The Undead the Second Week Compilation Edition Days 8-14

by RR Haywood

  She laid down panting hard. Then a big thing came. She had been inside the big things before when the pack leaders took her somewhere different. She knew they would go the place with the big salty water and the soft ground and she would be able to jump in the salty water with the little one.

  The big thing had to move slow as it couldn’t go over the bodies she had killed. Then it was not moving and people were coming out of it. They made noises and went towards the little one. She watched them but sensed no danger. They didn’t have the hunger of the things and the noises they made were soft and nice. She let them touch the little one and watched as the little one clutched at them and more liquid fell from his eyes.

  One of them took the little one into the big thing. A man stayed and looked at the bodies then at her. The man seemed to know she had killed the things and he bent down and looked closely into her eyes, his face calm but he smelled of fear too. The man stroked her head and looked back at the big thing. She sensed he was unsure of something, she could feel his indecision. He looked back down at her and pulled some material out. He wiped her mouth and looked at the blood on the material then shook his head. He stroked her head and went over to the big thing. She knew they were taking the little one away. The male was the leader of another pack. They wanted the little one but not her. The little one needed a strong pack to survive so she sat down to show she accepted this.

  The male stopped at the big thing and looked at her. She lay down to show she understood that they should take the little one into their pack. The little one needed to be with his own kind. He moved his face up and down a few times. He conveyed a message. He would protect now.

  The big thing moved off and she was alone.

  She went back inside the den simply because she knew there would be water. She drank. She drank all of the water and then ate the food that was left. Once she was finished she walked round the den, going into each room and savouring the scent of the pack. She lay down in the place the little one slept. She felt sadness and wanted to be close to the smell of him.

  The dog was tired but this was not the place to sleep. She jumped down from the bed and moved to the door. Looking back and breathing in deeply. With a soft whine she went down the hill and walked over the bodies of the things she had killed.

  Outside she moved away from the den, keeping to the shade and listening for the sounds of the things. She heard them often and scented them more.

  She sensed the hunger, the predator in them. She knew if they found the little one, they would kill him. So she killed them first. She was strong and fast. She was almost as heavy as them too. She had power and speed, sharp teeth and a strong neck. They were no match for her and she took advantage of this.

  By the end of that day she had killed many. Leaving a trail of savaged bodies behind her. She killed them in groups, in couples, hordes and on their own. She found water and drank and kept moving.

  She saw people too. Running and hiding. She saw one fighting the things and attacking them with something in his hands. She helped the man and took several down with him.

  Then one of the things bit him. She killed the thing and watched the man on the ground holding his neck. She sensed the life leave his body while he stared at her. His hand stretched out to touch her face. She let him ruffle the hair and his hand dropped down. Then his life came back but it wasn’t his life. It was something else. He wasn’t the same as he was. His eyes were those of the things. He smelled of them. He had that hunger. She killed him quickly.

  As the light went and the dark came she heard them make noise. It made the hairs on her neck stand up. She cocked her head and listened as all around her the things howled into the darkness. She sensed the change before she saw them. That hunger was strong now. They moved quickly like they did before.

  She heard them running. She waited in the shadows, watching a pack of them moving past her. They had prey in their sights and were chasing it. She was dark too. Her pack leaders used to call for her in the grounds of the den and she knew they couldn’t see her. She used this as she ran alongside this pack with long easy strides and watching them. Then she moved out and took one down. Savaging its neck and tearing the life from it. She caught the pack up and took them down one by one.

  She felt the tiredness slowing her down. She moved away from the area of the hard ground where the people lived and moved into the soft ground. She found water running in a stream. She drank the water. She pushed herself into bushes and found a hole to lie down.

  The dog felt a different sensation inside her. A strange feeling that made her stomach gurgle and her heart beat faster. She felt hot and panted heavily as her eyes rolled in her head.

  She closed her eyes and slept.

  THREE

  DAY ONE

  ‘CUT! Paco that was brilliant, absolutely brilliant.’

  ‘Say, was it okay? I mean was it good?’

