Authors Note: This is a story I started a while ago when I was fifteen and I'm now eighteen and I found it on the hard drive of my old computer and I'd thought I'd make an attempt to finish it. I know this is a DOTD section but considering I went for the religious explanation to the zombies I have to apologise for some artistic licence with the concept of it, Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing these stories, Before another person asks me. Yes I do use the same names in stories, because I like the names and I base most of the characters of my friends
Darren crashed through yet more bushes. He was breathing so hard it felt like his lungs were burning up. He was clanking as he ran, it was difficult running in all the armour but he'd had enough practice in it. Even though he wasn't as big as Marcus was he was defiantly very muscular. Even if it couldn't seen through all the clothes he wore. His body was one to be desired and extremely fit.
He weaved in between trees and thick bushes. He could tell the people were catching him as he could hear them now. He knew if he were to turn around he'd no doubt see some. However their adopted father had taught them to never look behind them when they were being pursued.
He grabbed a tree and forced himself of it as he continued to run. A small bit of his run had been up hill a few moments ago but now he was over the crest and he was running downhill.
He ploughed through more bushes, then slipped and fell. The earth suddenly dropped at a greater gradient and he lost his footing and tumble forward. He crashed down and bounced down the slope. Rolling tumbling and getting plenty of scratches as he fell. Eventually he crashed to a stop by the foot of the hill. With a large thud and a cry of pain.
He panted from the sudden crashes of pain across his body as he lay on the floor in the grass. He managed to hall himself up even under the weight of his armour and weapons. He'd strapped the shield and sword to his back so they wouldn't get in the way as he ran.
He glanced up the hill and saw the people come to the edge of it and some people fell as he had done but others continued to run down the slope at him growling a snarling as blood dribbled around the mouths.
Without thinking he forced himself up and ran, he was out of the tree line now and he had to run across some fields and meadows then he would have another forest to get through before he reached the village.
Ben was making good progress he kept up a good pace and he hadn't seen or heard any of those crazed people.
He moved on quickly through the forest, it was hard running up hill and his lungs and legs were feeling the pressure of it but he managed to keep up a good pace still.
He could see something in the distance where the tree line moved open for a road. It was about half a mile away and he thought he'd inspect it to see exactly what was going on.
He moved through the trees at a jog and could see what it was now. It was a cart on its side, there were barrels tossed aside of it.
He approached it taking his crossbow off his shoulders and walking up to it slowly and making sure no one could see him along the deserted forest road.
He looked to his left and couldn't see a sign of those people or whatever they were.
He peered over the cart and saw a few barrels that were full of grain and flour tipped on their side. He could also see a lot of dried blood on the dirt road and the grass.
It was obvious there had been a large struggle. There were also some swords lying in the grass by the sides of the cart.
Ben bent down to test how dry the blood was to find out how fresh it was when he heard a whistling sound.
Ben responded quickly and span round to his side, an arrow shot through his cloak and stuck into the cart.
Ben glanced down at his cloak. "That was my favourite cloak," he said looking up a tree. There sat in the tree was a woman holding a short bow. She was dressed in red almost a wine coloured shirt, with some brown boots and she had a short sword on her waist as well as a quiver on her back.
"What? You're not one of those things" She asked.
Ben looked down at himself then looked up. "No I'm not" he replied quickly.
She seemed to scan him and noticed the cross on his tabard.
"A knight?" She asked climbing down from the tree.
Ben wondered what she was talking about for a second as he looked at himself then realised what she was talking about.
"Oh no…I'm a…I'm far from a knight" Ben replied.
"But that's a tabard of the knights who went to the holy land" she replied. "I would know that tabard any where."
Ben frowned and shook his head.
She approached him from the tree strapping her bow back to her back. She had long blond hair that seemed to shine in the summer sunlight.
"I'm not…Now I suggest you get out of here." Ben said getting annoyed with her instant questioning.
"You're right there's a village not too far from here." The woman said.
"Nope, sorry you're making that journey alone I've got business with the monks in a monastery that way." Ben pointed in the direction of the forest.
"Well I better come with you, I'm not staying out here for too long by myself." The woman said.
"It's fine if you head back the way you came on the cart you'll be fine, besides I'm not expecting a warm welcome at the monastery." Ben explained not wanting to have a woman tagging behind him, he thought she was perfectly adapt at fighting when she would only be a nuisance.
"Why?" she asked tilting her head slightly.
"They have something to do with the people around here apparently." Ben replied.
"Well I'm coming with you then. I have business with them as well." She said.
"Look I don't want some pretty girl getting in my way." Ben snapped, he wanted his revenge and wanted it now.
"What the he-" she began but her comment was cut short by the sudden howl of one of the people.
Ben glanced to his right and saw some of them stumble into the empty road.
"Shit" he exclaimed drawing the crossbow off his shoulder.
He tightened the sting and slid a bolt into place. He glanced up and saw three men and a woman running at them.
There was a sudden whistle and an arrow zoomed past his head and embedded itself into the leading man.
Ben waited till he was slightly closer then let lose a bolt into his face. The man slumped down as he ran tripping over the woman behind him.
"Aim for their heads, it's the only way to kill them" Ben said casting his crossbow aside and picking up two of the swords from the grass.
He swirled them in his hands to get the balance in them and then trust forwards into the woman, taking the first sword in her gut. Then he slashed into her head with the other. He kicked her of the blade.
The woman behind him fired an arrow into the man behind woman. He fell down not to get up as well.
Ben span his clock flowing out behind him and he brought both blades up in sequence in an uppercut at the last man. He slashed through his shoulder and into his head. The man went sprawling to the ground in a wave of blood.
Ben looked down at the body and he heard a sharp whistle again and turned round sharply and saw a man collapsing to the floor with an arrow in the back of his head. It was the man he'd shot in the face with a bolt. Ben hadn't killed him
The woman smiled as though she'd proved a point.
"Very well, you can join me" Ben sighed. "But you better be as good with that bow at all times. What's your name?"
"It's Francesca, and yes I'm good with this bow." She smiled at him.
Darren entered the group of trees glancing behind him. He still had a large distance on the people. He'd probably made more of one over the meadows. It was one of his best features being able to run.
He dashed into the trees hoping he would lose them amongst them.