Dia of the Dead

by Brinson, Brit

  I checked outside once more to make sure nothing had changed. Everything seemed to be fine for the time being. I stepped out and beckoned Reagan to join me. We exchanged a nod and took off. The two of us bolted from the building—Reagan trailing behind a bit—and raced back to building Six, not encountering a single soul on the way. We burst through the doors of Six and dashed through the halls until we reached Props, stumbling into a situation already in progress.

  Brendan wielded a prop sword, jabbing it at a slowly advancing Joe. A piece of Joe’s scalp was missing exposing a portion of his skull coated in black goo. Kaci and Mason ran around the room trying to escape Taylor who chased them like a madwoman. Both of them had the same gray, mottled skin as BB and Amber.

  “They’re zombies!” I screamed, running into the room. Reagan stayed behind.

  “We kinda figured that out ten minutes ago when Taylor ripped out most of what was left of Joe’s hair—and ate it with some scalp attached! Get back! Back!” Brendan jabbed the sword at Joe who groaned, a stream of black ooze dripping from his mouth.

  “Aim for his head!” I yelled. That was very basic zombie knowledge. “Don’t get bitten!” I took a few steps back out of the room toward Reagan who had stopped outside the open door.

  “I’m trying,” Brendan said. “Jesus, this is hard.” He sidestepped to evade Joe and backed into a workstation. Joe grasped at him, grabbing the sword instead. The force of his grip bent the flimsy metal, rendering it useless. He snatched it out of Brendan’s hands and tossed it aside where it clanked on the ground. Brendan ducked beneath the table, disappearing from view. Joe paused. Brendan popped up on the other side of the table and threw a coffee canister at him. It bounced off Joe’s head and landed on the floor, covering it in the fake ashes.

  “We have to help,” I said to Reagan, who watched the scene in horror.

  “There’s no way in hell I’m going in there,” Reagan said.

  “Our friends are in danger.”

  “You want me to barge in there and save them from alleged zombies.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Not happening.”

  I stepped away from her—shaking my head— and ran inside the room to help our friends. My eyes darted from Taylor to Joe back to Taylor then to Joe again, and my mind ran down more of the zombie knowledge I had at lightning fast speed. They were two completely different types of zombies. Taylor moved with quick, jerky movements while Joe was as slow as molasses. It was confusing. The only thing they had in common was that they were both dangerous. I ran toward who I thought was the easiest of the two to take down, Joe.

  He still tried to advance on Brendan but the metal table between them made it difficult. He held his hands out in front of him like a sleepy mummy as he bumped into the workstation, inching it closer and closer to Brendan who was soon going to be pinned against the wall if he didn’t move. Brendan broke left, preparing to run but Joe blocked his path.

  “Crap.” Brendan stepped back and attempted to try the right. Once again, Joe blocked him.

  I turned to find Taylor. Kaci was trying to keep her from biting Mason. It seemed like they had a pretty good handle on things between the two of them. Joe bumped the table back further, pushing it into Brendan’s midsection as Brendan strained against it. I had to do something. If Joe had the strength Amber had, Brendan would be crushed.

  I found a piece of wood propped up in a corner and grabbed it, testing its weight in my hand. It was sturdy enough to get the job done. I charged Joe, swinging like a home run hitter. The wood met the back of Joe’s head with a crack— splintering into pieces. I was left holding a nub. My attempt at stopping Joe kinda, sorta worked. He groaned and did a slow turn.

  I was his new target.

  I dropped the piece of wood and backed away as Joe stalked forward, his head tilted to the left, spilling a bit of his brain onto the floor. Brendan freed himself from the table with the metallic screech of the table’s legs dragging against a tiled floor. He jumped onto the table then down onto the floor, breezing past Joe.

  “Run!” he screamed.

  EIGHT

  Taylor and Joe were on our tail as we ran from Props. In the chaos, the group split up. Kaci, Mason and I went one way while the others went another. The three of us were lost in the maze of hallways leading to the set with Taylor behind us. She was fast, growling and snapping at our backs as we tried to get away from her. We zigged and zagged through the halls, making quick turns to try and ditch her. But no matter how fast we ran, we couldn’t lose her.

