurring as darkness continued to crowd in on him. Pulling the stone-filled feet from where he stood proved difficult and he dropped to his knees twice. Growls grew around him, and more were turning their attention to him. He screamed at himself to get going, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. It refused to get off the ground and decay filled his nose. It was everywhere and gaining fast.

Shaking his head, he swore he heard something clanging around inside and almost threw up in the middle of the street. Anna would have laughed at him he thought as he struggled back to his feet. Getting upright only heightened the dizziness that had struck his stomach.

“Kyle, come on get in the car.” Anna’s voice fought back the nausea. He looked toward her voice and she sat in the passenger side of a car. The boy was in the front seat. A young boy driving? Kyle shook his head, but the boy remained in the front seat. He stumbled toward Anna, and in the reflection of her terrified eyes he saw the dozens of creatures shambling out of the houses and gardens toward them. Falling into Anna’s arms the pain took over and he blacked out.

Not sure how much time had passed; Kyle woke up in the back of the car. Anna sat in the front seat, and warmth filled the car like a blanket. He didn’t want to wake up, but forced himself to get another look at this boy.

The boy sat behind the wheel, his toes pressing down on the accelerator and his eyes barely peeking over the dash. It felt totally safe to Kyle as he slumped back against the cloth seats. “Where are we?”

“On our way to your house.” Anna said. Her eyes peering back toward him.

“Good.” He closed his eyes. The hair on his arms pricked up as Anna rested her hand on his knee. “What happened?”

“This boy saved you.”

“I thought I was saving him.”

“Yo, you got dropped by one of them fools. Lucky I was the starting pitcher for my squad, otherwise you be one of them.” The boy said in a thick accent that made Kyle’s head hurt trying to think of where it came from.

“Thanks.” Kyle leaned back, the throbbing continued and he looked out the window. The creatures were ignoring them despite the slow speed they were going.

“We’re here.” Anna said as the car jerked to a stop.

The motion threw Kyle forward and he clutched his stomach to keep from throwing up again. Next time he’s driving.

He looked out toward his house. The lights were still on and many creatures were trying to make their way into the house, but his mother must be thankful for the bars she put on the windows years ago now. The creatures couldn’t get in despite their tries.

“You going in there, for what?” The boy said.

“My mom.” Kyle said, his chest tightening at the thought of leaving her like this.

“How you think we going to do that?” The boy said again.

“A distraction.” Anna offered.

“Hell no.” The boy said.

Kyle liked that idea even more. He looked at his home and then at Anna and the boy. “Exactly.”

What should Kyle do?

1.) Be the decoy so that Anna could save his mom?

2.) Make the boy be the decoy so he could save his mom?

3.) Ask Anna to be the decoy so he could save his mom?

4.) Forget about it and continue looking for help?

You can't call them Zombies!

After looking back into the house, they were already streaming back through the door. Some heading their direction, other’s heading up the steps again. Kyle grabbed Anna’s hand and led her to her back fence.

“What if they are just waiting for us over there?” She said. The fear in her eyes made Kyle second guess himself for a moment, but then he interlocked his hands.

“It’s better than staying here.” He glanced toward the house. The first creature hit the sliding glass door. Its growl vibrated against the glass as it clawed at them. More would be coming. The glass wouldn’t hold forever.

“Come on.” He looked at her. Her eyes were sullen and her lips were pressed tight into a thin pink line. She lifted her foot into his hands and he jerked as the first pane of glass in the door shattered. He hoisted her up, his back tightened for a moment from exhaustion.

She pulled herself up and over the fence and he let out a low gasp. Standing up, he jumped against the fence and flipped himself over into the darkness below. He landed with a thud and a shock ran up his legs. That would hurt in the morning. Anna grabbed his hand, and his knuckles cracked at her grip.

“I heard something.” Her voice quivered.

He didn’t, but pulled her closer. The faint aroma of her sweat stung his eyes. He leaned into to her ear. “Can you run?”

The tickle of her hair against his cheek confirmed that she could. He gripped her hand and took off. No chance of them being cornered as he pulled her behind him. At the end of the alley, the street light shined bright against the wet pavement. Not a single sight of anyone or anything, just like he wanted.

