Read Zombies! (Episode 6): Barriers Collapse for Free Online Page B
Authors: Ivan Turner
Tags: Zombies
head. The blow was barely enough to stagger it, but it got its attention.
Recovering as best it could, it finally made for Arrick. He hit it again but the handle was simply too light to be of any use. By the time he was ready for a third swing, the zombie was so close that he couldn't even extend his arm enough to bring the handle around. With both hands, the zombie shoved him. The Scotsman was so surprised by the attack that he lurched back, almost like a zombie himself. The handle fell from his hands and clattered to the floor. The zombie closed further, using its arms like bludgeons to knock Arrick aside. It wasn't fast, but its attacks were aggressive and its strength, like Suzanna's, was surprising. Arrick tried to fight back. He raised his arms to ward off the blows but was ever concerned about keeping the teeth from his flesh. In the end, though, the zombie didn't seem to have any interest in eating him, just in getting him out of the way.
One final blow sent Arrick sprawling over the body of the girl. He went down on his behind, his legs draped over her blood soaked middle. She chose that particular moment to arise. That odd smell in his nose doubled. It didn't smell like death. Her arms came up and wrapped themselves around his legs. But, like the other, she didn't seem to have any interest in eating him. She just tossed him aside and made her clumsy way to her feet. At that moment, the door behind him burst open and three policemen, all dressed in protective gear, entered the deli. The zombies didn't react to the noise, but the officers didn't hesitate. They fired two quick shots and put down both zombies before the crowd could even drop to the floor.
***
SOMETIME later, after the coffee had been served, Arrick was sitting back at his table and contemplating his situation. Other people were on their phones, calling friends and loved ones. A few laptop computers had surfaced. Many people were still talking with the police. Arrick had spoken with an Officer Henry. He was a tower of a man with a deep voice and a kitten's gentle mannerisms. As he had asked his questions and recorded Arrick's answers, he'd just oozed sympathy over the trauma he had sustained. To be honest, Arrick wasn't even really shaken. At this point, he was just a little perturbed. It was getting close to 8:00 and he desperately wanted to go home. He had to be at work in the morning. When the police finally announced that everyone could leave, he grabbed up his coat and made for the door. Some followed him and others stayed behind to discuss their adventure.
Half a block from the deli, a man caught up with him and tugged on his jacket. He was a small guy wearing flannel, fleece, and denim in layers rather than an overcoat. His pants were dark blue and had some grease stains on them. Mechanic? Janitor? It didn't matter.
Arrick stopped and looked him up and down under the dim light of the street lamps. "Can I help you?"
"I just wanted to thank you," the man said. His voice was deep and gravelly, as if he'd hit discovered his first cigarette in preschool and had been smoking ever since.
Arrick's eyebrows went up.
"No one made a move to fight that thing off," the man continued. "You got in its way with no regard for you own safety. You're a hero."
Arrick laughed. "Which fight were you watching?"
The man laughed back. "That's the curious thing though, ain't it?"
"I don't follow."
"You got into it with them. I mean really into it. But neither one of them tried to bite you."
Arrick shrugged. "Just lucky I guess."
"Naw." The man shook his head. "I mean they didn't even try . It was like you weren't good enough for them to eat."
"I don't know how to take that."
The man chuckled again. "Man, I'd rub skunk shit all over myself if it would keep those things from noticing me. That's the fifth time I've seen them and I just about pissed myself in there."
Five times. And Arrick
Recovering as best it could, it finally made for Arrick. He hit it again but the handle was simply too light to be of any use. By the time he was ready for a third swing, the zombie was so close that he couldn't even extend his arm enough to bring the handle around. With both hands, the zombie shoved him. The Scotsman was so surprised by the attack that he lurched back, almost like a zombie himself. The handle fell from his hands and clattered to the floor. The zombie closed further, using its arms like bludgeons to knock Arrick aside. It wasn't fast, but its attacks were aggressive and its strength, like Suzanna's, was surprising. Arrick tried to fight back. He raised his arms to ward off the blows but was ever concerned about keeping the teeth from his flesh. In the end, though, the zombie didn't seem to have any interest in eating him, just in getting him out of the way.
One final blow sent Arrick sprawling over the body of the girl. He went down on his behind, his legs draped over her blood soaked middle. She chose that particular moment to arise. That odd smell in his nose doubled. It didn't smell like death. Her arms came up and wrapped themselves around his legs. But, like the other, she didn't seem to have any interest in eating him. She just tossed him aside and made her clumsy way to her feet. At that moment, the door behind him burst open and three policemen, all dressed in protective gear, entered the deli. The zombies didn't react to the noise, but the officers didn't hesitate. They fired two quick shots and put down both zombies before the crowd could even drop to the floor.
***
SOMETIME later, after the coffee had been served, Arrick was sitting back at his table and contemplating his situation. Other people were on their phones, calling friends and loved ones. A few laptop computers had surfaced. Many people were still talking with the police. Arrick had spoken with an Officer Henry. He was a tower of a man with a deep voice and a kitten's gentle mannerisms. As he had asked his questions and recorded Arrick's answers, he'd just oozed sympathy over the trauma he had sustained. To be honest, Arrick wasn't even really shaken. At this point, he was just a little perturbed. It was getting close to 8:00 and he desperately wanted to go home. He had to be at work in the morning. When the police finally announced that everyone could leave, he grabbed up his coat and made for the door. Some followed him and others stayed behind to discuss their adventure.
Half a block from the deli, a man caught up with him and tugged on his jacket. He was a small guy wearing flannel, fleece, and denim in layers rather than an overcoat. His pants were dark blue and had some grease stains on them. Mechanic? Janitor? It didn't matter.
Arrick stopped and looked him up and down under the dim light of the street lamps. "Can I help you?"
"I just wanted to thank you," the man said. His voice was deep and gravelly, as if he'd hit discovered his first cigarette in preschool and had been smoking ever since.
Arrick's eyebrows went up.
"No one made a move to fight that thing off," the man continued. "You got in its way with no regard for you own safety. You're a hero."
Arrick laughed. "Which fight were you watching?"
The man laughed back. "That's the curious thing though, ain't it?"
"I don't follow."
"You got into it with them. I mean really into it. But neither one of them tried to bite you."
Arrick shrugged. "Just lucky I guess."
"Naw." The man shook his head. "I mean they didn't even try . It was like you weren't good enough for them to eat."
"I don't know how to take that."
The man chuckled again. "Man, I'd rub skunk shit all over myself if it would keep those things from noticing me. That's the fifth time I've seen them and I just about pissed myself in there."
Five times. And Arrick