Candy Pop Corpse

1. Honey Bun Heroine

Howls and screams mingled with the stench of burning flesh. A mob of the undead surrounded us. We were against a wall, escape blocked. I whimpered, "At least we have each other. I love you, Jack."

"I love you too, Lulu." My brother gave me a weak smile. "But, I love myself more."

His warmth vanished, replaced by a strong force pushing me away. I landed in something's arms as Jack ran past the zombies before they could blink, never looking back. The echoes of his laughter overshadowed even the groans of the dead.

"Jack? Jack! Where are you going?!" My vision blurred. I reached out to him, desperate. "Don't... Don't leave me behind," were the only words that came out from my parted lips. I watched his cowardly back fade from my view. Escaping from the zombies, from the danger, from me.

I pulled my hair in frustration, backing against the metal wall of the closed shop in an attempt to prevent my unavoidable death. My eyes caught a glimpse of the sky that puked green clouds when hands began to drag me to the ground. I kicked and whacked at anything within my reach. However, it was no use.

The undead had me cornered; there were too many. What's the point of fighting, though? Jack, the only family I have left, abandoned me. He's gone, and I doubt he'll be coming back. I tightened my fists, letting the soil cling to my fingers. This world's already dead.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid Jack! He's so damn stupid!" I yelled, slamming my hand into the ground with every word. A hand gripped onto my shoulder just then. Another one on my wrist. Then another, until all of the zombies were petting me in areas I would rather not describe. "Hey, watch it!" I warned, even if I was useless without any weapons or self defense. I was worthless without Jack, because he always protected me.

Well, not anymore.

Tears fell down my face as the sun's blinding rays were blocked by buildings. I looked around like a deer caught in headlights, frightened beyond comparison. My clothes were drenched in sweat and I scrunched my nose at the smell of piss that emitted from my lower region. I backed into a corner when the zombies threw me into the dead end, screaming slurs on deaf ears. They just came closer.

"No, please! I... I don't want to die like this!" With no way out, my last option was to beg. I sank to my knees, watching their movements with wide eyes. All of their once lively faces were pale and rotting, as if they were simply skin and bones. Blood dripped from one's broken jaw. Its tongue still functioned, licking its lips in what I guessed to be hunger.

I couldn't scream, for I was too bewildered by the series of events that played in front of me not too long ago. The zombies huddled around me, holding my body down with their weight. Something wet slithered down my thighs before a sharp pain made me jump. I looked down to see a zombie biting into my flesh.

What stopped me from losing consciousness was a hand gripping my arm as another set of teeth ripped off some of my tender skin.

"Agh," I groaned, unable to form words once more teeth, arms and tongues coated my body in a mixture of blood and saliva. Teeth latched onto my throat, tearing out a chunk of my neck when they bit down and swallowed. I tried to speak, yet nothing but blood fell from my chapped lips.

This is it. There's no way I'm living through this.

My body was splashing a fountain of blood onto the living dead from its open wounds. The drops that landed on their tongues made them scream and growl in greed. I let my head rest to the side, numb to the unending pain.

Why won't you come back? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry, I really am. Whatever I did, I didn't mean to! Twins are supposed to hear each other's thoughts, right? Then why won't you turn around? It hurts, Jack...

It hurts.

It was useless. As much as I wanted to believe that he would return to my rescue, I knew that he wouldn't the moment he pushed me away. My mind wandered to his last, filthy words. I visualized his mouth movements, piecing together the sentence. If I wasn't being devoured, I would've puked after remembering it. "I love myself more."

I couldn't even react―my arms, legs and stomach were thoroughly cut open by their sharp teeth. So that was why he didn't take me. I simply laid there with tears and snot wetting my cheeks. Soon the weight was gone. The alley was silent as all of the zombies stood. I glanced up, too exhausted to lift my head. They... they were leaving. Why?

I struggled to lift my neck up and caught sight of my body. It was disfigured. Disgusting. Revolting. My legs and arms were twisted in wild directions with gaping holes revealing my flesh and bones. But what really made me shiver was my heart. It rested in my chest, beating weakly under my breast. More tears rolled down my cheeks. I'm sorry, Jack, was my last thought before my eyelids shut.

**

Moonlight seeping through my eyelids made my eyes crack open. Somehow, I felt lighter. I lived? was the only groggy thought I had when I sat up and looked around.

I was still in the same alleyway, laying in a pool of blood and piss. My throat was filled to the brim with blood. The dark liquid poured out my mouth when I turned towards the ground, coughing and hacking up chunks of meat. I looked at my crooked arm and snapped it into place with my other, less damaged one.

After fixing my other limbs into place, I stood, leaning on the wall for balance. "How could he... How could he!" A long awaited cry rumbled out of me when I slammed my fist onto the building. "After all we'd been through, he just leaves me to die? That damned Jack, he's going to pay." I laid my head against the wall and placed my hand on my chest. He's just lucky I'm not―

A sudden realization ceased my raging. "My heart... it's not beating?" I pushed my hand harder onto my chest just in case it was my imagination. It wasn't.

What's going on? A chuckle released from my mouth when I stared at my chest. This must be a joke! I hit my chest with my fist numerous times in hopes of a reaction. "C'mon, dammit, work! Work!" Globs of sweat rolled down my shoulders as I pounded on my chest until I noticed something. It didn't hurt.

Another chortle erupted from me before I scratched my scalp, unable to process the thought. I'm... dead? How am I still moving? My body shivered when I snapped and released a ferocious scream. It was unfamiliar and scary, almost inhumane.

I screamed until my lungs closed and my throat dried up, hoping my dear brother would hear me. He'll come back... he can fix this, right? Then I remembered the smirk on his face before he pushed me away. Even though I wanted to ignore it and believe in him, it was pointless. I bet he knew this would happen. Why would he do this? I fell to the ground as bile poured out my mouth, no energy left to yell anymore. When my hands covered my face, they met with a sticky substance.

I was dead. Truly dead. A zombie, a living corpse, a freak of nature. The undeniable truth came crashing into me through cold logic. I wouldn't be able to grow up anymore. I couldn't talk to people.

I couldn't do a lot of things.

Tears wouldn't stop rolling down my face. "Everyone's gone," I muttered. Jack lied when he swore we would stay together. Shows how thick blood really is in an apocalypse, huh. I sighed. "I can't believe this... Hell, I don't even want to."

However, a boiling rage shadowed my thoughts after a laugh escaped my lips. How many years did he spend waiting for this day? Was it a survival instinct? An accident? Was I just some burden that he'd been relieved of the moment he abandoned me?

I shook my head in disbelief. No, that can't be! We had each other's backs even before Mom and Pa died! For him to just leave his own sister behind is simply... unforgiveable.

I stood, with more steadiness this time, and walked towards the exit. Embers and smoke lit the sky, flickering from distant fires. Don't worry, dear brother, I thought while snatching off the wrapper from the bloodied lolli tucked in my pocket, I'll find you soon.