Esther Chilton

Every week, on a Friday, I invite a writer to appear in my Guest Writer Spot. If you’d like your writing to appear on this page, please contact me here or by e-mail: esthernewtoneditor@outlook.com. I accept stories, poems, articles – in fact, anything and everything. All you have to do is make sure your prose is no longer than 2000 words and your poems no more than 40 lines.

This week’s Guest Writer is Alyson Faye. You can read more of her work on her own blog: www.alysonfayewordpress.wordpress.com

Zombie Hunting by Alyson Faye

This is not what I had imagined happening when Lisa had said we should dress up for Halloween and make a night of it. I’d been thinking more about wearing matching witch and wizard costumes, going on a pub crawl, getting hammered and heading back to mine.

Instead we’re crouching in the middle of freezing Dalby Forest in a hide. We’re weaponed up and decked out in camouflage gear. Not what I’d bargained for. I’m freezing, fed up and sober. Outside it’s pitch black. The silence is broken by occasional howls and screams.

“Let’s do something different,” Lisa had suggested. “It’ll be a fun bonding thing. We can spend Halloween fighting side by side like in ‘The Walking Dead.’”

She’d made me watch season after season of that telly show.

I’d never heard of ‘Zombie Hunting’. It’s a real money spinner. Halloween’s the biggest night of the year for the companies who offer this event. Okay it’s only paint balls and dress up but the photographs on the ‘ZombiesRUs’ website look amazingly realistic. The gear you get to hunt with is cool too.

“Time to go shoot. Let’s get out there!” Lisa shouts as she stands up with her right arm raised. Reluctantly I follow her. I have to. We’re on the deluxe couples’ package.

It’s creepy at night in the woods. I’m jumping at shadows just like a kid whilst holding my semi automatic paint gun in front of me as a shield. My heart is hammering away.

A figure comes streaking out of the darkness, wailing. It’s covered in white body paint, has a bloodstained mouth and is moving fast. Too fast. It can’t be human. I have a flashback to the film ‘World War Z’ and my adrenaline levels roar upwards. I’m know I’m going to be sick.

Lisa lets off a few shots and the ‘zombie’ collapses, writhing impressively. His chest erupting in crimson paint sprays, some of which rain onto my girlfriend.

“Awesome!” She air punches and wipes her face. I eye her with respect. This is an unknown side to my girlfriend. Lisa the Zombie killer!

Me -well I’m sweating, my mouth’s dry as dust and I just want to climb a tree. But shoulder to shoulder, we march on through the bushes, shoving through the undergrowth.

I’m awash with emotions, lots of fear but there’s love in there too. Overcome, I whisper to Lisa, “I love you. You know that don’t you?” At that moment I don’t doubt it one iota.

Lisa glances at me, with panda eyes. She looks pleased. “Mm do you? Well I….”

I’m destined never to find out what she will say next, for a zombie bursts unheralded from behind a gnarly tree. He’s carrying a huge axe and shrieking. Stark white face, blue lips and rotting flesh.

Panicking, I grab Lisa and shove her in front of me as an offering.

“Take her!” I yell.

The zombie freezes. He lowers his axe. “Blimey, mate. That’s a bit off in nit?” He has a broad Yorkshire accent.

Lisa bursts into tears and the zombie puts his arm round her shaking shoulders.

“C’mon, love. You come with me and we’ll go get a cuppa.”

 I watch my ex girlfriend in her camo gear walk away into the greenery with the zombie towering protectively over her.

***