So. This week’s story. Set during a full moon.....I got distracted, okay? I wrote a story that includes a full moon at one point, and right now, I’m tired enough to count it. I wrote this for a reason.
Week 11.
Once upon a time just about now, in a big city, there lived a man named Edmund, his wife named Mallory, and their daughter.
Edmund had not wanted a daughter. He railed and ranted at Mallory for weeks after the daughter was born about how a proper, obedient son would be better for the family name, and Mallory simply bowed her head and cradled her child close. The daughter’s crib was often left close to the fireplace and was soon covered in ashes, and finally the father, snorting at the mess, christened their child Ashling.
Slowly, Ashling grew up, and Edmund decided that if he was going to have a daughter, he was going to raise her to follow his every word. She took up music at his discretion, and when she felt it was not for her anymore and dropped it, he said she doomed her entire life by quitting, and would never make anything of herself. When he found a sample of Ashling’s writing, he degraded it in front of her as if it were someone else’s, simply to break down an activity he did not approve of her doing. She could not wear the clothes she wanted, but only skirts and shirts of certain lengths, and no makeup or body hair. The only clothes she was ever called “pretty” in were ones Edmund had pre-made for her himself. He called her “wrong” and a “mistake”, and said she “turned out wrong”.
Mallory disapproved of the way Edmund treated their daughter, but the two women were dependent on him for money to survive, and so the abuse continued for many, many years despite the horrible atrocities the father continued to commit. The mother did everything she could to protect her child when she could do anything at all. Over time, Ashling began to blame herself, thinking that all this must be happening to her for a reason, even though anyone who knew her situation could clearly see whose fault it was-Edmund’s.
Finally, one day about three months before Ashling’s 18th birthday, they had an argument, Ashling and Edmund. She confronted him with the fact that his words were shaking her mental health, but he denied it, and in a storm of righteous hurt she fled to her mother’s house on the other side of the city. On the way, she heard a voice calling her from an alley, and followed it out of curiosity.
Down the alley she wound, following the voice calling her name, until she saw a small glowing light-an eye. Ashling backed against the wall as a giant one-eyed werewolf climbed out of the shadows, growling her name.
“Where is your father.”
“What?”
“Where is your father.”
Shakily, Ashling told him directions, and the werewolf nodded, before lunging-
And hugging her tightly, nuzzling and licking her face. “That man has hurt you because he is evil. I am sorry he did that. Thank you for being strong.”
Then, he was gone, seeming to disappear in the light of the full moon.
The next day, Edmund was found wandering the streets, hunched over on himself and babbling. A doctor took him away, and found his mind was living in a false past. A past where his father had been to him how he had been to Ashling. His mind couldn’t handle the strain, and he had snapped.
The next night, the werewolf came to Ashling. It nuzzles her through the window, its one eye glowing happily.
“I told you. You have been so strong, and he was not. Perhaps he will learn children are not dolls.”
A really odd Nanowrimo piece, heh. Based on the popular and very effective exercise app Zombies Run, which has actually helped me get off my ass and get partially in shape.
This one may or may not become a series, I’d have to go back and find a way to listen to old recordings.
“All right, we’re just about to Teufort Township. That’s it just down there, past the edge of the forest.” The older woman flying the helicopter flicked another switch, flashing you a quick smile before focusing back on the ground below. “This is Jolly Alpha Five Niner from Yukon military base, coming in with supplies and one of our own.”
After a moment, the static cleared, and a woman’s voice came across the headset. “Jolly Alpha Five Niner, this is Teufort Township, got that-er, I mean, roger that-oh, just....just come on in, you can come on in and land.”
“Roger that Teufort, we’re coming in.” She flicked the communication off again, sighing softly. “It feels a bit bad, you know? We’re bringing in half the supplies we promised the township. I can only hope you’re of enough use to make up for it.” You shrugged helplessly, making an unsure noise through the gas mask, and the pilot shook her head, chuckling. “I know, I know, you don’t know anything yet. Well, don’t worry. Once we land, someone from the township will brief you on Project Greenshoot, and then you can-”
The sound of gunfire startled you both, and the pilot looked out of the window, her brow wrinkling. “That’s not coming from the township; someone’s shooting at us! What the hell? And they’ve got-what the hell is that?” You made it to your own window just in time to leap backwards as a rocket slammed into the side of the chopper, a loud ringing in your ears. The woman slammed to the side with the force of the impact, managing to reach out and switch communications back on. “Mayday, mayday, this is Jolly Alpha Five Niner, we’ve been hit by, can’t believe I’m saying this, a rocket launcher!” The tail rotor exploded, and the movement sent the pilot’s head against the window once more, knocking her unconscious.