  ‘Paco it was pure art and perfectly executed.’

  ‘I don’t mind doing another take to make it perfect. I should have lifted the eyebrow more.’

  ‘Paco are you crazy, it was perfect. The eyebrow was perfect.’

  ‘Really? I’m not sure…can I see the playback?’

  ‘Now? You wanna see it now?’

  ‘I could have got more out of it; …maybe the other eyebrow instead?’

  ‘Okay, get the playback ready. Your angle was fine Paco.’

  ‘ I was walking in the street right? I was expecting something to happen, just not that. I wasn’t expecting that to happen. So the show of surprise has to be mixed with one of expectancy right? Well that look always comes better from the other eyebrow.’

  ‘Can you see the monitor Paco? There you are, walking through the town. Smoke and debris littered everywhere right? Your walking through and then bam! There it is, right in front of you. Now…here we go...close up and bam! The head tilts back…the eyebrow lifts… bam! it’s perfect, Paco it’s perfect, you look perfect.’

  ‘You think?’

  ‘What? You’re Paco Maguire; you look perfect in every scene.’

  ‘Maybe I shouldn’t look so perfect Bob, you know this is Armageddon so maybe I should look a bit less….you know….perfect.’

  ‘Paco if we covered you in mud and shit you’d still shine; you’re a star Paco, a gleaming star surrounded by the end of the world, death, suffering and disease…’

  ‘I get it Bob, but hey if this is the end of the world then shouldn’t I look a bit…you know…rougher…’

  ‘Rougher?’

  ‘Maybe tougher?’

  ‘Tougher?’

  ‘Rougher and tougher?’

  ‘Oh rougher and tougher…I see what you mean Paco and you know what? I’m glad you raised it. But this is the start of the event so you get rougher and tougher as it goes on, you can’t start off rough and tough…there’d be no transition.’

  ‘Transition?’

  ‘Yeah Paco, you need a transition. You’re an everyday guy right? You’re looking for your family right? So why would an all American everyday guy start off looking rough and tough. That comes later when you….well when you have the transition.’

  ‘Transition. Right. So is that like a montage or something?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘The transition Bob, how are we doing the transition? I’m thinking a montage.’

  ‘A montage?’

  ‘Yeah, show the character transiting…’

  ‘Transitioning.’

  ‘Yeah transmissioning…you know, like old school Rocky.’

  ‘Paco, did you read the script?’

  ‘What? Of course I read the script, what are you saying Bob? This is a creative flow.’

  ‘No, no Paco, the idea is great. I love it! It’s great that you have these ideas. Isn’t it great that Paco has these ideas? I said it was going to be great working with Paco cos he has these ideas, didn’t I say that? See I said that. It’s just that, you know…we have the script and everything is already in place.
The studio might not like the idea of us moving away from the script.’

  ‘I can talk to the studio Bob; you want me to get my people to speak with the studio?’

  ‘No! I mean no Paco, you’re in the creative flow right now and we need you focussed Paco, we want nothing distracting you from the creative genius you have. Why don’t you get some rest and we’ll prep for the next…’

  ‘You sure Bob? It’s a phone call; I get my people to speak with your people. If you want a montage then we get a montage.’

  ‘I tell you what Paco, we’ll speak to our people and get someone to get back to your people but hey buddy…Paco…We need you sharp and ready, you gonna be ready?’

  ‘I’m ready Bob?’

  ‘You sure Paco? The trailer okay? You got everything you need?’

  ‘The trailer’s fine Bob, I’ll get ready.’

  ‘You do that Paco…jeesh! Actors…I mean I know the guy is grossing big right now but did you hear him? A fucking montage? What is this the fucking eighties? Like the studio is gonna go for a fucking montage, hey Bob…do you think I should have lifted the other eyebrow…jeesh! Get ready for the next scene…where are my zombies? Hey where the fuck are my zombies?’

  Paco walks through the film set casually nodding a greeting at the horde of zombies stood next to the catering truck, drinking coffee and smoking while taking care not to damage the make-up applied to their faces. Layers of latex twisting their features into gruesome bone exposing blood soaked undead.

