The castle was owned by some rich lord who had settled in this town, and some of the townspeople had worked at this place to make a living. I knew that if I wanted to find a valuable weapon somewhere, it was going to be in that building.
When I came there, dead bodies were all over the floor. It was horrible. The sight of it was terrible. And I think I even got a little upset when I saw them. I stepped over them and entered the castle. The bridge was broad open, and so was the gate. I looked around and tried to determine where the best place would be to find a weapon to defend myself.
I went downstairs and looked some more till I found the armory. Racks with axes, spears, and bows were leaning against the walls, making my dream come true.
" Oooh, nice," I said when I picked up an axe with ornaments and a shiny surface area. I put it down and looked for the perfect weapon to wield. I was going to be very picky, because I knew I could not take all of them with me.
But then I heard something. The door opened and a creepy zombie stood in front of me. It was the very first time I had seen a zombie. It was a terrifying experience. I have to admit that I wasn't entirely prepared for this. It was a female, and the flesh on her face and arms was hanging loose. It was very gross and it was the least attractive image of woman I would ever see. And now it was out to kill me. She came right at me.
" Creeaaaah!" she shrieked, holding her arms and claws in my direction.
She knocked me over.
I fell backwards.
The female zombie was on top of me, trying to bite me, but then I managed to get my feet up and push her in the stomach, from me, so that she would fall backwards. Before I could blink my eyes, I saw a blade from the armory impale her. She had fallen onto it and had now become a dead zombie.
I stood and brushed off the dust from my body. Then I looked at the weapon that had killed my foe.
It was a golden sword.
It was gorgeous.
I didn't know why I hadn't seen this blade previously, but now that I had, I fell for it. It would become my main weapon, specifically since it had inadvertently saved my life. I put the sheath on my back and looked like a real warrior. I practiced pulling it out and putting it back in for a few minutes and went outside.
And after that I saw her ... the total opposite from the monstrous monster I had just ruined.
The stylish girl standing in front of me was the ultimate charm. Her long, blonde hair was waving in the wind and she was leaning on one hip with a pickaxe in her hand, and it was dripping with blood. She looked at me, and I knew at that moment that the extreme ugliness I had experienced in the castle was hell before paradise. Wow! Could there be any animal on the face of the planet who looked more gorgeous than this girl?
" My name is Melody," she calmly said. "Great sword. Where did you get it?"
" At the armory," I said. "There are more weapons if you want any."
" I'm good," she said. "Thanks though. I have just become pretty good with this pickaxe, and I am beginning to like it."
She looked down at a zombie that was attempting to get up, moaning greatly.
" I told you to stay down and die!" she shouted as she thrust her pickaxe in the zombie's neck.
After that, he made no more sounds. I was shocked. For a girl this cute she certainly had experience when it came to eliminating zombies.
" You're pretty brutal," I said laughingly.
" Yeah? Well, I have been doing it for a while. In case you have not discovered, they are all over."
" I have actually, but I just made my very first kill."
She chuckled a little. I wasn't certain if she was being sarcastic or friendly, but it was kind of amusing. "Congratulations," she said. "Prepare yourself to kill more of them. There is no scarcity of these revolting monsters."
" Sounds about right," I said. "By the way, where are you going? If you want, we could take a trip together."
" Sure," she said. "But you better not get in my way. And if you turn into a zombie, I won't hesitate to chop your head off. Nothing really personal."
" Oh, I understand. Well, I am trying to find a colony of survivors."
" Good idea," she said. "You never know if someone else may be out there."
And that's the moment the other 2 showed up.
" Oh my, did you just kill those zombies?" Darcey asked when she walked towards us.
" Some of them, yes," was Melody's response.
" Are-are you guys warriors?" Darcey asked.
" I have been training a lot since the outbreak," Melody said. "But he just got his first kill."
" Good," Liam said. "I began killing some the other day. It's a thrill, and I don't even feel guilty about it."
" I don't want to kill," Darcey said. "Why is this happening?"
" Well, honey, you'll need to, whether you like or not," Melody said. "If you don't kill them, they will kill you. It's as simple as that. Here, take a shovel. Then you'll at least be able to take them out when they run at you."
Unwillingly, Darcey accepted the weapon Melody handed her. Liam stood next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry, girl. I will look after you. I have an axe and it's upset."
From that moment on, I already knew our whole trip was going to be like this. And that's pretty much how we met each other.
Chapter 6: Risky
Back to the plains. We were walking and walking ... it took forever and ever. We hid under a giant rock, taking turns standing guard during the night. And we did the exact same thing the next day and the next day. We had enough water to make it all the way through these empty landscapes, but in the end, we had to economize, as our resources were running out.
Ultimately, we saw something though: The shape of a town.
" Good," I said. "Finally. Perhaps we can fill up on water and food there."
" I'm tired. I long for a bed," Darcey said.
I could tell that Liam was exhausted too by the way he was walking, but he tried to look tough and walk up straight in order to impress Darcey. Still, he was slumping over a little. It was funny.
