Chapter 1: A New Life
"I love you, not for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you."
-- Roy Croft
If there was one thing in my life that I'd regret in death was never saying goodbye to him properly. He meant the world to me and I left him to die. Even if he told me to run as far away as possible, I knew I couldn't do it. I broke down in tears only a block away from him. I could hear the horrid screaming and yelling but I ignored it all and sat there feeling sorry for myself. I cried so many lonely tears that my sight was beginning to blur. And if you lose one sense, others are heightened.
I could hear it coming closer, it's eyes staring me down. I knew it was cautious but I wanted it to come closer, so it could kill me and I could be with my Adam again. But it stayed as far away as possible, almost afraid to get closer. Was it a human thinking that I was one of them? If it was, why was it alone? But somewhere behind it I heard a distant sound that sounded like a million heart beats. A million dead heart beats to be exact. But I was wrong and oh so right. It turned out to be the quiet thunder of the running feet of the dead. I looked up just in time to see myself being attacked by a million biting mouths. I didn't scream and simply sat there. I was better off dead anyway. But the intense pressure of biting at my flesh did not compare to the way those eyes watched me. I could feel my heart rate slow and beginning to get numb. I knew I'd be reunited with him soon. As I was slowly passing, I could feel something picking me up and taking me somewhere. Was it somebody actually taking to burry me? Why did I deserve such kindness when I let someone I cared for die. I tried to get out of their arms but the grasp was tight and I couldn't move. My eyes were too heavy to catch an actual glimpse of who this was but their face was covered by a hood. I tried to say thank you but my tongue was too heavy. So I closed my eyes and passed.
I awoke in a bedroom. It was dark and I couldn't see a thing. Something about me was odd, like morning sickness or something so I ran to look for a bathroom in case it was. But it was just too dark to see. I felt my way around instead. My eyes burned slightly whenever I'd open them so I kept them closed. Plus I could feel my way around better when I wasn't constantly drawing my attention into the dark. But as I continued to feel my way around, I could hear low murmurs of people talking. I went to say something but my voice was a ghostly whisper. My throat was scratchy and my eyes burned. I had no idea where I was either. I then tripped on something and I tumbled to the floor. I whimpered slightly then I felt someone touching me. My eyes were still closed and I whispered quietly
"Hello?"
"She actually made it. Another one of us." I heard a deep rumbling voice say.
"She's in good shape too." Another added in. His voice was scratchy but still dark and mesmerizing. But the voice after was the darkest and most mysterious.
"I knew she would, but you two doubted. Now can you open your eyes, ms?"
"No" I answered as I felt my way around. I sat on something soft, which I figured was a couch. I relaxed on it and thought about some things. Where was I? and where was Adam? Why did I feel so horrible? I thought long and hard as the others talked. Who were these three men? I opened lightly to see a round man, I tall man and I recognized the one man by his hood. He was the one who brought me here. I also remembered that I needed to say thanks and I spoke but quietly
"Thanks for bringing me here. Where ever here is..."
"No problem." He answered.
"....Did you bring Adam too?" I asked, concerned about my boyfriend.
"Uh..." He said, trailing off.
"Who's Adam?" The scratchy voice asked
"The man she was with. The one who didn't make it." He answered.
"...pardon?" I asked suddenly, unsure of what I just heard
"He didn't make it." He repeated. I sat on the couch and let it sink in. My Adam didn't make it. I could feel my eyes watering slightly and I began to cry. The room went dead silent except for my sobbing. So it wasn't just a dream after all, he really was gone. I then heard the scratchy voice say irritatedly
"God, she better not be like Witch. Her sobbing is getting on my nerves already." I reacted so quick that I couldn't control myself. One moment, my eyes were opened and I could see everything and I ran faster than lightning. I was at first crying on the couch, the next, my hand grasped around this guys throat choking him. I felt so mad, so angry and this choking sensation felt so good. Someone was yelling at me to stop but I didn't want to, I simply couldn't. But then something big and strong forced me to let go by pulling me away. I rebelled and squirmed as it picked me up. I screamed a frightening shriek that came from stomach up as he held onto me. It sounded like nails on a chalk board but much, much higher. Being as small as I am, I turned around slightly and scratched this mans face with what seemed to be my own nails. He dropped me and backed away as fast as he could. The one man was recovering from the lack of air and the other held his face. The hooded one watched me, I could tell because I recognized that sensation of from earlier. I fell to the ground, exhausted from my sudden out burst and began to cry some more. I could hear that scratchy one wheeze and say
"What a...bitch."
"You deserved it Cornelius. Now are you alright?" He asked
"Does it look like I'm alright?" The heavier voice said
"Not you Dustin, her." He shot back as he knelt beside me
"I want him back..." I whispered between my fingers
"That isn't going to happen." Cornelius said. It only caused me to sob more. I shrieked this time and it was as cold and dead like my heart. Then somebody pulled me closer to them and held me close. They rested their chin and lips on my head and quietly said
"It'll be alright. You're safe and that's probably what he wanted for you." I cried and shrieked more and more. The scratchy voice yelled
"Shut up Alex! You're making it worse!"
"Go into the other room then!" He yelled back. I heard Cornelius grunt and walk away. The bigger one stayed and watched but wandered to the window. Alex rocked us back and forth and said
"Now, what's your name?"
"Lucretia." I answered
"Now Lucretia, what I'm about to tell you might not settle with you." He said in a calm voice.
"What is it?" I asked, curious now
"Well..." He said, letting go of me and walking over to the window beside his friend. My eyes couldn't really see them so I moved closer to get a better look. I opened them wide and the burning sensation stopped. I could see that he had sharp teeth and cat like claws. He hunched a little and his friend, well, he had something growing on him. I stared, horrified by what I saw. Something inside me told me to get up and run away as fast as I could, so I did. But I ran into Cornelius on my way up. I stared at that tall man whose tongue began to wrap around me. I was speechless yet so horrified. I backed up into the moonlight and looked at myself. I was a chalky gray color and my fingers were long and sharp. That sick feeling came back and I ran for the bathroom. Surprisingly, I found it fast. I slammed the door and headed for the toilet to get sick. So it was true, I was dead but not in the manner I thought I was. I was one of them. A zombie.