Days of the Flesh Eaters

Days of the Flesh Eaters

Zombie Warzone Book One

Santiago Creed

Published by Black Flagg Press, Inc.

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Santiago Creed

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.

Hi Aiden, Eddie, Cullen, Carter, & Emery!

*waves*

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

EPILOGUE

Prologue

What the hell? Why were so many people walking around outside this late? Looking at the clock on the microwave, it was 12:35am. I did a double check. Then looked out the window again. Something was definitely off about the way the people were walking. They all looked drunk. They were walking all over the place in random directions.

I was still a little groggy. It was at this point that someone started pounding on my front door. It was very loud. I turned on the porch light and looked out the peep hole. A man was banging against the door. With his entire body. His face was bloody and I could see a wound on his neck that was dripping blood.

I rubbed at my eyes to make sure I was awake and not dreaming, I looked out the peep hole again. The bleeding man was still there banging against the door. I decided to call 911. Then I remembered that my phone was in the back pocket of my jeans that I had left on the bedroom floor. That was one of Marie’s pet peeves. She was a neat freak. I did that just to tweak her. We’ve been married too long. Did I even still love her? It didn’t matter, we had a daughter, a home…welcome to middle age. I pushed aside the thought, it was depressing.

I ran up the stairs to get my phone. We had gotten rid of the land line phone years ago. Everyone in our family had a mobile phone. I dialed 911. Busy. I hit the redial, same response. Just great! I thought. I called my daughter’s phone and it was also busy. Then I called my wife’s phone to see if that would work. Nothing. The network must be down.

Marie, wake up!

She mumbled something and turned away from me. I shook her harder.

MARIE, WAKE UP! I shouted.

What time is it? Marie asked, rubbing her eyes. She opened her eyes and looked at me. You better have a good reason.

Something weird is going on outside!

Is someone at the door? Marie asked.

The noise was louder now. I walked over to the window and looked down. The front door was in a recessed area so that from our second floor window I had a good view of the man. The front door light was on, so I could see that his clothes were covered with blood.

There’s a man at the front door, I said. He’s bleeding.

What man? She asked, as she scrambled off the bed to stand at my side to look down at the man.

Look over there, I said, then pointed toward the street beyond our lawn.

Oh my god! My wife said.

For some time we both remained silent, stunned by what we were looking at. Why were there so many people up this late? Groups of people were converging on someone.

Homes were burning.

There was a car with its front end wrapped around a tree. Where were the police? Where was the fire department? My neighborhood was burning.

Is this a dream? I had to be dreaming. Maybe it was a lucid dreams. One of those dreams that were so lifelike that you thought you were awake.

Wake up! I told myself. Wake the fuck up! It didn’t feel like I was dreaming. I’ve never been in into the whole zombie apocalypse thing. After years of being forced to watch chick flicks with Marie, somehow I’d grown to like them. I’d never tell her that though!

I slapped myself, hoping that if I was dreaming, it would wake me up. Nothing changed.

Why did you slap yourself? Marie asked.

She had an alarmed look on her face. I turned back to look out the window. It wasn’t a dream–I was looking at–it was just so unfathomable that I didn’t want to believe it. So I pointed out the window.

More people joined the man at our front door. They all pounded on it trying to break it down.

Then one of them turned to look up, and she saw us. She broke away from the group and walked toward us. We were on the 2nd floor. There was no way she would be able to reach us.

What’s going on? My wife asked.

I don’t know, I said. But either I’m having a nightmare or we’re living the ‘Night of the Living Dead.’

Oh my god, Marie said. What about Jane? She’s out there!

Do you know where she went? I asked. The thought of her out there in that chaos, made me uneasy.

I turned to look at my wife when she didn’t say anything. She met my eyes, but remained silent. She looked like she was about to cry.

I sighed. Without any idea of where she could be, let’s hope that she finds a way to get home.

We can’t just leave her out there! Marie screamed.

What do you want me to do? I asked. Did you ask her where she was going?

My wife shook her head. She put her hands to her face and sobbed.

I was still mad at her for letting our daughter go out on a date without discussing it with me. It was so damn irresponsible. I wanted to tell her that it may have just cost our daughter’s life. But what would be the point? It wouldn’t change the situation. It was what it was. For better or worse, Jane would have to get home on her own.

