The Rot

Chapter 5

I got up and looked out into the backyard. There were three dead things that were climbing up the fence, and a fourth one getting ready to. The corpse on the front porch began slapping on one of the windows. Miguel and I had to think fast.

"That fucker on the porch is gonna break through the window," Miguel told me.

"Okay. Miguel, you go and deal with the one on the porch. Whatever you do, don't shoot it," I replied.

"What can I use then?"

"You have a knife around here? And I'm not talking about any butter knives either."

"Yeah, I have a blade in my nightstand."

"Go get it," I replied as I unlocked the back door.

"What the hell are you gonna do?"

"Take care of the things climbing your fence. Hurry." I ran outside and up to the fence. Upon seeing me, the corpses became all worked up. I don't know why, I'm sure I taste like shit.

I ran up to the fence and kicked it as hard as I could. I did so just in the nick of time too because a couple of the dead things were almost up and over. The kick sent the creatures off of the fence and they landed on their undead pal waiting down below. It was a big, rotten pileup in the alley.

Before I could enact the second part of my plan, I heard Miguel back in his house screaming, "Reid! Help!"

"On my way!" I yelled back. I left undead creatures in the alley and ran back into Miguel's house.

Miguel was wrestling around with the corpse near the opened front door. My former landlord was keeping the dead thing back by holding the corpse's wrists. The undead woman was short and skinny and a feisty little thing. Parts of her scalp had been eaten away and her bright orange hair was matted with dried up blood. If Miguel let her go, she'd bite into his chest.

I rushed towards the living room to pull the dead thing away from Miguel. Miguel saw me out of the corner of his right eye, "No, the knife!" He yelled motioning with his head to the blade that was on the floor.

It was a large, silver, survival knife. I picked it up, and without even thinking, drove the point into the left side of the corpse's skull. The dead thing went motionless right away and Miguel was able to let go of the undead creature.

"Holy fucking shit," I gasped. I was standing there in shock, looking at the handle of the blade protruding out of the side of the corpse's skull.

Miguel shook me by the shoulder, "Reid? You okay, man?"

"Huh?" I replied.

"Are you okay?"

"I uh-" I tried to answer when I heard the fence outside shaking again. "Shit, the backyard."

Miguel reached down towards the dead thing laying on his living room floor and pried his knife free from the corpse's skull and hurried with me back outside.

The corpses were back to climbing up the fence. They were only about half way up the gate when Miguel and I both kicked the fencing to knock the things loose. The undead fell down once more. When the first corpse got back to his feet, Miguel didn't even hesitate to thrust his knife through the fence and right into the left cheek of the corpse. Miguel quickly pulled his knife free, and the dead thing dropped like a stone.

That took care of one corpse, but there were three more we had to deal with. Miguel rushed forward with his knife, ready to stab at the undead creatures again, but I stopped him.

"Wait a sec, Miguel," I said.

"What? Why?" Miguel wondered.

"I have an idea. Let these things climb the fence."