I still remember what it felt like, just jumping into the car and running down the road to the 20-plus liquor stores in a five-mile radius of my house, to grab some whiskey. It has been more than 3 years since everything went to shit—a big crap pile in the middle of the world. Yeah, I can still remember that feeling of freedom, such Glorious freedom and the American way. Guns and might of too much pride to send us all into doom. That was freedom with a 6 pack belch and an AK. I giggled to myself... I think that because of how we are/were as Americans it is what kept some of us alive. I have not met a snowflake or anyone crying about PC rights since everything went sideways. They thought they could find comfort in a safe room for their feelings. Laughing in my head. Thinking of the whiskey again, I could feel that smooth burn going down my throat, that sweet burn of freedom and relief. I could feel my mouth starting to dry up in a silent protest for a fiery whiskey shot.
We had moonshine, or close enough without much aging, it always tasted like nail polish remover and could probably remove nail polish too. I hated the shit but if my back was screaming enough to bother me sufficiently, I would take myself a plugged nose shot or two. Shaking with the shivers over the icky taste and powerful burn. Feeling that same shiver run up my spine just thinking of the shots made me drag myself back into reality and back to my watch.
It was a miracle we found this sight when we did. There were a good handful of us traveling together after zombies, yes I said zombies or something of that sort, started taking over the world. I would never would have believed it myself if I had not seen it firsthand.
Lots of us shared our first-time stories, where we were, and who was with us when everyone had become lunch. We would share what we thought and what we saw along the way. Some people clammed up tightly and just wanted to forget all the past turmoil. Forget the killing of neighbors and family trying to eat your tasty liver.
That day is still vivid in my mind. Maybe it is due to the extreme amount of fear I had ever felt. Who knows, but I have adapted since then you could say, there are fewer things I fear and just one thing that I am terrified of.
I was in Pueblo, Colorado with my son when things started going south. I worked as a Chef at the local college Pueblo Community College. I loved the job, more than I have any other. It was easy and I was able to test out new food ideas. I loved baking and making sweet treats that made people smile on a shitty day. The Cafe I worked at faced the main entrance of the building we were in. I was able to see the students rushing to class and some of them studying in lounges outside of the Cafe.
I was always on the move at work, there was always something to do or prep or cook. Oct. 22 2023 I was at work as usual, up front with my coworker Raven who was running the grill while I tended to the students and staff, taking orders and running the register.
We had two customers in the lobby, both students, waiting on orders they had placed. I was at the salad bar fluffing up the goodies to buy when I heard Leona screaming to shut the gates. Leona was a senior staff member she had been at the cafe for years before we took over. She was a leader and a wonderful person.
That day, I did not know Leona as I know her now. I do remember her being happier tho, now she carried this sadness with her. Honestly, who could blame her?
I do remember the scream that came out of Leona, that day. Such fear and panic in her voice, hearing that I jumped scared, turning on heal to see her running into the cafe as fast as she could. She had someone with some very fuzzy red hair chasing her! The kid looked like he had an obsession with the famous rapper Ritz with hair like that. Damn if this kid could have been a stunt double for the rapper. The Ritz wanna-be was acting like he had rabies the way he lunged for Leona as they ran! He was not foaming at the mouth but, he should have been considering his behavior.
Raven, who was much more on the ball than I was, picked up a large hotel pan from the stove, whacking the Ritz wannabe straight in the face, just in time as he tried to run past us for Leona!
A full-on WHOMP to the face! I know I heard a crack of something as the metal hit the bone. The Ritz wannabe was down and twitching, he was knocked the fuck out I thought to myself. Leona didn't stop for a breath she ran to the back and screamed for us to follow. I ran to Leona quickly, the fear and confusion on my face, must have told her right away to update the fools standing agape here.
“Fuck, what the fuck was that?!” I screamed at Leona.
“We're in some serious shit now! He's going to sue us you know! Why was he trying to get you, did you know him? What the fuck is going on!” I ranted in a scream
Leona looked up at me and Raven with more fear than I have ever seen in a strong woman, such as her.
