For an explanation of what this is and the background, please see After the Flesh - Pith - 001.
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(Previously, from After the Flesh - Pith - 003)
The Runner starts to lose its grip and turns its attention towards you now. You can see that it is trying to talk, but no sound is coming out. It reaches for you, and you take the moment to slam on its other hand with the tire iron in desperation. Its wet hold finally breaks, and it falls to the street. It rolls and immediately gets back up and starts running for you again. But your car is going too fast now, and you can see it fading in the distance.
You manage to close the back door and sit back in the car, listening to Roger sobbing and lamenting in the back seat, holding his groin. “My Eve is still alive. My poor Eve…”
You hear Sharon softly mutter “Roger, you’re a moron and your house knows it.” She looks sideways at you and you both laugh a little too hard.
You drive past Emergency vehicles that are heading to the cemetery you just escaped. You notice a group of people under an awning at a bar standing there smoking and watching where the sirens were heading.
(and now...)
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After the Flesh - Pith - 004
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Your morals battle your survival instinct as you try to decide whether you warn others or gather supplies and race home. Before you can register that you’re doing it, you say “Sharon. Stop. We need to warn them.” You set the tire iron down on the floor of the car.
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Sharon looks at you like you are crazy, but she is already decelerating the car, apparently having the same internal battle you are. She comes to a stop in front of the bar, but she doesn’t take it out of Drive and she is riveted to watching the mirrors for signs of pursuit from the Runner. You step out of the car, but you keep the door open and your hand on it, also darting glances back towards where the Runner was coming from. The rain is clearing up, you notice.
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“Hey, uh… folks,” you stammer as you come to realize what you are about to tell a group of people. That it is going to sound nuts and probably won’t be heeded, but you must try. You push forward. “I know this is going to sound … unreal, but those emergency vehicles are responding to … uh… zombies at the cemet...” Your voice trails off as they stare at you incredulously.
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“You kneed me in the balls!” you hear Roger shout from his prone position laying on the back seat.
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At that, the group of smokers start to laugh. One pats you on the shoulder and says, mockingly, “nice try.” You feel your frustration rise as they continue to make fun of you. One checks their phone and scoffs “Look! No Emergency alert for the Zombie Apocalypse!” Another snidely says “I sure hope they don’t adjust the Doomsday Clock! Can anyone else NOT hear the Air Raid sirens?”
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A police car races by, sirens blaring and lights going. Another patron shouts out after it, “Careful Copper! You are about to fight Zombies!”
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The group laughs again and then their laughter fades. The cop car comes to a stop, screeching sideways, as if they hear the patron mocking you. But they saw what you are all seeing now; the Runner in the middle of the road, running towards you, clothes more tattered, neck and chest bloody and torn. Mouth working silent words.
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“Well, that doesn’t look like a zombie,” another patron says matter-of-factly. As she says that, the Runner stops running and starts to walk in the slow cadence everyone has come to associate with the undead. After a moment of silence, she flatly states, “NOW it looks like a zombie.” The man beside her nods knowingly.
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“I think you damaged them!” Roger whines from the back seat. You hear Sharon say, “Shut up Roger.”
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The Officers walk towards the Runner, hands on guns and their arms outstretched, saying something to it. It just keeps walking towards you, intent on your car as it’s target. “Why isn’t it running,” you ask quietly to no one. “It should be running.”
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“Someone get me some ice for my balls!” Roger shouts. Exasperated, you turn towards the car and yell “Roger! Enough about balls! There are more important things happening!” He whimpers and shuts up and you turn back to see that one Officer has gotten close to the Runner.
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The Officer’s hand rests lightly on the zombie’s shoulder, the Policewoman attempting to deescalate. The zombie reaches up slowly and grabs her arm, and then uses it’s other arm to grab the Officer by the back of the neck with surprising speed. She tries to pull away, but the zombie pulls her in quickly and strongly, and … bites her eye. You can’t see the gore, but you can hear her terrified and pained scream. The other Officer pulls his gun, crouches slightly, and starts firing upwards into the centre mass of the zombie. It doesn’t even notice.
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The Runner’s mouth goes back in, driving its face into her eye socket, while she futilely tries to get away, shrieking. It looks like the Runner is scooping out flesh and blood with its tongue, consuming what it can get. It stops for a moment, dropping the flailing, dying Officer, bullets tearing into its torso. It raises its head in a silent scream and brings its gaze back on you. And starts running again.
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“Shit!” you blurt, as you jump back into the car. Sharon is already driving. The bar group is standing there in shock. The Runner… no, the SPRINTER is coming straight for you, ignoring everyone else. As you pull away, you see a drunk couple stumble out the bar and start walking across the street, right in front of the Sprinter. The awning group is in too much shock to stop them. You’re a safe distance away and the gap is growing further.
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What is the next step?
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Thank you to everyone who is getting involved in this, both the folks from the beginning and the newcomers. I am loving all the comments and interactions and even the folks just reading and liking. It makes this worthwhile for me and I really hope you are enjoying it!
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Check out the next part, AFTER THE FLESH - PITH - 005
