by MJ Ware
Chapter 4 – Zombie Snot
Misty stopped first. I took a couple more steps before turning to face her. "Come on."
I'd seen that look in her eyes twice today. Instantly, knots welled up in my stomach. "Miss, what's up?"
"Aaahh!" Her voice shook.
"What the—" I spun back around, thinking I knew what to expect. It had to be the guy who killed the dog. Even the mayor wouldn't freak Misty out like that.
The fur dangling from his bloody lips told me I was right, except it wasn't a guy. Whatever he or it was, one thing was sure, it was way past its expiration date.
I stepped into the shadow of a tall building so I could see the thing. Skinless, every inch covered in a sticky grayish-brown slime, like charcoal mixed with molasses. And the smell—burnt hair and rotten mayonnaise—even worse than the dumpster behind Harry's Indian and Sushi Hut.
I stood looking at it, completely freaked out. Then it dawned on me that it might be a good idea to get the heck out of there.
The words rattled as they came out, "Le-le-let's-go."
Misty's outstretched hand still pointed at the ghoul staggering towards us; I grabbed her hand and turned. Thankfully our legs worked. We ran eight or nine blocks and didn't stop until we got to her front porch.
"What was that?" Misty asked.
"I don't know." I tried to catch my breath. "I mean, I know, but I'm afraid to say."
Misty seemed winded, but calm, considering what we'd just seen. My knees wouldn't stop shaking.
"What? What do you think it was?" she demanded.
"It's obvious. That guy—err-thing—wasn't alive; it wasn't even all there. But it was taking a stroll down the street. It had to be a zombie."
"I knew you spent too much time watching that sci-fi channel."
"Okay, what's your explanation?" Now my hands were on my hips.
"I don't know." She had a lock of hair between her lips. "Maybe a chemical burn? That could be why they evacuated the town."
"Chemical burn? You can do better than that. That thing looked like part of it was still in the ground somewhere. Did you smell it? That wasn't barbecue I smelled—"
"Nate. I swear sometimes you're disgusting on purpose." She stomped her foot.
"Look, whatever it was, it's bad news. Let's go in, then figure out what to do."
I forced a smile. Misty blew a few stray hairs out of her mouth and said, "Yeah. Better get in before it comes back for dessert."