When we came to the village, it was awfully silent.
" I do not like it," Melody said. "Something's wrong."
" It's not that weird for it to be quiet," I said. "We've been to many deserted towns. How is this one any different?"
" I do not know. It's a hunch. Call it female intuition if you will, but there is something fishy going on here. Just be prepared for anything."
" I don't feel anything," Darcey said.
We didn't comment on that. We let it go and got our weapons all set. When we looked up, we saw it.
Zombies were all gathered on the roofs, lying in wait to assault us. They were everywhere ... hundreds of them, and they all climbed up on the homes to assail us. When they noticed that we saw them, they all jumped off instantly.
" It's just raining zombies!" I screamed.
" Let's get out of here!" Liam screamed.
" To the opposite side of the village. Rush!" Melody said.
We ran and ran, and evaded zombies that were falling out of the sky. Some of them hit us a little, making us deviate from our straight course, but the majority of them really missed.
" Ouch!" I said when a zombie scratched me with its claws.
" Take that!" Melody said, cutting him open like a fish.
" Thanks," I said.
" Don't mention it. Now, let's keep going!"
We kept running. I saw Darcey and Liam kill several zombies behind us, and Melody was leading the way, trying to guide us through to leave this evil snare.
" Therein!" she screamed. She pointed at an airtight home with no windows and a steel door. We followed her inside and held the door shut. "Check if there is any way to get in upstairs," she commanded. We went upstairs, but everything was sealed, as if someone was attempting to be a hermit or something.
" Great home," I said. "I would not want to live here though."
The others concurred.<
br />
We could hear the spooky sounds made by the zombies outside the door. We put a beam halfway the door, just to lock it more tightly. We heard the zombies scratch and bite, but none of them could come in.
" How long are we going to be here?" Darcey asked.
" Till they leave," I said. "And seeing how eager they are to get to us, that could be a looooong time."
Chapter 7: All New
We sat there for hours, thinking about methods to get out of the home undetected to bypass the zombie crowd. But we could not find a way. Even Melody sat down and rested her arms on the pickaxe. She sighed. It was hopeless, and she knew it along with everybody else.
We just looked in front of us, not saying a word. This went on for a while.
Then suddenly, when it started to become dark outside, we heard another noise.
" Blasted zombies! You won't get far away from me so easily!"
It was a low voice. It had to be a man. But we didn't know who. All we knew, was that when we took a quick peek, we saw zombies being thrown up in the air and blood squirting all over the place.
" Let's help him out," Melody suggested.
All of us stood and started fighting the zombies. When we slashed through a few of those monstrous creatures, we saw a man with a sword.
" The name's Bart," he said. "Those wicked scoundrels thought they had me, but I pretended to be dead and got my vengeance. Now, let's get out of here, before their little friends will jump off the roofing systems again."
It was apparent that not all zombies had been hanging out at the front door, and that some of them had left. This gave us the opportunity to run out of town.
" Do we know where we are going?" I asked.
" I have a respectable idea," Bart said. "Follow me!"
He sprinted towards the opposite side of the village and showed us the rock in front of us.
It was Elephant Rock!
Ha!
It looked exactly like an elephant. Odd.
" We have to turn left," Melody said. "That's where they said the colony would be."
" Well, how do you know it's on the left side? I see a course causing the opposite side," the retired soldier said.
" We found a notepad that said they would be there," Melody insisted. "So we need to go left."
" But what if they meant a left turn originating from the other side?" I asked.
She scratched her head. I guessed she had not thought about that before. She sought to the left. There was a large, empty desert with more rocks in sight. Then she aimed to the right. Trees had popped out of the ground, there was a little creek, and a path leading through the trees to an even greener area.
" I have determined we should go right instead," she said sheepishly.
" Good decision," all of us concurred.
We went left and looked back occasionally. The zombies were still after us. How were we going to endure this? Sooner or later, they would catch up.
But all of a sudden, we saw little homes constructed of wood. Villagers from the homes ran towards us and safeguarded us.
" Are you fine?" one of them asked.
" We are fine, but the zombies are chasing us," I said.
When he looked, he ordered all capable guys to get their weapons and march forward. I watched in awe as an army of villagers took their rakes, pitchforks, shovels, machetes, swords, and axes, and beat those pathetic zombies down. Our opponents didn't stand a chance against these strong men. It was only a matter of minutes before the last zombie was slashed by a brave man from the village.
" It's good to have you here," one of them said as they came back.
But I didn't pay much attention. I saw some familiar faces. Could it hold true? No. Impossible. After all that hoping and combating and running ...
" M-mom?" I said.
One of the villagers turned around.
It was mother!
" Mother!" I exclaimed.
" Jake!" she said as she accepted me.
Shortly after, my dad came towards us.
" I am proud of you, boy. You have grown up a lot, and I don't just mean physically. I can tell."
" Thanks dad," I said.
