Chapter 1: Past Your Bedtime
The hallway is dark, and fairly empty at that. Though, as the child travels through the hallway, things begin to reveal themselves.
An old rustic carpet, improperly rolled out, leaving bumps and ridges one could trip on.
A small table with an empty, expensive vase inside it, perfectly fit for a sunflower.
Old windows creaking due to the ominous winds outside.
A tall tree outside, close enough to a window that it hits the glass at random intervals.
Another small table, this time with an odd plant on it. Vines spill out and wrap around the basket it sits in.
An archway that leads into a lit room, from what you can see from the small opening, it looks like the kitchen… Listening closely you can hear running water and the clattering of dishes.
Uh kid, you sure about this. Don't look at me like that, this seems suspicious no matter which way to cut it. Why'd you go here in the first place?
"Uhm, Mom doesn't like sleeping in bed. She usually sleeps in the kitchen."
Not that I don't believe you, but why…?
"I don't, I don't know. But she says she gets thirsty a lot. And uhm…"
"Uh…"
The kid turns away, looking at the floor. They look oddly guilty.
"Whenever they're in bed, they cry a lot."
I… didn't need to know that. But, alright. If you think she's here, then here we go. Just… be careful.
The small child slowly nods their head, before they step through the door.
The kitchen is much more cluttered, compared to the hallway.
The floor is checkered black and white, whoever thought white was a good kitchen flooring doesn't understand how dirty kitchens can get
Wooden cupboards line the wall, ending in a large fridge at the end of the corner. All but the fridge are overflowing with produce.
Corn, cabbages, oranges, Limes, Onions, and that's just what's visible.
On the other side, countless pots and pans hang from steel shelves.
In the middle, a large wooden table stands proud, spotless and shining in the light.
Past the table, by the steel shelves and across the fridge, a tall sink operates at full blast.
In front of the sink, stands a tall, pale woman in a white dress. Head shoved deep enough into the sink that it can't be seen from below.
The water is pouring down on to her head, and she takes no action to stop this.
The sink is overflowing…. Not that it's easily visible from down below, as we come about to stomach height, but her head's under the water.
Uh, kid. Humans need air, don't they?
The kid tugs at the woman's leg.
Kid, ya hear me? Hey, Kid?
They tug on her leg again,
Something's seriously wrong with this kid. Maybe just take a step back and-
"Mom?"
Look, buddy. I'm not sure how to tell you this, but I think you mom is-
A deep gurgling groan sounds off from within the sink. Slowly the woman lifts up her arms, grips the sides of the sink, and lifts up her… oh.
Her face has turned a sickening green, mostly bald except for the little bits of long hair that clung to her wet, soaking head, with eyes bugged out and bloodshot. Some small and white things tumbles out of her mouth and onto the floor as she stands… it's her teeth.
Driven by instinct most likely, the kid thankfully backs away from the shambling woman.
"M-mom?"
The eyes, previously glossy and unfocused, hone in on the child and flower.
Kid, I- I don't- This is- what's…?
The woman? stumbles towards us before coming in low. The child hops backwards in fright as the woman? continues her movement… and bites down onto the chair we'd been standing right next to.
Buddy, we need to move. Now. Run! Why are you just standing there? RUN!
The child's feet remain frozen in place, as they stare emptily at the woman? before them. The woman? raises the wooden chair in her teeth and bites down and, despite the single digit number of teeth in her mouth, the wood starts to crack.
Ok kid, you're in shock. How do you get someone out of shock? You can hit them, but I can't really do that, yelling isn't working. Maybe if I could poke you or tickle-!
The young child jolts at the feeling of soft petals tickling his arm. Now with his attention, the flower once more shouts.
RUN YOU IDIOT!
And the kid runs, just as the chair finally breaks and sends wooden shrapnel everywhere. As the duo run out into the hallway, the zombie swallows a great amount of air into its lungs before…,
"BRAINS!"