FLASH FICTION:-- HORROR, SCI-FI, HUMOUR, CRIME, SLICE OF LIFE, ETC.

Friday 16 September 2011

Zurvivor (A Zombie's tale Part 2)

Author's note :-
Hi everyone, this week is my first anniversary of posting on #fridayflash, a year in which I have had so much enjoyment being part of the #fridayflash community. The reading, writing, posting and receiving comments, and of course the banter. Thank you to everyone for visiting, and taking the time to check out my stories over the past year.

My debut story on #fridayflash was posted on 17th of September 2010, and was entitled “A Zombie's tale” And so to mark the milestone I decided to write “Zurvivor (A Zombie's tale Part 2)"

Anyone wishing to read the first part of the story can find it here :-

A Zombie's tale. (Part 1)

Thank you for reading.

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Zurvivor. (A Zombie's tale Part 2)

I didn't feel any guilt at deciding to save my own skin, I mean, no-one else was going to do it for me were they?

I had done my share of the fighting, pretty much a losing battle from the start. We never really got on top of the situation. Always retreating, room by room, corridor by corridor, our numbers dwindling as the enemies' grew.

When it first started we were taken by surprise, many of the castle's residents had been partying the night before, and by the time they had half-awoken in their hangover fug it had already been too late for them, and so even before any sort of defence could be initiated the zombies' numbers had already risen rapidly, as they continued to do so over the first few hours.

Six days later... and what small groups of humans were left were holed up in various rooms scattered around the castle, barricaded in, mostly with very little food or water, very little if any ammunition left, very little hope left too for that matter.

The zombie horde shambling around the corridors, or battering at the barricades must number well over three hundred by now. Pretty much a grim situation.

Four of us had fought our retreat down a stone stairway, pushed backwards by the sheer weight of numbers. By the time I reached the heavy door at the bottom I was the only one left, the only one that could be classed as human anyway.

I slammed the door shut behind me and slid the thick steel bolt into place, then continued down another flight of steps into what I discovered to be a sprawling dungeon converted into several storerooms.

It would seem fortune smiled on me this day, or smirked on me maybe, time would tell.

Investigating my surroundings I discovered crates of tinned meat and fish, bottled water and cola, dried fruit, cartons of crisps, enough to feed me for months.

Further investigation turned up a veritable treasure trove of useful items. Blankets, candles, cutlery, just about everything I would need to sit out a long siege. But unfortunately, no weapons or ammunition.

Bumps and thuds came from the top of the stairs, no worry, that door would hold.

I sat on a crate of tinned fruit, and reviewed the events of the past few days.

No-one knew for sure how the zombies had got into the castle, the walls were too high for them to scale, and the massive doors were still intact and braced.

I heard a rumour that the teenager and his parents who lived over at the east wing were the first victims, and that it had spread from there.

That kid was one weird piece of work, he had a way of looking at you, with a strange smile on his face, as though he knew something that you didn't, and he was smug enough to want to blurt it out but smart enough not to. I wouldn't even be surprised if he had let the virus in on purpose as some kind of psychotic joke.

The only thing I could do now was wait, eventually the zombies currently clawing at the dungeon door may die of starvation, although I didn't hold out much hope for that, or they may be distracted by other survivors, or wander off in search of easier prey.

There was only one way out of here, and that was back up the steps and through the door I came in. I was well supplied, and had nothing but time on my hands...

So I guess I'll just wait...

I removed the revolver from my waistband and checked the load, I was surprised to discover there was still one live round left...

I was wrong, there were two ways out of here.

- - - - - - - - - -

A Zombie's tale. (Part 1)
Zigourney. (A Zombie's tale Part 3)


©2011 Stephen. J. Green.

24 comments:

  1. Nice hanger to leave it on, Steve. Kind of rooting for and against him at this point. Is that what you want?

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  2. Good job moving the events forward. Are you going to wait another year to give us part 3?

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  3. WOW! Congrats on making it through a year! And awesome zombie tale!

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  4. @John - Thanks John, I think I'd be rooting for him, he's gonna need a lot of luck to make it out of there alive.

