Part of me wanted to go down there, slay the zombies and save the humans; but part of me also wanted to find out what was going on. These zombies didn’t appear to be the standard zombies we’ve encountered. They had to be another class of zombies. I couldn’t really remember what Jim said when he explained the difference between the classes of zombies, but these were definitely different in all aspects. They seemed organized and less wild than the others. Dare I say it, but they seemed intelligent and capable of organising a well-oiled operation of human trafficking so to speak.
“Aren’t you gonna save them?” I heard Dharma whisper.
I turned around and saw her standing behind us in plain view, so I grabbed her by the arm and ducked for cover.
“What are you doing?” I whispered at her, “It’s dangerous.”
“But you’re a hero.” Dharma said, “You’re my hero.”
She stared at me with her big blue eyes and I felt ashamed of myself for cowering while people needed my help. I let out a sigh and nodded.
“You’re right.” I said, “I should help them.”
This palpable sight struck me at my core – this was real. The dead outnumbered the living and the living was losing the war. The reason we were losing is because we scattered for shelter when the dead rose instead of standing together. United we would have been strong, but divided we’re doomed.
I turned to Fluffy, patted his head and said, “Take care of them till I come back.”
“Be careful.” Dharma said.
“Are you insane?” Mitch whispered bewildered, “You’ll die down there.”
“Have a little faith.” I told him and winked.
I climbed down the slope and tried to be as quiet as possible. I didn’t want the giants to see me until I had the upper hand. Some pebbles gave way under my foot and I almost slipped, but I regained my footing as I ducked behind a bush just as one of the giant zombies looked up in my direction. From between the branches I could see it scrutinize the slope for a moment. It jangled the cluster of ten people in its left hand and they quieted down for a moment.
When the last of the giant zombies passed me, I slowly climbed down the slope again. I stared down at the footprints the giants left behind in the muddy pathway; one footprint was nearly twice as big as my foot – and I’m not a small guy.
I followed the throng of giant zombies to the cave from a distance, paused at the opening and then peered inside; it was too dark for me to really see anything other than shadows. I felt something press up against my hand and when I looked down, I saw Fluffy standing at my side.
“What are you doing here?” I asked in a hushed tone.
Fluffy looked at me with his head askew and let out a whine that most probably meant, ‘You wanna kick zombie ass without me?’
I patted his head and said, “Fine, just stay close to me.”
He wagged his tail and followed me as I watchfully entered the dark cave. I had no idea what we would encounter in the abyss of darkness, but at least I had my best friend by my side. I still walked around shirtless from back when… uhm, when last did zombie guts splatter onto my shirt? Shit, I can’t even remember. So much stuff had gone down in the last few hours.
My chest and (chiselled, I might add) abdomen were still stained with blood and mud, and I had to admit that I felt a bit chilly running around saving the world without a shirt.
THIRTEEN
The light dissipated behind us the deeper we went into the cave; it seemed more like a tunnel rather than a cave. The walls of the cave were moist with cist and glistened in the last rays of light. We followed the blanket of footprints that lined the floor of the tunnel; the human footsteps seemed hurried and scared while the bigger zombie footsteps seemed dominant and striding.
Fluffy stayed close to me and eventually I had to rely on him to see in the dark for both of us. I couldn’t really see much and followed Fluffy’s lead. We walked in darkness for about five minutes or so and then as the tunnel swerved to the left I could see light at the end of the tunnel; where there was light there would be movement. I motioned for Fluffy to slow down and keep quiet as we came to the bend and the sound of scuffling echoed through the tunnel.
I peeked around the corner at an enormous crevice which was almost the size of a concert hall. It was buzzing with giant zombies dragging defenceless people by their hair and dumping them into a pit in the middle of the crevice. I wish I could say it was a dark and seemingly bottomless pit, but I could see people clawing at the walls of the pit as they tried to get out.
Fluffy whimpered next to me and I lay a comforting hand on his head, which quieted him.
“What do you think they’re doing?” I asked Fluffy in a hushed tone.