  “Your shirt,” I said to Mason as we ran. He reeked of the overbearing cologne he wore to the party.

  “We need to lose her.” I pointed over my shoulder at Taylor. “I think she likes your cologne.” I was grasping at straws but it was worth a try to get her off our backs. “It’s all over your shirt. You have to get rid of it. Take it off.”

  He unbuttoned his plaid shirt as we ran, taking it off without question and handed it over to me. “Here.”

  “I don’t want it.” I wrinkled my nose.

  I tossed it over my shoulder and kept running.

  “I knew it,” Mason whispered to himself. He smiled brightly and pumped his fist. He took another look behind him. “Look at her. She can’t get enough of it. She’s totally into me.”

  He sighed. “I should’ve made a move when I had the chance.”

  I looked back at Mason. He bit his lip, lost in what was probably a gross daydream and didn’t notice the side-eye I gave him.

  Taylor growled. I peeked over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of her. The shirt covered her face. Seeing an opportunity, I ran faster. Mason kept up with my pace easier than Kaci who lagged behind, her face turning red and glowing with sweat. Taylor snarled. I looked back again. The shirt was on the floor. Her black eyes were on us as she leapt forward, restarting her run.

  We took a left and ran onto the darkened graveyard set. A few of the stage lights were on but it was still difficult to see. I kept running, heading toward a row of graves and noticed Mason and Kaci were gone. I was alone. I didn’t have time to worry about them, though; not becoming a zombie had taken priority.

  I ducked down behind one of the foam headstones only to realize nearly all of my body was exposed. I was extremely vulnerable attempting to hide behind something the size of a toddler like an idiot. I stood up, looking around for something else to protect me from Taylor. Her growls echoed in the room, making it seem like danger was everywhere. I spotted the graveyard’s mausoleum. Or rather, the large wood cutout of a mausoleum that was tucked in a corner of the set propped up by a few wood beams.

  I ran over to it as quietly as possible and squeezed into the tight space behind it. I lowered myself down to sit between the cutout and the wall painted to look like more graves resting on a hill. Taylor snarled from somewhere beyond my hiding spot. I pulled my legs closer to my body, moving them out of view.

  It seemed like I hid forever. Or it could’ve been a couple of minutes. Time was weird when your life was on the line. I felt like crying but even hushed sobs could make my location known. I had to keep it together. Taylor’s snarls and growls had gone quiet. I didn’t know if her silence was a good thing or a bad thing but I knew it was probably the right time to find Kaci and Mason and get the hell out of here. I scooted forward, pulled myself up to my feet, and shimmied toward the edge of the cutout. I peered around it, looking around the room. The place looked empty. I took a step out and was immediately pushed back in by a body heading toward me. The body blocked the entrance, jamming me up in the corner.

  They screamed. I shushed them.

  “Who the hell is this?” I whispered.

  “Dia?” they whispered back.

  “Mason?”

  “Yeah, it’s me.” He faced me, a slant of light shining on him from above. He brushed a stray dread aside.

  “Where’s Kaci?” I asked, noticing he was alone and still shirtless.

  He looked behind him. “She was with me a minute
ago—”

  A metallic clang rang out in the room followed by the rustling of movement and a low growl. Taylor hadn’t gone anywhere. I covered my mouth, slinking back into the shadowy corner and tried to be as silent and still as possible.

  “Dia, where are you?” Mason whispered craning his neck as if I’d disappeared into thin air.

  “Shhhh,” I hissed. “I’m like two inches away from you. Be still.”

  Instead of staying put, he moved closer to me.

  “I said ‘be still’. Stop. Moving.” I reached out toward him, putting my hand on his shoulder.

  There was another rustling noise closer than the one before. I went stiff as a board, too afraid to blink.

  A door creaked open and slammed shut. I waited another beat, listening for movement. The room was quiet.

  “I think the coast is clear,” I said.

  Another clang made me freeze again.

  “Maybe we should wait a bit longer.” I slunk back toward the corner.

  Mason moved a little closer to me. “Thanks for having my back back there with Taylor.”

