Please Remember Us - A Zombie Apocalypse

Kalli stood with her back to the burning shop, her eyes open wide gazing past the horizon of smoke that billowed up from the cityscape. She heard noises behind her but nothing registered as something she recognized, just noise. Her skin felt numb, even in the midst of the vibrant heat that had nearly consumed her as she fled what was once one of the happiest places she had ever known. Her mind left the distance and returned to her. She was starting to feel lucid again. She started to feel the warmth of the fire behind her. She felt a sharp pain in her right knee and the memory of the scene that had just played out came back to her, along with it came back her grief.

She turned around to face the flames, to face what she had just witnessed but couldn't quite accept.. Her eyes searched through the raging flames and she peered into the building looking for signs of movement. Nothing..nothing..there. There wasn't time to question whether she had seen anything as two flaming figures staggered out of the front doorway. The first fell forward and the second fell over the first. A cracking noise sounded from above. A third flaming figure fell forward out of a second story window, leaning out until it toppled forward. It hit the ground head first, with a sound like a hollow cinderblock smashing into the pavement.

She had to run, but everything she needed was inside. She had prepared for this, a little anyway. She had a duffle bag sitting next to her dad's chair behind the shop counter that had everything she thought she'd need, along with the key to her bike.. She felt frustration at being so close to the comfort of that bag and a ride away from this place, but they may as well have been across the city. The piles of flame on the ground started to move and slowly transformed into upright pillars of flame that very purposely began to creep towards her. One more flaming figure emerged on the ground level, this time tripping out of the large shop window. She had to run. She turned to take flight but after one step it was immediately obvious to her she was not able to do so, not yet at least. She started to walk quickly down the street, merging into the center street away from the surrounding buildings. She had not slowed her bike down at any point on her ride here but she had seen enough to know that that staying away from the doorways and alleys was her best chance. There were too many things lurking in the shadows tonight.

She half-hobbled at a brisk pace, not sure where she was going. Her right leg was not moving as quickly as she told it to and she felt a sharp twinge every time she shifted her weight to her right side. There were much fewer cars in this part of the city. This far out from the center of the city, they must have had more time to get out. As she walked further away from the burning shop she realized the street was almost completely abandoned. She heard the blaze of the shop less and less, but it only made the flickering of the burning figures shuffling towards her more distinct. She felt so alone and helpless on this desolate street. She could see the hazard lights of an SUV blinking on and off about a block and a half ahead. Streetlights shined down on her as she passed but this was not comforting. She felt exposed with each passing halo of light she passed under.

Then the lights flickered once and went out, probably forever she thought. Then, for a moment, she was in complete darkness. She paused for a moment, shocked by the loss of clear direction. She turned looking for some semblance of light. When she looked behind her she only saw the burning figures looming towards her and the spotted blazes of fire that speckled the landscape beyond them. Oddly, it was almost beautiful.

She had to focus. She had made some ground on the burning pires. She guessed they were about 20 yards behind her. She turned and hobbled as quickly and carefully as she could through the dark valley. The blinking lights of the SUV were slowly getting closer. If the panic lights were on, would the car still possibly have the keys in it? She walked faster. Her leg was a little more responsive now. She just needed to get to that car and she would be ok.. 30 yards away now.. She heard a growl in the darkness, in front of her and to her left. Whatever it was, she would have to pass it to get to the car. She couldn't stop to think about it, she only had a few seconds between her and her pursuers. She moved as quietly as she could and listened closely. Was the sound echoing from an alley? How far away was it? Was it an animal? No, she knew what it was.

In the distance she heard what seemed like an answer to the first growl. It was a similar growl but raspy growl further down the street. Then she heard another.