He glanced up at me with a tilted head and let out a faint whimper which reminded me of Scooby Doo saying, “I dunno.”
We kept to the shadows and watched from afar as the giant zombies dumped the last of the humans into the pit and then disappeared into the shadows. I wish I knew what the hell they were up to. Why did they dump humans into a pit and then disappear? I could come to their rescue, but what if the giant zombies came back? Would I be able to defend a hundred people from giant zombies? But then again, what kind of hero would I be if I didn’t try?
I scrutinized the cave and made sure there were no giant zombies around and then I hurried over to the pit with Fluffy hot on my heels. As I neared the edge, a woman spotted me and cried out in relief. She reached up to me with her one hand and wiped away her muddy hair with the other.
“Oh thank God.” She exclaimed, “You have to help us!”
One by one the other people started pleading for help when they spotted me. Their cries for help were overwhelming and much too loud. I gestured for them to keep quiet and glanced around me for any signs of the giant zombies.
“You have to keep it down, or they’ll hear you.” I insisted.
The people in the pit quieted down, but they were still restless. I heard someone whimper ‘why is this happening?’ and another mumbled, ‘they’re all dead.’ The woman with the muddy hair held out her hand again and pleaded for me to pull her out of the pit, but her hand was just out of reach.
“Why should you get rescued first?” A man insisted and shoved her aside.
“Just stay calm.” I said.
“Stay calm?” The man insisted, “We’re inside a pit! How the hell can we stay calm?”
“If you want to get out of here, you’ll have to work together.” I said, “The pit is too deep for me to reach you, so you’ll have to pick her up on your shoulders.”
“No way.” The man said in protest, “Why does she get rescued first?”
I heard the woman scream while Fluffy barked and then I got struck against the side of my head. The impact sent me flying right across the length of the cave and I could do nothing as my body crashed into the cave wall. My head was throbbing and my vision blurred, but as I staggered to my feet I saw Fluffy fighting with a giant zombie – probably the same one that hit me. Fluffy bit down and struggled with the zombie despite it being nearly four times his size and then my ears started ringing. I shook my head and tried to focus as the ringing faded; that sonofabitch caught me completely off guard.
“Fluffy!” I called out as I tried to focus.
Fluffy ignored me and kept fighting with the zombie who’d throw him to the ground every few seconds, but Fluffy didn’t stay down. As soon as he hit the ground, Fluffy jumped to his feet and attacked the zombie again – he was doing what he loved. He loved killing the undead. I spotted another giant zombie approaching and then I heard Fluffy whimper and a loud thud. I could feel my heart come to a complete standstill as I turned around and saw Fluffy lying motionless in the dirt. Fluffy didn’t breathe or move as blood flowed from the gaping bite wound in his neck. I felt like crying all over again, but I couldn’t get the tears to leave my eyes; they simply built up and lingered beneath my eyelids.
“Fluffy?” I whimpered, but I knew he w
ouldn’t respond.
I kept staring at my best friend’s lifeless body lying in front of the giant zombie and then I felt another giant breathe down my neck. I didn’t turn around to face it; I knew it was another giant zombie which caught me off guard when I felt blood drip down onto my bare shoulder. Was this the end for me? I didn’t care. Everyone I loved was dead – even my dog. I especially loved that dog.
FOURTEEN
I stood still and waited for that giant zombie to bite down on my shoulder and feed on my flesh like I knew it wanted to, but nothing happened – it simply kept standing behind me with utter control over its desire for human flesh, and then I remembered – they had no lower jaw.
“Zac…” I heard a familiar voice, “We meet again.”
I scrutinized the twilit cave and spotted a decaying corpse walking over to me. Though the skin hung from the bones like an oversized drape, I recognized the creature as Clairvius. He had a permanent grin on his face from flesh which had fallen away and left his teeth exposed. All my emotions collided the second I saw him. Hate, anger, sorrow and despise all collided as I balled up my fists. I wanted to rip his rotting head clean off his decaying body with my bare hands for what he did.
“You’ve changed since we last spoke,” Clairvius said, “You’ve changed since you left the hospital.”