  “No problem,” I said, wishing he’d shut up. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

  “Friends,” Mason chuckled quietly. “About that.” He inched closer, brushing his hand against my arm. “What’s up with us?” He motioned from himself to me.

  “Excuse me?” I recoiled.

  “Us. You….and me.” He filled in the space between us with his body.

  “What’re you talking about?”

  “I’ve seen you checking me out, Dia. You couldn’t keep your eyes off of me while we were running through the halls and—“

  “—Where’s this going?—“

  “—Where do you want it to go?” He winked.

  “Let me stop you right there.” I put my hand up, accidentally touching his chest. I snatched it away and dropped it at my side. “This is definitely not going where you want it to go.” I moved back again.

  “Why not?” He pouted.

  “Mason, you’re a nice-ish guy—I guess—but as I’ve said before, I’m not interested. At all. In no way, shape, or form do I think of you thatway. I don’tlike you like you.”

  He chuckled to himself. “You’re hilarious, Dia. I didn’t know you had such an awesome sense of humor. You are as funny as you are beautiful.” His voice dropped an octave when he said “beautiful.” It was almost as if he was about to croon one of those smooth R&B tunes my mom forced me to listen to whenever I was in the car with her.

  “Is this a joke or are you being serious?”

  “I’m one hundred percent serious. We’d make a nice-looking couple, don’t you think? Look at all of this.” He motioned to his abs, making one of his pecs jump then the other.

  “Stop while you’re ahead, Mason. This isn’t the time for this kind of nonsense—“

  “It isn’t? Seems like the best time to me. If wearedealing with zombies here, then this is usually the time people go for it. Attractive teenagers with raging hormones and junk in a stressful situation…this is when they get it on. Or at least when hot make out sessions happen. That’s how it works in all of the zombie movies I’ve seen. It’s very possible that we could be the last two people left on Earth. The fate of mankind or whatever could rest on our shoulders, Dia. Let’s get weird.” He inched even closer, staring at me with a hint of creeper in his eyes.

  “Oh my god.” I was completely grossed out. I curled my hands into fists as I tried to move farther away but I had nowhere left to go. I was backed into the wall. If he came any closer, I’d definitely deck him.

  “I’m not interested,” I said through clenched teeth. “Even if you were the last man on Eart—“

  My rant was cut off with a pair of soft, plump lips. Instead of the fireworks or foot-popping I expected to accompany my first real kiss, my face burned with anger. I pushed Mason away, wiping the taste of his cherry lip balm from my mouth in disgust. He fell over one of the beams but got right back up, smiling in the darkness.

  “I like my Latinas like I like my curry. Spicy.” He moved closer, puckering his lips. “You are Latina, right?”

  I drew back a fist, ready to punch him.

  “This is why you wanted me to forget about Mason, huh Dia? You wanted him all to yourself,” a voice said. Mason turned around toward the opening. Kaci stood beyond him, glaring at me with accusing eyes.

  “What? No. Kaci, I—“

  She held up her hand. “I don’t want to hear it. We’re no longer BFFs.” She spat and ran off.

  “Kace, wait.” I pushed Mason aside, stumbling over a beam and took off after her.

  She ran down the hallway. “Stop following me,” she snapped.

  “Kaci, no. Wait up. I can totally explain everything.” I jogged to keep up with her pace.

  “I don’t want to hear it. I knew you were after him. I knew it.”

  “Oh my god. What’s with everyone today? I don’t like Mason. Like at all. He’s shallow, self-centered, self-absorbed and— and—I think he’s gross. Ugh. Why would I want to date him of all people?”

  Kaci slowed down into a jog.

  I sped up to catch her then matched her pace as her jog became a brisk walk.

  “He kissed me. I was gonna give him a black eye but you popped up and started accusing me of trying to steal him. He’s all yours, honey. I want no parts of that. I don’t even think you should want any of that either to be honest.”

  “Hmph.” She folded her hands across her chest and put her nose into the air.

