“Just shut up. We’re going around.”
As soon as Will said that, the floodgates burst open.
The front door of the cabin was missing its door. Two zombies tried to exit at the same time. They couldn’t fit through the doorway and were jammed together. They kept pushing, until the one on the right’s arm fell off. There was a sickening ripping noise as its arm fell to the floor.
Another one was trying to get through the window, climbing on the counter and tumbling out of the window and falling to the ground, glass shards embedding in its arm and face. It got up and joined with the other two towards the group.
“Shit, let’s go. Who’s got a melee weapon?”
“What’s a may-lay weapon?” asked Boyd.
“Oh for Christ sake. Shaun.”
“I’m on it.” He fired his bow at the zombie missing an arm. It bore in his head with an equally sickening squishing sound, and the zombie fell backwards.
He quickly pulled out another arrow and slid it on the bow, took aim and fired at the one that fell out the window. Again, the arrow hit it in the head, causing the same squishing noise.
Shaun already had the next arrow loaded when the second hit the ground. He fired, but missed.
“Damn it.”
The zombie got closer. He didn’t try to go any quicker, which indicated its shuffle was its top speed. It didn’t even try to avoid the arrow, whether it missed or not.
For the first time, Kim could see the zombie relatively up close and personal.
Rotting, brown skin was falling off its face. Its lips were completely gone, leaving all of his rotting brown teeth visible. It wasn’t holding its arms out like in the movies, but it was shuffling.
“I got it,” Boyd pointed his pistol and fired.
“No!” shouted Will and Shaun.
The loud gun shot rang out through the woods, shattering the silence. The bullet entered the zombie’s head, its rotting flesh splitting at the hole. It stood still for just a moment before tumbling to the ground.
Boyd looked proud of himself, until Shaun punched him in the face, leaving him with a black eye.
“You idiot, you just attracted the whole damn forest over here.”
“Into the cabin, let’s go,” Will said, “and give me that gun.” Will ripped the pistol out of Boyd’s hands and ran for the front door, the rest of the group staying close behind him.
Will stopped at the door, pressing himself against the wall. The rest of the group, well versed in military tactics via television shows and movies, followed suit. He took out a small flashlight and held up his hand before going in.
“I hope one of those things is hidin’ in there. Pop out and grab that son-of-a-bitch when he least expects it,” said Ronnie when Will was well out of ear shot.
“That’s not going to do anyone any good.” Kim replied. “Just shut up and wait for him.”
The inside of the cabin was in worse shape than the out. Three bodies were lying on the floor of the living room, they all had a single bullet wound to the head. Each of them were half eaten, bone sticking out as if they were dead for years.
Will covered his nose with his shirt and continued deeper into the cabin.
Checking the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, he was convinced it was all clear. But there was an extra doorway in the back that was locked. He kicked the door down, and was surprised when he almost fell down the stairs.
Scanning the stairwell with his light, he slowly made his way down. He stopped when he got to the bottom, and marveled at the huge metal door that stood before him.
“KIM! SHAUN! YOU GUYS NEED TO GET DOWN HERE.”
Kim and Shaun inspected the door. It was a huge seven-foot-tall steel vault door, with big metal hinges sticking out a foot from the frame.
“Don’t see that every day,” said Shaun.
“It must be some kind of fallout shelter. Who’s the crazy one now, huh?”
“We need to get in there,” said Will.
“Don’t you think we’re better off moving on? We don’t know what’s in there, not to mention the fact that we’ll never be able to get this door open,” said Kim.
“You always were one to give up too easily.”
Will took a step closer and inspected the wheel on the front of the door. There was a small combination wheel just above it.
“All we gotta do is get the combination.”
“Yeah, do we have anyone here who can pick a lock by any chance?”
“Won’t hurt to go ask.”
“It will if there are zombies out there who have eaten everyone.”
“Are there?”
“Probably not.”
“Well okay then.”
Kim didn’t know where it came from. She and Will used to play those kinds of games all the time growing up, offering up silly ‘what ifs’. But things were different now, at least she thought they were.
She climbed up the stairs and into the living room where people were starting to get comfortable, too comfortable for her liking. But she had no power with these people, just the way she liked it.
“Does anyone here know how to pick a lock? No? Of course not.”
She turned to go back down stairs as quickly as she came up when she heard someone say something behind her.
“Um, I can do it.” It was feint but distinct, and sounded suspiciously of the older variety.
“Winston? You can pick a lock? Actually pick it, not just kick it down or anything?”
“Are you asking because I’m old or because I’m missing an arm?”
Kim thought about it, social interaction wasn’t her best quality.
“Both.”
“I appreciate the honesty at the least.” He walked down the stairs past her.
“What’s he gonna do, rob a bank?”
“Shut