I tried as hard as I could to stop time with the power of my mind and didn’t even notice that the giant zombie had me firmly in its grip. I took me a moment to realize that I could no longer move my arms and then I glanced down at the massive fingers that were wrapped around my body like chains.
“Didn’t I warn you?” Clairvius said, “I’m pretty sure I warned you what would happen if you got in my way.”
Clairvius stood so close I could practically smell his flesh decaying out from underneath him. I was close enough for me to give him a headbut, but yet still too far to do any real damage.
“I warned you that I’d kill everyone you loved, didn’t I?” He asked.
I didn’t answer him. I kept staring at him; hoping that I could stare a hole right through his dead heart and make him explode.
“I know what you’re thinking.” He said, “Why am I doing this? I could go on and on and tell you about my master plan…”
Don’t you just hate it when the bad guy goes into a monologue?
“But I’m not going to.” Clairvius said.
I tried to give him a headbut, but Clairvius stepped back as if anticipating my move and I missed him by a few inches.
“I know you better than you think.” He said, “Our fate is intertwined. You wouldn’t be who you are today if it wasn’t for me, but there is no need for you to thank me.”
“Don’t worry.” I said, “I won’t.”
“He speaks!” Clairvius gasped.
“Why are you keeping me alive?” I asked.
“Ah.” He said, “Finally, a real question.”
He turned around and started pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back.
“As I said before; I like you.” He said, “You make this whole bringing-forth-hell-on-earth thing more fun. It’s like a cat and mouse game, only the cat will never catch the mouse.”
He continued rambling on, but I didn’t hear a word he said. I tried my best to concentrate and focus my hatred on him – I wanted him to explode for everything he did to me. I wanted him dead for everyone he took away from me.
“It won’t work.” I heard him say, “You’re powers won’t work on me.”
I snapped back to the then and now and looked up at his decaying face. Why didn’t my powers work on him? It worked on the other zombies.
“And now you’re probably wondering why your powers aren’t working?” He asked, “Would you like to know why?”
He stared at me with those dark and empty eye sockets of his and then he reached into his open ribcage and pulled out a golden urn. Oh no… he found his remains.
“It’s funny, isn’t it?” He said as he inspected the urn, “Who would’ve thought that a pile of ashes was your last hope in defeating me and saving mankind? Now that I have the urn there is nothing you can do to stop me.”
He turned away and walked over to the pit as he unscrewed the urn. He glanced back at me with his everlasting open grin and I could hear the people in the pit whimper.
“Hell on earth is already here.” He said.
Clairvius tipped the urn and his ashes rained down on the people in the pit as they coughed and cried out for help. I’m not sure how to explain what happened next, because I still can’t wrap my mind around it, but the people started drifting out of the pit towards Clairvius as if being pulled. It was almost the same as needles clustering against a magnet, only the needles were human beings screaming in terror. Their skin all fused together and I could hear bones crack as the humans conjoined to create a new massive and out-of-proportion body for Clairvius. I stared up at the three-story high monster which looked like a transformer made out of flesh, bones and body parts. Clairvius’s tiny head glanced down at his new and massive hand as he balled it up into a fist.
“Try and stop me now, slayer.” He announced in a voice that bellowed like thunder.
He scrutinized his balled up fist as if revelling in victory and the earth beneath my feet trembled when he took a step closer. The giant zombie tightened his grip around my body as if expecting me to rebel and lunge at its master, but I found it increasingly difficult to squirm.
“Where’s your god now, slayer?” Clairvius asked with a devious look in his hollow eyes.
I stared at him with all my hate and fury building up, but no matter how hard I concentrated, I couldn’t defeat him with the power of my mind. It was as if I was completely powerless in his presence. So much for James’s theory and training…
“I’m not even gonna waste my time on killing you.” Clairvius said, “I’ve already won – look around you. The world’s gone to hell in a handbasket – taking over your world was the easiest thing ever, thanks to you. You are by far the worst slayer in the history of slayers. At least the others put up a fight.”