“That man was trying to bite me, or something! He just came running at me like I was on fire! fucken, growling and screaming at me! Girl, that motherfucker is on some serious drugs maybe PCP, or something! We need to call campus police, something, anything, like now!”
Pulling out my phone with shaky hands from my chef pants and looking up the security number took just a few seconds too long... The Ritz was up again, and looking for his prey. I could see him through the swinging kitchen doors. The guy was bleeding all over his face, from his run-in with the hot hotel pan to the face. Delivered by a now very white-faced Raven. She was looking at the scene in the lobby too, I don't think either of us was able to breathe either.
We all got really quiet very quickly, then we slowly hunkered down to conceal ourselves. My breath was caught in my chest, and a ball of panic had started forming in my chest, blocking my airway. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. I sat there breathless praying to be invisible, or anywhere else.
Looking at the swinging doors. The only thing between us and the crazy man in the lobby. Finding courage that I did not know I had. I started to crawl towards the door. Feeling my knees crack with their age as my full weight came fully onto them. Praying to myself that the fake Mr. Ritz couldn't hear them cracking too. It was kind of sad, in a weird way, because I liked the rapper Ritz, feeling somehow guilty for the bloody face. I moved so very slowly to the swinging doors, it felt like an eternity at the time, moving a few silent cracking feet on my knees.
Looking up at the lock on the doors, I was thinking of locking the doors and making a run for it. I did not want Mr. Fake Ritz to know where we were and start chasing us out. I could hear him grunting and raging in the lobby. Throwing tables and wailing like a dog tied up in the yard. I started thinking about the other students in the halls. Praying people were aware of the danger and not coming to see what all the commotion was about.
I had made it up to the doors. Looking up through the small rectangular window, I could see Mr Ritz had found the steam table with the hot food. He was trying to beat off the lids to get to the food inside. He was so close, so close that I could smell the baked beans as he threw them during his raging tantrums. I wondered if he would hear my wild beating heart, it was all I could hear.
I could feel every hair on my body filled with anxiety and just standing up waiting to fight or flight. I had reached the door without being noticed, taking a deep calming breath I reached up slowly to move the bolt locks and secure our chance for a safer getaway.
CLICK! It was so loud it might as well have been a damn horn!
Shit, shit, shit run! I thought the fake Ritz had heard it he froze up like a steel rod and turned his head to the doors. With a full-on run like a rhino in rage, he just started running straight for me! Quickly, stomping the floor locks into place. Holding the doors then jumping back, just as the Ritz monster hit the door. He hit it with such force I could have sworn he had some kind of door smasher, like a swat team.
Standing up I saw Mr Fake Ritz growling and drooling on the window. He was pushing at the doors so violently that I knew the door would not last long. Turning around I ran to Raven and Leona, grabbed their arms to pull them out of hiding and into a fleeing state asap! I was not going to leave my friends behind, but these bitches had to move and move now! I started screaming for them to follow me and run. Raven looked at me with a far-off daze in her eyes, she knew that kid outside it dawned on me. Now she was in some state of shock, I think. Grabbing her shoulders I shook her like a little rag doll and screamed for her to stand up and run!
Finally, some focus took over and she stood up, looking at Leona standing over us. Well she had moved as I had asked, she had her bag in one hand with a few large chef knives in her other hand.
“Get up! NOW!” she screamed while shoving knives in our hands.
I pulled on Raven and we started making our way to the back doors. I can not remember ever being so scared in my life. I could have pooped out a sold gold brick right then, I remember thinking to myself. Remembering the feeling of my stomach flipping, the tense tightening of every muscle on my body ready for a full panic attack. I was so scared, I did not think I could be capable of finding any courage to even move, let alone fight.
That first few minutes were just sneaking, hiding, and more sneaking. The three of us managed to get to the back door, sadly we saw no one alive on the way out. I was ready to snatch up anyone I could and drag them to safety. However there seemed to be no one around. I wondered if they had got the 411 on the zombie memo before we did. Why did the kitchen staff always get left behind?