Darcey and Liam had already disappeared. Perhaps they found some other villagers they knew, or perhaps they just ran off to kiss or something. I didn't want to know. I figured I would see them later.
But Melody was still there. She looked a little jealous when she saw me hugging my mother and father. She was silent. I had never seen her this shy before.
" Mother, father," I said. "Meet Melody. She is my friend and she saved my life."
" So great to meet you," my mother and father said. "And thank you for all you've done."
" Oh, it was nothing," she said.
" Can we take her in till she finds her family?" I asked.
" Sure," my father said. "If she wants to. Is that what you want, Melody? Or do you have some better place to go?"
" No, I do not," she said. "Thank you for your hospitality. I would really love to stay."
It was like a dream come true. The most lovely girl in my home. Could you imagine?
" Thanks, dad," I said.
" No," Melody said silently. "Thank you, Jake."
With those words, she kissed me on the cheek. I disappeared.
THE END
Ghosts in the Village
Story 1: William and the Talking Ghost
There is a story, an ancient story ... one about two ghosts that safeguard the town of Sprang Town. Everybody in town has heard of them, others have seen them, or at least one of them; but no one understands what happened and how these ghosts have become their guardians. What everybody does know, though, is that since these ghosts have been showing up, opponents have stayed out and the town people have become much safer ...
William is in his house. He has hardly completed cooking and has set the plates on the table. He sits down and smells his meal. "Aaah ... good ... cauliflower, meatloaf, and potatoes. This is going to be delicious."
He starts eating and is halted by a gush of wind.
" Huh?" William says. "What was that?"
He looks to the left and notices the door is open.
" I thought I closed the door. Am I going crazy here?"
He gets up and closes the door again. That was unusual. Oh well, he isn't going to let it ruin his supper. But then it happens again, this time stronger. The door swings open and the wind blows away one of his napkins.
Whoosh!
How did this happen? It does not make any sense. Just an hour ago, the wind wasn't so strong and now it's blowing over his stuff. William gets up again and closes the outside door. Every little thing seems calm. Nothing going on.
But suddenly, he hears a soft, groaning sound, "Boooooh!”
" How is there?" William asks.
No answer.
" If you think this is amusing, then come laugh over here! Because I think it's a sick joke!" William screams.
Again, no answer.
" Oh well," William thinks. "If it's one of those annoying kids from right across the street, I will discover ultimately."
He reads a book and goes to sleep. That evening, there are no more disruptions.
The next early morning, he awakens by the noise of birds chirping. The wind is gone. It's all silent, except for the birds. He stands and puts on his outfits, after which he heads to the main town castle. When he walks through the big gate and passes the guards there, he welcomes his superior and reports the tasks from the previous day.
William is a village guard, a knight that secures his home town from invading enemies like zombies. Some of them are really hazardous and frightening. He has had times that he barely endured and thought he shouldn't have been alive. But hey, it pays the bills and he is a daring type anyway. He does not mind it. Besides, he is not afraid to die. He has nothing to lose. The majority of his relatives are gone or deceased, and he isn't even married. That's not to say he does not consider his l
ife important, but he is more than happy to sacrifice it for the wellbeing of others, if needed. So why would he care?
" Ready to go, sir," he says.
His exceptional, Mark, is a tough dude. He has a strong chin and some big muscles. He has been a guard been as long as William, but his additional courses and training helped him battle his way up the profession ladder and become a commanding officer. He is wearing a red t-shirt and always carries his sword behind his back.
" Get your sword, William," he says. "We have reports can be found in from the northern borders. Dark shades are assaulting the farmers there. I need you to go and stop them. Don't return until they are defeated."
" How many are we talking about, sir?" William asks.
" Oh, just a handful I think."
" Very well, sir. I will go right away."
William salutes Mark, turns around and goes out the castle gate. When he comes to the designated area about 20 minutes later, he sees what the officer means. Immediately, he is challenged with several dark shades beating up a villager behind a farm.
" Hey you! Stop that!" William shouts. And with those remarks, he dashes forward to combat the dark shades. The villager quickly hides behind a wall, watching the brave guard put his life in danger to secure his.
William slashes with his sword and beheads a dark shade. The other leaps back and attacks William quickly later on. He misses and William counters his moves by stabbing the dark shade in the chest.
" Die, wicked beast!" William exclaims.
And with that, the fight is over. The last dark shade runs away into the forest from whence it came. William helps the villager up by reaching out. The villager gets his hand and thanks him elaborately.
" Come have some tea," the farmer says.
" Oh, no thank you. I need to be on my way," William answers.
" No, truly ... just sit down with me for a few minutes. It will be my satisfaction."
" Okay, I guess several minutes wouldn't hurt," William says.
He follows the farmer to his home, where he receives a cup of hot, steaming tea. The farmer sits across from him and says, "You should beware out there. One of these days, you're not going to make it. Have you thought of that?"
Anthology of Horror Stories Page 9