Rise of the undead

Ava had no idea how long she had been sleeping, but she groggily awoke from her slumber when she suddenly heard piercing screams fill the air around her. With heavy eyelids, she opened her eyes and quickly realized that Abby was no longer beside her. The chilling screams belonged to a little girl, and they were coming from Abby.

Panic surged through Ava like a tidal wave, and she quickly scanned her surroundings, calling out, "Abby!" Her voice trembled with fear as she searched the dark room, but no sign of Abby was visible.

"Mommy!" Abby cried out, her voice laced with terror. Ava jumped off the sofa, and as she did, a rush of dizziness enveloped her, making her feel unsteady as she rose too quickly from her resting place.

"Abby!" Ava shouted in a panic, her heart racing.

The screams continued, accompanied by the terrifying sounds of what seemed to be monstrous creatures lurking nearby. Ava struggled to move her feet forward, her mind racing, and as she looked around, she saw that the house was in disarray; furniture was overturned, and the walls were cracked and crumbling.

 As she stumbled toward the source of the commotion, she finally caught sight of Abby, desperately clinging to her mother, while one of the grotesque creatures was dragging her mother by her feet, showing no mercy.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ava rushed toward Abby, her heart pounding in her chest. She grabbed onto Abby and held her tightly, trying to pull her mother back to safety.

"Hold on, Ms. Taylor!" Ava shouted, her voice filled with urgency. The woman looked at her with tears streaming down her blue eyes, but the monster continued to drag her away, relentless in its pursuit.

" Ava you have to let go " say Taylor through her tears. But Ava was not letting her go and she is not letting another girl lost her parents.

Ava, fueled by desperation, moved closer and grasped Taylor's arms, pushing with all her might to pull her backwards, away from the creature's grasp.

" I am not letting you go " say Ava desperately as she tried with all her strength to hold on to the woman.

"Mommy, hold on!" shouted Abby, her small hands gripping her mother's as tightly as she could manage. Ava summoned every ounce of strength she had, pushing back against the monster with everything she could muster.

But somehow, their efforts only seemed to enrage the beast, and in a split second, its menacing red eyes locked onto Ava, sending a chill down her spine.

 In that terrifying moment, Ava felt a cold wave wash over her body, and she fought with all her strength to hold onto Taylor, desperate to prevent the creature from taking her away. But in the blink of an eye, the monster proved to be more cunning than they had anticipated.

It used its other hand, which was covered in sharp scales, and pressed it right through Taylor's chest with brutal force. In an instant, Ava felt the life of the woman she was fighting so hard to save slip away, the light fading from her eyes as she was taken from them.

Abby's screams pierced the air, a heart-wrenching sound as she watched her mother slip from her grasp. "NO!" Abby shouted in sheer terror, her voice echoing with despair.

Time seemed to freeze in that horrific moment, and Ava stood paralyzed, her mind struggling to comprehend the gruesome scene unfolding before her. She felt the warm blood splatter across her body as the monster mercilessly tore the woman apart, breaking her into pieces as if she were nothing more than a piece of meat.

 Ava remained frozen, her eyes wide open in shock, her lips trembling as she tried to process the horror of what was happening right in front of her.

Ava glanced at Abby, who was crying out loudly and screaming in anguish. In that moment, something inside Ava snapped, and she realized that they had to escape this nightmare. They needed to get to a safe place, away from the horrors that surrounded them, because she could feel the ground beneath them beginning to tremble.

The creatures had heard Abby's screams, and they were now aware of their presence.

With determination, Ava reached down and grabbed Abby's small hand, even though her own body felt like it was moving in slow motion.

"We have to go!" Ava urged, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. The sound of the monster destroying the last remnants of Ms. Taylor was something that Ava knew she would never be able to erase from her mind, and every hair on her body stood on end with fear.

 But if they didn't move quickly, they would become nothing more than food for the creatures that lurked in the shadows.

Summoning every ounce of strength she possessed, Ava dragged Abby with her towards the back door of the house, desperate to escape. The sound of Abby's trembling legs echoed through the hallway, her sobs mixing with the creaking of the wreckage as they hurried along.

 The fear in the air was palpable, each step feeling like an eternity.