Upon reaching the mouth of the alley, his perception changed. A chorus of screams came from a small single story house on the corner. Inside, the flickering lights of a television revealed the gruesome dismantling of a woman trying to open the window. First a chunk of her right arm disappeared into a mans mouth, and then a piece of her neck ripped out by a small girl who had leapt onto the woman’s back. Her blood smeared as she slid down out of view.

Nails cut into Kyle’s palm and he turned to Anna. About to blow, he followed her wide eyed gaze. A young kid stood on the top of a minivan. Three of the creatures were trying to get him, but he kept them at bay with a tee-ball bat.

“We have to do something.” Anna muttered and started toward the boy.

Kyle pulled her back. They hadn’t seen them yet and they could still make it to safety. “What do you want me to do?”

She turned to him, stunned into silence. Her cheeks flushed and hair stuck to her forehead. She looked lost like a child and it hurt his heart. He loved this woman, but right now she was being thick headed. He didn’t have time for this.

What should Alex do?

1.) Try to save the boy on the minivan?

2.) Lead Anna out of the street and toward safety?

3.) Let Anna try to save the boy while he escapes?

You can't call them Zombies!

With Anna clinging to his arm, Kyle looked below him at the increasing swarm of creatures and the few crawling their way through the window. Neither option looked favorable so he turned to the tree.

“You need to make a jump for it.” Kyle said trying to pry her vice grip off of his wrist. The blood circulation couldn’t reach his fingers and they started to turn purple.

“You’re crazy. I can’t make that. No.” Anna tugged on Kyle, ripping at shoulder.

A balding man fell out of the window, a huge gash on the side of his head showed his skull underneath. The blood had dried along his cheek. Bits of flesh dangled out of his mouth as he stood up and looked at them. The low guttural growl started in his throat, and soon the dozen of undead joined in a sickening choir hum.

Anna pulled on Kyle, nearly tipping him over.

The man charged directly at Anna, his mouth agape with flesh stuck to his teeth like spinach.

Anna screamed as the man collided with her. Her death grip proved useful as the undead man tumbled off the edge of the roof, his hand grasping madly as he went down.

His hand tangled in Anna’s hair and she let out a howl which set Kyle’s ears on fire. Through the ringing in his ear, the added weight almost threw them all off the roof.

Using Anna’s long hair, the man tried snapping at her leg as he swung toward her.

With his muscles singing, and already exhausted, Kyle was losing his grip on Anna. Her terrified eyes met his for a moment and she started to loosen her hands around his wrist.

Kyle grunted, feeling something give out in his back as a muscle tore, but he managed to keep her from falling. The man hit the edge of the roof, and luckily wasn’t coordinated enough to pull himself up her hair. On his first bite, he missed her bare calf by inches, but he was swinging back toward it again.

Not sure he could manage it, but knowing that it was either this, or the man would get to sink his teeth in, Kyle kicked the man in the face as he swung toward him. The hollow crack as his shoe smashed the man’s skull in sent his stomach for a flip and the world went gray for a moment.

His hold on Anna wavered and he felt her nails clawing into him as he tried to remain conscious. Dead, now, the man released his grip on her hair and fell to the grass with a thump. The rest of the creatures didn’t care and walked over the corpse looking up like starving animals being teased with a fresh meal.

“Kyle, I’m slipping.” Anna pitched backwards, spun on her only foot left and leapt for the tree. She caught hold of the branch and it groaned in the sudden weight.

For a moment, Kyle saw her dark eyes widened with fear. The branch wasn’t going to hold. “Go. Swing over to the bigger one.”

She tried, her legs kicking wildly, but as she did the branch cracked again. He could see the whiteness of the tree as the bark broke apart at the trunk. She had one swing left in her. She used it and leaped across the gap toward the larger, sturdier branch. He watched in slow motion as her fingers wrapped around the tip of the branch for a moment, slipped a second later, but she held on, by the nails.

