They Walk

Chapter Seven

Everyone is in an instant frenzy, screaming and yelling. Kyle tries to push the man off him, but he just ends up hitting at the man’s back while he gnaws at him. As Kyle’s cries go weak, Adam is there pulling at the man, and when he doesn’t budge Austin and Alex are suddenly there to help. That’s when I notice something weird. The body that fell from the car, that I thought was dead, is now dragging itself over to the guys around Kyle.

It reaches out its bloody arm and pulls at Adams pant leg. So consumed in helping Kyle, he doesn’t notice until the body is completely upright. He turns at the last second, just in time for it to sink its teeth into his arm. Yelling, he rips his arm away and shoves it off him. It just growls at him and lunges, catching him by surprise they fall to the ground. He’s calling for help, as it tears into his throat. Some of the group from the yard rush over to help him, but he’s already stopped moving.

The thing on him rushes at a thin girl, and I have to look away and back to where Kyle is.

The guys with Kyle are still struggling to dislodge him, when he stops moving. The man pushes back and rushes at the nearest guy, Austin. He goes for his throat, but Austin sees him coming and jumps back. The man still reaches him though, and gets his shoulder instead. Austin pushes the man off him and he takes a chunk of skin with him. He barely has the strength to hold it off, as it lunges for him again, while holding his bleeding shoulder.

As Alex is about to assist Austin, Kyle sits up. Everyone in the living room takes in a breath, as he turns his head towards Alex who has stopped to stare at him. Kyle reaches for him, and faster than Alex can move, Kyle leans over and bites into his leg. Alex pulls back and knee’s him in the face knocking him back down. Alex is running toward Austin now, and Kyle is already getting to his feet.

When Adam is getting to his feet and attacks the nearest person by biting into them, everyone in the yard erupts into chaos. They are all running in different directions, and yelling for help that will never arrive in time. Some are going to assist they’re friends that are being attacked, but most are running for the cars and trying to leave.

Inside, we seem to having a delayed reaction. As if the mess outside isn’t really real. I feel frozen, not knowing if I should run or hide. I know I should want to help my friends, but my first instinct is to get away. Before I have time to even decide, Dan is running over to the fireplace in the corner I didn’t notice earlier, and grabs for a fire poker. He rushes out the door with Gabe, who is running from behind me. I hardly have time to think that he was so close to me and I didn’t even know when they are already making their way down the steps and into the yard. A guy in trunks covered in blood runs at Dan snapping his teeth, and not hesitating he swings the fire poker and knocks him out of the way.

Screaming I yell to Dan to come back, that it’s not safe.

Matt doesn’t make a move to help him, and he’s holding me too tightly for me to either.

In the seconds it took for me to glance from the window to Dan, the chaos outside multiplied. There are at least twenty dead people running around attacking. Friends are attacking friends, guys are running to they’re cars leaving their girlfriends bloody and screaming. Still leaning against Matt, I reach out my free hand to Maria who is shaking in terror. I might not be able to do much, but I can at least offer comfort.

But before she has a chance to take my hand, Matt pulls me to the door.