Once we hit the back dock, everything seemed normal, the sun was shining on our faces, and all seemed quiet and calm. Yeah, I thought to myself, no one was in the lobby beating at the door. Birds were chirping their songs, the wind was blowing softly, and everything seemed. Safe.
I was bent over taking deep breaths, trying to still my overracing heart. Gasping with my hands on my knees, choking out the words. “What.... the fuck..... was..... that?!”
“He was trying to kill us!” Leona cried astonished.
She and Raven were also gasping for air the same as me, trying to make sense of what the fuck just happened.
At the back dock of the college, our dock per se is where the PPD kept their squad cars when they were on campus. There was only one squad car in the lot that day. The driver's door was ajar and dining loudly. We could hear the static panicked ranting of the cop car radio. Looking onward across the parking lot I could see my borrowed car sitting in the lot, calling to me like a beacon to come on, get in, and run. Get in run, run now my mind screamed at me. I looked up at the girls with a ragged breath.
“We need to go, now,” I said getting their attention again.
“I have got to get to my son.” gasped Leona still trying to catch her breath. I could see her mind racing. Leona had a handsome 5-year-old cherub of a son. I could understand her panic to get to him.
“WTF, 911 is not answering. What is going on here!” Raven whispered into the soft almost fall air.
I started to feel the hair rising on my arms and neck again. Something was coming, it was coming fast, and my gut screamed at me. I grabbed Leona and hoped Raven would follow and started running to my car. I was trying to fish my keys from out of my chef pants, with way too many pockets when you are in a hurry. All while dragging my terrified coworkers to the parking lot.
Finally fishing out my keys I was able to jump in the car and reach over to unlock the passenger door and back door. My borrowed car had nothing powered and everything manual. I am forever grateful, for my friends loaning me their extra car, but damn why nothing powered. Remembering Rob's gripe about how the car was all manual, at the time I didn't care. It ran and was a good car. Now I feel Rob's complaints completely, trying to unlock the car enough for my coworkers to get in.
Leona ran for shotgun and Raven ran to the back driver's side. We were almost quick enough to get out safely, but something had been in the parking lot already. I knew it, thinking to myself as I looked up. We saw the sparkle of his badge from the sunlight before we saw the red eyes and heard the violent howl that he had found his prey.
This once gentle police officer came running at us at full speed just like Mr. Fake Ritz had. Howling like a stuck pig, yes I see the joke there. But he was howling and running like a madman. I have never seen anyone run quite like the undead did. Raven was able to fly into the back seat and get the door closed just as he hit the car at full speed, shattering the back driver window. I was screaming I think, but not sure looking back on it. All I could think or do was get the car running and get us out of there.
I backed the car out at full speed slamming to a stop and throwing the shifter into drive. The crazy cop was there in the middle of the way just growling and hissing you could say. He was just Staring at us with such rage like we had scalped his favorite puppy. It was just so unknown why but you could see the rage and violence just oozing off of him.
“Go!” Leona screamed
“Hit him! He's fucking crazy! Just run him over he will fucken move then!”
“Go!”
Everyone was screaming and I was just as scared, I slammed my foot on the gas and took off with smoke behind my back tires. The crazy cop did not move. I could smell the rubber burn as I spun out, but the crazed cop didn't move.
I was praying something would make him move, anything. He just didn't move rather he just ran straight at the car in full force of a train. There was no swerving, no attempt to dodge by either one of us. I could see his rage just up till I hit him just at the knees with my Nissan and he just went flying over the car like I had once seen a hit bird do, cracking the windshield as he flew. Leaving a face print of smeared blood as he flew over and landed behind me.