  ‘Hey guys, you look great,’ Paco calls out with a thumbs up, getting a round of twisted macabre smiles in response.

  ‘Damn it’s hot,’ he mutters as he reaches the trailer door. Leaving the door open behind him he pauses in front of the full length wall mirror. The mirror that he insisted was present so he could check his reflection before leaving the trailer every time. He casts an appreciative glance at his form. Solid upper body, bulging chest muscles and wide shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist. Huge beefy arms looking even bigger within the too tight stretch top. He smiles to show his perfect gleaming straight teeth and dark tussled hair giving him that all American appeal. Women loved him. Men loved him. Everyone loved him. He knew it. His agent knew it and the studio knew it better than all of them which is why they were more than happy to agree to any demand he had.

  ‘Hey can I get costume in here?’ Paco leans his head out of the trailer and shouts into the general bedlam of the set, knowing full well he would have been heard. Two minutes later a breathless but attractive young lady knocks on the open door.

  ‘Mr Maguire? You called for costume sir?’ the girl calls out.

  ‘Hey yeah…wow yeah Hi,’ Paco smiles down at the woman and held his hand out, helping her up into the vehicle, ‘who are you?’ Paco winks, tensing his bicep muscles as pulls the girl up.

  ‘I’m Jenny,’ the girl replies. She had been warned exactly what to expect from Paco but still felt herself becoming star struck in the presence of the man, she smiles back and stands there staring at his perfect teeth and dark sparkling eyes.

  ‘Well I’m glad they sent you Jenny,’ Paco beams knowing the effect he’s having.

  ‘Me too,’ she murmurs quietly.

  ‘Say Jenny, maybe you can help me with something…’

  ‘Anything Mr Maguire.’

  ‘Hey call me Paco, I’m one of you. Sure I’m the big name actor,’ he smiles, making finger quote marks, ‘but the cast and crew are the same Jenny, we’re all in this together.’

  ‘Er…okay Paco,’ Jenny nods eagerly. Her first week on set of a major Hollywood financed movie and already she was in a luxury trailer with The Paco Maguire.

  ‘Say Jenny,’ Paco began, emphasising his American drawl knowing these English girls always fell for it, ‘do you think this top is tight enough?’ he steps in close and turns side on to the girl, straightening his arm to tense his triceps muscle. The rock hard horseshoe bulging under his skin, ‘I’m not sure if it’s showing the guns off enough, what do you think Jenny?’

  ‘Oh…’Jenny replies, captivated by the size of the muscle and the carefully tanned skin.

  ‘See here,’ Paco pushes his finger up inside the sleeve, pulling it away from his skin, ‘I think the sleeve is a little loose, they should be tighter yeah? Here you try.’ He lifts her hand to push her slender finger under the material. She breathes heavily as she feels the hardness of his muscle. They told her he would do something like this, and wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself but still…he was Paco Maguire…and he looked so good.

  ‘Do you think it’s too loose?’ he asks softly.

  ‘Yeah,’ she whispers paying more attention to his arm muscles than the actual tightness of the material.

  ‘I knew it,’ he nods, promptly pulling the top off, exposing his rock hard abs and defined chest, ‘can you get me a smaller size?’

  ‘Oh my…’Jenny wheezes at the sight of one of the world’s most famous six packs.

  ‘What?’ Paco says in surprise, ‘oh you mean these,’ he runs his hand down the washboard muscles.

  ‘Wow,’ Jenny stares at the smooth skin plunging down into the top of the trousers.

  ‘You like them? Yeah they’re pretty famous. More famous than me I think sometimes,’ he laughs, ‘here, wanna touch them?’ Her hand shoots out faster than she intended to start feeling the warm rock hard muscles.

  ‘Well that ain’t fair,’ Paco murmurs softly, ‘you gotta let me have a turn too.’ He slips his hands under her denim shirt, running his fingers up her not so defined stomach. Within a second his hands have pulled the front of her bra down, cupping her breasts. Jenny hardly notices as she strokes his stomach, barely believing that she was inside the trailer with Paco Maguire and getting her tits touched up.

