Grace Escapes the city (Fan Fiction)

      "Daddy, you said you weren't feeling well so I came over as soon as I could. You're message said you went to the doctor and they gave you a vaccination? Is that right daddy?"  There was no reply so she walked through the kitchen to the living room and cowered in the corner, the fear seeping from her every pore as she saw her uncle hovering over her dad's body tearing at the skin, eating the organs and spilling blood everywhere. Tears ran down her cheeks as her uncle devoured him. She had heard the news alerts but she didn't think it would happen to her, not in her town, not in her family. What kind of virus could this be? She wondered as she glazed around the room to find a way out. Looking to her left she realized the front door had been left open, unsure of what was waiting outside she knew she wasn't safe where she was. She stood trembling as her uncle paused in his hunched position and turned his gaze toward her. Frozen in fear she stared back tears streaming.
     "Uncle Ste..?" she began as he lunged toward her. Screaming she turned to run but his hand wrapped around her arm. "No! No! Uncle Steve! NO!" She beat on his arm with her fists but he over powered her and took her to the ground "No! No! NO!" she kept screaming as she managed to release her arm from his grasp but he was on top of her trying to gnawing at her face his spit landing on her cheek in globs. Screaming she used all of her power to push him off her and jumped to her feet running for the front door. Looking behind her, her uncle was close but his broken ankle slowed him slightly giving her an advantage. As she ran she began to realize that the other zombies were waking and running after her too. Panic stricken, unsure of how to escape and running out of breath she spotted a red minivan abandoned and running.

Shertzer, J. (2013, February 13). The Walking Dead Within. Retrieved May 19, 2013, from Fraternal Thoughts: http://fraternalthoughts.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-walking-dead-within.html

     The van was two blocks away and she was gaining the attention of more and more zombies. She looked back to see ten or fifteen chasing her and just as she refocused on the van she tripped. Scrambling to quickly get up feeling the pounding of her heart in her temples as she tried to keep running despite the pain in her lungs, she quickened her pace. They were gaining on her and she had to make it to the van. Just as she reached the van she slammed herself into the drivers seat and closed the door. Pushing the gear into drive she spun off straight into the flock of zombies hitting them one by one. The bodies were flying in all directions and some were being run over. Her heart was broken as she thought about who the people could have been, tears stained her dirty cheeks. All of a sudden one of the zombie flew into the windshield and smashed it's face through. The skin pulling itself away from the bone as the zombie pushed it's way through the broken glass. Continuing to drive Grace screamed in terror. The teeth chattered as he groaned in lust for her flesh. She slammed on the breaks in hopes that it would fling him off the van but to no avail so she threw the van into park and began kicking the face of the zombie to try to get it out of her van. Accidentally she kicked the head sideways into a piece of glass killing him. Shocked by the lifelessness of the body she sat back blood splattered on her face. Still frightened she threw the van back into gear and spun off toward the country and out of the city and hopefully away from zombies.

     A few miles outside of town on a country road Grace started noticing the van was sputtering...."No, not now" she beat the steering wheel. "Just a little farther, come on! Come on!" she screamed but the car was reluctant and gave in to the lack of gas. Hesitant she sat in the car for an hour looking for zombies to come out and get her, having not seen any she knew she had to relocate to somewhere safe, but was unsure of what safe meant anymore. She slowly opened the door and felt the cool breeze hit her face and sting as the cuts from her fall laid bear to the elements. She began walking down the road careful to not make any noise. At times she would quicken her pace as an attempt to reach her unknown destination quicker but the heat from the sun bore down on her and it was near impossible to keep the pace. Looking ahead Grace noticed a farm house and headed straight for it.

     Upon arrival she scoped out the yard as much as she could to try to find a weapon, or if there were any zombies around. She didn't find either. Hesitantly she reached the walk around porch that looked and smelled freshly painted an off white color. The house itself was green with matching off white shutters. The rocking chair on the porch swayed slightly in the wind giving off an eery creaking noise that startled her. She walked to the door unsure if she should knock or not and reached for the knob when the door flung open. "Girl! You been bit?" screamed a burly women.
     "Bit?" she was confused, "No, almost, but no."
     "You ain't dying are ya?" Said the women dressed in a red and white checkered apron over a blue dress that looked as if it could have been a curtain.
    "Dying? NO, not that I know of."
     "Get in here then, the sun will go down soon and they will get more active." She pushed her forward and slowly shut the door behind them. Once inside the women began to nail the door shut.
    "What are you doing?" Grace inquired.
     "Where have you been child?" the women spoke loudly. "We are under attack can't you see? We have to board up the house every day and night. Now I know you think we are opening our home up to you, but you will be gone in the mornin' you understand. We don't take one new people there aren't enough supplies. You just looked so helpless and honestly we thought if you got any ideas of stickin' around for the night you would attract more of those dead folk on the outside then in here." She pointed to the house. "At night we stay upstairs. You will be able to clean up and we'll feed you but in the morning you will have to leave. Understand?" She tapped her gun as if to emphasize it wasn't an option.
     "Yes ma'am." Grace retorted.
    "Good, now come along and we'll get you into the shower real quick like." The women lead Grace upstairs and past three closed doors. "In there honey is some towels, and I will try to get you some clean clothes. Go on now...get scrubbed up." she pointed to the bathroom expectantly. Grace stepped though the door and closed it behind her. It was a simple bathroom with a bear claw tub at the far end.

