Decimation (Ianthony Apocalypse AU)

afternoon nine

chompers seen: about a hundred and fifty

chompers killed: 0

near-death experiences: 3

human deaths witnessed: 2

friends left behind: 4

Nobody said a word as the outskirts of the city came into focus.

It was an overcast day, which slightly helped with the unbearable California heat, but it was so humid the clouds barely did a thing. The back of the van reeked of sweat and dust.

"We got a live one," Martha remarked suddenly, breaking the unnerving silence.

We all whipped our heads around to gaze out the window, and, sure enough, a single chomper was heading toward the van.

"Looks like he's not alone," Ken added, sighing.

"How many?" Henry asked, his voice trembling.

"Not many, luckily. I see three." He paused. "For now."

Ken pulled over to the side of the highway, forcing a lump to form in my throat.

"What are you doin', man?" Jonah questioned, and I was thankful I didn't have to be the one to ask. "We can easily out-drive a few chompers."

"Yes, I know." He turned off the van, and I watched the first chomper as it limped toward the van, maybe thirty feet away. "But you heard Jean and Kirsten. The outskirts of the city are bad. I have a feeling this is just the welcoming committee."

"What are you saying? Kill these and go the rest of the way on foot? How would that be any better than plowing through in the-"

"I have an idea," Ken interrupted, turning to face us from the front seat. "And I have a feeling none of you are gonna like it."

~

"This better fucking work, 'cause if I get killed today wearing this, I'll be too embarrassed to try to get into Heaven," Jonah muttered, looking down at his outfit.

I chuckled slightly, although I completely agreed. I felt ridiculous, I smelled completely horrible, and I couldn't wait until my next bathing opportunity.

"It'll work as long as we all just act natural," Ken responded, his tone much firmer. He stood over the chomper Henry had killed, cringing as he smeared more blood onto his wife. "Just walk like them, make the same noises as them, and, for the love of God, do not make eye contact."

"Jesus, I think I'm gonna be sick," Anthony mumbled just loud enough for Lizzy and I to hear. I'd helped both of them apply their own zombie costumes, and I could not have agreed more. I wore the jacket of one of the four chompers they'd killed, and blood and guts coated the rest of me.

I nudged him. "We dressed like this all the time for videos. Just think of it that way."

He shrugged, his face lightening a little. "True. And we're about to have to put on our best acting jobs."

My stomach churned. If I messed up even a little, I could have all of us killed in seconds. If my imagination was going to serve me right, we were talking hundreds of them, all packed tightly together right between here and our destination. Probably a good mile of having to play zombie.

We'd all packed our backpacks with as much supplies as possible, and left the rest in the van. The reality was that none of us really knew what was ahead. Maybe it'd be a quick walk through zombieland and then a nice home to outlast the end of the world, or maybe we'd be forced to retreat within minutes. Either way, I was terrified.