He Was Almost Absorbed By The System - Part Two

Chapter One Hundred And Seventy Six - Illusions of Safety

When faced with a situation that is either incomprehensible or life threatening, there will naturally be panic. Shambling humans with yellow eyes and teeth embedded in black gums pouring through damp streets grabbing and biting others is definitely a cause. Screaming and fleeing, the first thought to place a distance between these monsters and themselves, the second thought given to hide away within a place that could be considered safe. But where was safe? It turned out that their own homes could quite easily contain these creatures as well.

Take the girl who peered through the small glass window beside her front door, frightened as she witnessed people banging on doors, begging to be let in while the monsters came to claim them one after another. And shortly after, those who had fallen to the predators teeth and black tinted nails arose themselves to add to the increasing numbers. The girl shook terrified as she witnessed all of this occurring before her, but was also quite grateful that she was behind a closed door and safe with her mother, whom she had been caring for during the older woman's sickness. Unfortunately, she was not to know at that point that the sickness was a prelude to her own brief horror and demise.

Elsewhere, a top a roof, a man was aiming accurately at the wandering dead, each arrow becoming embedded in a place which would hinder them. He had already learned that the most assured method of elimination was to remove the head from the body, just piercing the brain the way he had heard it mentioned by others was not enough. Of course, the knowledge came originally from fiction, thus could not truly be relied on. Still, his actions allowed a few people to avoid death by the hands of these monsters, so his arrows were not released in vain.

A steam car came to a skidding halt where the arrow riddled corpses crawled or ambled blindly about, it's riders jumped out and took ended the existence of the monsters permanently. One looked up to where the youth dressed head to toe in dramatic black stood, his bow in hand and saluted him. The youth nodded respectfully and ran along the rooftops in search of another area heavily crowded with the undead.

However, the youth and those behind the squadrons soon came to realise that the numbers of undead could not be underestimated nor contained. This was truly an outbreak of epic proportions. In the end, what were they to do? Retreat with what survivors they could save, leaving others to fend for themselves. This was their only option or find themselves drowning beneath this unexpected wave of undead and suffer a fate that would not let their corpses rest.

Two individuals, a man and a woman, had been driving through the streets when the monsters began to appear before them and their instincts had them quickly turn the vehicle around and flee. How were they to know that their unreliable car would decide to putter out on them once more! All they could do was run! And just as commoners had in the crowded streets they lived within, the couple knocked on the doors of a few properties upon this affluent street, but to know avail! Worse, the distance between properties was often greater, the townhouses themselves much wider and the original architects favoured placing a decent number of stairs before the front door! If the couple found no home willing to allow them entry, they would succumb to the growing hoard upon a doorstep with no where else to run!

As it happened, a pale eyed young man peered around a crack within his thick door and ushered the pair over. "Quickly," he called. "It is safe here!"

With gratitude pouring over their faces, they ran to the townhouse and entered it swiftly, only attracting a lone zombie on route. The young man slammed the door shut and the couple could see that he was visibly shaking. Thankfulness could no longer describe how they felt for this man. They glanced over him, taking in his slightly rounded face and chubby cheeks as well as his well tailored clothing and wondered if he was actually younger than they had originally thought.