“Oh my God. Oh my God!” She said repeatedly while pulling herself up onto the branch. She brushed her hair out of her face and looked back at Kyle. “Are you going to be able to make this?”

Kyle looked at the distance. He knew he wasn’t an athlete, and the gap was at least ten feet over the now two dozen undead neighbors all staring at them.

A thud behind him as the growl grew louder; another one fell their way out of the window. He spun, looking back at the woman, her arm gnawed off at the elbow, and the same dead gaze locked on him. The triple chin she sported had flesh stuck to it like souvenir pins and he almost lost his dinner right there. Blood and mud caked her flower print dress. She must have been in the garden. He thought for a moment before she growled. Behind her, Anna’s brother’s room continued to fill with undead as they clamored for his flesh. He sighed and knew his answer. “I can’t make that jump.”

He could almost image her face as she pleaded with him. “Come on. You can do it. I know you can. I’ll catch you.”

Kyle loved her for her it, but knew as well as she did that he wouldn’t be able to make the jump and would more than likely be landing in the undead mosh pit that was growing beneath the tree.

The woman charged, like a rabid dog, all teeth and blood. Kyle braced himself as she approached, her footsteps echoing over the noise of the growling pit beneath him.

What should Kyle do?

1.) Tell Anna to leave without him. Save herself?

2.) Try to make the jump despite his reservations about the distance.

3.) Fight off the lady and try to look for another way down?

4.) Jump off the roof and hope that he can make it away from the mosh pit of death?

You can't call them Zombies!

Looking around the house and with his heart still racing for his recent encounter with the woman outside, Kyle rushed upstairs. Anna wouldn’t stand a chance against one of those things. His feet clop up the steps and the nagging pain hits his legs like a Charlie horse. At the top of the steps, he brushed his hand across the light switch. Nothing, but blood oozed through his fingers. A shudder ran through him as he turned toward the sound of banging behind him.

Instinct almost got the best of him as he wanted to call out to her, but he gritted his teeth instead. A low growl filled the hall and Kyle’s heart faltered. He knew he wasn’t alone and the mere sliver of hope he had that it was someone to help him vanished.

A loud crack erupted from the direction of the growl a whimper followed it. Anna was trapped in her room. Forgetting the danger for a moment, he darted down the hall and stumbled over something in the hall halfway toward Anna’s room. Hitting the ground hard, sparkles filled his vision for a moment and he struggled getting to his feet again. A shadow passed over him, filling him with terror. He glanced at what he tripped over and found Anna’s mother, Dorothy, her face gnawed off like a large rodent tore into her.

He knew that couldn’t be right, but saw the remains of her lips twitch. Pulling himself up the railing, he slipped against the puddle of blood which had pooled around her. He remembered her taking pictures of him and Anna on Winter Formal last year. Her chubby cheeks were nothing more than shreds. He stepped toward the oncoming sound and found one of those creatures trying to push himself in through the growing crack in Anna’s door.

Watching the slightly overweight man shove his body through the jagged crack without any pause caused Kyle a bit of concern. He looked at his shaking bare hands and thought about going back down for a weapon. He couldn’t take a man that outweighed him down, especially when he didn’t feel pain. The man pulled his arm back through the crack and pieces of his flesh peeled away from the arm as he turned. No blood dropped to the ground as it congealed around the remaining flesh on his arm.

The man turned toward Kyle, his blank stare meeting Kyle’s terrified gaze. He scanned for an escape and the only option was jumping over the railing to the first floor again and he knew that wouldn’t work. He recognized the man as Anna’s father, Tim. A large chunk of his neck had been pulled free, and pieces of flesh stuck to his lips. Kyle figured it came from his wife on the floor behind him.

The now familiar guttural growl began in Tim’s remaining throat.

Feeling the fatigue race through him again, Kyle had to grab the banister to keep from succumbing. “Mr. Fredricks? It’s me Kyle. What are you doing?”

Tim’s lips lifted in a bloody snarl for a moment before he lunged toward Kyle.