Slamming on the breaks, I looked in my rearview mirror, hoping for something normal. I could feel my heart beating somewhere in my stomach and my blood pumping in my ears. All I could hear however was my voice chanting... Normal, normal.... Please just anything normal, like anyone appalled at what I just fucking did WTF! Fuck anyone! I thought to myself.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Then a flicker of a finger and a twitch came from the badly bent cop lying on the ground. I was dreaming I told myself. You don't want to go to jail a cop killer you want to see him moving. It is all in your head chicka!
There should have been no way he could be trying to get up again. I hit that fool hard, I know I did. I could see from the side mirror that one of his legs was badly twisted in the wrong direction, very wrong direction, and with a bone sticking out of his shin. Oh dear god, I thought, you are going to jail, your so dead, women will eat you for fun and not the damn fun way woman you are so dead, was all I could think. If he was not dead then your free, so yes go crazy cop dude, fuck I know I killed him... Yet this dude was standing up! He was starting to drag his broken body towards the tail end of my car. That was enough, I had seen enough. He was alive and could sue me later, I thought. Maybe. After slamming on the gas and hurling us away from the bloody parking lot, I turned to Leona in the seat next to me. What do we do now?
We were out on the main street now, I was just driving with my hands wrapped around the steering wheel with a death grip and looking, looking to see if anyone had just seen we seriously hurt a cop. I was so fucked, so fucked, so royally fucked, but what was his deal. What is going on? I could hear Raven complaining in the seat behind me. I turned around and asked her if she had been hurt or bitten or scratched anything. Turning to Leona I asked her the same question. No one said anything, all I could hear was deep breathing and the static of my mental focus on survival.
Leona was a beautiful blond, with a happy smile and a sweet giggle. She was very wonderful and I loved working with her. In my head, I repeated the chant I have adopted since my 30's. You're strong, nothing you can not do. Repeating the silent mantra in my head, while driving with a death grip. Leona finally spoke.
“I have got to go get my son.”
She was beautiful to me, but I kept my thoughts safely to myself.
“Okay, How are we going to do that?” Raven peeped from the backseat
“Do you have a plan?” I asked confidently or maybe in a squeak my memory is fuzzy. I would like to think it was confident, but it was most likely in a terrified squeak.
Nobody thought of Zombies when people first started eating everyone. It was too much of a Hollywood fantasy to think such a thing could actually happen. So most people died, right away, or were turned.
Those who survived were the ones who caught on quickly, that this was Zombies, yeah fucken Zombies. Oh yes; Zombies were real and they were fucking coming. Fucking coming for all of us. All of us.
It was my night to run the SP units. Safety Patrol units patrolled the compound and its walls. Each unit has a set routine of baton passing guard patrol. Each unit walked its section of the wall patrolling for invaders of all kinds and then handing off the baton to the next unit at its border. After the baton had been passed the unit would return to the beginning of their walled rout and wait for the baton to return. Usually, this would happen in a surpass of four times each evening. Jade would meet up with the bordering unit four times before sunrise and a switch of patrol brigade was sounded.
I was coming up on my third passing, I was squatted in a corner with my back to the inner wall and my side resting on a large ammo box, stored there for extra ammo and a marker for the routs border. Also if the bordering unit did not show there were bells to ring and alert the compound. I could hear the crickets making their annoying chatter in the fields, as well as the commune's goats starting their wake-up routines of chatter and munching.
I could feel something was off, I could feel it in every cell of my being but, nothing was showing me my advisory. The bugs chirped, the goats were not scared, and I could see the oncoming flame of my bordering unit's torch. Nothing was out of the normal, but it still felt wrong. I just could not place it. Not yet. Trying to shake off the feeling of dread, I lit my torch and signaled to my unit I was alive, awake, and ready for an update.
