The Rising
Alfreda
I sighed, tightening my grip on my baseball bat. “Say, Jamie, how long do you think we’ve been walking now?” I looked down at the dog that loped alongside me. He looked up at me blankly, and tilted his head, as if trying to register my words. It had to have been a good few hours since we left Hannah’s house. I’d taken what I could fit in my bag, hoping those supplies would hold me over until I could stock up again. I was really regretting not staying, but if there was a chance that my friends were alive I was going to find them no matter what.
I shook my head, picking up my pace slightly. I didn’t like being in the woods. There were so many tall trees, thick bushes…so many places that could hide a zombie. So many places to hide the zombie that would end my existence as a human; the zombie that would turn me into…into something unnatural-something that shouldn’t even be allowed to be here!
No. I shouldn’t think those thoughts. I took a deep breath, and in an attempt to keep my thoughts at bay, began humming the lullaby my father had (tried) to sing to me when I was little. My father…No! No, dammit! I couldn’t think of him, either.
The sun started to shine a bit brighter, making everything ahead of me seem to glow. My song was silenced as I noticed that there was a break in the trees. A clearing! Finally! I slowed my pace, Jamie slowing too, as I neared the opening. That sound…zombies?
I stepped into the clearing, scanning my surroundings. “Oh…” I pressed a hand to my mouth, swallowing back my last meal. The whole place was littered with bodies; some human and some animal. And to make things worse, there were zombies all around. But they paid me no mind.
I let my gaze wander further, falling upon a specific zombie, advancing on some person. I shifted my position, trying to get a good look. No, it wasn’t just some person…
“Justin!” I whispered. I turned to Jamie. “Jamie, stay boy. Stay.” I told him and took a few steps forward before breaking into a run. I raised my bat and squeezed my eyes shut as I neared the zombie. I swung, hearing it make contact with the zombie with the same sickening crack as before.
‘Go on, Alfreda’, I urged myself, forcing my eyes open. I turned my gaze downwards were the zombie lay, nudging it with my bat. It didn’t move. Then I turned towards Justin, biting my lip.
“J-Justin! I’m so glad I found you…I’m so glad I found anyone!” Against my better judgment, I threw my arms around him, hugging him. “I’m so glad you’re okay! I thought you were dead! I thought all of you were dead!” I whispered, trying to choke back my sobs.
“Are the others with you?” I finally asked, still clinging onto Justin. God, I didn’t care who it was. I was just so glad I found one of my friends. Right now, they were all I cared about. My question was met with silence.
“…Justin?”
I shook my head, picking up my pace slightly. I didn’t like being in the woods. There were so many tall trees, thick bushes…so many places that could hide a zombie. So many places to hide the zombie that would end my existence as a human; the zombie that would turn me into…into something unnatural-something that shouldn’t even be allowed to be here!
No. I shouldn’t think those thoughts. I took a deep breath, and in an attempt to keep my thoughts at bay, began humming the lullaby my father had (tried) to sing to me when I was little. My father…No! No, dammit! I couldn’t think of him, either.
The sun started to shine a bit brighter, making everything ahead of me seem to glow. My song was silenced as I noticed that there was a break in the trees. A clearing! Finally! I slowed my pace, Jamie slowing too, as I neared the opening. That sound…zombies?
I stepped into the clearing, scanning my surroundings. “Oh…” I pressed a hand to my mouth, swallowing back my last meal. The whole place was littered with bodies; some human and some animal. And to make things worse, there were zombies all around. But they paid me no mind.
I let my gaze wander further, falling upon a specific zombie, advancing on some person. I shifted my position, trying to get a good look. No, it wasn’t just some person…
“Justin!” I whispered. I turned to Jamie. “Jamie, stay boy. Stay.” I told him and took a few steps forward before breaking into a run. I raised my bat and squeezed my eyes shut as I neared the zombie. I swung, hearing it make contact with the zombie with the same sickening crack as before.
‘Go on, Alfreda’, I urged myself, forcing my eyes open. I turned my gaze downwards were the zombie lay, nudging it with my bat. It didn’t move. Then I turned towards Justin, biting my lip.
“J-Justin! I’m so glad I found you…I’m so glad I found anyone!” Against my better judgment, I threw my arms around him, hugging him. “I’m so glad you’re okay! I thought you were dead! I thought all of you were dead!” I whispered, trying to choke back my sobs.
“Are the others with you?” I finally asked, still clinging onto Justin. God, I didn’t care who it was. I was just so glad I found one of my friends. Right now, they were all I cared about. My question was met with silence.
“…Justin?”