The woman’s voice came back, frantic and unsure. “This is Teufort, I can see you, you’re...you’re coming down fast.” The chopper spiraled out of control, falling from the sky trailing fire behind it. “Oh, oh no, I’m just....I’m just a radio operator, I don’t know how to handle these kinds of situations! Um, if anyone on board can hear me, jump, grab your chute and jump!”
You managed to pull your yourself together, grab your chute pack, and leap out of the helicopter as it fell through the air, drifting away from it when the parachute finally opened. It was only a few more pounding, frantic heartbeats before the chopper crashed into the woods, exploding in a blinding flash of light and sound. When your eyes finally cleared, you were plummeting yourself past the tree line, landing in a pile of fallen leaves with a heavy thump. Untangling yourself from the chute, you bolted to your feet, trying to figure out where you were.
“I can’t see anyone, the trees are too thick over there!” The radio operator’s voice came in over your headset, before fading halfway away, as if she had leaned away from the mic to talk to somebody else before returning. “All right, if...if anyone survived the crash, you need to get out of there. Those woods are just crawling with zombies. There’s a pack of about 30 of them, no, 40 now, no...just, just run. If anyone’s there, if you can hear me, run!”
A groaning sound from behind you made you break into a quick sprint, weaving through the trees as quickly as you could. You didn’t want to be stuck in the middle of those things when they found the chopper.
“Hey, look at this! I’m sure, there’s someone just there, I saw something moving, someone too fast to be a zombie!” The sound of her voice snapped you out of the panic-driven focus of running as you broke into a less dense area of the forest. “I knew it, I knew it, someone survived! There’s a red blur on the monitor. Hey, if you can hear me, you’re doing great. They’re still behind you, but if...here, if you just keep heading towards the tower, you can be here in no time. Or, at least out of the forest and closer to the township, anyways.” There was no missing the tower the operator was talking about, looming in the distance over the treeline, and you shifted your path to angle towards it. Tower meant shelter meant safety.
Finally, you ran out of the forest, heading onto the cracked remains of a road. “Is...is that them? I think I can see them, but they’re kinda blurry.” The operator sounded excited. “Hey! Hey, you can hear me! They can hear me, look, they’re headed towards the tower, just like I said!” A pause, and then the voice again, less excited. “Aw, aw no, they’re...there’s a pack of them on the path in front of you. Here, if...if you head towards the old sawmill, you can’t miss it’s big red signs, that’ll lead you right around them.” You nodded, more to yourself than anything, and headed off the road, and the excitement returned. “Look at that, they heard me, they changed direction!”
Suddenly a man’s voice came over the radio. “Hello, you can hear us, ja? This is Doctor Meiers. By zhe looks of it, your new route vill take you past the old hospital, and if you could-”
“No, Doc, it’s too dangerous!” The woman sounded both angry and frightened. “We’ve lost three runners in there already. Not even Runner 5 made it out of there, and she was...was one of the fastest we had. There’s too many of those things in there. And what about whoever shot down the chopper, they’re still out there!”
“Zhey’re all distracted by the crash, zhis is the best chance ve’ll have! And if somevone is following zhem, taking an alternate route vould be zhe best vay to throw zhem off!” The sound of a brief scuffle, and then the doctor’s voice grew a little louder. “Whoever jou are, zhe hospital is just next to zhe sawmill, and zhere should still be a few medkits inside. If you could pick zhose up...vell, everyone here at Teufort Township earns zheir keep. If you can’t find anything in zhere, I’m not sure ve’ll be able to let you in. Just keep moving, and nothing will catch you, I’m sure.”
The woman sighed. “Fine, fine, just get away from my mic! Ok, listen. If you see anything official-looking, well, that’s what we sent Runner 5 in after, so, if you could pick it up that could make you a real hero back here in the township. Just...the bottom floor of the hospital should be fairly cleared out. If you hear anything, run.” You ducked through the broken doors of the hospital, swallowing nervously.
A few medkits were in fact scattered throughout the rooms, and the halls were thankfully, eerily empty. You paused for a moment outside the office before ducking inside, scanning quickly. The only thing left in the room was a file, labelled C.D.C. Shrugging, you picked it up, slipping it into your backpack as the woman’s voice came back. “Hello?”