 Finally, Ava found the back door. The cold air outside hit them as they stepped out, a sharp contrast to the chaos inside. In the distance, the sight of death-stricken figures slowly approaching sent shivers down their spines.

The screams of Abby seemed to have attracted more attention, as more figures began to converge towards them. With urgency, Ava pushed her body forward, the shock of the recent events still fresh in her mind.

Moving through the neighboring backyards, they put distance between themselves and the horror they left behind.

 Three houses away, Ava's unease grew, and she doubled over, her body convulsing as she vomited. The taste of bile lingered in her mouth, a harsh reminder of the terror they had just experienced. Abby stood by her, holding onto her jacket, her tear-streaked face buried in the fabric.

 As Ava regained her composure, she turned to Abby, her heart breaking for the young girl who had just lost her mother. Gently moving Abby away from the vomit, Ava knelt before her, holding her gaze under the faint moonlight.

Abby's puffy, tear-filled eyes and trembling lips painted a heartbreaking picture of loss and fear.

Ava tucked a strand of Abby's hair behind her ear, her heart pounding. Time was running out, and they couldn't stay exposed for too long.

"Abby, I know what happened was unfair, but you have to be strong now. We need to get to a safe place," Ava said, taking Abby's small hand in hers.

Abby tried to wipe away her tears, but they kept falling. "I don't want to go. I want to be with my mommy," she sobbed, her little body trembling.

Ava tightened her grip on Abby's hand. "I know, sweetheart, but your mommy wanted you to live. She wanted to keep you safe," she said, trying to comfort her. But before she could say anything else, dread crept into her veins.

They were no longer alone.

The sound of shuffling feet echoed around them, and Ava's blood ran cold as she saw the zombies moving closer. Death was following them.

Ava rose from her kneeling position, her grip on Abby firm. "Abby, we have to go. Now!" she urged. Even as Abby hesitated, Ava pulled her along, refusing to let go. She wasn't going to lose her.

They weaved through the abandoned houses, one by one, until they reached the streets of New Jersey. Streetlights still flickered, casting eerie glows on the pavement. There was still electricity—for now.

Ava kept Abby behind her, scanning her surroundings for a place to hide. In the distance, she saw one of the creatures perched atop a building, its decayed mouth stretching open as it let out a blood-curdling screech.

 It was calling for the others.

Panic surged through Ava as she desperately searched for shelter. Then, she spotted a shop. Without hesitation, she yanked the door open and dragged Abby inside. She slammed the door shut, her breath ragged. For a brief moment, she thought they were safe—until Abby froze in place and pointed at something in the darkness.

"Ava," Abby whispered, fear lacing her voice.

Ava followed Abby's gaze, and her stomach twisted in horror.

From the shadows, a figure emerged. It had once been human, but now it was nothing more than a rotting corpse. Its lifeless eyes stared blankly ahead, and its melted, sickly flesh hung loosely from its bones. Judging by the tattered name tag on its shirt, it had once been the shop's owner.

Ava's heart pounded.

She quickly scanned the room for a weapon—anything she could use. Her eyes landed on a metal pipe attached to the wall. Without wasting a second, she rushed over and grabbed it, yanking with all her strength.

"Abby, hide!" she called, gritting her teeth as she struggled to loosen the pipe.

The zombie took a slow, staggering step toward them.

"Come on, come on!" Ava muttered under her breath, pulling with all her might.

With one final tug, the pipe came loose. Ava turned around just in time to see Abby crouching behind a wooden desk, her small hands trembling.

Ava gripped the pipe with both hands, took a deep breath, and charged.

She swung with everything she had, aiming for the head. The pipe struck with a sickening crunch, but the creature kept moving.

Again and again, she hit it, each blow sending shocks up her arms. Blood and decayed flesh splattered against the walls as she swung harder, refusing to stop.

Finally, she heard it.

A sickening crack.

The zombie crumpled to the floor, motionless.

Ava stood frozen, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She had never killed anything before—never witnessed something so gruesome. Her body trembled, her grip on the bloodied pipe unsteady.

 She was only pulled from her trance when she felt a tug on her jacket. Turning, she saw Abby staring up at her with wide, tear-filled eyes.

"I think he's dead now… he won't come back," Abby whispered.

Ava nodded, but she couldn't find her voice. She could only stand there, staring at the lifeless body at her feet, trying to process what she had just done.