  Precisely two minutes later she’s on her knees in front of him as he rests against the end of the sofa, pushing the back of her head firmer into his groin. Exploding with a grunt he holds her head in place for a few seconds until she pulls away coughing and spluttering.

  ‘Wow Jenny... that was so good,’ Paco smiles down at the girl. He tenderly lifts her up and uses a tissue to wipe the mess from her face. He doesn’t care for the girl but he knows from years of experience that he now has a regular supply of sex as long as he shows some kindness, ‘now be a good girl and get Paco a new top hey,’ he pats her behind as he steers her towards the door, Jenny still wiping her face and not quite believing what just happened.

  Smiling to himself he closes the door and walks through to the back of the trailer. Using the power shower to rinse himself off and the soft Egyptian cotton towels to gently dry his perfect skin.

  Friday night in England and he hadn’t expected it to be this hot. No air and he hated the thought of looking sweaty and red faced, apart from when the time came to look sweaty and red faced but that would be carefully contrived from the make-up girls and not from any real physical exertion. He was fit, he had to be to have a physique like this but that was done in the privacy of a gym with a team of trainers and nutritionists.

  He dresses into a clean pair of trousers that exactly matched those he had worn previously, then busies himself making a fresh latte from the brand new coffee machine.

  ‘Hi Paco…I got your top for you,’ Jenny knocks on the door, grinning up at the Adonis stood there holding a coffee cup.

  ‘Well gee Jenny that’s just great, you know I knew we’d get along well, here you want some coffee?’ He asks taking the top from her and casually throwing it over one muscled shoulder.

  ‘Er…well we’ve got the catering truck out here and the producer said we shouldn’t….’

  ‘Hey forget that producer, get in here and have a decent cup of java with me, I promise I won’t rat you out,’ he smiles and helps her inside, making a scene of squinting outside to make sure no one was looking and quickly closing the door. She giggles as he presses buttons on the coffee machine.

  ‘So Jenny, tell me about you,’ he asks handing her th
e cup and staring intently into her pale blue eyes that might as well have had hearts instead of pupils.

  ‘Well, oh gosh…er…well I was at university studying fashion and then I got the degree and a friend of mine had this business and said I should come work for her…oh my god I’m babbling…’

  ‘That is so interesting Jenny,’ he nods, ‘are you enjoying it?’ Paco couldn’t care less if she was enjoying it. He enjoyed sex with women and she was a woman. That was it. He had been through the days of arrogance and knew that a few kind words would have the girl dropping to her knees whenever he asked.

  ‘Oh gosh well yes it’s so exciting! This is the first movie I’ve worked on and everything is so fascinating. I really had no idea how all these things were done….’ She drones on holding her cup in two hands with her feet crossed at the ankles. Paco nods and murmurs to show he’s listening while eyeing her shapely legs and savouring the image of later when he would be naked between them.

  ‘Paco, you’re needed on set, they’re ready for the next scene,’ a voice calls from outside the trailer.

  ‘Got it,’ Paco calls back, ‘hey Jenny I’m real sorry we got to cut this short but you know…duty calls,’ he shrugs as though it’s a bad thing while pushing his arms through the top and pulling it down over his torso. Jenny plonks her coffee cup down and rushes over to help him with the now far too tight top. They get it down and she stands back to look at the material clinging to his frame. He was right though. The tighter top did suit him. Without an ounce of fat on his body it was like a second layer of skin.

  ‘Gosh you look so good Paco,’ she purrs.

  ‘Gee thanks Jenny,’ he flashes her a big smile, ‘now I’ll go out first and you wait a couple of minutes and sneak out after. We don’t want that producer getting all antsy now.’

  ‘Okay,’ she replies eagerly, desperate to impress him.

  ‘Enjoy the coffee Jenny,’ he winks, opening the door and walking out, leaving her swaying on the spot.