  “I’d never ruin our friendship over a guy. And definitely not over Mason Jackson. You have my word on tha—”

  A growl stopped me mid-argument. I stretched my arm to stop Kaci from walking. She huffed, moving it out of her way and marched on with her nose still high in the air like she hadn’t heard anything. Another growl was finally enough to shake her. She stopped.

  My stomach knotted. “Kaci, I think we better go.”

  A snarl ripped through the air.

  “This isn’t like some elaborate prank that’s being filmed and gonna be aired on TV in a couple months?” she asked.

  “I doubt it.”

  “We’re going to have to run again, aren’t we?” she whispered.

  “Uh-huh.” I nodded.

  “I need to do more cardio,” she sighed.

  We turned and ran.

  “Let’s go find Mason and the others. I think we’d be better off together,” I said. Kaci agreed.

  We returned to the set, walking toward the graveyard, quietly calling for Mason. With Taylor, Joe, and who knows what else roaming the building, we had to be careful. Mason didn’t answer us. Kaci and I turned to each other. From her worried eyes, I could tell we were thinking the same thing. And it wasn’t good.

  I tiptoed farther into the graveyard with Kaci not far behind.

  “Mason?” I called in a hushed tone, carefully walking across the fake grass toward the spot where I’d last seen him.

  I peeked behind the mausoleum. No Mason. We searched the rest of the cemetery and found nothing.

  “Maybe he went off to find the others already,” Kaci said.

  “Maybe.”

  I took a few steps backward and scanned the graveyard. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as the feeling of being watched crept over me.

  “Kaci, it’s time to go. Mason’s probably with the others by now like you said.”

  “But what if he isn’t. If he’s still here, we can’t just leave. He may be a jerk, but I don’t want anything bad happen to him.”

  “Maybe we should find the rest of the group first then go look for him together. I think that’d be a better idea.”

  I didn’t have to say anything else to Kaci to get her out of the graveyard. She agreed that finding the group would be best. Taylor hadn’t been sighted but that didn’t mean she wasn’t somewhere looking for someone to gnaw on. I had to be on my toes as we headed off the set.

  “There he
is!” Kaci pointed at the doors leading into the hallway.

  I looked through the glass. Mason stood in the hallway staring at himself in one of the large mirrors that were placed in the most random places in the halls of the building. He tilted his head left then to the right then he pressed his lips against his reflection, kissing it…kissing…himself.

  “I don’t think we should be watching this,” I said. “This seems pretty…uh…private.”

  Mason pressed his lips to the mirror again. Then again and again, each time with a little more intensity. He was extremely close to full on making out with the mirror before I had to look away. Kaci, on the other hand, moved closer to the glass to get a better look.

  “Maybe we should go get him now,” I said.

  “What was it like to kiss him?” she asked, not looking at me. Her eyes were locked on Mason’s Mason-on-Mason make out session.

  “Gross.”

  “What? Gross? He’s not a good kisser?”

  “He’s not a bad kisser. He’s just—I— I don’t really want to talk about the kiss anymore. I’d very much like to repress the memory and pretend it never happened.”

  Kaci sighed, fogging up the glass. “I was hoping Deuce and Addison would get a kiss next season. It would be a Bixby Network first, an actual onscreen kiss. Then maybe he’d like it so much that he’d ask me out in real life.” She sighed again.

  I made a face. “Uh…let’s go get him so we can go find the others.”

  She pushed the door open and ran over to Mason who was still planting kisses on the mirror. I followed.

  “Mason,” Kaci said. “I’m not mad at you for kissing my best friend or anything. I promise. I mean, this was probably all just a big misunderstanding,” she chirped.

  Mason ignored her.

  “Mason, I said I’m not upset. I’m totally not mad at you for making out with Dia.” Her tone could give someone diabetes.

  “Though I probably should be,” she muttered.

  Mason kissed himself again.

  “Hello,” Kaci sang. “Earth to Mason. I’m over here talking to you and you’re ignoring me. Mason!” Kaci touched his arm. “Mason?”

  He lashed at her, leaving a reddening line down the length of her arm. She screamed and took a few steps away from him, running her fingers down her arm where tiny beads of blood began to appear on the surface of the scratch Mason left behind.