Not thinking, and relying on his reaction, he lowered his stance, taking Tim’s weight onto his legs and tried his best to throw him over the railing. His chest tightened and his legs almost buckled from the weight. Tim tried to grab Kyle’s arm to bring to his snapping teeth, but Kyle used Tim’s momentum and moved.

Tim stumbled and Kyle made it past him. It only lasted a moment as Tim spun on him.

“Anna! Are you there? I’m here. Don’t worry.” Kyle said the first things that raced through his mind. In the back of his mind he didn’t expect Anna to be alive. Just look at her parents before him.

Tim came forward, slowly, like he was trying to scare Kyle into making a move and Kyle didn’t disappoint. He stepped back toward the window at the end of the hall. The moonlight cascaded across Tim’s pale, bloodied face giving him a hideous beast-like look. Before Kyle could take it all in, Tim rushed. His teeth snapping and his arms grasping.

Screaming, preparing for the worst, Kyle did all he could think of doing and tried to stop Tim. His momentum carried Tim over him as Kyle’s gave out.

With a loud crash and screech, Tim tripped over Kyle and flew out the window behind him. He collapsed to the grass below letting out a scream as he pulled himself back up.

Kyle looked out on the street and saw the large group converging on the house, thanks to Tim’s howl. Time was wasting and Kyle turned back to Anna’s room. He came here for a reason and raced to the door.

“Anna! Answer me please.” Kyle knocked on the door.

Somewhere behind the door someone moved around.

“Anna, he’s gone. I threw your down out of the window, but we have to hurry. More are coming.” Kyle shoved his shoulder against the door. Just as he impacted, he thought he saw Dorothy move again. Thinking it must have been a trick of the light, he tried the doorknob. It didn’t budge.

“Anna, come on. Don’t be dead.”

“Kyle?” Anna’s raspy voice came from behind the door. She sounded like this when she had been screaming at the high school football game a few weeks ago. She lost her voice as they won the State Finals.

“Yes. It’s me. Let me in.” Kyle looked through the bloody crack.

Beyond the door, Anna stood by her computer desk. The laptop screensaver flickered behind her. Pictures of their various dates scrolled past. She moved something out of the way.

“Thank God you made it.” She pulled open the door and nearly jumped into his arms. He would have caught her, but his body still balanced on the edge of exhaustion. Her scent made his pulse quicken and he followed her into her room. She shut the door and shoved her dresser in front of it again.

Over her shoulder, in the very faint light of the laptop, he saw her younger brother. He was lying on the bed, underneath some covers. “Is Grady okay?” Kyle asked.

Anna turned to her brother and said, “My dad bit his hand. I think he’s okay. He’s sleeping now.”

Her voice cracked and she gripped Kyle’s hand tighter. “What happened here?”

Before she could answer a hand shot through the crack in her door and tugged on Kyle’s shirt. With Anna’s help, they were able to pull it free. Anna must have recognized it immediately as the hand had a wedding ring on it.

“Mom?” She stayed behind Kyle. He could tell she was shaken up by the situation and did his best to keep her close and feeling safe.

“She must have become one of them. Maybe when your dad bit her?” Kyle said that and saw a shiver under the blanket on her bed.

“Grady? Kyle’s here to save us.” Anna said and started toward her brother.

Kyle took hold of her arm and kept her away from the stirring lump. “Anna. I don’t know if that’s still your brother.” It made sense. If this was anything like the movies, than the bites is what turns them. He just hoped that Anna wasn’t bitten. “Anna, have you been bitten?”

She shook her head, she was able to block out the growling from behind her door as she stared at the blankets shifting on her bed.

Kyle didn’t know how to comfort her at the moment; he was trying to think of what to do now that they were trapped between her undead mother and her possibly undead brother. Just as that thought ran through his head, her brother’s pale bitten, and rotten hand rose out from the blankets. A low growl followed.

Anna tensed and he felt for her. The sadness he could never console her from. This was definitely going to change their relationship. It all depends on how he handles the next situation.

What should Kyle Do?

1.) Take his chances by fighting off Dorothy and get Anna out of there before her brother sees them?

2.) Kill her brother with the laptop computer before he becomes too much of a threat?

