Chapter 3

2:35 a.m.; Block from Evans Household

Tess, Michael, and Nasedo press deep into the shadows of the side of house, they didn't think it would take this long to get within a block from the Evans'. "You know this is a lot shorter distance in a car." Michael wished he had his bike, but it's in the shop. Nasedo didn't even own a car let alone drove one, limo's came and picked his ass up.

It's very unlikely a limo would pick them up when they were invested with creatures of the undead. "We should have just hot wired a car. There are plenty out there just waiting to be stolen." Tess told them. She peeked around the corner of the house not seeing a lot of zombie activity. "Ok come on."

The night air was hot and sticky; Tess's jacket was clinging tightly to her pale skin. Living in Roswell for a few months she would have thought she'd receive at least a little tan but no she's still pale as the day she was hatched. If it was any other night she would have gazed admiringly at the full moon and wondered of home, but any distraction now could be the death of her and Michael. Odd how she didn't think of Nasedo at a time like this but she just didn't.

Rushing up behind her Michael whispered, "Since when have you known how to hot-wired cars?" His curiosity was spiked, he never would have thought Tess had that side to her.

"Since I was ten, Nasedo taught me to drive when I was nine. One day I was pissed at him hot-wired his mustang and took joy rides. Didn't come back for a week." Tess smirked, Nasedo was so pissed when she finally came back he wanted to kill her. Unfortunately for him it's encoded in his DNA to not cause harm to his charges. Killing one would fall under that.

"Damn, if we get out of this alive we've got to swap stories of our misspent youths." Michael at the last possible second pulled back Tess before a zombie crawling on the ground could sink its teeth into her. "Allow me." He hoisted up the umbrella in his hand and stabbed down effectively stopping the half there undead.

"Thanks." Tess hopped over the body and saw the Evans' house straight-ahead. All three hurry toward the back door, Michael reached there first, opened it concerned about the door being unlocked. Diane and Phillip never left the doors unlocked.

Blood was what greeted them. Everywhere there's blood, all over the laundry room floor, the walls, the molding on the opening leading from one room to the other. The spattering of blood led to the kitchen. Michael went first, he hoped; God he hoped Max and Isabel were all right, taking a deep breath he moved forward. Even more blood was sprayed around the kitchen, on the stove, in the sink, on the refrigerator…everywhere.

Michael took slow cautious steps, he heard Tess take the gun out of her pocket; he had no clue what's waiting around the corner but what ever it was it's getting a blast in the chest and a bullet in the skull. A wet, chewing, sucking noise reached their ears, he swallowed past the girlish scream that if he had been any less manly would have escaped. Michael rose the umbrella ready to stab the next creature that attacked them.

The group of three turned down the short hallway and move toward the living room where the unpleasant vibrations got louder. As they get closer a low gurgling noise was added to the other sounds. Tess clamped a hand over her mouth, someone, most likely one of the Evans', was being eaten. No way could that sickening jumble of noises come from anything else. Bile threatened to rise but she kept it at bay, she could lose her midnight snack outside, not in here.

Although the world was coming to an end…or at least this town she couldn't lose the manners and lessons she learned from years with Nasedo. Throwing up on someone's carpet fell into the "rude" category, she's seen pretty cringe worthy and vomit inducing sights but Tess had a feeling this would be much worse. Never in the years living with their protector had she seen a person being consumed by another person. There's no doubt in her mind that exactly what she's going to see in the living room.

Sure enough the second the living room came into view a pool of blood could be seen in the doorway. It's inching forward filling more of the floor under the door. Tess saw Michael breathe deeply preparing himself for what's in the other room, he knew it's one of the Evans' and she knew he hoped it's not Isabel or Max. She knew because she's hoping the same thing too.

Quickly before he lost his nerve Michael jumped over the pool of blood and took a horrified look at Diane Evans eating out Phillip's stomach. The smell alone was horrendous but coupled with the sight of intestines flowing out, some ignored others with chunks missing, the two bottom ribs are pulled out of the way, kidney's, liver, everything open like an all you could eat buffet.

Michael's dinner from late last night refused to stay in his stomach. Turning away from the carnage he emptied the content of his stomach, Diane didn't even notice the new arrivals. At the moment she's content to feast on her still breathing husband's flesh. Hurrying Tess grabbed Michael's arm and dragged him away from the living room, Nasedo hot on their tail.

Drool and slime fall from Michael's lips as he allowed Tess to lead him toward the stairs. God, if Max and Isabel were like that he didn't think he'd be able to kill them. They're his family, logically he knew that whatever made them Izzy and Maxwell wouldn't be in there anymore but they'd still look like his family.

Mentally he shook his head, no point in getting worked up over something that he didn't know had happened yet. Finally about halfway up the stairs he gained his rationality back and his legs stop their violent wobbling brought from shock. He realized that around the stair area and up on the second floor there was no blood, there are no sucking or chewing noises. That's a big clue that they were all right.

Max's room was first, Michael wiped his mouth across his sleeve, and the taste of sour vomit receded with each swallow. He turned back to Tess to make sure the gun was still out, it was. She nodded to him signaling she's ready for anything, slowly he opened the door; Max's room was pitch black, the only light comes from the streetlights outside. Max laid in the middle of his bed sound asleep snoring like he didn't have a care in the world.

Breathing a sigh of relief Michael switched on the bedroom light. "Mom, turn off the light." Max moaned out in his sleep unaware of the tragedy taking place in his home. He scrunched his face up as he tried to alleviate the sharp pain in his eyes the light had caused.

Michael charged up to the bed while Tess stayed by the door alert and ready to shoot Diane, or any other creature from Hell, if she got tired of Phillip and wanted fresh flesh. "Come on Maxwell, we gotta move now and fast." He didn't waste time; he couldn't afford to waste time.

"Michael, I'll get Isabel." Tess started to leave the doorway but Michael stopped her with a loud 'No'.

"We're not splitting up, once Max gets his ass out of bed all of us will go together." Michael rather ungentle smacked Max on the bare arm finally starting to grab his attention.

Max opened his eyes seeing Tess, Nasedo, and Michael standing around his room with very grim expressions. "What's going on?" He sat up quickly; something had to be wrong if they've all come here in the middle of the night. Why was Michael holding a bloody pink umbrella? Why was Tess holding a gun like a pro?

"Zombies have risen and are shuffling around the city. We're going to the Crashdown, all of us, and wait for the others. Hopefully they'll make it." As cold as it sounded he couldn't worry about the others right now, if they made it to the Crashdown, where he assumed everyone in their tight-knit group would go, then he'll worry about them. "Get dressed, we're getting Isabel and we're going, come on. Grab anything that can be used as a weapon."

"Zombies?" Max would have laughed his ass off if he didn't see the seriousness on Michael's face and in his eyes. Standing up from the bed he glanced outside his window. In the distance he could see slow moving people not having any direction just milling around. "Jesus." He murmured. Not even a second later he was digging through his dresser drawer grabbing a pair of jeans, socks, and a shirt.

"What's going on?" Isabel's tired voice questioned from the doorway causing everyone in the room to jump a few feet in the air.

"Fuck Isabel, don't sneak up on someone holding a gun." Tess told her. Her heart rate just skyrocketed into space. She's embarrassed Isabel managed to sneak up on her, what if that was a zombie? She'd be laid out being made a meal of that's what, that wouldn't happen again. "Go get dressed. Short version zombies have taken over the city. We have to go now."

TBC