Besides, there was no point arguing with Marie. I didn’t exactly marry her for her brains. She was still a stunner at forty.

Although, I didn’t agree with my wife about our daughter’s social life, she took after me. Which meant that she could take care of herself. I taught her to be strong and self-reliant. She didn’t have any issues with low self-esteem. Which was why she was such a handful. My daughter had a lot of self-confidence. And she had the brains to not put herself in a position where someone could take advantage of her.

And I made sure the boys that came around the house knew the consequences for that. There isn’t anything that I wouldn’t do for my daughter. God help anyone who hurts her, because I wouldn’t show them any mercy.

She would be fine. I hoped.

Did you try calling her cell? Marie asked.

The network is down. I couldn’t get through to 911 either.

We have to go find her! Marie cried.

Well, I wasn’t the one who gave her permission to go out on a date, I wanted to snap. But I knew better and kept my mouth shut.

For now, let’s hope that she can make her way home safely. I said. Going outside in that madness will just make the situation worse.

There were more people at my front door now.

Maybe they need help? Marie said, when she saw me looking at our unwanted guess.

It’s not just him, I said. There’s a lot of people outside, just walking around in the dark.

What’s going on? Marie asked, watching the mayhem. What’s that man doing over there?

I followed her gaze and saw a man hunched over something. It was dark and I could only see his silhouette. His head was moving up and down and he was definitely doing something unnatural.

I can’t see, it’s too dark. I lied. I knew exactly what he was doing. It was insane, but there was no need to alarm my wife needlessly. A thought was forming in my head. As impossible as it seemed . . . There was just no way. But there was no other rational explanation.

Was this the Zombie Apocalypse? The idea was just unbelievable.

Should we go over to check on Carol and Andy? Marie asked.

I don’t think that’s a good idea, I looked at their house across the street from us. The lights were off. I don’t think they’re home.

Turn on the TV maybe’s there’s something on the news, Marie said.

I got the remote from the nightstand next to my side of the bed and turned on the flat screen.

Do not leave your homes. I repeat, do not leave your homes. The governor has declared Marshall Law… The reporter had a 4 o’clock shadow and look like he hadn’t slept. I turned to look at Marie and saw the shock and confusion in her face that must have also been on mine.

What the hell is going on? I said.

I turned back to the TV. The footage broadcasting was from the previous afternoon. There had been mass rioting, one video focused on a man being dragged from his car that had crashed into a building. The mob pulled him from his car and swarmed over him. A few minutes later the attacking mob disperse and there was a pool of blood surrounding a body that had been torn apart. The man’s face and torso was ravaged. It looked like a wild animal had mauled him. What I was seeing didn’t make sense.

I switched from channel to channel. Every channel was reporting that there was some sort of outbreak worldwide. The people who were infected with the disease were attacking other people.

Jane’s out there in that madness. I said.

Oh my god. Marie said covering her mouth with both hands, eyes glued to the carnage on the TV.

This wasn’t a bad nightmare. It was truly happening in front of my eyes.

Chapter One

During the first days, armored vehicles and military trucks full of soldiers rolled through the streets almost nonstop, machine gun fire filled the streets day and night. I even saw a tank rumble pass my house. A fucking tank!

As the days passed they blurred into each other. It finally hit me that we were in this for the long haul. Two months had passed since the power went out. I have lost hope of it coming back anytime soon.

Those things are all over the streets now. I have moved my wife and daughter to the basement. I thought that we should minimalize our presence here.

Richard my next door neighbor came over to give me some news. He scared the shit out me knocking on the back door. At first I thought it was a looter. My backyard was fenced in by concrete walls, apparently the previous owner was into privacy. I’m 5’9", the walls went about an arm’s length over my head.

Richard and I get along well, even though he’s the president of the HOA. I can’t stand the HOA, never did get use to the idea of people telling me what I can or can’t do with my own property. Once I had to get permission to paint my house a different color. It took them over 6 months to approve the color change.

Richard is a down to earth guy, never had a problem with him. He’s the kind of guy that wants to be everyone’s friend. He likes to play the role of the peacemaker. Many of the people in our neighborhood decided to seek the shelter of the FEMA camps. That left their homes empty for looting by the diehards that decided to stay. I don’t