I wanted him dead real bad – it was all I could think of. Well, that and of course that I wanted my trusty sidekick next to me. I heard a growl to my left and with great difficulty I managed to turn, despite the giant zombie’s grip. There he was – Fluffy. He stood on all fours and had his sights fixed on me, but his eyes were empty and dark. He was no longer the dog I knew – he was something else; a zombie dog. I stared at his blood-soaked fur hoping to still see him breathing, but he wasn’t.
Clairvius glanced down at the zombie dog and gave a little chuckle as he turned to me.
“Well, this should be interesting.” Clairvius said, “Man being killed by his best friend.”
I didn’t pay much attention to Clairvius, but kept staring at the empty shell which was Fluffy as he slowly stepped closer. Saliva mixed with blood drooled out of his snout as he growled like one would expect a zombie dog to growl. It broke my heart to see him like this. I had to put him out of his misery, but I doubted that I could use my mindpower on him in Clairvius’s presence.
I remember a single tear rolling down my cheek – a single tear for Fluffy, Mom, Michelle, Alex and everyone who died since hell broke loose and then Fluffy let out a loud growl as he pounced towards me. I couldn’t bear seeing my dog killing me, so I shut my eyes as he leapt forward with those razor sharp teeth. I felt blood splash onto my neck and then the giant zombie’s grip loosened. I opened my eyes as Fluffy bit down on the zombie’s neck and started jerking it around like a rag doll until its head severed from its body. Once the zombie was lifeless, Fluffy turned to me and despite having no inkle of life in his eyes, he wagged his tail at me and then lunged himself at another giant zombie nearby. I guess some things never change – even after death.
Fluffy’s retaliation gave me the strength I needed and I turned to face Clairvius who seemed a bit surprised at Fluffy’s actions.
“That’s n
ot possible.” Clairvius said.
“He’s my dog.” I insisted and sprung at Clairvius.
I grabbed a hold of the severed bodies that made up his massive body and started tearing away flesh and limbs as fast as I could. He started swatting his hands at me as I ducked and dived to miss the blows.
“You bastard!” He yelled, “Why won’t you just die like the others?”
“Cuz I am Zac Zombie.” I said with pride, “And I won’t stop until you’re defeated.”
I scurried across his massive body like a cockroach as he twirled and swatted his hands trying to stop me from tearing away more body parts and weakening his body. The flesh tore like paper and splattered blood onto my face and naked chest, but that didn’t stop me. I tore away every piece of flesh I could lay my hands on for the loved ones I lost. The more flesh I tore away, the more frantically he swatted and the weaker his body became until his entire massive frame fell apart like a house of card. I landed on my hands and feet and glanced at the heap of body parts which buried Clairvius’s bony body. I noticed from the corner of my eye that Fluffy brought down the last of the giant zombies and wagged his tail at me as if waiting for my approval. I nodded at him and then he started attacking the lifeless and headless zombies once more to make doubly sure they were indeed dead.
Clairvius struggled to crawl out from underneath the heap of flesh as I got to my feet and stepped closer. I wanted him dead for so long, but as I stood towering over his decaying body I couldn’t help but revel in his defeat. This was the end – it was his end and it was in my grasp.
“Killing me won’t do you any good.” Clairvius said, “Hell on earth has already started.”
“I know.” I said and smirked down at him, “But I’ll feel much better knowing you’re dead.”
I lifted my foot and stomped down on his skull until I heard the bone crack and felt it crumble and squash beneath my foot. It was a bittersweet moment; the only person I ever hated was dead, but so were everyone I loved. Fluffy trotted over to me and lifted my hand with his snout like he always did when he wanted me to pat his head. At least one of my loved ones came back from the dead.
What do I do next? Two people told me that I am the worst slayer in the history of slayers, but despite not being able to stop hell on earth I managed to kill Clairvius. That had to count for something, right?
I walked down the long passage which led to the opening of the cave with Fluffy by my side where he belonged. The orange glow of hell on earth came into sight as we neared the opening of the cave. If you think the world looked bad now, you should’ve seen what I saw when I stepped out of that cave.