3.) Use Anna’s window as a possible escape before her brother notices them?

4.) Hide in the closet and hope it all goes away?

5.) Leave Anna behind and wish her the best as he uses the window to escape while her family eats Anna?

You can't call them Zombies!

The gap between him and the undead girl closed quicker than he expected. His legs burned and had been reduced to hobbling. Before even reaching the corner, she would have overtaken him. He made an abrupt and labored dodge to the right, back toward the park. He grimaced as his knee buckled and he toppled into the grass next to the street.

Luckily for him, the woman, still obviously not able to move in quick turns ran past him. She stuttered to a stop like a car on a jagged road and turned to face him again. Her dead eyes glared at him, a hunger that couldn’t be recreated by a human, even if they were abandoned on a deserted island for months, met his.

Almost hypnotized by her gaze, the wet grass soaked into his sweatshirt sleeve, snapping him out of the daze as she rushed again. He crawled to his feet as she closed the gap once again. With his heart racing and his body giving up on him, he threw himself over the railing of a house porch. Landing on the other side, he looked between the wooden planks as she tore at him like a lunatic. The gravely growl reached him before she did, and he would come to realize that it would be that way forever now.

Oblivious to the railing, she crashed right into it, a plank shot out, hitting Kyle in the chest. She didn’t try to climb, or go two steps to the left to climb the step onto the porch, she continued to reach for him through the thin boards. Her grey hands scratching across his sweatshirt, inches from tearing the flesh off of his chin. Kyle scooted back and grabbed the thin plank of wood. A sharp nail stuck out on one end and he looked at it, then at the girl who relentlessly pushed through the railing. Another plank had come loose and she had one shoulder through the gap. Her hand grasping for him.

Kyle stood up, heaving, sweat matting his hair across his eyes, and looked down at her. Those eyes would haunt him for as long as he would live this nightmare. He raised the plank, nail point down and drove it into her skull. Hoping that his movie knowledge would prove correct. At first she continued, pushing stronger, like it ignited her fuse, then he pulled it free and drove it down twice more in quick succession. Blood oozed out of the wound and she continued to push, growling and moaning as he wailed on her.

After five swings with his makeshift weapon, it broke as the nail stuck into her skull. She slumped, her hand’s reach faltered and she collapsed to the porch. Blood didn’t run from the wound like Kyle expected. He stood against the wall of the house, his heart pounding his ribs, his side blazing and his legs quivering. Taking in a stinging breath, his knees failed him and he slid to the porch. The urge to vomit made his quiver, but he held it in.

Back at the park five more of these creatures shambled out of the darkness. They moved slower than the woman did and Kyle realized that they wouldn’t do anything until they saw him. He crawled to the door next to him and quietly reached for the door knob. Hoping to hide inside, but his heart sank as the door was locked.

“Crap.” He muttered as the undead creatures were moving toward the fire and turning their backs turning on him. He got to his feet, checked to make sure their attention was elsewhere and snuck across the porch. He made his way over the railing and fell silently into the grass. Seeing his girlfriends house so close he started toward it.

He clenched his teeth and hurried as quietly as he could across the yard. He stopped at the edge of the grass and took one glace back at the fire. The creatures were mesmerized by the sight, but the flames were dying as the bush had been reduced to only a small fire.

Taking the cue, he hurried across the street toward his girlfriend’s house. To his left he heard the shuffling of feet and his body tightened, ready to run if he heard the familiar growl, but it never came. He was thankful for the power being out tonight.

Stopping in front of his girlfriend’s house, he noticed the front door open and a bloody hand print ran across the front door. He stood looking as the blood ran down the front of the door. Whoever made that mark was fresh.

Taking a look around, Kyle made sure none of those creatures were nearby and snuck up the steps. He entered the house and a sour smell hit his nose. He covered his nose and looked up the darkened stair case. Bloody hand prints moved up the stairs in steady intervals, and he knew that was where his girlfriend’s bedroom was. He shut the door behind him and made sure to put both locks on.