I sat and waited for “G” to reach me, G was a very large and scary man. That was unless you knew him anyhow, he was my brother-in-law and some days I wished to strangle him. But most days I was really glad he was on our side. G stood a good 6'2 and had tattoos from head to toe, and I mean literally. If you were brave enough you could ask him about his tattoos, or what G stood for, but most were not. This war has put a grim demeanor on my once very happy brother-in-law. With G there was not much that the man could not do, he could fix anything, ride anything and most of all kill anything. His skills were my second in command and my guide. I did what needed to be done so he could be the father we needed him to be. This was our silent agreement as a family, I took the weight of responsibility so he could free his troubled soul and take care of my family. If it were not for the love of family I would have run away long ago to some place. I do not know right now exactly where that would be. I knew of no place right off hand that had not been affected by this war, and this chaos.
Looking up I see that something has caught G's eye and he is moving slowly to the outer rim of the walled-in city. Walking over to meet up with him and looking down into the darkness, I could see what had gotten his attention. It wasn't anything bad per se but rather a stray dog. We had some dogs in the city when things first began. But it was concluded they were more of a danger to us and themselves, locked inside with us than they were roaming free. Dogs barked and dogs ate wild things that were infected. Dog's dug under the fence letting in infected creatures. So it was decided that no matter how our hearts loved the canine companion, it was all in all safer if we did not keep them inside the compound.
I could see the anguish on G's face, I knew he was thinking of Tater-tot his dog from before. We kept Tater-tot with us for a while till things happened causing us to force the rules of dogs. Cats were not much of an issue there just were not any around. I guess the dog was faster and a little bit smarter on what it ate. Or it could be the cats were just hiding being smarter than all of us. Laughing to myself it was what I would bet on, being a cat lover myself. G noticed my approach and quickly righted himself shoving whatever he was pondering on into the back of his mind. Looking at me he asked “Should we kill it now? Save it the misery?” “No,” I said “let's let it
enjoy freedom for as long as freedom is possible.”
Shrugging G walked off to the other side of the wall toward the inner circle of the compound looking at the sun starting to rise in the East. Zombies or no zombies, Colorado was still fucking beautiful I thought to myself. We had plans to work our way to the coast and find peace in the oceans. But it has been two years now and we still have not left Colorado. Not that I am complaining, I love it here, and the cold seasons have been to our advantage. It stiffened up the muscles of the undead allowing us a speed advantage. It also made the game harder to find and kill, decreasing the vigor even more of the undead walkers.
The only thing I hated about the undead and the snow is they can just lie there almost dead again under the snow. Until you accidentally step on one. I swear it's like in the cartoons, seeing the cat step on a rake and getting the pressured smack in the face. Except you don't die from a rake Mr. Kitty, if
If you're not quick enough you will die from a jack-in-the-box zombie.
We are fast approaching spring time and even in the mountains the snow will melt again and carry our scent down the mountain to the deado's
waiting in trance for any nibble of life. We had not seen any action of any type for almost two weeks now and my nerves were on high alert. Maybe that would be why I felt like everything was just wrong tonight.
I approached G and got a bear-like hug, lifting my feet slightly off the ground. He sure was a giant man, I thought to myself.
“So, are you missing Tater-tot tonight? Did that stray dog get you all worked up like a woman?” I teased him. I knew it had affected him I saw his face and the sadness that surrounded him. Seems harsh but this was my way of helping the macho-macho man feel macho still.
“More than I would miss you!” he teased back giving me a little shove, which almost sent me right off the wall. He was a gentleman, just very strong, very damn strong, I thought.
Looking up at my giant big brother, married in, but still my only big brother. I loved the man dearly and would take a bite for him. Bite I giggled to myself, bite not bullet... giggling in my head I looked up at G I felt a small nostalgia about life before. “G... Do you think this will ever end? How many more could there possibly be?” I felt safe with my family and it was the only time I was ever really myself. I used to be a nice pushover, I said to myself. Now I am just a naughty word or two with stoner mixed in somewhere. I couldn't help myself, the thought was just hilarious to me. Never in my previous life would anyone I knew ever consider me to be a hard ass or a Bitch, maybe that c-word I hate... I just busted out in giggles. Completely surprised G by the look on his face. Which in turn sent me into another round of giggles. I am sure G thinks I am losing my mind or having a breakdown. Honestly, he probably thinks I am high, and that added another round of giggles. I had not had any good weed in months. No one considered the effort of breaking into a dispensary worth the hassle. I fucken do, I thought to myself. Looking up at G with his eyebrow cocked up like Dwayne Johnson's “The Rock”. Who I would have to say is about the same size as my brother, but the Rock is way hotter, I thought. Thinking about Dwayne as a zombie shut me up real quick. That was a scary thought, a tank zombie, he would be for sure! With a few deep breaths and some hurting cheeks, from using smile muscles, that have not been used in ages. I looked back at G with a straight face and said to him.
