They never went anywhere alone. It just wasn’t safe anymore; nothing was safe and they were about to head out into the world. Raven felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation, but it wasn’t like they had any other choice. They couldn’t stay here forever.
She grabbed a large tennis ball and checked the peephole. “It’s all clear,” she spoke, opening the door. Raven always carried her axe with her, holding it loosely in her right hand. It was a good thing she had it.
“Watch out!” Henry hollered, pulling out his large buck knife.
Rocky charged outside, knocking into Raven’s legs in his haste. She nearly went sprawling but kept her balance. Thank you yoga, she thought absently.
A woman stood a few feet away.
“Where the fuck did she come from?” Raven cried.
“I don’t fuckin’ know!” Henry exclaimed.
Her clothes were tattered and dirty. Red fabric stuck to her waist and shoulders, covering one breast. The vestiges of exercise pants clung to her hips. It looked like she had once been pretty, curvaceous body with muscular legs. Her skin was dark ebony that had not paled with her transformation, but turned a deep purple. She snarled and took a step toward them. Her ankle had been broken and her foot was pronated. Bare feet shuffled across the damp earth, dragging a trail behind her.
“Rocky,” Raven spoke in a heated whisper. “Get over here.”
The dog glanced from the zombie to her and back to the zombie. He sniffed the air and his hackles rose.
“Come, now!” she spoke again, more forcefully.
Rocky obeyed and Henry snagged his collar, shoving him inside and shutting the door.
“I don’t think she can run,” Henry said, “or she’d be on us by now.”
Raven nodded, keeping her eyes on the woman. “What’s the plan?” she asked.
“I’ll try to get behind her,” Henry spoke, shuffling slowly to the side, knife held at the ready.
“I’ll take the front then,” Raven said, standing loosely on the balls of her feet. She swung the axe a little, testing the weight and balance.
The zombie snapped her teeth, swinging her head back and forth wildly. Henry was making his way around the undead woman, creeping stealthily. Raven moved in. The zombie growled.
“Come on, Bitch!” she yelled.
The zombie stumbled more quickly, dragging her foot. It hissed across the dirt.
Raven ran toward the undead, pushing her fear aside just as her grandpa taught her. She held her axe arm out, gripping the handle tightly. Aim for her trunk, her grandfather’s voice whispered through her mind. A gut wound will take even a big man down, Raven then you can finish them. Her training ran deep and she reached the zombie, slashing the sharp blade across her abdomen. Guts spilled out in a rush of half congealed blood and shining intestine, but the zombie didn’t slow. Raven realized her mistake and cursed, backing up rapidly. Her heel caught on a divot in the dirt and she went down, gripping the axe tightly so it wouldn’t fly from her hand. She hit the ground hard and the air went out of her in a huff. The zombie moved rapidly, grabbing Raven’s arm. Her hands were cold and dead feeling. Panic flooded Raven’s system and she struggled to free herself.
Then Henry was there, pulling the zombie off. He had to use two hands to do it — the undead were strong — and his knife fell to the ground.
Grandpa wouldn’t approve of that, Raven thought.
Henry was losing the battle with the once-was-woman and the zombie almost had her teeth in Raven’s skin. The zombie’s breath was strangely hot. Her teeth glistened with sticky saliva.
“Raven, the axe!” Henry screamed. His voice was strained and a drop of sweat rolled down his face. “Hit her in the head!”
Raven did not hesitate. Balancing herself on her elbow, she swung the axe. It thunked into the zombie’s skull, easily slicing through bone and brain alike. The zombie’s eyes went blank and her body went limp. She fell on top of Raven and Henry rode her down, slow to let go. Raven was smashed beneath their combined weight. She lay there relearning how to breathe for a moment then met her brother’s gaze.
“That was close,” he said, chuckling.
Raven frowned. “No shit, get the fuck off of me,” she said. “You’re heavy and she’s gross.”
Henry laughed and got up, pulling the dead woman off of his sister. He dropped her on the dirt and picked up his discarded knife.
“Grandpa would’ve shit himself if he saw that,” Henry spoke. His voice shook a bit.
“What?” Raven asked, dusting her butt off. She stepped over the corpse without looking at it. “That we just killed our first zombie or that you dropped your damn knife?” She grinned while she said it.
“Both,” Henry responded, looking abashed. “I panicked,” he added. “I saw you lying there and lost it. All I could see was her biting you and I must’ve just flung it aside and dove on her.”
“Well,” Raven said. “Thanks for that.” She grinned, becoming aware of Rocky’s frantic barking form within the cabin.
Henry walked to the door and opened it. “We’re all right, buddy,” he spoke to the dog.
Rocky burst out and bolted into the clearing. He ran to Raven first and sniffed her all over, assuring himself that she was unhurt. Raven laughed and hugged him.
“I’ll get the shovels,” Henry spoke. “We need to bury her away from the cabin. Otherwise the smell of death will attract predators.”
“Okay,” Raven agreed, covered in Rocky’s kisses. She thought all in all they did pretty well. She would have to make a conscious effort to aim for the head every time and she would talk to Henry about keeping a hold of his weapon. They were alive though, and that was what counted. Her