Footsteps moved across the hall way above him and he had to bite his tongue not to call out. If he learned anything from his previous encounter, he didn’t need to alert them to his presence. He stood at the foot of the stairway, debating with himself on how to approach this.

What should Kyle do?

1.) Search the dark and silent first floor of the house for a weapon before heading upstairs?

2.) Forget the weapon and rush up the stairs to save his girlfriend?

3.) Call the police for help?

4.) Call out for his girlfriend to see if she’s even up there before running up the stairs?

You can't call them Zombies!

They were closing in faster than he wanted or expected. Their stench moving closer with each moaning step. He looked to the fence and decided against that choice as it could lead to a worse situation. Bracing himself, he listened for the shuffling of their footsteps, sweat clung to his neck as he scanned the dark park. Which way was out. He had gotten so turned around.

He didn’t have time to think as a cold, bony finger touched his shoulder. He bolted. His entire body blazed with adrenaline as he ran. He hoped he wouldn’t run into anyone or anything as he ran. A moment after starting he crashed into someone. His shoulder drove through the person, just how he imagined a football player must feel when tackling someone.

Instead of stopping, Kyle spun, let out a small scream as something damp spread onto his shoulder and he kept running. The footsteps and moans grew further behind him as he ran. The stench continued to follow him as he darted toward the direction he hoped was his girlfriends.

More moans started as he entered a playground. He needed to stop. His legs wobbled, and his chest burned. A small twist of pain began in his stomach. He only ran for ten minutes and his body treated it like a mile and a half. In the distance he could see the flicker of some light. He looked at the comforting swing in the glimmer of moonlight, but pressed on.

The moans were following him and there seemed to grow in number by the moment. The sand beneath his feet continued to pull at his tired legs and he stumbled twice falling hard. The sand clung to his palms and stung a cut in his hand that he hadn’t noticed.

Heading toward the flickering light like a moth, he pulled himself over the small chain link fence separating him and pushed onward. As he approached, the light wasn’t coming from a dying streetlight like he initially thought, but a car had crashed into a power pole. The flickering light came from the small bush set ablaze by the downed power line. That answered the question as to why the park and the surrounding houses were dark.

As he approached, he noticed the car was empty. The driver’s side door was open and blood trailed away. It wasn’t in drips like the injured person walked away, but in a long steady line like the driver was dragged away.

A moan came from the other side of the bush and Kyle faced the sound this time. In the light it didn’t seem so scary and he clenched his fists, ready for a fight. What emerged wasn’t something he expected, despite what his imagination had conjured up.

A woman in a nice yellow dress limped out from around the bush. He noticed how nice the dress looked except for her missing left arm. Blood drenched the side of the dress. She stopped as she saw him, if she could see, as dried blood matted her face. Probably from the gash across her forehead. A sneer crossed her lips and a low guttural growl erupted from somewhere deep inside of her.

His first instinct was to ask, “Are you okay?”

He regretted how stupid it sounded almost instantly as she rushed him without any hesitation. No slow shuffling or anything like in the park. This one saw him, saw food and didn’t want to wait.

Kyle remained frozen as she closed the twenty yard gap in a hurry. His brain analyzed the way that her stiff limbs moved with such speed.

Moments before she would have gotten to him, he snapped out of the shock and ducked out of the way. She lost her balance and fell as well.

Kyle turned to face her as she picked herself off the ground. She turned slowly; a fresh scrap took away a piece of her cheek. Her teeth glimmered in the firelight, full of anger. The low growl came again and she charged. This time, Kyle didn’t hesitate and he ran, and almost immediately his legs burned again and the stitch in his side started again. He realized that he was only a block away from his girlfriend’s house and ran that direction.

What should Kyle do next?

1.) Should he lead the lady in the yellow dress to his girlfriend’s house?

2.) Should he lead her back to the park and hope to lose her?

3.) Try to stand and fight her with whatever weapon he can find?

You decide. I look forward to hearing what you think. Please post comments on how you like the story so far. I’m interested if you enjoy it or if it’s just not something you want to participate anymore.

You can't call them Zombies!