A moment of hesitation. “Hey, so, uh, I’m...I’m gonna call you Runner 5, okay? Just because, you know, I can’t keep saying ‘hey, you’, and I don’t know your name or what you look like with that mask over your face, and we...just lost a Runner, so it’ll just....whatever.” She cleared her throat. “Anyways, Runner 5, there’s...there’s a small pack of zoms in the parking lot. You might be able to sneak around them if you head out the back, and-hey, what’s that you’ve got there?”
The com went static for a bit, before coming back into focus, Doctor Meier’s voice coming through. “Is zhat the Center for Disease Control file? I don’t say zhis lightly, Runner 5, but zhose papers might just be worth your life to protect, make sure jou keep them safe.”
“What’s so important in them, doc? What do those files say?”
“Can’t say vhat it is for sure. Could be nothing, could be everything.”
Both you and the woman snorted dismissively, almost in sync. “Well that leaves an incredibly narrow field of possibilities.” You rolled your eyes in silent agreement.
“You’re doing great, Runner 5, just a little bit further. I think this is just about where we lost the other Runner 5.” A soft sigh came over the com. “She was one of the best we ever had, you know. Fast, so incredibly fast, and funny, and smart...me and her were close. She was amazing.” Suddenly the operator gave a small cough. “But, but, uh, hey, you could be our new Runner 5! Just as amazing, I’m sure!”
Emerging from the hospital’s rear entrance, you took just a moment to rest, leaning on your knees for support as you breathed heavily through the mask. “Hey look, doc, Runner 5’s got out okay! Just keep heading for the tower again, it’s a short run back to the township, and-”
“Oh no, no no no, this is what happened last time. Runner 5, it’s the group from the car park, they’ve followed you!”
You turned your head for a quick glance. A dozen zombies lurched towards you, hands outstretched and empty eyes locked on you.
“They’ve spotted you, they’re gaining on you, just-just run! RUN!”
The smallest sigh of relief you’ve ever heard broke over the com as you wheezed, legs still pumping. “Looks like you’ve just about lost them, 5, they’re all falling behind” the woman said, almost distractedly.
“Nein, zhere still appears to be one more close to zhem...zhis one’s fast. They’re not supposed to move that fast.” The doctor sounded incredulous, before letting out a squawk as if being unceremoniously shoved away from the microphone.
“It can’t be....oh, it is...” The woman’s voice grew despondent. “I can tell it’s her, it’s Alice...the old Runner 5. She’s still...still wearing the headset. God, I wonder if she could even still hear us...”
The groans had become louder, slower, and a glance back showed indeed one single zombie still stumbling after you, dressed in a plain red shirt and grey pants leading down to unlaced running shoes. A grey baseball cap sat on-her? its?- head, held in place by the orange wireless headset strapped over it. She? It? looked at you, snarling with hunger, and you picked up the pace.
“Listen, you’re not far from zhe township,” the doctor interrupted, sending a small burst of relief through you. “Ve’ll send out a party to meet you and get the zoms off your back. Just one last burst of speed and jou should be safe. Run.”
You’d never been so happy to hear the sound of gunfire in your entire life, the bullets spraying behind you as one of the soldiers waved you towards the gates, the siren wailing. “Come on in, we’ll take care of her!” The old Runner 5 was still close behind you as you approached.
“Aw, I...they’re gonna shoot her. I can’t watch this, I just... can’t.” The sound of a chair scooting backwards echoed in the headset, nearly dwarfed by the undead moaning at your back.
“It’s for zhe best, Pauling. It’s vhat Alice vould have vanted.”
One of the soldiers on the walls raised his rifle, and you ducked, almost feeling the bullets whizzing over your head. One last groan, and then the zombie fell behind you. You hung your head in relief, running through the open gates and skidding to a stop, heart pumping from the adrenaline of keeping up that pace for so long.
Immediately, you were surrounded by a barrage of words and faces pressing around you curiously.
“Hey, hey, it’s good ta see a fresh face around here!”
“Is zat zhe file sticking out of your bag zhere?”
“Move away from the gates, we’ve gotta get them closed!”
A small woman in a purple blouse and pencil skirt shoved her way through the crowd, pulling you out of the horde of people, brushing a strand of long black hair out of her face. “Hey, hey, come on, stand back give them some room, they can’t handle all these new faces at once!” It’s the woman from the radio, and she smiled softly at you. “I’m Miss Pauling, the radio operator for the township. Bit of a harrowing meeting, I suppose. Well, welcome to Teufort.”