“You should hear the conversations I have going on in me head” with a very bad Irish accent. G just shook his head and said “Should I be worried yet? Does Amy need to come and give you a little slap back to reality, you know she would love to?” then in the next breath “Do you think you need psycho pills? Are you losing it finally?”
I turned around to yell at him and saw the same smile on his face that I had earlier teasing him about the dog. He was just returning the favor and ignoring my small mental health crisis. Besides, I thought to myself, I am allowed to enjoy the little things, Right? Thinking about a great wonderfully rolled joint, was a happy thought for me. I mean it is all that is left, the little things. And right now those little things mainly existed in my head and teasing my brother was always helpful I thought.
Smiling I said “Your welcome to tell Amy only if you tell her you want another baby.” That hit the big red button my sister always loved to push. That thought snapped him back to attention and to who was boss. Looking at me shrewdly and with his very large giant stare he pressured down on me asking me what gave me such a thought... Standing at my fullest height which to say is not much 5'7 in heels kind of short. I looked up at him and said “We are all living in the same house and as much as my sister gets “it” we would all be pregnant by now!” yelling in my fullest whisper. He turned and looked at me shrewdly and said “If we “DID” have another baby it would be mighty just like this family, and life will go on you know.” looking at him softly and calmly because I knew if I raised my voice or acted challenging he would react in an Alfa manner. So I kept my voice and my face calm and said “Look, G having a baby is almost as dangerous as having a dog. You know this! There are so many different things we would have to do.” Panic started to rise, in my throat thinking of all that would have to be done to protect my family as it evolved. I just wanted to run, but can't run, must be an adult. Someone fucking had to! Babies, what was this fool even fucking thinking about I wondered. Looking at G, I said to him in the same soft voice of reason and understanding. “G, we are close, to being safe. So close to being ahead of this. Just give it a little more time, if at all possible please G” ending with a plea in my voice. “If something did happen we will deal just as we always do, right now let's just try not to let anything happen.”
Looking at me with just a strait of a face as mine had been “If you let me ride the bike! I'd fuck less” laughing as I started to swing at him. He knew that bike was trouble it was our only divergent, however. Being as loud as the damn thing is. And as the world died it got a lot quieter, sound traveled further and so did trouble. When we were up against a pack of wonders it was always helpful with G riding that noise maker around to distract and disperse so we could deal with them in smaller groups. I had to be relentless because they were. I had to get them all to see the bigger picture. We were not safe “Yet” not yet. I am sure there can not be that many more it has seemed as if we had killed all that the population of Colorado could allow and then some.
I have had thoughts of moving further north into Canada and Alaska, remembering how cold the winters were there before. I wondered if the fall of human civilization would help with the global warming issue. I also started to wonder how many of the factories had blown due to a lack of workers and guidelines. Man, I needed a joint I thought. My brain is on overdrive. I need some type of release. I looked over the city below me and was surrounded by a large metal wall. I feel that I have so much to do here how could I ever think of leaving? I longed to go find him, I knew he was alive somewhere and I could feel him like a magical string tied to my mind and heart. I or maybe it was my great longing to be with him all tied up in my mind. I wanted to feel his strength wrapped around me. I use the thought and feeling of memory to stay alive. Taking a big breath and exhaling any depression that lingered on the top. I turned and started my final round on the route to meet my south half of the baton guard.