*Author's note* Sorry for the missed post on Friday. It was a very hectic day that by the time I got home and the kids to bed I was a mindless zombie so I went to bed around 10:30. Anyway, on to some real life zombies.

Looking down the street, he felt that time wouldn't wait for him to take the long way so he headed into the park. The usual banter from the crickets was nonexistent, even the familiar howl of the dog by the house nearest the park was absent.

A sickening feeling crawled over his skin like a nest of ants began to erupt from his pores. With the added motivation of the repetitive sound of his girlfriend's terrified voice, he pulled his hood over his head and hurried into the shadows.

His heart pumped quickly as stuck his hands in the kangaroo pouch. The whisking of grass as he quickly sped across the baseball field outfield added to his nerves. A low grumble stopped Kyle in his tracks. The hairs on his arms sprung up like a current of electricity passed across his skin. The growl continued to grow closer.

Swallowing the growing lump in his throat, he turned toward the sound. He couldn't see anything in the darkness. Not even the trusty moonlight could penetrate the deep shadows. He fumbled for his cell phone in his pocket, but stopped at the sound of a slow crunch behind him, in the infield dirt. Someone drug their foot through the dirt which made Kyle grit his teeth.

Fumbling through his pocket, he gripped the edge of his cell and the sound of the scratching dirt vanished. He spun toward the sound, his heart racing, sweat popping up along his temples. He always wondered what it felt like to be scared out of his mind, and it was closing in quickly.

"Who's there?" He called out. Trying to keep his voice steady failed as it came out in a ragged whisper.

Somewhere in the distance a growl started up again. He just called them toward him, whatever they were. More growls joined in and he counted at least five more all in the same field he stood.

The cold chill of a night breeze blew across his forehead and he couldn't stop his teeth from chattering. A hand touched his arm and he let out a shriek. He bounced away, almost losing his bladder and darted to his left, hoping that he wouldn't run into anyone or anything.

More growls moved toward him. Seeming to speed up as he ran. He glanced over his shoulder and didn't see anything until he ran into a soft, cold form. They both tumbled and while using his hands to brace himself, he flung his cell phone out.

He landed on his arms, a stiff shot of pain shot up his left one and he grimaced as he fell to the ground. Adrenaline flooded his body as he pulled himself off the ground and quickly searched for his cell phone. It couldn't have gotten too far he thought as he patted the ground around where he fell.

To his right a low moan came, and he stopped looking in the direction. The stench of crap made his eyes water and he dumbly asked, "Who's there?"

Only a groan returned. More lumbering sounds closed in on him. He backed up into a fence, the sound of clothes shifting surrounded him from all sides. From the corner of his eye he caught the glimpse of a puff of hair against a pale scalp. He thought he saw blood on the skin, but wasn't sure. He couldn't be sure of anything with the way his body succumbed to the growing fear.

Somewhere to his left he heard the skitter of something that could be his cell phone, or something completely different. Clenching the chain links in the fence behind him, he felt a piece prick his skin.

Jumping over the fence could be an escape, or he could try for the thing he thinks is his cell phone, whatever he needs to do is get to where he can see whatever is making these noises.

Which choice should Kyle make?

1. Forget about his cell phone and hop the fence, hoping that he can get to a better lit place.

2. Go for his cell phone in case he needs it for an emergency as well as use it as a light to get out of the park to his girlfriends?

You decide, and you better hurry because whatever is making these sounds are closing in on him fast. Both are dangerous options. Tune in next Monday to see where you have decided it goes now.

The poll is deadlocked

Interesting. About 6 hours left and the poll for whether or not to do a Choose your own adventure blog once a week is even. Only two votes. I was hoping for a better turnout in regards to the idea, so this is sort of disappointing. Well if I don't get anymore votes, I'm not sure what I'll do, probably continue with the idea regardless as it might get more interest that way, or I could just shelve the idea and continue with other things.

What do you guys think? Any suggestions for things you would like to see on the blog. More writing related entries, more reviews, more personal stuff? I'm open for any sort of suggestion.

Have a good week, look forward to seeing the results of the poll tomorrow morning.