STAY, PLAY & SPLASH at FAMILY-PET Friendly BEAR TOOTH LODGE. (2013, May 13). Retrieved May 19, 2013, from Home Away: http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p325909

      She turned and looked in the mirror. She looked horrible. She hadn't realize that she had cut up her face when she fell leaving scratches across her left cheek that had bled down her face and onto her shirt. Her blond hair was stained red and caked with crusty rusty smelling blood. She wasn't sure if all the blood was hers. She turned on the water and began to wash her face. scrubbing hard enough that the scraps began to bleed again. Looking in the mirror again most of the blood gone she began to weep as she remembered the horrors of the day. Turning toward the tub she sat on the edge as she turned on the water and adjusted the temperature. She took off her clothes and sat into the tub with her knees to her chest and cried. What was she going to do? She had no one. She had no weapon, no vehicle, no safe place. Where would she go? What was she going to eat? Life was going to be so different from now on and she didn't know how she was going to survive. Eventually she stood up and put her hair under the shower releasing a red river onto her feet. A harsh knock on the door startled her as it creaked open. She covered herself as the women briefly walked in.
     "New clothes, hurry up now, it ain't Sunday where you can be lazy get on out you're spending to much water." she backed out closing the door behind her. Grace finished washing her hair and turned off the shower and dried off. Putting the two sizes too big clothes on she went to find the family and the meal they had promised. Arriving at the foot of the stairs the burly women waved her to the kitchen and pointed at a chair to sit. The table was filled with ham, corn, and potatoes. Looking around the table the women and her husband sat in silence staring at Grace.
     "Thank you for the clothes." she managed a smile. The women shook her head. The husband continued to stare. Hitting her husband's arm the burly women took a heaping spoonful of potatoes into her mouth. This apparently meant for him to stop staring and start eating and Grace did the same. Dinner was in silence, It was explained to her in hushed whispers that on the first floor on one spoke in fear of a zombie hearing them and breaking in. After dinner she was led to her room where she was to stay the night.
      "Like I said girl, don't get too comfy, you are gone in the morn' ya hear me? We don't take in any strangers."
     "Yes, ma'am." she responded, looking at the women, "What is your name?"
     "No need for pleasantries, you'll be gone soon enough." and with that she walked out of the room softly closing the door behind her. Grace sat on the bed in utter confusion about the day's events. How did things turn out so bad? She was at work, then went to see her dad...and...the thought stopped as she couldn't bear to envision the scene again. She laid down tears soaking the pillow case that smelled of lavender and vanilla.
    Squinting she awoke to the sun shinning through the window. She must have cried herself to sleep. Looking around the room hoping that the previous day's events were a dream she quickly realized where she was and was filled with grief but there were no more tears to shed. Just then the women burst into the room. "Ok girlie, time to get going. Come on." Grace got up quickly from the bed and walked to the hallway. Shaking, unsure of what laid ahead of her she began to ask questions.
     "What do I do for weapons?"
     "We don't have extra for you if that's what you are asking...you gatta kill em' in the brain. That's the only way. Don't know how you gunna...guess you can use a stick." A stick! Grace couldn't believe the suggestion.
     "How do I know when I am safe?"
     The women laughed, "You're never safe honey." and she walked her to the door. "Is it clear?" She yelled at her husband and he shook his head in reply.
     "How will I get to places?"
    "You got two legs honey, use em'. Just watch your back and make sure if you see more than one that you hide." she said as she grabbed the hammer and removed the nails. "We've done all we could for ya, now go." she waved her arm toward the outside and Grace hesitantly stepped into the new world as the heavy door slammed shut behind her and the sound of the nails being pounded back in rung like nails being put into a coffin.