The Mississippi Zombie Chronicals

Chapter 2: The Echo

Six months earlier.

The warm July sun glistens off the black and chrome .45 in my hands. I eject the magazine, revealing 4 hollow point rounds.

Shit.

The forest seemed peaceful, granted the carnage Bob and I just endured.

The poor boy and I had to slay our parents, the image of their enraged and infected faces stuck in my brain. Bob's hatchet lay in his lap, covered in blood and puss, along with his checkered work shirt that said Pelahatchie Tire & Auto.

"We need to get a move on and catch up with Zig and Kam, who knows where they're at." Bob said, emptiness in his voice.

"Agreed." I replied, echoing his tone.

We weren't strangers to the woods, hell we had blazed the trails through the thick pines and tall oak trees many times before. But it was quite a shock to our system when everyone was trying eat each other alive.

"We need to take a quick break." Said Bob, sitting down on a freshly cut stump. I check the pistol once more and check my knife on my belt.

All of a sudden, the echo of a scream pierced my ears.

A girls scream.

I took out through the bushes, without a second thought, with Bob right on my heels. I crashed through the dark bushes to find an infected man standing above Kam, and I never hesitated. I fired the pistol, sending the full metal jacket hollow point into his skull, the mushroom of the large round exploding his skull as he fell to the ground. The mist of blood covers Kam as Zig rushed to help her up and wipe blood from her face.

"Dear God Jake, I thought I'd never see you two again!" Screamed Ryan, tears rolling down his face.

I wrapped him in a hug and said "I'm glad I got here when I did, are you two okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine man. We should keep going, meet up with Morgan and Cody." Replied Zig.

"Right, there may be more headed this way because of the gunshot. Keep heading south." I replied.

We emerged from the woods to the highway, the old gas stations lights flicking outside. Morgan sat on the tailgate of his F-150 in the parking lot, his shotgun in his lap and a cigarette in his shaking hands.

"Morgan! Thank goodness you're okay!" I yelled, nearly tackling him hugging him.

"Where's Cody?" I asked.

Just then, a blood covered blue Ford Fiesta pulled into the parking lot.

"Well that answers that." I chuckled.

Cody emerges from the car soaked in blood.

"Are you all right brother?" I asked.

"You should see the other guys." Cody cracked a smile.