Dharma and Mitch were gone. They weren’t where Fluffy and I left them; there weren’t any signs of a struggle or traces of blood, but they were gone. I hoped that wherever they were, they were safe.
FIFTEEN
Keep quiet. Don’t make a sound – for the dead is all around us now. You won’t see them coming until it’s too late – it’s the way of the world now; dark versus light and good versus evil. Though I can’t really remember your name, I still remember finding you cowering in a dumpster a few weeks ago. I hardly take time to memorize the names of the people I save, so don’t feel offended. It’s just that in this new world of hell on earth you never know which day will be your last.
I’ve told you everything there is to know about me, so I hope you understand why I am hard and emotionless. I never was like this before all of this – I used to have dreams just like you and just like you, I was once in love. I lived like there was a tomorrow, but it took death for me to realize that I had to live each day like there was no tomorrow.
You joined our group of survivors of the apocalypse and I never took the time to thank you for doing your bit – in all honesty, I never thought you’d make it through the first night when that throng of zombies attached our camp. You proved me wrong that night and almost every zombie attack that followed.
Every day more and more of the dwindling number of survivors die and become infected and it seems like we’re losing the battle. To date I’ve killed close to seven, maybe eight thousand zombies, but it’s not enough if we want to take back our world. To take back the world from the undead, we the living need to stand together and never back down. I’d like to tell you that you should kill every last zombie, but that would be a mistake. You see, there are different classes of zombies – there are the mindless killing machines and then you get the ones whose brains are still able to construct plans of attack. Our hope lies within this group of thinking zombies – Fluffy was the one to show me that.
Sit still… Frank won’t hurt you despite him being dead. Let me finish my speech.
You see, one out of a thousand zombies will have a conscious and conscience like you and I, and just like you and I they want the living to win the war. You have to know how to spot the ones that are different for they will be our allies.
I found Frank hovering over the body of who I assumed to be his wife and when I approached him, he seemed to be mourning her. Frank has been an invaluable asset to the survival of this group. Not only does he defend the living when the dead attack us, but he is able to sniff out others like him amongst the stench of decay that now lingers in the air.
When we first met and I started telling you my story, I asked you which side you will be on. Today we stand strong. Our group might be small, but it consists of people who want the same thing – whether they are dead or alive.
So we will continue fighting and we’ll lose comrades along the way, but we will recruit more dead comrades as we go and who knows; maybe one day we can call this planet home again.
AFTERWORD
Well, this has been a treacherous journey that spanned across thirteen months. I’d like to thank Nicholas Benitez for allowing me to use his masterpiece as the cover of the first and last Zac Zombie books. To be perfectly honest, his artwork was what inspired the story. I’ve been a fan of zombie tales and wanted to write a series for quite some time, but couldn’t really think of anything worth stringing out across at least four books. When I came across the artwork by Nicholas, everything simply fell into place and I wrote the first book. I was a bit hesitant about the publishing, but the first book was an instant hit on online stores like Barnes and Noble and iTunes Books and generated positive feedback. It currently holds a 5 star rating based on 12 reviews.
Immediately after the first book became a hit, I started writing the second book and tried to work in more character development than the first book, but it wasn’t really what the fans wanted. The ratings for book 2 weren’t nearly as good as the first one and I felt I had to make it up to my readers.
Book 3 hit online stores a few months later and it seemed like the story (and I as an author) was back on track as it generated positive reviews and more 5 star ratings on various online stores.
By the end of book 3, I decided that book 4 would be the last book. I just hate books and movies which drag on long after the story got stale, so I decided that Clairvius will meet his demise in book 4 and that would be the end. It was a bit sad to say goodbye to the unconventional hero I created, but as you can tell from the last page, it doesn’t say ‘the end’… I’ll leave it as is for now and who knows, maybe in the future we might get a new story from a more mature Zac. I’ll see what the ratings suggest.
In closure, thank you to everyone who downloaded the Zac Zombie series. I’m pretty sure you’ve noticed how my writing style changed within the past year as I try to incorporate all the advice and feedback I received.
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