    @Tim - Thanks Tim, I don't know if there will be a part 3 or not, I may get my muse on the case when his food supply runs out. :-)

    @W.J. - Thank you, the year has gone so unbelievably quickly too, and been a lot of fun along the way. :-)

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  5. Oh you can't leave it like that! I hope he manages to out wait the Zombies.

    I loved this second part of the story!

    Happy first year of #fridayflash-ing ^__^ Throws handfuls of sparkly glitter to celebrate. ¸.✶*¨`*¸.•*´*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨`*.✫*¨*.

    I've yet to complete my first year.

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  6. Interesting to see you switch POV from part 1. After the set-up I was already to despise all the self-satisfied castle dwellers but in the end you made me do an empathetic u-turn. So what about part 3?

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  7. I feel for the poor guy. If he doesn't die of starvation or because of his bullet, I'm afraid he'll go mad in the process. Either way, I'm not sure if surviving is the best option.

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  8. @Helen - Thanks, I'll have to see if I can come up with a suitable Part 3 I think. Thank you ever so much for the glitter too, it feels like a proper celebration now. :-)

    @Jason - When I wrote the original, I think in my own mind I felt that the smug, priveleged few were going to get what they deserved, but they can't have ALL been bad guys, can they? So maybe I'll help this guy out of there, if indeed there is anything for him to come out TO.

    @Stephen - I think in a way most people would pity the poor guy, because the thought of being in the same predicament would terrify almost anyone.

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  9. Oooooooh Zombies! It's been a great year Dad, and I loved reading all your stories. I always knew you were a closet writer!

    Love you xxx

    Louise

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  10. Thank you darling, though I must say, it's awfully dark in here. :-)

    Loves ya right back. XXX.

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  11. Hi Steve. Thanks for dropping by and congrats on your first year anniversary. No idea when i started. Well Id be terrified to be in his predicament. I see you left it hanging - for your second anniversary? Will he survive?

    Denise

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  12. Methinks he will choose neither escape for a while. But there is only so long one can live in a dungeon. Wonder how stubborn those zombies will be.

    This works as a nice chaser to part one.

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  13. @Denise - Hiya Denise, and thank you. I have an idea brewing for a part 3, which I will probably post sometime over the next few weeks.

    @Aidan - Thanks Aidan, zombies are persistent, but they're stupid and easily outwitted, so I think he'll have a rest for a few days while he considers his options. :-)

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  14. Nice. Can always rely on you for a good zombie flash, Steve. =)

    I hadn't read the first part before, so a double treat for me. Really enjoyed the enemy within take.

    And congratulations on a year! =D I think I might re-write my first entry when my #fridayflash anniversary comes up, or steal your idea and write a sequel. ;)

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  15. Thanks John, I enjoy writing zombie fiction, and do try to come up with original slants on the theme.

    The year has gone by so fast too, as will yours, before you know it you will be posting that anniversary story. :-)

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  16. Can a zombie starve to death? (I think they can)

    It'll be interesting to see how long your protag can stand the solitude...so I'm hoping there is a part 3!

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  17. Congrats on a full year of #fridayflash, I've enjoyed all of the stories I've read on The Twisted Quill and this one was no different.

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  18. @Icy - I'm pretty sure now that there will be a part 3, and soon too. I don't know if zombies can starve or not, but it will be handy for this guy if they can. :-)

    @Liminal - Thanks for the congrats, and the confidence boost, just knowing that people are reading and enjoying my posts make it worthwhile. :-)

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  19. I love this ending, Steve. It leaves a lot for the reader to imagine. I would say this guy is lucky with his find, but I'm not sure if I mean the food or the bullet. :)

    And, by the way, Congrats on a full year of FridayFlash. I always enjoy reading your stories.

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  20. Thanks Chuck, time will tell how lucky the guy really is. :-)

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  21. Great way to end the story. Congratulations on a year of Friday Flash!

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  22. Thanks Catherine, the story may not be quite over yet though. :-)

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  23. Hi there Steve -- Gratz on your first year in :)

    Part 3 TBC at year 2? Could be a zombie-paced release schedule for a full novel. I'm sure the guy can survive another Twisted Quill anniversary, as long as he stays away from the gun and takes to licking concrete for moisture. St.

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  24. Thanks Stephen, haha, if I wrote a novel at this pace my great great grandchildren would be around for the book signing. :-)

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